August 15, 2005
Hugry
The Hungry Ghost month has started on Friday last week. Like I said before, it is hard to believe that it is a year since we came here. A year gone with some regrets, decisions done by us and for us, older, wrinklier, wiser (?). Didn't become better persons, didn't acquire wealth, didn't find peace of mind. Experienced some extraordinary things, definitely.. I got a proper 8:30-18:00 job, 42 days of vacation and salary each month. Na, nebetruks labai ilgai... Nepasakyciau, kad tai mano sauniausi metai.. No, ei kestaa enaa kauan... En voisi sanoa etta oli paras vuosi elamassa...
I got to know much more about the Hungry Ghost month - its the month when all the spirits get a "holiday" from hell (or how do you call the Chinese dead spirit repository?), so they come to visit us, normal people that are alive. Since the ghosts are on holiday, they have to be pleased: fed well, given money, entertained. Otherwise they may get upset. These days you often see people burning fake money outside of the office buildings, giving offerings, lighting candles and incense. In many places you may see this kind of huge tents full of plastic tables and a stage - these are the tents where the ghosts are entertained. Ladies dressed in glittering clothes sing and dance (I heard that last year there was a place that offered striptease dance for the ghosts!). There should be more Chinese opera performances appearing this month, also to entertain the ghosts. I quite like the smell of burning paper and incense, but my colleagues complain that they get lots of ashes in their apartments. Taking into account air polution in the areas near by, it is quite unfortunate that Hungry Ghost month coincides with forest fires in the region..
I'm sure you've heard in Europe that there's massive forest fires in Indonesia and that Malaysia is choking because of the haze. We've been lucky so far, but only as long as the wind direction doesn't change. If you look at the map, you'll see that we're very very close to Sumatra, where the fires are. I really hope the wind doesn't turn.
Kaj was gone to Finland for a week and it seems like eternity.. I've been trying to entertain myself, so, for example, last week I visited the President's residence. Because of national day celebrations, the park and the house was open for visitors. Otherwise it is closed..
Wow! It is just off Orchard road and it was huge! Looks pretty much like a golf field, doesn't it? The scariest view was these constructions coming closer swallowing each piece of unoccupied land in this country. My heart breaks every time I see a construction site - the land is raped, depleated, destroyed.. There's very few places in this country where you don't see a highrise peeping from behind the trees.. So sad..
It was only on Friday that I got a privilege to see Giuliano's and Joanne's baby Luca. He's been sleeping like a little angel most of the evening (yeah, he'll go far, maybe he's born for a diplomat career - he definitely knows how to create a positive impression on strangers..:), while we were enjoying a super-tasty risotto. We with Kaj are contemplating moving to the same apartment block (subsidised by my employer) as soon as we can get out of our current apartment. No. The construction doesn't seem to be moving at all... Just drilling and banging. Every day. Sundays too.. :(
Now here's a real hungry ghost for you!!! Thanks to server migration in Finland, my blog was down the whole weekend (I wrote all this on the weekend, but couldn't put it up) and I can include the pictures of valuable imports that Kaj has brought from the country far away... Thanks for everybody, who contributed - the strawberries were delicious!! Nam!
Posted by gkligyte at August 15, 2005 11:24 PM