Once, I met a traveler. You know the type...backpack, bike and slangs. Since he sat by my side, I was talking to him about his travels. And he in the most relaxed state was telling myself the world as it had observed.
His world was kinda interesting and I didnt fell the time pass. So he was so peaceful and relaxed I asked him if there is anywhere that he didnt like to stay. I was expecting something like "every place is ok for me, boy".
But he didnt answer for quite a while so I kept quiet in the same way. And when I decided to start a new topic, he interrupted myself in a different tone.
-Where do ya feel better? Visiting a small park, a tourist point or a beach?
I didnt know what to answer so I simply said the question seemed too personal and depending on the taste.
He then said his answer was not related to the place or scenario. He wasnt exactly admiring the nature while he was there sitting there by my side. The phenomenon he was experiencing and liking was one of the most natural and imperceptible to people, he was admiring the society.
-The way people look each other, the way people talk, the way people understand each other. That is the most interesting thing I saw in my travels. Beautiful scenes are everywhere, the culture isnt.
He continued:
-People say some cultures are colder than others, I do not see that way. There is much more to it than simply saying cold and hot. The most basic thing in culture is what people can do with simple things. Complex beings can make marvelous things with few money. We can look everywhere in nature, but we wont see anything so interesting as the interrelations between man and man. I said interesting, but often deceptive. And going back to your question. I do not like most of the places on earth, I struggle to understand how people and why people sometimes work together and sometimes not.
I was almost losing track of what he was saying, as it all "klingelt" strange to me. Since he started, the words had gotten a more intellectual style and I was almost feeling like a professor was standing before myself. He went further:
-People are not aware but they sure feel a peaceful and relaxing day going to a small park in some places. It is in how they speak and interact. We are feeling this every instant. On the other hand, people on other places are buying big houses, traveling to big parks, buying a lot of things but they cannot get away from their cultural curse. What I mean is that they are less happy than some people going to a small park.
This is starting to make sense.
-It is not about how hard things are, but how hard people see it is. There are places on earth that no matter how rich they get, they will not be as rich culturally than other places. I am talking here about things that are far beyond what humans can create. What we do not talk about everyday, but it is more intensely present in ourselves than we realize. It is not as simple as I am talking about. There are many other aspects such as national identify and sovereignty which are very tough to understand.
After that point he continued for some lines. I do not record exactly, but the talk was so dense I was not able to understand it. The talk remained for some minutes and then he took his bike and went away.
And who would thought such a immense world would inhabit this guy. Amazing talk. What a travel.
