25 October, Walking around Buenos Aires, Argentina

Had a good sleep in as I am very tired from the trip. I am starting to get a cold as I am run down. So when I got up at 11.30, did 3 hours on the computer. Erica and Jorge came back and they had work to do, so I went out to explore Buenos Aires.

I walked down Peru street which lead me straight into the city. The street signs point to different places in South America. I am in a wealthy, established area. There are churches and large Spanish style banks here, so I am close to the financial district. I waked on into the city and it is similar to any modernized city in the world. There is the typical McDonalds which is very stylized. There are the main street high brand icons, a consumption paradise if that is what you are after. On the one hand I do feel at home as I grew up in an industrialized society. I am not lost on that conditioning, on the other hand I know the poverty it creates and the pollution behind the facades. I can understand the drive for wealth and the desire to be surrounded by nice things, but at what cost. The reality is often whilst it is attractive it never brings satisfaction as you keep wanting more to fill gaps. The demands for work put much pressure on the family unit and people compete to have more and more as they wish to be seen as successful. So there are many associations that go with a modernized society. I was keeping in mind the poverty I saw as I came in to Buenos Aires and after looking briefly at the history they have had some serious financial crisis here and social repressions. So the people have suffered a great deal.

I walked through the mall and just enjoyed the sunlight and newness of my surroundings. I saw all the business suits and café’s, restaurants and stores. I saw lots of market vendors selling their hand made jewellery, cups, bags and a range of handicrafts. I always like the market feel rather than the strip shopping. I was imaging clowning here as I walked and wondered if the people needed my presence. I thought the police may stop me as they think I am busking, which I won’t be just spreading the love.

I stopped for a coffee and experienced the currency for the first time. It is the peso here and I found out it is roughly 3:1 $US. I was told in a coffee shop by a waitress the average wage is around $1,000 per month ($52,000 yearly) and that life is expensive here. There dollar currency goes down to 2 pesos and then coinage 1 peso and 50’s. not sure how small it goes have to wait for change. The waitress said I was lucky to travel, and she is right. I feel the priviledge in my travels. I have traveled all around the world and I am not rich, just fate. My first trip was the United States on a Contiki tour at 20 years. That was what ignited my interest in seeing the world. I moved to the UK with Paul and traveled all around the UK then Europe (campervan) with my mum and step father. I have seen Finland, Russia (Patch Adams), Canada, New Zealand, around Australia in a caravan. I have been to south east asia with Rotary and now on this world trip the middle east, lower Europe (Greece) and Central and South America. I reflected in the coffee shop and wondered where it will lead me. I am seeing the world and gaining an idea of what is happening. It is a very superficial glimpse but I am one person and this is my experience. There are many experiences out there and they will be different, what is unique is the clowning perspective, which is where I join with humanity. This is the peace as love.

I continued on looking at monuments, many Spanish conquistadors on horses, there was a lot of graffiti as well. I came upon one main square with some protesters and war images. So not sure what that was about but took a photo. I am always interested to protestors, it is almost like where we are not in equilibrium or balance. Yet to hear voices is very important to any society as it is a pressure release valve if they are given the freedom to speak. Democracy is a stabilizing mechanism but it is not to be seen to be, but actually listening to people. That is yet to be deeply understood around the world, as it is embedded in it a deep respect for people, not a holding of power.

I came back after 3 delightful hours just strolling and taking photos. I came back home got on the computer to sort photos and to skype my family. It was nice to hear their voices and I am amazed at how we can speak for free around the world. I am grateful for that.

I then had a lovely dinner with Erica and Jorge and talked more about my peace work and my life of inspiration. I like to share this as I wish to impart that another world does exist and it is not a negative one. It is full of promise. However, I do see that this life can produce much sorrow and resistance to hope. In my experience I have been amzed to see how supported my life is by life itself. I am on my own and have no financial backers or partners there to make sure I am ok. I just have to trust life, I have no choice and I would want it no other way. to understand peace is to understand yourself and it is to let go of fear that is my work and practice. To remember that there is magic to life and it is a real energy, I call it magic as it seems that way, yet in reality life has a distinct modus operandi and its own laws that we have barely understood. One of the major laws is the law of love. This is not understood in the present time, it is still only connected to romance, but in reality it is in loving yourself that the world changes, and it does in your perception and in reality. There is much more to life than we realise. There is a source energy that does respond and it is connecting to a higher purpose that we see our own. We just have to ask to be shown how to serve this life. That is where real happiness lies, not in making more money and accumulating more things that disappear into a cupboard. We have talents and a purpose in each moment. Nothing is wasted in the life process.

Anyway, I showed my video on me clowning in Melbourne, I always laugh at it as I look silly in my clown costume. The plot of the short film is uplifting story it focuses on the importance of happiness. I help a drunken man who has been sacked to see the magic of life. It is simple but sweet. It is on my website blog. I also showed my presentation I am putting together clowning around the world. We are the change, without doubt, that change can be just smiling at a person, showing some compassion and most importantly being yourself and not trying to please people to get love or appreciation. Just allow life to be what it is and act from your own truth. This is holding onto values not beliefs and this is the true navigation of life.

Where there is happiness there is hope, for sure.

Anyway, have to go to bed. The cold is a bit worse, so will try and sleep.