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August 12, 2005
Food
and now for something a little lighter.
As many who read this blog know I’m a vegetarian and a picky eater to boot. Living in a foreign country has involved some significant adjustments. Not only do many of the basic foods like juice, cheese and milk taste different but the information surrounding food is also very different. Because of my dietary concerns
I pay a lot of attention to nutritional information. Since moving I’ve been struck by the differences in what is provided to consumers. The majority of food products here include labels stating if they are Vegetarian or Vegan compatible. Its refreshing to be able to look at a prepared food stuff like pasta sauce an quickly know if its something I can eat. This is even more important as ingredient lists are less complete on foods here. The term flavouring is considered sufficient although certain things like caffeine or sweeteners are specifically listed.
The issue of sweeteners has also been something of a headache. I avoid caffeine for the most part and have been banging my head to a certain degree at the non-cafinated sodas here. While Canada is moving rapidly away from sweeteners like aspretaime, the same is not true here. Many pops are available only in a form using artificial sweeteners. On my last trip to the grocery store I was unable to find a lemon-lime soda other than the American brand names that did not use at least a blend of sugar and artificial sweeteners.
Even the recommended daily intakes of food groups has changed. When last I checked Canada food guide was recommending something in the order of 6-8 servings of fruit and vegetables. Here the recommendation is for 5. So far I have not seen the local recommendations for the other food groups but it would not surprise me if they too differed.
As issues of culture shock go, it may not seem like much but food has proven significant for me. I think it is only in the last week or two that I have found a diet that works for me in the local context. Now if I can just find a little more variety....:)
Posted by Bluerevolutionist at 05:15 PM | Comments (1)
August 06, 2005
Thin places
I had it pointed out to me that I may have missed the tone I was trying to achieve in my last entry. As a result this is something of an attempt to clarify that post. I have been blessed with a number of opportunities to travel and experience historic sites. I’ve been to places that range from a couple of centuries old to places that have historical significance from the first centuries of the common era. While they are all awe inspiring and special there are a few that have moved me deeply.
Ten years ago my Mom and I spent a month in Britain for several reasons one of them being to visit some of the sites linked to the Arthurian stories. During a portion of this trip we visited a number of sites but one in particular stood out. It wasn’t Glastonbury Abbey or the thorn tree said to have sprouted from Joseph of Aramathea’s staff. It wasn’t the healing waters. Our tour guide took us to the remains of one of the Celtic hill forts near Glastonbury. He was interested in divining rods and Ley lines and similar phenomena. While we were there he had my mom and I try and both of us got strong reactions along one of the more established Ley lines. I’m not sure how much belief I put in Ley lines but there was something going on and the place had a sense of presence that was deeply moving to me. The creepiness continued when we later developed the pictures and the one I had taken of my Mom had no sign of her in it. I was more than a little unnerved by that.
On that same trip we visited Tintagel. The town itself is small but the site of the ruins often referred to in the Arthurian legends as is a cave near the water line. Because of the nature of the community our accommodations were some distance from the town and ruins. As such we had several miles to walk getting there. In spite of the fact that the area has been developed it held a deep sense of power. We passed through a small ravine that felt as if a woodland creature of myth could walk out at any moment and it would be right. The actual ruins were no less spectacular and carried there own sense of deep awe.
A few places have held that immense sense of awe for me. Thursday’s trip to Lindisfarne priory held that feel for me. The last time I was there was on the trip 10 years ago. It was a stop that my Mom wanted very much to take and in which I had no interest. As such it was as a petulant 15 year old that I reached the ruins. Coming back as an adult, because I wanted too the ruins were deeply moving. In many ways I didn’t want to leave. The sense of the holy was present.
While I have found other places moving in the sense of human ambition and ingenuity it is not the same. These thin places hold a special place in my heart. I look forward to returning to the other sites again as well as discovering others that may be out there.
Posted by Bluerevolutionist at 04:57 PM | Comments (1)
August 04, 2005
Finding Balance
As many who no me are aware finding the right balance is an ongoing challenge. It is very easy for me to become sedentary and only rarely see the light of day (or night). Being surrounded by so much history there is also the temptation to do to much. Today is one such example. While a wonderful experience that I wouldn’t give up for a moment it is safe to say that I did too much today. The pendulum swung well into the active side of the spectrum.
One of the difficulties I find is that while my body may be quite content to do as little as possible for days on end, my mind has a tendency of climbing the walls when this happens. Boredom is a dangerous thing. While a bored Don may not follow the Tick’s approach and become a super hero it still leads to no good.
It is in search for greater balance that I’ve found myself turning, with surprising eagerness to my not a thesis and its related studies. As part of my requirements for the elusive degree I am required to write a paper of all but thesis length and quality. The biggest qualifier that prevents it from being a true thesis is the name. I also have to smaller studies to do that tie into the not a thesis.
The world becomes much less boring when sifting through the Song of Roland and similar writings for clues into an idealised philosophy. While I will admit that these works can, on occasion be frustrating reads it is with great relish that I tackle them with a purpose. I can even put up with bad attempts at maintaining a rhyming scheme. I consider myself to be very fortunate to have not only history on my door step waiting to be explored but also a focus for mental forays into the realms of antiquity.
Posted by Bluerevolutionist at 10:22 PM | Comments (0)