Ah yes, I can finally get down to updating my blog once again.
The topic I've been most fascinated with lately is the 'Slow Movement'. In case you have never heard of it, here it is:
People stressed. Need a break. Re-think life. Take things easy.
Simple enough?
It all started with this dude who led some Italians to protest at the Piazza di Spagna on the opening of a McDonalds food outlet there (by the way, we discovered that the Piazza is a lovely but extremely busy place when we visited Rome last year). What became a protest against fast food has become a lifestyle choice for many who want to get off the fast track in this rat race we live in...even more so for those of us who live in Singapore and Hong Kong.
With improved technology, we can multi task tonnes of things at the same time but then, forget the purpose of the creation of these technology in the first place. Tell me about it, I just got a new handphone with Wi Fi access. Tempting not to use it to reply my client the very moment he needs me to email him something.
And so, out sprouted Slow Food, Slow Books, Slow Travel, Slow Cities, Slow Living, Slow Schools and Slow Money.
I can agree with most all of it except Slow Money.
Duuuh...
The point to all this is that we should take time to smell the roses (if there are still any. These days, the National Parks Board keeps stocking out parks with Heliconia. No wonder we cannot smell anything even if we wanted to). While this is not a rebellion, it encourages people to enjoy their experiences more in depth. Say, if you were reading a book, instead of rushing through it, rather, take time to absorb the contents of the story.
And so, rather than rush on a 21 day bus around Europe holiday, take a month and half off instead to visit the same places. Or, use your 21 days but spend it in only 2 places. That way, you will be able to fully enjoy and absorb the way of life at your selected destinations.
True, true. I can hear naysayers snorting that this is for the well heeled. Admittedly, 99.5% of us do not have the luxury of being able to take a month and a half off to travel. Also, it means that your finances are being stretched to the max. How to afford?
When the Wife and I went to Europe last year, we did Rome and Paris in 10 days. Comfortable, you might say? Relatively. That very morning after I landed in Paris, I hopped in line with the queues at the Musee D' Orsay, Rodin Museum and the Lourve and covered all 3 famed museums in the space of one afternoon (I can say I've been there done that, but no quality of experience). We did have to wake up at 4am to catch the 5.30am budget plane from Paris to Rome.
On the flip side? We enjoyed a delicious meal of Shawarma whipped up by our chatty Lebanese 'hole-in-the-wall-shop' chef in Paris' red light district; We explored the catacombs located along the world's first paved road; Ate the yummiest Gelati in the world, found in Rome (the wife had it everyday we were in Rome); Overawed by the vastness and grandness of the Versailles Palace and its huge gardens (I promised myself that if I am able to, I will want to go back to the Versaille gardens and have a jog there in the Spring).
Well, having said all that, I wish to make a proposition to all my readers --- Let's start slow...
Take the afternoon off on Friday 8 June 2007. I will bring all of us to an undisclosed location in Singapore to rediscover both your environment and yourself. And pay me a token sum of S$5 for having thought of this idea =)
Those interested, pls email me at tumduck@yahoo.com . This half day journey of re-discovery will go ahead if I have a minimum of 6 people. Why so? Otherwise no fun lah!Have yourself a Slow Day!
