Cordoba to Triana ...

Summer in Cordoba is mostly hot and dry ... Autumn this year cool and wet and yesterday's soaking was more than enough ... city tourism not really optimal activity in any weather and the old streets of Cordoba are fine tuned for parting visitors from their cash in a friendly manner ... late afternoon and evening spent drying out and browsing online philosophy and avoiding further excursions ...
First bus to Seville shifts the focus, clouds clear and options open ... first being a late breakfast since supper skipped and only time for a coffee solo at the bus station ... however, breakfast choice a little close to Bus Station to escape cynical exploitation of gullible tourist, watered down orange juice, yesterday's croissant and cafe con leche for a fiver ... the money not the issue, it's the game that feels tawdry ... wandering on and drawn across the river to Triana, with a more authentic feel and a wonderful covered market ... and Triana Backpackers' Hostel has a bed in a dorm for tonight ... second breakfast nearby with churros feels better, some fresh fruit from the market for later .... whilst tapas lunch looks and tastes great. .. ideas for hummus of many colours ... rain, absent for first part of the day returns for a while ... forecast looking better and a one day return to Via de la Plata in the field of possibilities ...

Musing on last evening's entertainment from Nietzsche, Husserl, Heidegger, Sartre, Alan Watts and Robert Anton Wilson ... and the problems inherent in incremental improvements in systems fundamentally flawed ... organised religion generally, Christianity specifically. .. or put another way, doing the wrong thing righter goes nowhere, better do the right thing poorly and improve that ... perhaps pointing to a truth beyond all attempts to describe it, but which may be glimpsed as we live our authentic lives as best we can, simply, compassionately, patiently ...

Cordoba ...

Plenty of people and philosophy to process since the last post ... and plenty of opportunity to catch up since it is raining in Cordoba and its undoubted charms are limited without the Sun ... dodging locals and their umbrellas, themselves dodging packs of sodden tourists each armed with their own umbrellas an art in itself, let alone locating dry places of interest to shelter and learn some of the rich history ... the compact single room in the simple hostal, not to be confused with hostel, offers dry base with WiFi between cultural expeditions ... the challenges and opportunities of new roommates each night, new companions in the kitchen, which is hostel life, exchanged for the privacy and peace of the single room and less convivial company ...

In Tavira information gleaned, briefly, from young Mexican student of molecular biology, based in Germany, and older statistician from Brazil, working in the government, observing recent political developments with interest, noting economic record of recent left wing administrations as poor to say the least ... and pointing out the deeper problems worldwide of widening gap between contributors to pensions and social support and those requiring them ... a fundamental issue needing radical solutions maybe transcending traditional left-right polarities ... accelerating automation exacerbating the problem, global warming and current economic need for ever expanding growth on a finite planet insisting on more than incremental change ... 

... whilst Paloma, from Madrid, offers serious challenge to Spanish speaking, since she has next to no English and a walking trip to Fuseta, followed yesterday by a bus trip to Seville, lunch there and onward train to Cordoba pushes linguistic skills to the limit, albeit assisted by smartphone translate function ... 

Of course, plenty of folks are working on answers to the big questions and young people will do it, when not hypnotised by the dross possible from smartphones, the current brainwashing medium meaning the limited exposure of plugged in televisions are supplemented by always-on opportunities ... whether to make us smarter or stupider our choice perhaps ... recognising the shift to simpler lives essential for individual sanity and thereby saner societies ... less being more and more less ... the perverse power of the super-rich undermined by a populace no longer looking upwards for more stuff but sideways for mutuality ... contemporary communications pointing to this anyway: when we can talk with anyone, anywhere, anytime about anything, vertical hierarchies dissolve, held together temporarily by old structures ... disruptive economic forms are already at it ... liftshare and bla bla car, couchsurfing and airbnb, helpx and workaway, peer to peer funding platforms ... blockchain with its distributed technology to undermine the attempt of older forms to hang on ... 

Now for some damp exploration ...

Examining the Rules ...

Since the stay in Tavira is extended, away from the library in Stanhope, since the hardback copy of Peterson's 12 Rules for Life is stimulating the mind, and since such books are not so easy to come by here, a re-reading is in order, this time examining more closely some of the author's propositions, to see if they fit the evolving delusion which is the world view of Wear and Dao ... and noting some resistance to two elements apparently paradoxical which want some investigation ... tricky, since limited academic intelligence is rather in awe of the author's command of many fields of knowledge ... nevertheless ...

Rule 1, citing the research on dominance hierarchies and deeply entrenched behaviours of humans, particularly the males of maybe all sentient species, suggests the importance of greeting the world with our shoulders back and projecting a confident image. Nothing wrong with that, though there is an assumption along the way that pecking orders, the success of the strongest, is immutable in humanity, the most ancient parts of the brain being hard-wired for aggression. .. wiring, however, as suggested by research appears to be an ongoing process, summed up in the pithy "what fires, wires", proposes that thoughts, speech and especially experience, create new neural pathways and thus literally change our brain ... not necessarily totally changing our mind, since it is not clear to what extent brain and mind interact, but anyway offering hope that progress is possible, despite the distressing ongoing wars and consequent suffering ... indeed data on violence quite clearly demonstrates its steady decline over time ... raising doubts over Peterson's rather pessimistic view ... which lurches from biological determinism to Biblical Mythology, with credence offered to creation myths from Genesis ... stories have power and maybe the world is only a collection of stories, but maybe also they may confuse the issue, since humans have this tendency to confuse the Word with the thing described ...

Rainy day starts with conversation with Diana, who works at the hostel, previous resident of England, born there of Portuguese parents, and offering helpful insights to the relationship between the two nationalities ... later, longer dialogue with Peter dives deep into fundamental questions, his perspective being from his career in the Dutch Civil Service at quite high level, belied by his holiday persona as hostel dweller and ardent photographer of flamingos and other bird life so abundant in the salt pans hereabouts. ...

Evening philosophy session continues over hostel supper, with Amelie, 24 year old teacher from Paris adding French, female and youth perspective ... coincidentally the actress in the charming film of that name, Audrey Tatou, came from the same small village near Clermont - Ferrand as our young philosopher ...

Later in Room 103, Franz arrives, disclosing at breakfast this morning that he is cycling from Lisbon to Munich, having previously covered the Nordcap to Lisbon stage ... not a bad way for a retired civil engineer to pass the time ....

At the flea market, Transition Town Tavira have a small stall, offering a few second hand items priced in the local currency, the Tav ... confusing a local Portuguese chap trying to buy a clock with his euros ... alternative currencies perhaps requiring a period of transition too? The project is run by settlers from Northern Europe, and engagement with longer term residents looking necessary ...

In another coincidence,  Federico, pictured in Wear and Dao on the walk from Guimarres to Amarante in November 2016, turns out to be a cousin of Ivan, roommate in 103 ... latest instagram pic shows swollen face due to drugs taken to treat an illness, but it's him alright ...

Meanwhile, at the penultimate visit to the dentist, Humberto, itinerant implatologist, turns out to be a philosopher ... referencing a Portuguese  scientist who proposes each cell of the body has its own consciousness and therefore intelligence and concluding that Descartes had it wrong when he said: I think, therefore I am ... more likely the exact opposite ... further research required!

Hostel people

One of the benefits of hostel living, as well as the low cost, is the opportunity to meet interesting folks from around the world ... as previously observed ... the picture shows Peter from Holland and Jens and Reena from Germany ... the latter leaving today for Lisbon and the night train to Hendaye ... and an early bout of philosophy delays this morning's walk, though there was no firm plan ... Jens seeking something, having identified the adoption of his father's successful plant nursery business as a problem ... the creation of the father not meeting the existential needs of the son ... a common enough problem though no less painful for that ... anyway, a warm connection and maybe to be continued ...

Last night James arrived in Room 103 from Alvor and Atlanta, Georgia via Chicago ... seeking respite from Trumpistan .... a long conversation continues this morning over pastries at the French bakery before he heads for Santo Antonio and a trip to Ayamonte on the ferry across the Guidiana ... Bernardo vacated his bunk after missing out in the qualifying round, whilst Thomas moves to a double room as he progresses, a solid night's sleep helpful for peak performance ... Ivan, Spanish chef working the dreaded split shifts, continues as longer term roommate as he sorts out finances for winter let of nearby apartment ... with pool ...

This morning's later start means a rerun of the circular walk to Barril (previously misspelled Barill) and back along the beach ... slightly cooler today as Sun hides a little behind thin cloud ... reconciled to a minimum of 10 days before teeth completion and settling in Tavira until next appointment Saturday, then maybe a new adventure for a week before, hopefully, final fitting ... and a quick Camino. ..

Uncommon Sense

One of the fundamental problems with understanding reality is the idea of common sense, or more accurately, consensus reality ... anthropology having amply demonstrated how common sense varies quite widely across cultures ... and historians have shown the same across time ...

Looking closer at the senses through which commonly accepted realities are constructed, another problem arises, since there is often an erroneous assumption that we see through the eyes, hear through the ears, smell through the nose, taste through the tongue and feel through the fingers and the skin in general ... leaving aside for now the oft experienced sixth sense, the information from those five receptors is only energy at a certain frequency, which is interpreted in different parts of the brain and matched up with already established patterns to create some kind of common sense story ... and, returning to recent posts, the mind seeks security, which is what we know, more or less ... order rather than the alternative, chaos .... of course this only works for a while, since we are much more than we know, maybe infinitely so .... then comes existential angst, since the soul, for want of a better word, insists on the infinite or at least moving towards it .... consensus reality, or our conditioned reality, increasingly aligned with the story of stuff, Samsara, the hell realm promoted through the brainwashing techniques of television, radio, "news"papers ... has to be challenged, putting us at odds with family, friends and peers still operating there, albeit often numbed by illegal and prescription drugs, alcohol and so on ... solitude, of course, is an opportunity to investigate without censure ... avoiding the hypnotic agents of television, radio, newspapers and social media helps too ... less is more ... and beyond that, nothing is everything, more or less ...

Today's routine, what with 4.30 dental appointment and sunny weather forecast, takes in early coffee and pastry at the French bakery near the hostel ... opening at 7 am, rather than hostel 8.30 breakfast, coffee excellent rather than mediocre hostel coffee ... not to sound ungrateful for the warm, welcoming hostel staff, of course!  Walk to Santa Luzia and Barill beach means firm sand for low tide walk towards Tavira and ferry, after an hour or so of Sun and a couple of dips in the sea, very energising in the waves ... time for a shower and change before lunch at nearby vegetarian restaurant as the day heats up to near summer temperatures ... offering a vision of Coimbra to Santiago in the Sun. .. Spring walk rather wet ...

Trains and lodgings await outcome of dentistry.... just as well, since visit reveals laboratory has not delivered the work and completion is postponed until Saturday at least. Still, there are worse places to wait than Tavira and the virtue of Patience can only benefit from further practice. ... 

Rules, Routines, Rituals ...

Treading the edge between Order and Chaos, the 3 Rs reside in Order, there to offer a frame to live a Life ... well the first two do anyway, Ritual begins to help us approach the numinous, the mysterious beauty of Chaos and too often settles into form, losing its point along the way ... sometimes called organised religion. .. words, of course, have a Power of their own, and Chaos, the word, is rarely used in English as a good thing ... the English language being a highly evolved structure to explain and call into form all sorts of wonders ... its ubiquity evidence of its power, not to mention the serious limitations it imposes on lazy native speakers ... since the language(s) we employ to experience the world(s) determine our perceptions of it/them ... form is everything to a culture conditioned to measure the parts as if the world(s) were nothing except the sums of the parts .... chaos may also stand for the zero point field, the infinite sea of energy, awaiting the calling into form of the inherent potential ... the unfolding of the Implicate Order pointed to by David Bohm ... perhaps ... meanwhile, languages lure us into thinking in bits when it promotes nouns over verbs and ends sentences with full stops ...

Routines are helpful to create some seemingly solid ground from which to operate, especially when they are self-imposed and occasionally broken ... Camino routine is very simple: rise early, walk, rest, eat, write a little, walk, find a bed, sleep ... and process ideas as and when the opportunity arises, which is mostly in the albergues. ...

Rules are trickier, implying something fixed, eternal, outwardly imposed ... possibly created to stave off chaos, as if that might be a good thing ... or even possible ...  which means a book so full of insight, embracing the Tao, nodding to the limits of thought, as The 12 Rules for Life, along with its equally paradoxical subtitle: An Antidote to Chaos, had the front page created tongue in cheek to say the least ... though Jordan Peterson is unlikely to say the least, when another anecdote from his life experience or learned reference from ancient wisdom and mythology is available ...

These Tavira days struggle for routine, as dorm life has its own constraints ... walking for its own sake and as training for coming Caminos, fits the bill ... the circuit to Barril and back along the beach, yesterday to Fuseta, lunch at Green Spirit vegetarian restaurant, train back, today train to Vila Real lunch at Green Buddha there, walk back to Casela for train .... Green Buddha rather trendy, healthy eating focus, light pop on the sound system, chicken on the menu ... Buddha being rather in vogue these days, and why not? The serene smile conveys contentment, suffering having ceased ... who wouldn't wish for that?

Teeth tomorrow ... maybe some sunning and swimming before that ... this afternoon's late running train leads to thoughts of Faro tomorrow evening, since connection times for Coimbra 7 am departure are very tight ... not to mention very early train from Tavira ... let's see !

Keep moving

After Friday's expedition to Vila Real, yesterday was more restful ... mooching around town, a short stroll to Santa Luzia ... partly moving the body, partly seeking convivial spots to study the 12 Rules for Life ... all very entertaining and instructive, though quiet and comfortable spots are not so easy to find ... dorm residents have their own rhythm and cleaners too ...

Spectacular thunder passes in the night ... forecast suggests more today, though no sign so far ... early walk to Santa Luzia, a chapter to consider, along to Barril, and back along the beach in warm sunshine, fresh breeze, one or two dark clouds wondering whether to turn rainy, the ferry back to Quatro Aguas and lunch at an Indian restaurant, one of many in town ...

Jordan Peterson's Rules are quite quirky, hooks for essays really ... Rule 8 is clear enough: Tell the Truth - or at least don't Lie ... leading to this insightful passage, quoted at length for your consideration: "If you will not reveal yourself to others, you cannot reveal yourself to yourself. That does not only mean that you suppress who you are, although it also means that. It means that so much of what you could be will never be forced by necessity to come forward. This is a biological truth, as well as a conceptual truth. When you explore boldly, when you voluntarily confronypt the unknown, you gather information and build your renewed self out of that information. That is the conceptual element. However, researchers have recently discovered that new genes in the central nervous system turn themselves on when an organism is placed (or places itself) in a new situation. These genes code for new proteins. These proteins sre the building blocks for new structures in the brain. This means that a lot of you is still nascent, in the most physical of senses, and will not be called forth by stasis. You have to say something, go somewhere and do things to get turned on. And, if not ... you remain incomplete, and life is too hard for anyone incomplete."
There is no citation for the research, though the writer is otherwise assiduous in this matter ...

Thanks for filling the blog space with such inspiring information ... hopefully copyright infringement will be overlooked this time. It seems highly improbable that JP or any of his friends are reading Wear and Dao anyway ...

As for the dorm, Ivan has found a winter let to give him more privacy ... Bernardo and Thomas, the Portuguese chaps are here for a tennis tournament and very considerate ...