Abu Dhabi

Spent over 40 hours in airports, from Bologna to Paris to Abu Dhabi to Kathmandu. Lots of ups and downs, bread, sweets, airplane food and friends. The most friendly airport is Abu Dhabi (also the biggest). It has a lovely library with comfortable chairs and couches and sunlight. Never saw anything like that. Wow! Who still reads these days! I made a friend from Oman, Yusef, who works at the transfer desk. He told me I must visit his home someday, beautiful beach, turtles, fish...his parents live there. He loves kungfu, got excited when he heard I have martial art training and almost jumped out of his desk to spar with me.
As for the air food, the prize goes to Etihad airline, great service, tasty food, and clean toilets. The flight attendants all look like Miss Universe, stately, tall, blond...taller than the men. It feels like I was being served with beauty pageants and women's basketball team. When they towered over me, I buckled up without a protest. haha.

From the air, the country is all sand, no water, except for the sea. the plain reminds me of the Mid west prairie. How did it all become sand? I know it used to be green, fertile...would this also be the fate of Minnesota?

I took a few shots from the air, and what I saw took my breath away.

just arrived in Paris. Got the most expensive cup of mint tea: $6.50. I wanted to use the wifi at Starbucks.

the airport here is so chaotic and haphazard. a huge maze, and I had to take 3 buses in the aiport to get to my gate, three customs to have my passport checked and rechecked...all the security here and selling. part of the maze is the high end stores: perfume, gucci, liquor. Most of the stores cater for Chinese tourists, who have so much money they buy Gucci and Louis Vuitton in carts.

Hungry but spent my money on transporting the flags (already cost me more than $300). I tried to carry half of the flags in my bagpack (it weighs over 50 pounds), but got caught at Bologna airport. It would have cost me another $200, but I begged them, and Guy Lydster told me I was a poet from Shanghai and America, and they let me check the second bag for free! Meanwhile, I lost my bag, so I'm carrying my camera, purse, hat, gloves, thermos, and everything else in my arms, around my waist, hands...my waitress skill from NYC came in handy! hahaha

Fortunately the flight tonight will serve me food, though they didn't serve anything yesterday. I got lucky! chaotic but warm, that's European style.  I like it!

food on air France is quite good. I hope the next flight will be good too.

at least the wifi in European airports is free, unlike America!

Next stops are Abu Dhabi, Kathmandu. I hope the hotel will pick me up in Nepal!

Ciao for now, my friends. The gate is calling my name to verify my route and passport.

I feel very safe!

from the Po to the Everest

Last day at Bologna. The installation at the DuepuntiLab Gallery was a great success. Italian friends made many beautiful flags that will go to the Everest with the other flags from the Mississippi, Yangtze, Ganga, Amazon, Fraser...I've been blessed with the light, food, friendship, and laughter in Bologna, by Bologna artists: Guy Lydster, Simone, Paoblo, Alessandro, Lucia, Cornelia... Can't wait to come back in September.

Going to the Po and the Everest with 3000 river flags

Hi, river lovers, I'm flying to the Po River then the Everest with 3000 river flags made by folds from the Mississippi, Yangtze, Ganga, Amazon, and many other rivers. We'll trek for 2 weeks from Kathmandu with all the flags and display them at the basecamp. Your wishes for good water, land and air will be spread to the world from the roof of the earth.