Wish

Last night I sat on the verandah upstairs to eat a slice of pizza. I swung the reclining chair around so that I would be looking over the back garden and the field toward Port-of-Spain in the distance. The sky was like a large screen, bright and a little hazy. My decision to sit there was perfect timing. I had only been sitting a few seconds when a long white streak cut through the atmosphere. A shooting star (meteoroid)! One of my favourite natural phenomena. It was beautiful, lasting quite a while before disintegrating totally. Reminded me of high school days in the Chemistry lab, burning magnesium strips.

The girlzzzz in 2013

(From l. to r.): Keshia A., Dara N., Elspeth D.
Read all about this photo here

Last week our famous friend Keshia A. called from her spa in Mexico and extended an invitation to all of us to fly to our old home ground (Trinidad) for a reunion at More Vino (wine bar) ... on Friday 7 March.

Anything for an old pal.

The first day of the shoot also happened to be 7 March, so I had to postpone filming. Jane (Campion) and Stevie (both of whom have been clamouring to work on the motion picture my runaway best selling novel has inspired) were sorely disappointed ... but I assured them that filming will happen once I return to Toronto in a month's time. Got to make a stop in London before heading back. Madonna wants me to spend a week or two, see the colour scheme and 'feel the spirit' of her new mansion ... so that I will gain inspiration for the new window lamp she ordered.

It was great seeing the girlzzzzz again. Amazing how much we've all achieved in five short years! Paula O. with her Pulitzer, Keshia A. with her spa and soon-to-be-#1-in-the-world TV talk show ... and Dara N saving people left, right and centre with her super legal powers. Our various successes remind me fondly of my old high school motto: Per ardua ad astra.

So true. Keep on keeping on and one day the stars will be yours.

See a few more of our 2013 photos here and read all about our fame and fortune.

****

(This was our 'Come as you will be in 2013' lime. The role playing was lots of fun ... and funny ... and felt quite real).

Drinking a rainbow

Flying into 2008

One of our guides zipping along the cable.
*

Coming in for a landing on one of the platforms
*

2008 started on a high note, literally. Early this morning we went zipping through and above the St. Lucian rainforest on lengths of cable, strapped into individual harnesses with helmets and heavy duty hooks to suspend us from the wires. This worthwhile adrenalin rush is the Rainforest Canopy Zip line Adventure. It involves a ride up into the rainforest in a cable car, then a ten minute walk into the heart of the forest (led by our guide, Kennedy) to our first take off point.

There were eleven lengths of cable for us to zip along - some higher above the ground and longer than others. Your dominant hand must grip the cable, while the non-dominant hand holds the harness in front of the body. You push off from the platform, let go and zip through the greenery to the next platform. And so on ... until all eleven platforms have been encountered. The whole experience is great, lasting about 3 - 4 hours.

I will use this exciting excursion as a metaphor for 2008:
Journeys deep into the heart of the forest = journeys deep into the heart of the self.
The towering trees and cables = new heights to be reached and enjoyed.
Letting go of the platform = leaping into the unknown and using wings.

A zippy exciting happy natural heightened trusting new year.

At times ...

(St. Lucia log)

Yesterday I felt to go to the sea. The idea of it was cleansing in a way that nothing else could be. I felt for a quiet beach, but Rodney Bay, which is walking distance from where Mel lives, was crowded with a pack-load of tourists. We had a light lunch at Spinnakers, then walked along the beach and found a fairly quiet spot toward the end of the bay. The sea was gentle and warm and I went in alone. At times I just floated, surrendering to what is unimaginably larger than I am. At times I folded up like a foetus and was submerged and drifting in a massive womb. At times I tried handstands (which more ended up being flips) - and turned myself upside down like a salt shaker, emptying out. At times I just gently breast-stroked my way through the water. At times I went under the water and, as it supported me, I stretched myself out into whatever pose felt good ... Neptune yoga, maybe? At times I went under the water and spoke into it, knowing it was listening and understanding, even though I didn't really know what to say or how to put the essence into words. It, in itself, is beyond words. At times I just lay down or sat cross-legged in the shallow, allowing the gentle waves to shift me slightly. Then, when I felt to, I came out.

Heightened

A surge.
Heightened connection.
My flower stalk is tall.
My petals open.
I drink the sun.
Purple.
Yellow.
We are connected.

Indigenous people unite

One of the indigenous delegates from Guyana

*

This morning I went to Arima after seeing in the papers that there was to be a celebration of indigenous people at Arima Town Hall (part of the indigenous celebrations taking place all week). There are indigenous delegates from Latin America, The Caribbean and Canada here to take part in these celebrations. The Canadian delegates opened this morning's ceremony with a sacred performance to invoke our ancestors. The man played a beautiful flute (one like I’d never seen before) while two little girls (his daughters?) shook small rattles and the woman (his partner/their mother?) read a prayer: The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.

One of the indigenous Canadian delegates

*

The ceremony started an hour later than advertised and, having other things to do, I unfortunately had to leave early. But I was there long enough to experience the opening prayer, stand for the national anthems of each country present (TT, Belize, Guyana, Canada, Dominica, Puerto Rico), listen to a few short talks and witness the giving of gifts (from Dominica and Canada). Being there reminded me of a striking dream I had had last year about my experience with an Amerindian girl.

On behalf of indigenous people everywhere, the leader from Dominca said something very true ... about land having been ‘granted to the Caribs in Dominica’. As he said, how can land be ‘granted’ to you when it belonged to you in the first place?!

On Friday morning I will go to their healing workshop. Being part indigenous myself (Carib) I may pick up an ancestral thing or two.

My new face

Jason would be proud.
(I got to bring my mask home)

*

The other day my friend Nisha, an esthetician, asked me if I would be one of her models (yesterday) for day two of a beauty demonstration at the Marriott. A new line of natural herbal facial products from France (if I am correct) was being launched/tested by estheticians here. I was put to lie on a massage bed and covered in saffron-coloured blankets. There were several other beds in the room with other female models on them - each with her own esthetician standing at her head (to work on the face using the products).

I'm probably getting the names of the products wrong, but basically this was it: First I experienced a herbal alpha hydroxy (?) deep peel. Various cool, creamy, great-smelling substances were lathered and pasted onto my face, either with Nisha's fingers/hands or with paintbrushes. Nish also gives a great head and face massage while doing it, so I was getting a double treat. Or rather ... a triple treat, since during the break between treatments she brought me freshly baked chocolate chip cookies (hot out of the oven).

After all of that I experienced the deep hydration of the hemp products. My face was coated with this hot paste which, when dry and cool, hardened into the mask you see above. Some women (estheticians) at a table next to my bed made me laugh and the mask cracked ... (I guess this is where the phrase 'to crack up' comes from). Anyway, if you know how cooling it feels to put cucumbers on your eyes ... that mask treatment felt like having cucumbers on my whole face, soaking in deeply and filling the cells with moisture. It was really refreshing and hydrating!

While lying on the bed I got the chance to parler un peu avec one of the representatives who is from France. Quite timely, as I was on my way to French class after the facial.

To cut the story short ... afterwards my face was glowing and radiant and I definitely felt as though the products had seeped deeply into my cells, hydrating them. Perhaps it was Nisha's healing fingers and the massage of my third eye and crown, but my whole spirit also felt hydrated as I drove home.

If you want a facial that gives you not only a new face but a radiant spirit, Nish is the woman to go to ... and those new herbal products are worth a try!

Do not ignore

Lately I have been ignoring my inner voice. This throws me off balance and can make me feel horrible and confused ... to know that something I felt/sensed was true and I did not pay attention to it.

Today after I woke up and meditated, I said a little prayer that I would increasingly be able to hear the guidance and that I will trust it again. I asked for a sign to let me know.

I was going walking for papers and decided to go for the longer walk around the University, which I have not done in a while. As I walked, a strident thought came out of nowhere: "I will find a puppy now."

As I neared the exact spot where I had found Rainbow earlier this year, a cute brown puppy wearing a blue collar appeared. It gamboled around the legs of a man who was strolling by, but he was ignoring it. I asked him if it was his and he said no. I asked two other people (a guard and a cleaner) nearby and they had no idea who it belonged to or where it had come from. I deduced that it must have been terrified by the recent spate of thunder and had fled from its home, as many dogs do.

The pup was frisking around so close to the cars on the mainroad ... and I didn't want to return from my walk and see it crushed. I told the cleaner I would take the pup home, take some photos of it, make flyers and stick them around ... and hopefully the owner would be see them and contact me.

The cleaner said: "Yes, do dat. Dat ent no pothong, yuh know! Dat is ah good breed!"

I told her that doesn't make a difference. Trinis feel that you should only put effort into saving or owning a dog if it is 'a breed'. Just like how people referred to Rainbow as 'only a street pigeon'. That doesn't make her less than a pigeon sold in pet shops. To make the point: can pigeons in petshops play the thumb piano and sing the way Rainbow did?

Anyway, I left the pup playing with the cleaner and the guard and continued on my walk, intending to pick it up on my way back. Upon my return, the pup was not there.

"Where is it?" I asked the cleaner.

"Me eh know. It was playing an' I turn my back an' it gone."

Another guard standing nearby said: "Dat was your dog?"

I told him it wasn't, but that I was going to take it home so it would be safe, make flyers, try and find the owner, etc.

He said: "Well a man came jes now and take it. It mus' be he own."

I walked off, thinking about how the puppy had 'appeared' and 'disappeared' ... and it suddenly occurred to me that the puppy was a sign. It was as if it had been put there ... not for me to rescue and take home ... but simply to remind me that when my inner voice speaks loudly, I can trust it.

Working miracles

A friend of mine once said to me: "You will be the one who invents a way to make smells come out of TVs."

I remembered her words today as I walked down the road to get papers. At the corner there is a tree full of white flowers with fluffy yellow centres. Their powerful scent engulfs in a cloud and truly does justice to the word 'heavenly'. Today this perfume was so 'loud' that I found myself wishing that cameras could take smells as well, if only to share it. But ... like photographs, it would never be as good as the real thing.

And on that note ... my long-awaited is here and will be picked up later today! Together we may indeed make smells (and more) come out of images.

A Magical Mud pimple day (with video)

(Brief summary of today's journey to Manzanilla with Adrian and Joanna)It was a partially dark and stormy day ...

We walked along the beach and found enlightenment.

As we sat on a piece of driftwood in Mayaro munching rotis for lunch, this beach dog (of which there were many) waited patiently for a few morsels.
One of the day's many highlights was this mud volcano (in Kernaham Village), which we re-christened "the mud pimple". Volcano seemed to be too dramatic a word for this pimple which stood there bubbling politely, much to the delight of the crowd of onlookers we met upon arrival. It is not clear whether the girl in the shot is running from the gurgling mud pimple or from the camera.

For live mud pimple action, see the video below.

The next few days ... (update)

Starting today:
WED 22 AUGUST
1. 9:00 a.m. Go to Manzanilla with Adrian (Canadian artist) and his wife Joanna - also an artist whose students do work on HIV/AIDs; interested in hearing about the video approach I will be taking (with my project on the same topic). I think it will be a day of fruitful creative discussions and activity.
2. 6:30 p.m. (if I'm not too tired to go by the time I return from Manzie, which I think I will be ...): Talk being given at Raj Yoga Centre by visiting London representative.

THURSDAY AUGUST 23
1. 9:30 a.m. Funeral of another friend's mother in POS
2. At some point, maybe before the funeral, take ABBA to an animal centre - if Glen does not decide to keep her ... which I hope he does).
3. From 2 p.m., kayaking through the Caroni wetlands with a tour group (for an article I have to write on touring T & T)

FRIDAY AUGUST 24
1. Check UWI Bookstore to see if the book for French class is in yet.
2. 10 a.m. Biking for two and a half hours through Caroni (also for touring article. I'm hoping 'two and a half hours' includes stopping off to listen to the tour guide talking. I can't imagine riding for so long in the hot sun)
3. 6 p.m. A friend is having a symbolic gathering at her home. (It sounds like it will be great fun, but I may not have the energy to go)

SATURDAY AUGUST 25th
1. Leave 10 a.m. to go to drum class, to be in time to "drum for de dance class so you go get some experience wit dat" (says Desmond). Return home in the early afternoon.
2. My friend Charlotte's birthday.

SUNDAY AUGUST 26th
1. Rest.
2. 5:30 p.m. Go to my friend Malik's birthday celebrations.

MONDAY AUGUST 27th
7:00 a.m. Leave early for a 'press tour' of the Nariva Swamp (also for the article).

In between all of those things are the little things to take care of and catch up on: printing things, collecting things, dropping off things, posting things, making calls, depositing cheques, paying bills, checking and responding to e-mails, following up on outstanding things, thinking and jotting down things, etc.

And in between those things: eat, drink, sleep.

Mystery of the haunted baby

Today some of us went and cleaned up a beach in Balandra. Photo shows my gloves hanging on the tree and Mitch walking by with a large piece of rubbish.

My friends Keshia and Dara drove up in my car. We left earlier than everyone else, as I had to head back up East for a particular time. On the way back we saw this rather life-like baby doll on a stick, 'guarding' a banana and vegetable patch. The doll was obviously functioning as a scarecrow ... I think ... I hope.

It was kind of odd, so we stopped to take a photo of it.

Keshia took a photo of it from the passenger seat where she was sitting. I got out and walked up to it and took this photo. I was then zooming in to get a closer shot when suddenly I heard a noise like a baby crying (one cry). I looked up, thinking it was a large bird. I was not sure because I had never heard such a cry coming from bird, but Keshia then said: "It's a bird."

I positioned my camera again and as I was about to press 'click' the sound like the baby's cry happened yet again. It was a strange kind of "Whaa" noise. I looked at the car, thinking it was Dara making the noise, but it was not. She and K looked as confused as I did.

We decided it must be a goat in the bushes. I was about to press click again when ... "Whaa". It was too uncanny! We all looked at each other with eyes wide open and I turned to walk away.

Keshia suggested: "Try it again ... just to see. If it happens, then it's not a bird or a goat."

I went to press click and the noise happened again. "Whaaa." I got back into the car and we drove off.

Later on we discussed it and arrived at the conclusion that someone might have been hiding in the bushes making that noise to scare us away. Maybe that's their technique for getting rid of vegetable thieves.

Wedding drums and Dandelions

Yesterday at the 8th Muhtadi International Drum Festival (M.I.D.F.) there was a wedding. Jakko Bakko (not sure if this is the spelling, but it's the phoenetic pronunciation) married his partner, Valerie. It was a powerful event, witnessed by their loved ones and hundreds of 'strangers' (the audience). The two had met 7 years ago at the M. I. D. F. and decided to have their wedding on stage at the festival all these years later. They were serenaded on drums by the Muhtadi World Drummers. It was a special treat to witness this moving ceremony.

According to Muhtadi, if anyone attending the festival meets their mate there, they have him to thank (... or did he say 'to blame'?).

At one point I was sitting on the grass in front of the stage and a single white dandelion seed came and hovered on the wind directly before me, almost as though saying: "Here I am!" So simple ... it felt amazing. I thought "Wow ..." (it was as if a wish had come to me, granted). I held out my hand and let it gently land in my palm where it stayed until I blew it.

Unfortunately I wasn't feeling too well so left early ... therefore missing the rest of that day's line-up. I was hoping to return today to take in a few acts before leaving for Montreal, but I think the day will be consumed largely with packing and making sure I'm not forgetting anything important:

Satya - check
Dandelion - check

When I got home last night and was playing Dandelion, my hands surprised me. They were flying all over Dandie's skin, very fluently playing impressive rhythms that (to me) seemed to come out of nowhere ... as if they had a life of their own. Even my cousin, who was there listening to me, noticed a difference. I told her that maybe I had picked up something during the short time I was at the drum festival. Then I remembered the little hovering dandelion seed ...

Dandelion, the brave Drum

(Canada Chronicles continued ...)

Today Dandelion and I will be going to The Muhtadi International Drum Festival. Yesterday I decided to name my drum Dandelion ... a name of dual significance.

In keeping with the dandelion as a flower, every time the drum is played, powerful vibrations will spread far and wide with positive results (reminiscent of a wish being made, the dandelion being blown and the seeds being dispersed).

The other aspect reflects the meaning behind the 'Lion" part of the name Dandelion. As power animals, Lions are active and fiery, icons of bravery, courage, strength, self-worth. The meanings of the Adinkra carvings on this particular drum echo this.

Kwatakye (or Gyawu) Atiko: bravery and valour

Pa Gya: to strike fire or make fire. (Said to be a symbol of war).

I say Dandelion is brave enough to go where guided ... striking/making the fires of Love ... starting world wars where the bombs being dropped are positive vibes and manifestations.

*

(I love this write-up about the Lion as a power animal):

Lions are perhaps the most social of the big cats, living in communities called prides. Within this unit, the females are the better hunters, working together to kill their prey. They are the primary caretakers of the young cubs, while the male protects the group from predators. All adults are affectionate toward the cubs, who live a playful and carefree existence.

One meaning of Lion, then, relates to family, cooperation, and community. Working with Lion medicine means understanding that one's well-being is based on being able to live and work in harmony with others, without sacrificing one's individuality. (Think of the lion's proud roar.)

We find the key to this balance between self and others in some of the widespread symbols for this feline. The lion is the astrological animal related to the sign of Leo, which rules the heart. Leo is ruled by the Sun, another symbol of Lion. As the sun provides us with life-giving warmth and light, so the warmth of an open heart provides comfort for all who are touched by it.

The French word for heart is coeur, the root word for courage. Courage comes from the heart and from one's deep sense of personal authority. When we have the courage to be true to ourselves, we have the power to act in ways that are in accord with our own spirit.

This is the true meaning of self-esteem, an honoring of oneself that bypasses false ways of gaining the illusion of self-esteem, such as comparing oneself to others and deflating their worth in order to inflate one's own value.

One who acts from a true sense of worth has a quality of self-appreciation that is inspiring and contagious. An individual who relates to others from the heart is capable of leadership, achievement, and the kind of success that encourages the accomplishments of others.

In ancient Egypt, a young lion symbolized the rising of the sun. So, in working with Lion medicine, we may experience the emergence of our own true, radiant selves.

Source

More busks for tusks

Photo taken by Nancy at our busking location on Wednesday

(Canada Chronicles continued ...)

Yesterday (a few hours ago) we busked in the same spot on the corner of Yonge and whatever-street-that-is with the "World's Biggest Bookstore". This time we were joined by Mike and Rob from the drum class.

Warming up

Before we began Nancy laid out the elephant booklets we'd been given at Wednesday night's benefit concert and I wrote up the necessary on the sidewalk with chalk. Nancy's roommate had given her a medium-sized wooden elephant (with one tusk symbolically missing) for display purposes. It stood by the large plastic cup we had (instead of a hat this time) for donations.

We started drumming at about 9:30 p.m. and, within 20 minutes, we had made $14 and attracted a small audience of people who also drummed and wanted to join in. They never got to, though. The night's festivities were cut short by a woman came up to us and told us to stop playing because there are condominiums nearby and we were disturbing residents.

$27.25 (in approx. 45 minutes)!

Today there was an amplified band performing on Dundas Square (they were quite loud and would have drowned us out ... so instead of drum-busking there as planned, Nancy and I moved further up the street to the corner near "The World's Biggest Bookstore". It was a good spot. In approximately 45 minutes (from 6:45 - about 7:30 p.m.), we drummed up $27.25 for the Asian Elephants. One Asian girl and her mother even stopped and asked if we were thirsty and gave us bottles of water.
I had purchased some sidewalk chalk for the event and wrote out the information, drew an elephant mascot and a lucky flower around the hat. We placed Elephant cards (with information about the benefit concert we attended later tonight) around the hat with the money. Various interested people stopped and took cards, promising to come to the concert. Some stopped and read the chalk signs and dropped money. Some dropped money without knowing what it was all about. Some did not drop money, but did little shuffling dances as they walked past. Some laughed and smiled. Some stopped to listen. Some walked by without a glance. One woman blocked her ears and muttered: "Stop making so much noise."
The plight of the elephants is a sad one. At the jazz concert we were given 3-page booklets with information and stories about the elephants that have been rescued ... or not, as the case may be. There are parts of the booklet that we just could not read because the facts were so horrific and cruel. I won't bother to go into details ... but suffice it to say ... it is estimated that within 2 decades, these beautiful creatures could be extinct if things keep going the way they are.

If you haven't already, check out the website, learn more and donate to a worthy cause if you can. Every drop counts.

Saving Asian Elephants one drum at a time (edited with more info on benefit concert)

(Canada Chronicles continued ...)


Last night when I met up with two friends to go here, one of them, Nancy told me about a jazz concert a friend of hers has organised (for tonight) to raise funds on behalf of the Asian Elephants. We are going to the concert ... but we've decided that prior to that we will have a little concert of our own.

Weeks ago when we all first met, we had planned to go drum-busking in front of The Big Carrot. But last night we decided we would drum-busk this evening, before we attend the benefit concert for the Elephants (Information here). Instead of doing it in front of the Carrot, we'll drum in the Dundas Square area, where there is a lot more pedestrian traffic. It may end up being just two of us, but we've decided that whatever money we make (hopefully more than $1.91), will go toward the Asian Elephant fund.

(Nelly the Elephant will be proud).

Very interesting that drumming encourages 'community'. I just looked up elephant as a power animal and it means something similar: community, love, commitment, etc. (Read the link if you have the time/are interested).

The drum-busking will take place in the Dundas Square area starting at 6:00 p.m. Admission: free. Donations for the Elephants encouraged.

The jazz concert will take place at 720 Bathurst Street, South of Bloor, West side, downstairs. Admission: $20. (50% of proceeds go to the fund for the Elephants).

To find out more and donate online to the Asian Elephant fund, visit The Elephants' Umbrella Fund.

Picnic at Leslie Street Spit (with video)

Yesterday the weather was great: sunny and breezy. J and I walked seven hours (to and from) and had a picnic on the lakeside rocks at Leslie Street Spit. We were joined by several guests who also enjoyed the goodies.

Hunting for treasure with Kelly and Nelly (with P.S.)

(P.S. 28-05-07 You can read Kikipotamus's version of our adventure here, with photos.)

As I write this, it is 9:59 a.m. ... late for me to get out of bed! Normally I am up and about by 6:00 or 6:30 a.m., regardless of the time I go to sleep. But after yesterday's ten hours of fun (eight of which were spent walking!) I knew I would sleep well ... and I did.

Yesterday was the first time I met up with fellow blogger, Kikipotamus the Hobo (Kelly), who came to Toronto by bus from Waterloo to spend the day. She is the one who sent me these great gifts the other day for being one of the winners of the treasure hunt on her blog.

Ironic, as our day turned out to be one big treasure hunt in itself! Kelly/Kikipotamus is one of those people who's willing to spontaneously do and enjoy anything.

In keeping with the labyrinth book she had sent me, we started the day by walking the labyrinth. This 'full circle' turned out to be one of the major themes of the day ... as every place in the city kept leading back to itself ... each time revealing something new.

After leaving the labyrinth, in trying to decide where to go next, I asked Kelly to suggest a random 'clue' which we could follow, to lead us to our next destination. She chose the colour purple ... which led us into the nearby church (maybe it should have led us to Alice Walker) which had the colour purple recurring within it. There was a little booklet with a treasure hunt featured on it ... leading us to search the church to find the objects depicted as clues on the pages. That was the beginning of the 'treasure hunt' theme of the day.

As we left the church, I created the next clue by choosing two elements: the number seven and the direction East. So ... we headed East and instinctively got onto a street car, not knowing where it would take us. We ended up in Kensington Market. There, as we stepped onto the beginning of the street (to enter the Market) we were met by a small art gallery type place whose name reflected the numerical part of the clue ... The Collective 7! (So heading East had led us to #7).

After exploring some more and stopping for something to eat at Temptations, we went looking for Contact photography exhibitions. Every location we found was closed ... so eventually, we practically gave up, realising that Contact just was not 'making contact' with us that day.

Time for another clue ... and it was Kikipotamus's turn to choose one. She said: "The number three" ... and I added a part two: "Fruit."

We instinctively headed in another direction, walking and talking. All of a sudden I saw one of the pink rectangular CONTACT signs stuck on the window of an antique shop which was actually open. We went in and found the exhibition. Lo and behold ... the first thing we saw at the entrance was ... three fruit! (Three apples). That one blew us away, as it was the strongest example so far of the clues 'working'!

For the final clue, I spun around in the street with my eyes closed and took a random shot which I showed to Kelly. Whatever she selected in the image would be the next clue. She chose a small dot in the upper left corner, which looked like a bird.

In keeping with the saying: "it's a bird, it's a plane ..." I then said that the next part of the clue would not be 'plane', but a word rhyming with plane. Some of the overhead wires in the shot had reminded me of train tracks ... so the clue became 'bird' and 'train'. I looked at my TTC subway map to see if there was a subway station with the name of a bird. And there was ... Finch! Did this mean we were to go to Finch?

In the end, as we had been walking for eight hours, we decided to not go to Finch, but to find somewhere to sit, rest our weary bodies and have a meal. As we sat and ate at a small outdoor cafe in Mirvish Village, three pigeons and some little birds came pecking nearby. It was then that Kikipotamus pointed out that these small birds are known in some parts as Finches! So that final clue turned out to be not Finch the station, but Finch the bird.

In all, there were many interesting treasures discovered throughout our adventure ... but it's hard to capture the full experience of such a fun, spontaneous day in words and explanations. The above only gives a basic outline.

Thanks for being such fantastic company for a fun day, Kikipotamus. It was great meeting up! May Nelly the Elephant* always guide you and yours along the path of great things in life.

* Toward the early night, as we grew tired, we had to rely on Nelly the Elephant to get us where we were going. Since childhood, Nelly the Elephant Squirts Water has been my way of remembering the cardinal points: N, E, S, W.