Mawembe Mawembe
Vitry le Francois ... ooh la tres Francois!
We're half way through the canals. We've had about 200 locks now and still some 200 to go until we reach the sea.
Life on the French canals is perfect! I found my rhythm. 'Mawembe Mawembe'. 'Slowly Slowly', as uncle Jef, the diamond seeker from Antwerp, said. When he used to live in Africa, an old African man told him once: " You know... In Europe you have the Clock, here in Africa we have the Time …"
I might be in Europe but I'm far off the European track;-) No more watch for me, no more mobile phone, no more all day internet and 24/7 virtual connection. I decide when I want to use internet (not so often as you might notice;-). No facebook or skype addiction for me. No non-stop virtual availability. Time is not anymore a synonym for the Clock. Time became Time. Time is going with the elements. Going with the peaceful sound of my lovely vintage engine. Time is stopping everywhere where it's wonderful, where the people smile, where the fruits are ripe to be picked from the trees, where a handsome boy asks for a ride;-), where the music plays, where we feel like performing on the streets, where the fuel is cheap, where it's time to sleep…time is on my side now. Here is were I belong … on the road … reacting on the elements n everything which calls for real attention … time is concentration, a bilgepump to be fixed, a bike to be repaired, following the signs and the encounters with magnificent people. Life slowed down a thousand lightyears a minute and I grew the most relaxed girl in the world. Mawembe Mawembe.
Armelle left this morning. She went hitch-hiking to Bretagne where her family lives. She'll stay with them before she goes back to Paris where she studies literature and explores the world of slam.
Yesterday we met a nice guy on a racebike … two girls on a little boat flirting with all the men along the canals…old farmers, fishermen, sailors (a funny Swedish sailor looked at us in our little skirts and asked us: "Where is your captain?" "That's me Sir", I smiled and parked my boat right next to him;-) little boys and handsome guys…hello….we wave n smile….he waves n smiles….ooh la…regarde Armelle,,, il me plait! I hope he'll stop at the next lock…and there he was…waiting for us in the next lock and he asked a ride…come along!
We took him to Vitry and he invited us for a beer and a hot shower in his hotel… he was a police officer of special forces and he had been a boxer for 15 years. Pretty strange for a police officer to tramp in the middle of nowhere. He taught us some fine techniques of self defense. True. I need to become stronger… train my muscles and I wd like to learn to fight with knifes…you never know… I don't have a big barking dog by my side.
I leave the Rana here in a tiny safe harbor and on Monday I'll hitch-hike back to Holland to perform in Odessa….
And then I might proceed a couple of days (until my beloved friend Babak will jump on!) all by myself… finally!… I practiced a lot the last couple of weeks…to do the locks alone and it worked very well except for the last time… Due to a very strong current I lost control over the lines and my mast got stuck in a fence while the water was still moving up. So now the top part of my mast is bended….I'll have some work t be be done when I'll reach Marseille….I heard from several people that there is a little pirate Island in the Camargue…Nobody knows the exact coordinates but I'll find my way to the hidden Pirates of the Camargue!
Here comes a slight impression of the last couple of weeks with my most beloved Armelinski Caramelita!
We're half way through the canals. We've had about 200 locks now and still some 200 to go until we reach the sea.
Life on the French canals is perfect! I found my rhythm. 'Mawembe Mawembe'. 'Slowly Slowly', as uncle Jef, the diamond seeker from Antwerp, said. When he used to live in Africa, an old African man told him once: " You know... In Europe you have the Clock, here in Africa we have the Time …"
I might be in Europe but I'm far off the European track;-) No more watch for me, no more mobile phone, no more all day internet and 24/7 virtual connection. I decide when I want to use internet (not so often as you might notice;-). No facebook or skype addiction for me. No non-stop virtual availability. Time is not anymore a synonym for the Clock. Time became Time. Time is going with the elements. Going with the peaceful sound of my lovely vintage engine. Time is stopping everywhere where it's wonderful, where the people smile, where the fruits are ripe to be picked from the trees, where a handsome boy asks for a ride;-), where the music plays, where we feel like performing on the streets, where the fuel is cheap, where it's time to sleep…time is on my side now. Here is were I belong … on the road … reacting on the elements n everything which calls for real attention … time is concentration, a bilgepump to be fixed, a bike to be repaired, following the signs and the encounters with magnificent people. Life slowed down a thousand lightyears a minute and I grew the most relaxed girl in the world. Mawembe Mawembe.
Armelle left this morning. She went hitch-hiking to Bretagne where her family lives. She'll stay with them before she goes back to Paris where she studies literature and explores the world of slam.
Yesterday we met a nice guy on a racebike … two girls on a little boat flirting with all the men along the canals…old farmers, fishermen, sailors (a funny Swedish sailor looked at us in our little skirts and asked us: "Where is your captain?" "That's me Sir", I smiled and parked my boat right next to him;-) little boys and handsome guys…hello….we wave n smile….he waves n smiles….ooh la…regarde Armelle,,, il me plait! I hope he'll stop at the next lock…and there he was…waiting for us in the next lock and he asked a ride…come along!
We took him to Vitry and he invited us for a beer and a hot shower in his hotel… he was a police officer of special forces and he had been a boxer for 15 years. Pretty strange for a police officer to tramp in the middle of nowhere. He taught us some fine techniques of self defense. True. I need to become stronger… train my muscles and I wd like to learn to fight with knifes…you never know… I don't have a big barking dog by my side.
I leave the Rana here in a tiny safe harbor and on Monday I'll hitch-hike back to Holland to perform in Odessa….
And then I might proceed a couple of days (until my beloved friend Babak will jump on!) all by myself… finally!… I practiced a lot the last couple of weeks…to do the locks alone and it worked very well except for the last time… Due to a very strong current I lost control over the lines and my mast got stuck in a fence while the water was still moving up. So now the top part of my mast is bended….I'll have some work t be be done when I'll reach Marseille….I heard from several people that there is a little pirate Island in the Camargue…Nobody knows the exact coordinates but I'll find my way to the hidden Pirates of the Camargue!
Here comes a slight impression of the last couple of weeks with my most beloved Armelinski Caramelita!
Our first days in the Ardennen, a little paradise on the border between Belgium and France ...
Bienvenue Dans Notre Petit Theatre Palais Fabel!
Folie Fair in Rethel
Capitana Fabelina and Mouse Caramelita
Performing in Dinant
Apples n pears fresh from them trees!
More images n sounds will follow!
