Poetry: Windswept

Howling wind through woven thatch,
You challenge me to enter thy wrath.
With forceful gusts you bellow my name,
Trepid excitement I submit to your game.

Violently you hurl sand at my ankles,
Enthral me with white capped waves.
Needles of sea spray lash at my face,
Windswept palm trees lose their grace.

My determined steps defy your power,
Yet stand in awe of greatest splendour.
Crushing all that stand up against you,
How my chosen path is forced askew.

Like a pawn I bend to commands so pure,
Life is humbled in the wake of grandeur.
To survive I surrender to your might,
No rules, accepting, I relinquish the fight.

Aware of my trust you see a worthy ally,
Arms outstretched, I welcome passionate fury.
I undo my hair inviting your advances,
With wild abandon, our freedom dances.

Playfully we wrestle like lion and lioness,
Your magnitude becomes a loving caress.
Laughing together we let go of control,
Filling my lungs you rejuvenate my soul.

Updates: Snorkelling

Yesterday (26-05-07)was a significant day for me – I went snorkelling! Yeah, so what? Well, I have always been very uncomfortable underwater. I love swimming; in fact I do so almost every day in Bangkok as a form of exercise. However, underwater I feel claustrophobic and have difficulty relaxing. The only other time I tried anything remotely like snorkelling was in East Timor in 2002. Seeing a huge sea snake almost as soon as I entered the water only added to my palpitations and I quickly decided I had had enough. One of my biggest issues with snorkelling is having to breathe through my mouth. When I get nervous I usually inhale and exhale through my nose to relax.

Now, all of this presented a few problems for me. One of which was the fact that I am staying an entire month in the most sought after diving destination in the world. It would be almost unforgivable if I didn't at least try. Secondly, I am a passionate lover of beauty. Having the magic and exquisite colours of the reef world at my finger tips was enough motivation for me to work through my fear.
So yesterday morning, I woke up with a mission. It was Amandio's day off and it was time to put my weeks of promises to myself and planning into action. After a hearty breakfast we cycled to the dive centre at the other end of the island to select our gear. As if by some scheming conspiracy to weaken my new found determination, there was no one there to attend us. No, I wasn't giving up lightly, so we lay on some hammocks hung between coconut trees nearby, keeping a vigilant eye on the door. Immediately after someone arrived, I tried on flippers and a mask for size. Even just breathing in through my nose while trying on the mask to see if it fit (sucking it to my face) had my alarm bells ringing…

We decided that it would be best for me to start off in the pool to get used to breathing through the mouth piece. Again, putting on the mask made me break out into a sweat. Amandio was great, really patient (not usually his best virtue), coaching and supporting me step by step. I found that I relied on him for even small decisions like 'what do I do next?' even though it was quite obvious to me what to do. Funny how sometimes to overcome a fear you need someone you trust to take you through the smallest steps to help you confront it, as if reaffirmation diminishes the obstacle at hand. After several laps of our pool I felt like I had mastered the art of breathing though the tube, diving under and holding my breath and resurfacing blowing out the water. I was ready to face the sea!
Again, lots of silly questions and semi hysterical nervous laughter ensued. I was quite humoured by the whole situation, picturing in my mind's eye how I must look. By the way, IS there an elegant way to walk in flippers!?? LOL!

When I felt confident enough we took our gear to a jetty protruding out beyond the coral reef surrounding the island. Right, it was now or never! Without any hesitation I took the plunge (literally)… I knew that thinking about it would be dangerous.
Amandio held my hand the whole time as we swam – it felt so safe, anchoring me.
It was like we had entered a whole other world; where else in nature can you see creatures with horizontal rainbow coloured stripes? Such vibrant colours, I loved the silky midnight black fish contrasted with a splash of indigo. I relaxed enough to observe different habits, some fish were youthfully playing in the bright coral, feeding on plankton, basking in the warm sunlight filtering through, showing respect to the bigger fish, others hunting. It was like watching a street-scene underwater. I was mesmerized, transfixed by the vivacious life hidden under the waves and the multitude of colours surpassed my most vivid dreams.
However, as time progressed, the shelf got deeper, the fish bigger and the rift stronger, I felt a certain uneasiness in the pit of my stomach. I signalled to Amandio to return back to the jetty. After what seemed like hours of regulating my breathing, ignoring the water that had seeped into my mask, being jostled about in the waves and a slight cramp in my left foot, we finally made it back. I have to admit, I was quite relieved at that point.
When I got back to the villa I felt hungry, nauseous, almost sea-sick! I had to lie down for 20 minutes before I felt normal again. :-) However, all these heavenly images are firmly glued to my retina, making it all worthwhile.
Looking back on my day, I feel powerful. I did it!

Updates: Exorcism at 3:00

"Exorcism at 3:00!"?????
I just HAD to start the update with this! One morning during breakfast the GM casually announced that she had 'an exorcism at 3:00' followed by a budget meeting. My ears pricked and my fertile imagination stood to attention.... and went riot! Needless to say, what followed was a deluge of questions. Apparantly, a member of staff (hosts as they are called here) couldn't sleep all night due to ominous feelings of being followed by a bad spirit. Rumour goes that the island is haunted (there is an ancient graveyard on the island). Maldivians, despite being Muslim, are also deeply superstitious. I guess this is only natural in a country where man and nature exist codependantly. So the matter, obviously quite a serious one, was handled by calling a 'spirit child' to the island to cast away the evil spirit. FASCINATING!!

German friends of ours (Uli and Silvana) arrived from Dubai a few days ago. Uli was Amandio's headhunter who placed him in the Rotana Hotel in Dubai. Having recently got engaged, Amandio offered them a special low season rate at this resort as a 'pre honeymoon rehearsal'. We didn't know when they booked that we would be here at the same time, so we decided to surprise them. They were pleasantly surprised but we are very careful that they have plenty of romantic alone time :-) Great seeing them again.

Amandio has been on a strict diet since we arrived (no alcohol, carbohydrates, fats and sugars). I have been trying to join him for moral support but oooh.. the food here is just too tempting. Exercising is also becoming part of our routine - either at the gym or fast walks on the beach around the island (2kms). Don't forget travelling from one place to another is done by bicycle - it helps!
I am afraid though, that I spend most of my days in a horizontal position, basking in the sun's rays, reading a good book. I am glued to 'Sacred Ground' by Barbara Wood - It is about an archaelologist who finds a 2000 year old skeleton of a woman in a cave in California. The book traces the story of this Native Indian medicine woman and her descendants from the arrival of the first Missionaries to the Spanish settlers to the Gold rush and right up to the present day. The whole thing encapsulates the magic of Native Indian culture and rituals, weaving the lives of different women together with beauty and growth.

I have completely lost all concept of time: The day is divided into meals and sunrise, low tide at midday, welcome shade from the trees near the pool on the sunlounger in the late afternoon and sunset. The days of the week are marked by GMs Sunset Cocktail on Tuesdays, Cinema Paradiso on Wednesdays (outdoor cinema showing the golden oldies), Buffet BBQ dinners on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Heaven!

Oh.. we had a tour of the wine cellar (very impressive).

Poetry: Ocean of Love

Take the ocean
of romantic feeling
and weave it
into a journey
around the world,
through years and emotions,
thoughts of
compassion and unity,
ebb and flow
wish and receive.
But at the end
it will rest
where it wants to be.

Music: Bodu Beru

The Maldives, being a sea-faring island nation, has since time immemorial been open to different cultural influences. Such influences especially from maritime cultures of countries bordering the Indian Ocean, such as east Africa, southern India, the Arab world, as well as Malaysia and Indonesia are clearly found in the Maldivian music.
Bodu Beru is similar to some of the songs and dances found in east Africa. It is likely that the music was introduced to The Maldives by sailors or released slaves. It may be said that Bodu Beru (Big Drum) known commonly as "Baburu Lava" (Negroid Song) first made an appearance in The Maldives in the 11th Century AD, or maybe before.
Bodu Beru is performed by about 10 people, including three drummers and a lead singer. They are accompanied by a small bell and an "Onugandu" - a small piece of bamboo with horizontal grooves, from which raspy sounds are produced by scrapping. The songs may be of heroism, romance or satire. The prelude to the song is a slow beat with emphasis on drumming, and dancing. As the song reaches a crescendo, one or two dancers maintain the wild beat with their frantic movements ending in some cases in a trance.
Bodu Beru evolved among the common citizens as an alternative to court music. In the early days, the people gathered together to perform Bodu Beru, and it became widely accepted as the music of the common people. The performing of the music is often referred as "vibrating the island". A notable point about Bodu Beru is its noise and sometimes meaningless lyrics sung. The lyrics do not have a meaning, because it consists of a mixture of local, neighbouring and some African words. Today, meaningful songs written in the local language Dhivehi are sung to the rhythm of Bodu Beru.
Bodu Beru is usually sung after a hard day's work. The location is up to the performers. Today, Bodu Beru is an important item of entertainment at stage shows, celebrations and festivals. The costume of the performers is a colourful sarong for the women and a white long sleeved banian.

PS. I am currently trying to upload the video on dailymotion of this music and dance. (Along with another sunset video and the fishing trip) Patience is a virtue!?
Video link here http://4.upload.dailymotion.com/footprint-s/video/x220am_boduberu

Travel: Clandestine Fishing

Fishing is the mainstay of traditional island life, yet is also a popular pastime of all Maldivian youth. With eyes lit up, the reservations team proposed a clandestine fishing trip (against company policy and strictly forbidden). After much scheming, plotting and bribing, accomplices were carefully selected among the kitchen staff to organize food and drink. A date was set, secret smiles of excitement marking each approaching day. Finally the undercover operation was to be put into action.
The sun hung low on the horizon, providing cover as eleven of us slipped discretely away. Our boat whisked us across the white capped waves to a deserted island at the edge of the atoll. Half of the group remained on the island to try their hand at beach fishing while we ventured out into a setting sun.

A dhoni with local fisherman near a reef signaled a bountiful fishing spot, so we anchored there. Before darkness set in, lines were tethered with sinkers and hooks with fish bait, attached to a water bottle (no rods in sight!) and dropped overboard from both sides of the boat. I sat in silence on the edge of the gently rocking boat, water bottle in hand with the line slowly slipping through my fingers as the weights sank to the ocean floor. Silhouetted against a kaleidoscope of crimson hues, lulled by sounds of lapping water, gently caressed by a pure breeze, and feasting my eyes on an idyllic coconut fringed island, I suddenly felt blessed. I was increasingly mindful of the dream that I am living, finding complete happiness in the here and now.

My wandering thoughts were interrupted by a sharp tugging at my line. A fit of rapid arm movements ensued, pulling the line frantically in, haphazardly depositing it on the boat's floor. It seems I wasn't alert enough as the line suddenly went limp; the bugger had cut clean through my line taking not only the hook and bait but also the weights! With new resolve I cast all romanticism aside and focused on the task at hand. All around me impatience was building and enticing calls of "come sweet fish" soon turned into "bastards" as we were eluded by their cunning and crafty antics.

Total darkness proved to be our trump card; releasing whoops of joy as our luck changed, successfully baiting red snapper and barracuda (didn't know you could eat that). Even I, with a broad silly smile plastered across my face, managed to reel one in. I looked around me and saw my ecstasy mirrored in all of us, coupled with lively jigs and high fives. It is amazing how such a primitive thing that has been practiced through the ages can rouse such feelings of satisfaction and fulfillment. An urgent cry sliced through the air, followed by a mad dash towards one line and an excited deluge of Maldivian. Amandio and I stepped aside fascinated and momentarily clueless as to what the frenzy was all about. A lot of heaving and pulling, frantic instructions, attaching additional lines, bottles flying overboard later, a large silvery shape just below the surface sparkled in moonlight. With tanned arms bulging we struggled for 20 minutes to pull this thrashing monster out of the water onto the boat. As the excitement subsided and our breathing regularized, we took in the enormity of our catch: a metre long, 40 kilo Jack fish. (I later researched this to discover that Skipjack fish are members of the tuna family and inhabit tropical waters). Everyone was slightly delirious, oblivious to their cut hands and aching muscles. Catching a fish this size with this primitive method of fishing is literally unheard of, marking a highly successful cloak and dagger operation for both us and these experienced Maldivian sea farers.

TBC…

Travel: Paradise Found

Listen.... The gentle sigh of the wind playfully rustles your leafy frock. Dancing like laughing children, dappled sunlight filters through, revealing your splendour.

The oceans from which you come continue in your breath, soft waves rhythm in and curl out. Each ebb and flow replenishes your soul. You are an island composed of dreams, a place of mystery and rebirth. Your essence is the voice of the Goddess entrusting her creation to you.

Before the quiet relief of dusk, you release your crimson passion over salted waters. The beating you hear is not your own but the pulsing hearts of lovers sitting on your shores. Ever alive, sensations enriched with sweet champagne.

At night, starlight brings the heavens to you to kiss your coconut fringed eyes, rain dropping a melodic dance on your glistening body. The moon speaks to you in her tender voice embracing you in a blanket of peace.

Your smile is the rising dawn, casting languid light across your brow. From your lips we are lulled by birdsong and chirping geckos, the crackle of dry leaves under bare feet. Insects echo your wisdom.

In the midday sun your coral jewels sparkle, accentuating your sumptuous curves. You tease with swaying movements, offering glimpses of exquisite beauty in your secret depths.

Your intoxicating scent pervades all souls, luring them into hibiscus bliss. Ends, beginnings, middles are one as you envelop us with your charms. We, your children feast our eyes on your beauty, drink your delicate peace and inhale your promises of timeless freedom.

As you lay there peacefully, we draw warmth from the murmur of your heart as it marks the patterns of joy, soothing the echoes of pain. The wheel of life never ceases to turn and touching you rolls on for eternity.

Though your children may shut their eyes forever and never return to read another word, wordless the world will return to you. Your voice persists, even in our sleep wherein your delicate sounds form the harmony of our dreams. Beloved....

Travel: Maldives

We made it safely to Male, Maldives on a Bangkok Airways direct flight (Airbus A320 – 4.5hrs). Seeing as we arrived at 7:30pm local time it was too late to transfer directly to the resort (last plane leaves Male at 18:00). We spent the night at the Airport Hotel and had dinner in the only bar that serves alcohol in the whole island nation (remember, the Maldives is a Muslim country). The next morning we got up at an ungodly hour to catch the first sea-plane to Fushi. Six Senses has a deal with Trans Maldivian Airlines allowing hugely discounted flights for all employees, provided that they fly based on last minute availability – i.e. the early morning flights nobody wants. Having said that, we were still on BKK time (plus 2hrs) so we survived! After an exciting 45 minute flight we were let off at Edhyafushi International airport (a floating jetty for around 10 people – lol!!). The resort speedboat was there to whisk us to our island. Our shoes were confiscated (not to be seen again for the next month)and we set a 'bare' foot on what is to be our sandy home for the next month. We were shown our pool villa on the beach, given our bikes and reminded that island time is one hour ahead. I love this!! In order to make the day longer and have a later sunset the whole island follows a different time to the rest of the Maldives :- ).
We were invited to the GMs cocktail on the sand bank in front of the island to watch the sunset that evening. Very romantic: champagne in hand, sitting on the golden sand watching the deepening hues of a glorious sunset to the rhythmic sounds of the waves crashing on the shore in harmony with background drums.

Did you know?
-The Maldives consists of twenty-six atolls which encompass a territory featuring 1192 islets 700kms south-west of Sri Lanka. Roughly two hundred of these are inhabited by local communities (smallest Asian country in terms of population: 350,000) and eighty five of these are resort islands.
-Maldives holds the record for being the flattest country in the world, with a maximum natural ground level of only 2m. Over the last century, sea levels have risen about twenty centimetres. After the disaster, cartographers had to draw new maps of the islands due to alterations by the tsunami (108 deaths). The people and government are worried that the Maldives could be wiped from the map due to rising sea levels.
-Nowadays tourism and Fisheries form the two key components of Maldivian economy. The development of the tourism sector gave a major boost to the country's fledging traditional cottage industries such as mat weaving, lacquer work, handicraft, and coir rope making.
-Originally a Buddhist nation, Islam was introduced in 1153, now being the smallest predominantly Muslim nation in the world. It later became a Portuguese (1558), Dutch (1654), and British (1887) colonial possession. In 1965, Maldives obtained independence from Britain (originally under the name "Maldive Islands"), and in 1968 the Sultanate was replaced by a Republic. However, in thirty-eight years, the Maldives have seen only two Presidents.

and.... the internet connection is REALLY bad here!! I have 4 videos ready to upload so far but the bandwidth is so small I may have to compromise on quality - smaller uploading size. Look for new photos in picasa.

Updates: If it swims...

I have been feeling a little under-the-weather this week - a losing battle against the flu. However, I haven't let this stop me from working or going on another restaurant adventure.
Last night we went with three other Portuguese people (same as Bed Supper Club) to The Seafood Market and Restaurant. The slogan of the Seafood Market is "If it swims we have it" and certainly nothing could be further from the truth with the vast range of fresh fish, shellfish, lobsters, crabs and other seafood on display on the 50 metre length counter. As you enter you are given a shopping trolley which you wheel around picking out a variety of incredibly fresh seafood (most still swimming or flapping about), vegetables and fruit.
The cost is based on what you choose, its weight and the way it is cooked, so you can either choose carefully and keep the price down or - especially if you go for the lobster (which of course we did!) splash out and rack the price up. A good average would be 30-40 dollars for two including drinks and a good amount of food.
Once you have paid at the cashier for your food and beverages, a waiter takes your trolley with your instructions on how you would like to have it cooked. They are eager to help out with suggestions. I have to recommend the spicy clams with aniseed leaves, Thai curry crab, steamed lobster and shrimp with tempura vegetables.
The highlight is watching your food being cooked in a huge open kitchen by dozens of chefs in large woks over open pit fires - a show in itself. The restaurant is enormous, seating around 1,500 people but it is all part of a memorable experience.
Naturally, I filmed the whole thing so look out for the video on dailymotion.

We are flying to the Maldives tomorrow afternoon, staying one night at the airport hotel in Male, before being flown to the Soneva Fushi Resort by sea-plane. Amandio is working on an 'Opera' installation project for one month, and I am, well.. planning on doing lots of reading and relaxing :-)
Just to make you all jealous.. this hotel was voted the 'Best Hotel in the World' by Condenast two years in a row! LOL. Needless to say, I am ecstatic! More later..

Food: Bacalhau a Braz

Ana Maria (Amandio's colleague) came back from a weekend in Macau laden with Portuguese delicacies, namely Bacalhau (dried/salted codfish), Queijo de Azeitao, Chorizo, Alheiras and Vinho Verde. I decided to make a traditional Portuguese lunch on May 1st, inviting Ana Maria, Nina, Omar (Spanish) and his wife Deepakshi (Indian). Pedro had arrived from Portugal bringing with him Presunto (dried ham).

Starter: Presunto and Melon, Olives which Elma and Rinus had brought from France and the Azeitao cheese.

Main Course: Bacalhau a Braz.
This is one of the most popular ways to cook Bacalhau (out of 1001 recipes!!)
Ingredients:
dried salt cod
olive oil
matchstick-size potato strips
thinly sliced onion (1 per person)
1 bay leaf
eggs (1 per person, plus 2)
sea salt
ground black pepper or piri piri
chopped fresh parsley
black olives
Method:
1. Rinse the fish and place it in a bowl. Add enough cold water to cover. Chill overnight, changing the water several times.
2. The next day, drain the fish and transfer to a large saucepan. Cover with water, bring to a boil, and simmer until the fish flakes easily, about 15 minutes. Drain and cool. Flake the fish, discarding any bones.
3. Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy, large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes in batches and sauté until crisp and golden, about 7 minutes per batch. Transfer the potatoes to paper towels to drain. Alternatively you can use potato crisps (Batata Palha)
4. Add the olive oil to the same skillet. Add the onion and bay leaf and sauté until golden, about 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Reduce the heat to low. Mix in the fish and potatoes. Whisk the eggs, salt and the pepper in a large bowl to blend. Add the egg mixture and 3 tablespoons of the parsley to the fish mixture in the skillet. Cook over medium heat until the eggs are softly set, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Transfer the eggs to a platter. Garnish with the olives and parsley. Serve with a green salad.

Dessert: Strawberries, grapes and chocolate ice-cream truffles.

It turned out pretty well considering I hadn't made this in a while. Accompanied with chilled Vinho Verde, pleasant company and stimulating conversations (we spoke a lot about food - lol) the lunch must have been a success, as we spent four hours at the table!

Food: Dim Sum Brunch

Today was a public holiday in Thailand (Coronation Day). After a quiet morning, we started dreaming of a Dim Sum Brunch. I had to go to the Emporium Shopping Mall to buy some presents to send back with Pedro (Amandio's brother) to Portugal. He had a job interview here in Bangkok and is staying with us for 8 days. The Food Court there does a delicious Dim Sum.
So we spent a long lazy afternoon sipping tea (erm.. no.. Coca Cola/Water) and feasting on an innumerable assortment of delicacies. Chinese Dim Sum literally means "to touch your heart," which I thought was kind of cool. Dim Sum consists of a variety of dumplings and steamed dishes; steamed pork spareribs and char siu bao (steamed buns with roast pork)and har gao, those wonderful shrimp dumplings with the translucent skin.

Dim Sum was originally a Cantonese custom, and linked to the Chinese tradition of "yum cha" or drinking tea. Apparantely, teahouses sprung up to accommodate weary travellers journeying along the famous Silk Road. Rural farmers, exhausted after long hours working in the fields, would also head to the local teahouse for an afternoon of tea and relaxing conversation. As tea's ability to aid in digestion and cleanse the palate became known, tea house proprietors all over China began adding a variety of snacks, and the tradition of Dim sum was born.

Satisfied after a great brunch and successful present shopping, we took a taxi home (raining).
To see the film check out my account in Picasa. I am also planning to upload this in dailymotion.

Poetry: Fragments

Fragmented dreams in limitless time spaces,
Mixed and tangled in an array of images.
Visions of the future, hazy thoughts of the past,
Broken silences, spoken words semi erased.
Floodlit memories are shades of colour,
Sway in formations of slight grandeur.
Motions and movements standing still,
An epiphany into the soul, a lifted veil.
Pandora opens a web of intimacy,
Where words are poetry of simplicity.

Updates: Bed Supper Club

We rarely get to the pleasuredoms of Bangkok to which the rich, the famous and not-yet-quite-so-famous swarm in the name of being seen and heard. However, we had heard from several reliable sources that this was a trendy hip place to go. So, when a colleague invited us to join her entertaining some other Portuguese hoteliers, we couldn't resist the opportunity.
The club is a feature in itself, looking from the outside like a recently-landed alien spacecraft. The rather Frank Lloyd Wrightesque staircase that took us up to the front door is another clue that this is a deliberate exercise in not-looking-the-same-as-other-clubs, and indeed, on arrival in the main auditorium, I could confirm that there is definitely no sawdust on the floor, no pool table and no darts.
I had heard that it was rather subdued by nightclub standards mainly due to the fact that most punters are sprawled out on bed-like sofas in the manner of the great Roman elite who once lay down to their feasts all those years ago. Idle, hedonistic self-indulgence came to mind here, but wait a minute … as we stepped inside it was not quite the young crowd we had expected here at the heart of Trendyrama . Instead a collection of tourists, office types, younger couples and even a few mums and dads were sprawled out on sumptuous white divan beds suspended on two levels, in what was an all white oval pod – a fairly spacious room which could comfortably hold four hundred. The whole club is actually divided into two parts with the smaller section a very cool and classy bar, replete of course with a DJ playing cuts from various classifications of music including Deep Bass (Little too deep at times!) and Chilly Ambient. Whatever happened to good old Rock and Roll? Having said that, the chill out music really suited this futuristic ambience and coupled with a vigorous shoulder and back massage, a fortune telling, and a fruity New Zealand white wine, I was ready to succumb to this concept of dining – spellbound by aliens? The lighting was a beautifully subdued glow of soft blue neon and silent films, videos and the meunu projected on the walls added to the retro-futuristic feel. There were waiters and waitresses dressed like spaceship travellers, glamourously scurrying to and fro bringing us food and cocktails as we reclined like galactic emporers on the divan fittings…. as if we were all there was to see in this earthly planet… perhaps we were!! :-)