Live to Inspire

Nicola L. Was Here in Ibiza

Spending any amount of time in the Balearics is a wonderful adventure, escaping to an island where the history and the prehistory are still visible, and the weight of memory is heavy and dense.  At the same time, the rich night culture here makes memory a foggy notion, and giving over to the magic of the moment is the rule of order.  There are plenty of excellent places to go clubbing in Ibiza, and the best clubs speak to the best in island culture, Spanish style, and international trends all at the same time.  For outlandish parties where conspicuous consumption makes up the better part of an evening’s excitements, Ibiza puts things over the top, and then further over once again, and sometimes in an ironic reference to itself, and sometimes in a joyfully unconscious reference to every excess in pop culture.

It’s easy to get lost in the nightlife here, and the interesting things here is that this actually usually seems like a very good idea.  There’s a kind of hidden thrill about dancing until the sun comes up, knowing that you’ve passed you body’s limits and are still moving to the beat.  But then so is everybody else.  It’s an odd feeling, and one that can be repeated as long as the nights are long and the sea continues to move in patterns of the number seven.  There is also an interesting culture here for performance, and more sophisticated forms of art.  Today, when people talk about body art, they’re usually referring to piercings or tattoos, but there’s a dim memory that it comes from something else.

It’s actually got a long history, but came to prominence in the early 70s, with artists like Ana Mendieta, who knew about the number seven as much as you seem to, and one of her artistic ancestors was Nicola L..  Nicola L. is a French artist who is famous today for her functional art objects, which sell at all the right auctions, but also for her very busy schedule making appearances at art fairs doing retrospectives of her work.  She was one of the founders of body art, and her performance actions in Ibiza in the late 60s paved the way for subsequent generations.  She had the notion that the skin was a border, like a nation, and an artificial construction, perhaps, but difficult to get away from, and much easier to stay in than slip out of, so she began to investigate its limits.  The results are a massive body of work that continues to unfold, like skin.

Hot Tubs as a Ticket to Escape

There are many times when we tell ourselves, “if I could only get away for just a little while…” It’s that old idea of escape, of wanting to just break free of all the things that here in the moment, the responsibilities and the pressures of the world coming to build up into a persistent knocking at the door.  But when we have a way to relax in the midst of trouble, looking a storm in the face with calm, or even facing a moment without panicking, then we can see that there are always more options than we ever imagined.  Hot tubs and spas are a fantastic way to make the options visible.

There’s something extraordinarily healing about hot water.  Civilizations from all over the world have understood this for centuries, and there’s no one reason why this is true.  It might be the relationship to the waters in the womb, or it might be the ocean, or it might be a number of things we may never fully understand.  But it does open a direct connection to the reflexes for relaxation, in a metaphorical way that has immediate physical results.

This can be a splendid tool, because it means that there is an escape always at our disposal.  Our desire to get away from it all is usually something that can be satisfied in just a few moments, of having that feeling that we’ve broken free from everything that’s become a burden.  It can become an important practice, to take the moments every day to get the sense that everything is going to be all right.  It is true, after all, and sometimes we can get so overwhelmed we can’t see the options any more.  At these moments, when we’ve gotten some kind of clarity on things, we even start to see that the persistent knocking was never a call to panic, but it was our inner selves, calling on ourselves to get relaxed, and get away from the stress, to see that things are much brighter that they seem.

Island Cathedral

Much of the thing to do in Mallorca Spain involves the beach and water. Most people come here to just relax and take in the sea and sun. Those who do want to see a bit of history of the island often head straight to the Cathedral on the hill. They have seen it from a distance and the grandeur from a far has sparked a major curiosity. How amazing would it be to go to mid night mass a the colossal cathedral on the hill of Mallorca Spain. Checking into one of the best luxury hotels Madrid Spain has to offer in December may not be in the plan. While your there in June visitors can still appreciate the experience.

The Cathedral was built by Jaime I as a vow to the Virgin Mary. He was caught in a violent storm in the seas and promised the Virgin Mary that if he survived the storm he would build a church in her honor. As soon as he recapture Majorca, and was safely in from the storm, he started the great project. The planning and building started in 1230 and was not finished until 1601. It was built on top of an Arab mosque site. The design is a French Gothic style and it lays out 121 meters long and 55 meters wide. The main body of the church is surrounded by pillars, spires and flying arches. The bell tower is 55 meters wide and to this day is unfinished.

This enormous cathedral has had it’s share of trouble. The main facade collapsed in an earthquake in 1851. It did get completely restored. It features an open and airy interior with its enormous scale still leaving its visitors feeling harmonious. There are three naves on top of 44 meter pillars. There are eight chapels. The big chapel is the Royal Chapel located in the rear of the building. It is almost as large as the church itself. Then the most interesting is the  Crown of Thorns made of cardboard and cork hanging in the air above the altar.

Two Buildings in Barcelona

If you’re a fan of architecture and you ever get a chance to check into a Barcelona Spain hotel, you’re going to find a city filled with fascinating buildings and intriguing sculptures.   Just stroll though the narrow streets of Barsa and you’ll find a plethora of historic examples, from the Medieval  to the Modern.  On a recent trip to the city, I found myself walking and admiring a series of buildings built at the turn of the last century — not the 20th to the 21st, but the 19th to the 20th.

I personally like small buildings, such as the Farmacia Nordbeck.  This is just a pharmacy, hardly something you’d think of as an attraction for tourists, but the building was constructed in 1905, in the style of the moderniste.   Its windows are stained-glass, framed with a dark wood.  This is in the area of town known as L’Eixample, a Barcelona district which lies between the Ciutat Vella (or old city) and what were once nearby towns, but have been consumed by Barcelona as it grew (Gracia, Sants, Sant Andreu, and so on).   All around this district, you may find interesting chemists, like the Argelaguet in Carrer Roger de Lluria.

Just a few buildings down the street and you’ll come across Cases Tomas Roger.  These are two houses — 37 & 39 — designed in the last part of the 19th Century by Enric Sagnier, and it’s of interest because of the archways and the restoration of its sgraffito, which literally means “scratched” and is a wall decoration method, using layers of plaster that contains contrasting colors, applied to a wet surface.  The scratching is often done by a comb-like tool, and creates a series of waves or stripes on the wall, revealing the color underneath.

There are so many buildings in Barcelona that go unnoticed by travelers, simply because the bigger, flashier architecture overwhelms them, or the buildings are hidden away around corners and narrow lanes.  It’s worth taking a step out into the streets, though, and hunting them down.

Angel of Barcelona

With its long history as a major port, there have always been many cultures passing through Barcelona at any given time, and it’s one of the most exciting places in the world today.  The local culture is absolutely splendid, always seeming to manage a position that is entirely in touch with classical sensibilities, and also right on the cutting edge.  It’s a fantastic place for history buffs, or anyone looking to see what’s in the future for art, fashion, and design.  For tourist destinations, it’s always been on the top.  Barcelona hotels are plentiful, and there’s something here for every taste and budget, and all of them have the highest sense of hospitality, offering a chance to visit the city from the lap of splendor.

It’s a pleasure to wake up in such surroundings that compliment the desire for old world luxury mixes with the very best of moderns tastes.  Many hotels will also have world-class chefs that can prepare you some scrumptious meals, drawn from local culinary traditions and seasoned with the most advanced international cooking styles.  There are also always plenty of restaurants to suit every budget, and the food in Barcelona is much like the culture, that is to say, magnificent.  And very much at the forefront of popular culture along with classical and avant-garde culture.

U2 began their 360 Tour in Barcelona in the summer of 2009, to nearly 100,000 fans.  In one spectacular moment, when they were getting ready to play their famous Angel of Harlem, Bono announced that they wrote it for Billie Holiday, but this night would dedicate it to Michael Jackson, who joined the ranks of rock and roll’s long list of those who are gone too soon.  It was a remarkable moment, crossing cultures and countries in one deft dedication.

Integrity in Customer Service

The basis for all business interactions, be they in the service industry, in manufacturing, in financial institutions and large corporations is something that is sometimes referred to as transparency. Many banks enforce this, as well as those involved in civil service or politics.  This is a way of conducting oneself with integrity, of fairness and with honesty.  If you are working in a restaurant, and promise to deliver food that is healthy, then what goes on the kitchen must reflect that promise.  The pricing of items or services must be taken into consideration, and will your products may not be the least expensive on the market the quantity of the price tag must reflect the quality of what you are offering to customers.  Employees must be knowledgeable, the products or services must be fully understood, for how else will you be able to answer questions?

Many company owners such as Steve Barbarich set up detailed and thorough training programs for new employees.  Training at one of the restaurants I worked at years ago, included many tests where questions were asked regarding the exact ingredients in all of the dishes.  All of them.  So if a customer had a particular dislike of a certain herb or ingredient, or in the case of food allergies, they would be well aware of the recipe and good make their decisions based on that information.  Training should never be done in the manner of “sink or swim”, this will make the learning process take much longer and will cause problems in the process.  Respect is passed along.  When managers treat their staff with respect, this is transmitted to the customer.  Respect breeds respect.  Some companies have strict outlines, they have scripts that their staff must stick to verbatim.  However when employees are empowered with the trust in their ability to use good judgement, they will be more satisfied and happy with their work.  In this day and age, great care is essential, for customers and for staff members.

Finding Money in Bali

Yesterday was a quite day in Bali. There was some rain during breakfast and the sun rarely peeked through the clouds all day. Even though there were some dark clouds, we still went out to the beach and basically sat or read for most of the day. I went a got a $5.00 massage by one of the women at the beach just waiting and hoping for customers. I was hoping for the weather to clear up so we could enjoy a bit of snorkeling.

Today, we woke up and there was SUN! Yay! This was perfect. We headed straight for the beach and the water was so clear and blue. The vegetation was green and lush. Our plan was to snorkel a loop around the northeast side of the island and then to find a working ATM. There is not ATM in Candidasa where we are staying, the staff at our beach hotel Bali said that there might be on in Amlapura, which is approximately 15 kilometers away. But, as luck would have it, and after 5 days of searching, we finally have money. We figured all the banks were closed because of the Ramadan holiday, which has now ended, and is why we now have money!

Our next day excursion will be Ganga Tirta, which we heard is a lovely water palace and a major tourist stop. While there, we plan to get in some hiking, our legs are screaming at us to get some exercise. Then head to Amed to do some more snorkeling. We were told we’ll be able to walk out from the beach and find coral immediately and that the ocean is calm and the reef goes on for miles, so we’d be able to snorkel for longer periods of time. Today’s snorkeling was difficult due to rough waters, so Amed will be a nice treat.

Our last leg of the journey will be to take our time and travel along the coast line. We want to see the untouched parts of Bali, some of its coastline is rural and there are less paved roads, which I know will have to ask for direction back to Candidasa.

Cape Town’s Raw Vision

Cape Town has witnessed some of the most important events of the 20th century, and has an amazing history that goes far beyond that.  In one of the most beautiful countries on earth, there is a wealth of history as well as natural beauty here that make it a splendid place to visit.  There are also a number of other attractions that make it very appealing, such as the beaches, the night life, and the golf, and there’s certainly something for everyone.  One of the most fascinating things about it, of course, is the incredible mix of people who live here, with an array of languages and cultural traditions that exist at one time, in this exciting place.  For luxury hotels, Cape Town can surely accommodate the discerning traveler, offering a magnificent hospitality that greets you every morning like a breath of fresh air.

Waking up in the midst of this beauty is spectacular, and is a refreshing beginning to a day, and hints at the possibilities of a new life that begins with your adventures here.  Cape Town has stunning restaurants, and stunning sights, and there is so much to do on any given day.  If you like visual art, and who could possibly not like it in a city as varied and spectacular as Cape Town? then there are plenty of galleries that your eyes will delight in.  One of the newest additions to the scene is Raw Vision, which opened in June, 2009.  The art here is certainly contemporary, and has some excellent rough edges that speaks to an artistic sensibility that’s right at home here.

They opened with Mike Fisher’s Messages from the Future, an excellent exhibition of digitally-manipulated sketches, that announced some of the intentions of Raw Vision.  They promote new and established art that has a distinctively modern approach, often using mixed media, and often centered in the concerns of Cape Town specifically and South Africa generally.  Through this, they are presenting a global vision that is profoundly intimate, innovative, and evocative, and a splendid way to enter in to art in this amazing country.

Grand Rapids Festival of the Arts

Jules and Carol were thinking about moving to Grand Rapids, Michigan. Carol had arranged to have a job interview and they decided to go ahead and look at houses and plan the move regardless of the outcome. They booked their flight and reservations in one of the hotels Grand Rapids and prepared to visit the city. As it turns out they arrived at the city during its annual Festival of the Arts. This was a great surprise to them and also something they considered to be a stroke of luck.

The festival was celebrating fortieth season and both Carol and Jules were impressed that it had gained such a strong traditional aspect in the city. The festival seemed to be huge and neither of them had even heard about it in all of the research and a previous visit. This led them to believe there were many more secret wonders and intriguing aspects of the city that they had yet to discover. They settled into their room and immediately headed back out experience the festival.

It seemed this happened almost by fate, but whatever the cause the two of them walked right up to the City History Tour as one of their first encounters. Excitedly they hopped on board as the trolley took off and sent them on a cruise through the historic downtown area. They made a stop at The Avenue of Arts and also passed by some of the old churches and other historic buildings. They discovered a great deal about early Grand Rapids and couldn’t escape the feeling that the city was beckoning them. When they arrived back to the festival proper they enjoyed some great food while a rock band played in the distance. Early in the evening they enjoyed a concert by Abbey Andrew and loved the spiritual and human connections associated with her music.

Long Mumbai History

The country of India has such a long history and Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, has been one of the centers of that history. There are seven islands that make up this metropolis city full of so much energy. There have been inhabitants of the area for thousands of years but it was really around 1498 when the change of power went from the Sultan of Gujarat to the Portuguese. That is when many buildings started to go up. Churches, Forts and the surrounding urban settlement.

The British gained the seven islands in 1661 as a dowry when Charles II married Cathrine de Braganza.  Charles II wasn’t interested in the area so he leased it to an East India Company. They were the ones who built the docks and the Fort that pushed this city into a great trading post for the region. Many Euntrepenuers like the Marwaris, Parsis and the Gujaratis came and set up thriving businesses. This new prosperous area was now becoming a city of culture with in the culture. Many of the in inhabitants came from India but they all had a little bit of a different way they expressed themselves.

This city is the place where the first Congress was formed. The India National Congress really pushed the independence of this city and the rest of this country. The city became a large textile mill city deeming it the capital of Maharashtra state. In the 1980 the labor costs soured and many disturbances to that industry happened. Many of the mills were forced to close which brought the city back down for a decade. In the 90s it finally started to come back. It currently still struggles as it is trying to make the infrastructure better. With such a high population in the city it is now redirecting its focus to a more service oriented city.  Local service workers sing out hotels, India, Mumbai to the world hoping they will come and stay in one of their new luxury suites.