05 Saturday Apr 2008
Posted in life stuff, photos
German photographer Walter Schels was terrified of death, but felt compelled to take these extraordinary series of portraits of people before and on the day they died. His partner Beate Lakotta recorded the poignant and revealing interviews with the subjects in their final days.
I found both the article and the photographs very moving.
[warning: some people may find the images disturbing]
03 Thursday Apr 2008
Posted in food & drink, friends, fun stuff, life stuff, sevilla
Some of you may recall that back in January I went to my first AWC luncheon – and last month to my second one – at which time I became an official AWC member.
Well, last night there was a ‘new members tapas night’ scheduled and so Pipocas and I thought we should drop in since we are, in fact, new members. We also decided it would be a good idea to meet for pre-drink drinks before the event just in case of … well, whatever. Then awhile later – where had the time gone? – I got a call from Rena (one of the AWC directors) while Pipocas and I were on our second pre-drink drink asking if we were still coming, so we high-tailed it over to the tapas bar that had been chosen for this event, just up the street…
02 Wednesday Apr 2008
Posted in culture, life stuff, video, wtf?
These must be Miss Bimbo ‘graduates’.
Seriously one of the vilest things I’ve ever seen.
(and no, it’s not a late April Fools)
26 Wednesday Mar 2008
Posted in health & happiness, life stuff
I think this would feel wonderful!
Awhile ago truce wrote about spontaneously walking home from work barefoot in downtown Sydney and I was reminded of her experience when I saw this Grauniad article about Barfuss (barefoot) walks.
On a specially-designed Barfuss you don’t simply trudge over rather samey woodland floor. At Trentham, different stages of the walk present you with running water (pumped from the lake), stone and brick (from the remains of the old house), sand, grass, logs, planks, pebbles, flint, those knobbly paving stones you find near pedestrian crossings and – at the start – a mudbath the colour of dark chocolate.
The beneficial effects on your whole body of stimulating your feet is the basis of the ancient practice of reflexology. In China, reflexology paths paved with different types of stone have been around for thousands of years and are regularly walked on for relaxation and to promote longevity.
Research published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society in 2005 showed that walking reflexology paths three times a week for 30 minutes a session over 16 weeks can reduce blood pressure and improve balance.
As a kid I remember going barefoot all summer and so every autumn when school started my shoes always felt extra tight because my feet had spread out so much. Even now I can’t stand wearing shoes, so I’m lucky that I can wear sandals for at least eight months out of the year. But I don’t actually go barefoot much anymore, except at home and at the beach.
I don’t think I’d like to try walking barefoot in downtown Sevilla. Not only because of the horseshit everywhere but also because of the dangers of cutting myself. As well as feeling grossed out about possibly stepping where dogs have peed and people have spat or vomited, etc.
But one of these reflexology paths sounds like it would be amazing.
16 Sunday Mar 2008
Posted in holidays, life stuff, portugal, trips
When Pipocas and I went out for some much needed cold water after our Japanese luncheon the other day she mentioned that she was going to Tavira during Semana Santa with her husband and 4-year-old daughter and asked if Nog & I would like to come and hang out with them for a couple of days while they were there. And well, I’ve never been to the Algarve and Tavira is very close to the Spanish border (and also accessible by bus) so I started looking into this possibility . . .
casa azahar 