gypsy cats
miaow..

What do you do when the world around you commands obedience.. in dress, in manner and in life choices? What if you don't agree with the choices? What if you don't get into the hype, don't want to contribute to the fear?

What do you do if you wanted every single day of your life to be full of love..music..smiles..colour???

Would you give it up because someone says you must be more like them? Or would you put on your most colourful vest, arrange your pants, and walk whistling out the door...to meet and make your own sense, your own story...

The Love Bus are a colorful bunch of gypsy cats travelling the world creating spontaneous musical combustion. Starting their travels in the greenscapes of Kuranda, I met up with the kids in Malaysia where we were all lucky to meet Antares and from there the love has spread...worldwide...

They play music music music...

with soul
love

harmony

So let's get together

and feel alright...

sweetsouls

...
wandering

loving
singing
smiling
all the world
through..

...

always

with a beat
always with a song

no matter what
public
transport

they are on...

..

And more more beautiful music to be heard ----


Sounds of Sun
www.myspace.com/soundsofsun






Sunny Lee Snook
www.myspace.com/sunnyleesnook

*more of the LOVE you love on Fb*

Two Tribes meet

I told them I would be back with bamboo in a sec and wandered down the rugged little hill and past the puppy’s grave. (Over the years many animals have found their end at Magick River. Mary once pointed out to us all the sites of the dead pups and cats and kittens and monkeys! She said when the dogs brought him up the road, with not a scratch on him, the baby monkey was so poignantly human he was given a ‘proper’ burial.)
I spotted Anoura cutting betel nut with women and sat with her chewing the nut wrapped in bitter tasting leaves, promptly forgetting about my bamboo mission. Our asli neighbours were having a celebration. I’d watched them cooking since morning and communicated in stilted Bahasa I wanted to taste Orang Asli cooking. With big smiles I was led to their rumah.

Cute kids peeked at me from behind mother’s skirts and the men shot curious glances. But honestly, I was concentrating on the food piled high on my plate. The men asked me to invite my friends and that’s how the tribe at the top of the hill came to meet the tribe at the bottom…finally. We brought guitars, of course.

The women laid out another mouth watering spread of food. Freshly killed wild boar made into three delicious dishes, coconut sauces, fresh bamboo shoots, wild picked jungle vegetables and the traditional crunchy crackers, all topped off with a sweet caramel pudding. Even the vegetarians were happy.

Our French/Spanish friend Micky’s eyes were popping out of his head as he exclaimed between mouthfuls, “it’s so fresh, so clean, so full of taste.” He would close his eyes after every mouthful of boar and mumble something half Spanish, half French. One of the brothers shot a mid-sized male boar in the jungle a day ago and the women told me they never eat meat from the town because of the chemicals. Throughout the meal, I had mental pictures akin to Asterixsk and Obelix cartoons, wild parties in the forest with bountiful food and glistening sides of wild boar…this was what it was like!

After eating came the songs!
Of course, we are always quick to sing (and Happy Birthday featured prominently). But funnily enough, we had a newly arrived New Zealand couple with us, a very proper, tight collared private school teacher and her husband. He surprised us all, first asking if he could sing a song, and then, gently putting aside the guitar offered to him, he promptly took off his shirt…in front of a crowd of open mouthed foreigners and curious asli, he proceeded to do a totally impromptu, very impressive version of the Hakka! In the brief moments of shocked silence that ensued, I quickly translated the song was from the asli of New Zealand and this man (with his white, white skin, short shorts and curly hair) was not asli, but had learned their music. The Temuan grunted with understanding gave him a proper applause.

Micky sang a Spanish song accompanied with some gypsy kind of dance (inspired in part by the local wine) and Stas sang a Russian ballad. With the help of a much better translator, a half Malaysian friend Aslan, they shared old folk stories of the Temuan in the area. Accompanied with a promise that the next day they would drive some miles to visit the local elder for more lore.

The two tribes met and now it feels as though we have more brothers and sisters. Let’s hope we respect our new friendship and know that it will add much more to our lives and experience in this magical place.

Chinese Opera - aaaaahhhhhhh!

I lived in China as a teenager..and thusly, have a slight phobia when it comes to the thought of traditional Chinese opera. I also have a fear of spiky green fruits and ice kachang...but that's another story.

Chinese opera mostly conjures thought of overly made men in women's clothing letting out the most intense sounds imaginable...

...all the while a troupe of three older men located somewhere near your head smash enormous drums and clang pots and pans together in an attempt to miss every type of imaginable rhythm.. plus, I've always thought Mandarin sounded violent.

But, my busy gotta-see-stuff tourist side won this time and I dragged my other (more sensible) nice-sound-enjoying side kicking and screaming a little opera at a temple down the road...and...

well...it was ok.

I mean, they screamed..sang..clanged drums. I half understood the story..I didn't have a brain melt down or run screaming from the scene..it was ok..but the makeup I found absolutely fascinating! I'd never seen it so close up before..

There's a lot of opera in Penang, all around in fact, Anh Huah, my little Hainanese temple friend here, can get me in to the backstage areas..so next time I'm going with a purpose..to get some makeup tips!!

So, I went and found some beautiful pics on flikr by a man called John Iishi..

..just beautiful...

Chinese Opera Georgetown Penang
Mercy Temple (Quan Yin)
Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling
(just near Little India)

Soul Kitchen Penang - soul food without the viddles

From the timeless hills of the asli, I'm back in the rhythm of 'real' life. Putting in some work time to make up for the spending I've done in the last few months..I've settled on the tropical island of Penang, found a great little place called Soul Kitchen to spend my hours.

Michele and Tonio created their little getaway in Muntri Street with this gorgeous retro trattoria serving breakfast, pasta and sandwiches. With retro furniture from Germany, old school wallpaper and blackboard menus, looks like a 1960's Berlin cafe and has the same ambience.

We serve delicious passsstaaaa..and grilled sandwiches and hot hot breakfasts! Tonio makes a tiramisu to die for, we've had comments from well-travelled world travellers about the high standard of his little coffee covered delights - but we only make them one day a week! So there is always a weekend rush!!

As far as pasta goes, the chicken a'limone is my favorite, lemon buttery chicken pieces drizzled over penne..mmmm! And when I get back to Australia, the only thing I will be able to think about is the salami with balsamic garlic tremmezzini!

We're smack bang in the busy centre of Georgetown, Penang. A little green cafe surrounded by Chinese temples and sexy old buildings. Penang is a little developed for my tastes, but it has a quaint old world charm and an off-beat, slow moving community that suits me fine.

I live above the cafe in a huge old room with high ceilings and old red shuttered doors. It does nothing to keep the karaoke out at night, but is full of light and color.

Please come and visit..and if you already have, leave a comment and let me know what you think!






102 Lebuh Muntri
Georgetown, Penang
(next to Chulia Street)

(photos from the very fine My Food Fetish site my-food-fetish.blogspot.com)

Magick River and the Star Children of the Diamond Constellation

It's about time I properly introduce Magick River...Mother Mary and child of the light Antares, Anora, Ahowl and all the truly magical soul beings who are sharing light and love with others who come along their path.



Some years ago, a home was created among the asli (aboriginals) of Malaysia next to a smooth flowing, clean river. Originally made from bamboo and set high in the hills I'm sure there were just as many parties then as now.

Nowadays, the home they have made is called Magick River and through their dreaming, have created a home for us all. A beautiful bamboo house aptly named the 'Bamboo Palace' is open to all, and set in the sublime green hills near Kuala Kubu Baru which is about one hour by bus from KL.

The asli have long created homes next to rivers. One thoughtless decision from the local government to build a dam brought ruin. Mary, Antares and a group of like minded locals fought the decision to no avail, the dam was built and inevitable flooding occured destroying the asli's homes and community.

The homes were rebuilt later and the community was brought to the banks of the current site. Little white houses neatly built in a row, with gardens of tropical flowers and fruits..full of kids, games and families.

Just up from our bit of the river flows the Mother Falls..

..a tremendous powerful three tiered waterfall, the cauldron is a place of bubbling power where the boys are playing in this picture

The water has carved out a perfect round cavern and the water is...

oh so coooo-ldddddd!!

One luscious afternoon we made the trek, I went straight into the roaring cauldron with Estel-la (a Catalan gypsy) and after nervous giggling, we jumped into the pressure centre. Estel-la jumped first and was immediately squashed down into the powerful gushing stream. After splashing about, I went to take a wee peek over the edge of the falls and ... WHOOSH... disappeared over the edge! My feet taken from under me by the strong current, I bounced from side to side down the 'sluice' and plunged deep into green darkness pushed by the power of the water above me. A total heart stopper..hehe, not banged up, just feeling a little silly, but it was worth the ride!

So, below is a little shout out to the most amazing feature of Magick River..the 'mother and father'..MARY and ANTARES ..

Malaysia - Orang Asli

We were lucky to find an Orang Asli tribe in Malaysia and were invited to stay for as long as we liked. The Orang Asli are the indigenous minority peoples of Peninsular Malaysia. The name is a Malay term which transliterates as 'original peoples'.

The Orang Asli could be mistaken for Australian aboriginals, it is here I find my ancestors. My grandfather and his mother lived in the jungle in tribes settling in villages near the river. They still live in a traditional way in the rainforests of Malaysia hunting with blowpipes for birds, small animals and monkeys.

"The blowpipe is made from bamboo. Darts are made from the split leaf-stalks of Arenga palm cone is made of light weight pitch and the tip is coated with a lethal preparation made from the sap of the lpol tree (Antiaris toxicaria) and carried in a carefully closed bamboo tube. As for the windage, a soft fluffy "wool' is made from as kind of bark. Blowpipe is deadly accurate within 20 meters. Fear of the spirits of dead ancestors and hunted animals is very strong amongst them, and it is an unwritten law that all animals caught, in the forest should suffer no pain"

They traditionally practice an animistic religion believing there is a soul in animals and plants. Music plays an important role in calling spirits. Theirs is a musical universe! Everything has a "living tonality," and the soul of every animal, plant, rock, or other inanimate object contains a melody or rhythm.

They use mouth organs, flutes and nose flutes to communicate with the essence of a rock or a tree spirit. In the ceremony, hypnotic music and dancing cause the shaman to go on a journey to the spirit world. The shaman obtains supernatural knowledge and requests help from the spirits for his community.

Le Village Guesthouse

Although I never stay in guesthouses..as far as they go, this is one for those who make it. KL is a ravenous city, ready to swallow up anyone who dares take their eyes off a map or off the insane drivers ready to swerve into oncoming pedestrians..

Le Village is located in China Town and sanctuary in a sea of chaos and air-conditioning. When I walked through the door, I spied many many shoes ascending the staircase like a lost shoe stairway to heaven..sneakers and sandals, sketchers and slip ons, weary road boots and little tiny heels..

The footwear's owners are an array of colorful characters in this hippy haven cum guesthouse. Go up the stairs to meet long lazy figures stretched out on old sofas. Guitars leaning against art covered walls and colorful travellers intent on conversation, relaxation and ducking in and out of the kitchen to bubble up a tea or three.

A man strums a ukelele...in front of three intense in conversation about Thailand. The girl on my right is covered, absolutely covered in henna and wears her hair in a mohawk. She's intent on perfecting a henna roll with colorful wrapping paper that she learned from a man down the street. Many are heading to India..and it reminds me a bit of Tu's Place, it's a place, on a road on the path (through a long visa process) where time to chill is very much needed!

There are many levels in the building and levels of enjoyment happening on all of them. Guitar and chats anyone..life here stretches on..

I find a comfortable spot on a couch and managed to squat for the night...like a sneaky sleeper..

Visit and connect!

99A Jalan Tun HS Lee
(Look for the gated door..you might see a sign, you might not..the code is 757575..I think, but look for the numbers which are worn away from use!)
 
PLEASE NOTE: Le Village burned down last year!

Penang - Things to Do

Penang rocks my world! It's impossible to capture how cool and beautiful it is. I've met up with Josh here and we have a cozy ad above a cafe called Soul Kitchen on Chulia Street.

We are just in time for the Thai water festival. Streets filled with water bottled toting Malay, Indians and Burmese. I didn't know it was so possible to be so wet!

One way to see Penang is skimming around coastlines on a scooter. Josh and I ran down to the local tourist strip, Chulia Street and rented a scooter for 20 ringgit to zoom the pretty hills and beaches..

Monkey Beach is 2 hours hike from Telok Bahang beach, gorgeous! Hiking through raggedy rocks and old, peaceful trees to camp right on the beach and ran off to scavenge for coconuts. Pitching a tent and watching a big, old black storm roll in over the horizon.

Um, many others things have been enjoyed here. Not least of al he fabulous LOvE BUs bonanza and love parade through the streets of Penang.

But here, we enjoyed beachfront yoga, wing chun training, acrobat workshops, dragon dance, thai chi, free Sikkh food, Burmese New Year and of course..music music music...

- hehe - full of love love love!

MAGICK River - Kuala Kubu Baru

Wet waterfalls and skinny swimming..Brother Josh and sister Lan Anh next to raging mother river chilling with the original people of Malaysia, the Orang Asli.

And the good news is you can stay too!

Antares and the Children of the Diamond Constellation welcome all dreamers, star gazers, poets, musicians, star speakers and of course hippies with wide arms and flowers in our hair...

From everyone's favorite spot in KL, Le Village, take the 35 bus to Rawang, then the bus to Kuala Kubu Baru..when you get to the town give Antares a call - 0102007346 - and he'll tell you what to do!


Check out my album on Facebook Magick River Photos

Magick River and Nine gypsy hippies LINK

Penang Presence

Penang Island (Pilau Pinang) is a 5 hour bus trip northwest of KL..and a zoom past the luscious rainforests of the Cameron Highlands..

This small city is full of architecture and antiques. 'Charming' is the best way to describe Penang. Curved archways lead you past Chinese medicine shops, dark shophouses (godowns) with quaint second-world war houses lining sleepy streets. Muslim prayer calls mingle with the scents of Chinese ancestor worship incense..an incredible mix of cultures, languages and beliefs.

The town is known for its well preserved colonial buildings, surviving from the 1930's it gives the streets an ancient feel. It confuses the mind, I can't work out if Penang is a modern city or an ancient Chinese town. It's definately multicultural. Muslim mosques decorate the skyline with minarets, psychedelic Chinese temples color the streets and in the distance you'll catch a glimpse of high rises rivaling KL's glossy, glass covered skyscrapers.

However to the Malay, Penang is best known for its street food! Hawkers line the small streets, especially on the tourist Chulia Street. Char Kuay Teow - bean sprouts and slightly charred flat noodles with seafood, chilli and soy sauce is special here. But, there are a plethora of food choices to tantalise and satisfy the senses. Man, I love Malay cooking...Mum makes a mean chicken curry and any number of delicious Nonya dishes, and eating here tastes like home.

I've found Josh chilling out in the Soul Kitchen playing music with the "Love Bus bandits..we are set to explore the rest of this lovely place!

Look out, here come two little Australian-Malay monkeys to play :)

My Malaysia

I got on an airplane..first time in two years!

It's incredible, to fly, being inside clouds, in the air..truly amazing
I got off in Malaysia.

Deep breaths of the thick, warm air of my mother country, my eyes gazed over the varied faces of this country. Tall, short, fat, thin, black, white, asian, indian, mixed, english, canton, malay, hindi, english..singlish...and everything in between!

A quick shower and not long after, I was eating! Typical. Satay chicken and a giant steamed fish, plates of food covering the table and faces of relatives smiling at me over it. I haven't been to Malaysia in 12 years, yet I remember the food here is like nowhere else.

Roti chanai, nasi lemak, rendang, curries, noodles - a culture that loves fried chicken as much as I do! The origins of my gastronimic heritage is clearer here, written all over the rounded bellies of my extended family.

Malaysia is the most developed country I have been for almost two years.

I'm experiencing a level of culture shock I might have experienced if I'd gone to Australia..although if breathing real air is something you must sacrifice in order to have cleanliness, give me Hanoi's overflowing gutters any day! The air-conditioning here is relentless.

I'm stationed at my aunties house, her family rearranged in order to fit in mine (when they arrive). Cosy, in a towering complex, surrounded by hundreds of other towering complexes. The lego blocks that house the Malay/Canton/Chinese/Indian population of Malaysia.

It's just begun to rain. The fat hot drops that only an Asian sky can release...

ok, see you...I'm going for a splashy dance!