Today's self-proclaimed theme: Siberian folktale. (( This blog is now an experimental stage for digitally discovered treasures.)) The men balancing on their swords are Cossack dancers, but don't let their jolly mustaches conceal their costumes' hint at Cossack historical military might.


The image above is by Tessa Hulls, who also has a mural located in the Gray Center at Reed College. Check out her blog at Tessa Hulls Art and Illustration on facebook. Reindeer really exist in Siberia.

For a wonderful tale of love, magic, and a ride on the Tran-Siberian railway with a circus crew, I highly recommend Angela Carter's Nights at the Circus, a brilliantly surreal and hilarious novel. I have yet to read her Book of Fairy Tales.

And a time lapse video of an Amanita Muscaria, the mushroom of fairy tales and shamanic journeys (a poisonous, in addition to psychoactive, fungus). Apparently, reindeer like to eat the Amanita Muscaria, or Fly Agaric, as they tramp through the tundra.

The Return of the Ellie

Back to America for Miss Eleanor, the money is out, and the home lands call. I am on my fourth day back here in trendy and foggy Portland, Oregon. I have returned to the Jarrett house and it was lovely to see my smiling roommates and to redecorate my room with all my lovely little things. I rescuscitated my plants and cleaned the kitchen. Things are back to normal (except, of course, and thanks be to God and the American people, Obama is now President!).

As I look back on me on my travels, I see myself seeing beautiful architecture and engaging with interesting people from all over the world. I remember fantastic pieces of art and fascinating markets, foreign religions and incredible snow-capped peaks, good food and food poisoning, paradisical beaches and horrid bus rides, loneliness and the spark and boldness of new love. There were some amazing experiences and time to reflect on my habits and dreams. It seems there should be an enlightened finality as my trip 'round the world comes full circle; as if the journey somehow led me to life-changing decisions or perhaps a new vision of my role in the Cosmos. In actuality, I have no grandiose conclusions, no profound pieces of wisdom that come easily to my fingertips. As I get older, the changes in my are more subtle, gradual, and calm. Despite having no conclusions, I feel blessed and satisfied with my journey. The experiences of the recent past are within me and influence my actions and reactions in daily life.

And Portland? That pretty city I bragged about to the people I met on my adventures? Well, the lattes are still having their foam artfully spooned and the scene is stay full of eager creative entrepeneurs, patched-up punks, new-era dreadlocks from Middle America, bearded writers, and outdoorsy families creating the alternative bubble that is 'our' city. It is a stimulating environment for artistic ventures, and yet it feels closed off from the rest of the world somehow, a self-perpetuating attitude of I-am-more-up-and-coming-Portland-than-thou pervading the coffeee shops, boutiques, bars, and restaurants. When the whole population is alternative, doesn't that make alternative the conservative? And so these are some of my first impressions on returning home, the imprints of my recent visions of foreign places and other ways of living still fresh in my mind's eye.

When traveling, unexpected things occur daily, and new sights and experiences awaken new parts of one's being. The familiarity and regularity of home are comforting, but they also can lead to a feeling of stagnation. I suppose it is just a different way of being that I will soon adapt to. As I search for a new place of employment and get back into the daily routines, optimism, confidence, abundance, and calm are my words of self-wisdom, the lessons I learned during my travels. Life in Portland for me will be beautiful, and I will enjoy it for its positive qualities. Four months wasn't so long afterall, but, the pieces of memory remain in my mind and heart, and a piece of me remains in the midst of the Austrian Alps. The flame of adventure resides within me, and awaits to be awakened once again.

New Year's Eve at the Alm

The New Year's adventure began with a two hour trek up a curvy snow-covered road to a cow farm with no electricity, but instead bright stars in the silent wintry night. Halfway up the slippery slopes I had to remind myself that the carting the heavy backpack like a pack animal along Alpine trails was worth it because of the future enjoyment of the champagne and gluwein...

Myself and my fellow six Austrians spent the next two days and nights 'round the kitchen table with candles, a wood stove, and lots of beverages keeping us nice and toasty. I taught everyone Hearts and explained the popularity of mustaches and mustache parties back in my native land. Meanwhile I was gifted with renditions of the German dialect of Tirolian farmers and heard complicated translations of simple jokes.

For the big year turnover, we lit up paper lanterns and watched them fade away into the distance, carrying our wishes and blessings to faraway lands. Meanwhile all the valleys below were filled with bright multi-colored flashes as people celebrated with explosions all around.

Prague: the Czech Experience

Ready for another adventure, Klaus and I decided to travel to Prague for four days. Our day long journey to get there consisted of changing trains four times, which actually made the eight hours feel shorter. I watched out the window for signs of our crossing the border (the Czech Republic is in the EU), and sure enough, the picturesque Bavarian villages and perfect fields gave way to gray forest and then very small A-frame houses, and towns with their buildings gray and falling apart, marked with graffiti. From the industrial feeling, the grayness of the landscape, the delapidated past decadence of our train cabin (dirty red leather), and the drunken shouts and occasional screams from another cabin (you can drink in public in Europe), I couldn't help but imagine a man with an unshaved chin, a glass bottle of vodka and a crazed look charging into our cabin. Nothing too out of the ordinary happened, however, and we arrived safely at the train station.

It was cold, oh so cold. As we made our way to our hostel, I was aware of this slight feeling of sketchiness- men with their hands in their pockets waiting for something, graffiti on each building. It all seemed to climax when Klaus stepped on a piece of metal wire that went through the sole of his shoe and into his big toe! It was a mild injury, though, and I was assured he had his tetanus shot. Luckily, the hostel turned out to be very cool, with curly-cue designs on red walls, funky art, a comfy atmosphere, and an open kitchen. It was nice to return here each night.

Winter is not the best time to visit Prague, as it was so cold and so gray. We split up the cold hours with hot Gluwein and coffee breaks. Prague is a very very old city, and the architecture was definitely the highlight of the experience for me. Our guidebook was right in saying you have to walk looking up in Prague. The buildings are decorated with murals, painted designs, carved wood and carved stone, stained glass, towers and domes, courtyards and arches. My favorite are those in the Art Deco and Art Nouveau styles. Wow. Really amazing. I imagined the society here in the early 20th century, fur-coated and -hatted with pearls and bow ties, making their way throught the grand doors and under the chandeliers. The famous Art Nouveau poster artist Mucha is from the Czech, and I visited the museum of his work, too.

We went to a puppet show of Mozart's opera "The Magic Flute," drank Czech beer (I decided to forego the absinthe), ate delicious Italian food, and visited an incredible old and overgrown cementary. The broken angels on the frozen earth and cracked tombs revealing the coffins represented to me the slightly creepy, but magical and historical sense of the city.

Frohe Weihnachten!

Christmas was lovely here in Tirol. They celebrate on the 24th here, and Baby Jesus brings the gifts, not Santa Claus. In fact, Santa Claus does not exist here (his predecessor St. N

iklaus is celebrated on December 6th). I was assigned the task of decorating the Christmas tree at the Mayr family home, and happily did so, with gold, red, and silver balls, little chocolate liquior bottles, and straw angels and stars. I was happily surprised to find similar ornaments as those of my own family, like the old tin birds with metal clips attached so it looks like they are purched on the branches. Meanwhile I enjoyed some local white wine and attempted at carrying out a conversation in beginner's German and beginner's English.

Dinner was delicious: we ate salad with local pumkin seed oil dressing, a Bavarian radish dish, almond snow peas (my own concoction), followed by local potatoes, cheeses, salmon, and pork sausages that we each cooked on this nifty contraption called a raclette. Dessert was vanilla creme pudding with blood oranges. Klaus's parents and brother were very kind and fun, and the challenge of communication actualy made the night even better!

München, Deutschland

Winter Solstice was a memorable occasion this year, despite the lack of snowy weather here in the Alps. The plan was to hike up to the cliffside above Kufstein (to the spot from where the Bavarians shot cannons at the castle and took over three hundred years ago) and celebrate the return of the sun a la the Celts with a big 'ol fire and thermoses of Glüwein (a yummy libation of hot spiced wine) with a big group of friends. As the day grew into evening, and the wet rain continued to melt away the snow, more and more people decided it was not a night for being in the woods. The wood was purchased and the Glüwein made, however, so four of us trekked up the slushy slope with two umbrellas and built a fire. The rum and tea and Gluwein, along with the warmth of the fire and layers of clothing, convinced us it wasn't raining anymore, and we had a grand time. We talked of running around naked in the woods (purely for the sake of celebration, of course), but I decided I was wearing too many layers of clothing to bother. Klaus and Anders performed a rendition of a solstice dance. Hiking in the woods at night is pure joy!

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After a week of relaxation, hikes in the snow, and lots of chocolate, cookies, and schnapps, I decided it was time to escape to Munich for a few days. I caught the train, and anticipated finally trying out some of my newly learned Deutsch without the help of my native speaking friend...

Two days of walking in Munich brought some nice sights: two traditional Christmas markets with little wooden ornaments and creatures made of moss and bark, streets lined with pastel painted and variously architected apartment buildings, the Glockenspiel with its circling Bavarian figurines and the medieval courtyard of the Gothic church where I drank Glüwein, designer stores and their interesting window displays, a bakery that served up yumminy cinnamony marzipan walnut bread, a multi-storied wooden Chinese tower with a spiral staircase, beer and saurkraut down down down the stairs at a traditional Keller (beer cellar), and the Viktuelmarket with more cheese than I have ever seen in one place!

Munich is an interesting confluence of Bavarian and Catholic tradition, a very-present modernity marked by trendy restaurants, 21st century glass and wood, and remnants of '50s futurism and mod design. The scene was a pleasant bustling, with the sincere joy of Christmas spirit. Somewhere in there, the Turkish minority fits in, with its kebab shops, fruit stands, and Muslim women, heads covered, pushing around children in large baby buggies. All in all, it was a pleasant few days in 'the big city.'

Castles and Snow

I arrived in Kufstein, Austria yesterday morning, after a mediocre overnight train ride from Paris to Munich. It is snowy here, in the Alps, but the winter has only just begun and it is actually warmer than Paris. It is hard to believe I have only been here two days, as I have already done so much! My friend Klaus, who I met in Istanbul, has been a great and welcoming host.

We hiked up the sledding trail to view the sunset over the town of Kufstein, it's castle, and the distant snowy mountain peaks. This area is a very popular place for tourists and for snowboarding, skiing, and sledding competitions. The mountains are gorgeous! Last night we went out with Klaus's friends for a birthday party (damn do those Austrians drink!). Much of the conversation was in the Tirolian dialect of German, but people were often kind enough to translate for me in English, and I was heartily welcomed into joining into the jovial laughter of the circle of friends. They are very proud to be Tirolian, and I could imagine this crowd at a heavy metal concert, though they are all sweethearts. We went around the table telling what animal we would be, and it turns out we are all predators.... . I learned of a tradition here where men dress up as demons to scare winter away. Apparently there is a large bonfire, and the men carry large branches, wear large bells, and drink heavily; it can get a bit violent, but seems like a really fascinating tradition. We will spend Winter Solstice with a fire in the forest and New Year's up in the mountains at a cow farm.

Today we drove to a nearby village to take a walk around a frozen lake. Steamy clouds rose towards the sun from the lake surface, and tree branches were covered in geometrical ice crystals. I love the quant traditional architecture of the buildings here! The houses, which I think I would call lodges (sometimes decorated with deer antlers), have carved wooden balconies, which actually call to my mind the wood design in Nepal. On the drive from Munchen, I spotted towers with fantastical domed roofs. There are two castles in Kufstein, one which I can see from Klaus's balcony. I will explore them soon...