Just Words?

I am gearing up for more travels, this time to Japan and Bhutan in mid-April, so I've recently been thinking about other cultures, other languages and other ways of thinking. Some of the moments that have stuck with me from past trips are those when I gain a fresh outlook on something that I had taken for granted. Other countries and other cultures obviously may see things in their own way but sometimes it is just different, and not so much foreign.

What is Liberty?

I think I know what liberty means, in connection toUnited States history, the American Revolution and democratic government. So during my first visit to Cuba a few years ago I was surprised to find the concept woven into the culture there. Surprised and a bit confused - isn't this a repressive communist government? But I think the connection goes back to the time of the popular rebellion against colonial Spanish in the early 1900's. Their sense of liberty is much the same as ours, and seems not to be in conflict with the goals of the revolution. I think it is also possible that some people may thumb their noses at the government just a little bit, without being too rebellious.

The following year I had another revelation speaking with our Cuban guide about government in Cuba today. Someone was asking him what it is like to live under communism - his English was a bit limited and he seemed confused by the question. A little back and forth and he eventually understood and expressed surprise that we thought his government was communistic - No, no, we are a Socialist state! A difference that we don't notice, but was very important to him.   

You Are Welcome

When I respond "you're welcome" it comes as second nature. I don't think of a relationship between the act of greeting someone to my home, and the response to someone's "thank you". But in English, it is the same phrase - is it the same in other languages? I never gave it a thought until I was struggling to pick up a few words in Kiswahili, on my way to Zanzibar. In that language I noticed the phrase "karibu" matched the English usage, even though the language derived mostly from Arabic. I must remember to study further for other possible connections. 

In another language, Spanish, I am most familiar with Southern California / Mexican usage and the natural response is "de nada" - basically "it's nothing". A few years ago I was pleasantly surprised in Costa Rica to hear "con mucho gusto" or "with pleasure" used often. Both very gracious responses that made me realize subtle differences in Latin America cultures and made me wish we had more choices in English.

The Reach of Popular Media

You almost cannot speak about Petra, Jordan without saying The- Ancient-City-of-Petra. It is a popular place for visitors, but it truly is ancient, and new archeological finds are unearthed from the desert each year. We were touring with our guide when he looked up and shouted "Look - it's Johnny Depp!", and indeed the camel driver was a dead ringer - I'm sure he worked on the image in his mirror in the morning. So here in the ancient city there are Bedouins who emulate the Pirates of the Caribbean look. 

Being a Liberal

Egypt is still struggling through a transition in government that rocked a society that had been used to strongman rule since the time of the Pharaohs. My only visit there was a few years ago, in the middle of a time of optimism and uncertainty between the first several rounds of free elections after the Arab Spring uprisings. We were fortunate to have a guide who was both scholarly regarding the thousands of years of Egyptian history and also thoughtful about the present and the future. During one discussion he described himself and some of his friends as Liberals, but I couldn't connect him to the definition of liberal that I'm familiar with in the US. Although he was politically aware, I could not see him as a liberal that would be recognized here. He talked some more to describe his liberal views to mean being receptive to thinking of all things in an open manner, without preconceptions. That is a definition that I immediately liked. Sometimes we should go beyond labels and think to ask what someone means when they use a word.

Sometimes These Things Happen

I am gazing out the window of our van at a desolate landscape of ash and cinders when I hear Hauker say "Oh shit." just before the van veers off the gravel track and comes to a stop - something has broken. We had started out at 5:30 this morning in an effort to get some photo shooting completed before the big Icelandic rainstorm expected in the afternoon, but now it seems that the day's schedule has changed. 

There are 8 of us in the van and we all get out while Haukur (Hawk) and his companion discover that a bolt has fallen out of something critical related to the right wheel steering. Amazingly, they search the track and find the damaged bolt and begin work to reinstall it. So, while they are doing that, Hawk suggests we take advantage of the unscheduled photo shoot in this desolate place. To add to the atmosphere it is chilly and the wind is picking up in advance of the storm, but I am wearing enough Gortex and fleece to be comfortable.

We slowly fan out and begin to appreciate the sullen character of this space and record what we see. Surprisingly the ground is spongy to walk on and footprints are deep. The ash-fall is hundreds of years old and I doubt that many people have walked out where we are. The tracks that extend across this whole area are used by visitors to see the natural wonders, and fishermen to go to the Fishing Lakes region, which was going to be our destination before the mishap.

 About 90 minutes and much duct tape later, Hawk is willing to try slowly returning to our hotel, but he feels that it will also make the trip to his mechanic who is maybe 40 miles away. All goes as planned and by three o'clock Hawk is back with the repaired and inspected van and the revised forecast says the storm is not expected until this evening, so we head off on the anticipated trip towards the Fishing Lakes.

Above Landmannalaugar

I am up early-ish, preparing for a possibly exciting day. It is overcast and spitting drizzle in Reykjavik, but I hope the weather will improve. I call Jon Karl to see about the prospects for a flight today. He is a retired Icelandair pilot, the son of an Icelandair pilot, and the proud father of a third Icelandair pilot, so I feel like I am in good hands. He says, sure, come out to his airstrip in Hella - about 90 minutes East of Reykjavik. The volcano near him is out and the glacier near him is clear too with some partly overcast skys. The rent-a-car process is tedious but I am on the way soon enough.

Route 1 is the the main ring road and I go through volcanic countryside that is familiar and reminds me of The Big Island of  Hawaii in some ways - lava flows of differing ages and differing vegetation cover - but no trees to be seen. Lumpy carpeting. Jon Karl's summer compound is a bit difficult to find but cell phones save the day. He greets me and introduces me to his wife and two young children - oh, and the bunny that they just caught. Over coffee and chocolate, he asks where I might want to go and I mumble something like "oh the place you suggested sounds perfect". I am not going to even try to pronounce it - it is a long word, and looks easy enough, but when he says it it is very different. I admit that I have difficulty with Icelandic pronunciation and he smiles and says really? you must be the only one that does. So we walk out to his 4 seat plane (like a VW bug has 4 seats), and taxi down his grass airstrip, gain a little altitude and head northeast.

The landscape gradually changes to a wonderful jumble of volcanic stuff from the recently active Hekla Volcano, mixed up with streams and lakes produced from the large glaciers to the East. Colors and textures and shadows keep changing as we weave along, with him banking the plane to get better photographing angles for me.

I am a kid in a candy shop, but I have to remember to take my eye out of the viewfinder from time to time and just soak in the amazing landscape. Much of it is inaccessible, but there are gravel tracks and we do see fishermen and the likes working their way around parts of the countryside.

After a spectacular couple of hours we land again at his compound and I get a photo of Jon Karl and his beloved plane, with Hekla Volcano peeking over the ridge behind. In his house we are greeted with more coffee and chocolate and have a short comfortable chat on the porch before I hit the road again. I have not met anyone in Iceland who does not speak excellent English, and I appreciate the chance to be comfortable with conversation in a foreign place. Don't think I mentioned this, but I was introduced to Jon Karl by his brother Haukur (Hawk), who I will see tomorrow for the next chapter of my visit - photo tour!

Reykjavik

I have not visited here before, but my first impression of Reykjavik is of a city that stays up late and sleeps in the next day. The bus from the airport drops me off in the City Center and I walk a few blocks to my hotel, but it is 8:00am and I don't see another living person. Remember the Twilight Zone episodes with the end of the world and the one lonely survivor? 

I get to the hotel and am told that the room should be ready around 10:00, and I can certainly live with that - gives me time to look around a little. I go out walking on a spectacular, cool crisp day- I'm wearing a light sweatshirt and I'm comfortable until the wind blows.  I do see a few people eventually and they are universally dressed for heavier weather - parkas, hats, and wool scarfs and I wonder what they know that I don't. The weather is said to be extremely variable and I imagine that they assume the worst each time they get dressed.

The streets are interesting with a small town scale. More walkers than cars and parts of the city in the downtown area are a bit jumbled by construction and street repaving projects. There is a lot of street art - mostly official, but some that would be called graffiti. I am drawn towards the big blue Opera House that is not much to look at from a distance but up close and from the interior, it is a lot of fun. The play of light, shadows and reflections from the faceted glass skin is just wonderful. I could stay here all day - Oops - my only problem was forgetting to put a memory card in the camera so I am limited by internal memory. I better come back tomorrow.