Eye On Peru: Photos

Finally I got the photos to show up! WOohooO! Such a pain in the ass! Anyway, this is just a bit of what I shot in Peru. Ecuador is to come soon too...hopefully... Let me know what you think of all these, it was tons of work, but I love it, so it was all worth it. I hope you enjoy them too. Right oN!

Off you go.... TO THE PHOTOS!!!

Now Here We Are. Peru.

OK OK, I know it has been quite a while since I have done any blog mambo jambo, but now is the time. Oh yea, just now. So let’s see…where to begin. How about if I begin with now? Same now that I made a reference to earlier, just a more in depth look at that now. Yea, and sure, there will be some of, um, before as well. Now that I think of it, there will be more to the before than that of the now. You see, not much to discuss about now as of yet, considering that it’s still happening and all.

So yea, let’s get started. To make things interesting I am going to Tarintino this blog entry. As a result of this mal shaped story line, you should make sure you are in a relaxed position, maybe with a cup of tea and a Ritalin. Yea, that should do it.

I am currently in the occasionally beautiful city of Arequipa, Perú. After taking a nearly 20 hour bus ride from the mountain city of Cusco, I finally made it out somewhere different from where I had been for nearly a month, the duration of my stay in Perú. Now, this bus ride was theoretical not supposed to take 20 hours, no, it was intened to be 10. “Why did this bus ride from Cusco to Arequipa take 10 hours more, twice as long, then it was intended to take?” you may ask. Well, the answer is simple. Way too simple. You see, just outside of our destination, early in the dawn of the new day, we ran into a small snowstorm. The problem became not the storm itself, but the way in which all that came into contact with this storm acted. It was as if a newborn child had been abandoned in a hurricane-sized blizzard with no knowledge of anything logical. Imagine a storm such as this halting all forms of transportation in the area (buses, trucks, cars,…and no, there aren’t any llama caravans in this area, but let me assure you, they would have been better off then us.) So ok, I wake up in this midst of this ginormus dilemma where everyone seems almost incapacitated and no one seems to be doing anything. We are just stopped…along with a line of other vehicles as far as the eye can see. What to do, what to do, what to do? Wait a minute. The driver has an idea. Let’s gather todos los hombres off the bus, get them outside in the cold, and have them carve a path for the bus to follow…that way, the bus won’t have to drive through the snow anymore! OH SHIT! What a brilliant idea! For God’s sake man, why is this guy a bus driver? He’s a fuckin’ genious! QUICKLY!!! Everyone off the bus. Wow, I cannot begin to tell you how good that worked.

A few days before we left, Leonie and I stayed in the orphanage that she has been working with for two months now. This experience was extremely rewarding to say the least. The house is located about 30 minutes outside of Cusco in a small rural town called Lucre and just getting there is quite a trek. The 14 boys live in a house that was built over 200 years ago by some rich Spanish guy, but it now stands almost in ruins. Needless to say, it is still absolutely amazing to see. We ended up staying there 4 four days, cooking for everyone and taking care of the kids whole time. They range in age from 9 to 18 and all of them were extremely opinioned and possessed amazing characters that over the few days I was there, surfaced as I got to know each of them better. Along with cooking for them (which was a huge task, because aside from the 14 of them, there were 3 police men and Leonie and I), we basically spoiled the shit out of them. Most of the time, they only get to eat a small breakfast (if you can call bread a meal), and a lunch cooked for them by a local woman (which usually consisted of oatmeal), so the opportunity to give them dinner for a few nights was amazing. At night we would show them movies on my computer and make them popcorn and hot chocolate. By the time we left I had really grown attached to a few of them, as did they, and saying goodbye was tuff. But, had to be done. Leonie is continuing to work with the kids and is in the process of creating a non-profit organization to separate the kids from the currently police run organization that she has begun to see as corrupt and not beneficial to the children at all. Casa Amarilla is coming soon to an impoverished neighborhood far from you.

Where to now? Um? Oh, I ended up unknowing at a dirty Perúvian strip club in Lima. Yea, didn’t really know we were going there, but one of Leonie’s local friend said he wanted to take us to a cool spot, and there we were. Skin. Yep, that was the name. Talk about dirty. But none the less, fuckin’ hilarious!

How could I go to Perú and not make my way to MachuPicchu? Well, I just don’t have time. So much to do, so much going on, you know how it is. These things just slip your mind. Besides, who is interested in old, outdated, stupid Indian cultures anyway. Not I sir. Not I.

No. I went. Damn was it amazing. Kind of beyond words. But photos, photos are close behind. I took a train ride up to the town of Aguas Calientes which was breathtaking the entire was. I did shoot while I was there but I am not really happy with most of what I shot of the spot. It was ridiculously hazy there and the light just wasn’t working with me. Just being there made your body feel almost high. The energy and history of that place is just unbelievable. Can’t really say much more about this place. Just too remarkable I guess.

Another unreal thing I had the chance to do while I was in Cusco was go on a 3 day, 2 night white water rafting trip on the Apuramac River through this amazing canyon in the middle of nowhere. We slept in tents on the edge of the river and saw some of the most amazing views of my trip thus far. They actually took video and photos which is nice cause there was no way in hell I was going to bring my camera on a trip like that. The only semi-problem with the trip is that Leonie and I were the only non-Israelis on the trip out of 22 people. Not that I have a problem with Israelis, but when all they speak the entire time is Hebrew, it gets kinda old. You can’t really talk to anyone but each other. Oh well. We did make a few good friend on that trip that hopefully we are going to run into again somewhere down the line.

So, I guess that’s it for now. I have been taking tons of photos, some of which I really love, and I will be sure to get them online soon. Along with maybe a video clip of the rafting trip. I hope you are all doing well. I sure am. Life is quite an adventure and I am trying to make the best of it. I think it’s working out pretty well. If you feel so inclined, leave a comment, or shoot me an email, I would love to hear from people…especially those of you who I never I get to talk to.

Alrightyditydo. Adios. Or, Ciao as they say in Perú.


B

Escape From Whale Shark Island

So, I know it has been quite a while since I updated my blog…so, quit your bitchin’! I’M BACK BITCHES! Here it goes.

When we last spoke I was on my way to swim with 30 foot whale sharks. Now, here comes the explanation for my extended absence from the blog world. Sadly to say, I was indeed eaten by one of these enormous beasts. After nearly 2 months of a Pinocchio style inhabitance, I managed to eat my way out. For all of you who thought I might have been to skinny in the past, I now have a strikingly similar resemblance to the mother from the film “What’s Eating Gilbert’s Grape.” For those of you who have a minimal knowledge of silver screen classics, I am fat… J

Needless to say, I crawled my way back up from the lowest eastern African coast, up through Egypt and then hitchhiked my way back to London with no less than Indian Jones himself. Funny guy.

Actually. That was all a lie. Well, not all of it. Just some. You figure it out.

The last month or more I have been working my little tail off in an attempt to get my work up in my first UK (European) exhibition. I was, in fact, successful in doing this. Along with this, I have been busy as the Art/Creative Director of a new club in London (the same club where my work is up…see how it’s all fitting together). By designing logos, signs, lighting, websites, flyers, and the interior design (hence the exhibition), I have in effect given this place an entirely new image. Quite a huge accomplishment, if I do say so myself. I really enjoyed this type of work and I can definitely see myself doing it again sometime, if the opportunity arises.

Here are some images from the interior of the new club. The works are on the wall in 24 x 26 light box frames and backlit from holes in the walls behind the frames. This is the largest I have printed single images. What do you think? A shot of me from last week is also here. Look out. :-)

Ok, so, the journey is still for from over. I am now sitting in Dublin, Ireland. As if I had yet to visit over a dozen countries in the last 10 months, I am ready for a bit more before I go give my brother away in Seattle. Oh yea, Marcy, I have yet to make up my mind (I do have a say in this as the best man right?). I am leaning towards yes, but last minute decisions are more my style. If I do go ahead with things, I am in the works of creating a Rap to give as my speech. How many best man speeches have you forgotten over the years. This one, will indeed, be different. Oh yea.

Dublin has been great thus far, but I think that come this Wednesday, I will leave Dublin and find that the rest of Ireland is less like London, and a lot more like the postcards that I have found in the Grocery stores here in Dublin. The accents are the greatest though. Better than any place I have been. Way better. You can get any cab driver to say Turd. Simply tell him to make the “third left coming up,” and he will undoubtedly repeat it, “Turd Left?” Oh yea,“You got it buddy.”

Now, I will leave you with one more tidbit of vital information. I will be coming back to the states for a little while! Get your number at the front counter. Seriously though, I would love to see you all. I come to Seattle on the 2nd of July for a major “fun for all” 4th of July party, followed by what I am sure will be the best party in the world, the wedding, followed by a few weeks in L.a. and Arizona…only to be followed by WHO KNOWS WHAT! Isn’t that great. Not knowing. Love it. Confusion is probably my favorite state of mind, as I am sure you have figured out by now.

Be good to yourselves. Stay alive till I get there. And don’t do anything I wouldn’t do (I am trying to leave your options open here people).


Love,

B


PS. If you want to see shots from my Cameroon journey, they are here!!! In an unabridged version, you can find them by clicking here, or here is fine too. Enjoy!

BJNart - Memo: Please Be Advised, There Is No Complaint Department Available

Yea, so here I am in Mozambique. "Mozambique you say!?!" Yes. Mozambique. What a ride this place they call Africa has been thus far. Oh the stories I can tell. Well, if I had the time that is. This is in fact the first time I have been able to get on a functional computer in some time now, so I will take this opportunity to say that life is grand. Oh how sweet it is.

So, listen to this. I met this guy, Graham, when I went out to dinner my second night in Swaziland that manages this hotel (or so he said) in Swazi. So as my days in Swazi were coming to an end, I decided to give him a call before heading back
to South Africa (boooo kinda...not that impressed with it cause of all the crime and rape and whatnot...not impressed is an understatement I guess you could say.) He had told me a good hotel manager would never turn someone down if they had empty rooms, no matter the price. So I figured I would call him and offer him 100 Rand (ten pounds) and see what he says. He ends up telling me to come down to the Royal Swazi Villas and he has a room waiting for me, no questions asked! Without me even offering any money at all! Amazing. So, he proceeds to send a car for me, and before I know it I am staying in the King´s suite, in the largest villa on the property, all to myself, sleeping in the same bed, I might add, that the King of Zulu sleeps in when he visits Swazi. This is in fact that largest hotel resort in Swazi...owned by the King of Swaziland. It isn´t a hotel by any means though, it is a collection of 6-8000 square foot mansions rented as private villas to the rediculously wealthly or royalty. This was fucking unbelievable to say the least. And yes, I did have a bath robe and jet power jacuzzi in my bathroom. Fresh fruit you ask? Yes. That too of course. Silly of you to even ask, don´t you think?

Apparently, he told the owners I was the son of the president of the world bank, and that I was a major potential business opportunity...needless to say, everyone was very nice to me. Sorry pops, I guess the son on the President on J. M. Nolan Architects just doesn´t have as much pull. I stayed there for 2 nights and then, as if he hadn't already done enough for me....he hooked me up with a Mozambiquen visa and my plans changed sporadically once again. So, here I am, in Mozambique. Crazy shit huh!?! Yea, I would have to say so.

Plans are now to dive with Whale Sharks tomorrow and then do a bit of surfing on the east African coast of the Indian Ocean. This is just one of the many crazy stories to come out of this Motherland experience. As I said, no complaints here.


B