Writing Through the Crossroads

Sometimes it’s hard to get inspired, to choose which path to take and to know, with certainty, where to focus my energy. I love to read. Reading opens my mind, widens my horizons as much as learning to do something new. Through reading I get to slip into someone else’s skin, shoes, hat and see the world from their perspective, never completely living their experience since my mind contains it’s own process by which even a narration, when read by me, becomes my own. When I read I grow. In contrast, writing is my outlet. It is the one thing that purges me from myself, that purifies me from the baggage that accumulates and clutters my brain. When I write and I breathe easier, I feel better and lighter. Sometimes I even rise above mortality, to a place where I am indestructible, transcendent. My essence seems to split away, unfold, from my physical body and I can fly through time, space, worlds. Writing can be such a passionate and profound experience that I can rarely re-read what I write. When I return to reality, somehow all that dreaming and flying around seems silly and immature. It’s too much when I a grounded.

So here I am, at a crossroads, full of questions… lacking answers. Can my love for reading and writing become a career? Can these two passions of mine be molded, shaped into a job? Can I do what I love while simultaneously building a curriculum? Can I make money being inspired by writers before me and then spilling my thoughts on white paper in black ink? Can I be “productive” while living my dream? I don’t know. Thankfully, I have a lot to say, and I’ve noticed that my opinions are frequently different from the opinions of the mainstream, which might be of great use. Unfortunately, I have found it hard to sit and write daily. All I can say is that passionate feelings, inspiration, comes in waves and I am hoping I can make them come more frequently and stay longer.

Today I had lunch with one of my father’s friends. His profession is international law, and like me, he is passionate about literature. For two hours and a half we spoke about life, traveling and literature… three things that (to me) are inseparable. We share the same hair-raising awe for authors like Jorge Luis Borges and others who make reading literature an all-consuming, foundation crumbling experience. I was inspired, re-energized, motivated to read and write by just taking about the amazing people that came before me. Did they think about their careers, about publishing, about selling? Or was their need to write, to create so strong nothing else mattered? Or was it a negotiation between both, publishing and passion? Anyway, he did give me some practical advice that (at least) makes starting less overwhelming:

1) Read the entire work of authors you enjoy, considering their underlying philosophical perspective and literary strategies.

2) Write as much as you can about anything you want and send your works to contests, magazines, newspapers, etc. without getting discouraged.

3) Consider projects you are not passionate about as training exercises, dedicating time enough to make progress without overdosing.

4) Enjoy the journey!

Although my questions remain unanswered, they are no longer looming doubts that weigh me down and make me apprehensive about the future. They are just questions, potential decisions, future choices that I will make when the time is right. The important lesson is to enjoy the journey, embrace the adventure!

Road Trip of Europe

August 10th: London to Paris and Paris to Amsterdam

• Left London on the 7:25am flight.
• Met up with friends at Charles de Galle Airport in France
• We rented a Mercedes B170 for our trip
• Left airport at, ate lunch (mussels) in Brussels
• Visited Bruges
• Checked into our Hotel in Amsterdam at 10:30pm

August 11th: Amsterdam

• Ate brunch at a sandwich place called Singel 404
• Visited flower show and flea market
• Rented bikes for the afternoon
• Rode to Van Gogh Museum
• Visited Heineken Factory
• Returned bikes and only paid 15 euros for lock
• Had diner at Luden (on Singel)
• Walked the red light district and saw shows from street
• Went back to hotel at 2pm

August 12^th: Amsterdam to Berlin

• Checked out of hotel at 12pm
• Visited thinnest apartment in Amsterdam (Singel 166)
• Had hot chocolate, pancakes and omelet for breakfast at Dutch Pancakes House
• Left Amsterdam at 2pm
• Arrived to Berlin at 9pm
• Checked into Art Hotel on Lietzenburger strabe
• Ate diner at the Hamlet

August 13^th: Berlin

• Had breakfast at café close to hotel
• Got ticket for Circle Sightseeing Bus
• Went to Sony Volcano, Jewish Museum, Checkpoint Charlie, H ilton
• Had a beer at Hilton and walked through park
• Arrived at Art Hotel at 6:15pm
• Ate at Weyers (German food)
• Had drinks at Solar
• Came home at 2am

August 14^th: Berlin

• Had breakfast at local sandwich shop
• Visited Pergamon Museum
• Tried to visit Reichstad but did not go in because cupola was closed
• Visited: Bradenburg Gate, the Wall and Berlin Cathedral
• Rested for an hour
• Ate dinner at local Indian Spice, local Indian restaurant

August 15^th: Berlin to Prague

• Breakfast buffet at hotel
• Berlin Zoo
• Drove to Prague
• Checked in at Tulip Inn
• Ate dinner at Pravda

August 16^th: Prague

• Coffee on the street
• Walking tour of city: Tyn Church, Charles Bridge, Jesus of Praga Church
• Went to concert at 8:30pm at Municipal House (Smetana Hall): Pachelbel’s Canon in D, Mozart’s Divertimento D Dur, Kv 136 (Allegro, Andante, Presto), Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter)
• Ate dinner at Bily Konisec

August 17^th: Prague

• Breakfast buffet at Tulip Inn
• Drove to across bridge to Old Town, walked up hill to…
• Audio tour of Castle of Praga including cathedral
• Ate diner on riverside restaurant (Czech wine and goose)

August 18^th: Prague to Vienna

• Ate fruits from market
• Checked into El Levante Parliament Hotel
• Walked city and ate Go & Co restaurant
• Had drinks in lounge

August 19^th: Vienna

• Breakfast buffet at hotel at 10am
• Walking tour of city: Parliament, City Hall, Museum of Natural History and Fine Arts Museum
• Went to Sisi Museum, Silver Collection and Apartments
• Visited St. Stephan’s Cathedral and checked Mozart Museum (not good)
• Had Wiener Snitchel (typical dish)
• Woke up at 10:30pm and drove around Vienna at night

August 20^th: Vienna to Budapest

• Visited Schobrunn Castle (by car) and left Vienna
• Passed by Bratislava and arrived to Budapest at 3pm
• Checked into Art Hotel
• St. Istvan’s (Stephen’s) day in Budapest with air show
• Made reservation at Kacsa Restaurant at 7pm but arrived early (because of storm)
• Had typical Hungarian dishes

Appetizers: pate, cheeses, smoked fish, goulash, and duck strudel

Main course: duck prepared in different ways

Dessert: pancake and chocolate mouse

August 21th: Budapest

• Had coffee and sandwiches at Mocha Café
• Visited Castle on Buda side (including Matya’s Cathedral, Lion’s gate, important fountains)
• Went to Pest and visited Parliament, TV Station, Vacy Street
• Had a quick bite
• Back to hotel, drinks at the lobby, dinner reservation at 9pm at Arany Szarvas
• Ate game dishes with deer crepe as highlight
• Drove around city and had ice-cream

August 22th: Budapest to Salzbourg

• Ate breakfast buffet at hotel
• Visited bath at Gellerd Hotel
• Visited Great Market Hall and bought pate and paprika
• Left for Salzbourg at 1pm
• Arrived at Salzbourg at 6pm, checked in
• Walked from hotel (Belmonte) to town
• Ate at a local restaurant

August 23th: Salzbourg to Luxembourg

• Visited castle from 1100 on funicular
• Left at 12pm to Luxembourg
• Arrived at Luxembourg in the evening
• Checked into Hilton (far from center of town)
• Made reservations and ate at Notaro Restaurant (best Italian ever)
• Went to bed early

August 24^th: Luxembourg to Paris

• Drove around city
• Had bagel breakfast
• Left Luxembourg and arrived at Paris for lunch
• Charles and I walked to St. Germaine
• Walked back to hotel

August 25th: Paris

• Walked to St. Michel and ate lunch
• Visited Notre Dame, Louvre, Champs de Leisse
• Went back to hotel, got dressed, met up with friends
• Dinner and drinks at George, on top of Pompidou Museum
• Couple of beers and bed

August 26th: Paris to London

• Flew from Paris to London
• Took train to Anna’s apartment
• Unpacked, ate Indian food
• Went to bed early

August 27th: London

• Visited Leighton House
• Met up with Nichole at Wagamama’s
• Went to John office, walked around the city
• Had a couple of drinks at pubs
• Had a drink with Nichole, said goodbye
• Packed and went to Benito’s Italian Restaurant
• Went to sleep

August 28th: London to Miami

• Flew from London to Miami
• Rented a car at airport
• Dropped off luggage
• Had dinner at P.F. Changs (Andrew, Charles and I)