Those Boots

had to be cleaned... I know they could do with more wax on a weekly basis, so will try to do that!
I need to be at a boot camp as cleaning shoes is not a favourite occupation. I think though that shiny or unshiny shoes tell one a lot about the wearer! 
Unfortunately, the right boot had the leather partially cut through by wire on a walk!  They are quite old.. about 18 years...and were broken in on a route march through a Sri Lankan forest, after we had crossed a replica of the Bridge on the River Kwai used in the film of said name. 
NOTE: the real bridge is in Burma http://www.bridgeriverkwai.com/
These boots had to keep marching because if they stopped, the leeches jumped onto the skin.  Mine was fully covered.  My feet wore double lined socks. Those who did not heed instructions, who still wore shorts, screamed as leeches were lanced from their skin with a swift swipe of a knife. Boots with memories of fear and laughter, success and achievement.
Isn't the www interesting because I didn't know this was happening at Kitulgala. Also the river below that bridge was where the group did white water raft riding... just the once.  I didn't wear my boots, but did wet my knickers. We also had to cross the river in a canoe of a tree... balancing whilst we stood in the dug out part!
Would I do that again?  White water riding?
Yes, I think I would, even though in our raft, the leader fell out and it was down to the front two of the six to fish him out of the water whilst I bounced in the bottom of the raft, sobbing in fear, then laughing as I realised it didn't matter what I had done...and when I heard that the leader had fallen out on that particular bounce, I scrambled myself together enough to get back on the edge to balance the raft, and had a whale of a time... even to the end where we floated down the river in our life jackets. Everyone hugged me as I couldn't stop crying and laughing at the same time! For me, it was personal success, achievement and happiness. I had conquered that fear for that moment....ah, nice memories! 
The moral of the tale is that I got back onto the edge of that raft.... and I endured fear and conquered... I should remember that !!!! 

Nomads

I have seen about three or four of the Chatellerault Christmas spectacles since living in France, but I had thought they'd been axed... so it was a great pleasure to know that these circus events are being continued as a free gift to residents of this region.  The best I saw was Transhumance in 2007.
I found this video of it because I don't know where my photos are!
For those who do not know:- Transhumance is the description of when cattle, sheep, goats go to the mountains in the Spring and are brought to the lowlands in the Autumn.  Of course it is a time of movement, of travel, of nomads and by extension could apply to many animals and people of the world.
Here is a video I found on the internet.
It is the troupe of modern troubadours in procession.  The procession is a representation of the Transhumance in the southern parts of France. I shall look for other information to display here...
Here is another link.
I would also like to wish a very happy feast to my former partner who is currently travelling in Australia, after 3 months in Malaysia and 3 months in Taiwan.  Soon he goes to Laos! A very brave and courageous man.  I don't know if he knows about this blog as he has never asked and so I have never said!  He is 'un petit nomad'. 
I too have a need to travel!

A small blue notebook

The 1998 European educational exchange had ended.  I chose to stay alone in Lisbon for a few extra days.  It was an opportunity and project to share and develop pedagogical knowledge and delivery to children (i.e. teaching and learning) and to build and benefit professional and personal development. It was for adults, as well as for children, and some colleagues missed the point!

My small, blue notebook recorded a memory of overcoming internal fears into joy as a personal educational experience.  It wasn’t every day that I had the opportunity to be in Portugal with flights pre-paid. I hadn't been corrupt. The flight booked was just several days later and meanwhile I paid for my accommodation, travel and food.  Travelling really does broaden the mind. It was a lesson in how to be better organised - an ongoing challenge of my life! It was a lesson in overcoming fears. I needed to keep calm and not think the worst.  Rising panic attacks wanted to destroy the sense of adventure. Being unable to understand Portuguese and frustrated to be understood created desperation in the first 48 hours!  It was a lesson in how to learn to be positive.  It became a lesson of appreciation of how lucky I was.  Then,  there was a friend who loved me.  We spoke on the 'phone. He guided me on how to approach living in a place where language was a barrier.  In my small blue notebook I wrote that I was respectful of his patience, kindness and care.  I tried to be more open towards the general friendliness of unspeaking travellers.

On the train out of Lisboa, I congratulated myself for purchasing a train ticket. I had used gestures and written the destination on paper. I gave a large note and accepted whatever the change was. It was escudos.  That morning at breakfast a television advertisement re-enforced my friend’s verbal support. This made me more confident, encouraged and hopeful that I could master solo travel.

The message was that: “The world is full of opportunity and risk. If you can take away the risk you can do anything!”  It was also “Carpe Diem - Seize the day for tomorrow may never come.”

After the hubbub of Lisbon, the landscape transformed as we exited a dark tunnel. Here was Sintra with its beautiful Palace. Once there were two different castles. There was the now ruined Islamic Castle of the Moors overlooking the village.  In the lower castle, dating from 10^th century, where Moorish regional rulers once lived, there is a mixture of Gothic, Renaissance and Moorish styles.

There was the most wonderful wood-panelled flooring with furniture made from many woods: walnut, rosewood, ebony, oak, chestnut.  In a 15th/16^th chapel repeated patterns of doves holding an olive branch were painted on the walls.  In one room 104 magpies were painted on the ceiling holding 'HONOUR' in their beaks. 

In another room 27 swans were painted on the ceiling. Windows and doors were surrounded by green and white rhombus shaped tiles. Above each were different mosaic patterned castles. I noticed tureens from 17^th/18^th centuries depicting boar, cows, swans, and chickens!

I ate bacalhau – dried and salted codfish with creamy mashed potatoes topped with grilled parmesan, served with a mixed salad and more than one glass of red wine before I climbed to the upper castle in hot sunshine!  I felt contented and wished my friend was with me.  Back in Lisbao, I discovered an indulgement of Portuguese custard tarts. Sitting outside the castle I could hear a noisy city.  Trams clank, aeroplanes roar to soar, pigeons coo, birds in cages sing, others cheep in freedom, builders hammer tools, people chatter, cars rush, ships hoot, horns honk, sirens wail and people played guitars as I looked at the sculptural art in the courtyard.  I loved the monastery, the castle, the wide promenades, the ocean, the ambience, the architecture and particularly the Purple Jacaranda trees, beneath which, I heard the music of Madredeus.  

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Weather Days:
Monday was hot, hot, hot for February.  My carpenter and I sat in the garden for morning coffee, lunch and afternoon tea!  I think it was a Yellow Brimstone that fluttered by and I think a Red Admiral.  In mid January I had to help a Red Admiral wake up when it was about to get damaged in the log shed!  But I heard on the radio this Wednesday morning that butterflies in England have woken up from their Winter Pause too early and there isn't enough nectar to supply them with energy.
Tuesday was more overcast with some sun breaking through in the afternoon.