Jul 15, 2020
LHASA DE SELA. ANYWHERE ON THE ROAD. A LOVELY SONG OF NOSTALGIA
One thing I have learned through this self isolation of Covid 19 is that there are an awful lot of unhappy people in this world and most of them do…
Stories
Field notes from the road
Medicine, culture, travel, food, healing, and human stories from my archive. Start with a trail, search for a memory, or move by year.
Roads, meals, clinics, and human encounters.Archive into inquiry
These field notes are not only memory. They are the ground from which my new field inquiries begin.
The current inquiry follows one trail through the archive: food culture, metabolic health, Indigenous knowledge, and Suriname.
Jul 15, 2020
A WORD OF ADVICE TO PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS,,,,,, REGARDING PATIENT CARE IN THE COMING DECADES …LEARN TO BE GOOD GARDENERS AND NOT SHOPKEEPERS
In his powerful book, the influential Israeli historian, Yuval Noah Harari argues that within a decade or two, the role of the primary care provider would become redundant as more…
Jul 15, 2020
LITTLE DOCTORS AND NURSES OF CUBA , TEACHING THEIR FELLOW PUBLIC ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES
Kindergarten students demonstrating the proper way to cough to their classmates in Bayamo, Cuba. They are dressed as Health Care Professionals. Cuba has one of the best PUBLIC HEALTH systems…
Jul 15, 2020
LOTS OF DISCOURSES ON HAPPINESS… HOW ABOUT LIVING IT ?
By an immense stroke of luck, I was able to spend an extended period of time in Southern Sweden. I had left Australia where I felt so secure about our…
Jul 15, 2020
JEWS OF KURDISTAN … LIFE THEN AND NOW .. IN ISRAEL
I have always been interested in isolated jewish communities or "exotic" jewish communities, the Mountain Jews of Azerbaijan and Cochin Jews of Kerala are the best known among them. But…
Jul 15, 2020
POETRY ARRIVES IN THE MORNING, ONE DOES NOT ASK FOR ITS SOURCE
In the past couple of mornings, soon after I wake up in Miami, Poetry has arrived, carried by the winds from the East. To thank the winds, I searched out…
Jul 15, 2020
RIGHT BEFORE THE MORNING LIGHT. CREEPS SOFT UPON THE SILL…
Sandman Kirsty McGee Right before you close your eyes Whispering yours prayers When the sandman blows your eyes I'll be there When you wake up in the night Sounds the…
Jul 15, 2020
READING SHAMLOU IN MIAMI IN THESE UNCERTAIN TIMES ..
I think of Ahmad Shamlou in the same manner I think of Pablo Neruda of Chile and Pramoedya Ananta Toer of Indonesia . All suffered for their beliefs. But they…
Jul 15, 2020
LA BELLE DAME SANS REGRETS. NOTHING TO LOSE WHEN YOU CAN DANCE AND HAVE THE MUSIC TO DO SO
Tropics are like hammocks for lovers, was it Anais Nin (French-Cuban) who said that when she and Arthur Miller were lovers in Paris ? There is a word in English…
Jul 15, 2020
POLITICANS AND OPPRESSORS SHOULD NOT USE THE WORD. FREEDOM AND WE SHOULD NOT LOVE WITHOUT LOVE
I am reminded Who taught me this poem, I cannot remember Was the poet laureate of Baracoa, the one who walks with a grin as big as a begonia? I…
Jul 15, 2020
IF YOU LOOK CAREFULLY, YOU WILL SEE SOMETHING HIDDEN INSIDE THEM
I have a friend in Dali City, Yunnan. The scenery is nothing like what we associate with China with its industries, crowded cities and glittering lights. Tranquil mountains, streams and…
Jul 15, 2020
THE BIG TECH BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU ….
We are living through a strange ? period of time, a difficult ? period of time, or profitable? period of time? I suppose it depends who do you ask .…
Jul 15, 2020
Good bye Queen of the skies. She still calls Australia home
Even though I have not returned to Australia after my two trips in 2008, I keep abreast of what is happening in Australia. I am grateful for the enormous influence…
Jun 15, 2020
NOT YET READY TO FLY MY FAVOURITE AIRLINE. QATAR AIRWAYS
I was looking through some of my blogs about the multiple journies on Qatar Airways, my favourite airline. I was feeling nostalgic for the lack of QR in my life…
Jun 15, 2020
THE FIRST DAY OF THE END OF SOCIAL ISOLATION FOR ME , IN MIAMI
For me, today is the day, the social isolation in Miami which I had gleefully accepted, stopped. Lovely day to walk around the Botanic Gardens which had been part of…
Jun 15, 2020
MIGRATION AND LIFE NEW OUTLOOK AT THE POST CORONA TIMES
MIGRATION THROUGH LIFE A threat to the Planet as well as at an individual level is/has been present over the past three months. We have become open to the sufferings…
Jun 15, 2020
WHO YOU ARE IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHAT YOU ARE
On making his discovery, the astronomer had presented it to the International Astronomical Congress, in a great demonstration. But he was in Turkish costume, and so nobody would believe what…
Jun 15, 2020
A SPECIAL SHABBAT SHALOM FROM MIAMI
The Sun has set in Miami, the three stars have appeared, bursting through the still blue skies. Today is a special welcome to the Shabbat I prepare to light the…