Collecting Moments

Couchsurfing. From Huaykaew Road to Rambla del Raval I hosted this guy through couchsurfing in Chiang Mai last winter. He was also one of my Thai massage "victims". There were a lot of travelers who passed through my house before or after vipassana courses. But he's the only person I hosted whose attitude towards life is deeply rooted in buddhist teachings and meditation. Today we had philosophical coffee in the university of Barcelona, tasted Pakistani samosa in Carrer d'en Robador ("thief") and visited the library of Catalunya in the former hospital. Tomorrow Alejandro is leaving Barcelona for good. I'm happy that he found time to meet me and show me that different side of this crowded city which is "stolen" from tourists. Buena suerte, amigo, in your new place! Nothing is permanent but… Viva couchsurfing! Viva friendship! Viva travel!

The secrets of the Potomac "The CIA headquarters is just across the river. In the 60s my father used to canoe to work every day. Imagine those employees in black suits and ties paddling their way to the other side on a misty morning. In winter they used ice breakers to make it to the office through the frozen waters. There was no highway bridge back then and driving would have been much longer than canoeing."