Idiot or Mute (Riga, Latvia)

Latvia is one of those countries few people think of going to. I didn't think of going here until recently. It's right next to Russia (Which was a must on this trip), which made it an easy hop over. I flew Air Baltic rather than endure another 15 hours on a Russian overnight train. Use my money - while it still has value!

Now, I feel like an idiot for speaking English again. Not everyone speaks it here, but enough people do that one can get around very easily. The last time I had this feeling recently was throughout Scandinavia - where I didn't hesitate to speak English. Latvia is a small country so multi-lingualism is a must for them too to get along in our global world. Why do I feel like an idiot? Because everyone is getting along in their native tongue and I prance in with my English and it just feels out of place.

In contrast to this was Russia. English is not widespread. So I resorted to a lot of pointing and grunting.
English is in the two large cities certainly, but it is definitely not an automatic assumption. I felt like a mute most of the time. Which may have been to my advantage as people either - 1) walked and smoked everywhere and/or 2) spit on the ground. I worked hard to keep my gaze up and not look down. Say...what causes saliva?.....heheheheh.

An unpleasant fate awaits those in the tobacco - carCINogen - business. But...that's for next year. What's the rush?

Even though I felt like an idiot (More than usual), it is no big deal, for I am an idiot. If you don't KNOW why you are an idiot yet - it just goes to show how much of an idiot you really are. You'll have to figure this out for yourself. When is one not an idiot? I'll know when I know, and its still a bit of a ways off - maybe way off. I can't even see the light at the end of the tunnel yet. Better to not get hung up on the word idiot and just think - I should always be learning and open to new things. Which seems an irrelavant thing to say - when one has no pride.

Dancing with the Bear (St.Petersburg, Russia)

Off to Bear headquarters (Moscow) tonight on a night train. The baby bear, St.Petersburg, has been a good introduction to Russia. Though I wonder why I call it a bear, when it's really a LION! The famous Hermitage Moo-seum is covered in lion faces LOOKing DOWN at the unsuspecting toURists. And its on Millionya (sp?) Street / Boulevard / Whatever. Million has similar spelling in Norwegian, and Sweden too. And Denmark, Finland? LOTtery CONtest signs....

There are lion sculptures on a fair number of the buildings throughout this town of 4.6 milLION people, there is even a Lion's Bridge I walked over today. Four big winged lions. Prideful humans don't fly, well...being a metaphorical tiger is better, but not good enough. TRUTHful Human BEings who eat right will fly. But, I'm still working on that myself...just sharing what I know as I go along. It's in the ancient pre-history myths. But myths are just that.....right? 5 Eras in the Mayan Calendar. Don't forget about the "magician" Criss Angel! The city shield has a lion on it (As I saw recently on the UK shield on a sweatshirt)

Message shared recently with a Ukrainian girl, a Canadian (Quebec region), Pakistani woman, Australian, Chinese in England, Swiss German, and another English fellow. I forgot to note from earlier in Norway - another Danish man, and a Nepalese woman who lives in India. (I only add this for my own records by the way)

The Pakistani woman incident was interesting because I wanted to go inside a church in Helsinki and so did she. A tourist attraction because of its size and 'beauty.' The sign indicated it didn't close until 8PM (It was 7:30), and yet it was already closed. I caught her attention and said that it wasn't a sURprise - since the whole church was a CON. And so went the conversation. CONgregation, CONvent, CONfusion, CONstantine....she wanted to go inside for some spiritual help. I told her who God is. Who knows how she is taking it or if she checked out my website. It's HER CHOICE. CHOICE CHOICE CHOICE.

Most of the people I've shared the message with recently are men -- largely due to shared hostel dorm rooms. I have to work extra hard to find women.

I don't give my email to everyone, but I have yet to receive one from those whom I have - except from an Italian. Well...I'm either completely delusional, or most everyone is _____. Wait until I share the Golden Cow Metaphor....more time must elapse for people to begin to SEE CLEARLY. Hope and denial, and so much quackery over our h-I-STORY. Meanwhile, I will SOUL-DIER on. It took me a few months, I guess it will take at least that long for others. The pressURe only increases as the final hour approaches.

Yah...CONfucius was a liar too. That pretty much accounts for roots of Chinese (And Vietnam, other Asian...) present day thinking. CONstantine takes care of Christianity based and Islam. ANd when we look at the root message / most important commandment of Jesus that takes care of even more. Which I read in a hotel room bible. Well..self and collective delusion is all pervasive.

A GOOD message gets around when people know it is GOOD. Of coURse..when people just look to the Dow Jones and a falling price of oil for cues that everything is GOOD...well one LIE on top of another. Keep that eCONomy going. eCONomy of lies. CONsume. CONsume. GlobaLIZe, SpeciaLIZe....oh there are more....lots of notes to add to site.

No discount at Wayne's Coffee (Helsinki, Finland)

Typing this at www.waynescoffee.com in Helsinki, Finland. I didn't get a discount even after showing them my name on my credit card. Phoooey!

I'm heading to Russia then. Naw, its more than just that....it is time to move on - its been almost one month in Scandinavia. Maybe 1.5 weeks in Russia I am guessing. I've spent 5 nights in Helsinki, partially due to being tired. This travel and message sharing is grinding. And these are 'easy' countries. I'm not even carrying a laptop, and only partial scuba gear. Working hard to maintain my diet and drinking lots of spring water. That is part of the tiring part -- finding the right food and places to buy water. For example, a small supermarket I went to the other day...only sells carbonated water. No carbonation for me! Bottles and bottles of fizzy water and soda, but no regular water. What up with that?

I tried reindeer yesterday. That was yummy. The WILD and GAMEY taste. I got game. Do you? I want to be WILD and FREE. ------ Not DOMESTICated and free. Cuz that just doesn't sound right, and can't happen. Domestic slave. It makes us sick too. CONgestion. Snot. Sniffles. More on that in a futURe body chemistry section.

As for dandruff and bad skin...might want to re-consider that glass of OJ everyday in the morning for breakfast.....

No discount at Wayne's Coffee (Helsinki, Finland)

Typing this at www.waynescoffee.com in Helsinki, Finland. I didn't get a discount even after showing them my name on my credit card. Phoooey! What about Jesus and the Money Changers? Aie....so many stories from the past.

I'm heading to Russia tomorrow. It is time to move on - its been almost one month in Scandinavia. Maybe 1.5 weeks in Russia I am guessing. I've spent 5 nights in Helsinki, partially due to being tired. This travel and message sharing is grinding. And these are 'easy' countries. I'm not even carrying a laptop, and only partial scuba gear. Working hard to maintain my diet and drinking lots of spring water. That is part of the tiring part -- finding the right food and places to buy water. For example, a small supermarket I went to the other day...only sells carbonated water. No carbonation for me!
Bottles and bottles of fizzy water and soda, but no regular water. What up with that?

I tried reindeer yesterday. That was yummy. The WILD and GAMEY taste. I got game. Do you?
I want to be WILD and FREE. ------ Not DOMESTICated and free. Cuz that just doesn't sound right, and can't happen. Domestic slave. It makes us sick too. CONgestion. Snot. Sniffles. More on that in a futURe body chemistry section.

As for dandruff and bad skin...might want to re-consider that glass of OJ everyday in the morning for breakfast.....

Ruining vacations? (Stockholm, Sweden)

With every new city, comes new sights, and new people to --- share the message with. I made a mistake recently. I should have either not said anything or just given my business card with more of a hint. Instead, I gave them the ending. Did I ruin their vacation or will they write me off as a crackpot?

Its almost automaTIC for me. I was visiting the palace gardens of the Swedish Royal Family - Drotnningham. An American couple asked me to take their photo. I did, then proceeded on my merry way, then they asked me if wanted my picture taken. I relented and said ok. Then we kept walking, and then he (couple) asks me what I do for a living. Next thing I tell them is that I am a writer and before I know it, I'm telling them what the website is about, my latest project.

I have it down to:

- Talking about Mayan Calendar ending in 2012 (At home, the wife/girlfriend has a calendar necklace of it she said--maybe that is what egged me on)

- I mentioned the Tom Cruise movie Minority Report and me being a minority.

- What do we call it when the earth heats up, I ask. GLOBAL WARming they say. Then I say shorten the 2nd word. ALL have said WARM. One more letter I say. Then they get that.

- I equate global warming with HOT AIR - LYING.

- Then somehow I talk about wanting to see clearly again. NEW Vision, CLEAR vision. NEW-CLEAR vision.

They went their merry way after that. Body signals saying, stay away from this kookball. Oh well...maybe better to have a ruined vacation and the TRUTH, then to just have a GOOD vacation. But thats me talking.

I will make a point of only stating the story while sitting down. Then I can write some word patterns down if I need to. Everyone is more relaxed too. In the case above, we were standing up...awkward. At hostels, at least I can get to know the other people a little more.

Other travelers and their home country with whom I have shared the message - Ethiopia (1), Somalia (1), Austria-Innsbruck (2), Bulgaria-Plovdiv (1), Sweden-Umea area (4, 17-18 year olds on a train!), Portugal-Porto? (1), Italy-Naples (1), French-Marseille (1) Several Americans - Washington (Bellevue!), Northern California (2?), Wisconsin (4 total, including 2 above), Macau, Taiwan, English (3), Australian (1).

Slightly more men than women. Someday I will write up a table of all the response types. Which differs based off how long I have to say my little story. The approach varies a bit from above.

---

Another explanation of Biblical stories is brewing in my head. The Golden Cow (Yes, that one with Moses and Aaron in it) and the Tower of Babel. But, again, not until 2007.

Off to Finland tonight.

War-Ships in Sweden (Stockholm, Sweden)

Yesterday, was my first day in Stockholm, Sweden. This city is really something. It is a very beautiful city. Historic buildings everywhere among the channels and bridges. A far different impression from the first Swedish town I stayed in - Umea, a college town.

I made a bee line for what sounded like the most interesting place in Stockholm, and it was no disappointment. The Vasa Warship Museum. It holds the largest Swedish warship/galleon ever built - from the early 1600s. It is a 2 gun deck ship with 400 crew men. 64 CANnons if I recall correctly. 2 hours was not enough (They closed at 5) - I will go back. It sank on its maiden voyage (Details online) and was preserved in the sulfur rich mud of the area awaiting its discovery around 1960. One of the the best Museums I have ever seen. This might very well be one of my top 10 memorable places. Top 20 certainly.

The sheer size and well preserved state (95% original) of the ship awed me as I entered.
Combined with the sense of forboding as I got closer, the dimly lit museum and cool temperature only added to the feeling I got. Which really hit home when I saw LIONS everywhere.

A huge lion sculpture on the bow of the ship. Lion heads on every cannon door when they popped open. And 2 huge lions on the back of the ship...the Swedish Coat of Arms. Still displayed PROUDly on the Sweden Parliament Building. And as statues throughout the city. The cURators of the museum state the symbols speak the language of power, this is true, underlying that is pride - which was not mentioned.

Sweden is certainly less warlike than many other nations (How much can you do with 8 million people), but they have an empire - past, and pride still exist here. I see it in the eyes. And I know it from small talk conversation.

Chilling out in my first hotel on the trip. A good change from all the hostels. Looking forward to other eye opening experiences. Also looking forward to write a new story for the website when I return in 2007 - it's called, A Tale of Two Whores. (Is this why I ride a 'Hor-se?)