::Afrikarol tomoren

OOO AFRIKA  (in hungarian) 

www.kep.tar.hu/vandorboy-africa

Alapvetoen szeretem az afrikai embereket. Ezt szukseges az elejen leszogeznem, mert ha vegigolvassatok, akkor nem ez a kepzetetek tamad. Van akinek eloitelete van , nekem utoiteletem..
Iszonyu aranyos emberek, kulonosen az oregek. Igaz, hogy beloluk alig van, mert a varhato atlageletkor afrikaban 38 ev korul van. (dejo, akkor meg van 3 evem. Persze ez meghosszabithato, ha elhagyom Afrikat.)
Tenyleg mindenki akar veled beszelgetni, mosolyognak, gyerekek integetnek vagy kovel dobalnak ha meglatnak, koszonnek, megkerdezni ki vagy, elkisernek mindenhova, stb. Mert idejuk van. Csak az van. (mint emlitettem 38 ev.)
Szoval, szeretem az afrikaiakat, de ne akarj toluk semmit, mert akkor nem fogod szeretni oket, s ne dolgozz veluk, mert az elmegyogyintezetben kotsz ki (vagy az adosok bortoneben).  Afrikat szerencsesebb mas szemmel nezni..
At kell hangolodni, levenni europai szemuvegunket es megertetni magunkkal, hogy  a ‘time is money’ szlogenje itt uj kontost olt: time is just time. Szoval ha barmit akarsz, akkor neked is szannod kell ra idot, racionalitast, hatekonysagot el kell felejteni. De mivel van idejuk, ezert arra is jut, hogy atbeszeljek a dolgokat, es konszenzus szulessen. Ezt hagyomanyosan  a local cfief ( a vajda, nagyfonok, a blocs stb) vezenyli le, de mukodik kiskozossegi szinten is.
Viszont ha valaki meg akar gazdagodni, akkor Afrikaban a helye. Itt barmitt el lehet adni pofatlanul dragan. Persze otthon is, de nemm ennyire pofatlanul. Mert otthon van verseny, esetleg fogyasztovedelem, szabalyok, emberi jogok. (vagy legalabbis).
Zene – no igen, ehhez van tehetseguk, enekesekben nincs hiany, iskolaban, templomban, tuntetesen enekelnek es tancolnak.. A zene mindenkie. Persze amikor nepzenet keresek, akkor semmi sincsen. Van a tuc-tuc gagyi kivitelben, de a lenyeg, hogy hangos legyen es gyors..

Afrikaban mindenki egy nap alatt akar meggazdagodni. (tudjuk, 80-as evek balatoni vallalkozok attitudje.) Erre a mondatomra kirabloim surun bologattak, hogy tenyleg igy van. Akkor meg nem tudtam, hogy rajtam mutatjak majd be. Ez megint csak a roved tavu gondolkodas-ra vezetheto vissza. Ha van valami, akkor azt fosszuk meg, taroljuk le, vagjuk le. Pedig hosszabb tavon tart, ha mindennap megfejik, meglocsoljak, esetleg ultetnek egy masikat. Itt a gazdagsagot esonek hiszik, hogy csak ugy jon, es termeszetesen tenni (erofeszitest) erte semmit nem kell. (nem is akar) Szoval ha mindent lerombolt, minden elenyeszett korulotte, akkor meg az van. Az is jol van, jon a het szuk esztendo, volt mar hogy kibirtak, most miert ne? Meg egyebkent is jon majd valaki aki segit, vagy akitol elveheto.

Piacon ketszeres az ar, mert kettovel tudnak szorozni, de 0.2vel mar nem. Inkabb suru filler, mint hig forint elve kizarva.

A roved tavu gondolkodast mindig a klimara vezetem vissza, mert itt nincs tel, s mindig akad valami, csak fel kell torni a kokuszdiot, vagy leloni egy elefantot.
Europaban mi kapjuk a hosszu telet, s ha hegedulunk tucsok modjara egesz nyaron, akkor telen megfagyunk es/vagy ehenhalunk. Ezert a feher ember hosszu tavon kell es  kepes is gondolkodni/ latni. Ez lehetoseget ad arra, hogy tervezzen, uzletet epitsen fel, s lassa a jovot. Ez, mint mar irtam a hazasodasi szokasokban is tetten erheto, mert Afrikaban a ferfi fizet a no csaladjanak, hogy oreg napjaik be legyenek biztositva, ha a cseled (lanyuk) elmegy. Europaban a no csaladja adta a penzt, hogy az uj generacio biztosabban tuleljen. Ez a jovo orientalt vilagkep.

Afrikaban a roved tavu gondolkozasra vezetheto vissza a korrupcio is, hiszen a vezeto nem tudja, hogy ki mikor loki ot ki a hatalombol, igy ma kell megtollasodnia. Igy elkotyavetyelik az orszagot, hogy o anyagilag biztonsagba tudja magat mielobb. Afrika a leggazdagabb kontinens, mert asvanykincsekben a leggazdagabb, kivalo klimaja van, s a lakossag meg nem szaporodott tul. De a fenti okbol kifojolag egy szegeny kontinens, mert a vezetoi megvehetoek, igy a nyersanyagok es a mezogazdasagi termekek  feldolgozatlanul jutnak kulfoldre, s ott novelik a gazda(g)sagot.  Ha hosszu tavon tudnanak / mernenek gondolkodni, akkor sajat feldolgozoiparuk lenne, s igy munkat adnanak embereiknek (nyilvan az nem kell nekik), fizetest kapnanak, adoznanak, amit ismetelt fejlesztesekre lehetne forditani, mig a feldolgozott arukert is magasabb arat lehetne kapni, s azzal is gyarapodna az orszag. S ha a gazdasag porog, akkor a vezetok szeke sem remegne (lsd. Kina, Vietnam). De ez afrika, itt nincs jovokep, csak ma van es minel tobbet akarok ha van ra mod – attitudje.

A politikus papirrol olvas, mert persze onallo gondolata neki sincsen. De legalabb folyekonyan, hangsulyozva olvasna. No de persze ilyen oktatasi viszonyok mellett mit is varhatnank. Meg itt a poziciok nem kepesseg alapjan osztodnak, hanem urambattya vagy mozgalmari alapon. Vagy hogy ki tudott tobb embert kivasarolni, esetleg eltenni lab alol.

Nincs szocialis erzekenyseg, mert abbol nem lehet meggazdagodni. Pontosabban lehet, mert kulfoldi segelyek mindig voltak, s azokhoz ugysem jut el, akik raszorulnak, mert akik kezen keresztulmegy (dehogy megy, eltunik), azok maguk hasznara forditjak. Csoro-ek ugyis tulelik, ha meg nem, akkor ugysem tud reklamalni.

Az adatok, hogy afrikaban az atlagkereset napi 1-2 dollar, az csak ugy jon ki, hogy a statisztika szamokkal tud dolgozni. Az orszagokban a lakossag zome onellato, igy penzmozgas nincs, ha van is, akkor nem lekonyvelt. Igy a statisztikak abbol a szuk retegbol atlagolodnak, akik allami gondozasban, elnezest, allami alkalmazasban vannak.
Meg izelito Afrikarol. 1945-90-ig  a polgarhaboruk soran 4 millio katona halt meg, de kozben 14 millio polgari aldozat is volt, mikozben 48 millio civil halt meg sajat kormanyuk miatt. De ez mind semmi ahhoz kepest, amit structural violence miatt kovetkezett be: 795 millio emberi elet!!!
Afrika nyogi fuggetlenseget, meg bizony gyerekcipoben jarnak! 1990 ota csak 5 millio aldozat, boldog bekeevek.   

De az afrikai ujsagiroknak is van humoruk, s afrika day kapcsan irtak. Ez a nap a diktatorok napja, akik a 3., 4. periodusukat toltik a hatalomban. Ezen a napon vezetoink emlekeztetnek arra, hogy ossze kell fognunk, hogy vedjuk a suverenitasunkat (mig ok vedik a svajci bankszamlajukat).
Ezen a napon vezetoink emlekeztetnek arra, hogy emlekezzunk afrikai identitasunkra, (mely meggatolja, hogy kifejezzuk demokratikus nezeteinket vezetoinkrol)
Ezen a napon vezetoink emlekeztetnek arra, hogy ellenalljunk az uj-gyarmatositasi torekveseknek. (Ami keletrol jon az OK! – ertsd kina)
Ezen a napon vezetoink emlekeztetnek arra, hogy halasnak kell lennunk, hogy sajat fajtank nyom el minket.

Ha az ember fizet (altalaban sokat!) valami szolgaltatasert, az nem azt jelenti, hogy kap is valamit cserebe. Ez csak azt jelenti, hogy a penzt elteszik es semi nem kerul vissza a projectbe, semi fenntartas, javitas, fejlesztes. Viszont lesz kocsi, telefon es sor belole.

Afrikaban mindenki middle man (kozvetito) akar lenni, mert ugy kaszal a legtobbet, munka nelkul, mert senki nem akar dolgozni. Igy kezen kozon minden dragava valik, foleg ha importalniuk kell, mert senki nem termel.
Amikor kinyomnak egy penzt (esetleg ermet), mar akkor nem er semmit. (ugy tunik hosszu az atfutasi ideje a nyomdanak.)

Munkat inkabb nem. Munkat veletlenul sem azert csinal valaki, mert erdekli, szereti, tanulhat belole. Csakis a hetvegi boritek miatt tortenik a munkavallalas. Nem munkarol beszeltem, mert arrol fogalmuk sincsen. Inkabb ugy fogalmazhatok, hogy munkahelyuk van. Meg jo esetben megjelennek. Fizetesnapon biztos. Engem kimondottan idegesit, ha valaki (jo) fizetest kap azert, hogy rabolja az idomet, mert peldaul a tourist info-ban altalaban semmirol nem tudnak, semmilyen kerdesemre nem kepesek valaszolni, ha megis, akkor az teves. Es szurcsolik a kv-jukat. Milyen jo, hogy nem kell itt elnem es szembesulnom a sulyos hivatali burokraciaval.
A munka csak akkor megy, ha valaki fonok ostorral alla hatuk mogott es osztokeli oket. Gondolhatnank, kivalo rabszolgak, de ez sem feltetlen igaz, mert ha motivaltak sem kepesek hatekonysagra.
Zimbabwe volt Afrika kenyereskosara. Ami 20-40 eve mukodott, viragzott az nem kellett. Most fuggetlenkent tehetik tonkre az orszagot, feleltek, elrontottak, ami volt a kozosben korabban. S most maset veszik el, tortenetesen a feherek farmjait. Persze kompenzaciora nem futja, mert  feleltek, s a congoi nep meszarosokat penzelni fontosabb, mint a sajat nepuk ehezese. De populista lepesre szukseg van, leolik a fejos tehenet, a jol mukodo farmokat, s csodalkoznak, hogy nincs kaja. De termeszetesen a foldek egyharmada huberenceknek jut, akik persze a ma hasznat nezik, s az ontozocsoveket eladjak hasznalt hulladeknak, mutragyazni sem fognak, nem is tudjak, hogyan kell hasznalni, traktor is lerobben egyszer s javitani minek, kezzel is megy, olcso a munkaero s csodalkoznak, ha nincs termes, megeszik a rovarok, kiszarad, stb.. Elvenni konnyebb. Azt gondoljak a feher tapsol egyett es gazdag lett, pedig evtizedes izzadsaga fekszik benne.
Paraszt megtermeli maganak ami a tuleleshez kell, de persze nem lesz arra, hogy benzinre teljen es elvigye a piacra, igy marad az inseg, pontosabban lesz az inseg, mert boseg volt elotte. Feher epitett korhazat, iskolat, vizet furt es tarolt, s ehseg sem volt olyan akut.

S hogy ezek utan a kulfoldi toke sem jon? Ki az a hulye, aki penzt tesz ide, aztan jon a kapzsi number 1 moho es elveszi egy mozdulattal. Meg maguk a huberesek sem tartjak itt penzuket, hanem svajci szamlajukon inkabb. Hatha jon egy masik moho.  Alkalmatlanok persze a vezetesre, de amit meg lehet kiraboljak az orszagbol, mert aztan esetleg mas szelek fognak fujni. Aztan az uj sepru ujra a regi notat fujja., hiszen neki is erosnek kell latszani, nehogy a regi nyaloncnokok visszavaghassanak. Aztan mar mindenki a tronert harcol, mert ott buntetlenul lehet garazdalkodni, s ez meg a szoft verzio, mert itt nem meszarolnak mar le milliokat, mint legutobb ruandaban 3 honap alatt!! Itt eleg megfelemliteni oket, a tobbit kivasaroljak, vagy igernek nekik. S ezt tehetik addig, mig nem sivatagositottak el az orszagot, meg a foldanya is tartogat nekik erceket, asvanyokat, amit el lehet kotyavetyelni, segelyeket is kapnak a szep nagyszemu gyerekekert, lelkes onkentesek is mindig bealdozzak tudasukat, munkajukat, magukat, hogy par ev mulva lassak befeccelt energiaik elfecserleset, mert nem kepesek onallo munkara.

Afrikaban az onkentes munka ezert sem ertelmezheto, mert ha tesznek valamit, akkor penz is jar erte. Vagy valami haszon. Nincs semmi lelkesedes, elkotelezodes, tenni akaras. (A valtoztatni, fejlodni akarasrol szo sem lehet.) Arra mennek, amerrol tobb haszon varhato (minel kevesebb erofeszites reven.)
Ha valamit nem tud megcsinalni, akkor inkabb hagyja, nem mutatja ki hogy nem tudja. De nem kerdezi meg hogyan kellene csinalnia, mert ezek szerint tanulni szegyen.

Voluntarik aassak a pocegodrot az iskolanak! De nem jut eszebe senkinek a falubol segiteni, nehogyma esetleg megtanuljak, hogyan kell asni, esetleg a gyereke ne kapjon verhast.
Megkezdett barmilyen project rogton leall, ha elmennek az europai onkentesek. Semmi nem tortenik azutan, s a sok energia es penz (a fejlett orszagok adofizetoinek milliardjai) mind a semmibe vesz. Pontosabban a problema halmozodik, mert az ujszulottek Semmelweisnek koszonhetoen eletben maradnak, a segelyeknek koszonhetoen fel is nonek egy darabig. De aztan? Kell meg tobb etelt adni, jonnek lelkes onkentesek…mig meg nem halnak. Vagy megeroszakoljak, ha no.
Miert is csinaljak, ha maguk az erintettek nem akarnak valtoztatni lethelyzetukon???? S ezt komolyan kerdezem! Koltoien..

Igan Afrika nem akar erofeszitest tenni semmiert, azert meg foleg nem, hogy eletminosege javuljon. Persze ez a szo, hogy minoseg, megint csak europabol ertelmezheto. Ha van valami haladas (megint egy ertelmezhetetlen szo szamukra), az addig van, amig valaki tolja, utana lerobban. Karbantartani nem fogja, javitani meg plane nem.
Afrika ki-elvezi az eletet, felel mindent maga korul, mig Europa erofeszitest is tesz hogy elvezhetove tegyuk az eletet.

Esztetikai erzek vagy kivanalom nem letezik. Ami (szamunkra) kellemes, szep szuletett, az ott pusztul le ahogy van. Nem fer az agyukba, hogy valaminek nem csak funkcioja van. (na jo, a nonek legyen formaja. No de ez sem igaz, mert 5 eves kislanyokat es 80 eves nagymamakat eroszakolnak meg. Nap mint nap! )

Soha nem valaszolnak a feltett kerdesre. Pontosabban nem a feltett kerdesre valaszolnak. Pl. xy helyre megy a busz? Igen – a valasz. Aztan csodalkozom, amikor megerkezek, hogy iranyitanak egy masik buszhoz. Vagy amikor kerdem, mennyibe kerul egy sms kuldese. Ekkor elkezdi mondani, hogy ugyan nincs egyseg a telefonjan, de ha veszek, akkor annyit beszelek, amennyit akarok. Tenyleg nem complex kerdesekkel jovok. No meg az is sokat elarul attitudjukbol, hogy fogalmuk sincsen, mennyibe kerul egy perc beszelgetes mobilon. Nincs elore tervezes (gondolkodas), addig hasznaljak, mig tart. Utana, ha bajban vannak sem tudnak telefonalni. Sebaj, a mobil ugyis csak statusz szimbolum. Latszani kell.

Nem mondjak, hogy nem tudom, ehelyett elkezdenek gondolkodni (ugy csinalni), torni a fejuket (agy??), hogy mit is kellene mondani. Csakhogy mi /en hulye europai hajlamos(ak) vagyunk azt gondolni, hogy az ido, penz, s ok ilyenkor raboljak az idomet. Nekik az ido az ido. Az van. Ez van.
Hazudnak – a mi terminologiank szerint – ugye Lao Ce bolcsesseget tudjak: az igaz szo nem kimondhato. Megint csak latszani valaminek, ami nem o/az.
Elvenni valamit mastol nem elitelendo gyakorlat, sot allamilag tamogatott foglalkozas, mert a rendorseg hasznavehetetlen. Ok persze veszik a hasznot maguknak, sanyargatva a polgarokat, lassitva  a forgalmat, ellenorizve a gumikopast, az utasletszamot a buszokon, hogy levegyek a sapot. De ha bunozokkel allnak szemben, akkor nem tesznek semmit. Vicc, de igaz, hogy nincs szamitogepuk, de ez ertheto akkor, ha tudjuk telefonjuk es CB-juk sincsen, s ha akarsz valamit, akkor neked kell elmenni rendorert es furikaznod oket. De persze az a legjobb, ha el is kapom magam a bunozot, s hogy rovidre zarjuk a folyamatot az a legjobb, ha magam  is buntetem meg. Igen, vissza a kokorba.  

Tudjak (esetleg) a dolgokat, de nem ertik. Meg sem probaljak. Belejuk vertek, hogy how are you, Iam fine es ennyi. Mar tenyleg kezdem azt hinni, hogy agyilag keptelenek felfogni dolgokat, s kezdek arra vetemedni, hogy azt gondoljam, hogy a darwini szelekcio az europai embereknel evszazadok soran tamogatta / kivalasztodta a tanulasra fogekonyabb egyedeket. Afrikanak erre csak 100-200 eve volt csupan, igy azonos oktatasi feltetelek eseten is a fekete bor alatt buta leny dobog. (lasd USA oktatasi statisztikai)
Meg sem probalhatjuk feltenni azt a kerdest, hogy: mit gondol errol vagy arrol. Nem gondol.

Afrika nem inventive. Semmit sem sajatitanak el maguktol. Mastol sem. Ha egy azsiai lat valami otleteset, masnap mar megszervezte, legyartotta, forgalmazza. Afrikaban cukornad tultermeles van, eladhatatlan a cukor, ragcsaljak is a nadat, de veletlenul sem latni, hogy kipreselnek a levet, s azt arulnak. Pedig olcsobb es job mint a coca cola, es munkat (na jo az nem kell nejkik), szoval megelhetest is adhatna az embereknek. De nem. Azsiaban viszont minden utcasarkon ihatunk egy poharral.

Nem kreativ, nincs problemamaegoldo kepesseguk, nem onalloak. Millio peldat hozhatnek, de csak egy: fotoboltban a belso vitrin betorott. Ezert amig be nem uvegezik ujra (par het biztos), addig nem is aruljak.Meg sem probaljak atcsoportositani a dolgokat, s meg amikor kerem sem hoznak ki mutatoba.
Aztan csodalkoznak az afrikaiak, hogy a kinai meg a markologepkezelot is kinabol hozza. Mert az ott van idore, dolgozik is (hetvegen is), s nem kell kulon rabszolgahajcsar a hata moge.

Afrika felso es kozeposztaly elete.
A szupermarketben tabla figyelmezteti legzotarsainkat, hogy maguk toljak a bevasarlokocsit, es ne az ort csicskaztassak. Mert ugyebar a fekete nem tudja magat megkulonboztetni a szinevel, igy a viselkedesevel probalja.  Leszol, lenez, varakoztat, velemenye van ugyebar, amit papirrol olvas, mert beszelni es gondolkodni nem tanult meg az oktatasi rendszernek is koszonhetoen.
Egy del Afrikai viccet citalva: mi a kulonbseg a turista es a rasszista kozott?? Egy ora! (mert egy ora mulva rasszistava valik)
Miert van az, hogy az atlag kedves segito, mosolygos, mig mire ujgazdag, uj pozicionista atfordul sebzett elefantta. Persze meg szaros a segguk, de ki kell mutatni, hogy kik ok., ami meg mindig abbol all, hogy felesege, marhaja van.
Villaja felepul, jeep-el jar, csillog a cipo es illatozik a bor, csillogasra telik, de vizcsapra nem, a falakra festes es gletteles is raferne. Karacsonyfa meg feldiszitve, tv szol egesz ejjel, s a lampak sem alszanak. Konyhaban az edenyek veguket jarjak es vizbegrizt esznek naponta (leginkabb kezzel) A tv, mango radio egyidoben zajong, mikozben szot valtanak egymassal, gyerekek rohangalnak. Allando vibralas, biztos, hogy nem az otthon erzest juttatja eszembe.
No meg feka feleseg sem kellene, elkepeszto, hogy mennyire tudjak unni az eletet es mennyire erdeklodes nelkuliek, marmar idegesito. Pedig ertelmisegi csalad. Gyerekeik pedig tenyleg csak azert vannak, mert jottek, s szaporodni kell. Amennyire semi figyelmet nem adnak gyerekeiknek az mar fajo. De ugye kifele viritani kell, haj belove, kremekbol sincs hiany. Az vagy akinek latszol.(akinek-aminek hisznek) – a kulcsmondata afrikanak.

Iskola – termeszetesen szegeny, Zimbabwe-ben sagely kukoricabol foznek ebedet nekik, sokan csak ezert jaratjak iskolaba a gyereket. Motivacio! Termeszetesen konyvek is csak mutatoba, minden sokadik gyerekre jut egy. De persze a tanarok tolem a telefonvonalra kernek penzt! Majdnem rajuk boritottam a vizet! Ja azt nem, mert az nem volt az egesz 600 fos iskolaban, se wc! Nos a tanaroknak ennyi kozuk van  a diakokhoz, mondhatnam onzonek is oket, erdektelennek….
Az oktatas ismetles, belejuk verik. Hogy mit? Arrol fogalmuk sincs, de egy ket ha, jon a policaj.

Gyereket siman ott hagynak masra, minden elozetes ertesites nelkul par napra. Ertesitessel par ever is. Feher ember kutyajarol is jobban gondoskodik, esetleg odakeszit vizet esz kajat.
 Afrikaban azt gondoljak (tenyleg rossz ez a szo), azt hiszik, hogy a gyerekneveles el van intezve azzal, ha nem felejtett el enni es inni adni porontyanak.
Gyerekek meghalnak az unalomtol, mert semmi jatekuk sincsen, hiszen sok penzbe kerul. (termeszetesen fodraszra, mobilra, taxi-ra akad penz). Eszukbe sem jut, hogy maguk keszitsenek jatekot. De persze ezt senki nem tanitotta meg nekik, s igy marad a tv uressege, s persze hogy rendetlenek, mert zsugoritjak az agyukat es nem torodnek veluk.
Mondhatnank hogy onzo tarsadalom, melyben mindenki magara gondol, de igazabol hagyomanyosan ez nem igy van. Itt a tesom gyereke az enyem is, a noje… hm, nem tudom, ezt nem kotik az orromra.

No – az nem mas mint vagina. Bocsanat, nem. Vagina es cseled. Ja es verni is lehet, es nem is szegyen. Meg soha nem elveztek meg a szex-et, de a gyerek jon. Ketto, harom. Idejuk van. Alig van olyan csalad, ahol van papa is a gyerek melle, hamar eltunnek. No responsibility, nincs semmi felelossegtudat. Semmi.. Viszont a him-nek (elnezest, hogy igy jellemzem oket), mindenkeppen van tobb noje. Itt persze tovabb el a tradicio! Attol nagy ember valaki, hogy sok felesege van. Igaz, ma mar nem felesege, mert azt mar nem tudja megfizetni, mert ugye az penzbe kerul, s itt inkabb latszanak penzesnek, de nem azok. De egy ejszakara azert futja. Meg italra es par szep szora, amig tele van verrel.
Mivel a feleseg teher, no meg fizetni is kell erte, igy mar inkabb csak szeretoik vannak, s az ugye nem szamit, ha utana leellik par gyereket (bocs a durva szoert, csak probalom a hozzaallasukat tukrozni), mert nem erdekli. Lenyeg, hogy megegy rovatka lehet a listan, mig esetleg a no dogrovason. Mert hogy mennyi\szenvedest hagy maga mogott azt leszarja. Mit eszik majd az szerencsetlen kolok, nem szamit, mert addigra mar eppen masfele vadaszik. Vagy ugyebar maset vadassza. A no meg ugyis arra fordul ahonnan remeny van egy kis figyelemre, letiztonsagra, penzre. Persze aztan radobben, hogy ujra csak megdugtak, s ha peche van, jon egy (meg egy) csemete es esetleg a vesz: az Aids. S mire eszmel, mar a pasi tunt is tova, gyereke is a nyakan, s jarhat orvoshoz is. No de mibol? No de a no is szivbaj nelkul arvahazba teszi, job esetben nagyira ruhazza a kolkok, mert valoszinuleg ilyen elozmenyek utan nem is erzi sajatjanak. S igy a 11millios Zimbabwenek van 600 ezer arvahazi lakoja. Kozuluk minden 3. hiv pozitiv. Fenyes jovo.

Korhaz – azt nem tudom, de szinte biztos, ha mutenek, akkor neked kell vinni a vert. S ha van eszed, akkor az orvost is, mert az okt. Rendszer ugyebar.. szar.
Korhazakban naponta nehany 5-6 eves gyerek kerul be nemi betegsegekkel. Amikor firtatjak a mamat, hogyan lehet, akkor persze fedezik a ferjuket, aki megeroszakolta a gyereket.


Etel - Igenytelen – vizbegriz kepesek enni minden nap. Ha van mas is, akkor is vizbegrizt esznek. So es egyeb fuszer nelkul. Itt az eves nem gasztronomiai elvezetet jelent, hanem csak annyit, hogy az ehsegerzet elmuljon. Meg valami tuzon sult/fott hust. Bizony ezer evek kellenek, hogy kialakuljon valami magaskultura. S az torekeny is, mert eleg egy inseges idoszak, haboru, barbar nep, s maris ujra a kokorban vagyunk.
Ennek egyik jele mit mar emlitettem talan Mozambik kapcsan a: homokeves. Nem vicc, izesitik soval borssal, es a terhes nok fogyasztjak. Del afrikaban ko variacioban is megtalalhato a piacokon, habar mar a tiltott szerek listajara kerult. Persze lehet pillango babokat iskapni sulve, jo feherje forras, es en tradicionalis etelnek tekintem, mert ugye a vizbegriz, az mar europai hozomany, hisz a kukorica Del Amerikai szerzemeny.

De vannak ujitasok is, pl. Nylonzacskoban sutik a rantottat! Szerinted megolvad a muanyag? Fogadjunk meg soha nem probaltad.
Reggelente a fagyott tejet olvasztjak, forraljak a zacskot a rezson. Nem gondolkodnak elore, hogy elozo este kivegyek a melyhutobol.
Befottes gumirol rogton a penzkoteget osszefogo gumira asszocialnak. Ok arra hasznaljak, mi befottnek. Tan ha nalunk is nagyobb lenne az inflacio, mi is arra hasznalnak.  Foggal nyitjak a sort. Nem macsosagbol, nem virtusbol.
Netkavezoban, fodrasznal, hegyi menedekhazban 20 eves magazinokat lapozgathatunk. Mondom, idoutazas ez az Afrika. Vissza a kokorba.
Termeszetesen van elefant, krokodil, vizilo, babboon, draga szafari es zero turista. Mert itt lenni draga mulatsag, de tudjuk, hogy Afrika egy nap alatt akar gazdag lenni, igy a kemping gyakran 200-400 dollar per ejszaka!!! De egy par negyzetmeter homokot a semmi kozepen is 10 dollarert adnak, igy nem csoda, hogy az elmult 4 honapban csupan 7 ejszakat voltam guest house-ban (el is tunt a penzem), es 3 ejszakat kempingben. Itt most atelet nyomjak, ejszaka gyakran 4-8 fok, de szerencsere eso mar elmult, igy a csillagos eg es az almaim meg az enyemek.
Biztos sok-ezer dolgot kihagytam, emlekeztessetek ra, hogy arra is figyeljek esetleg. Majd meg fesulgetem egyszer, de azert szeretnek valamit megosztani az itt let-embol, meglatasaimbol, foleg milyen az elet. Hogy mit lattam, azt majd diavetitesen lathatjatok, ha megerkezem. Eddig Lesotho, Namibia es Malawi a legigeretesebb, kivancsi vagyok mi lesz Tanzaniaban es Kenyaban.

 Szivesen varok barmilyen reakciokat. …Persze lehet velemenyt is utkoztetni (sot kell is!).
Lehet ugy visszajonni afrikabol, hogy csak aamulunk, milyen kedvesek az emberek, meg hogy  milyen szegenyek, de akkor nem lattak, es nem ertettek Afrikat. Vagy nem voltak itt. De ezek utan, lehet hogy nem is lesznek??

Gabor Csonka – vandorboy
From Malawi Jo nyarakat nektek!!

ezt vandorboy.com firkálta ide. Mikor is? Asszem 12:05 AM volt az órára írva.

::Bolivia 2005

BoliviaThe end of the road blockades in Bolivia gave me the opportunity to enter the country. In Bolivia, civil roadblocks are very usual because this is the only way for the people to protest against the government leaders who don’t represent the will of majority of the country. Bolivia is still the poorest country in South America in spite of rich natural resources. We arrived at the border from Chile at 4 a.m., so we had to wait for 4 hours above 4000m in -10 degree till the office was open, the landscape reminded of me the film of Star Wars. We got a stamp, and at the no-man’s land, we had to change buses and move our gear to the next bus (including mattresses). After two hours bumping, I arrived at the first Bolivian village: most of the Indians were wearing traditional hats. In the main square, I found a fascinating straw-thatched roofed colonial church. Travelling into the past. This is my place.  UyuniBecause I hitchhiking, after many months, on the bus I met the first backpackers whom I was talking to. During their travel all of them experienced ‘South America’ by having their belongings stolen. It is South America. We arrived on the market day, almost all the Indian women were wearing long skirts, sweaters and poncho-like scarves and the typical small bowler hat. You can buy on the market anything from fruits, watches to computers. From a music shop, Bolivian music was floating out giving the feeling of where we are. People were queuing up for gas cylinders, in spite of Bolivia being one of the richest gas producers in South America. After sunset, the thermometer fell below 0, but the locals had no hot water nor even heaters in their houses. The only way to warm them up was to put their hands over candles or cooking pots. In the morning, they poured hot water on the tap to melt the ice. The hot water for showers in the guesthouses all over Bolivia are heated up by two electric wires but the result is never hot.  The bulb on the ceiling was fixed with sticky tape. The outlets never worked properly and in shower rooms there were no hangers for our clothes. We could not even dream of toilet papers for the hotel prices of 2$.On the 23rd of June, they celebrated the winter solstice (mid winter day). Building fire on the streets was the same as Scandinavians do during mid summer day.  Salar de Uyuni – The salt desert I went for a day trip to see the world’s biggest salt desert which is 12.000km2at an altitude of 3800 meter. This dry lake’s bottom consists of a few meters thick salt layer which is covered fully by water during the wet season. During Inca times, they produced/dug salt here and they carried it to their Empire through the famous Inca trails as the Roman Empire did in Europe. Not far from here, there was a rich silver mine, so thanks to this, there was already a train railway built in the 19th century.  In the surrounding villages, they were digging for salt, because in this rigid, barren, infertile environment, it is the only income for them. But today nobody was working because of yesterday’s celebration. They had drunk too much. In the far distance, a volcano rises from the shiny white salt lake. Moonscape. In the middle of the lake, there is a small hotel which was built from salt including chairs, beds etc. The Hungarian flag shows that some Hungarians were helping to build this building. But the highlight of the day was a fish-shaped island where thousands of cactus stretch towards the sky. The longest is 12m high and 1200 years old. Returning to the bus station I read an advertisement about the festival tomorrow in Potosi which made me go there the next day.PotosiI arrived on the day of a festival and all streets were filled with bras bands and dancers dressed in traditional dress representing different areas of Bolivia. Most of them didn’t wear socks in spite of the freezing temperature. The local people were buying beer and hot wine for the musicians and the dancers. After 10pm, most of the people were drunk so the festival quietened down soon.Potosi was the pearl of Spanish Empire. Today, it is a world heritage city because of fantastic colonial architectures including more than 80 beautiful churches. This is the world highest city and was established in 1545. It was the world’s biggest silver mine which supplied the Spanish crown for 300 years. In the 18th centuries, it was bigger than London or Shanghai! The houses there had wonderfully-carved wooden balconies giving a charming aspect, which was not like today’s mining towns for example in Hungary.A huge hill was rising next to the town, the famous silver mine, which was cultivated by slaves during 300 years it was worked and more than 8 millions!!! of them died. They were forced to work over 12 hours a day (by giving them coca leave), and they could get out of the mine only once every 4 months! We can visit this mine and see how people are working today, but the environment has not changed so much because they are mostly using hand power to cultivate the mine and because of silicosis, most of them die within 10 years. In the 19th century, no more silver was found in the mine, so today it is producing zinc, copper, and sulphur. On the mine tour, we exploded dynamite which we bought in the market in the suburb of Potosi. In the mine, we gave coca leaves for the miners who are always chewing them to eliminate their tiredness and hunger. We also gave pure alcohol (96%) to drink to them and when we arrived at the underground shrine, we gave the same things to the devil of the mine. They are afraid of the devil, so they try to get along with it and befriend by offerings. We can listen to colorful stories about miners who sold their souls to the devil; in return next day they could find a rich shaft to get wealthy. There are 5000 shafts on 17 levels, in the deeper part they are working in 30-50 degrees Celsius, with visibility only 20 cm because of thick dust. Returning to the ground, there were some widows who were breaking useless (which already had been thrown out by miners as a garbage) stones, working under the strong sunrays, earning only one Euro daily. And in freezing evenings, they sleep in their stone shelters. This is a hellish existence, a real hell on Earth.SucreIn 1538 this capital city was established by Spanish. After 1825, when Bolivia achieved their independence, they named their country after Simon Bolivar, and this city was named after General Sucre, who was one of the army leaders in the independent war. The local people still regard the city as the capital but most of the government offices except for the highest court are functioning in La Paz. Being at only 2000m elevation, the climate becomes more tropical and life is more vivid, with traffic, and a busy market district. It is common to see here `live` telephone boxes: people who attach mobile phones to their bodies with a chain, and let their customers make a phone call anywhere and anytime. We saw many more beggars and musicians here, but the best was an old blind man who was karaoke-ing to radio music and when there was speech on one channel, he looked for another channel to sing a song. To be a vegetarian is easier here but even if I ask not to put any meat in my meal, they ask me ‘so you want chicken, or fish?`This is not a linguistic misunderstanding but a cultural difference. Another typical story is that if I want to eat fried potato, they give chicken too. Ordering only potatoes is not possible. Strange logic for me. I discovered a vegetarian restaurant, but surprisingly, I found goulash, in which of course meat is used, on the menu. At the street vendors’, you can find MP3 CDs of Falco –the Austrian singer from 80s - and Berlioz the classical composer, friendly together. Eclectic. Hotel Jerusalem, bazaar Elohim attracted my attention and made me think why here?’, and Lada Samara, the Russian car appears from the `great` past. Bolivia is eclectic.In South America, it is strange that they collect bus terminal tax. On the other hand, it is true that 11- hour bus ride cost only $5, but usually not more than $1 per hour. But we have to be exposed / to watch classical Chinese Karate films all the time, plus listen to crying children around us. The main road often turns into a dirt road to shake my thoughts up. With the long journey we can attain a modified mind state without any drug. CochabambaArriving at dawn, the nightlife was going on, drunken people and some ugly prostitutes were still on duty. During daytime, this business capital turns into a market town, but here one can hardly see traditionally dressed Indians. They were selling pop- corn and lemons from wheelbarrows or just sitting on the ground. In this country, they are still reusing and repairing the old 50-kg. rice sacks.  One of my Servas hosts invited me to his son’s birthday party at local McDoval’s!! (not McDonald’s) Very funny. In the nearby park, there were street performers blowing fire, and street photographers with interesting backgrounds, who send your pictures to your address. There were many denominations preaching and baptizing then getting rid of bad evils from people. It was theatrical and emotional. When a beggar came to me, the priest suddenly got out his role to get rid of the beggar, then, the next moment, he continued his emotional preaching. After that I couldn’t avoid my fate, I was the next who was de-devilled (rid of my evils) by the priest. So, the rest of my travel I had to continue without my daemon.  :) (Socrates was executed because of his personal daemon.) Other Indian women were singing Bolivian Christian pop with lots of tears and emotions. A bit further on, a local radio station’s DJ mixed Bolivian oldies, people dancing to it and others invited me to drink the local alcoholic drink.In Bolivia there is discrimination against Indians, but Kechuas and Aymara Indians are very proud of their tradition. Generally the situation of women is very hard because of the `macho` society. For Bolivians the family is very important but it is very common that women raise their children without their father. Contradiction. Their compulsory education is free, but the quality doesn’t give a chance for the poor people to enter universities. Bolivia should be rich because of rich natural resources but isn’t. Bolivia is a very depressed nation due to their history (there are many similarities with Hungarians). They are not proud of their achievements. The politicians are corrupt, as usual everywhere, and they sell out the country very successfully. The dissatisfied folks blocks the roads regularly; as a result, the president resigned. And what next? There come another one who is similar to the previous president. The south part of Bolivia is rich in oil and gas, but the people are protesting against the building of a pipeline through Chile because they still have a big trauma caused by a war 100 years ago, in which they lost a big part of their land. Amusement park. I tried ‘Kamikaze’ and a father of a young girl asked me to look after his daughter while the roller coaster was running. We could imagine the feeling of what the falling airplane was like. So it was a good preparation for the La Paz bus ride going up to the mountains again. In the evening I bought a bus ticket but in the morning, I surprisingly found out that the bus company did not run buses to La Paz in the morning. In South America everything is possible. Finally the woman in the office booth just found another company for half the price. So they had a big profit at my expense. Clever.  La PazSituated in a deep valley, the slopes were covered with red-tiled roofs.　Arriving from 4400m there is a fascinating view over the city, which is the highest capital in the world. In the city centre noise, smog and terrible big traffic, but not really high skyscrapers as in capitals generally. The whole center is one big market. In every street people are sitting on the cold floor selling fruit and other industrial products. They were pumping vegetable oil from a 200-liter barrel into the bottles of customers. In every restaurant the TV broadcast football matches which are like a show. On 70% of the radio ‘Sports Highlight’ we can frequently can hear for 15 seconds’ the enthusiastic word; ggoooooooooooooooooollll. The local minibuses showed their destinations but the bus attendants still called/shout out the same to collect people. Senseless to me but they have to employ people.  Cemetery: there is a tradition in Bolivia, a few years after a funeral they exhume the bones and burn them in a fire, the ash being deposited in the blockhouse-like graves. Behind the glass relatives leave some characteristic objects, for example, photographs, a toothbrush, some football trophies, but most funny was the singing `I love you’ Chinese post card. But the most common things were the plastic Jesus-es and flowers of course.  San Pedro prison – it is a real prison and a tourist attraction. For a small tip, you can visit this prison. Whereas in east Europe, it is very complicated to visit, even for relatives, here, even for aliens it is easy to visit.In and around La Paz, so many things to do for example the moon valley where interesting rigid landscape attract us, you can ride on a bicycle down 3300m lower or you can do trekking one of the famous Inca trails in the  nearby mountains. Inka TrailIt was a perfect trade and communication network for Inca administration. They found the shortest and easiest way through the mountains. Every 20km, they had a caravansary and news could arrive from 320km distance within two days!! I did the Choro trail enjoying a fantastic view on my way to the jungle. At first, I climbed 5200m then I started my 50-km trekking. Downwards the landscape changed from the rigid moon-like shapes to jungle. On the second day, surprisingly, I met a Japanese man, who had been living on the mountain for 30 years and he knew Hungarian history well. I finished my trekking at the eastern part of the Andes, which was the territory of Jesuit missionaries till the 18th century. The movie ‘Mission’ describes this area. They had the strongest army at that time in South America and established `optimum community hierarchy` and they had a good education system and there was even an Italian baroque opera house in the jungle. But their missionary activity was so successful, that we know nothing about the indigenous Indians.TivanakuThere are the most famous ruins in Bolivia where civilization existed from B.C.600 till the Inca time. 20.000 people lived in this ancient well-planned city and they used 175,000kg stones for constructing buildings which were carried from 40km away. When the Spanish asked them how they built this city in the desert, the Aymara Indians answered: With the help of God. So it is the same miracle of human civilizations as the pyramids in Egypt. But not too much remained as the Spaniard used the stones for their building.  SorataAt 2000 meters lower there is a pleasant holiday village with many excellent trekking possibilities into the surrounding mountains. I arrived on the `day of La Paz` – the day when people celebrate the independence uprising too. In the 19th century, the celebration of La Paz turned into the uprising against the Spaniards. As a result, they got independence after the short war. Of course, Napoleon did the biggest part of the job, so they only had to fight against a weak empire. Even in Sorata they had a three-day festival starting with the La Paz day and continuing with some Christian celebration and procession with brass bands, dances and beer as usual in Bolivia.  There are many excellent trekking routes, so I did trekking to a glacier lake ascending more than 2000m and resting at the ancient Inca ruins where they sacrificed beings to the gods. An extremely strong place, I flew back in to 15th centaury, above me the clouds changed into celestial animals disappearing behind the high 6000 meters peaks.  My way to Copacabana the roads were blocked at a village because it is the way that people protest against the government decisions. But the only one who suffer because of blockade are the people, so we had to get off the bus and walk 7 km where traffic could continue again. Many people were carrying their heavy belongings, so I was still happy with my 24kg backpack. The connecting microbus, after a short distance, ran out of petrol, so we had to walk again. Life is adventure.Copacabana cathedral is an unforgettable beauty in Moorish style, the surrounding hill is a pilgrimage site where people come to ask for safe driving.  I ended my Bolivian adventure at Lake Titicaca which is the highest navigable lake in the world (at 4000m) and the biggest in South America. The island of Moon and Sun famous not just because of the beauty of environment but it is the birth of Incas according to their mythology. We could reach the island by a small boat which didn’t have a life buoy because they believe that   if someone falls into the water, they are not allowed to rescue the person as he/she will be a sacrifice to Virakocha, the god. So it is how the tradition survive in these deeply Christian country. There are Inca trails, labyrinths and ruins on the island, and fascinating blue water, bright sky welcome us, people ride on donkeys to calling our fantasy to the past. Beautiful sunrise over 5-6000m hills made me understand why the Incas thought about this place was the birth place of the Sun and of course their origin.My visa expired so I had to leave this beautiful country but I’m sure I will return here later in my life.  Facts about Bolivia90% are Catholic but in the villages, they mix with animist beliefs. They believe in nature gods, because the sun and the earth give the possibility for life. The cycle of the moon is connected to fertility, and the mountains to the weather. Pachamama brings harvest and richness and people offer coca leaves, alcohol and animal blood asking for forgiveness if they hurt the mother earth (mining, agriculture) In Bolivia, they have more than 300 kinds of potatoes.During their modern history, they lost 1million km2 by 1935. So, they have similar trauma as Hungarians. Exporting cocaine brings more income to the country than legal things.　The government - with the help of USA – forced the farmers to change from producing coca to pineapples but a few years later the market filled up with unsaleable fruits so they returned to their stable business. Long distance buses are used to deliver mails too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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::peru

After arriving the border, I filled forms, got stamps in my passport, and then ‘Welcome to Peru’. In the border village, there was much more vivid life than in Bolivian side. More colourful, more easy-going life, many moto-riksa. Here the people cultivate their fields, not like in Bolivia a few kilometres away. Puno, The city which is near the coast of Lake Titicaca is located 3600 meter-high. All government buildings dressed in red-white-red national flag, they were already preparing for the celebration one week before the national day. I took a bus to Arequipa but the bus was late so the passengers were complaining and making noise by tapping the windows to force the driver to go. Temperament of South America. But the driver was still waiting for passengers to fill up the bus. In Juliaca, the next town, he picked up some more passengers, but after we couldn’t pass through the street, because young people were playing volleyball, and they didn’t want to put away the net which blocked the street. Small children were throwing stones to the bus expressing they don’t want traffic here or seemed outsiders were not welcomed. Yes, this city is the Harlem of Peru. While we were bending downwards, the night comes and the full moon was reflected on the nearby mountains. I realized this country was not over-populated as Asia, because most of this area was deserted or barren. After 6-hour driving, we arrived in Arequipa, which is 2000 meter lower, pleasant climate again. Arequipa – the white city is one of the biggest cities in Peru, but after 11pm, no people are on the street, guesthouses are locked and there seems to be fear on the street.. South America. My friend was kidnapped here when he cought a taxi which took him somewhere else, then he was tortured for his pin code, then the next day they released him. Short storey with long effect. During my morning walk, I saw many police trucks with water guns, and in the police station, on the wall was funny to see the picture of police heroes in the past. Arequipa is a white city which has a plenty of wonderful churches and exciting markets. I booked for a mountain-climbing to a nearby mountain (which is called Chachani, 6075m and the highest peak around here) because I didn’t have equipments and had only summer clothes and sandals. It was one of the most difficult days in my life, because I started to have a toothache, so I couldn’t sleep that night. The next night I could not sleet either on the base camp, which was on 5300m high. I was suffering from my fever, which was caused by toothache and lack of oxygen. Even eating a soup made me tired and I was gasping for breath. To go out for pissing was even more difficult because I had to stand up. I was weak. What can come next? 2 o’clock at night we got up. I was hesitating to start or not, but it was a rare opportunity, so I tried it. We started to climb with the help of the full moon, which took more than 6 hours to the top. With every step, I felt as if I carried tons of loads. Sharp wind blew towards my face, and I was so cold. After one-hour walk, the water in my backpack was frozen. 5 more hours. My fingers, in spite of my gloves, were also frozen. Worth to do it? We only stopped every half an hour. My legs were heavy. 4 hours more. Sometimes very steep and slippery in spite of crampon. Can I do it? 3 hours more. Just gasping. How far more? 2 hours more. But the sunrise made us forget all difficulties and gave us unforgettable sight of surrounding plateau, which was 4000m lower. The gale (wind) was so strong that we could spend only a few minutes on the top. Sad. But I reached my highest point in my life. I can’t believe! And I descended myself to the place which a car was parked, which was also beyond my limits but fortunately the wind stopped. Arriving at my nice hospitality friend’s was heaven and the only thing I wished; to sleep. Colca canyon Most people think that the deepest canyon in the world is Grand Canyon in the U.S.A., thanks to American PR. But the reality is different, because according to the local people, there is around 4000m difference from the top of the hill till the bottom of the river valley. Around. 5 o’clock in the morning, I took a bus from Chivay to the viewpoint of the canyon to see condors after sunrise. It’s typical in Peru that buses compete each other, stuck to each others, but why our bus did it in the dusty road? I have no idea – and I swallowed the light dust. Young tourists were suffering the bumpy road. It’s time to experience the real life for them. I liked when a postman delivered letters on the bus for the local people it reminded me my childhood when people knew each other and trusted each other. On the way to the canon in one of the villages I saw a musicians and a dancers still/yet? were celebrating on the street. Live the life. For me this is the South American feeling. At the viewpoint the huge birds were floating above us without moving their wings seems they just came here to paragliding as a morning exercise or just for the wonderful view. The sun cannot reach the bottom of the canyon because of the gigantic depth. I hitchhiked backwards to Chivay so I could see a `bit` further on the opposite mountain slope where 5000 terraces stretched.. Magnificent. Picturesque. Here in the mountain, we can see more traditional dresses, the local people ride on donkeys as daily transportation. So I’m again in the time wrap. Backwards I stopped at another village for a Christian festival. There was a procession, old women were carrying a holy statue around the village. It seems in South America is the home of permanent festivals. I feel that every day is holiday for them. I hitchhiked at a road crossing, soon got a ride from a truck but after 6-hour drive and loud music they broke down, so I took a night bus to Cusco, I bargained because if there are some places free, we can get a good price before departure time and anyway I didnot want spend a night in Juliaca.. Cusco The most visited place in Peru, and the surrounding area was the heart of the Inca Empire. The Incas arrived here around the 12th Centuries, more exactly they were always here, but since that time, they started to call themselves Inca`s, and build their empire. It was very unusual conquering each other before inca`s, as South America were not overpopulated. (thanks to sacrifying humans?) So the Inca empire grow incredibly fast finding no real resistant and they built up perfect communication line (roads) all around the empire, building constructed cities with water system etc.. But they couldn’t enjoy their power so long, because in 1532, a war broke out between two brothers for the leadership. So, Pizarro could conquer the weak empire easily. Everybody knows the cruelty of Spanish and they robbed all valuables of the country and they destroyed Indian cultures. Europe arrived. In the history repeted the same story many times: the barbars concuer the high civilisations. But – thanks to exploitation their colonies - what colonial architect we can find today is still one of the highlights of European art. We can walk in the narrow street climbing up the hill side and enjoy the view of Cusco and the structure of the city - all makes this visit unforgettable. Most of the churches were built on the ruins of the Inca temples. Christianity covered the old believes. I was surprised, ‘why so many Maria statues in the churches?’ I could see even more Maria than Jesus. But we have to understand in South America strong Maria cult and was not possible to change the Pachamama (Mother Earth) cult even if Christianity has been here for more than 400 years. When they drink alcohol, they give a drop to the earth mother as we often do in East Europe too. Still the old beliefs exist. Because of tourist industry we have to pay entrance fee when we visit churches. (But it is free who arrive for the 6 o’clock morning mass) Entering in the 17-18 centauries churches, the gate of heaven open for us. Wonderful interior with carved altar and old murals. Stepping into the 18th century monastery, I felt the burden of that age and I remembered the echoes of novel the `name of the rose` by Umberto Ecco. In the afternoon, the laud crowds were whistling and beating their drums in their way to the stadium. Even on the main square hundreds of people were watching the football match in spite of the cold. This is the patriotism. The 28 of July is the Independence day. On the last days all hysteria happened because of this small event. Much udo for nothing. Few soldier’s bras bands are marching through the main square playing the `El condor pasa` and tunes `the bridge over the River of Kwai `. Strange context. Peru eclectic too. With a nice Swiss couple, I discovered neighbouring Inca ruins on horseback, arriving to the past, into the time of inca`s, enjoying the surrounding hills, landscapes and the history. In the evening I went to an open air concerts were South American world music groups played. Although it was freezing cold, the beer was the only drink and most of the food stalls closed early because they ran out of food. Security guards were dressed as fire brigadiers, and the other side of the fence, they were singing together with the crowds and with the groups. Yes, this is South America where the borders exist, but they have borderless culture. The spectators were dancing with the tunes of Andes in traditional way to keep away from freezing. Valle Sagrado On the buses in Peru loud folk music was played from cassettes all the time and passengers were singing songs together. I like them. Seeing the ruins I experienced: any wall called Temple, anything stone was astronomical measure point during the Incas. But we never hear anything about average people. Dust of the past. Around the ruins many terraces and rich springs could be seen which were because of the hilly environment. Lovely. In Pisac, there was Sunday market and we could see few women in traditional flat hats. In the nearby church I caught the last piece of tune of the Sunday mass. On the wall, the murals describe Inca figures, I think they were very unique. I walked up from here to the ruins, which took around 2 hours, and I met a guide who as he got to know I am Hungarian, he told me a storey one of the Inca leaders who escaped from Spaniards to Hungary. But this was funny because Hungary was one part of the Hapsburg Empire. But I wouldn’t be surprised after that, some Hungarians believe in Hun, Sumer, Assire, Japan, and Celtic relationship, of course, Hungarians had relationship with only to high cultures and had never been close to avar and trak tribes which close to us geographically. Machu Pichu The number 1 tourist attraction where every foreigner must go. Because of this, huge industry has been built up as a result, so here you can find the most expensive train in the world. $70 for 120km and foreigners cannot use local train! From the station, they can go up to the ruins, for another $6 and they can have breakfast for $35 plus entrance fee of $25. There are no other alternatives to get into the heart of the Inca Empire...seems. Luckily I found an alternative way but it took more time. After all I had to spend 8 hours with bus rides. Next to me were sitting a mother with her baby. No problem I have ear plugs. Behind me, a young boy learning to play the flute. What could be more? A baby is shitting. Smelly. Unfortunately I have no nose-plugs. So I converted myself skin respiration. At 3 o’clock in the morning, I changed to a small bus where 25 people were squeezed for 10 people. So I was again down at 2000m, the climate was much better and the treeking pleasant. This was the punishment to me because I was against the exploitation. But it was worthwhile as I did a nice trekking to Machu Pichu next day. I arrived at 5 o’clock in the morning TO Santa Teresa, village was sleeping. So I set into a restaurant where I felt nostalgia because the DVD player!! was playing the best of 80’s (Alpha Ville, Duran Duran, Flash Dance, etc). Here I understood that the travelling is not the changing in places/space but changing in time. Traveling back to the past. From here, 5 hours’ walk to Machu Pichu, so I had to start in dark. The first problem was crossing a river, so I had to guess how to use a cable over the deep running river. In the far distance, snowy peaks and red sun appeared at the dawn. Soon I met the biggest spring in my life which came out straight from the hill. Then, around 10 o’clock I reached the ruins, not using 10 minutes bus ride for $6. Compared to other ruins, Machu Pichu is not so significantly impressive as other ruins but more expensive. Few days later I went back to Cusco by hitchhiking a local truck. But it was so slow since it stopped every village for a couple of hours, so, I took on a bus. Again, in 5000m around me, it was cold and police check point was on the dusty road. A food seller on the bus was using this time to sell some snacks. The bus ride in the Andes was like flying in the sky. But it took longer. If the driver makes a small mistake, a rescue team can find the ruins of the bus 500-800m lower. Boring, yes, my next destination is Nazca. I used a 30-year old taxi to the bus station ( it was the same price as the bus ). The first part took us 7 hours instead of 4 because of flat tire. So, in South America, anything takes time and the people are late, not because they are busy but because they have time ( to wait). Rich country. Here is travelling is slow but not because of distance. Within a few minutes, a food seller from nearby village appeared. Due to the flat tire, they had to work extra hours beyond their business plan. Very strange, but after 7 hours ride, the bus ticket from Abancay to Nazca is more expensive than from Cusco. On the night bus, we were watching Chinese Karate film. Finally a driver found a seat for me, but we were a group of four. The seat was for two people. So the next thing, I had a child in my womb. But the most important things was to go down to the sea level back to the good climate. Nazca The name of Nazca plateau is funny because I come from 4000m high to 600m, so the plateau for me is more like ‘plain’. This area is famous for mystical lines in the dessert which attracts the aliens ( but not UFO in spite of the theory of Daniken). The Nazca culture was flourished well before the Inca from 200-800. The painting on the pottery gives us the guide line about their habits, the gods, and flora. It was discovered in 1920 by a European scientist. Mystical lines and figures are usually 90-100m in size, which were created by moving stones in the dessert because the earth colour is different from that after moving the stone. But interestingly, the figures can be seen only from sky. Was it for the God? But now for me, I bargained for airplane, but it was full, so I could fly only next day. During 30 minutes, morning light made curves appear one by one in the horizon. The pilot was shouting what we would see because the headphone didn’t work. What is about the airplane? So I couldn’t hear too much, because of too much wind was blowing inside. There was also interesting long lines focusing on nothing. Here lived a German mathematic who wanted to explore the secret, but no success was gained. Some think that this is the astronomical calendar. May be the answer is much easier. These lines show underground water lines. I was heading to north to Lima, I could see the ocean again. In Ica, there was a mixture of weekend and market feeling. At the exit of the church, there was an ice cream seller waiting for believers who were exiting from the church with the tune of ‘Don’t worry, be happy’. In the church, there was neon lights rays radiating from the heart of Jesus and it detracted the humble people who were not used to be the kitsch. Those who saw it exiting they meet the ice cream seller with the tone of ‘Don’t worry, be happy’. Afterwards, they returning in order to convert but, as they see the kitsch rays they exiting and they meet at the entrance, the tune of ‘Don’t worr..... Pisco and Paracas National Park 　 Paracas culture, flourished 300B.C till 200A.D. and famous for their weaving. On the street, people always ask me where I am from and their association for Hungarian is puskas, the footballer. This is a medical record / diagnosis of civilization. People never associate with Semmelweis, Eotvos, Bolyai, Irinyi, Vasarely, Brassai, Kossuth, Jozsef Attila, or Csonka, but even better, puskas, instead of Radosi, or Bukarest. In a guest house’s toilet, there were two taps for a sink but there was only cold water from the both taps. This is when the hardware is earlier than software, but water only from 6 till 8 o’clock in the morning like most of cities in Peru. In the evening, big life around the plaza (square) performing stories, playing music but the most I liked was medicine dealer who dressed in traditional Amazon clothes advertising tribal herbs. In the evening, I made friendship with a travel agent so I got a free boat tour to the national park. The nearby island is a small paradise for pelicans, cormoran, booby. It takes only two hours to get there by boat by boat, but what is more fascinating thing is millions of birds hovering the horizon as they hunting for fish. I have ever seen The result is guano rain which collected on the islands every couple of years continuing the old tradition which Indians did thousands of years to fertilize their lands. I think Hitchcock got here the idea of his film of Birds. We could see seals, penguins, and sometimes dolphins. I had a fantastic time in the real animal world and I was happy to know that small Galapagos still exist here. Lima This is a real metropolis without metro. Permanent traffic jam, smog, 8 million people where are the street numbered till 4-6000 and you can ride on a bus more than two hours and you are still in Lima. Gigantic hell. I stayed at a family of art teacher with whose mother I was competed who could cook better. Yes, it was time to eat good food after boring diet of South America because 98% of the food contain meat. So I was limited to eat just few basic food, but her mother saved the reputation of Peruvian dishes. Not far from the main square, there are armed police vehicle remembering the not far past when the shining path organization did some terror attack in Peru supported by Chinese and Cuban communists. The most interesting thing In Chinese district, you can find Chinese restaurants, cheap market, Chinese gate, but never Chinese people. In San Francisco church, biggest catacomb in which buried more than 50000 people. In Lima, you can find the biggest pottery exhibition in the world and there is a special section for the sex. But South America’s most interesting museum is national museum where we can get a detailed view about the wide variety of pre-Inca and Inca culture. Before Spanish, there were so many vivid cultures that compare to Europe dark middle age. We were just barbarian society after Greek and Roman Empire were the dark age of Europe, while rest of the world, the culture was flourishing, but after the 15th century, with arrival of Spaniards, many high cultures disappeared in South America. The centra square of Lima with newly restored buildings. nearby street with performers, pantomime, moving food sellers, beggars, make the life more interesting. The ethnographical museum is very small and on Sunday they opened only for me. This is also sad that out of 8 million people, nobody is interested in the ethnic of the country. Once in a country village, we wanted to go to museum, but being Sunday, they had short opening, This way `serving’ to the public. This is inverted attitude to culture. The garden of congress palace which was separated from electors by fence, uniformed solders, armed police vehicles, this is modern democracy. Here situated the museum of inquisition where I could see the way of tortures. There were killed only 32 people which was not so much compared to Yugoslavian massacres happened recently. But according to Catholic understanding, they judged only the people who had souls ( Jewish and Protestants) because the Indians had no souls so, they punished them without judges. The autodafe were in front of the public. Interesting contrast to the Inca’s sacrificing ceremony where people were not allowed to be a part of human sacrificing. The life is changing. We are tending from the sacred to the social, from the ethic to the etiquette. In the museum of congress, we can follow ( only in Spanish) the history of democratization of Peru. We can see how disappeared from the original national flag the Lake TitiCaCa and the mountain. The last change was because of president who didn’t like the sun in the flag. For a long time, Fujimori, the president of Peru, it is very unusual to see a Japanese leader as a dictator in Peru. As we don’t associate Japanese as a dictator. The appearance of a mouse made a big astonishment. But they react with the same temperament for the soap operas too. This is South America. But more funny when I saw one funeral company which opens 24 hours a day. Strange. I cannot imagine someone die, and the relatives cannot wait till the next day to arrange the next week funeral. Modern Times. They don’t Remorse just think about the official think. Sad. In Lima, there is a first South American saint we can see the house where she was born and according to South American soul, the people writing their wishes in the letters, and throw into to a well. Turning out from the garden, I just catch the last moment of a festival. Some pilgrimers were pulling huge cross and they were singing songs. A bit later, I saw a bras band in the bus continuing to play music like in the cartoons we can see. One night, my host took me for an alternative circus, which is not usual in South America. There was modern choreography and live music but they still used red nose, over gesticulation and other traditional patterns too. Miraflores is liveable district of the city which is near the coast. After the jungle of grey houses, it was refreshing to see tree and grass around us. So after spending a pleasant week in Lima I started my last part of my peruvian journey, heading to north. I got a lift with a truck driver for the next 500km, which took more than a day. He was stopping often to eat or to talk with other drivers, so I polish my Spanish. We picked up more hitchhikers, goods and on the highway, we saw some pilgrimers who were carrying on their shoulders huge crosses to the north for another thousand kilometres. This is the power of the faith. Trujillo Pleasant small town with yellow and blue houses nearby there are ruins of Moche ( 0-700) and Chimu (1000-1500) culture. For a moon pyramid, they used 140 millions of bricks, but during the Spanish diverted the nearby river to wash away the mud brick pyramid in order to find treasure. This is a good example how Europeans treated another cultures. Most of the ruins are in very bad conditions, but still they give a glimpse of the colourful past through reliefs. Four days later, when I was hitchhiking further north, such miracle same camion stopped who carried me till here. Yes, he is working seven days a week, but he wants to work in Spain for 400 Euro a month, not a bright future. Chiklayo –is the town where people always warning me ‘Be careful of pickpockets’. It is very strange if someone has to spend his life with this danger minded. It pollutes the mind of people. Strange society. During next few days, two times attempt to steal from my backpack but I have eye on my back and once there was a weak attempt to rob us. I’m just sad because of decline of moral. My host took me around because in this area we can also find many pre-Inca cultures, ruins and exciting museums. In the market, there is witch section where you can buy not only herbs for black magic but also you can find different part of crocodiles and sharks. Further north, biggest desert of Peru and Piura is the oldest colonial town in Peru. Vivid town with many street performance and music and it was relatively quiet because, for the noisy motor taxi are not allowed in the centre. At the bus station, there was a bord which said that the 50-year border war between Peru and Ecuador ended in 1999. Good news. But I think 99% of us didn’t know about it. In Inka cola, over-advertised There was on the street, volunteers were always collecting money for some projects. They have no letter boxes and no bus, the public phones are chained, security guards whistling all night. My last surprise was border, because the immigration was 2km before the border, so I had to return for the stamp then, I could walk through the busy market town into Ecuador.

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West Papua, Irian Yaja 

On the lands, of cannibals.

Papuas famous of their cannibalism, and fighting life stile. After fifteens as the missionaries arrived we know more about Baliem valley. Three balls culture, but still remote and unreachable part of the world. We flow from Jakarta, but on the airport we faced that we do not had seats, because did not confirmed our ticket which we had bought 2 days ago. It is Asia. Everything is possible, but Katrien made friendship with a boy working there so they corrected this “mistake” and other 2 people did not have place.

Arriving to Papua, many guides try to join us. She went to the capitol for a permission (arrange it for women is easier) while I was sleeping. As I woke up many black people standing around me. Accommodation is expensive, so finally we slept at a boy, who was working in the airport tower. The flights over booked so he had us to get a flight to Baliem valley. This is the only way to get to valley surrounded by 3500 m high mountains, where the famous Papua warrior people lives. After 1954 as the first missionary arrived changed the system of the nomad aborigines life, and they were infected with civilisations and with goods which they did not needed for thousands of years but now it becomes necessity which the papuas had to paid big price. It is the time of the empire of money.

Wamena is the capitol of the valley and everything come from the sky, including bricks, cement, cars, missionaries. The town was built up from the sky, that is why Indonasia most expensive place is West Papua. Knowing this we could thing everything is modern, but as a contrast my impression stepping out from the air-plain is: Quiet street, pedestrians and suddenly appear a small black necked Papua man with panis gourd, and keep his hand an arrow. I remembered the film “The gads become craze” In Wamena not too much of them, but in the mountains we can find them a lot.

Traditionally they wear in heir noise big bones, in their hair features, and in their neck are decorative shell necklace. Know these people hunting for tourists who want them to take pictures for money. After this money, they spend it for cigarettes, and cola. Luckily, it is not allowed alcohol in the valley.

In Wamena we could stay at the teachers family, in their small 2 rooms wooden house. Poor family eating empty rice, potato, or noodle. After sunset everything became quiet and dark, because their is no electricity, just for same rich people. I visited the local school. But suprisingly, the teachers and their students were dancing on the music. Teaching the english language is done with the same method, as in Asia. Repeating the teacher without the knowing the meaning. That is why on the examination after 3 years off learning they could not write down the names of the week.( mondaj tusday, yesterdey etc. ? )

After the Indonesian colonisation the Jawanishe business man, settled in the valley, to start the business so till know 1 shop in the end of the aborigines.

That is why I could not why Papuan folk music today is more popular the guitar music, which cassettes made in PNG or Europe. The Papua according to our idea are not a good businessman because still they have a strong community feeling. If they have a shop, they would give everything to their friends free, if they need, because there is an ancient rule. You are a good man have something and share it. So the leader the village has nothing “just” his words.

Arround Wamena we can used a mini bus to go not too far mountains around the valley. In the bus some naked Papua who carry his pig from the market. The pig very important in their society. You can buy land power and wife too.

The Papuas living from agriculture, potatoes and vegetables. Digging, with a stick in a group. The women sell their products on the market they come from surrounding villages walking barefoot 5-15 km and carrying vegetables and her youngest baby in the net on their head. The income they spent for candle petroleum ,salt and sugar.

We tried find the mumy, but this idols not really anymore. We walked throw the marshy area /mud/ Balancing on the stakes and woods.

The Papuas are living in a small round-shaped grass wooded hut, inside a fireplace. In the mountain, they keep for the nights his pigs inside the hut. They were singing religious songs in the hut, until the fire is finish.

But the civilisation is coming: on foot. Frequently the people carrying 2 days in the mountains on the head a piece of metal roof.

Day after they coming back to the valley with a chicken. We did a couple of days in the mountain without seeing electricity from the top there is a bird view in front of the our eye creating clouds and the rain soon comes. The most warm moments for me when we meet papuas and they seeking on hand long and saying with full of wonder and love: aiiii.

In the small villages Katrin treat the wound of children so all village come to us for a help. Asking a medicine for their pains too. Very sad, that here is no medical help at all. Sleeping in the village is very exiting for them and people looking for an occasion to have a glance into our room.

I show a journal for the children and seeing a picture of a car they say: taxi. So they can not imagine that someone has a car for himself. In the morning from the small radio tuner, we can listen sizzle of ultra short wave program. Once a week there is an dani language program. This is the connection the outside world and of course a pray of Jesus.

Sunday joined a group people visiting a church, Pentecost, protestant, and church and one of mine “strongest” warship It was a real community feeling. The man where on the right and women on the left side and sometimes they feed their baby. Some of the Papuas were necked. They were singing with a guitar, sometimes crying deeply. Instead of money this people offered potatoes for the church.

The food very simple and usually tasteless they know the only spice the salt and chilli. Usually they eat sweet potatoes and boiled vegetables. The rice and the pig only for the special occasion.

It is very difficult from the tourist role bet if we can, they embark us with such a huge love, which is unforgettable. This is a small heavenly paradise, over 3000 m. Sometimes around sunset in the opposite, hill a group of young child shouting war song and dancing in their hand with lance. I would stop the time. It is the warrior people’s peaceful moment.

In the West Side of the valley I saw as a group of the people cooking potatoes, They put the hot stones on the grass. Vegetable, potatoes, and the steam of the grass make soft the food. The nigh was clean, and the young people were singing and dreaming about freedom, in their hands guitar.

Is it good if someone more the tourist? Is it good someone ones to know more during the travel every one had to decide himself. I just share what I see and what I listened. Papuas give me a lot of trust love and they see hope in us hoping their situation will change The problem is the change they have to do, because I-am here today, months later. My duty is to carry to news about the situation and telling still here is a nation. How long:?

History.

After the II. world war the eastern part of Papua became independent, bet West Papua till 1962. was Dutch colony. After 1969. It became a colony of Indonesia after “free” elections. Here is the world 2. Biggest cooper mine, at the word biggest gold land. Owned by an Americana company, the guerrillas of free Papua movement try to fight in the mountain, jungle’s, for the independence. That is why so many military base and police post they charge a local people and treating them unfriendly. In Wamena there is a big board legalising this relation ship.

The wars.

Usually not for the territory, the more for the hierarchy to show the neighbouring villages, who is stronger? So this war was well regulated and it continued until the first death. Then every village go back for a celebration or the funeral party, killing a pigs and eating good. After one week is the revans.

An other rule is interesting: not allowed to burn someone house bet to kidnap and kill someone’s wife is legal.

The pig.

The pig is the beginning of the culture. The measure of richness and they can buy a land power and wife. If someone still it, it could be a reason for a war. If someone slept with someone’s wife, he could compensate with a pig.

Cannibalism. It existed only in the symbolic form. It was not a gastronomicall speciality, but more about to show the hierarchy of the tribes. They eat the kidnapped person symbolically just a piece. Showing he is not else jut a pig. And it was a good reason for a revans while the woman were working on the fields.

Someone lost his family member, it was a tradition to cut her fingers. It was forbidden today. But many old people have no finger. It is the families have many children.

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::malaysia

 

Malaysia English

After arriving to Malaysia I started to hitchhiking to Penang Island. It was  surprising the big change after Thailand. Everything quiet, not chaotic and peaceful. Malaysia the only Muslim country of the world, where Buddhist and Hindus can live peacefully together.   The local people say: it is because the people here are more educated then in the rest of the Muslim word. The Muslims are open-minded, but the same time they think seriously their religion. At the Internet cafe the owner going five times for praying, but I could stay in his shop while he is out. They trust to each other. The 52 % of the population are Muslim, and they use saria, the Muslim low, but it is applied only for the Muslim people. So if someone chooses the religion, the same time choose responsibility too. It is all right. Georgetown. (Penang Island)Walking on the streets I felt myself in south France where the good modernity where combined with the old architect. Most of the colonial buildings are empty, and bad condition but it gives the feeling 19th century. The streets has famous English people’s name. There is Chinese and Indian district, where they represent their culture in full colour.  The most famous building the Eastern and Oriental Hotel, whose regular guest was Somerset Maugham. So there is a joke: Whose Malaysia aborigine race? The race of hotel rent people who live in the jungle of Penang and Singapore. JIn the Indian district I feel again a feeling of India, I had nostalgia. It was a great gastronomically meeting after South East Asia and I faced again that fact: Indian kitchen is the best. I had euphoria for two days and enjoyed the richness of tastes. The music shops are I Indian film music on the streets and are colourful temples. Are sari clothes sellers. The Indian community arrived with British colonisators, but talking these peoples all said they wants to live in India in the future. Another dominant settlers population are Chinese, and they keeping their cultural unity too.  Adding this colourful multicultural mix, I heard a catholic choir with piano from the temple near to my guesthouse in the evening. We can be sure that on the streets everything written on 2-3 languishes, but the English is the main communication connection. In the feet of the 58-storey Tower Plaza they advertising language courses: Serbo-Croatian, Polish, Wells, Island, Irish, etc. But where is the Hungarian language curse?And who are the Malays? Only 20 percent of the population most of them living in the mountains. Four hundred years ago most of them were converted into Islam.After finishing my 2 weeks vipassana meditation, I went out for a walk in the city. And I found the streets busy with people demonstrating with boards. I have just realised, that they repeated the same losung, so it was the first may demonstration. There was a group anarchist, who made apply about the local social situation, and after they make discussion about that issue. Next day there was a birthday of the prophet Mohamed with a big procession around the centre. They distributed food for people and selling books and traditional clothes. 3 of May is the biggest Buddhist holiday: the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha. There was a big procession for assisting by 34 Buddhist community and temple, and colourful coaches designed with flowers were going around the town. Free food and drink everywhere. I visited the Chinese cemetery near to town. There was 2 square km’s of graves. Huge. Backwards waiting for the bus (and not hitchhiking) there was a man from Pakistan who gives me a lift back to the town. Surprisingly we met him again in the evening in the town a restaurant and he promised me a CD with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan because in the afternoon I mentioned him I like this pakistanian qavalli singer very much. So Pakistan not only consists of terrorist and fanatics.  In the town I visited a 50 year-old Australian pub, which is popular place for Australian soldiers. Yes, they have a military base on the island, which remained here from the time of Vietnam war (or earlier). The interior is posters, airplane models old Bakelite music-machine and the guestbook from 1951 year  (11 of September only one note: boom.) In another pub, an old cowboy tried to sing in Tom Waits stile, but sometimes as a rest he song local hits. In this case the local people join to him, even they played on his guitar while he were resting and drinking. Old cowboy. 3 of May were Hindu holiday and they made (what a surprise) a procession, pierced their face making them suffering so this way reduce their karma. But this day I moved to  Cameron Highland The land of real aborigines. They had frizzy hair and dark skin, and all were very shy…………………. Singapore.I hitchhiked to Johor Baru and from there, I took bus no. 170. Every day 40 000 people are going to S-pore for work and back in the evening. Strange to crossing border with a local bus in Asia. It is Ok for Europe but in Asia? Yes true this two country are not really Asia.  In the city-centre we met my nice friends, who I met in Laos. We stayed at his lovely Chinese family who are originally from Malaysia. The first day his parents asked us to choose a number for lottery. Virgin hand makes luck - so they won.  All night the mother was singing in front of the TV with her sisters.We were shown around the city with love. Compare to Asia, Singapore is a well-organised and too much regulated country. Everywhere cameras and local people watching us and warn to keep the order. Drinking on subway 500$ penalty. But if I have gas balloon is 50.000 $.  But I saw the local crossing on the red light spit on the street, the toilets not always clean, even if there is a sign saying: piss in the pisoare.The buses are like in London, double-decker, inside advertisement and TV for those who are not busy with their mobile or notebook. There is no traffic jams, buses goes frequently according to timetable and the system is clear and understandable. There are many green areas and the building shows the 80s economical boom. There is not anymore that we can by cheep electrical product. You should go for it to China. In the supermarket found some Hungarian wines.There are not so many skyscrapers as I accepted from the past. The city is not crowded just in the little India during weekend time when all Tamil people going out. There is a flee-market, which is a big contrast to the well-organised city. Old cassettes and players and used things. Yes, the flee-market shows what is behinds wall.They have well organised blockhouse lot of parks and sport complex, and culture houses. However what the Muslim women are doing with their scurf on their head during sport?Esplanade is one of my favourite building is remembers me the fruit duriam. Here is a concert hall and they just start the festival including the Hungarian festival orchestra too.  Sentosa Island is the amusing Island which is busy in the weekends and you can spend an exciting day seeing a birds show, dolphin show, big aquarium, volcano, artist village and big park with lot of green  

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::Cambodia

CAMBODIA 

At the Cambodian side of the border we had to declare whether we have sars virus or not. I wanted to inform them, today’s menu is the chicken flue. But day stills have had thousands of forms to fill in, and of course ask many for it. After the border only dirthroad , and motorbike taxis , but finally I got to the nearest town hitchhiking.

Arriving to Phon Pehn is wide roads and traffic jam , and left drive cars as well, but the strangest thing there is no public transport only motorbike taxis on every bike are three for people sitting. The markets are busy, because these people like so much there their bike, that they do not get off .Streets usually dos not have names just numbers as New York. (Russian and Czechoslovak, Mao Ce Tung and De Gaulle avenue).

Around the lake area are cheep hotels, travel agencies, billiard board, hammock, TV and sunset. Poor people around us but at the small child birthday the people were singing the English Happy birthday to you. Of course, they does not speak English, activity knowledge, failed.

Very strange the prices given in dollar, but of course we can paid in real or in “thai buth” , in the air conditioned supermarket goods, few, but expensive. In front of the public buildings and bridges standing soldiers and anyway the like uniform everywhere as in the parks, etc. We can read about robberies, but we can be sure that we will get back our bankcards, because this country is not any ATM machine. They have train station, but every second day one train so sellers sit on the rail trail.

In all restaurants in TV are always chines carate films, and I can make bet that within three minutes we will see one punch.

Waiting for my Thai visa, I heard that the local people destroyed it a few months ago.

Cambodia is poor, but the ministry decided to disappear the Thai stile sculptures to protect the Khmer tradition, because, „our new generation will have crisis”, because they worshipping Thai stile statues they were shipping the Tai king as well.

In the city not too much to see, but there is museum S 21 is necessary to visit. It reflects nearby past Pol Pot in this prison tortured and killed more then 17 thousand people.

It was enough to get into the prison if someone was a teacher, student, or women or just have had the glasses or someone could read. The system based on the Principe: it is better kill you by mistake, than to keep you mistake. Every fifth man were killed in Cambodia (1-3 million people) by sword because bullet were more expensive, than human life. Those who were not killed, they sent them forced labour, to villages saying: factory makes people lasy. So these genocide museum dos not offer to much to see, but makes you thinking. Why Pol Pot could live freely, till his 2002. Death. It is difficult understand clearly the history of last 40 years of Cambodia, and till today the people in power does not want to investigate the past and make clear the truth. It remembers me the Mafia: everyone involved in. Still many spies and speaking honestly about politic with local people possible only face to face Still many place in the prison.

After the Vietnams army come in Pol Pot had started guerrilla war in the jungle. In this war, they used millions of mines. The poor people collected the mines and sold to Thailand, and they sold back to Pol Pot. The brother number 1 paid it with gold and gems. Brother number 1 owned the mines around the border. So the war lasted more then 20 years. The Vietnams supported government and army was not affective against guerrilla’s , they were corrupt and confiscated guns from the local people, from those who were the only effective against Pol Pot.

Boat tour on the Mecong

I get in this way to a remote area bull, pulled, coach dust, no electricity but nice people and weddings. The local transport is the motorbike, pulled coach, with dozens people.

 

Sihanouk ville old colonial holiday centre, around the beach, with a port, but not too much life it big roads, squares, statues, but not people on the coast.

Kampot: Beautiful colonial buildings with the colourful paris. This is a feeling and not describes able. Being an international woman day, we saw a fight in their Olympic stadium, which is nothing else, then a small territory around block of flats. The thai box is only events. The fighters doing rituals and after they starts to kick ing each other, like a street fighters. Finishing with KO.

In this area are many caves, inside fresco which were destroyed by Pol Pot, because they can not bear the religious interior. In Cambodia were parished all temples and religious site, except Anchor.

Kep- a small fishing village, the second Chernobyl.

Ghost town, but instead the Pol Pot who destroyed everything the result the same, Death city. The infrastructures are there, but without life, we can see the seletons of buildings, which were destroyed, by Pol Pot too. They collected the metals from it.

I was biking around s and the main attraction was when we put my motorbike into the instable small boat Roving trough the river, by boat women. There were a chine colony, living from their farms. It was a harvest time from fruits, so they packed me a lot, as a gift. I visited many weddings and I saw many children collect the cans. I was surprised.

Biking around we saw their pepper farm, and far away the beaten truck are small children were afraid of us, but the bigger one try to encourage each other, who will shake our hands. There were very shy, but if they go over it, they were very happy to see us.

The gastronomy of Cambodia is poor for vegetarians, bet the soup taste similar as the Hungarian foods. The insect not usual, but I think is Pol Pot. It is the gastronomically affect of Pol Pot , because during famine or prison time people had nothing to eat.

Siem Reap

Is my next destination, which is better known as ANGKOR. If you by a bus ticket you get a free massage ticket. On the bus ride, we listened Khmer version of voice of America. Siem Reap is more expensive town then another Cambodian places. Many local sellers the archaeological site laid on 25 km square, so I discovered by bicycle. Most of them was built in the 10-13 century. It was the old capital of Khmer Empire. I met nice monks, who are very honest. After a long talk, he looked into my eyes and asked: can I be your friend? I was touched emotionally. Another time a little girl asked me: why you are so white? (bet I was brownest in my life now.) An other little boy were walking the lot with me keeping my hand, I shaw him journal and he had a very activ reaction to the pictures. In every white persons photo was I – for him. But the most interesting association about the policeman for this 3-4 year old boy is the handcuff.

The site is fascinating which is attack day by day thousands of tourist.

According to statistics, monthly average salary is 20 $, but of course every one earn more money. (Security quard 120 $) but 70 $ enough to live. So the poverty is relative, almost every one has motorbike. VCD and HIFI epquiment , but sure have TV. So every local restaurant I can see a classical aged a Chinese soap opera. In this movies are emotional storms and the people always gesticulate the act. It is Asia. In the restaurant the security quard and he is going to married soon bet before his to collect 1000 $ for the girls parents, and the other 1000 for a party. Every night there is a folk music, a dance performances and weekly free Bach concert by a swiss doctor who introduced the health situation in Cambodia with music. They opened the hospital, and collected money and blood Indonesian donation from the foreigners. The no 1 public enemy is the TBC. This is because Vietnam war. The USA bombed eastern part of Cambodia killing 250 000 peoples. This area was the base later for Khmer rouge. Become in power they transported people into the contration lagers , it was a bad for TBC. As they killed most of the doctors (From 9 hundred, 53 survived the side effect of Pol Pot) It was very popular solution to feed them by crocodiles, or the more perverse variation, when their child had to killed his parents.

Land mine museum.

1990-95 more then 10 million mine were spread till now 45000 dead and till now every month 100 new victim. And 97 % is civil. Only 18 % die, because of mines and 23 % amputated. Till now 52 country still have land mines. I could learn how to fined and make safe or exploit it. It is very easy. So many victims? The people are poor and they collect the TNT and they selled it. It is the only profit for them from the war. There many story about the war, the best to visit this place.

Leaving the country at the border many casino and hotels, bat the Thai officials warned people:: if someone going to gambling to Cambodia they can not guarantee, that he not be killed. This kind of risk factors are including the people visiting Cambodia.

 

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::Laos

LAOS  -Xmas thoughts by crossing border to Laos  (reloaded 2005)  I had to leave Thailand after two months because my visa expired. I couldn’t go to Burma by land and returning to get a new Thai visa, because Thailand wouldn‘t let me back through that border as I’m being Hungarian citizen I cant get visa on arrival here. In Burma it is not allowed to stay, just a day.  So if I exit Thailand I cant return and the same way/day. I can’t stay in Burma legally too. It would be interesting to sleep on the border bridge in noman’s land, then settle down, make a new state and collect money for crossing my territory, as Burma and some other countries do with the tourists. So lets go to Laos. Nearing to the Laos border in East Thailand the poverty is more visible, nobody speaks English and body language doesn't work here. Is it the real face of Thailand; or the modern Bangkok? At the border I had to pay a penalty because I overstayed my visa (but according the stamp not), but there was not too much option for me because if I retune to any city to any immigration office I will waste more time and money anyway.But this was an occasion what made me think about the subject (theme) of: relationship between the state and the citizen. How the ‘social contract’ (using terminology of Rousseau) become one-sided, how we (citizens) lost control over the state? It is my permanent doubt, how can I be a part of (any) system and if not, why not? Hegel said in his law-philosophy: people get relationship to each other, but the real truth and ethic they get only through the state which validates their (our) contract. Hmm, it arranges the relationship between the people but doesn‘t speak too much about my relationship with the state. And I speak not just about the fact that I cannot choose: whether state integrate to (or to be interned) me? I was burn into a system of stable rules (into existing system) where I have to keep the rules. But what about the other side? Why the police, tax office, politicians etc.  Why are they not keeping the contract the same rules? I feel myself not in the correct situation. What can I do? Against the system I can't do anything in a direct way. So instinctively I made ‘passive resistance’ with an illegal job, not asking for the bill etc., and being loyal to the people who feel like me. (Who’s reflex works on the same way.) So then I was faced with the question: do I want to be part of this system? Or a more exciting question: May I be not part of the system?? In other dimension: May I wish for non-polluted air, respected environment??This is a question for the families too/also who want educate their children at home, but the state (low) force them to bring their children to the public school. (It happened recently in Hungary, even the parents were teachers and the Judge checked the parent’s ability. Law is law.)   Am I a member of the society? Am I Hungarian? Can I use these labels? The unity of organic societies (nation, tribe, family) traditionally given through the land and religion. (Blood and Earth. There was initiations for the young members) But nowadays the people get relationship through mechanical process as society, market, and state. Am I Hungarian? If I think in the "culture nation" where we have common and deep mental - spiritual tradition: my answer would be yes without any doubt. But if I think of "state  nation" where the community is founded by the constitution (which relationship I think is only one sided) , my answer: I'm not sure because of the atrocities that I suffered in my the past.(with all beaurocratic system)  The Hungarians are a strange nation. There is a joke about us, when Lucifer guarded  nations in hell he didn’t have to look after Hungarians when they wanted to escape because they pulled each others down in the bottom of hell. Or another saying: If there are two Hungarians they never have the same opinion. Or: if your neighbor’s cow died they wish yours will die too! (You can be sure yours will die soon.)  During our history there was just fighting against each other and our nation suffered much more than others. So after all, it is a miracle how we react when we are hearing our national anthem - we are full of emotions together. Maybe not a miracle just a genetic law, as we lost our archaic models, and get out from the primary community (tribe, village), we becoming individuals. But we need the feeling of the community, so we want to step into the relationship (being a good citizen) even though we know it is not balanced relation (the state and me), just one sided contract. Usually we become a part of the system because we don‘t want (not strong enough) to change it. The state doesn’t want strong people!! (Look at our lifestyle, education system tending towards to, etc. The state need people who don’t questioned the system which suit them to keep their influence (economical, religious etc). So these people silently will suffer this system. (Good citizens) If we want to re-arrange the relationship, the contract – we will be the bad people, be punished, evacuated, killed, expelled etc. Theoretically democracy let us have a chance to renew this contract but "though we are a lot, but it is too few" and we don ‘t gain/find contact with each other (and many times even we can't find ourselves J because we are weak). So how can we put a new stamp on the contract? Can we put a new stamp on the contract (Were the Old and New Testament this kind of contract where the changes became officiousness?) All modern culture-nations tended to be state-nations, finding a state possibility (frame) for that culture. But it takes time (eg. Switzerland) and needs a common political culture and constitution which pays attention to regional interests. In this way different cultures finding a new "language" as for example: the good standard of living. This year Hungary join the European community. This community doesn’t hurt our Hungarian identity. So the question: to be Hungarian or not to be it just depend on us (me), on our feeling.. But to create a culture-nation is different: it is not possible create with ideology (eg. Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Sovietunion) making (creating) a common past without common language and culture.  The research of communist ideas failed on that countries.  The "war-front friendship" in WW1 was a good example about separation of the official ideology and the private (people’s) feeling. In the "official hours" they shot each other and in the evening they played cards together. Of course if there is had been brainwashing before, it would have not happened this front friendship. And the states know it. The modern military training is about it. The media brainwashing before the modern wars is necessary to avoid  this kind of self consciousness.   To be a part of the state or not? How much do I have to give up of my freedom (free thinking)? May I equalize the nation and the state? Where is the limit? Where should I let them in (politically and ideologically) and where I need free decisions? And who is standing under the power of whom? Who writes the contract? And who will renew it? May I be an  independent part of the system? Unfortunately not. Maybe yes,- I thought - if  I’m not at home.  But unfortunately not, as I realized at the immigration office.  Stepping on the land of Laos and I found the bureaucracy centre (immigration office) and they ask me money for the stamp (I had visa already). This is the relation between the system and us!! So I paid the entrance fee and this way I signed the "contract". This is a relationship between the states and their citizens.  So let’s go back to the present continuos tense. Many trucks were waiting at the border which will closes at 6pm inspite of the big traffic. The fees for the custom control are signposted. Drivers paying, but the office is close soon. The drivers, I think, are not too happy wait one more day because the government don’t put more officers or let the border open longer. So the drivers can experience the one sided contract too. And where is the person’s decision? Not too much option. One of my two selves told me: Gabor stay at home and you don ‘t need to be in this situation. But my other self said: if you stay at home even it is even worse because there is the same problem but permanently.So I entered Laos and sat in the pick ups back with another 25 fellows and in these few square meter still waiting for some more!! Yes they are very economic and anyway there is no traffic on the roads just every 5-10 minutes one truck or pick up full of passengers and goods passes.  Pakse - The hotel is dirty and expensive because there is no competition. I arrived  to communism. In the hotel on the board a rule attract my attention: gambling and political meetings are prohibited. In some hotels it is even warnings: bringing gun and explosive materials is forbidden. I must use left (communist) thinking and driving. This system kills the human will to work or to do anything. Making will-less citizens. Even though in their communist flag were the hammer and sickle, but it doesn’t make them to work more then necessary. Life stopped in 1975 (the date of the revolution). The houses are in bad condition and were repaired by the French colonist last time. Being a French colony only gastronomically thing left, is the baguette. Pakse as a small town has two bus stations 15 km from each other and no public bus! So if you want to go to north you have to take the shared taxi which is expensive compared to my previous 50-km travel to the city. (Interesting to observe why in Thailand cheaper the transport if they giving more comfort and there is less people and the petrol more expensive? What makes this communist country ineffective? There was a small bridge where they employed one policeman to push the button controlling the traffic light. The official inflation is 1% and bank interest is 6 %. The best business. So why don’t people invest in capital in this country?? Maybe they know how the communist statistic works? Their money is called "kip" and on every note there is the same face looking at us.  Cult, but not culture. Very sad if one nation doesn’t have any other national hero or poem expect the president (and sad if the famous people were discriminated against, expelled and denied possibilities.) Laos's population is 6 million (I think more) and having territory the same size as Britain. The country is rich in natural resources but the people are poor. I think the difference is ending up in someone's pocket (leaders, opportunist loyalist). Average official salary is 20$ but of course everyone can earn black money. This is the socialism. A few years ago the government started to allow the private enterprise. New economical wind. The temples are in bad condition but the monks are nice. One of them asked me to teach the English tenses to him. I tried and afterwards he showed me the secret part of the temple. It seems the English tenses are the magic words for "open sesame". The long distance buses are full even on the top, looking like the bottom of a big camel and inside also packed with chickens. The village people come to buy food into the city. Such a paradox!! And of course Thai music on the bus. Very strong cultural pressure from Thailand. The Chinese influence is more economic and to expand they offered to build a road for Laos to the Thai border giving the free flow of Chinese products to confront the Thai economy. .  The 4000 islands  in the Mekong River is remote and quiet part of south Laos. Many island still have no electricity but have TV. They use accumulators to get power transporting from the main land. I spent my New Year eve here meeting a man who studied in Soviet-union so we could speak in Russian! He was really happy to talk Russian again and remember his youth. On this island we can find the only railway in Laos! Yes, built by French to supply the colony. Here the Mekong drop and has beautiful waterfalls around this area and the biggest in South East Asia. But I arrived too early so I watched as they were emptying the garbage bin into the water. This is the island where you can meet dolphins but not too many of them because of fishing with grenades in Cambodian side killed and expelled them. Here we can see the house of the president and easy to find it because the asphalt road lead only to his house. Rest of the island is dirt road. Yes, in the communist system everybody is equal. (But some of them more equal – as Orwell wrote in the animal farm. Silent place but the tourism arrived. It was difficult to find local restaurant!On the field near to the village a group of children had caught a snake and they brought it around the village as proudly as a winners cup. Singing and colourful birds, and time for rice planting so the peasant used water buffalo to cultivate soil. Some people use water pipe made from bamboo to smoke. The young monks were begging me for cigarettes and always asking me whether was I married. I cycled around and was invited to a wedding again. I was the most welcome person and I got as many good wishes as the young couple. And then, to loud music everybody including the grandmother was dancing. And drinking. Surprisingly the women were drinking as well the young people. Here I met another man who studied in Baku, Sovietunion, so I could communicate with someone in Russian. I got lift with Thai ex-students to CHAMPASAK to the temples which are part of the world heritage. Strange combination: Hindu trimurty statues in Buddhist dress. Special but eclectic. On the road side I found a Buddha statue and the tree growing around him. I liked very much. BOLAVEN PLATEAU  here grow the most expensive coffee in the world. The nature gave me a surprise here. A 60-meter high waterfall jumped out from the jungle. It was not mentioned in the guidebooks nor even anyone in the village. Quiet and green so I loved this place. In this area there were many small tribal villages with just a path leading there, where the naked children were hunting for fish with arrows. One man was hammering a piece of warmed metal to make a knife. Young 5-6 year old children were pounding/smash the rice in a wooden pot. Chickens, pigs, dogs around you as usual. The structure of the village was interesting: in the middle there was a ghost house where they make a ceremonies and sacrifice cows and around in the circle was he village itself. In the village I asked for water but the people just showed me the river. Real life. Leaving the plateau I wanted to make a shortcut to North Laos but local people told me there was no road. I didn‘t believed them (as usual) so I went. There was a road of course, so I hitchhiked. Behind the car was a huge dust cloud because there is just a dirt road. It is 100 % sure that here is no foreigner. I stopped at a village and immediately I was the guest of two marriages. I started to think about this country: is here always marriages? SAVANNAKHET  an old city on the bank of the Mekong river with many restaurant but they are empty as a Balaton lake in Hungary in the low season. Sad. There are some shops selling everything which you need for a romantic walk at the full moon evening: lock, tuner, torch, equipments to repair your bicycle etc. The atmosphere is a little bit like as a south Catalonian village. Wonderful buildings in bad conditions saying to you: we had better times 100 years ago during the French rule. But for contrast there is a huge and new Catholic Church in its garden folk are playing football. Another popular game is the French Pétanque. The poverty of the city is not problem just a felt disharmony with the present. I felt the aroma (the brilliant past) of this city which had gone. Kind of a ghost town. The poor villages are OK, there never was any difference and everyone socialized in that environment. But here was a declination. Vientiane –the capitol city Gabor Csonka the Hungarian vandorboy

 

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::thailand

 

Hello, It is diificult me to write in English about my last three months travell, but I try it 'briefly'.

 If it too much just delete... Of course I cannot share all of my experiencies and beauties what I passed through, but maybe a bit taste I will give you about Asia and me.

THAILAND - is the most common destination point for travellers, so for me too. It is a well leaded country with more and more europian lifestiles. In the "city" many skyscreepers, banks etc. but at the feet of this are the poor district where I was invited by the locals for beer and gitar music.. Thailand is one of the biggest gem exporter although they dont have mines for it. But Burma has and smuggled gems going through thailand and makes them rich enough and the same time trough this business they support the dictatur in Burma. (I wanted to go there, but by land at the moment not possible, but i will try it later.) Bangkok modern and noisy city where you can get anything you didnt have (hammock, backpack HIV.. : ). The streats are clean enough and you cannot see that much beggars and homeless people. Funny when I ask the locals about the streats they refuse the ansver saying their eyes not good enough to read. (But I think becouse they illetarete..) I have seen the cock fight on the market, but better to see that than the human fight on the street. But the thai people are very patient each other even after the accident the motorbikes.

 In Bangkok worth to use the water traffic avoiding the turmoil of the city traffic jams wich starts from 6 in the morning. There is many level of the roads, and strange to see below us the motorway. But the noise is permanent. I liked the idea of motorcycle taxis, becouse it doesnt make traffic jams as the cars. I eat lot of watermelone but I was surprised once when they brought cup of water after I ate it. You can find here many militay camp inside the sity, and shops for selling the portrait (photo) with the king.

Temples - are very rich, and surprisingly the monk are staying just for a short time in the temle (usualy 1-3 years) after study or for study. Most of them know few about buddism, and the practise for them more about worshipping then itself the maditation. However the buddism is more selfrealisation, self discovering and lifestile then just to obey order. The monks are living there life as before just following some rules as in the army we had to, but here with ahimsa, with no hurting others. Also interesting: they eat meat. Traditional answer is: if someone begging shouldnt refuse what he got. But novadays the morning begging is just "tradition" and not really for food. They have there own kitchen to eat. urprisingly in Thailand not so common to be vegetarian as I thought about this Asian country. There is interesting tradition(?) to by bird, fish, or turtle and liberate them collecting good karma. (But if someone knows that some people makes this animals captured becouse he buys he collect in this way bad karma as harming other living beings. 22th trap) We can see cola offerings in the temles even the alcohol too. Monks saying the word mind, they show to theire heart. Interesting.

Ayutthaya

If someone wants to get out from the hot-smoky BKK, best place to go to Ayuthaya, the (one of the) excapital of THailand. By bycicle pedal around this quiet town and enjoying the world heritage sites is the best thing to do, if you ara not fun for share the beach with the crowd.) I loved this places and there was a buddhist festival with theatre, music and good food. But it was the place where I met the symbols of modern world in one short street: McDonalds, Pizza hut, KFC. Chiang Mai After I headed to north but the bus not that time and not like as a wanted. The aircondition are so cold, everybody were freezing but the driver didnot switch off. Brrr. The motorway is different than in europe. The condition is good, but sometimes roadcrossings, sometimes motorbikes comes opposit us..

Chiang Mai

The bus arrived in Chiang Mai at 5 am. I was cold but one thai girl offered me to warm up… but I refused. Chiang Mai the best place to be and make short tracks around in the mountains. I visited some tribel etnic villages (I saw handy mill) and go down from 1500meter by foot. I knew I faced with a crazy boy (me) but the town looked so near. (the people who climbed with me knows if I say "lets pass through this small passage, just 12 minutes" they know after 90 minutes still we climbig up and we dont know where is the end of the mountain..) But the path after the time is finished and the sun was set. The town were "near" but passing trough the jungle is not so easy. So not easy! Fight with the nature, slips, scratces, and mosqitos.After I arrived to a farm, and the old man were looking at me as an UFO, not understanding how I get there. I did 2 days tour by bike in the mountain visiting tribes. They respected that I pedaled up to 1400 meter a.s.l. and invited me to sleep there. Of course language nobody spoke but I tried to communikate by my aktivity knowledge. They did there everyday rituals and football..The tribal people like the beer, and the Heineccen was the winner.. I saw the news in the TV. The usual: smiling ministers, flood, accidents. But the intro was interesting: thai solders marcing in 60s, some cut about the king family. Yes thailand is kingdome. November full moon – big festival in Chiang Mai for saying thanks to the rivers by making small leaf boats with flower and candles, than let them float down the rivwer. The same time there is big fireworks and process showing there culture including dress and music.

 North west Thailand Pai is relaxing place to be. Around hot springs, waterfalls, Jungles, Caves. Visiting Tham Lot cave: huge too, and we could go through by boat.In the evening time there is 300.000 bat and swallow flow into the cave making the sky dark. Beeing under the birds I felt there shit as a rain. I “discovered” of south east asia biggest cave. The locals told me to go in the Jungle following the river 2 hours than turn to left and wlk another 1hour. I did, but the path finished after the time. But seeing the 25 meter wide river I was looking for bridge. But of course there is not. And the path continued on the other side of the river. So I had to cross the river than following my way. And I did it 10 more times to find the path on the left. After a time I had to climb, and suddenly the miracle became visible. As in the film of Tarzan stepping out from the jungle and seeing the huge 50m cave entrance. Hju. It is! Yes it is not turistic. Nobody there, maybe once a months one crasy men going here.. Once a monk dissapierd here.

Near to Soppong I hitchhiked a women who went for the funeral and she invited me to be with them because she saw I m interested in the tribel habits. So the next day I was there and many people from the village. But they were gambling, drinking as in europe in the pubs saying: it helps to the family to forget their sadness. Then they were eating and preparing the body for burning. I met the thai girl who studid antropology too, but she were invited for the funerals first time although she is there more than 3 years. It is my luck. There were buddist monks toopraying for the dead man. There is a fish cave to way Mae hong son, I slept there many times, but not because of the cave and fishes, but I met there a nice night guard, and he let me to sleep in the park next to the jungle. He is 47 year old, but he had to studed english. Surprisingly he had a book witch tought him for the sentences wich refered for the fish cave. But it doesn't helped for him, because he had basic problems with pronouncing letters v, s, z, so first of all I felt myself as a logoped. So finally I recorded him his book on the tape (imagine with my hung-lish). But even better than nothing.He was so appreciative, thankfull and happy..

 It is the moments what means me a lot. Next day I did excursion and when I returned he was jumping in his happiness. Even in the restaurant they treated me as a member of their family. 60 km from this place I spent a day with Karen tribe people, called them long necked girl because the women wear metall ring in their neck (6kg.) making their neck looks long. Very special tribe. They originally from Babilon, but left 3500 years ago landig in Burma. But the (drog) war maked them to leave the country and staying as refuges in Thailand. Only three villages and 300 people left. But they are very intelligent even if they did not finish any school people speaking 4 language. They had good humour, and invited me in their house playing guitar, chuving betel, and from there I could see tourist as walking through keeping in their hand cola, taking pictures and leaving soon. It was a strange situation where I, as a visitor (of the zoo) stand the side of animals and looking the visitors as an animals from inside the cage. And we were laughing a lot. (I took great pictures.. what I took as an animal who has problem with his identity). Next this village a big refuge camp for 18.000 people but not allowed to go in. All this border aria with Burma cheked by military, roads are blocked. I was lucky because I hitchiked again the proper person to speak. The man was human rights official and English teacher at the same time so he could talk about the "secrets" what is behind the level crossing. It was nice to met a man who thinking about the life the same way as I do. Good moments. Another tribe put ring in their earlobe making their ear huge. In this area not rare crossing the river not by bridge but by road what is in the river.

 

Gabor Csonka the hungarian vandorboy

from Vietnam, Hue

 

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::vipassana meditation

About my VIPASSANA meditation

There was one of my aims, to go to Asia, doing 10 days vipassana meditation again. It is Thai style and differs from Burmese in the sense that they add walking meditation. We have to do it very slowly and in detail to give time to observe every moment of the steps. There are many regulations, we woke up at 4.30, were not allowed to speak at all, to eat after 12 o’clock, and gradually we had to meditate at least 13-18 hours a day.

I was there to learn Buddhism and awareness. On the way to our goal we first meet the suffering in the form of pain in our backs and knees. But we have to treat it with patience so as not to accumulate anger inside us, which could cause (mental) suffering too. So suffering at the same time teaches us too. The coin has two sides, if we do our duty well we can win our suffering.

The same in our everyday life too, the difficulties teach us a lot, and the people who have never really suffered can’t know this. ( life always gives chance to suffer) And Buddha started his teaching from this common experience (suffering), finding a base what is known by everyone. (During meditation we can also feel the (physical) pain in our back and knee. Later we can experience our impatience against the pain which makes us suffer more.) Yes, we practise the acceptance of reality, then it is easier to keep our mind controlled. The teachers say: suffering is necessary as we go on our way. The same in life: if someone was starving than he would learn to appreciate the richness of the few things he had and could accept more easily the fact that if he didn’t have anything.

 I think my life did not lack of experience, and much more happened during my 32 years than for another during their 70 years. And I gained teachings, even from the people whom I met once. (Maybe one of you are?). The situations teaches us; or a good teacher just gently pushes you in the way of self- understanding. Showing you a mirror. And anyway you will eventually meet the proper situations, with the proper people. (If you understand yourself easier it is easier to understand others. Many people ask me: do you feel alone during your travel? My answer  is: "you never alone if you formed a friendship with yourself". Then it is easier to understand others (be with them). If there is peace inside, there will be peace around you, even at so trivial level that you don’t go into noisy pubs.

And Buddha recognised it and suggested to us to follow some regulation. Very useful even if it seems useless at first glance.. ( I’got possibilities to experience life, if not from my will I was forced by life in a painful way. (Such a big difference!) Yes, most of you know almost nothing about me, you just met a result of these 32 years of my experiences combined with my personality. It is me. Is it good or bad? You can decide. I’am who I’am.

But would be good if the words, the thoughts and the acts were in unity, were in harmony. I’ll work on it. If someone is in a situation which is outside his comfort zone (illusory world), his worldview doesn’t work anymore. This shock could be helpful on our way, but this is the point for lot of people when their nervous systems give up... or they will have just hurt which they cannot easily treat themselves. (Most of the time it was already happened in our childhood.). If nobody was with us who was prepared to help, to lead us, treat us (understanding parents, or teacher) we would have some complexes. Later as an adult we can find a teacher or teachings. (And if it is the right time, I’m sure both; the teaching and the teacher will appear) But: can we use them, can they see me?? The good teacher can see immediately where we are, where we need help, and how we can accept it. (This is for example, a way of Buddha’s teaching. Read his stories and sayings.)

 So, if we experience the suffering, we can observe that it is going to disappear. It is a second important teaching of Buddha: impermanency. Even the happiness is disappearing (why doesn’t exist present continuous form of the word "happy"? For suffer is exist: suffering!)

Buddha chose the middle way, and followed in his practise and his daily life. Part of these regulations we have to follow during our retreat. The meditation is also about it: the observation of breathing, pointing our present moment. The present is on the narrow line between the past and the future. And we can observe the present through our feelings, sensations etc. So, doing breathing exercise or walking meditation, is about the present. We try to keep our mind in the present. Not easy. Even more difficult than to treat our physical pain or our impatience (desire, anger, doubt). But it is the next step and doesn’t differ from the previous one.

 The aim of meditation is: to understand the suffering, the impermanence and non existence of Ego (self). Everything that exist (born) is impermanent (given to decline), so it is a subject of suffering because of our desires, or we think we have something (time, life etc) - but we don’t). And we think we are - but we are not. (Not at all, from the view of eternity.) The only moment which exist is the present moment. Here and now.

To avoid these traps (suffering) Buddha advised us to purify the mind (attitude), understand the natural realities, the law of life, and encourage us to attain Nirvana. But we should understand: Nirvana is not a place, but a state of mind! How we look, understand, respond etc. And this you can attain right now and here!! In the present moment. It is the vipassana meditation. Meditation not only during the retreat but in everyday life, how we eat, talk, doing something, how we think, how we react. This is we are at that moment.

And during the centuries this flexible and living teaching became a stiff religion, something that Buddha wanted to avoid. Buddha wanted us to get out from our patterns which determine our reactions, and make us not to be in the present and to be far away from the reality. And these takes us to suffering. The religious attitude takes away the happy moments of discovering something. The prepareted world is safe world (See the tourist groups. But I understand them, because to move on the Way needs effort. But most of the people are satisfied with it. But what a big difference to be travel or just reading about it! (As in the TAO Te Ching 1 verse.) I always have to return to Tao, because the teachings are so simple, the truth so simple. But the Pharisees (the religious men) coming and trying to explain how to understand (as I do it now :o) ) making life complicated, and making others suffer instead of living the truth, living the life.

  VIPASSANA 2  Is there anyone can use the experiences that I share? Did I do anything useful for the world by writing, sharing pictures, and sharing myself? Is my life in coincidence with teachings? You should decide. I will not write too much about the people and the technique, because that is your experience, I can write just as I see the meditation, and what questions were around me. Can I share any of my experiences? Can the film director or the art painter show with his camera, brush and through color what is in his mind (or behind)? Or can the compositor (writer) find the proper musical instrument (words) which could translate his ideas? Our visions are more detailed than we could express. And let's see from the side of the acceptor: is there that affect that the painter (compositor, writer) wanted to express through his picture, melody or poem? What is the effectiveness of the teachings? Did they achieve their aim? So there must be a kind of coincidence as in the radio tuner. If the receiver and the broadcaster are on the same wavelength you could enjoy the program. The Upanishads (sometimes translated as: secret teaching) are the same. There is nothing hidden, the knowledge is in front of you and if you are ready to accept it you will understand. I told, when you are ready, the teaching will come.The same with Nirvana: it is just here, but we have to make effort to see. When Buddha sat down and was enlightened he started to talk about it. Nobody understood him (the same with some contemporary writers, painters, and composers). After that he tried to speak about the Way (the path) on which he had gone before. Just a few people understood him. So he had to go even further more back. Back to our basic experience: to suffering. It is the reason why he focused his teaching on suffering. That is obvious for everyone (pain in our back and knee for example during meditation) and it could be a proper point for intending to combat against it (if someone wants). Of course during the ages the teachings changed into religions, which are not that personal and flexible, not so living anymore. And on the altar of popularity (and the money, politics) they sacrifice the teachings, the Way, the Tao. As many religions did.So nowadays, the chance for realization is minimizing in this way, but luckily there are always some people on the same wave. Buddha’s teaching breaks our rigidity (our stable points: soul, reincarnation, ceremony, permanency) on which before our life was built. Jesus told the same: share your belongings and follow me. Buddha just said: don’t bring anything with you. Put away your burden, they just make your way more difficult. The truth, the way, the answers you will find yourself (in yourself). Jesus teaches us: you are the temple. The Buddha says: nirvana is here (and now). But we still bring too many luggage (faith, patterns, thoughts etc.) with us and make our life complicated, miserable. And we still follow many illusions (if I were a rich men, if I  have more time, if, if.. etc. ) Never in the present. In this way  Nirvana is always somewhere else, and that state of mind is not real for us. But if we practice it could be. For me the Vipassana meditation showed that: it is possible to attain that state of mind. We can taste a bit of that state of mind during meditation. Of course we never have time to practice but as for I try to think globally and act locally. The real practice begins after the practice. So I try to make order around my house (it is Theravada) and maybe show an example about the different life. Non-self and Impermanency is another important teaching of Buddha. There is nothing without another (moment). Like the spider’s web: if somewhere anything happened that influences you (read short story of Ray Bradbury). If you get a slap you start to think why was it deserved, whether was it correct etc..? It was a resonance of someone's spider web. And not so as to regenerate this unbalanced act we have to cut our imaginations, prejudices (the past and future). The slap is nothing else but a sudden audible bite, nothing else just: I think you think that I think.. It makes life complex and difficult. The present moment is simple, and easy (as a Taoist way). When Buddha was asked about reincarnation he answered with a question (he never answered because if he did he would have been "crucified"..) He lighted fire from his candle on another candle, asking is it the same flame or not? (I told this story because my candle just passed away to Nirvana. :o) Nirvana = extinction) So our life, our mind is the same as the candle: while we give fuel (desires, thoughts, and anger) while we full with imaginings, desires, we can't be quiet, and at peace. To empty our mind (of the patterns or imaginings) can lead us to Nirvana. When we let the remaining fuel burn we won’t make new waves by a slap so not giving fresh fuel, that means trying to get out from samsara. But to be successful we have to practice and obey some basic rules. It helps us in our way, but religions gave reductions, satisfying the peoples desires in this way, leaving them unbalanced. And so the desires are contrary (against) the Way. As our teacher said: what is good for people is no good for practice (and he smiled). So if I turn my button on my "receiver" maybe the teaching will get to me. I will try to find it. The teachings are more than matter or physical substance. I like to cite the example of Plato about knowledge. If you have an apple and you give it to someone he will have it and you will not. If you have knowledge and you share it; both of us will have this knowledge. So knowledge is for sharing. Nobody should stay ‘hungry’ because of lack of knowledge. Like Jesus show us with the fishes from his basket. Everyone can eat who want to. So, everyone can know (to see, to realize his own life) if he want. So simple. If you knocking on the door, the door will opened for you - citing again from the Bible. Just you have to make effort. There was on the board of the teacher’s room: if you want to know who you were in your previous life look at who you are now. The spider web again. But it is not necessary to think about previous lives. Enough to see our previous moments, because they tends in one direction. So we can read who you were. That huge selection of experiences which is you, lets you to know who you were, what you did. It is in your motion, glance, words, (and beyond that) etc. As Nietzsche told us: the nobility is not be improvised. We bring very strong patterns from our past. Difficult to get out from there.  The meditation (and being in the present) that is why it’s so difficult. Our body and our mind protest against it. In the beginning. But afterwards we can take control of our life. (Take control of your moments!) So we have to do everything here and now. ‘Life can only be found in the present moment’ these words were on the board. So acknowledge the present moment. My other classical favorite is Epiktetos who was a slave and an invalid. One of these disabilities is enough reason for us to cry. But he was wise and he knew: there are some things that are in our power and there are things which are not. For the second there is nothing we can do (nothing to worry about). But for the first one we are responsible. That is our life, this is a quality of our life. What we do (eat, say, think) and what we don’t. It under our will. Even as a prisoner you can be free; and as a "free" man you can be in your prison (mind, in your patterns, samsara). Life is practice, practice is life. So practice (live) your life! The people who stay 1 month in the meditation center finish their practice with 72 hours of permanent meditation without sleeping. We think it is impossible but it is not! It is the vipassana (makes you or: you make vipassana). Of course if you are not aware in your moments you fall asleep immediately because you are not in the present moment so you don’t control your life. It is a kind of examination of yourself. If you pass through it. Wow, that’s it!! The result is shown on the face of the person who does it. You can handle your life! Big thing. And it is just the beginning. And as was written on the board: the real practice begins after the practice. It speaks about: possible to do it. The Way is there you "just" have to step on it and go go and go. The Way is going the act is doing, it is not a small thing if you go: (on) the Way. And after you can roll in a new film. May all beings be happy: Gabor    

 

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