Departure

After 37 days the retreat comes to an end.
No more food and drinking water.
Forced to return to town.

Having to leave El Triple:












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Getting out, coming in

Day 28 of the retreat.
Still enough supplies for more days of a simple life at El Triple.

But the battery bank has now completely given up.
The voltage is now so low that machinery working on electricity is powerless.
That involves the water pump, the computer and most importantly, the internet system.

There is nothing else to do as to limp back to town.

Time now to break down camp, pack everything and head for help.



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Life can be happy

The retreat is now in its 21st day.
And it feels better and better.

It may take even another week before the unique location has to be left due to failing supplies.

But for now: no real problems.
Still 30 liters of drinking water.
Propane tank at 56 %.
Watertank at 54 %.
And still food in fridge and freezer to survive living in a most simple way.

As so often though, there are minor technical problems.
A light used the most often at night has stopped working.
A technical inspection was made and there is no power on the cable.
Hence, somewhere between the light and the fuse board the cable is cut.
All the cables in the Fuso Szulc are behind walls therefore it is still an unmet challenge to discover where exactly the cut has taken place.
This though should be found out because in normal life cables are not cut by themselves.
Someone or something is doing this.
As there is nobody else, it must be mice.
They are known for gnawing cables and hoses of cars and RV’s that are in one place for a longer period of time.

Another technical issue that has come up are the six Trojan batteries.
They are in use for four years now and have reached the end of their life span.
They need to be replaced because they can’t keep properly the 20 amp of electricity the six solar panels on the roof produce at noon.
Therefore, electricity is now being used as little as possible.
Because when the power of the batteries go lower than 9 volt, the Magnum inverter system switches everything off.

Besides these minor issues life is uncomplicated, prosperous and happy.




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rolling retreat

It is now two weeks of retreat at El Triple, the abandoned and desolate location on the West coast of Baja California in Mexico.
With on one side the Pacific Ocean and on the other side a desert.
And pelicans flying by in formation.

Concerning supplies, it is still a good time.
Well, of course all the bananas have been eaten.
And the melons and papayas as well.
But this is because they cannot be kept in this warm weather for a long time.

There is still 50 liters (13 gallons) of drinking water.
In two weeks 30 liters (8 gallons) have been used.
With an average of 2 liter per day, the supply will last for at least 25 days.

The main water tank of the Fuso Szulc, water that is used for washing the dishes and the face and hands, containing about 300 liters (80 gallons) is still having 71 % of capacity.
30 % in 14 days means plenty of water for another month.

The large propane tank, supplying gas for cooking and the fridge, is at 56 % of capacity.
Three weeks of propane left.

Dinner is also not really strangling the pilgrim and forcing to go to a supermarket soon.
The strategy is applied of cooking double portions each time.
One is eaten and the other goes into a Ziplock bag into the freezer.
Once the vegetables in the fridge have all been eaten, it is time to eat the frozen food.

A more precarious issue are fruits.
After two weeks there are still grapefruits, mangoes, prunes, apples and pears.
But probably after two more weeks it will be apples only.
Because they can be kept the longest in warm weather.
As of then, it is an apple for breakfast mixed with the oat meal at 07.00 h., an apple at 10.30 h., an apple after lunch at 12.30 h., and an apple after the afternoon walk at 15.00 h.
There are many apples on board.

What also decides how long the Fuso Szulc can stay at El Triple is the hardware.
For the moment everything operates normally.
Although, this analogue clock broke down.
But one can live easily without an analogue clock.
At the place where this clock was is now a Casio World Watch showing the analogue time.

Again every day running is performed.
On Nike Air shoes.
And they are ready to be replaced.
The souls have cracks and one lace hole broke.
But they still serve.
No reason to run away to town.

Then, maybe a human factor decides how long this retreat may take?
Because it is a time now of solitary existence with no other human beings coming close as alone the pilot in the Mexican Air Force Pilatus PC7 airplane flying by sometimes and the fishermen on the shrimp boats far away on the Pacific Ocean.
Maybe a desire develops eventually to want to be among others?

This is the beauty of the current existence.
It is in total freedom that life is lived.
If there is still food on board but the desire starts dominating to want to be with people, immediately the Fuso Szulc will head for the nearest town.
It is life lived from intuition: what feels good is the right way.
And how good El Triple still feels!









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An unavoidable bridge

A bridge.
Connecting an almost finished 29 days period of time of the current retreat to the next one.
Not that the bridge wants to be crossed.
But if supplies run out, nothing can be done then to go to town and shop.

There is still enough water and propane in the Fuso Szulc tanks.
But the drinking water has run out as well as vegetables and fruits.

Is that an attractive prospect to go to town?
It has to be done but it is not with much pleasure.
Life at El Triple, far away from the real world, is peaceful, harmonious, healthy, interesting and productive.
In the city of La Paz it is very hot, hectic and one needs to run around to get all the supplies.

Nothing other to do but break down El Triple's camp today.
Saturday it can be built up again.
Having fresh fruit, vegetables and new peace.

The good things beyond the sins.

After 24 days in solitude far, far away from what is considered civilization, returning into the matrix consisting of offerings to fulfil desires.
As always this is overwhelming and concerning certain proposals irresistible.
The discipline that was so strict while in retreat slips away and while knowing it is not good, somehow it forces its way in.
This makes one think whether living in the isolation and simple ness of “Estero del tomate” is not a refuge.
An escape.
To run away from all the things that can catch as one can be caught.

For sure, staying for longer periods of time in harmony and peace and simplicity makes a person vulnerable once returning to real life with its complex lures.

In fact, if time is spent very close to nature and to oneself, returning to the world should be accompanied by mental and physical bodyguards.
Who protect and have the authority not to have the person so vulnerable after the long retreat see disappear and getting lost in the city attractions.

But the protagonist is on his own.
After 24 days in solitude next to the lagoon and its birds and its sun risings and its reflections in the water doubling the sky and its clouds.
And the wind from the northwest wishing its wishes so persistently and the ocean waves so scaring to offer possible drowning and the emotional pain and joy that can be felt there next to the lagoon.
But also the passion and the uniqueness and the inevitability.

And the eventual unavoidability of having to leave the Laguna as there is no more drinking water and fresh fruit and fresh vegetables.
Forced to face the powers, so very vulnerable to.
Because there is among many things, sex in the city.
And iTunes is blocked; this in case the city is Beijing.
And in the city the ways are offered to forget.
To relax and fade away.
Into oblivion.

And in the city it is learned that at the Olympic Games in Beijing India has won its first gold medal.
A man won the 10 metres air rifle competition.
Was there any loyal and fervent blog reader aware that the 10 metres air rifle was an Olympic discipline?
Rather unknown and probably not even on TV.

Next it was learned that the women from the Netherlands won the hockey final of China.
The Chinese didn’t even come to scoring.
The result was 2 – 0.
Teaching us once again what tough cookies the Dutch ladies have become.

The last thing learned was the way Barack Obama informed the world who was going to be his running mate and the possible vice-president of the USA.
Not a press conference or some hullabaloo event.
He decided to first send a text message to all his millions of supporters.
After which it was given to the press.
That is a wonderful way of doing.
On the one hand to respect supporters by informing them first.
And on the other hand to make smart use of modern communication techniques.

Back in the city where it is discovered also good things are happening beyond the sins.




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A boat ! A boat !!

The female athletes participating in the current Olympic Games in Beijing, China, found another way to run in deeper the point that was made in yesterday’s posting.
That women are better in sports because of higher level of pain and willpower compared to men.

The world champion in water polo for women is the United States.
They managed to reach the finals of the Beijing Olympic Games where they met yesterday the team of the Netherlands.
It turned out the team from the Netherlands had the highest threshold of pain and willpower and they won the gold.

Today is the final of the women playing hockey.
It will be between China and again the women from the Netherlands.

Meanwhile this period of retreat, contemplation and photographic creation has come to an end.
After 24 days the “Estero del Tomate” will not be observed any more for the weeks to come.

Yesterday, to uttermost surprise, a boat was spotted.
Sailing southwards far away at the horizon.



This is the first boat that has been seen in almost 50 days.

Looks like a fishing boat.











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Spirals can also go upwards.

While in retreat at “Estero del Tomate” in Baja California, Mexico where focusing on creating new conceptual images, there is also time to read a book.
This is a privilege because when travelling in Europe and elsewhere, usually life is so complex and hectic that there is no time to even read the Herald Tribune newspaper.

But being in a peaceful place in harmony without any obligations whatsoever and time available books can be read.
In such a situation a good book can have a deep impact.
Because it is experienced without any distraction.
The reader gets completely into the story and as a consequence the emotions and feelings are highly influenced.

These days a feeling of defeatism dominates.
Responsible are two books that have been read over the last week.

“The beautiful and damned” by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

F. Scott Fitzgerald.

And “Elementary particles” by Michel Houellebecq.

Michel Houellebecq.

Very interesting books but telling tragic stories making one loose hope for humanity.

“The beautiful and damned” by F. Scott Fitzgerald is the story of Anthony Patch and his wife Gloria.
Harvard-educated and an aspiring aesthete, Patch is waiting for his 30 million $ inheritance upon his grandfather’s death.
His reckless marriage to Gloria is fuelled by alcohol and is destroyed by greed.
The Patches race through a series of alcohol-induced fiascos.
First in hilarity, and then in despair.
The book “The beautiful and damned” by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a devastating and shocking portrait of the nouveaux riches in New York in the 1920’s.
How materialism and wealth can result in destructive decadence, nihilism and evaporate ethical and moral values.
It is tragic to read about the downfall and destruction of the protagonists in this book.
Because it is realized that the story is exemplary for many more people.

F. Scott Fitzgerald himself to begin with.
This makes the book so strong because much of what is described comes from his own life.

“Elementary particles” by Michel Houellebecq is the story of two half-brothers.
The book covers their lives from the 1960’s on and in fact describes what has become of our society.
How we became more and more materialistic.
How we lost religion, the values of morality and century old traditions.
How we got into selfishness and narcissism ruining the fine social structures of the society that used to exist.
“Elementary particles” by Michel Houellebecq is also very much about how sexuality became for many people a way of extreme efforts to obtain satisfaction.
The conclusion is of course that all this materialism, loss of morality and practicing extreme sex make people not happy at all.
In “Elementary particles” by Michel Houellebecq too many protagonists die in tragic ways.

Both books are depressing.
Mainly because the two authors have a very negative way of looking at reality.
This is effective to have an impressive book as a result because so much drama can be offered.

But both books present a one sided view of society.
And this knowledge must be kept in mind constantly while reading those books to avoid sliding into a deep depression.
To avoid to think that we as humanity are lost and have no future.

Maybe this is so.
Maybe F. Scott Fitzgerald and Michel Houellebecq are right.
Maybe as humanity we are in a deadly downwards spiral.
But if this is so, the personal and individual life can be lived in an opposite way.
Spirals can also go upwards.

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

To learn more about the book "Elementary particles" by Michel Houellebecq, click on:

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://hcs.harvard.edu/~hbr/issues/spring06/images/houellebecq.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/~hbr/issues/spring06/articles/houellebecq.shtml&h=2838&w=2128&sz=646&tbnid=3UiGzHUtfdoJ::&tbnh=150&tbnw=112&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmichel%2Bhouellebecq%2Bimage&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=2&ct=image&cd=1


To learn more about the book "The beautiful and damned" by F. Scott Fitzgerald, click on:

http://books.google.com/books?id=Af8IE-KGUkQC&dq=F.+Scott+Fitzgerald+the+beautiful+and+damned&pg=PP1&ots=pEEhDET3Hy&sig=4XGDX3yM4uCxaFFaup_Kr3uuwKQ&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result






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Must sense rule ?

It is now 24 days that are spent in the solitude and peace of the lagoon and the ocean.
It is a most remarkable time that is more and more enjoyed.



But the supplies have run out some days ago and a trip should be made to La Paz, the nearest town.
There are no more fruits and vegetables.
No more drinking water.

But no initiative is coming to take down the encampment.
Something is holding.
For the moment it is impossible to leave.

It is an almost hypnotic power that forces to stay in spite of the lack of food and water.
It is the strength of the current situation: the peace, the harmony, the serenity, the beauty, the simplicity, the spirituality, and the blissfulness.

The only way to get out is for somebody to arrive and say:
“It is OK, now.
You can come.”

But nobody will come to the rescue...

Somehow a way must be found to balance the power of the current situation to be able to leave.
Not to be overwhelmed and controlled.
To avoid domination.

The power to leave is equal to the power experienced from the situation.
This means that once away from the lagoon and the ocean, inside they are still there.
With their beauty and natural balance.

And if all goes well, after a few days in La Paz, there will be a return to “Estero del Tomate” for another period of contemplation and creativity.

But the thing is to actually do all this.

Two things help.
There are no more sufficient supplies.
And taking down the encampment, packing everything into the Fuso Szulc, can be performed as an exercise of beauty.
To clean and store everything to perfection to have that as a glorious experience.

Sense must rule.




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Receiving visitors and a watermelon

On day 17 of the retreat the siesta was interrupted by the sound of a car arriving.
A car?
Visitors?
Nobody had been coming for over 10 days.

It was Angel Peraza and two of his friends.

They were of a small agricultural community about 15 kilometres (9 miles) from the lagoon.

Many years ago the Mexican Government has started agricultural communities called “Ejidos”.
Often very far away from cities, as long as there was plenty of water to farm the land.
One strong characteristic of an Ejido is that all the land is communal.
It is owned by the farmers that live in the Ejido.
It was land donated by the Government to landless farmers to give them the opportunity to create a better and more prosperous future.

The “Ejido” not too far from the lagoon, called Ejido # 1, is still communally owned.
It is a settlement of simple houses, a church, a primary school and a shop.
They pump up as much water as they want because there is plenty.
The fields surrounding the Ejido produce watermelons and mangoes.

The land of the Ejido # 1 stretches all the way to the beaches of the Pacific Ocean.
The inhabitants of Ejido # 1 are the owners of 6 kilometres (4 miles) of beachfront property.
That includes the lagoon.

Because in Baja California a land bonanza is going on, the inhabitants of Ejido # 1 also want to sell their land next to the Ocean.
A lot of 20 metres (66 feet) bordering the Ocean by 60 metres (196 feet) into the desert is offered for $ 30.000.

Hence, preparations are made by staking the lots and having a real estate company from San Jose del Cabo involved.

Conclusion is that eventually also this peaceful and beautiful location will be commercialized and loose its virginity.
Fortunately, this will not happen tomorrow.
Until then the beauty and tranquillity of the lagoon and the beaches can be enjoyed and it is only this moment that counts.

Finally the visitors could be asked what was the name of the lagoon.
To know how it was called where the Fuso Szulc has temporarily settled.

This lagoon is called ”Estero del tomate”.
Reason is that many, many years ago an old man used to cultivate tomatoes near the lagoon.
In fact, one of the fields can still be seen.

It was a nice visit of Angel Peraza and his friends.
They told they had the idea when they arrived that they had reached some scientific research centre seeing the Fuso Szulc and the settlement.
In a way they are right.

Angel Peraza and his friends were invited to visit the Fuso Szulc and were very interested in all its characteristics.
From their car came a large watermelon.
Offered as gift of friendship.

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To learn more about Mexican ejido's, click on:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ejido




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Checking stock

This is day 16 in the spaceship circling Solaris.

More than two weeks away from civilization and more specifically of the supermarket.

How are supplies?
Because a man needs to eat and to drink and survive when far away.

The Fuso Szulc is equipped with two large connected tanks offering about 200 litres (50 gallons) of water.
It is also equipped with the SeeLevel ll Tank Monitor system to know rather in an accurate way how much is in the tanks.
After 16 days the level in the fresh water tanks is at 67 %.
This means that there is fresh water for another 34 days…
Fresh water use is limited.
Only for washing the dishes, the hands a few times a day and for brushing the teeth after each meal.

The Fuso Szulc is also equipped with a large propane tank of 24.2 gallons (92 litres).
The propane is used as a fuel for the large Dometic Classic fridge, set at its max, and for cooking and making tea.
After 16 days 25 % of its capacity has been used.
Over 46 days of propane left…

But the situation with drinking water is different.
The water in the fresh water tanks is not potable.
Not safe for the health.
Therefore 3 large bottles of drinking water have been brought to the lagoon.
They are 19 litres (5 gallons) bottles and after 16 days 2 have been finished.
This means that in probably one week the lack of drinking water will force a return to town.

The same situation inside the fridge.
After 16 days most of the fresh vegetables have been eaten.
There are still some carrots and peppers but they look sad and start to accumulate fungus.
On the other hand, there is still enough tofu that is easier to keep for a longer period of time.
Concerning fruit the mangoes, papayas and melons are all finished.
What are left are apples and oranges.

However, it is not a competition or a record-breaking effort.
To try to stay as long as possible at a location far from everything and everybody.
It could be possible to bring more large bottles of drinking water.
To bring canned and frozen food.
To be able to stay for more than the current three weeks.

But things must not be carried too far.
To get into extremes just for the sake of going there.
Three weeks is fine: there is nothing to prove to nobody.






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Talent or idiocy

After ten days of retreat the effects clearly start to be noticed.
The inner peace and harmony is becoming more prominent by the day.

The influence of the location is very responsible for this.
Living next to a lagoon means being more in nature.
There are all kinds of birds that come to feed but also demonstrate their flying and singing talents.
There is the body of water undisturbed by waves or ripples reflecting the sky, the clouds, the sun and the moon.

In fact, the confrontation with the ocean is less pacifying and harmonizing than facing a lagoon.
The ocean is brute force and pelicans don’t sing.

But a lagoon makes one breath deeper and slower.

To this fabulous location comes the fact of being in solitude.
Of moving along in life without merging and bending towards others.
This is a very good thing to do once in a while.

Victor Hugo, the French author, 1802-1885, wrote this incredible book titled: "Les travailleurs de la mer". (“The toilers of the sea”).
He knew how good solitude was:

“Solitude generates a certain quantity of sublime exaltation.
The result is a mysterious lucidity of mind which converts the student into a seer, and the poet into a prophet.”

Solitude experienced next to a lagoon and the ocean would have been Victor Hugo’s ideal.
But the famous French author also warned:

“Solitude creates men of talent or idiots.”

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To learn more about the book of Victor Hugo "The toilers of the sea", click on:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toilers_of_the_Sea






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A beautiful visit

There will be not too many places in this world that an expedition vehicle can reach, where it is beautiful and where nobody hardly ever comes.
The current location is one of those rare places and every day it is realized how unique it is.

For seven days nobody was seen and the world seemed to exist only of beautiful nature and the news from Internet and XM radio.

But then yesterday suddenly the sound was heard of an old pick up truck coming to the encampment.
While that moment an intensive business conversation was taking place through SKYPE with the marketing manager Karin Schmidt of the project “The most beautiful people in the world”.
Proving the point once more that things never happen as isolated events.

The phone conversation was interrupted and outside a most friendly man was met who had come to greet the temporary settler.
A man with a bright and honest smile and an incredible aura of friendliness.
In his old pick-up truck were seven more persons.
His father, three of his daughters and two children from another family.


The name of the cordial man was Felipe and he belongs to the family of the nearest rancho.
Called Tepetate.
It is their cows and horses that can be seen sometimes near the lagoon.
Probably all the land that can be seen from the encampment belongs to Felipe and his family.

While there was a conversation with Felipe, his father walked towards the lagoon to check on his cattle.
This is because although the water of the lagoon is salty, cows do drink it.
For this they go into the lagoon and sometimes sink into the mud.
Sometimes rather deep.
Unable to get out, they die.

Felipe had come to fish.
And as Mexicans do, they take the whole family with them.
Except his wife who remained at the rancho.

He drove away to a spot where he could come with his truck closer to the beach to try as a cattleman his fisherman’s luck.

Some time later he returned to the Fuso Szulc to pick up his father who had been roaming around the large lagoon.
But he could not be seen.
He was missing.
We all mounted a dune and Felipe used the Fuso Szulc binoculars to spot his Dad.
The old man seemed to have disappeared.

Hence, it was agreed with Felipe that when the father was seen, he would be invited to sit in the comfortable chair next to the Fuso Szulc, to have a cup of tea or maybe a fruit juice and to be picked up by his son later.

An hour later Felipe drove up to the settlement for the third time only to inform that the father had been found.
He had been walking along the beach to the spot where the fishing had been going on.
And out of politeness Felipe came to bring the good news.

It has been agreed with Felipe to visit his farm.
When supplies are finished and a trip has to be made to La Paz, the Rancho Tepetate is on the way.
With great pleasure the vow made of “Mi casa es su casa” will be honoured.

What is impressing of meeting Felipe and his family is the warmth and friendliness of them.
Like the Gonzales family always demonstrate at their rancho at Punta Boca del Salado.
Immediately there is a kind of togetherness.
The fact that a visitor chooses to stay on their land for a while is considered an honour and an exciting event.
Rural Mexicans are used to live in a community consisting of an extended family plus acquaintances and friends.
Highly socially skilled, with hardly an ego that is looking to satisfy personal interests.
The only interest above everything is the others.
And that includes the neighbour too.

It is not just a matter of camping near a lagoon and the ocean in Mexico.
And nothing more.
To the contrary.
To be here for a longer period of time results in things that one by one come from that situation.
Experiences that influence to enrich the process of inner growing.







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Ferocious flies

Even a romantic lagoon is not in all aspects paradise.
There have been changes in the weather.
When arriving here it was very warm.
But now a lot cooler.

This may be the reason why yesterday an explosion of flies was experienced.
Not the ordinary housefly, but a more aggressive and intelligent one with a more narrow body, sleeker and with dark spots on its wings.

There is great admiration for the inhabitants of the animal kingdom.
But this excludes rats, cockroaches and flies.
OK, mosquitoes too.

For example, the vicinity of the lagoon is ideal territory for snakes.
In the soft sand many tracks can be seen of snakes.
Imprints sometimes as wide as a small man’s arm.
Even yesterday, walking in the area where the Fuso Szulc found its camp, a long hose seemed to have been left behind by former visitors.
But closer inspection revealed it was a long and very black snake.

From the last time spending time at this location, about ten years ago, it was remembered that snakes love this place as well.
One day running was on the dirt road leading to the lagoon and in the excitement of the exercise an enormous rattlesnake was almost not noticed in time.
Stepping on a rattlesnake invites the inhabitant of the animal kingdom to bite the intruder of his privacy.
That means a certain death because hospitals are too far away from the lagoon.

However, snakes are OK.
They have their life and habitat.
And we are only visitors there.
Hence, when getting out of the Fuso Szulc alert level has to be always high.
In all circumstances and at any time.

But flies are intruders themselves.
They come uninvited into the private quarters of humans to irritate, to make the place dirty, to annoy and to act like nervous and upset freaks.
There is nothing more irritating than to feel flies walk on the skin.
They are relatively small and light, but nevertheless their feet touch in a way that is felt very much.

These walks flies make on the human body come with preferences.
They love to get into the ears, on the lips, in the nose and near the eyes.

Now, an alert fervent and loyal blog reader may put in a remark that makes sense: isn’t the Fuso Szulc equipped with bug screens?
Aren’t all windows sliding with bug screens?
Haven’t the roof vents bug screens as well?
And the door?
Isn’t there a screen door?
So, a person inside the Fuso Szulc should be free of flies?
Yes, a person inside the Fuso Szulc should not be bothered by flies due to all those screens.
But unfortunately, the screens are lousy.
Very ineffective are the ones of all the windows and the door.
Reason is that they are badly designed.
Flies land on the outside of the screen and walk to the side-area where the window touches the screen.
A rubber strip is supposed to close the space off.
But the rubber strip is made too short leaving a space open wide enough for flies and other insects to calmly walk into the Fuso Szulc.

The screen door is a joke as well.
Everywhere around it are small open spaces.
And the sliding pane of the screen door has a huge open area.
It’s leaking flies so badly that it might be a better idea to simply leave the screen door open so that flies can fly inside and outside again.

So, is the Fuso Szulc going to be chased away by these horrible attacks of thousands of flies?
Better to leave this beautiful location due to millions of flies?
Give up because of billions of flies?
Hell no!

Fortunately, on board are “fly catchers”.
These are strips on which glue is applied.
There is supposed to come a smell from these strips attracting flies.
They come to check this smell out, land on the strip where they will end their lives in a not so nice way.

Two “fly catchers” are hanging in the Fuso Szulc close to each other.


This because it is believed that in this way a higher chance of catching the flies is achieved.

But the ‘fly catchers” are not highly effective.
The flies are not lured by the smell very much and seem therefore not to be too interested to land there.



Second weapon in the fight against the flies is the most deadly.
A fly swatter.


By now over a hundred flies have been killed with this effective tool.
But it needs skill and determination and total involvement.
And it is an endless job.
After killing hundreds, new troops appear.

Last option is to barricade against the flies.
To seal off all those openings in the windows and doors and roof-vents.
Fortunately on board of the Fuso Szulc is masking tape from a former paint job and one of the tasks today is to make the interior fly free.

Meanwhile, no answer is found to this question:
Why do they want to come inside?
What business do they have in here?
There is no food and it is clean.
Desperately they want to come inside and once in here they only fly around without any purpose.

This issue of the flies need definitely attention.
Early in the morning already the flies start hiking on the face of the innocent sleeper.
Disturbing the beautiful sleep and initiating a mood saturated with irritation.
And later in the morning, working on the different projects on the computer, flies disturb the concentration constantly.

In the past insect plagues have been experienced before.
From this it is known it is only temporary.
Change in wind or temperature may make them go elsewhere.
The bastards.



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Where are we ?

More and more the camp gets settled near the lagoon and the Pacific Ocean.
The Fuso Szulc is perfectly leveled and a windscreen has been put in place.
The weather centre is operative with the wind meter on a high pole planted on a nearby dune.
The solar shower has already been working for two days.
The immediate vicinity has been cleared of rubbish left behind by former visitors.
As well as many cow cakes baked hard in the sun.

Meanwhile, no idea where exactly this place is.
And what is its name.

Therefore the software of the D3 Datastorm equipment was accessed where the exact GPS coordinates can be found.
Next, these coordinates were entered into the map form of the Datastorm Users website.
For anybody to know where the Fuso Szulc is right now.

However, according to the GPS coordinates and Google Earth, the Fuso Szulc is right in the Pacific Ocean.
There seems to be a discrepancy between what the GPS system of the Fuso Szulc believes to be the exact location and what in reality is the place where camp has been made.
This could be checked by using Google Earth and zooming in to the exact spot where the Fuso Szulc is and next checking the coordinates.

Only fervent and loyal blog readers are invited to check where the Fuso Szulc is by going to:

http://map.datastormusers.com/user1.cfm?user=3297

Visitors are reminded of the option of zooming in and out.

Fervent and loyal blog readers who happen to have Google Earth may want to go to:

110.44.56 W
23.50.21 N



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Goodbye. Hello.

A very important day.
Concluding a period of over 28 years.

There was a return yesterday to El Triple.
The location discovered in 1979 on Baja California’s west coast.
A fabulous bay with a sandy beach and a cliff making an excellent camping place.
For many years winters have been spend at El Triple and many images have been made.
The sequences.
The VISTA-pictures.
The conceptual videos.
And over the last 2 years the PS-series.

One reason the recent work is titled the PS-series has been Jeff Knaus from Ross, California, USA.
One day he came to El Triple inspecting and announcing he was the new owner.
Later he has send an e-mail saying this nomadic photographer was not allowed anymore to come and stay on his property.
After consulting his lawyer.
This unjustified demand has been settled amicably later but it was known that one day construction would start at El Triple.
This is why the recent work was called the “PS-series”.
It was known it would become a post scriptum to the many years and many images of El Triple.

And yesterday the moment came that had been expecting.
Right in front of the spot where camp was always made a trailer has been put and an earthmoving machine is bringing civilisation to the natural situation.

For the moment the work has stopped though. The proper permits are missing.

But the feeling at El Triple was not good anymore.
It was not like being in nature as it used to be but on a construction location.

So many months and years at El Triple.
A place so familiar.
So integrated into existence.
So much part of life.
So many memories.

But it has come to an end.

The song Madonna wrote came to mind:

Your heart is not open so I must go
The spell has been broken, I loved you so
Freedom comes when you learn to let go
Creation comes when you learn to say no

You were my lesson I had to learn
I was your fortress you had to burn
Pain is a warning that somethings wrong
I pray to God that it wont be long
Do ya wanna go higher?

Theres nothing left to try
Theres no place left to hide
Theres no greater power
Than the power of good-bye

Learn to say good-bye
I yearn to say good-bye

Saying goodbye is easier when it is not a surprise.
And it is even a relief when something that has been hanging in the air finally falls into its place and one can move on.

This was to the south driving along the coast looking for a new location.

An incredible road in very miserable condition.

Deep potholes.
Steep rocky descends and ascends.
Dry riverbeds to cross with loose and deep sand.

The Fuso Szulc did an excellent job.
Going slow but steady.
Especially its 4x4 system works excellent.

It took 5 hours of quietly driving and negotiating the poor road to reach a location that has been discovered about ten years ago.
It is a Laguna just behind the beach of the Pacific Ocean.
t the time, some months were spend here together with the artist Mayumi Nakazaki.



It is a magical place.
Because it has on one side the ocean.
And on the other side a Laguna with a life of its own.
This offers like two worlds.

One can see the ocean and its waves and pelicans flying by.
And one can see the peace and harmony of the Laguna where many high-legged birds come to feed.

Additional advantages are that the dunes offer protection in case the northwestern winds start blowing.
And this place is more isolated than El Triple.
More far away from civilization.

El Triple has closed its doors.
But it is the Laguna now that offers new, exciting and beautiful opportunities.






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