Friday, February 18, 2005
salt spring island
welcome to salt spring island. we never leave the '70s.
so the rumour says of the island's unofficial slogan.
consider this: when we strolled toward the dock facing the long harbour, we had to cross the centennial park of the seaside village of ganges, and an undoubtedly stoned man was dancing his ass off with some bizarre planet x moves to a similarly bizarre blazing techno music. in the middle of the day. in the middle of the park. mid-february.
after an hour or so two or three other people joined him, the park stinked by so much weed we could easily got high just by crossing on their sideway.
consider this: the names of the two most populated sites of the island are ganges and vesuvius.
consider this: a small house slash work studio slash gallery on a steep cliff foreshore, with a view facing the most gorgeous and serene scenery you would imagine looking from an island. the people who live there are couple of artisans who do nothing all day but painting on a canvas or on an ostrich egg, playing with their half-cocker-spaniel, half-daschund dog and smoking weed.
when we parked and approached the place, the guy asked us to enjoy the view first before going inside. he asked us to pick a pin, and prick it where we come from on a world map on the wall.
consider this: they have their own salt spring island issued currency. no joke. it's backed up by canadian federal bank. it works like a gift certificate and you can use it to buy stuff from stores.
consider this: a modest new age store—one of the few stores open on sunday—at ganges village. they sell everything that can be categorized as new age, exotic or oriental. from your everyday indian and thai souvenirs to a complete series of books about yoga and meditations. tarot cards. alternative clothing (the ones that you can find anywhere at kuta, bali or chatucak market, bangkok). 101 kinds of aromatherapy and incense. herbalized chocolate. chinese and/or japanese calligraphy decorations. handmade cards and journals. the woman who sits the store was wearing a bell-bottom corduroy jeans, a white t-shirt on top of blue long-sleeved t-shirt, and a blonde curly hair as big as the bushes on my backyard.
consider this: an island full of wood-carving, weed-smoking, tree-hugging hippies.
consider yourself saying, welcome to salt spring island indeed.
you know, the place where you would consider your journey as incomplete if you don't include discussions about religion and society.
it's a wonder, with a distance of only half-an-hour ferry-ride away, that was my first visit to the island. i'll make sure that it certainly wouldn't be the last.
welcome to salt spring island. we never leave the '70s.
so the rumour says of the island's unofficial slogan.
consider this: when we strolled toward the dock facing the long harbour, we had to cross the centennial park of the seaside village of ganges, and an undoubtedly stoned man was dancing his ass off with some bizarre planet x moves to a similarly bizarre blazing techno music. in the middle of the day. in the middle of the park. mid-february.
after an hour or so two or three other people joined him, the park stinked by so much weed we could easily got high just by crossing on their sideway.
consider this: the names of the two most populated sites of the island are ganges and vesuvius.
consider this: a small house slash work studio slash gallery on a steep cliff foreshore, with a view facing the most gorgeous and serene scenery you would imagine looking from an island. the people who live there are couple of artisans who do nothing all day but painting on a canvas or on an ostrich egg, playing with their half-cocker-spaniel, half-daschund dog and smoking weed.
when we parked and approached the place, the guy asked us to enjoy the view first before going inside. he asked us to pick a pin, and prick it where we come from on a world map on the wall.
consider this: they have their own salt spring island issued currency. no joke. it's backed up by canadian federal bank. it works like a gift certificate and you can use it to buy stuff from stores.
consider this: a modest new age store—one of the few stores open on sunday—at ganges village. they sell everything that can be categorized as new age, exotic or oriental. from your everyday indian and thai souvenirs to a complete series of books about yoga and meditations. tarot cards. alternative clothing (the ones that you can find anywhere at kuta, bali or chatucak market, bangkok). 101 kinds of aromatherapy and incense. herbalized chocolate. chinese and/or japanese calligraphy decorations. handmade cards and journals. the woman who sits the store was wearing a bell-bottom corduroy jeans, a white t-shirt on top of blue long-sleeved t-shirt, and a blonde curly hair as big as the bushes on my backyard.
so what's that you're buying?consider this: an island with a population of a mere ten thousand with eight different mountains to hike to.
it's a handmade journal, made in india. isn't it pretty?
how much did you get it for?
twelve bucks. why?
you know it probably only costs around a dollar if you buy it in india, right?
consider this: an island full of wood-carving, weed-smoking, tree-hugging hippies.
consider yourself saying, welcome to salt spring island indeed.
you know, the place where you would consider your journey as incomplete if you don't include discussions about religion and society.
is that also the case in india?or it wouldn't be as fun if you don't include 15 people to come with you. and a massive amount of food. and at least five cameras involved.
i'm not from india.
oh. oh. sorry. where are you from?
indonesia.
i'm so sorry. i thought—
that's okay. i get that a lot.
it's a wonder, with a distance of only half-an-hour ferry-ride away, that was my first visit to the island. i'll make sure that it certainly wouldn't be the last.
