On top of it all, its going to be a down pour. Phuket, Thialand

There are moments in life that are too special to be photographed, that just aren't meant to be.

With its sense of humor, Life has gifted us the unique ability to capture every scene we become apart of on our journeys. What we don't realize is its not the image that we crave to file away in our keepsakes memory box. It's the whimsical sparkle behind the pixels that cant be saved with just one click of a button.

Life is invigorating with its quick pace, but what's fascinating is when its not.

When we play it over it in slow motion.

The sneaky smells slipping away from their creators,

         

The chattering of traveling souls all strumming their chords to different tunes,

The realization that no amount of eyes would be enough to take in all the detail of a shanty tin home.

These moments of slow awe, lend a peak into human natures soul. For a fleeting moment we remember that we are the same.


The travelers hearts know what it means to feel the surge of "same same" being thrown about in the air


The same, like a glimpse of the Thai Women sitting at her fruit shack late at night.



The same, like the Muslim woman finding treasure in the sea shells on sand.



The same, like the little girl wedged inbetween her mother and father on their moped covering her ears from the too loud to hear chaos.

The same like the prayer bells on top of Phuket's Big Buddha.
         
All golden, and singing their songs in the wind.


Or chiming when loved by a friend.

Other honoring their first strongest memories of comfort and love.


Some romantics, dressed up as dreamers and the ones never forgetting.
                   " You will never be forgotten, and are incredibly loved."


Others honoring their first strongest memories of comfort in love.
        " Rest in peace, Mom and Dad".


Some romantics, dressed up as dreamers"


 Help me to find love and be happy"
                 and dont forget to "Always live life in love".


And the filled with hope,
             "To my family, who pulls together and stays together"
                          and
                     "Please, Give me two babies"
 The worried about the world, when life slows down we are the same. 
           "Jesus for Paris 2015"

On top of Phuket's giant hill sits the towering Big Buddha. Winning the race against the ending day we were lucky to see what the suns last rays had to share. The Prayer bells, chimming in the winds with the hopes of all souls written. I touched everyone of those prayer bells, our energy intermingled. They felt it, and so did I, but at the end my camera flash didnt work. We made it to the top but I missed the shot.

My point is, some scenes aren't meant to be photographed. Some are just to special and I think I liked it that way.

Ireland specifically Galway and Dublin.

Dublin houses half of the population of Ireland.

If that doesnt tell you something then i will.

If you are going for country side- dont.

Also its probably going to rain so take note.

Also a jacket.

I wanted a jacket.

There is an Urban Outfitter in Dublin.

Go in.

Look around.

But then leave because you are in Dublin.

Dont bring up leprechauns and dont imitate their accent either.

Your thinking why would i?

Just wait.

Also their pubs.

Their Irish music, and their not Irish music.

The people.

Also the drunk people.

The cobble stone streets.

The trouble with public restrooms.

Europe is nice and i will tell you why.

Something i have noticed while traveling this quaint continent are its bathrooms.

Not just the bathrooms but more specifically the door on the stalls.

In America the public restroom experience is less than enjoyable.

Not only is it un pleasant but it is also a invasion of privacy and your over all well being.

Before i begin,

or maybe this is the way to begin

let me ask you...

How hard is it to add an extra two inches to a door to close the gaps on both sides?

Lets talk about the gaping space on either side of the door that gives you night mares.

Lets be dramatic. 

Dont get me wrong. America has its perks. But cant a girl use a public restroom privately. 

Lets talk about Europe.

They dont skimp.

When it comes right down the the very blue prints of their buildings they keep it classy with stall doors that more than over lap.

No ones ever scared.

No one ever on accident catches glimpes of weird things.

I would specify but my grandma reads my blogs.


Ladies this doesnt need to be a long drawn out post.

it doesnt need to be wordy.

But we do need to be heard. 


Something to consider for the construction of the next walmart.

Madrid, the gateway country.

 I read somewhere that during an exploration it is best to be alone.

Stumbling upon this opinion, i nodded in agreement, to myself, of course.

a·lone  

/əˈlōn/

Adjective Having no one else present; on one's own. Without others' help or participation; single-handed.

Synonyms lone - single - lonely - lonesome - sole - solitary

Alone you are aware. 

You see things.

You don't look down as much,
because there is no one looking up for you.

You are never really alone,
because when you are alone-
it just means that you are together,
with everyone else who is also
alone.

This makes you approachable.

\ap·proach·a·ble  

/əˈprōCHəbəl/

Adjective Friendly and easy to talk to. (of a place) Able to be reached from a particular direction or by a particular means.

Synonyms accessible - available - come-at-able - pervious

Exploration Madrid.

You can go anywhere in the world if you start in Madrid.

Let it be known that on this particular exploration stress levels were high.

There was one big street and many little streets coming off that one big street.

I took a little one.

The way the light hit this pink building was striking.

so i stayed a while.

I wanted to capture it exactly, i wanted to show all of you.

i took my time.

And that's when it happened.

The man from India.

With his broken English and my small Spanish we were now two people being alone together.

He asked me about my picture,

I told him, and then he told me

that he didn't like it.

and that's when i knew we could be friends and probably already were.

From what my exploration guide book taught me i could tell he was thinking the same thing.

there was also the next part.

"Whats wrong with you" he said,

"Why are you so sad. Your so tight.

Whats the matter with you.

Your energy," he said

"its all wrong."

My eyes said it all but just in case they didnt I said,

how did you know.

and with that this man from India took my hand and led me through the streets of Madrid.

"Il fix you" he said.

"i lived in India" he said, "i was a massage therapist there" 

he took my hand and started down the streets of Madrid.

Iv seen Taken and half of Taken 2.

That shit is real.

I quickly made an excuse as to why i could not go on.

"its fine" he said.

"il fix you here"

and so we sat.

in a door way.

and he began to fix.

He gave me a massage right there.

or tried,

he took my head in his hands.

and came in real close...

thinking he was going to kiss me i pulled away fast.

Thats when he told me.

You are very pretty but i dont like girls.

Thats not how he said it but my grandma reads my blog.

He pointed to his eyes.

then to mine

He pointed to his heart.

And then motioned to the whole world.

"The eyes are the window to the soul."

he said.

He kissed my four head and was gone.

It was then that i realized we are carrying around some pretty big energy. Whether it is good energy or bad energy... we share it with other people.

And that is neat.

but also scary.

love,

Ash

Never the boring in Barcelona

My bike was black, and at first it did not have a bell- which was a problem because most bikes did.

Walking through the the narrow and sometimes cobble stoned streets of Barcelona the second or third thing you notice are the bells coming from the bikes- which are many. It is only natural for the next step of a tourister to rent a bike of his or her own.

and in doing so to expect it to have a bell.

The bell doesnt just sound nice, it means move. It also means, look. Look at how much fun i am having. It also tells people that they too should rent a bike.

you need to have the bell.

The nice man at the bike station took a bell of a another bike and put it on to mine.

The bike station played the Beatles. Every song. & it was a hole in the wall.

I peddled past artists.

Cathedrals.
Yellow Flowers.
Street performers.
Galleries.
The impossible store.
Tiny Shops.
Glowing yellow allys.
Street art.
The Mediterranean.
Foreigners.
locals.
The Weird, the strange and the awful
The beautiful.
The curious.

and the lost.

But never the boring.

Practice Explorations

One odd thing i have noted about the Canary Islands are the shockily low numbers of thrift stores that are available to the average citizen. And when i say shockily low i mean there are none.

Practice explorations are something i find to be a good exersize. You dont want to find yourself at the heart of Europe only to find that you are an amateur explorer.

and that is why you practice.

practice always.

In your room, on the street over- the one with all the trees and the guy with the bike. Practice in your best friends car or at your neighbors house and at public swimming pools.  practice. 

Mostly just practice because it has been said that "practice makes perfect" and in fact practice has been making perfect since the 1500s when John Adams noticed it.

So while i was practicing, i happened upon a little sprinkle of zen from the gods. I didnt get a good look at the place because i was walking so close and this place was so tall but inside i saw what looked to be a thirft store and before i could think it through i found myself inside face to face with an older gentlemen- greeting me in spanish. We both stood there confused. until he waved his hands around and said, "one Euro".

and "llamo Antonio."

This is a thrift shop! i thought.
then out of excitement i thought it a little louder, THIS IS A THRIFT SHOP!

My natural hunter and gatherer instincts were quickly put to use and then i realized- the place was huge.

"26 room." he said.

With wide eyes i told Antonio that i was American and had never seen anything like this in my life.

in my life.

Antonio, being a man of few words- due to his language barrier- let me explore his home. I am unsure as to  why Antonio allowed such an invasion but one thing i am sure. He didnt want to be the one to further deprive an american of experiencing culture and for that i am thankful.

This house was indescribable but for your sake i will try.

Each wall was a different color with so much detail you couldn't take see it all. It was simply that your eyes couldnt take it all in. There is no way to experience the fullness of this house because the house its self would not let you. it seemed to be a chameleon changing shape and color with every blink you took.

Thats why i didnt blink the entire time i was in there.

Their were moldings in the walls, and photos hanging everywhere, painting and tapestries too. The walls were wearing gifts from all around the world. Next to the American Twin tours hung the pyramids of Egypt.

And then there was stuff. stuff on the floors, stuff on the furniture, stuff on stuff.

Each new room seemed to be from a different time. "26 rooms" Antonio reminded.

The stair case sat in the center house- venturing up as far as the ceiling would allow. Rooms had windows not to the outside but to other rooms.

i could go on.

i bought a few necklaces from this man. photographed him. (practicing good exploration documentation protocol) and was on my way.

I got to the bench 10 yards away from his house.

I am my mothers daugher and i needed one more tiny glance inside.

Just a small one. "il just walk right by, like iv lost my way, and have a glance." i said to myself as i tried to justify what i was doing as a sane and normal thing to do.

so thats what i did-  only it wasnt just a glance. and he saw me.

Again finding myself face to face with this man called Antonio.  we staired at each other, both confused and embarrased.

so i handled it the way any mature, 22 year old, adult woman would.

i giggled.

and as i was trying to explain my self he held up a bracelet, gave it to me and said,"gift".

"i buy you coffee." he went on.

So because i was embarrassed and because he was already on the street walking, i followed him.

And then Antonio and I had coffee at a small cafe.

in silence. 

love,
Ash

Rain bow houses for Grandma

I went running again.

This time on a path, however i still managed to pick up three really nice rocks.

Right out side my apartment is the ocean. I can see nine ships resting right close and nestled up to the big blue with the ships on it- is a path.

This is the path i took.

I ran until the path was over and it its place a line of colorful houses. When i say colorful houses i mean i ran right into a rain bow. The homes were dressed in the brightest of yellows, crayola blue next to baby blue, purple and pink. There was red and lime green too.

When i say homes you probably think of small little houses, with slanted roof tops and brown front doors. But what i really mean when i say homes are imperfect squares stacked on top of rectangles.  What i mean is more like a puzzle. You see, what i mean is someones art work. Im talking about going into a paint store and picking your favorite paint swatches...and then dropping them. And then taking a picture and building your home. and not just your home but your neighbors home and his neighbors home too.

and what do you use for a door at the end? well what ever you can find. of course.

& in case this isnt enought they go ahead and smash up green beer bottles and glue them to the tops of their houses making them sparkle in the sun.

In this narrow street of rainbow houses i found kids playing soccer, laughing with Spanish words flying. Salt water with a black pebbled beach for a back yard. People walking their dogs and saying Hola to other people walking their dogs. Old men being old men and one loner with one fishing pole. I found mystery and happiness. But most of all what i found was creativity beyond anything id ever seen. Things i didnt know were real. So much to look at and discover. You can hardly finish one thought before you start another because there is so much trying to fit into your small eyes. Details detailing the details. Not wanting to miss a thing. And it feels like that all the time.

These people live life so hard.

and they do it in imperfect squares.

not missing out on one thing.

-Ash