TAWOMG - Ghosts all around (2)

Dear Friends,

The past two weeks have been of intense financial volatility. Apparently the crisis that has been forming since August 2007 has now gathered momentum and is unfolding to its full extent. Friends that work at the financial markets in different countries have told me that it was Armageddon out there. We can only hope that the end may be near - the financial crisis end, I mean. The next big question is how far will it split over to "real" economy and cause recession around the world. More and more people think that some kind of recession is almost unavoidable in the richest countries. The most important question now, in case recession occurs, seems to be how long will it last and how fast can countries recover after it. A number of economists are writing that worse than a recession at the biggest world economy would be a weak and long recover. It would be very bad news if the American economy stays flat for too long and it takes time until it recovers from the foreseeable slowdown. Pollyannas around the world can nevertheless say that at least so far a depression is ruled out...

* * * * *

During my visit to Berlin weeks ago, one afternoon I met Marcelo, Chantal and their young daughter in a Café. It was a nice afternoon and it was a big pleasure to be there, sitting outside, enjoying being with them in a nice place, nice neighbourhood, and nice city. We talked about common friends, our daily lives and world issues. At that time the war in Georgia was fairly recent and a hot topic in café conversations. We were not very optimistic about how this war could change the geopolitical balance of power in Europe. I then said something like: "The world has become a dangerous and sometimes unpleasant place."

* * * * *

At the very moment that these words came out of my mouth, I thought: "How can you express such a common place being exactly here where you are now?!" In fact, only ninety years ago Germany was fighting at this huge carnage that was World War I. After WWI they had the economic crisis and hyperinflation, Nazism, Hitler came to power, Germany started World War II, lost it and was split into two countries. One of them endured four decades of Soviet domination and communism. The Café where we were was on former East Berlin and at the pre-war Jewish quarter, Oranienburg. In a place that had witnessed so many tragedies in less than a century, how could I dare to say that the world had become a dangerous and unpleasant place? The truth is exactly the opposite - after all the massacres of the XX Century, we are lucky people that can leave in a relatively peaceful world. At least in Europe, we can't complain.

* * * * *
This can be a good definition of Berlin and the reason why, in case ghosts do exist, most of them live there. It was either protagonist of last century's most dramatic events or, when they were originated somewhere else, their impact in Berlin were nevertheless significant. Surprising, intriguing, disconcerting, unique, all these are adjectives that could be used to describe the city. It is amazing that now that it is again Germany's capital and that so much money was poured on its reconstruction, it hasn't taken off. Marcelo told me that people continue to leave it. There are lots of apartments and offices available. In some places, the space between the two walls remained empty and not used, as you can see on the photo beside, taken at Bernauerstrasse. As a result, it is one of the cheapest European capitals. It hasn't (yet) attracted people and business enough to transform it in the big Central European Capital of the XXI Century. Who knows, maybe better so...

* * * * *
Before I left Berlin I thought that I could easily and happily live there. Maybe my problem is that I can say the same about too many cities: Stockholm, Copenhagen, Berlin, Paris, Cologne and so many other places... I wonder whether one day I will settle down somewhere for good. The only thing that I can say about it is that, in case one day I move to Paris, then it will be the final destination. Before it happens, I could continue to move around for quite some time.

* * * * *

From Berlin I drove to Heidelberg. In my opinion it is the most beautiful city in Germany. Heidelberg played a key role in my life, though I was there only a few times and always on very short visits. Every time I have the chance, I go back there and remember how and why it became such an important place to me.

* * * * *

My last stop over in this long vacation was in Montbrison, in France, where I met Bernard and had dinner with him and his family. No need to say that it was a pleasure to see them and share such a nice evening. Shame that I couldn't combine it with a visit to Via, Fabien and their children in Lyon. The next day I went to Barcelona, where I stayed for a few days before flying to São Paulo. For the first time in more than ten years I could have a taste of what it means to be a tourist in my own (adopted) city in these days. I stayed in a hotel at the Olympic Village for a few days.

* * * * *

At this hotel there was a group of Swedes, all men, between 30 and 50 years old. I was shocked to see the way they behaved: it was outrageous! It is not only that they were drunk most of the time, but also the absolute lack of respect that they showed for other guests. After spending three months in Sweden, I am convinced that they wouldn't dare to do at home half of what they did in Spain. This is the sad side of low cost flights and the popularity of Barcelona as preferred European tourist destination. Every weekend hordes of people fly in to party - it is cheaper to do it there than in Scandinavia, England, The Netherlands and other places where alcohol is highly taxed and so expensive. As a result we, the locals, see our city invaded by people decided to have fun irrespective of anything else. They just don't care if they are disturbing others or not. Isn't there any other European city volunteering to take over this role?

Wish you have a nice week, if possible without crossing unwanted tourists.

Maurício

TAWOMG - Ghosts all around (1)

Dear Friend,

Berlin is one of the most fascinating cities that I have ever visited. During the nineties I used to go there fairly often. The first trips were to visit Clara when she was writing her PhD thesis at the Berlin Free University. When I lived in Cologne I went there a few times on private trips. Last time was many years ago. When I went there two weeks ago I was curious to see how the city had developed since it became Germany's capital.

* * * * *

I remember Berlin just after the fall of the wall, when there were huge open spaces everywhere. Usually people that haven't been there don't know that there were two walls, not one. The first one was built following the border between East and West Berlin. After building this first wall, East Germans demolished everything that was behind it, leaving a free space whose breadth varied from around 50 to 200 meters. Then they built the second one. They also made sure that this no-man's land in between both was very securely guarded, in order to avoid people crossed it and escaped alive to the West. The inner wall was seen on West Berlin side, the outer one was seen by east Berliners. Another curious thing is that many people imagine that the wall was around communist Berlin, making it impossible to flee it. It is surprising that so many people believe it, because in reality it was the other way round: West Berlin was an island inside communist Germany and the wall circled it. West Berliners were the ones inside the fence and the ones that could not freely move.

* * * * *

The wall's history is something that has always impressed me a lot, probably because it is so tragic and absurd. Many times I invited friends to figure out how life would be if one night, all of a sudden, a wall was built in the cities where they lived. It doesn't matter how you draw the line of this fictive border, at the end of the day part of your friends and relatives will always be on the wrong side of it. This is what happened in Berlin. You can argue that the two sides were very clear to everybody and the complete closure of the borders didn't really come as a surprise. Nevertheless, there remained room for thousands of private dramas. I remember that in December 1990 I travelled by train from Frankfurt to Berlin. At the same compartment there was a 60 year old German travelling with us. He told us his story: he was a young man and lived with his family in East Germany in 1961. However, the night the wall was built he was at a party in West Berlin. When he realized what was happening, he could choose to go back home, but if he did so, then he would not be aloud to cross the border back to the West. He decided not to go and stayed in West Germany, at the cost of not seeing his family and friends for 28 years! His drama was just one among thousand others.

* * * * *

One thing that has always impressed me a lot in post-wall Berlin is that after it was demolished, crossing it became just a banality. My hotel was very close to where once was Checkpoint Charlie. Everyday, more than once a day, I walked up and down Friedrichstrasse. Before November 1989 it was one of the best and most controlled borders between communist and capitalist worlds. All around Berlin hundreds of people lost their lives trying to go to "the other side". Thousands more probably dreamed of doing it, knowing that it was impossible. And then, one day the border is opened and people can freely cross it. Later the wall is removed and there are no longer two sides. Going from East to West and vice-versa is as easy as crossing a street, like in any other city. But because during so many years it was physically and politically not possible, Berlin is not like any other city.

* * * * *

After the Wall fell and was removed, the land between the two walls became a vast, flat open space in the middle of the city. It was particularly impressive around what in former days was Potsdamer Platz, one of the most important places in pre-war Berlin. It was very difficult to imagine how it was before the war, because nothing remained of it, even not the streets, let alone the buildings. The last time that I had been to Berlin Potsdamer Platz was already a huge construction site. By that time some of the buildings had been finished and it was already possible to figure out how it would eventually look like. This time I could see the outcome: Potsdamer Platz, Leipziger Platz and Leipzigerstrasse came back to life. All over the place fancy new buildings herald the XXI century Berlin. Twenty years ago the Philharmonic building was in the middle of nowhere. Today it is in the middle of the city. I was glad to see it so.

* * * * *

In the old days one of my favourite places in West Berlin was the old Embassy District, within a walking distance from the Philharmonic. Before the war many embassies were in the area beside the Tiergarten. After the war, this region was in West Berlin, part of Federal Germany's territory, whose capital was Bonn. As West Berlin was not the capital, there were no longer embassies there. Most of these old, beautiful buildings were just abandoned. The doors and windows were walled to avoid invasions and they were left behind. As embassies are considered part of the territory of their countries, there were legal issues that made it even more difficult to find an use for these abandoned buildings. I particularly remember the Italian Embassy, a beautiful Palazzo severely damaged during

the war. Promenading around this quarter was like walking on the streets of a ghost city. Now I went there to see what had happened in this neighbourhood. It is no longer a ghost city. The old buildings were either renovated, like the Italian Embassy, or demolished. New ones were built in their places. Today only the old Greek Embassy remains in ruins, as you can see on both photos beside, but apparently it will be soon renovated.

* * * * *

There is a lot more that I can tell you about my visit to Berlin, but I will leave it for the next posting. Meanwhile, I wish you have a nice week!

Maurício

TAWOMG - Driving back to Spain

Dear Friends,

I left Stockholm two weeks ago. As I was travelling by car, I had the opportunity to visit some friends on the way back to Spain. The first one was Björn, an old colleague at the company where I used to work. He lives and works in Västervik, a beautiful city on the east coast in Småland. Västervik can be a great destination for summer vacation in Sweden: the nature is gorgeous and there are plenty of activities for tourists. It was a short visit, but I am glad that I could make it.

* * * * *

From Västervik I drove to Vimmerby, the city where the world famous writer Astrid Lindgren was born. She is admirable not only for the books that she wrote, but also for the opinions that she expressed and the ideas that she fought for. Pipi Långstrump is maybe her best known character. Vimmerby is a beautiful, cosy, small Swedish city. Its old town is worth a visit, but the main attractions are Astrid Lindgren Värld and Astrid Lindgrens Näs. The later is the home where she was born and where she spent her childhood. Her father was tenant farmer at the rectory. Astrid bought the house in the sixties and had it restored to its original aspect. Many of the stories on her books were inspired by her childhood in the area. I joined a guided tour of it and it was inspiring. However I did not go to Astrid Lindgrens Värld. This is an amusement park based on her books. It is the ideal attraction for children that have read the books and know the characters. It can be a great idea for families on vacation in Småland.

* * * * *

After Vimmerby I stopped at Älmjut, where IKEA has its headquarters. When I lived in Portugal I had a good friend that worked for them there. He then moved back to Sweden, left IKEA, lived in Göterborg and the last news that I had was years ago: he had married, had a daughter and moved back to Älmjut. I didn't know whether he still worked for the company and whether it would be possible to find him, considering that he has the second most common Swedish family name. I gave it a chance and it worked. So, after many years, out of the blue, I suddenly was on the other side of the line, telling him that I was at IKEA. We met, exchanged our cards, updated each other what we have been up to during the last decade and then I left. Hoppefully we will keep in touch in the future!

* * * * *

On Friday night I arrived to Copenhagen. During the few days that I was there I could confirm the impression that I had when I passed by on the way to Uppsala in June: many things were built during the recent past and the city is very well taken care of. That is an evident sign of the economic growth of late. I was particularly impressed by all the new buildings in Amager Island, most of them very interesting from an architectural point of view. They also built a subway line and an artificial beach! It is like building a new and modern city in an area that in the past was mostly not used. Copenhagen also has two new theatres that you can see on the photo beside: the new Royal Theatre and the new Opera House. On Saturday night I went to the Royal Theatre to see "Revy 08". It was an entertaining show, but before it and during the break I could entertain myself searching among the public if anyone could fit any of the characters in my book. One of the two main characters is a Dane from Copenhagen. I think I could spot him, with his family: his sister was pregnant (good news, in the book they have no children) and was there with her husband. Other family members were also at the theatre. After so many weeks sharing a big part of the day with them, it was fun to try to identify them there!

* * * * *

In Copenhagen I visited my old friend Kalle. We first met twenty years ago, on a train travelling from Copenhagen to Munich. Kalle was then travelling with another friend, Nicolay. I was also travelling with a friend, Reynaldo. Kalle and Nico are Norwegians, but have long lived in Denmark (not in 1988). Nico moved back to Norway some years ago, but has just returned to Copenhagen with his family. Both have children, three each. It was a surprise to learn that Nico was back to Denmark and on Sunday we all met at the Amager beach. I hadn't seen Nico since 1997! He didn't know that I was coming to the beach with Kalle and his daughter. It was a surprise for him and together we shared a good day on the beach.

* * * * *

Kalle is an architect and instructed me about the new buildings in town. He also told me about the controversy around the new Opera House. Whatever the opinions, no doubt it is a great thing that Copenhagen could build two brand new, state of the art theatres in a short period of time and that the Opera was financed by one private person and donated to the city (or Nation, I am not sure). It is an evident sign of prosperity.

* * * * *

From Copenhagen I drove to Berlin, stopping over Lübeck, to visit the

Buddenbrookhaus, that once belonged to the Mann Family. This house and the city of Lübeck inspired the famous novel by Thomas Mann. However, it was destroyed during World War II and only the façade was saved from the flames. Today the reconstructed building houses a number of activities around the Mann family. Lübeck was a nice surprise, but the Buddenbrookhaus was rather disappointing. Compared to Astrid Lindgrens Näs or many other places connected with writers' lives, it was nothing special.

* * * * *

I went to Berlin mainly to visit Marcelo and his family. I have visited this city quite often in the nineties, but now I hadn't been there for a long time. I intended to stay for two days and stayed for four. I have always thought that, if ghosts do exist, most of them live there. There is so much to write about Germany's capital that I will leave it for the next posting.

Wish you all the best!

Maurício

TAWOMG - Goodbye to Stockholm

Dear Friends,

On Monday last week I finished to write the novel. I started to write it in the extremely cold days of winter 95/96, when I moved from Barcelona to Germany. At that time I was living in Wuppertal (or Suppertal as I like to call it). At a certain point in time, on the terrace of the penthouse where I lived for four months there was more than 30 cms of snow. I then made a snowman and took a photo of it. I was feeling very unhappy after two very good years in Spain. The novel, located in Barcelona, was a way to put on paper things that I had seen or experienced there. It is not a biographical novel, but I must admit that I have witnessed some of the facts described on the book.

* * * * *

Why did it take me twelve years to write it? The first good reason is because very soon I made new friends in Germany, moved to Cologne, participated in interesting projects at work and altogether the thirty months that I lived in Germany became the best of my life. It is easier to write when one is sad and alone and doesn't have an intense social life. As soon as my social life improved, I put the book on side.

* * * * *

I more or less knew from the very beginning how the story would develop. However, I must admit that had I finished it in 96, it wouldn't be exactly the same as it is now. I knew how I wanted the story to finish, but I didn't know how to make it happen. The last two chapters were inspired by the trip to Australia earlier this year. This means that this book could not be written before that trip. During many years I planned to go there. In 2007 I even had bought the plane ticket for a short trip to Sydney, but had to cancel it due to work commitments. I only made this dream come true in 2008. So "Eu tenho que ir embora…" on its current version could only be finished now, not before.

* * * * *

It was a pleasure to write "Fim" at the end of it. During many years this story and the characters in it only existed in my imagination. Now they exist outside me and independently of me. Soon I will travel to Brazil in order to look for an editor for the book. The day it will be published, the readers will have the last word about the characters and why they did what they did. They may like or dislike some of them. Their opinions, feelings and judgement will be the blow that will make these people come to life. The day this happens, my intentions or own opinions will just be irrelevant. The story will live its own life, until the day it dies because nobody reads it anymore.

* * * * *

That same Monday night I invited my cousin Homero and his family for dinner. I was about to leave Stockholm and I wanted to say goodbye to them. At the apartment that they made available to me I could find the right place to sit down and write. After dinner they invited me to a cup of Champagne at their home. It was nice to celebrate with them that I had finished the novel. The next day I went to Uppsala for the last time and on Thursday I left Stockholm. I know that for a very long time I will warmly remember this summer. Sweden is a country that I deeply love. Stockholm is in my opinion one the most beautiful cities in the world. I can only hope that this was not my last trip there!

Wish you have a nice week,

Maurício

TAWOMG - Progress on the book

Dear friends,

On Friday two weeks ago I finished my language course in Uppsala. My original plans were to come to Stockholm for a week and then drive north, to the North Cape in Norway. After that I wanted to visit friends in Oslo and in Copenhagen and stay there for as long as necessary in order to finish the novel that I am currently writing.

* * * * *

Plans have changed a bit. I have a cousin that lives in Stockholm. He has an apartment that he uses as a studio, where he works. As he is on vacation now, he generously offered me to stay here while he is away. Now I have been in Stockholm, at his studio, for over two weeks. I will leave on 25 August. Hope that by that time I will have finished the novel. I wanted to do it in Copenhagen, but Stockholm is just happening to be a superb alternative.

* * * * *

I was six weeks in Uppsala. They were really great! Not only I could improve my command of the Swedish language, but also could enjoy the pleasures of the Swedish summer. It was a long time since I last spent summer vacation in Scandinavia. What I realized is that my heart and even my life history are deeply connected to the northern countries. Some of the friends here I have known since 1989. Det var inte igår! I really hope that now that I have transitioned to a career in interim management and as a writer I will have more time and be able to come here more often.

* * * * *

I took the course at Glossa, one of the language schools that offer summer programs in Uppsala. On the photo beside you can see me at their premises, where I used to write and plug into internet. I highly recommend them! The course was very well structured, the teachers very competent and their location is perfectly suitable to the program. I must also say that I am not impartial in my judgement, since the recommendation was from Gun, my first teacher in Uppsala nineteen years ago (we kept contact and are close friends since then). This summer she also worked there for three weeks. One of my teachers was Monika, whom I also had met for the first time many years ago - she is a good friend of Gun. Lennart, the course director, is also a very good friend of them and in more than one occasion we had dinner parties together with other friends. So, I was like at home at Glossa, because I was with friends. On the other hand, other students that did not have the same connections would probably also say that they felt at home, just because this was the general feeling at the school.

* * * * *

Two of these dinner parties were to eat surströmming, a Swedish delicatessen. Surströmming is a fermented raw fish. You buy it in cans that you have to open very carefully, because the fish and the water inside the can are under pressure, due to the fermentation process. When you open the can it smells very peculiarly. That is a smell impossible to mix with anything else. That is the handicap of this delicacy: many feel discouraged to try it because they think it smells badly. It may be. However, the taste is gorgeous. Once you become a fan, then it is for lifetime. On the last evening the school organised a dinner party. Before the party Gun and Monika, two strömming enthusiasts, arranged for the students to taste this delicatessen. On the photo you can see them and the first student that tried it.

* * * * *

The days in Uppsala are over now. I only drive there once a week, to visit friends. Here in Stockholm I am really concentrating on the book. I am totally involved with the story and the characters. I am afraid I will miss them when I finish, as much as I miss so many summers spent here in Scandinavia. But nature reminds us that nothing lasts forever. Now the nights start to be a bit longer and the first birds can be seen flying over Uppsala. That is the first sign that fall is just around the corner. Depending who you talk to, you will learn that the birds are in their route from the north to the south, immigrating before autumn sets in. Others say they just stay there, they don't head for south. Irrespectively who is right, for me that is a sign that soon it will be time to leave as well. Hopefully it won't be too long before I come back again!

Wish you enjoy your week and, if it is the case, the remaining of your summer vacation!

Maurício

TAWOMG - The Secret of Life

Dear friends,

Maybe the secret of life consists in pretending and behaving as if certain things had actually never happened. We just sweep them under the carpet and we've done with them!

Wish you have a nice week!

Maurício

TAWOMG - Sleepless in Uppsala

Dear Friends,

When I was a child I used to sleep a lot. I also used to go to bed very early. When I wanted to stay awaken later, it was rather difficult. At that time I was very frustrated with it. When my parents went out at night I usually wanted to wait till they came back home, but never could. I fell asleep long before they arrived. I don't remember when, I don't know why, but one day it all changed: it started become difficult to fall asleep.

* * * * *

When I came to Uppsala the first time, many nights I couldn't sleep well. Summer 1989 was an exceptionally nice and warm one in Scandinavia. Everybody talked about it. The student room where I lodged was very warm. This, combined with the long Scandinavian summer days, was a bad mixture. Quite often I woke up around 03:00 a.m. and just couldn't fall asleep again. That year I had a hired bike. When I couldn't sleep I rode my bike around Uppsala. This is one of the best memories that I have from that summer: the dim northern light, the fresh air, the absence of wind, the deep silence and the empty streets of Uppsala. I was almost glad for being unable to sleep.

* * * * *

During the past four weeks in Uppsala sometimes I had trouble to sleep. However, it was nothing comparable to last night. Maybe it was because during the weekend I spent a lot of time reading the news and some reports about the world economy. I also called a few friends in different countries and asked for their opinion and what to expect next. I must admit that the resulting picture was rather scaring! At night I couldn't help thinking about how the economy is developing this year.

* * * * *

Before coming to Sweden I organised some papers at home. I realized that since 2003 I had collected several articles published by "The Economist" about the house price bubble in America, Britain and other countries. Since 2005 I thought that the Spanish housing market was about to halt. If there is anything surprising about the current economic mess, it actually is that it took that long to happen. However, since last August the storm is building up and it is getting pretty ugly out there. The bad news is that, although some economies have already been hard hit by the crisis, we are still just at the early moments of it. The worst has still to come!

* * * * *

At the end of last year I was convinced that the American economy would fall into recession at the first half of this year. Resilient consumption and growing exports, plus a huge tax stimulus by the American government, made it possible to avoid it. However, considering all the woes of the American economy, recession may well turn to be unavoidable:

- The house prices in he US have fallen by the fastest and greatest pace since depression in the 1930's. The bad news is that there are no indications that they will stop to fall in the near future. As long as house prices decline, there is no way out of the crisis. It could well be that the prices do not stop falling before the end of 2008.

- As conditions worsen, so do default rates in mortgages and foreclosures. This has already led to multibillion losses for the lenders and probably a lot more is to come.

- The building industry is already in recession. As fewer units are sold, the inventory of empty houses on the market grows and makes matters worse. It will be years before the housing industry peaks again. Fewer houses built and sold mean less jobs and also less taxes collected by local governments. This in turn means that they will be able to spend less.

- The banking sector in America is in very bad shape. This week many big banks will publish their results for the second quarter. Nobody is expecting good news. The bad results have already been discounted in the share prices. However, worse than expected news could drive share prices further down.

- Jobs were lost in America every single month since January. The stock exchange is operating in a bearish mood - most stock exchanges around the world fell by more than 20% in the year. How long will consumption be immune to all those bad news? The feeling is that since last month the perspectives have deteriorated substantially. It could well happen that in the next few months consumer good manufacturers start to issue profit warnings, knocking their share prices down. If consumption tumbles, then recession will be around the corner - maybe it is already there!

- High oil and food prices are putting pressure on inflation. As inflation soars central banks will find it difficult to avoid interest rate increases. On the other hand, the credit crush will continue to undermine the economy growth.

* * * * *

America is the biggest world economy. Can the rest of the world decouple from an American recession? Some European economies, like the British, Irish and Spanish are heading straight to it. At best the whole EU economy will be flat for the next year and a half or so. Same applies for Japan. It is very difficult to think that the emerging economies will run into recession, but a slow down cannot be discarded. If it happens the commodity prices may start to fall, impacting all the economies that grew in the past years thanks to high commodity prices and strong demand.

* * * * *

All this seems like the economic version of an Ingmar Bergman's film. You watch it and feel depressed. It could well be that very soon we will be reminded that in capitalism the economic cycle still holds and prosperity cannot last for ever. After years of strong growth, that will not be a nice remind.

Wish you enjoy the week and the remaining months before it gets nasty out there!

Maurício

TAWOMG - Wishing you were somehow here again

Dear Friends,

Last Friday was the last day of the first phase of my Swedish course here in Uppsala. The first group was a very nice one and we had great teachers, Annette and Cecilia. Tomorrow new students are coming in and we start the second and final phase. That means another three weeks in Uppsala. Then I will be on the road again.

* * * * *

Uppsala is a very pleasant place to visit during summer. Those that have seen Ingmar Bergman's film "Fanny and Alexander" may have an idea how the city looks like. Many of the external scenes in that film were shot here. On the photo beside you can see the house where Fanny and Alexander moved to, when their widow mother married the local bishop. Today it is Upplands Museet.

* * * * *

Ingmar Bergman himself was born in Uppsala 90 years ago (14 July 1918). His father was a priest. Religion is one of the themes present in many of his movies. Maybe his most admired film is "Smultronstället". The literal translation is "Wild Strawberries", which is how the title was translated in all languages that I could check. However "smultronställe" is also an idiomatic expression that means "favourite place", which would be a much better translation to the film's title. In it the favourite place of Prof. Isak Borg is the house where he used to spend vacation during his childhood.

* * * * *

My friends would probably not hesitate to name my "Smultronställe". It is the countryside house that my grandparents had in Águas de Lindóia and where I used to go on vacation when I was a child. Very often I visit it on my dreams, one of those just two days ago. This house was sold in 1976. It is one of my deepest wishes to buy it back one day.

* * * * *

Past times, people and places that populated them, a lost happiness. Somehow in my mind this connected with the great news that came from Colombia this week: a very successful operation, led by the Colombian army, rescued 15 people that had been kidnapped and held hostage by the left wing FARC guerrilla during many years. Among them was Ingrid Betancourt, a former presidential candidate. She was the most important hostage at the hands of the guerrilla. She holds a dual citizenship (Colombian and French). This fact and her family political connections helped to make her case well known around the world. During years the Colombian president, Álvaro Uribe, was under pressure to negotiate with the guerrilla at any price, in order to have Betancourt freed. He was firm in his decision of fighting the guerrilla militarily, weakening them first before entering negotiations. This year his strategy is paying out: the guerrilla has suffered a series of blows, including the death of three of its seven top commanders. The freeing of the 15 hostages this week was the latest and strongest one.

* * * * *

I feel particularly glad to see that this absurd nightmare, the FARC insurgency, may be coming close to its end. It has only caused sorrow to Colombia and its citizens. Colombia is my favourite country in Latin America. Colombians are amongst the nicest people that I have ever crossed. They deserve peace, development and a better future. The end of the conflict would not only be great news for the country itself, but also for the whole Latin America.

* * * * *

I saw on YouTube many videos of Ingrid Betancourt's release. I was touched by the images when she met her mother first and her children the next day. During all these years I have often thought how tough it must have been for all of them. The kidnapping and the long captivity were an endless nightmare for the hostages as well as for their relatives and friends. That is still the case for all those that remain at the hands of the guerrilla. Many times I wondered how difficult it had to be for Ingrid's mother, children and husband. They couldn't know whether she was still alive or not, whether they would see her again or not, and when it would all be over - and how it would end.

* * * * *

"Wishing you were somehow here again
Wishing you were somehow near
Sometimes it seemed if I just dreamed
Somehow you would be here…

Wishing I could hear your voice again
Knowing that I never would (…)

Too many years fighting back tears (…)"

* * * * *

These are lyrics of one of the songs of "The Phantom of the Opera". It is my favourite song in this musical. Certainly many of us have had in our lives beloved people that for whatever reason either left or we lost contact with. The ties were broken or they just went missing. This is why this song talks so deeply to my heart. Each time I listen to it I think of those that I wished were somehow here again. Whoever is in this situation can only think how wonderful it would be to see the beloved person again, to hold him or her in our arms, to hug them again. Sometimes it seems that it would just be the greatest possible happiness. This week the relatives and friends of 15 people could experience this fantastic happiness. The moment that they have longed for just arrived and their dear ones were somehow there again. We should all be glad for them!

Wish you a great week,

Maurício

TAWOMG - Heading North

Dear Friends,

Long time no news. I apologise. After the trip to Italy I went back home and was in Barcelona the whole month of May. On 11 June I left Barcelona by car, heading north. My destination: Uppsala, in Sweden. I had enrolled in a Swedish language course, which started two weeks ago. Now I have another four weeks to go. When the course is over I intend to spend a few days in Stockholm and then continue my journey to the north. Actually, I'm planning to drive to the northernmost place in Europe, to Cape North in Norway. For decades I wanted to see the midnight sun, now it seems I will have the opportunity to do it.

* * * * *

The first port of call on the long trip to Sweden was in Chambéry, where I visited Alexandre, Murielle and their children. I first met Alexandre 19 years ago - by coincidence here in Uppsala, where both of us were attending a summer course. At that time I was a total beginner in Swedish. Alexandre was in an advanced course. We both more or less belonged to the French speaking group of students at school: for him, French is his mother tongue, for me my second language. That was the beginning of a great friendship that we kept alive during all these years. Since then both of us lived in different countries and were up to different things. Alexandre got married and had children. Despite of the ups and downs of life, we kept in touch and remained very close friends.

* * * * *

From Chambéry I drove to Cologne, in Germany, where I lived from December 1995 to June 1998. Those were the happiest years of my life. I made very good friends in Köln. Each time I go there it feels like going back home. Not so many friends stayed in town, most have moved to other cities or countries. Christian is one of the few that is still there. The night that I spent in Köln I was a guest at Christian and Nadine's place. As usual, it was a pleasure to see them again.

* * * * *

The next stop was in Denmark, at Odense. I actually planned to stop in Copenhagen, one of my favourite cities in the world, but I was too tired to go on driving. It was a good opportunity to visit Odense, the birthplace to H.C. Andersen, the Danish writer. It was Friday night, the weather was nice and I could enjoy a good dinner and then a beer at a local bar. The next day I made a walking tour downtown. The city was certainly worth a visit and I was feeling very happy to be once again in Scandinavia, this time for a long visit.

* * * * *

On Saturday I drove to Copenhagen, where I stopped for lunch. I hadn't been there for many years. I was pleased to see how the city had developed and improved during these years. It is somehow very easy to detect whether a place enjoyed an economic growth or not: you see signs of it everywhere. In my eyes Copenhagen was even more beautiful than it used to be: many buildings had been renovated, some areas were completely new. Downtown looked very well taken care of. The only thing that I can't get used to is the extremely ugly box that was built on Rådhuspladsen when the Danish capital was also European Capital of Culture, many years ago. In my opinion the City Hall Square was one of the most beautiful squares in the whole Europe, at least among the places that I have visited. That unfortunate new building on the middle of City Hall Square completely broke the perspective of the surrounding buildings. It is surprising that they haven't got rid of it. Not yet.

* * * * *

After lunch I drove to Malmö in Sweden. I took the new bridge over the Öresund that connects Denmark to Sweden. I was impressed by it. From there I headed north to Stockholm. Once again I was too tired to drive all the way through and stopped at Jönköping, on the south shore of lake Vättern. Next day I at last arrived to Uppsala, after driving more than 3.450 Kms since I left Barcelona.

* * * * *

This is the fourth summer that I spend here in Uppsala. When I lived in Brazil my friends could not understand that I came to Europe on vacation and stayed weeks here, instead of travelling around and visiting other famous places. There must be something special that binds me to this country and this city. I will try to write about it on the next posting. Meanwhile, wish you a nice week!

Maurício

TAWOMG - The sick man of Europe

Dear Friends,

Twelve years ago, when I lived in Cologne, some of my friends went to Budapest on the May 1st holiday. In our group of friends there were three girls from Hungary: Zsofi I, Crista and Moni. Moni had just returned home and they wanted to visit her. At that time I was on a business trip to Brazil, so I couldn't join them. The following year they went again to Budapest on the same date. This time I was part of the group. In 1998 Zsofi I had returned home, so again a group of friends decided to go there on May 1st. I couldn't join them, because I went to Berlin with Paulo that at that time lived in Brussels.

* * * * *

In 1998 many of the friends from our group in Cologne had either moved somewhere else or were about to do it: Via went to Lyon, I came to Barcelona, Gianpiero went to Venezuela, Cai went to Hamburg, Zsofi II went back to Hungary and so on. We then decided that every year we would try to meet somewhere in Europe on May 1st. This is what we did last week in Sardinia, Italy, when we celebrated our thirteenth annual meeting. This time we were nine people: Zsofi I, Cai, Julica, Eva, Christian, Nadine, Gianpiero, Monica and I. We rented a house south of Olbia and stayed there one week, until last Saturday. The house was big and from the veranda we had a gorgeous view of the sea. The photo beside may give you an idea of its garden.

* * * * *

The week was very relaxing. We had good weather and could have breakfast outdoor, read and write in the garden, make excursions, swim in the sea or have a siesta in the afternoon. At night Cai lit the fire at the fireplace in the living room and we enjoyed great dinners cooked by Zsofi. She is not only a very competent culinary writer, but also a fantastic cook. We had a great time together and could only regret that, as every year, some of our friends could not be there with us. Well, they will have the opportunity to catch up next year, when we next meet in Greece.

* * * * *

Last Saturday most of us left Sardinia. I went to Rome, where I stayed until Monday night. I had been there only once before, in 1988, when I made a two week tour around Italy with friends from São Paulo. In 1988 I could speak fairly well Italian and was very excited about my first trip to the country. However, a number of small incidents and bad treatment resulted in a great disappointment. To a point that during many years I made the joke that when I threw the two coins at Fontana di Trevi one was for a wish and the second one was for never going back there again (tradition has it that the second coin is to come back to Rome again…).

* * * * *

At that time we were young backpackers, travelling on low budget during the high summer season. We occupied space and spent too little money. Very soon it became clear to me that we were unwanted, that people in general were more interested in elder and richer tourists, with deep pockets and ready to spend real money. Today I understand how short sighted and silly this approach is. There are lots of interesting places in the world that are worth a trip. If you treat young visitors badly, they won't feel like coming back. In 1988 I didn't have money enough either to travel frequently or to expend nicely. Today my budget is more generous, but Italy lost me as a potential customer already during my first visit. Since then I have spent my money somewhere else while on vacation. It was no surprise to me when I read that Italy has fallen from being the world's most popular tourist destination 30 year ago to the fifth place today - despite of its unmatched heritage and beautiful landscape.

* * * * *

Once in Rome, I was shocked how little I could remember from my previous visit. Usually I have a good memory for cities and how to move around them. From Rome I could remember being to the hot spots, but couldn't recall how to go from one place to the next one, or how far things were, or even how to locate them on the map. From this point of view, it was like visiting a new city. Even more so because I also realised that there were lots of places where I hadn't been before. I wondered what we had done during almost one week in town twenty years ago.

* * * * *

Going around, another thing was also evident: Italy's stagnation in the last decade or so. When the economy stops and the country doesn't grow, the signs are easy to see: buildings that are not renovated, decaying infra-structure, old cars on the street, dirty streets, parks that are not properly taken care of, people looking tired on the buses, poor service... Even the good news was actually bad news: it was substantially less expensive to dine out compared to Barcelona, what probably means that local people have a reduced budget to expend in restaurants (and I must admit, everywhere the food was great). If you give a look to the figures, the Italian malaise is clear: the economy has underperformed compared to other European countries in almost every indicator. This year and next Italy is expected to experience the lowest growth in the European Union.

* * * * *

In the mid of XIX century Tsar Nicholas I of Russia is believed to have called the Ottoman Empire "the sick man of Europe". Lately "The Economist" is using this expression to label the appalling performance of the Italian economy. Talking to people there you realize that most of them blame external causes for their poor performance: the immigration, the Euro, the EU, the oil price, ECB interest rate policy, globalisation, you name it… However, the sad truth is that their problems are almost entirely home-grown and only they can fix them: red tape, tax evasion, corruption, inflexible labour laws, state companies, budget deficit, public debt, huge civil service headcount, high taxes, low productivity growth, protected business sectors, heavy regulations, poor education at school and university levels, the list is actually far too long. Of course it is easier to blame others than to face all these problems. Unfortunately, as Argentina has already proved, a rich country can decay for decades if they don't fix their problems - and then one day they are no longer a rich country. Considering the results of recent elections, the record track of previous Berlusconi governments and the mood on the streets, there is little reason for hope that Italy will do any better in the next future. That is a shame, but ultimately it is up to them: they must know best what is convenient for them, and then live with the consequences of their choices!

Wish you a nice week,

Maurício

PS - This time I went again to Fontana di Trevi and threw two coins for two wishes. They were very similar to those made twenty years ago. I find it amazing not only that I can remember exactly what my wishes were twenty years ago, but also how consistent I have been for decades…

TAWOMG - Sant Jordi

Dear Friends,

Last Wednesday was Saint George's day. He is the patron saint of Catalonia and his day is celebrated in a unique way: for Sant Jordi men give a rose to women and women give a book to men, meaning that they care for each other. Although it is not a bank holiday, thousands of people go out and crowd the streets of Catalonia's cities. It is a big popular event. Everywhere you find stands selling books or roses. Ten per cent of all books sales in Catalonia happen this day. Writers flock to places like Barcelona to promote and autograph their books. Friends get together, there is a party mood all around. That is probably the nicest day to be in Catalonia, although a Catalan may say any day is a nice day to be there and he wouldn't be completely wrong.

* * * * *

Being in Sant Jordi's mood, last week I finished to read two books that I bought during the trip to Oceania and Asia. The first one was Peter Carey's "30 Days in Sydney". It is a nostalgic account of the city's history and the way of life of the Sydneysiders. It is a good book to read both before going there for the first time or after being there. If you have never been to Sydney it will make you dream of it. If you have just been there, it is great to follow the author's descriptions of places and the explanations how things are and why they are that way. You finish the book with the taste that Sydney is a world class city and one of the most beautifully located metropolis of the planet. Definitely worth more than one visit, even though it is so far away from almost anyplace you can think of.

* * * * *

The second book I bought in Hong Kong: Michael Backman's "Asia Future Shock". The author is a very well known business writer with a long experience about business in Asia. He writes about the main changes that are under way in various Asian countries and the risks and opportunities that come along with these changes. Some of the figures and facts that he describes are amazing and give us a taste of the role the region is going to play during this century. Among the most important changes that we are witnessing in the different Asian countries, maybe the population development is the least known. One the one hand there are countries whose population is already shrinking, like Japan. Today it has 127 million inhabitants and in the next decades it may well go down to less than 110 million. South Korea also has a population that is getting old very fast and that may see a drop in a near future. On the other hand there are countries like India or Pakistan that have a young population and that continue to grow at a fast pace. By 2030 India may have 1,5 billion people and will probably be the biggest country on earth.

* * * * *

China is a special case. Although Backman writes it will also have 1,5 billion people, other authors quote different projections for the future. To a large extent, the development of the Chinese population will depend on the one child policy. During the past thirty years it has had a huge impact reducing the total fertility rate in China and the population growth rate. However, this kind of policy is unsustainable in the long run. In case it is kept for more than one generation, it results in dramatic reductions of population, due to the "four-two-one" effect: each new generation replaces only half the existing number of people in the previous generation. Right now the first children of the one child policy are adults, in the age of marrying and having a family. In case they only have one child, one day in fifty to eighty years the total Chinese population may drop by hundreds of millions.

* * * * *

Another amazing development in Asia is the imbalance between the number of males and females in China and India. In the year 2030 it is expected that the male population will exceed the female one in about 250 million. The social causes for this imbalance are in itself a reason for concern. On top of it, one can imagine the social impact it may have in these countries. As a secondary effect, it may result in a change in both the immigration rate (either young men leaving their countries to marry abroad or marrying abroad and bringing their wives to their home country) or the population growth itself Some men will remain single because they can't find a woman to marry.

* * * * *

Right now I am reading Jeffrey Sachs' "Common Wealth - Economics for a Crowded Planet". I started by the chapters about the world population. I am fascinated by this subject and in the past 25 years I read a lot about it. Jeffrey Sachs makes a very balanced account of the main trends. Many times people that write about the planet's population forecast that it will continue to grow at a fast pace for decades to come. Jeffrey Sachs describes the different possible scenarios and their implications. I also fully agree with his view that more incentives for family planning would be to the world's interest. One thing that I had not realized so far is that the key places for the future development of the world population are India (not a surprise) and sub-Saharan Africa. It is very difficult to forecast what may happen there, because the African countries suffer from all plagues that widely impact on the population growth: war, famine and diseases. But the recent interest of China and India for the African countries may help to change it in a near future.

* * * * *

By the mid of this century the world will be a completely different place compared to what it was when I was born. I realize that I know very little about the two continents where the most important changes will take place. I have never been to Africa and I was in just few Asian countries. There is a lot to be seen and experienced. Hope I can continue to travel around, meet people and report it. I can't think of a more fascinating thing to do!

Take care,

Maurício

TAWOMG - The party is (almost) over

Dear Friends,

Long time no news. I apologise! Some friends are writing and asking my whereabouts. Maybe they didn't pay attention when I wrote on the second last posting that I was at home in Barcelona. So, here I am, back to Spain, looking forward to celebrating Sant Jordi tomorrow - in my opinion the nicest day in Catalonia.

* * * * *

After Hong Kong I flew to London, where I spent two days. As I was coming back home and didn't have to care about the luggage weight anymore, I went to my favourite bookshop and bought more books than I can possibly read in the next few months. Never mind, it was a pleasure to go back to Dillon's, on Gower Street, Bloomsbury. They don't know it, and certainly haven't noticed, but I have been a good customer for the past twenty years. I was very sad when it was sold to a bookshop chain, but the truth is that in this case it didn't really make a difference. You still find almost everything that you are looking for (when it is available) and the staff is very knowledgeable. Hope they keep it just as it is for very long!

* * * * *

This time I could also go to "Les Misérables", a show that has been running for as long as I have been Dillon's customer. I was very curious how a 1.500 page book could be adapted into a two hour musical. Somehow it could. For those that have read the book it was very easy to follow Jean Valjean's misfortunes, Javert's obsession in sending him back to prison and the love of Marius and Cosette. The music is beautiful, the escenography is creative and it was good fun. Nevertheless, I still think that the book is a lot better.

* * * * *

When I read "Les Misérables" I was surprised how much one of the characters, Monseigneur Myriel, the Bishop of Digne, remembered Don Pere Casaldáliga, once the Bishop of São Félix do Araguaia in Brazil. I can't think of anybody else in the Catholic Church that I respect more and that I admire more than Pere Casaldáliga. It would be very easy to say that if all priests were like him, the Catholic Church would be a much better institution. As a matter of fact, I think that if more human beings shared his values and his approach to life, the world would be a much better place. Sometimes I ask myself whether Pere Casaldáliga read "Les Misérables" and what he thought of Monseigneur Myriel. Whatever his opinion may be, one thing is certain: in this case, art anticipated reality in almost one century.

* * * * *

In London I also visited the Freud Museum, on Maresfield Garden. It is located in the house where Freud spent the last year of his life. This house was his youngest daughter's home until her death in 1982. Anna Freud bequeathed the house and the museum opened its doors in 1986 (again, twenty something years ago). I had been to Freud's Vienna apartment before, on the Berggasse 19, but the London museum is a lot more interesting. Freud could manage to have most of his books and antiquities, as well as some furniture moved to London before the War. His famous coach, where psychoanalysis was first practised, is in the museum. I was there in a quiet afternoon, a day very different from those in 1939, before Europe went on war. I couldn't help thinking about the ups and downs of this continent. Almost seventy years later, it is actually surprising that the EU now is formed by 27 countries and we live in peace. Long may it last!

* * * * *

During the trip there was another Felix, a very distant place from the one mentioned above, not only geographically, but also in nature. It was the Felix Bar, on the top floor of the Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong. There I had the last Dry Martinis of my trip. It was one of the bars that I had to visit, according to the bet with Jan. The other one was at the Bayswater Brasserie in Sydney. The Bayswater is a very fancy restaurant and the bar has a big reputation. One of the barmen won different prizes in Australia. Bueno, it may be the right place to be, but this does not guarantee you will get one of the best DM in the world. When I went there, my first DM was prepared by a young bartender. When I drank it, it was just average. My disappointment must have been evident, because the kid's boss asked me how it was. I told him about the bet and said: "I travelled a long way down here expecting a great Martini, and honestly, this one was just OK. I expected a lot more." He was not happy with my answer. He asked the prize winner to mix another Martini. After I tasted it, he asked how it was. It was a lot better. He then said, referring to the young barman: "The kid has yet a lot to learn."

* * * * *

So, that was it so far. The trip around the world was not quite around the world and I fell short of the 80 Martinis I planned to have. And the bad news is that the sabbatical year may also turn out to be just less than half a year. The party may soon be over. I'd better enjoy the trip to Italy next week, to meet the Cologne friends, because it may be the last one in many months to come. Or not. Qui vivra, verra!

Wish you a nice rest of the week.

Maurício

TAWOMG - Making your dreams come true

Dear Friends,

When I went to London in February, at the beginning of my Australasia trip, I was leaving the continent and going to an island: Britain. Next stop was in Tokyo, also in an island. Then I flew to Auckland: again another island! After New Zealand we went to Australia, which is a huge island that many call continent. And then the last port of call before coming back to Europe was Hong Kong, a city partly in an island, partly in a peninsula. I had not realized it before, but during six weeks I had been jumping from one island to the next one!

* * * * *

Due to History and its colonial past, Hong Kong is a special place in China and Asia. The island of Hong Kong itself is modern, rich, clean and vibrant. The Kowloon peninsula and the new territories are a mixture of modern and rich venues and more popular ones. Although I liked the Hong Kong Island a lot and spent most of my time there, I am glad that my hotel was in Kowloon, on Nathan Road, near Jade street and Temple street (where the night market takes place). The place was alive around the clock and after five weeks travelling in developed, rich, clean, super-organised places it was good to go somewhere that was less so. For me it was like coming back home, with the goods and bads of a developing place.

* * * * *

By the way, when I arrived to the airport and asked at the information center how to get to my hotel, I was told that there was no Novotel at that address. I was very surprised and insisted with the guy, because I had a confirmed reservation for it. He checked all his files and couldn't find anything. At last I asked him to call the hotel. We found out that it had opened that same day! So, I was one of the few first guests in Novotel Kowloon, on Nathan Road, day (or night) one. I'm making free advertising for them only because I thought it was really a very good four star hotel, very nicely decorated, with a very friendly and well trained staff. If one day you have to go to Hong Kong, consider this as a good accommodation possibility.

* * * * *

Hong Kong, Sydney, Rio de Janeiro and San Francisco are often considered the four most beautiful places on the planet, at least what goes for their bays and harbours. Victoria Harbour seems to be an extremely beautiful place, at least on the photos and post cards that you can buy all around. What a shame that we can't see it! I am not sure whether it was the early spring haze or simply pollution, but the sad fact was that during the four days that I was in town we never could see very far away. Most of the time it was like on the photos beside. The problem must be very bad, because in some places there are photographers that offer to make your photo and then insert it against a clean shot of the same location, as if the day you were there was a clearer one. Business does not develop if there is not enough demand for it, ergo…

* * * * *

One afternoon as I jumped out of the boat in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, I decided to go to the Avenue of the Stars, in front of Victoria Harbour. I wanted to enjoy the view of the skyline of Hong Kong Island while waiting that night came down and the buildings had the lights on. Of course I was not alone in that idea and dozens of other tourists also did the same. Despite of the crowds around me, eventually I could disconnect. Lost in my thoughts I remembered another afternoon, in July 1979, when Rubens and I did something similar. I was in Rio staying with Rubens' family. He was my best friend at that time. One afternoon we took a bus and went to Urca and waited until the skyline in Rio downtown was also lit. At that time we were teenagers and we both dreamed about seeing the world. In Hong Kong I realized that almost thirty years later I had already been to all places that one day I dreamed of visiting. It is not that there are no other places to go. On the opposite, one really good thing about this trip is that I fully recovered the pleasure of travelling. At some point in time I had to travel so often for business that it almost became a nightmare. But these bad days are over and again I feel like the teenager of the past that was curious about other people and places and wanted to make it all!

* * * * *

I also remembered that around that time Marta was a little child. I used to say that one day I would take her with me to Rio. Now, after so many years, we have been to Rio and many other places, in different countries and continents. She is a great travel companion! Looking backwards, I can only be glad that life was the way it was, and that I could see so many places and meet all the nice people that I have met.

Wish you also make your dreams come true and a very good week!

Maurício

TAWOMG - Finding Nemo

Dear Friends,

Our trip to Australia did not finish in Adelaide (bueno, it almost was the case…). Two days after the car accident we flew to Brisbane and three days later to Cairns. It was wise to leave Queensland for the end. We were tired and needed some rest. The fantastic beaches of north-east Australia were the place where to go and rest.

* * * * *

Until we went to Queensland the stellar moment of the trip was when we swam with the dolphins, south of Melbourne. In Cairns there was a second great experience: snorkel at the outer barrier reef! On the flight from Brisbane to Cairns we could already have an idea what to expect: on the photo beside, made from the plane, you can see some coral reefs. They are spread alongside the north-east Australian coast, covering 2.000 Km from north to south. It is so impressive that it is difficult to explain how beautiful it is.

* * * * *

In Cairns we stayed at a resort in Palm Cove, about 20 Km north of the city. It was no longer the peak tourist season, the hotels, bars and restaurants in town were only half full. Great for us, that could calmly enjoy it. We were also very lucky: when we arrived to Palm Cove it was the first day of sunshine after weeks of rain! We wanted to rest, but above all we wanted to see the coral reef. We booked a tour to the outer reef. It was more expensive than other tours to locations near the coast, but we were told that in the outer reef there were the best locations to dive or snorkel.

* * * * *

In the past I had never been enthusiastic about the coral reefs; I don't like any activity under water; the only reason why I went to Cairns was because I was travelling with my cousins and they absolutely wanted to go there; I knew that I would have to do a big effort to snorkel for more than a few minutes. However, as I told to myself, "This is probably the only trip to Cairns in your lifetime. Go there and see the corals, God knows if you will have a second chance to do it. "

* * * * *

We took the boat to the outer reef in Port Douglas. It was a big catamaran, very well equipped. It took about one and a half hours to get to our destination. Due to bad weather on the previous days, we had rough sea. For those not used to sailing, sometimes it was very unpleasant. I was not worried about the boat, but about going to water on what looked like open ocean. Our instructor assured us that at the reef it would be a lot better, the reef would shelter us. I was not convinced that it would be all that simple. When we arrived to our first destination I wondered whether I really wanted to do it. On the photo you can see how it looks like from the boat. You know that you are miles away from the coast and beyond the reef is the Pacific Ocean. The idea of what might happen can be frightening! On top of it, Marta and Patrícia were afraid of sharks and when they asked the instructor the answer was: "Well, there might be some baby sharks out there, but you are bigger than them…" Very encouraging, indeed!

* * * * *

Bueno, as we were there, to water we went. Shame that I don't have photos under water, because it was absolutely gorgeous! It is amazing what nature can be up to. The colours and variety of corals, added to the variety of fishes of all sizes make it something unique. As it was my first time snorkelling, I have no idea what you see in other places of the globe. What I can tell you is that it was far beyond all my expectations. As I could relax, forget "what could happen" and concentrate on what I was seeing, I enjoyed it a lot. For my surprise, put together the morning and afternoon locations, I was in the water for some hours, not only minutes. I think I will never forget the feeling of peace and harmony that I experienced there, in a place so far from anywhere I could call home!

* * * * *

After Cairns we flew to Sydney, where I was for Easter. Last week I told you that I was about to leave Sydney, heading to Hong Kong. Today I am writing from Barcelona, where I arrived on Sunday night. Private reasons brought me back here at least three to four weeks before planned (don't worry, nothing bad has happened). This means that I could make it to Hong Kong, where I stayed until last Friday, but for the moment I had to postpone the trip to Shanghai and Beijing, where I intended to visit friends. Other trips in Southeast Asia will also have to wait for another occasion.

* * * * *

In Sydney I bought "Finding Nemo". I had not watched it before. Yesterday night I did it. In the reef we saw some Nemos, some Doris, one turtle. Well, the group that was diving even saw a shark. It was just a baby one… I could also confirm what I once was told: at the end of the movie they play one of my favourite songs, "Somewhere". Watching "Finding Nemo" and remembering our trip I told myself: "What a great country Australia is, and what a lucky person I am, having the opportunity to visit it. Hope I can make it back there soon!"

Wish you have a nice week!

Maurício

TAWOMG - Born again in Australia

Dear Friends:

Last Friday Fernando, Patrícia and Marta flew back to South America. I am travelling alone again. I am still in Sydney, but on Monday I will fly to Hong Kong. Now that my cousins have arrived safely at home and our family has seen that they are OK, I can report the awful car accident that we had in South Australia ten days ago.

* * * * *

We were driving from Princetown to Adelaide on the coast road. Fernando and Patrícia planned to stay in Adelaide, visiting friends. Marta and I were due to Barossa Valley. 300 Kms before Adelaide we stopped in Kingston to tank. Another car also tanked at the same gas station and took the same road as us. I was driving and overtook them a few kms after the tank station. Then for roughly one hour and about 100 Kms that car followed us, keeping all the time 200 to 300 meters distance. All was well: the road was good, it was still day light, there was almost no traffic and Patrícia and Marta were sleeping on the back seats. Then, all of a sudden, a wild, big, adult Kangaroo jumped in front of the car, coming out of the blue. It was completely unexpected!

* * * * *

When I saw the kangaroo, he was already in front of the car. My instinctive reaction was to avoid hitting him. In doing so, our car went off the road. I tried to come back to our lane, but then the car crossed both lanes and went again off the road, on the right side. There was a moment that the car lost contact with ground and therefore I completely lost control of it. We landed again in just two wheels, in diagonal to the road, and it was a miracle that the car didn't roll over. I strongly believe that our guard angels were well awaken and took care of us. When the four wheels were back to ground I could somehow control the car and succeeded to stop it. When I left the car, there was a cloud of dust behind us. I first thought there had been a fire, but soon realized it was the dust provoked by our zigzagging.

* * * * *

From the cloud of dust emerged a couple of Swedes, those that were driving behind us. The first thing that the man told me was "You were born again. You know it, don't you?" His wife said: "When we saw the kangaroo jumping in front of the car and all that followed, we were convinced you would all die. It was awful to see it all happen and we could do nothing about it."

* * * * *

Afterwards we were told that we were lucky not to hit the kangaroo. Bueno, it was also great news for him. Nevertheless, the driver side of the car was pretty damaged and we had one flat tire. It seemed we could continue our journey to Adelaide after changing the tire. The Swedes stayed there with us until we fixed everything, put all bags back and left. They also agreed to continue driving behind us, just in case we needed help. Their presence and solidarity was the biggest help that they could give us and from here I would like to thank them again for all that they have done! In Adelaide Paula and Sergio welcomed all of us at their home and we are also extremely thankful to all that they did for us!

* * * * *

"You were born again. You know it, don't you?" These words and the kangaroo jumping in front of the car came often back to my mind in the days following the accident. If the Swede is right, then my first life finished 200 Kms south of Adelaide and the second one started a few seconds and 400 meters later. The next day, Marta and I moved to a hotel in Glenelg, a beach in Adelaide. With Fernando and Patrícia, we spent the afternoon there, relaxing from the terrible experience of the previous day. On the photos you can see the survivors eating lunch in Glenelg: pilot with a glass of Barossa Valley in his hand, co-pilot on his side and passengers. You also see the sunset in Glenelg, the end of the first day of my second life!


* * * * *

We live in a world where most of us try very hard to do the safest possible things most of the time. We are no longer used to the idea that unfortunately accidents do happen, some are unpredictable and cannot be avoided and tragedy can just be around the corner and may occur within seconds - or even less. One wild Kangaroo just reminded us that things can go wrong with no previous warning and the worst may happen when we least expect it.

* * * * *

At the same time, I also wish to share with you what we have learned from this experience: first of all, do always wear the safety belt when in a car. If we were not wearing them, the outcome of the accident could have been a tragedy; do pay heed to the road signs, even if it looks very unlikely that an animal like a kangaroo may cross the road - there is a good reason for the signs to be there; do respect the speed limits - if we were driving faster, it would have been either more difficult or even impossible to stop the car without rolling over; keep a safe distance from the car in front of you; and do help others - sometimes just your physical presence near those in need can be of great help.

Wish you a happy Easter and a good week! It is so good to be alive!

Maurício

PS - The accident involved great tension and intense stress. As a result, I got some grey hair. So, next time we meet, if you think that I grew older, you already know - blame the car accident and the kangaroo!

TAWOMG - One morning to be remembered

Dear Friends,

On Sunday 9th we arrived to Melbourne, where we stayed until Tuesday. Melbourne does not have the same international appeal that Sydney has, and maybe there are not as many sightseeing as in the emerald city. However it is a great place to go on vacation. People there are very friendly and with summer weather there are lots of open air activities on offer. We enjoyed a lot being there. What a shame that we couldn't stay longer.

* * * * *

One thing I regret is that I could not do a day trip to Yarra Valley, one hour drive from Melbourne. Yarra is one of the big wine regions in Australia and it would have been worth a visit. Having to choose just one place to visit, I have preferred to tour Barossa Valley, near Adelaide, a bigger and more important wine region. Yarra will have to wait for the next trip. So many things will… Australia is too big a country, you just can't do it all in one trip.

* * * * *

When we left Melbourne we headed to Pt. Lonsdale, a bit more than one hour drive to the south. We had booked a "swim with the dolphins" tour. Queenscliff was the place where the boat should leave from. The first time that I heard about swimming with dolphins was a long time ago, when a friend of mine, Ivan, went to New Zealand and did it there. I never forgot Ivan's passionate description of his experience. Marta and I wanted to do it in NZ, but it was difficult to accommodate with our route in that country. We then postponed till we were in Australia. Fernando and Patrícia first were not very keen with the idea, but then agreed to join us. Great for them, because it was worth it!

* * * * *

Our tour was organised by "Sea all Dolphin Swims" in Pt Lonsdale, Victoria. I mention the company's name because we were very well impressed with them. On board were Robert, the captain, and Monique, our instructor. They were nice and friendly and we had a very good time with them. We first went to a nearby place to practise some snorkelling. Then we headed to another place where we could swim with seals. That gave us a bit of a taste of what would come next.

* * * * *

One of the great things about swimming with dolphins is that first you have to find out where they are. That is not obvious at all. The tour organisers do not guarantee we will actually see them. There is an 85% chance we find dolphins, but sometimes it just doesn't happen. In our case it took more than one hour until we finally could see where they were. There was a lot of tension on board, because we were running out of time and had to go back to port. When we saw the first dolphins we were all very glad. Robert sailed the boat in their direction and when we got close enough the dolphins started swimming beside us, following the boat. It was great to see so many of them so close, but the best was still to come. We all went to water, wearing masks and snorkel, and held a cable that was attached to the boat. We made noise to attract the dolphins and as the boat departed again the dolphins swam beside us, following the boat. Thanks to the masks we could see them underwater, sometimes very close to us. We were not aloud to touch them, but we could have done it, so close they were. This was an experience of great childish happiness, the kind of feeling you don't experience quite often when you are an adult. For all of us, it was one of the high points of our holiday.

* * * * *

After leaving Queenscliff we took the "Great Ocean Road" to Adelaide. In Melbourne we were told that it would be an eight hour drive, and therefore we thought we could comfortably do it in two days. But in reality it was a lot longer. The nice thing about the Great Ocean Road is that you drive by a gorgeous coast line. We stopped in many different places, both for photos as well as for the beaches. One of the most beautiful places is the "Twelve Apostles", that you can see on the photo on the left.

* * * * *

It took us a lot longer to get into Adelaide than we first thought. Therefore, and with regret, Marta and I had to give up our planned visit to Barossa Valley. We just ran out of time! After Adelaide we went to Queensland, the sunshine State and final part of our trip. We are now in Palm Cove, north of Cairns. Tomorrow we will take a boat to the Great Barrier Reef. Next week you can read about it. The delay in posting this note was due to the difficulty to have access to internet. Where we are it is easier to find a gorgeous beach than internet. I am sorry about that!

* * * * *

Wish you have a nice week!

Maurício

TAWOMG - Faaaantastic, mate!

Dear Friends,

Today we arrived to Melbourne, where we will stay for two days, before heading north to Adelaide. We were in Sydney from Monday to Thursday. On Friday we left to the Blue Mountains, than drove to Canberra and the coast of New South Wales.

* * * * *

As people often say here, Sydney was "faaaantastic, mate". There were lots of things to do and see. Our interests were broad enough: we went to Manly beach, had dinner twice in Darling Harbour (where I had my first DM), visited the Olympic area (extremely frustrating and totally disappointing), had DM and dinner in Victoria Room, went shopping and a lot more. We left Sydney knowing that had we stayed longer, there would
be a lot more to do.
* * * * *

On Thursday we went to the Opera to see Carmen. As far as we could see, it was sold out, despite the high prices for the tickets. It is quite an achievement an Opera house that offers one session every night and nevertheless is almost always full. I imagine they can run their business without need of public money (and if they can't, they probably have a cost problem). An important share of the public was tourists. This is the positive side of the tourism industry: it helps to cover the cost of important cultural features in a city. The opera itself was OK, but I have seen best performances before. Micaëla (Tiffany Speight) and Don José (Rosario La Spina) were good, but Carmen was actually rather mediocre. This, however, was not enough to diminish the pleasure deriving from an Opera night. When the orchestra played the introduction to the third act I was deeply touched, remembering other occasions when the same melody was also present. I know it is a "plaisir bourgeois", however an Opera night is still one of the best things civilisation has ever invented.

* * * * *

On the way to the Blue Mountains we stopped at the Featherdale Wildlife Park. This is a kind of zoo where the public may have direct contact with most of the animals, the exception being the obvious ones: the crocodile, the venomous snakes and so on. Even for four adults it was a great fun to be able to touch the koalas, the kangaroos or feed some of the birds. On the photo beside you can see me interacting with one of the kangaroos. I must admit that the touch of his tongue on my hand while feeding him was rather disgusting, although he was a nice mate. We left the park with this wonderful feeling that tourists many times get, that they just have done something extraordinary.

* * * * *

I changed a bit my mind this morning. We had stopped overnight in Eden, NSW, and by coincidence just across the road there was a golf course. I decided to play and today at 07:30 there I was, on tee number one. For my big surprise, just after my first shot and walking into the fairway I could see a group of kangaroos eating the grass. First I was a bit worried, not knowing whether kangaroos can be aggressive while in total freedom. Soon I realized that there were tens of these animals in the different holes, quietly eating their Sunday breakfast. What a shame that I didn't have my camera with me! But it also made me think that in this country a direct contact with wildlife is a lot more common than one could think first hand.

* * * * *

But not quite that much… In Eden, Patrícia, Marta and Fernando went for a walk on Saturday afternoon around a lake. There was an elevated walkway, protected with a low fence. They asked themselves what could that fence be for. Fearing that the lake might be infested with crocodiles, they decided to ask some locals: a young family with two small children. When Patrícia asked the question, the man had an outburst of laugh. Crocodiles! What a question! Of course not! They felt a bit ashamed by the absurd idea, but not totally convinced that no crocodile made his home of that beautiful lake.

* * * * *

Just before posting this note I see on internet that the Socialist Party almost certainly won the general elections in Spain. That is good news! I am not a socialist; I don't believe in socialism and probably in economy I am closer to the ideas of Partido Popular than to the socialists. However, for me it is impossible to vote for the PP. The political right in Spain still has an inheritance from the Franco regime that is difficult to understand and even more difficult to accept. On the other hand, the PSOE is not only a lot more advanced in social matters, but also proved to be very responsible in economic issues. This is a combination that I wished were adopted by the right leaning parties worldwide: market economy, full economic freedom and competition, less State and socially advanced ideas. In Brazil this could be a fantastic program for the PSDB. In present world, and probably for many years to come, advanced capitalism with social liberalism could well be a winning road map. It is a shame that few people think like that.

Wish you have a nice week and wish Spain another good four year term of socialist government!

Maurício

TAWOMG - When hope comes from the South

Dear Friends,

Last week I was in New Zealand, travelling with my cousins Marta, Fernando and Patrícia. When we were planning the trip I insisted to allocate more than a week in the country. I argued that it is so isolated from anywhere else, that the likelihood that I have another opportunity to visit was rather low. Therefore we should try to see as much as possible.

* * * * *

New Zealand is indeed unique. Being close to the International Date Line, it can claim to be the first country in the planet where the sun rises. It is as big as Japan in territory, but has only 4 million inhabitants, compared to 127 in Japan. It is developed, diverse, people are friendly and it is very easy to travel there. The weather can change very fast, from bright, warm sunny days like in the photo beside, when I was tasting my first NZ wine in the isle of Waiheke, north of Auckland, to snow in the middle of summer, like we were told that it happened in Queenstown three weeks ago. Nature is powerful and varies from the North to the South Islands, from West to East Coast.

* * * * *

We first visited Auckland and than flew to the South Island, where we rented a car and travelled around. We drove the scenic route to Lake Tekapo, on the foothills of the Alpes. It was gorgeous! Then we went to Queenstown, considered the international capital of radical sports and adventures. In this region the film "The Lord of the Rings" was shot. In Otago there is a wine region, developed since the 1980's, where they are growing not only grapes for white wines, but also Pinot Noir. It is said to be the southernmost wine region in the world. I made a one-day wine-tasting tour and had the opportunity to taste 25 wines. Their quality is in general average to high and some Pinot Noirs were indeed good, like the 1999 Jackson Barry Pinot Noir produced by Olssens. The photo attached is where we tasted the wines at Olssens. The same day at night we had two bottles of Cloudy Bay for dinner, the Chardonnay 2005 and the Sauvignon Blanc 2007. I recommend both as well.

* * * * *

But surprisingly enough, despite all the fun and great things that we did and saw in NZ, the most touching experience was of a complete different nature and happened in Christchurch, the last city that we visited. The Cathedral in Christchurch organises an evening service on Sundays that they call "NOSUN", that means "No ordinary Sunday Cathedral worship for people who don't go to church much, hardly ever, never, any more." Being my case, I felt curious about it and decided to attend. I suspect that the Cathedral Dean or whoever is responsible for this event went at some point in time to a business or marketing school. "NOSUN" is a very powerful, tailor-made product for people that probably would go to church if it were different from what it is. It was creative, non-intrusive, warm and respectful with the public.

* * * * *

Before the worship those attending are given a piece of paper, a pencil, one candle and one flower. As the service goes, you first are invited to write down "a note of any action you regret or any event in your past you wish to leave behind". Then those that wish so may bring their pieces of paper to a central brazier and burn it, symbolising that you are leaving behind what you wrote on the paper. This is done in deep silence.

* * * * *

The service continues and a bit later attendants are invited to think of people that they care about, or events or issues in their lives that need to be named and commended to God. They are then invited to light their candles, as a way of remembrance and making a prayer.

* * * *

The final part of the worship is about future facing. It is time "to make a resolution to oneself about the days ahead". Those in the church are invited to take their flower and float it in a pond of water, as an expression of hope. Emotion is all around and some people come to tears as they float their flowers; others do it very, very carefully, denoting that there were deep feelings behind that symbolic act. These three parts of the service are linked together by a welcome by Dean Peter Beck, readings, choral songs, moments of silence, pray and thinking and a very careful mise-en-scène.

* * * * *

This experience in Christchurch was the most meaningful and most touching religious service that I have ever attended in my life. I left the Cathedral with elevated thoughts and a very positive energy. I thought that nothing could be more different and more distant to the catholic mass in Spain than that. If you go to church in Spain you will most likely hear about what is wrong and shouldn't be done - all in the negative perspective. There is also a big chance that the priest will meddle into politics and criticise the present government (the Church in Spain is openly right wing leaning and opposed to the socialist government). No surprise that people care less and less about the Church: their bosses live far apart from society.

* * * * *

Thanks God that there are initiatives like this one in Christchurch. In our modern world, where we are taught to compete, accumulate wealth and become increasingly materialists, it is important to have some time and space to dedicate to spiritual things. Maybe one day the Spanish Catholic Church will not only run successful business schools, but also learn something from them and become more "consumer oriented" and reconnect with society. That would be great news, though it looks very unlikely to happen.

Meanwhile, I wish you all a nice week and my apologies for the delay in posting this note. One of my purposes for what is ahead is to do better, including in writing this blog!

Maurício