it's Sunday again, only two days left for my next trip. Where you may ask. I would like to keep it a surprise for now as it is not the most popular destination, yet enriched with history and sites to visit.
It was another week to be remembered. The traffic in London has been chaotic due to major road works all around the centre of town and of course, the forever Christmas shoppers.
Thank goodness, the art class on Monday evening, my first since I was in boarding school, was located close to home.
A good friend informed me of the class her artist brother had organised one evening a week, not to be missed. I did a sketch with charcoal of the slender model with legs stretching to the end of the couch she was lying on, against a pile of large cushions.
And NO... She was not nude, in an art studio on a wintery night... I don't think so!
When I spontaneously make a decision to add a new hobby to my 'bucket' list, often someone asks me: "And what made you decide to do... Fencing? Or take up Art? Travel to Odesa in Ukraine by train? And so on..."
It's the love of adventure, the fun of discovery, and meeting people; however briefly, of different interests. The joy of feeling alive and kicking. Passion and Faith. As the Nike ad says: "DO IT."
On one cold, early evening last week, I attended a lecture by Professor Dick Davis; a formidably eloquent speaker, at the V&A (Victoria and Albert) Museum on Ferdowsi, the Persian poet's 'Shahnameh'; Book of Kings completed in 1010, exactly one thousand years ago.
'It is not the characters, but the ideas that Ferdowsi writes about.'
'Ethical and practical'
'How to be a good person'
'How one emerges triumphant'
'How one makes peace with his conscience'
"Ferdowsi thrives for clarity, while his rivals opt for richness.''
'He is much more visual than his rivals, you can see the scenes as you read them.'
Kai Khosrow, Son of Siavash, a legendary king of the Kayanian Dynasty, was known as the righteous king. He has been described in a similar way to King Cyrus II of Persia; his respect for other religions and peoples, his civility and his dedication to the restoration of temples.
Kai Khosrow walked away from the throne when they explained how mean he would have to become in the role of a king.
With every choice, there is a good... and a bad side.
In Ferdowsi's 'Shahnameh', Rustam is the champion of champions. He defeats a ferocious beast as a very young man, invincible in combat, he slays his son and is murdered by treachery while killing his murderer on the last breath. Similar to the great hero, Cu Chulainn, in medieval Irish literature. It interests me to find comparisons of characters between various cultures at different times in history.
Prof Davis concluded the lecture with the following words.
'If there is no knowledge, there is no life.'
'There's sweetness and delicacy in Persian poetry'.
I left the grand museum with a good sense of achievement in learning something new and in the hope of digesting the evening in a passion fruit martini with the charming Sebastian.
The weekend was... Party, party again! Hurray.
It began with a dinner party at home with only fifteen of the twenty-five guests turning up while the others got stuck at work or were feeling under the weather and covered by a duvet.
'Put an onion in the room as it absorbs the viruses. But make sure you keep changing it, this is what I read in a forwarded email. In desperation to not catch an ongoing cold, I have been practising the method and... So far, so good. Try it!
Now as for 'The Party of Parties', the preparation for the theme 'Eyes Wide Shut' had kept me occupied during the week. And it seemed, most of the prominent guests.
Aisha's Special birthday was organised by her talented, youthful partner Pedro, who had gone to lengths to make the evening as memorable as could possibly be. The guestlist, lighting, flowers. The sit-down dinner where the ladies were placed in nominated seats as the gentlemen picked a number upon entrance to match the numbers set on tables in the lavish dining area lit up mainly by candles all around.
The costumes and masks were magnificent. Long, black velvet capes with red silk lining to the hood were worn in enough numbers to give the air of dark mysticism and yet not over-crowd the high-ceiling living room.
Entertainment was at large with belly dancing in the most stylish way on the wooden coffee table with Aisha joining. Aisha looked like her usual Diva, in a different attire of a figure-hugging black silk dress and a gold mask. The sensual performance that followed was of two ladies in corsets and stockings... most enticing. And then... the fabulous DJ continued to keep everyone on the vast dance floor till early morning hours. The joy of seeing good friends and meeting new ones. Of sharing special times in the most elegant way.
As for yours truly... Well, I couldn't quite go in a gold string, black cape and mask with the heels of course. Could I now? It was freeeeezing! Good excuse.
I went to meet Shiba for an early dinner last week. As we were walking to the gastro pub in Barnes, the lingerie shop diverted our attention, as I was telling her the theme to the party.
"Haldita look," Shiba pointed at the red, silk bra in the window with delicate cream embroidery, "Wear that with the ringmaster jacket you got for the New Year Circus party, last year."
We almost got run over by a fast-approaching car, trying to cross the road.
"The black mask I got," I was getting the general idea from my good friend, "fishnets, black sea-through top, short black skirt, mmm..."
The Eyes Wide Shut party was definitely a highlight in memory to be remembered. Thank you Dear Hosts.
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