Tourists are terrorists too.

tIt is only 8 months ago that Countesses Karina and Marjolein, Indian friend Raj Menen and your faithful blogwriter were standing in front of the 556 rooms Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai, India.
The hotel that has been attacked recently by persons who believe that their way can be forced through violence.

The team was doing research for the project “The most beautiful people in the world” and actually one person was found close to the Taj Mahal Hotel.
Lakshmi Mukeshjado was claiming she was the most beautiful.
Her portrait was made right in front of the famous hotel.
Where a pool view room costs $ 960 (743 €) a night.



Next, we went with Lakshimi to an area called a slum.
A walk of 5 minutes from the Taj Mahal Hotel.
Makeshift houses where people live having an average annual income of $ 500 ( 387 € ).
One year of work not enough to rent a room for one night in the Taj Mahal Hotel.

As long as we live in a world where there are people who believe it is acceptable to rent a room in a hotel for $ 960 a night while nearby people try to survive on $ 1,36 a day, we can expect a reaction.
It makes people extreme and desperate and in the name of a political conviction, a philosophy or a religion they start shooting and bombing.

Of course it is unacceptable to use violence.
But this is physical violence we condemn.
There is also moral violence coming from the rich exploiting the poor.
The terrorist doesn’t mind who he or she kills.
This conscious elimination of consideration for fellow human beings is also executed by the rich tourist staying in a $ 960 a night hotel room while people nearby live on a Dollar a day.

The Countesses weren’t staying in the Taj Mahal Hotel.
They didn’t even go in there to eat or have a drink.
They are not violent.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To learn more about income in India, click on:

http://cee45q.stanford.edu/2003/briefing_book/india.html





.

The sun shines everywhere

On Sunday March 2nd, the Mexican Senorita drove the permanent pilgrim to the airport of Cabo San Lucas in Mexico.

Within a few hours there was touchdown at Los Angeles International Airport and a dinner was enjoyed in the home of good friends in Santa Monica.
Before to depart for Europe some items needed to be purchased at the Apple Store and at Frysk’s electronic shop in Los Angeles.
The American Dollar has a difference of around 60 % with the Euro and this makes shopping an experience as if each purchase comes with an enormous discount.
This is possible because every business deal made with the images of the nomadic photographer is in Euros.
Euros coming in from everywhere and spend like Dollars in the USA makes overhead low and gratitude high.

From Los Angeles a plane to Amsterdam where a few days available to see family and friends to experience the horrific experience of the nephew ending dramatically his life.

But soon a Finnair plane flew the team of the project “The most beautiful people in the world” to Mumbai in India.
During three exciting, hot and tiring weeks the project was performed with fantastic results.
And an extraordinary experience to work and live in Mumbai in the Hare Krishna Temple with the two fabulous team mates: Ms. Karine Versluis and Ms. Marjolein van Veen.

Returned from Mumbai, India, to Amsterdam it was after a couple of days a new journey started and this time for Krakow in Poland.
To work at cousin Jerzek’s place on the PS-series.

From Krakow, Poland the journey went to Amsterdam again and next to Paris in France.
Late April it was a good time to be back in the city so much loved.
Business was successful in Paris and soon a friend offered a ride to Normandy, in the very west of France to go and see the American painter Richard Harper and the Australian artist Karen Papacek.
For two days only to fly from Paris to Gerona in Spain to drive by rental car to the village of Cadaques that has been home for 5 years once in a lifetime.

Six days in Cadaques to return to Holland for one day to fly to Krakow again to start scanning negatives for the upcoming books.
Every day, starting at 6.30 am till 10.00 pm scanning, scanning, scanning.

Interrupted by a journey to the Ukraine.
To the city of Lvov and the village of Chodorow to search for the paternal root.

Tomorrow the heavy schedule shows a flight to Amsterdam, to work in the digital lab of master printer Peter Paul Huf, followed two days later by a flight to Paris for important meetings with the publisher and sponsoring manager of the project “The most beautiful people in the world” during three days to return to Holland for last goodbye parties with friends to get on a flight to Los Angeles on June 4th.
Final return to Los Cabos in Mexico will be on June 7th ending in the arms of the Mexican Senorita and finishing a 3-month long exhausting and gruelling journey.

Although this exceptional journey is far from over, already being back in the Fuso Szulc at Punta Boca del Salado with the Gonzales family is strongly on the mind.
Because it feels it is time to end this spectacular but very exhausting non-stop travelling.
To finish to live with only a suitcase, a camera and a computer in hotels and guestrooms.
To halt to meet new people all the time, to get involved with them, and this often deeply, to move on after a short time to a new place and to new people.

There is this strong longing to be able again to live in the most favourite way.
Eating simple, vegetarian food and lots of fresh exotic fruit.
Drinking no alcohol.
To be close to nature in warm temperatures and bright sunshine.
With the dear Mexican friends.
The daily exercises of running, yoga and Pilates.
And a wonderful daily session of deep meditation.

This is desire and dreaming.
That can blind.
In Poland right now the sun shines like in Mexico.
For one who is not blinded the sun shines everywhere.





.