It’s funny; I wrote the title line for this blog without thinking, then realized two things. First, it’s also the title of the late Paul Bowles’
autobiography. Second, it was exactly twelve years ago, during the epic journey described in my book The Size of the World, that I spent Passover with Bowles at his home in Tangier, Morocco. I brought the bedridden Bowles raw honey from the local souk, which we ate with round matzohs (unleavened bread) I’d received from the Tangier Synagogue. Bowles and I raised our wineglasses, and I toasted “to liberation.” “Oh?” Bowles raised his eyebrows. “Do you believe it’s possible?”
In fact, I do. Maybe that’s why Passover has always been one of my favorite holidays – in any country, religion or culture. Recounting the tale of the Exodus
from Egypt, the “Feast of Freedom” may well be the longest-running ritual in human history, having been observed every year for at least three millennia. The entire Passover Sedar, with its sweet apples and bitter herbs, is simply a vehicle for story-telling: something that has become more and more important in my own creative life.
This year’s Passover (and Easter – which follows, accurately, three days later, as the "Last Supper" was actually a Sedar) have special meaning, with the revelations contained in the newly-discovered “Gospel of Judas.” All my life, I’ve been convinced that old Judas had gotten a bum deal. “It is preordained that I will be betrayed,” said Jesus, “but woe to the man who betrays me!” It sounded like a set-up to me, hypocritical at best. Now it seems that Judas was actually Jesus’ most trusted friend, the Sam to his Bilbo. In my opinion, the Western world is currently in a state of shock over this revelations, which has the potential to turn Christian theology on its ear.
Where was I … ummmm…. without stopping …. Returned home April 3rd from assignments in Thailand and Vietnam. In Thailand, I volunteered with EarthWatch, helping a team of marine biologists create a baseline study of coral reefs around Koh Chang National Park, near the Cambodian border (visibility, as you can see, was not great). From there I traveled to North Vietnam, and wrote a couple dispatches about Dr. Rosie Stenke’s efforts to save the Cat Ba langur: a highly endangered primate hunted for its bones, which are used to make "monkey balm wine." You can read those stories on the news section of the Seacology website.
Where to from here? A couple of mid-April performances in Sonoma, California
– the first time I’ve taken Strange Travel Suggestions on the road (see Events) – then off to Chile for a brief visit to Easter Island, where I’ll be on the lookout for the head that looks like Elvis. Don’t know if there’s wireless there (wireless on Rapa Nui! Who’d have dreamed it?) but if there is, I’ll send a picture postcard.
Afterwards, it’s back to Oakland to work on the proposal for my new book. It’s a good one. but more on that — much more — later.