Friday 25 January 2013

The Experience of the Desert

I have always wondered how life in the desert would be. Every time I saw a picture in a Geography book or saw a news show and those cities amid... nothing or the nothingness, that is, the ocean of sand, as I would call in my mind - how would that be? Of course, I have never dreamt that one day I would be here. Far East Asia was the picture I always had in mind as the kind of final destination for life. The never-ending daily grind of a Japanese metropolis or bucolic scenes among the Buddhist temples of Nepal or Cambodia were what I pictured for myself. 

When I knew I was definitely coming to live here, I was in a state of awe. In many ways it is as the desert wasn't near. Life in most part of the year is not as living in the middle of the desert but is the turmoil and infinite opportunities of a city which has over 20 mi inhabitants. I like saying you can find anything here you want to - you only need to discover where your "Sesame" lay (whether you can pay for your wishes, that is another thing). 

However you also cannot ignore that the desert surrounds you - it will make sure you don't. One of the first things I learnt is that you have to get accustomed to having dust everywhere. Your daily life will accompanied by that fine omnipresent layer of dust. Also in my first week, we had a sand storm. I was still in honeymoon, so I found very beautiful that I could see the buildings and the people, as if I was wearing orange lenses. 


By a combination of the desert surrounding you (and which makes most of the terrains of the country) and the localization of the country in the globe, you will also think it impossible to survive the heat in late spring and during the whole Summer.

It has its rewards though. Very early in the morning the most splendid light will invade your abode. The rays of sun come and wake you up gently very early in the morning. When the sun sets, as two lovers biding adieu, it loves the city fervently and displays exquisite architectures of blaze and colour. I never knew when I called this blog "In Quest for a Sunset" that I would find so many "definite" sunsets here. 


To be continued. :) 

Friday 18 January 2013

New friend

I've just met a new friend from the 19th century... but it's not a vampire! I wish... Dear readers, I wanted to introduce to you:





It's name is Wackel-Orgel. Such a big friend, that the camera couldn't get all of it at once! Its sound is incredible...  It literally blows you away. And to be singing there, with powerful music of J.S. Bach surrounding you, feels just like to be embraced by a good friend. 

Who would predict I would find such pleasures in the Middle East? ;-) 

Life is somehow unpredictable - and I like the positive aspect of it. 

- Who could tell I would have a wonderful Asian room mate? (even though sometimes it seems I am as Asian as she is); 
- Who could tell I would find a kindred spirit in my apartment building who wakes up listening to Amélie's soundtrack? 
- Who could tell I would find a nice vocal coach here and sing more than I have ever sang in Brazil? And specially, that I would be singing in a Jazz festival in a few weeks? =P 
- Who could tell I even went to an Early Music concert here, which was one of the best I have ever attended? 
- Who could tell I would, one day, teach Musical Theatre? And direct a Musical? O.O

What comes next?