I was urged to write something interesting, because I am preparing a collection of 2004 blog’s notes as a Christmas gift for the family (“how mean” someone will comment).
And it had to be robust and appealing, as the last inputs have been quite weak.
And obviously an image was needed, because images make a better blog (and for sure a better gift).
Then, this is the Vesuvio volcano.
But I do not know what to say.
There is not a real reason to publish this drawing today.
But I noticed that the blog is nicer when there are some images, and this is one I like.
I often draw chickens. I mean, I drew three or four chicken-based images in my life.
However, as I cannot determine what to draw, four is quite a good number.
Another subject that came out often from my tracing lines on white paper was a middle-age knight. He inspired also some brief lyrics.
These are chickens. Elegant, vibrant, multicoloured, but chickens.
Bruxelles is a quiet place. Ordered and well organised; before going out, you can check on the internet at which point is the bus you want to get.
It?s plenty of little restaurants, cafès, brasseries. People are generally courteous.
Yes, the sky is often grey, but I see the sun almost every time I come. And I come often, lately.
To keep the routine, I planned travelling to Italy and then to Bruxelles.
November the 17th, I bought a flight ticket to Rome by Volare, low-cost Italian company.
The cost was probably too low, as the company declared failure on the 19th.
Nobody called, no e-mail messages, but, as usual, a family information (this time coming from my sister) informing about the situation (she had bought another ticket to Paris).
It’s not my lucky month, and still there is a week to go.
First, I got a cold. Then, exchange of messages, greetings, stories. During this time friends got married, changed job, someone began the genuine adventure of having a baby.
Nothing is really different, neither am I. I wonder if this is good or not.
The ‘mother-driven’ evacuation process worked well, and I am now back to Barcelona (preferring to meet at the airport mr Zapatero rather then the new Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
Ivory Coast is now on the edge of a disaster. Wish a slow, unclear and imperfect but peaceful solution.
Here we are, then. Checking the e-mail, watching the incredible Ivorian TV and waiting to be rescued. The Embassy informed us about a ‘plan zed’ to collect the people from their houses and transport them to the airport. We cross everything we can and explore alternative escape ways.
Situation is calm, sometimes, with sun going down, some shots.
I start thinking about capuccino, mozzarella and churros.
The collateral effect of war is the full immersion in an immense bathe of rhetoric. The Ivorian TV is working hard in this way, with a nonstop show of politicians and dignitaries disseminating their stories with no embarrassment. The interminable catalogue is interrupted only by the ‘variété patriotique’, an ensemble of dubious singers and dancers chanting the country and the government. The UN radio represents the other interference, with its improbable appeals to “not panic” and its absence of information. To have a rest we watched “the good girl” and “le voleur de vies” with Angelina Jolie and Ethan Hawke. PS the mechanician sent an SMS to give his support. Nice thought.
This is the word for today.
Some friends has been evacuated, some other is too far to be reachable.
It remembers about the difficulties in evacuation for people with a lazy ‘digestive machinery’.
And remembers about moving of ancient populations.
And about the MedEvac, ghost of any difficult mission.
For the moment however, here we stay.
War is a word I never thought I would be obliged to use in relation with my personal circumstances.
I considered it a concept of history to study in the books or news from faraway, to watch in the TV.
Here the war is beginning (again) ‘normally’ with no emphasis and no tragedy.
The same as it was when Italy participated in the Kosovo war.
Once again, after many years. Or perhaps not so many.
MC7858attitude 