Olhao

Ana at Ecodenta rather concerned that Olhao branch will be located ... allowing a couple of hours enables it ... not so difficult since it is next door to the huge 5 star Santa Marina Hotel ... still not sure what those two extra stars are for when the 3 star experience was already more than enough ... Buddhist study from Ayya Khema talks of frugality as a virtue to be cultivated ... simplicity, inferring a slight and maybe significant difference, preferred at Wear and Dao ... raising question about nuances available in various languages ... research shows even in letter/word/sentence type structures different languages have more or less words available ... so, how to communicate effectively or precisely when language is limited? Recognising that spoken and written language is of the mind and therefore limited anyway helps ... and that any description of the indescribable is only pointing to something mysterious, elusive, and not to be defined.

Stories follow from sentences, of course, and stories have the power to bring forth worlds ... ancient ones hang around too long, core truths buried in no longer relevant metaphor ... some old stories creating unhelpful current realities, at every level ... at Guernica the tragic bombing during the Civil War, so powerfully shown to the consensus reality then persisting as a message and warning from Picasso, lingers as a deep sadness across the whole town ... whilst in Portugal the sadness from centuries of economic emigration lingers in Fado form ... which is not to dismiss history or herstory, just to understand that new stories are needed if we want to create new realities ... philosopher-dentist Humberto concurs with some of it, though professional medical folks have to beware theories too heretical to current scientism ... and suggests prolonged top front teeth reconstruction may actually be completed next Tuesday ... exploration of Olhao constrained by rain ... warm rain though ... as thoughts turn to snow in Stanhope, message arrives advising of death of elder, a regular on Wheels to Meals trips .... planning for Community Christmas continues ... tale from Malcolm Gladwell in Outliers shows bonds of community main indicator of long and happy lives ... more important than diet, non-smoking and other familiar factors ...

Practical options for return open a little with possible lift share with Peter to Bilbao next Wednesday, though less efficient than direct Faro to Newcastle flight Tuesday night, still possible ... other Faro departures possible, as well as Newcastle via Malaga and others ... let's see!