Location: Dublin
Temperature: 6o C
Days To Go:12
The Dogs and I have been busy, very very busy! Fail to prepare, prepare to fail: I think it was a provident, pugnacious more than often misunderstood, and misrepresented Cork sport star who spat those words out to a nation of unbelievers. As ever, Brutos and I (Eusebius disagrees) like to take his gleaming pearls of wisdom on board. And as such, I’ve been preparing. The preparation has consisted of: getting someone to rent out my apartment while I’m gone: nice one Jim; organising comprehensive travel insurance, getting new tiles, a new shower and new bog in the bathroom, getting my Vespa sent home to Waterford for good keeping (it’s hard saying goodbye to the black hornet), becoming a government artist for a few weeks, learning how to use my digital camera, burning some of my favourite CDs, purchasing of proper sunglasses and speedos for me and the dogs, and reading and learning more about the Portugese language and Sáo Paulo: my first stop.
Which brings me onto today’s lesson:
Vagabond Lesson #3: Sáo Paulo has an estimated population of 17 million. Hard to get your head around it really! When you consider Ireland has only 4.1 million. It is Brazil’s most modern and cosmopolitan city, with many ethnic neighbourhoods and Brazil’s biggest and best-educated middle class. Paulistanos (inhabitants of the city) call their city Sampa and despite constantly complaining about street violence, traffic and pollution, most won’t dream of living anywhere else. The city was founded in 1554 and became headquarters for the bandeirantes, slave trading pioneers who were largely responsible for expanding Portugese control into the Brazilian interior. In the 18th century, bandeirantes discovered gold in minas Gerais, Goiás and Mato Grosso. In the 19th century the rapid expansion of coffee cultivations in Sáo Paulo state, the construction of railroads, the beginnings of industry and an influx of European immigrants launched the city’s rapid growth that continues today.
The dogs are getting very excited about the trip and If I was truthful I’d have to say I am as well. We can't wait to meet our Brazilian friends, especially: Marcel, Feno, Fena, Carlos and Laura, Salvador, Licoln and so many many more.There hunger is almost baffling. Brutos is as ever barking at anything that moves and Eusebius is uncharacteristically the same. It’s strange seeing the both of them agreeing about so many things. It’s a pleasant change, a phenomena I hope is repeated regularly when we’re on the road.....actaully before I go on, something's been biting me that I need to get off my chest and tell you..... unfortunately friends, I have bad news to report........ this week........:Brutos has had another lapse. I’m not sure If I told you but he suffers from multiple personality disorders. It’s bad enough hat he suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorders, and occasionally has panic and mani attacks but it now looks like he suffers from dimentia praecox, or splitting of the mind. The psychosis espisodes manifest themselves in many forms: catatonic, hebephrenic or disorganised, paranoid and acute. We all thought he was just an eccentric old dog, a schizothmia as the doctors have thought me, but unfortunately that’s simply not the case, apparently, schizophrenia runs in his litter. Eusebius thinks it’s hilarious. He's delighted and forever winding up Brutos. I don't think it's one bit funny and am taking it very seriously. I’ve debated giving him some drugs but after consultation with Eusebius we’ve agreed that counselling and psychotherapy will be the way forward. The only thing is we disagree which type: existential counselling, Gestalt, hypnosis, neuro-linguistic programming, cognitive analytic, psychodynamic or rational emotive behaviour therapy. He has so many disorders it’s hard to know which one is the right one. For the time being we’re going to just go on the trip and hopefully all will be well. We’ve given him a copy of 'Interpretation of Dreams’ and a few of Klein and Lacan’s papers to read. Hopefully, it will help him understand himself.
There’s one thing I have to mention, it’s kind of spooky. Last Monday,after a big feed he thought he was a sheep. He actually went around Baaahing and trying to leap around as if he was a carefree Waterford lamb out for a carefree stroll in a daisy covered field. The two of us just looked at him incredulously. This episode was quickly followed by him blowing bubbles as if he was a gold fish. The whole thing only lasted five minutes but it was intense. He can’t remember a thing about it. He actually denies it happened. But believe me: it did. He came out with some weird stuff when he was away with the daisies. His prfound grunt was something along the lines of: we three will all go on a journey around the world, but it is I, that will have to put my paws around myself, curl into my wool, and journey alone inside.
So as I was saying it was a busy week. Not only have I had to organise the basics I have also had to worry about a crazy bulldog!!
