Long time, no post. Sorry. Been living a little too hard.
After BM, we went to Harbin Hot Springs and had aromatherapy wraps and deep tissue massage and a form of water-based shiatsu they call watsu that’s like dancing in the warm spring with directed stretching. And of course we just got to wander around and soak in the pools and hang out with each other. Oh, and shop for gorgeous silk clothing made by this guy Evan.
Then back to SF for the Power to the Peaceful free concert in Golden Gate Park, which I’ve read about for eight years but never been able to go to. Michael Franti was amazing and I’m no longer jealous that e_dan got tickets for the Melbourne show. Besides, I think I’m seeing Cat Empire with avidscavenger that night! (And sorry to SF-based folks, I meant to post here with a meet-up time but the world went a little crazy and we got there late anyhow).
The next day we had brunch with Doug’s daughters and then flew to Toronto via Las Vegas. I could write whole tracts about the tackiness of capitalist culture when it decides that gaudy gambling is its most likely survival mechanism but let’s not just now, ok? And we were only in the airport for two hours! Flying in over the city felt like living the CSI opening credits which was kinda surreal and made me think of buffcoatlifter.
Turns out Toronto is having its world-famous Film Festival so we’ve indulged as well as doing more touristy things like dinner at the top of the CN Tower. We saw Tony Gatlif’s new film Transylvania on Monday (not his best) and (pay attention, hawk_eye) Alatriste last night. Wow. Just wow. Intense, very violent, very accurate as far as I could see. Not only was Viggo superb and the story tragic and moving and the cinematography gorgeously based on Velazquez’ paintings, but Viggo and the director and other cast were there and David Cronenberg was in the audience and Viggo hugged him and it was all very exciting at the same time as the film was draining and shellshock-inducing.
We’ve hired a car and are moseying up to Algonquin Park today then over to Montreal to see qamar and morganjaffit.
You can see why I haven’t had time to write, huh?