Revolution of the Sun

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Geo: 51.0451, -114.063

A new travel tradition started today - but unfortunately, it's not one I'd like to continue ... it's the tradition of awkward conversations about love, life, and marriage with my dad on the way to the airport! This first started in December en route to the airport for the Moroccan trip, and ended up being the most awkward conversation I've had in a long time. Today's was a close second, and was the most awkward conversation I've had since ... the previous one in December!

I must admire my dad's creativity, as he was at least trying some new, though less-than-convincing arguments. "As a man gets older, he needs to find a woman, get married, and have a family around him." He was less-than-impressed with my retort of "I'll just buy a couple of dogs for company." He then descended into the bizarre depths of traditional Chinese logic, a world where illogical things are presented as if they make perfect sense, and though everybody knows that isn't the case, nobody really acknowledges it. "Only homeless people don't get married!", I was told. Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight ....

I had to tread carefully as the conversation turned to the destinations for the trip and the mention of Spain. I stifled a chuckle when my dad asked if I spoke any Spanish, and I responded "Uh ... just a little bit ..." After so many return trips, my family still hasn't wised up to the real reasons for my love of Spain, something I am thankful for, as it would only make these conversations we've been having more invasive and bizarre, if that's even at all possible!

Like always, this trip comes at a time when it's needed the most - it's never planned that way but somehow, some way, it's how things wind up. The ideal remedy is always the land of infinite mojo, my beloved Spain, mi querido Espana. A few years ago, I learned to stop justifying all these return trips - this will be the eighth, and likely FAR from final visit I will make to Spain. In fact, there would be some justifying to do if for some bizarre reason, I did NOT travel to Spain this summer.

So with another revolution of the sun, another year has passed, and things always wind up back where they started. For these past few years, the one constant has been these summer trips - returning to Europe has become as predictable as the changing of the seasons. But there is little that is predictable about travel - though inevitably the roads once traveled are traversed yet again, and the places once visited are seen once more, new and distinct experiences abound. There is always something new to see, somebody new to talk to, a new thought to ponder, and if you are ever so lucky, another epiphany to witness.

Back to the concept of tradition ... it dictates that a song capturing the essence of that particular trip is chosen for the final blog entry. The rules of this tradition won't be broken this year, but they will be bent, as has happened occasionally in the past - not only will the blog finish off with a song, but it'll also kick off with one. Like any good song, this one comes with an even better story.

Matthew Barber is a Canadian artist, whose music can probably be classified as indie folk rock. Generally speaking, it's not my kind of music - but one thing I've learned about music over the years is that either the feelings you have when hearing a song for the first time, or the location where you first heard the song, can bring about a certain appreciation, and give it profound meaning.



This year was the 125th anniversary of Banff National Park and on a beautiful day on Canada Day long weekend, The Banff Centre hosted a concert in the Cascade Gardens. After watching my beloved Spain beat Paraguay in the World Cup quarterfinals, we hopped in my car and hauled ass to get to Banff in time for the start of the concert.

"Revolution of the Sun" was one of the first songs he played at the concert - a phenomenal performance, and a phenomenal moment. Lying on the grass, tucked into the Rocky Mountains, with the sun's rays warming your face ... I can't even begin to describe how it felt. But I don't need to, because this song does so more eloquently than I could ever hope to.



Often times, I have trouble staying grounded in the moment; at any given instant, too many thoughts race through my mind, making it impossible to make any sense of anything. But sometimes, though rare, there are instances where the confusion subsides, and I can fully appreciate and enjoy that moment. That day in Banff was like that - it was one of those days you don't ever want to end, one of those days you wish you had the power to make last a lifetime. And though you know there will be more experiences like that, you realize they are finite in number and that they must eventually cease to exist, saddening you to know that their end will arrive much sooner than their time.

Yet even knowing this, there is nowhere else you would rather be, and there is nothing on Earth you would trade that moment for. That's why I appreciate this song, and that's why it has profound meaning for me. It's come to symbolize savouring those fleeting experiences, living in the moment, making the most of the situation, and above all, remembering the good times. No matter what anybody says or does, those memories and those moments, can never be taken away.

That day in Banff ended, as do all good things .. . but that's alright, because such moments will always exist in the memory and in the heart. "Revolution of the Sun" serves as a reminder that times like that are out there, just waiting to be discovered, and that they sometimes can be found while traveling. Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia, Spain ... I can't wait to find out what they've got in store for me ...

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Photos

a
Banff's 125th anniversary celebration - outdoor concert at Cascade Gardens. Can you beat this locale for a concert?

c
Lucky for us, the skies opened up for most of the concert.

d
I actually arrived at the airport over 2.5 hours before the departure time today - why? Because I was hungry and had no food at my place, other than crappy cereal. Culinary tip: don't ever store your cereal with your spices, because your cereal ends up tasting like chili powder and cumin.
Another tradition - stuffing myself with crappy Asian food before a trip, knowing that only even crappier Asian food will be available at my destination. I haven't had Edo in a long time, and used to eat it almost weekly when I was living up in Coventry. My pants are no longer as tight as they used to be. I credit no longer eating gobs of that sugar-filled teriyaki sauce for that.

k
Changing a damaged tire caused us to be delayed two hours. An inconvenience for sure, but better to deal with it now than to find out when you're landing and it blows!

j
Approx 10 seconds of the two hour delay was killed by eating a chocolate glazed donut. Another 10 seconds was killed downing a medium Timmy's coffee. An hour was killed treating the first degree burns in my mouth after drinking hot coffee too quickly.