ARRIVED IN SANTIAGO IF ONLY FOR A DAY. “WHICH BUS DO I TAKE?” “VERDE”.  AN AGGRESSIVE HUSTLE AND A FEW DIRTY LOOKS I GOT ON A DOUBLE DECKER BUS.  LONG TIME AGO I MET A CHILEANO WHO LOOKED A LOT  LIKE PIA ZADORA, SO MUCH TO MY SURPRISE CHILEANS ARE LIGHT, DARK AND INDIGENOUS.  17 MILLION PEOPLE WHOSE LANDSCAPE IS BUFFERED BY THE ANDES WHICH LED ME TO BELIEVE THEY ARE KINDA  COLD AND CUT OFF FROM THE REST OF SOUTH AMERICA. I STAND CORRECTED….AGAIN.  MY OBSERVATION ARE AS FOLLOWS:  DRINK THEIR COFFEE AND EAT LIGHT SNACKS STANDING UP. EVERYONE WALKS EVERYWHERE SO SMALL BITES ARE KEY. LOVERS IN THE PARKS GIVES PDA A BOOST. WHETHER IN AN  VERTICAL OR HORIZONTAL EMBRACE, THEY ALL DON’T CARE. ITS ALL ABOUT BRAZOS Y PIERNAS.  THEY LOVE ALLENDE BUT PINOCHE NOT SO MUCH. PATRIOTISM IS EVIDENT IN SONG WHICH CAN BE HEARD OFTEN THROUGHOUT THE CITY BY EITHER A HUM OR A MODERN DAY MINSTREL. PASSION IS A TASTE OF WINE OR MANY A FLAG SEEN.  MOTE CON HUESILLO IS LOCAL PICK ME UP. IT’S MADE OF PEACHES, SYRUP AND WHEAT GRAINS IN A CUP  EATEN WITH A SPOON.  CHILEANS LOVE IT LATE BUT ITS WORTH THE WAIT.  CIAO CIAO.

QUITO ECUADOR THE ELEVATION IS POSSIBLE REASON FOR EXPERIENCING 4 SEASONS IN ONE DAY. THE PRESIDENT IS WHEEL CHAIR MOBILE AND HE HAS BEEN MAKING HIS MARK BY CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERYONE. NURSING WOMEN RECEIVE 50.00 MONTHLY SUBSIDIES, 300.00 PER MONTH TO YOU IF YOU CARE FOR A DISABLED PERSON.  GAS IS CHEAP BCUZ ITS ALSO SUBSIDIZED. AND ADULTS WITH DOWN SYNDROME ARE GAINFULLY EMPLOYED.  NARY A STROLLER, THE WOMEN CARRY THEIR PRECIOUS LIL ONES TIL THEY ARE ABLE TO WALK.  SLASH AND BURN IS A RURAL NORM. CORN REIGNS SUPREME AND NOT A TORTILLA IN SIGHT.  THERE IS ECUADORIAN TIME WHICH IS AN INITIAL HEAD SCRATCHING EVENT TILL YOU FIGURE IT OUT. 2 BEDROOM SMALL APARTMENT IN CENTRAL AREA 500. 00 BUCKS per MONTH  DOLLARS WIDELY ACCEPTED EVERYWHERE.  INDIGENOUS PEOPLE GETTING THE SHORT END OF THE STICK BUT I OBSERVED THE COMMERCE THEY’VE CREATED TOO.  CACAO HERE WILL RIVAL THE SWISS FOR THE DELICIOUSNESS ANY FORM. MY FAVORITE IS BIZSCHO AND HOT CHOCOLATE.  ACTIVE VOLCANIC ACTIVITY AND CRATORS ARE DIFFICULT TO SEE SINCE FAST MOVING CLOUDS TEND TO OBSCURE THIS STUNNING LANDSCAPE.  AH THEN THE PEOPLE, THEY ARE QUIETLY HAPPY, AFFECTIONATE AND HEARTY.  ABOUT 25 CENTS TO RIDE THE BUS EVERYWHERE AND IM TOLD NO MORE CHICKENS OR GOATS ON SAID BUSES BCUZ THERE IS A NEW FLEET.  QUITO IS A GEM.

Not long ago I peered into a beautiful compound on an  island while traveling on a chicken bus. I thought some people fly into country go straight to the resort and stay put.  I gawked to see more of the lusciousness inside. I realized as long as I greet and meet the good people of the Republica Dominica it doesnt matter where one stays.  Observation: Most of the men I saw are sinewy, lithe and  handsome.  The women just as well. Beautiful complexions and low timbre voices. Landscape reveals major crop is  sugar cane and I tend to judge the economy based on way livestock looks…skinny and bony.  Abraham says the get their gas from Venezuela “muy carro” . and I asked him  “…and religions?” .  “oh catholico, Pentecostal Siete dias. Adventists. Jehovah’s witness”.  Then the hurricane arrived and  like a well-oiled machine, the boards went up notifications went out and the tourists hunkered down.  Shakespeare’s play “much ado about nothing” is what I thought.  Stranded x 2 days and prayers answered. Stand-by flights and 48 hours later  back on familiar soil.

Im learning that you can be happy for those you might not  be fond of and you don’t have to practice.  Its essentially a barometer of your life in this current moment.  

Everyone goes thru stages of your favorite snack or food.  Maybe yours  is walnuts with currants or lemon juice on everthing and you smell like Pledge. During my  college years one semester, I ate  a chile Relleno every day for a month. So now its Kimchi in all its earthy goodness.  I’ve enjoyed its pungent briny crunch 4 times this week and I have risk having the breath that announces to the world I 💜 Kimchi. Even its preparation is  a beautiful thing. Handcoated with a fiery mash on each leaf by people like you and I.  Then put away as though it has misbehaved for being an acquired taste.  Initial presentation looks like body parts in a clear small barrel which I find oddly appealing.  Plop in the bowl then chopstick onto my plate.  If Kimchi was a person I’d give it a hug.

2O HR FLIGHT FROM LAX.  NIGHT AIR INDICATES AIR  MUGINESS TO FOLLOW.  I’M NOT THE PREPARED TRAVELER ALTHOUGH I SHOULD BE.  NO SHANGRI LA SHUTTLE AS PROMISED 0100AM TAXI 280 HK DOLLARS=40.00 DOLLARS. AIN’T COMPLAINING ONLY EXPLAINING.  FIRST THING I NOTICE IS THE LENGTHY HORN HONK WHICH IS NEW YORK STYLE MINUS THE FINGER.  14 TONE CANTONESE PUTS MY 7 LAYER MANDARIN TO NO USE. MA MA FU FOO. QUICKLY LEARN MONEY CONVERSION SO I CAN WHEEL AND DEAL FOR A TAILORED BLAZER.  “DI TOU ZUO” REIGNS  SUPREME. EVERYONE’S HEAD DOWN ON THAT DARN PHONE. ITS MOTHERS DAY SO I TOOK OUT THE SPECIAL  LITTLE LADY FOR DIM SUM AND A COLA.  BACK TO HOTEL BCUZ HER FOOD COMA AND BITCHIN TV FROM AROUND THE WORLD GONNA BUY ME SOME FREEDOM TO ROAM.  NO HIGH PRESSURE HUSTLE FROM THE  STREETS  WHICH ARE ALSO SURPRISINGLY CLEAN.  KOWLOON FEELS RELAXED EVEN THOUGH YOU TUBE VIDEO STATED A FORM OF RUDENESS OF THE PEOPLE  BUT IT’S MORE LIKE THEY SKIP THE NICETIES.   I LOOK ACROSS THE BAY AT HONG KONG ISLAND AND IT’S A SAN FRANCISCO ON STEROIDS.  I PURCHASED AN  OCTOPUS CARD TO GREET THE  VERTICAL MADNESS.  THE METRO TRANSIT R PASS.  STEAMING BOILING EGGS REPLACE THE PICKLE JAR AT MANY A KIOSK.  HAVENT SEEN ANY HOMELESS PEOPLE OR BEGGARS. THIS 6.5 ACRE IS DENSELY POPULATED. AN EQUIVALENT TO 3.2 MILLION PER SQUARE MILE ACCORDING GOGGLE.  THIS MIGHT  EXPLAIN THE LENGTHY HONKING. ZAIJIAN 

The number of hours it took from Las Vegas to Azusa Calif. I’m not complaining in fact from time to time I take the Supertramp way. Flight delayed a little. Guy wth yarmulke max bet 1.oo x 5 wheel of fortune x 2 machines at McCarran, no spins or wins. Jet blue is the best, 34.00 one way and in 45 minute we hit tarmac in Long Beach. Flight attendant reminds me of Bridgette Bardot, she is both pretty and sexy. Weather is fantastic for walking to bus stop. Listening to Burt Bacharach I do leg lifts and stretching while waiting. 1.25 gets to blue line. I hop on and homeless veteran wants to talk and I get it. Turn off music and he and I engage. He says “Ya got caught in the Peruvian blizzard in the 1970’s”. I say ” Dig that movie ‘Blow’ with Johhny Depp. I ask him if VA hospital stuff gotten better “ya it has”. Amen. Here’s his stop. Two sheriffs hop on and I feel tax dollars at work. Guy gets on and its likely he is on drugs but coming down so sheriff #1 gives him fist pump and I think of Erik Estrada. Passenger entrepreneurship living large. One selling chips, chargers and CD’s while walking aisle. I pass thru several cities and note the following: I’m No longer bothered by graffiti, one mattress so far and new housing in Compton. Subtle art work everywhere. Hills green with solar making a comeback. Warmth of sun thru glass feels especially nice because it a hug from God. Filming in LA I look quickly for movie star but no luck. Hop on Gold line and admire two pretty face asian girls wearing lanyard “class of 2020” but they look so much younger. I think of those twins from Godzuki and Godzilla movies. They are darling as they giggle and cover their mouth with their hands only to hide perfect smiles. Tats and piercings on rugged men ending their shift. I stare and trace with my eyes the lines leading to the biceps….Nice. Farmer’s market in south Pasadena on Thurs. Afternoon. Door opens at stop and wafting garlic aromas wander in. Tiny houses and trifecta Virgin Mary postcards tape to windows as if to say “Bless this Mess”. Everyone on the phone in low head position, guilty as charged. Frequent eye contact and smiles are effective in lifting my spirits from recent news of Jay poker old man at Orleans who went to the big table in the sky. My stop and brief walk I notice confetti of pedals from white rose bush is simply beautiful. Pass a bar “Nah I dont really drink” and see my reflection in large pane glass. I say shoulders back and stomach in. Greeted by four legged family member and I’m done 420 minutes. Ziajian.