Ode to Football...

As the most impressive match of the year approaches, I am left to ponder on the joy and importance this world-captivating sport has impacted on many peoples lives. If one is a resident of the UK such as I was, and at all sport minded, it begs comprehension how one can not help but get caught up in the frenzied excitement of the lure to a pub, a subscription to SkySports, or the best place of all, a live football pitch where a match of undeniable excitement (or immense frustration) will entice, incite and impound the need for that breathtaking goal or that decisive defeat of your favourite or least favourite team. As I began 2011 in a pub, watching New Year's Day English Footie for approximately 6 hours with my best girl mate, I am left to anticipate this final weekend of the season... where it is not only my most beloved team vying to crush my most dreaded team, playing out in my favourite city on the planet, I think of my limited, albeit joyous moments attending football matches (or renowned stadiums) past... and the anticipation for those cheering, jeering and splattered-beer-everywhere-moments of the future...

From the thrill of the crowd....

...to the anticipation of a goal kick...

...to the extremes of pain (sorry for the copyright infringement here)...

...to the pride of being the best...

...to the buildings & monuments that have captured our hearts and minds...

... all resulting in final challenges at the place of dreams (Wembley)!!! May the best team win!!! GO BARCA!!!!

Honking horns unite for the eye of the world is unknowingly upon you!!!

Being back in the land of such history is both a joy and a calming reminder of the challenges in life... It is extremely nice to be back enjoying a "one-on-one; comfortably living in someone else's personal space" relationship again. Very nice. And alas, the heavy air of constant automotive/locomotive noise, humans yelling, arguing or praying (over the loud speaker), and the lamentation of a nation STILL wrapped in its own oppression have settled back in my head and heart albeit with a shroud as opposed to a hammer.  My visions are not as narrow, nor as closed as they were when I left last autumn. But the comfort of my initial landing is slowly dissipating, and I now find it a bit of a struggle each day to ignore the discomfort and anger that exists outside my personal place and space. Yet, life in Nepal awaits, and although its poverty is beyond the state of Egypt, it's people and their faith in the present and future hold that space gleefully above and beyond  with its air of peace and progress.

From the simplicity of the Quitbay Fortress, as a protective domain of the King of Egypt built some 5 hundred years ago with the Med at its doorstep...

to the transforming eye of the Buddha, built roughly about the same time, gazing majestically and vividly over the many buddhist pilgrims who walk in prayer, in song and in laughter around the temple every day...

I ask you: Where would you find your sense of peace in the world? The sound and smell of the sea certainly invites and calls me in its presence. Yet it is the air of the nation and the hope of its people that have truly captured my soul and erected a land worth spending more of an extended duration than that beheld...

Reunions....

When one is reunited with someone dear, after an exhausting length of time apart, one is curious, cautious, questioning: will the time apart have seen change that dismisses the connections of the past? No one can truly prepare for that first re-touch, re-embrace, re-giggles.... but like time and distance, change does not necessarily mean broken paths or dreams, just delayed action, regrouping strategy, and the inspiration for a whole lot of faith and optimism in the future. We weathered the storm, now let's see some calming seas and beautiful sunsets/sunrises from the same boat-deck for some time to come... I'm glad were back. :-}

From Christmas in Witham with the boy...

to Land's End & King Arthur's Court in Western England...

to the top of Snowdon in Wales....

across the Cork country-side of Ireland...

to sunset's on Sinai....

viewing Canadian east-coast lighthouses...

 and the American north-east...

back to the beauty of Moscow and U2 in sight & sound...

across to the calming of the Kathmandu Buddha's...

and finally to the magestic images of northern India....

Our lives are travelling onward....together....