on our way to gay Paree

The first really lazy day since I left home - or at least it feels like it. Ayse and Heinz went early to work leaving Bablu and me at home to fend for ourselves. By nine we had showered and changed and were both installed at the dining table. Ayse had taught me how to use the espresso machine. Very easy, she had said, you had to press just one button among half a dozen different knobs, on the top left side of the machine. I did that, after which it made some alarming noises and gurgling sounds and let out a thin honey coloured trickle. After a minute or so, the coffee started to flow properly. So we had coffee and bread with cheese and ham and we talked and talked and talked.

Bablu wants to get these 200 acres of land on the outskirts of Timbaktu where he is based, to get a new project going. He wants to put up a kind of polytechnic for people to learn various skills and side by side, for us to learn more about living in a community, living in tune with each other. To create a space essentially, for like minded individuals to be together and to look at stuff which is important for us.

The trouble, as usual, is the financing. But I said, the first step is to look at what we want to do, and to discuss it, to work on an outline perhaps. If any of you are interested you could write in, either to me with your ideas: umazon@rediffmail.com

or to Bablu. timbaktu@vsnl.com

We are thinking of meeting there around the end of December, before Samuel`s workshop.

Bablu and I talked also about the need to change our focus, from perceiving everything at the intellectual level to living with more awareness. It has been good, meeting him here. In India he is always so busy!

This afternoon the three of us are driving to Paris where we will meet Suhail. It is a bit crazy come to think of it, driving all the way there for hardly a day and a half - Ayse and Bablu at any rate want to get back to Cologne by the 2nd of July. Still we are pretty excited about it. Paris is one of the most charming cities in the world, and I am looking forward to it.

It rained quite a bit this morning but the sun has begun to put in an appearance in the last twenty minutes.

Oh yes. I bought a digital camera yesterday at one of the bargain shops in Cologne. Fuji, with 5 mega pixel for just about 200 Euros which is quite a steal. It is small and neat looking. Have to still learn to operate it though! As soon as I do you will get pics of all that is going on here!