 Had lots of opportunity to practice cognitive flexibility this weekend.... Christian and Raffaela, two scultptors from France who live in Carrara (famous for it's marble) came to visit Jesus this weekend. Did not get to see any of Raffaela's work, but Christian showed me some tiny little sculptures he had carved from an African Black Wood. They were utterly gorgeous, precious (and I don't use this work lightly), about 2" long on white marble beds (will have to get a better camera as my phone camera pictures really don't do justice to the beauty I am trying to capture). Nearly bought one, but then remembered that I am trying to avoid having things for a while ;-)
What was great about hanging with them was that neither of them spoke any English or German, only French and Italian. Speaking a mixture of German/English/Italian with Jesus and a mixture of French/Italian/Pseudo-English/Hand-Foot with them left me all mixed up in my head.... Have been studying Italian since I got here with a neat online course (www.rosettastone.com - un cavallo sta mangiando una carota), and know a bit of French (mostly through Fleur du Mal), but there were great stretches when I was just listening to the three of them talk in French/Italian feeling like a child trying to make sense of adults talking.
At the same time, we were able to have some interesting conversations. They told me about having heard about an old Abbey in France that was sold for 1Euro. Of course with the stipulation to renovate, but that would be no problem for a bunc h of artists who got to live there for free in exchange. Would also be neat to build it out with eco-technologies rather than traditional ones... Hmmmm.... Creative Centers in Abbeys ;-) Love it... Artists and Monks ;-)
Also on a gastronomical level, it was yet again a pleasure. Had some pasta cooked in a sauce of leek, dry sherry, white vine, spiced with curry and pepper, and smoothened with a bit of milk. And then also some delightful pork and bunny (yummy bunny) with really wild mushrooms. All in the presence of Bacchus' teacher (to the right) whose name got washed away with the different Italian wines we drank in his honor... dolce vita indeed ;-)
|
