Friday, April 06, 2007

travel warps




went from sunny and hot, busy and full to snow and spacious and such a different lifestyle
Frankfurt at 7.00am on a cold and miserable morning. about 22 March i think....

I just left friends in the warmth [ actually steamy heat- amazing how it can all of a sudden heat up so fast] of Delhi and now am alone in the cold- boo hoo.
Things are quiet exciting going here and there and I am looking forward to Canada and a quick stop off in the states but the reality for me is many lonely hours in between missing the ones I love. Oh well! That’s life.
I left Prveen with a whole heap of prices to find and bookings to make and I need to get onto writing up the itinerary and all that stuff.
This is the second seasons of the tours and boy what a steep learning curve it has been.
The season straddles the northern winter as that gives us lovely mild weather in India.
Last year I organized most things myself and Prveen helped with the on the ground stuff, but we are partners and am now sharing all the responsibilities half -half. This is a wonderful experience as it is working out half-half and we compliment each others skills..

We have just had a hectic time researching a new tour and spent long hours last night before my flight polishing up our itinerary…I like the feeling of having someone to share the work with , someone to go over what I have come up with and pick up those things I have missed and vice versa.
I think being older you come to appreciate how special little simple everyday moments are, they are really the spaces magic is hidden in.


2 April

In Toronto, had a wonderful time teaching and visiting in Canada and USA.There re some impressive and stimulating textile people in this area and I have been lucky enough to visit some that groups that are not only on good social terms but creatively stimulating to each other.

I arrived in Toronto this morning there was a brisque wind blowing and as I was trudging along dragging my bag I could have got into thinking- boy is this cold and miserable it was as cold as our coldest winter days get and back home you probably not go out. Then I heard a lady talking to the bus driver commenting on how she was going to get off early and walk because it was such a lovely mild day… I realized it is all in the way you look at things… and decided to follow her lead and adopt that attitude. Worked pretty well- I did need to remind myself when hit by a particularly cold gust but it was OK.

Went to the Canadian Textile Museum- WOW!
Saw Cloth that grows on Trees- fantastic exhibition about Tapa Cloth and its cousins. I particularly liked the attitude of it curator…I’ll type up a few quotes later.
Interesting… I usually like just to look at things, pick up a feeling for the visual and am not to interested in the details of where and when , but because I was looking on this exhibition as research I was wanting to get al types of info and so needed to read the captions…but my eyesight is not so good and I need my glasses to read captions, then my eyes don’t adjust to stand back and view… so the look and daydream part was more misty than usual….

Upstairs was an exhibition of embroideries from India and Pakistan- wonderful of course!
It had old and new pieces and got me to thinking… I visit India often, see many old pieces… I always feel a bit funny about buying them… somehow I am removing the countries heritage, perhaps taking advantage of their poverty? I don’t know…


what I did realize is if I buy pieces [ and there are many fine things around] that are NEW I am supporting the countries cultural heritage… I am making it possible for current practioners to keep working, helping perhaps, encouraging definitely.
I feel much more comfortable with that attitude.

Am staying on the edge of the Fashion District and Chinatown in Toronto- fascinating area… tired and a bit lazy to wander to far but definitely an area to explore…loved the walk to the museum.

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