Category: Travels

Caroline Bach1 Comment

Value for money

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I bought my black classic havaianas when I was in Brazil in 2008. I remember it felt wrong to pay almost 5€ for a pair of flip flops when I knew I could get a pair for one fifth of that, but I really liked how simple they were and everything else seemed to either have colourful glitter on it or look like bad havaiana copies.

So I bought the original ones. And then I walked. Through Brazil. Through Bolivia and all the way to Lima in Peru. And when I was working at the World Expo in Spain some months later I had to mark the soles with nail polish because a girl I was living with had a pair looking almost the same.. Later I wore them in the South of China where it wasn’t too cold. And they officially survived all of 2008.

The next year they went with me for a month around the Balkans and in 2010 I walked Israel and Palestine.. damn, they even survived dusty and hot India.

2011 was easy. Citybrowsing and beach hangout in Barcelona followed by being only the “going to the shower” footwear here in Copenhagen. And still, they look just as they did the day I bought them, you really can’t see how much they have had to endure except for some sand in between the letters in the logo, and some nailpolish on the soles.

Now it’s 2012 with some serious adventure walking coming up, the havaianas are a mandatory part of my luggage – and I can’t believe I ever hesitated.

Caroline BachLeave a comment

Midnight mass

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I am trying to keep this space somewhat neutral in terms of both politics and religion. But as I am celebrating Christmas with my family in very catholic Poland it just won’t work right now..

I attended midnight mass tonight, it’s something we do every year. For some it’s tradition, for other’s it’s the main purpose of Christmas and for some the feeling of guilt and shame would be almost lethal if they chose not to go.

Last years I have chosen to actually listen to what the priest is saying and how he uses his voice, which has been highly interesting.

Today’s speech started with the story about how God chose to become a baby and the beauty of the most powerful being in the world asking for help, crying out his needs and being completely vulnerable and giving humanity his trust.. a message telling us that we have to be attentive to the needs of the weaker and less priviledged and how Christmas is about sharing and showing solidarity with each other..  then the priest somehow wandered off to how the communists and facists bore the responsibilities of millions of deaths, because God always finds his way back into our lifes – so “when you take the holy cross off the walls in schools and legal institutions, it shows up in cemeterys and at the sides of roads”. He continued talking about the darkness of today’s world, about how people distract themselves with computers and sex.. and get absorbed by excessively focusing on  working and on various types of charity work [sic!] instead of meaningful practices such as connecting with God.

The absurdity kind of culminated when he explained how gay pride parades are the unquestionable proof of how evil is spreading in the world. We were originally warned with a very clear message from God at the time when volcanic lava covered the ancient Gay-city of Pompeii. Those who do not see this obvious connection are distracted and brainwashed by modern society. I seem to belong to that group.

..if he only knew who I will be dancing with in a couple of days.

Caroline Bach5 Comments

Oh, those Africans.

Lately, I’ve started noticing how very common it is to refer to the African continent as if it was a single country, with one people. Maybe you’ve already come across this graphic by the designer Kai Krause, (the man who brought us Bryce in the 90’s.) Anyhow, he calls his visualisation of the African continent a small contribution to the fight against his own term, Immapancy.

Africa is huge, much larger than it looks on our distorted maps, and narrow-minded generalizations are not only stupid but can also be quite offending.

Click the picture for a bigger version with great tables and explanations.

And sure, I couldn’t say I’m completely innocent of the above accusations. I’ve been dreaming about going to Africa lately without being completely able to make my mind up on where to. South of Sahara is all I know with some countries and specific areas in mind, but I am still very open for suggestions. For what? Well, mainly for understanding and trying to get my mind around it. This big, big place.

Caroline Bach3 Comments

Clown Entr’acte

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In the end of my trip around South America in 2008, I teamed up with a Chilean theatre company that was touring Bolivia and Peru. They were setting up their show for free, inviting less privileged children and families to share the art of clown and comedy with them. By printing posters, spreading the word and simply inviting people directly from the street, beautiful venues would be filled with people of all ages that normally wouldn’t visit, or never had been in a theatre. They wanted to share smiles, they said. Because all children deserve to experience clown at some point. Also, this was not the circus kind of clown, it was the mime kind of clown that plays on the art of communicating emotions to the audience using carefully directed body language and dynamic improvisation. Without words. Accompanied only by sound effects and the direct feedback from the audience. It was a great show.

At one point, shortly after I had met the group, the sound technician had to go back home. There, in Peru, I suddenly had a job, controlling the sound and lights for a one hour clown performance. I had seen the show once before and I was guided through the acts in terms of: “when I put my hand up, the lights fade to red and this track starts, ok?” that was kind of it. With my notes and vague understanding of sound controls I was completely in charge. And it was just insanely exciting and fun.

Stand Getz & Charlie Byrd
Jazz Samba LP (1962)

I discovered The Jazz Samba disc by Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd many years ago. With this experience, however, it now has a priceless nostalgic value that strikes me every time my iPod shuffles to it. At the minute 9:27 in the video above, “O pato” starts. This was the song that was used between the acts and in the intermission. I must have heard it hundreds of times over without ever getting tired of it. And today it reminds me of how simple and beautiful things can be.

Working as a sound technician and travelling with clowns was a time of contemplation, where I learnt to accept that happiness and having fun is all that actually matters in the end. No matter what they tell you.

Caroline Bach4 Comments

What is adulthood?

I met this girl on a local train in Mumbai in 2010 and I immediately got struck by the presence and self awareness expressed in her face. The confidence of this little woman was so intense that any person could get easily intimidated just by looking at her. She approved to me taking pictures of her by nodding and smiling between the shots, without the slightest sign of shyness. She took part but seemed to be beyond all that in her mind, like a cat that isn’t bothered and really couldn’t care less. What I was doing was childrens’ games to her and she completely dominated the moment. An incredibly beautiful and strong individual, I really hope she gets the opportunity to use that strenght once she’s older, and share it with the other girls in her generation.

Caroline BachLeave a comment

un-idle

I haven’t completely unpacked all my things since I came back from Barcelona. I’ve been running around, meeting friends, hanging out, having coffee, lunches, dinners and running tons of errands. It’s been great but today my body said no, gave me a bad headache and forced me to stay at home all day.

It’s okay. Tomorrow I’m boarding a flight again anyway.