rEvolution

im off to seek salsa & Spanish lessons in Cuba with my sister Michaella.

paz.

Julie & Chrissy's Fete!

I caught the train to Avignon after 5 days in Paris....

Chris & Julie had rented a beautiful country house in northern Provence, qnd invited 25 of there closest amis, for a weekend of smiles, dance, exploration of the countryside, delicious food & celebration of 30 years of Julie & Chrissy on the planet!!!!

Brilliant time!!!!

Paris stay

I catch a flight to Paris, to visit my good friends Jean Claude & Miho...

My neighbours & adventure buddies from when I lived in Mishima (near Tokyo)

It was so good to see them again...

Miho is studying MBA here

J.C is a Scientist, reserching Hydrogen energy for the French government....

I tried to be a tourist & visited;

Museum D'Orsay

Louvre

Museum of Indigenous art

Luxemborg Gardens

Tuilier Gardens....

Paris is soooooo big.....

I think I like the French countryside more....

photos to come.....

Viva Italia!

I spent 3 weeks in bella Italia!

I was staying in Rimini (at my amici:fratello DIEGO's house)

For the first weeks, I had a wonderful time with Diego, his family & friends;

visiting Assisi, Urbino, Foligno, Cortona, Gubbio.... and many other incredible towns

also eating delicious food..... 

I was so surprised at the enthusiasm and passion of the organic/relocalisation food movement....

This deep respect of food is a massive part of Italian culture, which thankful is still strong....

I also visited Padova for a few days....

photos to come....

Family times

Playing with my wee cousin KAJA & her neighbour

viva FINDHORN

so many Cucumbers!



LOVE is all one needs...
it comes in many forms....


work = love in action
Gab (german, long hair), Willem (Holland) redoing the chairs....
Meditation maintenance



My friend Abe (from Netherlands) on his swing (metaphor for BE-ing Present)

findhorn beach
powerful place to BE


a massive granite slab from Iona Island, now in the centre of a wonderful circular building called "Nature Sanctuary"



wow
what can I say...
after the intial "experience week" I had to come back to this magical place for a little longer....
And nearly stayed for a long time.... lots of experiences & learning....

hang drum

I met DAN of the HANG drum
Supa nice dude with a wicked vibe of the Hang drum
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEEr8txS8Aw
we jammed with didge & shakuhachi in Princess Street gardens
and he gifted me a cd of his - sonic nectar stuff
peace to you Dan!

Pals in Edinburgh

Finally made it up to Aurthur's Seat with Heather - what a view!

With my kilt purchased the same day (and surf shirt to match!), we went to a Ceilidh - brilliant fun!
It was sold out, but I managed to get us in - thanks to the didge (cheers Hemi!)
These guys rock;
http://www.teannaich.com/

Pirate Chris & Andy on a sunny day in Grass Market

I had a great wee time in Edinburgh at the Festival with my pals Chrissy & Heather
master chefs and best friends.... tastes so sweet (strawberry soupe avec chocolat piquante!)

Provence => 1998 -2008

(1) my best pals Seb, Julie, (moi), Chrissy

back in Provence after 10 years
It is a place that is close to my heart....
and my stomach!!!!


(2) sun flowers.....

off to FINDHORN

Im not too good at keeping a BLOG.
Since my last entry;
-Had amazing few days in the forest in southern Norway, eating blueberries & riding horses
-Hung out with my good buddies (Julie, Seb, Chrissy) in Provence
=> the Theatre festival in Avignon was incredible.
-Came back to Scotland (with Chrissy) to see family, friends & enjoy the energy of the Edinburgh festival...

I'm keeping my journal, but I'm not near a computer too much.
It has been 10 years since I have been to Scotland...
So many things were different in 1998...
(1) no cell phones
(2) not real use of email
(3) no (official) war in Iraq/Afghanistan
(4) my cousin John (with whom I am staying) was not married and (to wonderful Davina) and his little cute daughter (Kaja) didn't exist.
(5) I was 19 years old...

Anyway, it was different...

I am excited today to be on the verge of starting my "experience week" at FINDHORN

I will put up photos and report my week next week.

peace.arohanui.ChangoVibes.
andy.xxx(uncleMouJi)

Clown IDs

Dave is my clown
a hard thug with anger at the world & and a general intolenrance of all things

here is the Clown Company of Kristiansand 2008

farewell NORGE

Ha du bra Norge...

I have had a wonderful time here in Norway

I want to put on a photo (that my French clown pal Vincent took)

it shows the themes that I have explored over the last month here,

movement, self, emotion, space

Michaella SHETLAND PHOTOs

Michaella at Spiggie Bay

My big sister, Michaella, & I on top of Klickamen Hill (at sunset? - well the sun doesn't really set!)

It was great fun!!!

May 31st, surprising Michaella for her birthday in Lerwick

plans....

A little projection of future movements

July 25 - Marseille...Provence
August 5th - Scotland (Edinburgh & Glasgow)
August 15-22nd FINDHORN
August 23rd England
August 28th Denmark
September 1st- Germany/Switzerland
September 8th - Italy
September (end) - Greece
Ocotber - Spain....

that is my plan just now....

peace
andy.xxx

I love Norway

Wow
Nearly 1 month has past since my arrive in this wonderful land
I have had a brilliant time - beyond my expectations of what I would experience during my stay here
The Mask theatre course - in Clowning - has been a real inspiration to continue to study, appreciate, create & play in Movement theatre
Giovanni Fusetti (our professore) is an incredible human being and wonderful teacher
My new friends on the course have been a supportative and creative team - and I am so excited about putting on our show tomorrow (and then Saturday & Sunday)
I have been lucky enough to make some beautiful ly generous Norwagian friends as well - who have taught me some profound lesssons in friendship and Norwegian culture - especially Viking style partying!!!
Anyway love to all
andy.xxx

Red Nose in Norway!

I have arrived in NORWAY...
KRISTIANSAND (in the south) to start my theatre clown training under Giovanni Fusetti,
www.giovannifusetti.com

We started today - I got my red nose - and an excited about the month of clownesque adventures to follow!

Aestaewast kids drum circle II

West African Viking rhythms

West African Dance
My first 3 days in Shetland was happily spent island hoping (To Yell, Unst and Fetlar). When i came back to Lerwick, I saw a post advertising a drum circle on Wednesday afternoons.

I went along, and to my happy surprise, there was a drum circle of 30 primary school children all tapping funky beats on djembes, sabar, and conga drums!

This was the creation of the wonderful JOY DUNCAN - an inspirational and passionate human being who has soaked up the rhythms of West African and Cuban music and dance. The kids in the class were very proficient in percussion and more importantly having a brilliant time with the rhythm based games and exercised that JOY had prepared for them.

Afrer the kids class, I was even more overwhelmed by the Shetland West African Drum & Dance group that JOY had founded; Aestaewast
With over 15 drummers and 30 dancers, they were preparing for the Midsummer Carnival on the 21st June. It seemed like too much fun to miss out on, so I joined in!

sayoonara Shetland

After 3 amazing weeks in my ancestoral islands, it is time to say farewell to the Shetland Islands, as well as to the puffins, seals & long-lost cousins!

The time has flown so quickly, but I have been fortunate enough to make some new friends and experience the incredible natural beauty of these rugged isles.