Silent Night… Holy Night…

Merry Christmas everyone!

Moving again, a love and hate relationship story.

The house is empty, the movers were here yesterday and they packed everything.
The house is more silent. Since all objects are gone I breath better and it’s less noisy. I told Jim: “I feel that our stuff in the house speaks and whispers to me…”
Since they are gone, it is calmer and serene. I will not hear their constant conversation in my head anymore: “clean me, change me, I am getting old but don’t get rid of me, I am fragile please handle me carefully…”
They have a power over me, the power of carrying all the good memories, the faces of family and friends, places we went to, money we spent buying them, the effort we did to carry them from country to country and continent to continent… They are gone now, at least for a while…
Some time I fear that they will be lost in the sea or in a plane crash during the move, but I wonder if I will not feel free from the burden and the attachment, if it ever happens. Will I miss them? Will I remember them? No. I think I will start over with new objects to collect and move them around, again. Why do we do that? Why can’t we human being live in an empty house with just basic necessary stuff? Why do we need choices and options even if we never use them, ever?

Years ago I was at the airport leaving Beirut to visit my sister in Paris, and at the boarding gate I recognize a woman activist, very well known in Lebanon for trying to assassinate one of the warlords, she was arrested by the militia and spend years in confinement. She was newly released and was going to give a conference about her years in prison. She was sitting right next to me when came two young people going on vacation with four carry-on, they were complaining that they had to pay overweight for their other two checked-in luggages. She looked at them, laughed and said: ” you will be surprise to know how little things we need in our life.” She was referring to her cell where she had almost nothing and no belongings, and yet she was able to make it through the years.

After our stuff are gone, and until we will get them again at the other end, Jim and I will have to live on two suitcases for months. By the time we get our stuff back, we will realize how unnecessary they are, since we were able to go on with our lives without having them around.

Thank you WordPress for your 2011 annual report about my blog!

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Syndey Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 9,700 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 4 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

Safari in the desert

While in Dubai we went on the desert Safari… If only they let me drive

 

My first professional camera

Other than getting on the Birkin waiting list (but I don’t see how this can fit in my post today) the highlight of my shopping yesterday was getting myself a Nikon D3100.

After seeing the beautiful pictures taken by Holly, Charlie, JP and John and reading their very positive feedback about my pictures (that I take usually with my iPhone, because it is so practical and easy to download) I think it was about time to get myself this new toy.  I’ve spent yesterday night reading the 200 pages manual just to be able to find out how I can activate the digital screen.

If I manage to learn how to use it, I am going to take it with me today to the sunset sand safari trip…. Stay tuned for exciting sand dunes pictures… or not.

Sand Dunes

My friend, who travels the world, took these pictures during his last visit to Morocco.

He allowed me to make this short video to share with you his beautiful shots of the sand dunes.

Enjoy!

Big thanks JP.

Sufis

Yesterday I went with friends to watch the Sufis.  According to Sufi teacher Ahmad ibn Ajiba, Sufism is “a science through …

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Paris in April

This gallery contains 2 photos.

I promise that if I have a blood test today after my trip to Paris, they will find only chocolate, …

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Easter in the Loire-et-Cher

This gallery contains 10 photos.

Merci les Bouchés pour votre hospitalité, pour la terrine de biche au cognac, pour le vin de Cheverney, et surtout …

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Cherry Blossom

Finally I heard from Sanae my Japanese friend who lives in Tokyo.  She said that no matter how hard the situation is in Japan they are having this year one of the best Cherry Blossom, and it is reminding her of D.C. Cherry Blossom!

I took these pictures last year, when Sanae was still living in D.C.

This post is dedicated to you Sanae, I hope Tokyo and Japan will have many good Cherry Blossom to come.

Trompe l’oeil

I took the two pictures last year during a trip to Fredericksburg.  It is two different pictures but my blog’s setting didn’t allow me to separate them, and I think it is not a bad idea after all that they look attached to each other.

Christmas in Jordan

Merry Christmas everyone!!!

I spent Christmas visiting Petra with my family.

New York, New York!

Just want to share with you some pictures of my trip to New York!

Fifth Avenue

Waldorf Astoria

Golden faucet

 

Times Square

Homemade Ravioli

The yellow cabs from the 38th floor