Travels

From New Orleans to Dallas to Austin to New Brunsfels to Austin to Dallas. From DFW to LHR to BCN. From BCN to LHR. From LHR to ADD. From ADD to Harar to Diredawa. From Diredawa to ADD to LHR to DFW to NOLA.... Confused yet? hahaha No shit really. Haha yes shit for reals Jones. I drove from my home for the past year (New Orleans) to Dallas Texas. I picked up my artist/musician partner and all his gear for the Texas Electronic Music Festival in New Brunsfels, Texas. We drove to Austin Texas. Stayed with one of my favorite people in the world and played wii till i was fast asleep.

The next day partner and I drive to New Brunsfels off River Road to Happy Times camp grounds. Set up tent. Gear, canopy, tables, lights all are set up before evening descends. Three stages with different DJs and music played including but not limited to Dub Step, Reggae, Techno, and the likes. I really enjoyed the live bands and Dub-Step really can keep me awake all night!

I am not impressed with the bug spray I'm constantly re applying. I see many faces I know and dance my ass off for the next three nights! I love the Guadalupe river and having the excuse not to shower and being a dirty girl in the woods. I love to play.

We drive back to Austin after the festival and stay a night which consists of more wii, booze and blueberry muffins :P

Driving back to Dallas feels longer than anything but a stop at Willy's place puts the smile back on our face. Back in Dallas my mother puts me to work. I clean two of her rooms, and her garage. I unload my storage unit and take care of a lot of loose ends. I go to the movies to see Surrogates with my brother, and enjoy the Lentales con Nopales my step dad Javiar makes for me. I stay with my best friends Heather and Steven and their 4 year old son for a few days. We paint Heather's powder room and watch her son jump on the bed. I love to spoil him with attention. He makes me feel young again yet old to know he is four years old already.

I meet up with my friend from Ethiopia and along with his friend we eat raw meat and I try chewing chat for the first time. I'm not sure if what i felt was from the chat or the hookah. I felt light headed. I did not get sick from the raw meat. We made a sauce to kill the bacteria out of Ethiopian red spice, vodka, and lime. Take a piece of Injara (Ethiopian Sour Dough bread) a piece of the raw flesh. dip it in the sauce and yummy goodness.

I thought it was interesting the habit of eating peanuts while chewing chat. It's bitter and you keep it to one side of your mouth. I didn't mind the taste or the numbing of my mouth from the chemicals, but I don't really like the feeling of having chewed up plant matter in the side of my mouth for very long. It takes almost 3-4 hours before you feel anything from it. I want to say it was almost like drinking 4 cups of espresso. Just a stimulant.

Last Sunday I went out with a group of Ethiopian friends to ask all my questions and learn cultural norms. Everyone was great and beautiful. We met up at a friend's house smoked hookah and chewed chat. We watched Ethiopian music videos and listed to some of their favorite songs. We talked about the climate, different tribes, languages, and how the people may react towards me. I tried two different types of Ethiopian spice tea and was taken to an underground after hours Ethiopian night club. Dancing styles are very different in Ethiopia Your neck and shoulders are accented while dancing. I may have to add a video showing what I mean as I am not very good at describing it. hehe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_K8To77EGY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQcsk3KFofM

At this point I'm seeing as many of my friends as I can fit in to my schedule. I am here in Dallas Texas until Oct 14th. talk to you soon!

Always,

Misty