Tag Archives: resting
but the terrorists
A day in a roadside hotel. The room is okay, the yard is nice, breakfast is the bomb. I walk over to a shop down the road and end up buying not only water and a candy bar, but also a pendant from the Trabzonspor football team because I like its colors. Guess I’m a […]
the way to Sumela
Somewhere in the south of Trabzon, hidden deep inside of a mountain valley, there is an old Greek Orthodox monastery called Sumela. It is not functional anymore. There are no monks, no holy books, no ritual chants, just a few stone buildings hanging on to the rocks. I can’t help but ask myself what happened […]
the Kantian
I took a walk around Trabzon with an old friend today. We talked about his life and mine, and about some of the things that had happened in the last few years. The big things and the small things. Meanwhile, we looked around. When we passed the old Gülbahar Hatun mosque, I said let’s go […]
holy wisdom
Islam came to Trabzon rather late. Maybe it was because of its city walls (which now mostly lie in ruins) or maybe it was because its inhabitants were so famously stubborn and hot-headed, anyway Trabzon remained Christian (and independent) for a long time, even after almost all of its surrounding territories had adopted Islam. It […]
Caboose 2.1
One unexpected thing happened last night (I’m including a photo in this post). As I was walking toward my destination, I stopped and tried to film myself and the Caboose walking through a crowded pedestrian zone. That is until four men showed up and demanded to know what I was doing. I told them I […]
of mice
An afternoon, a sky covered in grey clouds, a corner near the ocean where a cat is playing with a mouse. At first I’m sure the mouse must be dead, as it’s dangling lifelessly between the cat’s teeth. But when the cat sets it down almost gently, the mouse looks around for a moment, then […]
Erdoganstan
Rize, that’s one hundred thousand people on the coast of the Black Sea. It’s the home of the current president (who appears to moonlight as an educator). And it’s the center of the Turkish tea industry. I have been passing by lots and lots of tea factories on my way here from Georgia. Basically every […]
the pudding, though
I remember once when I was in school, one of my teachers started talking about a thing called “world cuisines”. Apparently, there was only a limited number of countries with a food culture deserving of the name. I don’t think anyone was surprised when he told us that German food hadn’t made the cut. Sausages […]
why I love jellyfish
The rain clouds came upon Ardesen at night, and they decided to stay. Unable to find a nice, small guesthouse, I have taken up room in a three-star hotel where guns are not allowed and where there is an illuminated blue sky as a ceiling in the hallways. The Caboose is parked downstairs next to […]
The Longest Warrior and the difficulty of doing nothing
Remember how a while ago I started making merchandise for those who wanted a part of The Longest Way? Well, here’s a brand-new shirt: And not just that. There’s also new mugs and other stuff: The design is called The Longest Warrior, and it was made by The Pumpkinbear: Oh, and I’m going to be […]
chained up
At first I was afraid, I was petrified. Kept thinking I could never sleep on karaoke night. But then I left the window open and I listened to their songs, and I grew strong, and I learned to get along. And so I’m back, from outer space, and I’m resting in my hammock in this […]
the end of the world
I’m staying at a hotel two blocks from the beach. The owner, a man with big, inked arms and the face of a tough guy, gives me wine, laughs roaringly, and lives in order to distribute fist bumps. “But” he asks me, “have you heard of Jehova’s Witnesses? My friends and I are Jehova’s Witnesses. […]
kicking the shit out of some dogs
I’m staying in this small hotel here: It’s got everything: rooms, food, a shop, restrooms, a shower, wifi, and non-stop dance music that is very loud. I am enjoying it. Doing some laundry, resting my feet. Oh, and yesterday I found myself kicking the shit out of some dogs. And I mean full-on football penalty […]
it’s not just in my head
Packing. Waiting. Looking out of the window. Waiting. Eating. Exercising. Drinking tea. Waiting. Someone is playing dance music somewhere, possibly downstairs. I am not even sure if it’s music at all. The only thing I can hear is the beat rumbling through the concrete. It mirrors my heart. The taxi ride to Baghdati takes thirty […]
parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
The city is as sleepy as a folk ballad. Maybe that is because of the heat. Or maybe it’s because Kutaisi isn’t the capital anymore. The last time it played that role was 900 years ago. There is a monastery called Gelati on a hill nearby. It was built during a time when Kutaisi was […]
the hills that I once walked through
Going from Tbilisi to Kutaisi by train takes four hours. It’s a modern train. There is a small tv screen in every carriage, but it’s not switched on. I sit across from two young men with soft, handsome faces and beard stubble. Both are wearing earphones, both are looking at their phones. Next to us, […]
splashdown
It’s not you: It’s the things that are floating around in the blood, clouding the soul. The anxiety. The fear. The darkness. To them I’d like to quote Gagarin: “The path of a cosmonaut is not an easy, triumphant march to glory. You have to get to know the meaning not just of joy but […]
it’s embarrassing to like Bukowski, but I do
I remember I was fifteen when I heard about Charles Bukowski for the first time. It was a group of older boys who told me to check out this writer who was super obscene and controversial. Apparently those who were familiar with his work called him “Hank”, and reading it was supposed to be life-changing. […]
little boy with colors
He is eight now, he wears glasses, and he is a rather bouncy person. I mean he likes to bounce around. In his room. In the hallway. In his car seat. Recently his mom gave him a little microphone with a built-in speaker that can amplify and add distortion effects to one’s voice. She says […]
chainsaws
This circus is much louder than the one I saw in Georgia. There are about two or three hundred people in here, most of whom are kids with their parents. Nobody seems bothered by the sheer volume of the show. They applaud rhythmically to anything resembling music. Then the tune changes and everyone stands up […]