Our hostel is pretty trendy - Molino Rojo. Nice big lounge...only thing is that instead of having no-smoking signs it has these signs saying 'Smoking Area - we respect your choice'. Not ideal for us!We set off to see the sights, but on trying to visit the Art Museum, we arrived at a construction site and the very friendly and passionate curator explained that it wouldn't be open again until May and gave us some alternatives.
We decided to wonder through the park. We came across a man selling fishing line - wow I asked him, "is there fish in there (pointing to the lake)?" He said, "yes and they're public property". We walked another 20 metres and I saw a sign saying 'fishing prohibited in this area'?! Anyway we saw three lots of people fishing! As we wondered around we also saw some very dilapidated and often strange artworks.
On rounding a bend we saw a family standing around with a couple of children skipping around them. Snowdon said - hey look there's a dead guy (joking around). 'Ah hah', we laughed. Then we saw a policeman with the group. I stared at the 'dead guy' (while we kept walking) and said 'he actually could be, he's not moving....or he could be unconscious...trying to reassure myself). It was all so weird though, the group of people just standing around with the policeman and the two children skipping around them, and then not far off people sitting on park benches with children or under trees relaxing. As we continued on a happy looking policeman and his friend meandered past on a bike with a reel of something, and on looking from across the lake a few minutes later, I saw the 'death scene yellow tape' going up. As we continued our walk our jovial spirits faded, and although I'd been reading all day about us being on earth to fulfill a purpose then we die and are on to the next purpose whatever that may be (eg death being no big drama), we began to wonder who that man was. We asserted that he worked as an icecream vendor (as there was a trolley parked nearby), and wondered what kind of life he had lived. I looked around me and the people around didn't look particularly joyous either (the one age group that did were the teenagers). Our jaunt in the local park did not turn out to be a very refreshing experience.
We came across a 'soda' and Snowdon got his long awaited steak. While sitting there he was uncomfortably mesmerized by the jugglers trying to win some cash from the stopped cars each light change and how unhopeful/unprofitable it looked, and considering should he give them some money? I was surprised to realize that I wasn't too concerned by them (generally in the past I probably would have been).
My issue/concern/worry is the many people all over the world not getting the basic necessities of life (food, water, safety, love, shelter...and I think that they should be, but I want to keep mine too). During my year in Paraguay I was quite disturbed by the poverty (particularly with the impacts of leprosy). Then travelling around South East Asia with Nicole I was very uncomfortable at my inability to assist the huge numbers of street-kids/people begging. We had many discussions on charity allowance and I often carried leftover food around for people. I had feelings of guilt that I had so much and they had so little - an uncomfortable mixture of wanting to give (and be the good person/good karma), but wanting to look after myself more.... Currently I'm horrified at seeing and reading the appalling stories of so many people in many African countries. I'm learning that often it's a mismanagement of funds (not actually a lack of resources) and that changes are necessary further up the line. Or of course racial/religious tension, where we need a human judgement shift. I think about these things, obviously global problems, and am still not really sure what I will/can effectively do about it. One thing that I have learnt is that it's crazy to think that I 'should be' single-handedly solving this whole global issue - what an ego trip that is!
Meanwhile for these men today, in comparison, although the 'work' looked unprofitable and frustrating, they looked fit and fed. I was surprised and pleased to see Snowdon so empathetic (if not sad). I haven't seen this before. Maybe I have an ally on my forgotten quest here? In the meantime I'm happy enriching my own skills/awareness/knowledge (while we complete our adventure and get to our next patch of employment) such that I may be in a position to assist when I work out how to go about it.
Bed time..
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