Running with Echoes of Desire

By Lourdes Odette Aquitania Ricasa

Lourdes Odette Aquitania Ricasa is an artist and a world traveler.

She loves to paint and took painting lessons at the Mission Renaissance Art School in Pasadena, California, in Biarritz, France, Alicante, Spain and Bishkek Kyrgyzstan. She has on display more than one hundred works of art.

Wandering from one moment to the next from Vanuatu to Tasmania and then perhaps she will be back to Vanuatu, sometimes with a sudden crisis of the heart, in which she does not act or react. Some unconscious choices how a particular individual behaves, leading to a drama of psychological inclination.

Running with Echoes of Desire is a clear exercise of her talents, a special type of poetry for readers. For without love, without poetry, we become squeezed in social conventions.

Destined to satisfy our literary cravings, a fleeting movement, a magnetic power has exerted a distinct influence in the art of her writing.

The book jump starts our imagination. It tells us about life. Words that shine to new truths. It contains more than two hundred fifty poems and newsletters and her Art sketches.

Excitingshe prefers to stay at the Paradores of Spain, chains of Palaces in Santiago de Compostela, Leon, Ducal Palace of Lerma, Trujillo and the Posada Dos Loios de Evora in Portugal. These places immortalizes yesterday, where the past emerges when Kings and royalty stayed here.

There were times, she stayed in dorm beds in Iceland and Lake Baikal, Siberia. She quips It was so much fun. I made a lot of friends.

Having traveled to two hundred eleven countries, her book is a premiere show case, the world on pages begins in her journeys. At times telling us what we do not already know or somehow we never framed the way she expresses it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Dec 28, 2010
• ISBN: 9781456700621

Lourdes Odette Aquitania Ricasa

Lourdes Odette Aquitania Ricasa is an artist and a world traveler. She has traveled to 257 countries and territories and is a platinum member status of Travelers Century Club. www.travelerscenturyclub.org. “World travel . . . the passport to peace through understanding.” Staying in style—whether it is a thatched hut, a bed-and-breakfast place, an old refurbished monastery, a stately castle or a royal palace—her words deliver. Her writing helps you get under the skin of this incredibly diverse universe. It evokes time, heat, indolence, diligence, and joy through the sheer force of its imagery and voice. Whipped in full motion, words glow with brilliant coolness. Some poems translated to Spanish are linguistic diamonds.

Book preview

RUNNING with ECHOES

of

DESIRE

BY

LOURDES ODETTE AQUITANIA RICASA

missing image file

AuthorHouse™

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Bloomington, IN 47403

www.authorhouse.com

Phone: [phone]

© 2010 Lourdes Odette Aquitania Ricasa. All Rights Reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 12/22/2010

ISBN: 978-1-4520-7486-3 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4567-0062-1 (e)

ISBN: 978-1-4567-0061-4 (sc)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2010917662

Printed in the United States of America

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any Web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Also by Lourdes Odette Aquitania Ricasa

Unguarded Thoughts

Excerpts from Life

Pieces of Dreams

Dedication

For:

Rick

Rica and Joe

Richie

Robert

Riley

Rachel

And my parents, Sixto and Luz

Table of Contents

Dedication

Introduction

Part I A Remarkable Promise

City of Port Vila, Vanuatu, It is Hard to Imagine

AA Rare Sunday in Vanuatu, the South Pacific

Putting Back Together

Timelessness in the Kingdom of Bhutan

Spreading my Wings in Almaty

Gorges on the Yangtze

Raced up the Steps of the Empire State

Baffled

The Temple of Karnak

The Island of Mauritius

The Rock Churches of Lalibela, Ethiopia

When the World was Enchanted

Riley, the Sportsman

Picnic Time in San Clemente

Going to Istanbul

The Great Wall of China

This Day Would Come

Part II In Astonishment

AA Good Hiding in Torshavn, Faroe Island

Aland Islands of Finland

Wind and Waves of the Baltic

Walking Around Old Turku, Finland

Everyone Stays

Ia Wonder About Grief

The Midnight Sun at Faroe Island

The Crusaders of Syria

Tajikistan

Part III Much to Offer

Tranquil Island of Anguilla

People Love Brazil

We Squeezed in Santiago, Chile

My Princess Rachel

Alone on a Saturday Night

Ia Cried when Michael Jackson Died

Like a Twisting Flame

So that I Might Leap Higher

Helsinki

Enjoyed the Sauna in Helsinki

Part IV April Roses

With Helena at Vanta, Finland

Rachel at Five

Your Steps Resounding and Dying Away

The Terra Cotta Warriors of Xian

Standing at the Parthenon

Koror, Palau

Hot Eyes

AA Slight Swelling of the Throat

To Somehow Understand

Banff National Park, Canada

Part V The Image

Stillness in Mount Matutum

Waiting for Someone

Marrakesh

Carthage, Tunisia

Stonehenge

Chartres Cathedral

Iguassu Falls

To be an Artist

Dubai

Old Kotor

Part VI Where to Go

Hainan Island, China

Mount Matutum, Philippines

Deep Forest Pine

My Soul Longs

AA Fascination with Timbuktu

Sarangani Bay, Philippines

The Clouds Came Out

Timbuktu, the End of the Earth?

Part VI A Calm Light

West Africa’s Griot

The Dogon People

Dogon County, Mali

Djenne, Mali

The Isle of Goree

Feverish Senegambia, Banjul

Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

My Birthday at Abidjian, Coite d’ Ivoire

Kololi at Senegambia

The Mystique of Banjul

Part VII An Escape

The Challenges of Guinea Bissau

Some Four Years Ago in Cadiz

Dakar, Senegal

Rickshaws of Kolkata

When the Story Ends

Rock Paintings in Mali

AA Small Wrinkle Appeared

Under the Sun in Kuwait

Nairobi, Kenya

Sounding Almost Cheerful

Saluting the Poet, Aeschylus

General Santos, Cotabato

Part VIII Butter Cups

Iconic Towers of Kuwait

Coffee Ceremony in Lalibela

Echoes of Axum

Entebbe, Uganda

Tanzania

In the Heat of the Night

Lacking Something

Peach Colored Roses

Chemistry is What They Call It

Twenty Seven Days

The Magic of Easter Island

Plaza de los Heroes, Asuncion, Paraguay

Part IX Two Rose Bushes

Euphoria

Asuncion, Paraguay

Fractional Complete

II Woke Up in Pain

Ia Am Scared

Never Leave Me Again

Passion to Travel

So Far Apart

Curious

Tearing

Before Another Sunset

Part X Easy Life

For a Few Minutes

The Moment Passed

Chanted Under the Stars in Sana’a, Yemen

Avila, Spain

The Next Evening

Amy with the Winning Smile

The Opposite Side

The Art of Living

Giant Statues of the South Pacific Ocean

From the Other Side

Pink Silvery Sands of Easter Island

Known Legends

Part XI Soulful Journey

Easter Island Rapa Nui

The Bar Man on the Island of St. Kitts

Palermo, Sicily

Real Nothingness

Returning Quickly

Ljubljana, Slovenia

Anguilla, Caribbean Island

Walking around in Nevis

Olbia, Sardinia

Banff, Canada

Madrid’s Ultimate Pinochio’s Soup

Part XII Take Refuge

Ia Hurt today

AA World of Omens, Borneo

Felices Fiestas

Laa Torre del Visco, Bajo Aragon

Jersey Island

My Mother, an Angelic Shadow

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Borneo and the South China Sea

Maybe Soon

Why Did You Tease Me?

The Gold Souks of Dubai

Part XIII Around the Merry Corner

Damascus, Syria

Georgetown, Guyana

Mount Makiling, Philippines

Irkutsk and Lake Baikal, Siberia

Treasures and Pastimes of Darjeeling, India

Across Istanbul

The Fading Glory of Kolkata (Calcutta)

Sikkim Permits

Tbilisi, Georgia

Baku, Azerbaijan

Formigal, Spain

Part XIV And Now

The Island of Dominica

Ia Still Cry

Nomads in Oman

How I Miss You

Antananarivo, Madagascar

The Music of Mandolins in Zanzibar

Ia Would Give Anything

Fascinating Yemen

Seeker of Legends in Ethiopia

Djibouti in the Gulf of Aden

Part XV A Comfortable Warmth

Prospects Brighten in Manila

In Lisbon

Mopti

The Promised Card

Another Escape

Sky Flakes

Ia Realized It

Teleferique from Chamonix

Paramaribo, Suriname

Manny Pacquiao

Part XVI Trying to Understand

Taken by Surprise

Standing Still

Left Alone

Doha, Qatar

To Love You in this Way

Four Days of Solitude

Each Day

Bahrain

Port of Spain, Trinidad

St. Maarten and St. Martin

Blue Iguanas at the Cayman Islands

Part XVII Flashing Shadows

Repubblica di San Marino

Split in Crotia

Lake Plitsvice

Dubrovinik

Butterflies of Vall d’Aran

Numancia de la Sagra

April Roses

Please be Sensible

The Kiss was a Long One

Bamako, Mali

Part XVIII Big Sky

Down the Bandiagara Escarpment

The Tapa Bars of Spain

Balneario Sicilia

Skadar, Albania

With you in Siguenza

Soria, Spain

By the Deep Blue of Tasmania

Papua, New Guinea

Spring Time in Port Moresby

Part XIX Ticket to Any Place

Ice Sheet in Greenland

Greenland’s Riddle

The Indigo Sky after Dusk at Los Pirineos

Dreaming about Panticosa, Spain

Rachel Says, Come See My Room

Never Tiring

Where Do I Find You

The Echoing Skies of Botswana

Part XX Newsletters

Odette Ricasa, Motivational Speaker

Opportunities and Pursuing your Dreams

Saipan and the Northern Mariana Islands

The Guianas of South America

The Magic of Easter Island, March 2005

Report on the Oman, the Middle East, April 2005

The Red Splendor of Petra, Jordan, October 2005

Mongolia report 09-14-06

Yemen, the Best Kept Secret of the Middle East

CHRISTMAS NEWS LETTER - 2004

CHRISTMAS NEWS LETTER - 2005

CHRISTMAS NEWS LETTER - 2006

CHRISTMAS NEWS LETTER - 2007

Holiday Newsletter - 2008

Phillipine News - September 5 – 11, 2007

Philippine Times Article released May 8 – 14, 2008

AWARD as OUTSTANDING ALUMNAE

Spirit of Christ Community, August 30, 2009

AA Boxing Fan of Manny Pacquiao

Holy Spirit College Reunion at San Clemente

Holiday Newsletter - 2009

Curacao and Venezuela

STUPENDOUS MALTA AND AMAZING TUNISIA

TUNISIA

Trip to the Galapagos Islands

" In my soul, sister of late, no boundaries …

and the symbolic rose of my only love

a flower is born in unknown lands

and has no aroma, or shape, or color.

Kisses, but not give them! Glory! Which I must!

That all comes as an aura for me!

Let me bring waves and waves carried me

and never force me to choose the path."

Manuel Machado y Ruiz – Seville, Spain

Introduction

Lourdes Odette Aquitania Ricasa is an artist and a world traveler.

She loves to paint and took painting lessons at the Mission Renaissance Art School in Pasadena, California, in Biarritz, France, Alicante, Spain and Bishkek Kyrgyzstan. She has on display more than one hundred works of art.

Wandering from one moment to the next from Vanuatu to Tasmania and then perhaps she will be back to Vanuatu, sometimes with a sudden crisis of the heart, in which she does not act or react. Some unconscious choices how a particular individual behaves, leading to a drama of psychological inclination.

Running with Echoes of Desire is a clear exercise of her talents, a special type of poetry for readers. For without love, without poetry, we become squeezed in social conventions.

Destined to satisfy our literary cravings, a fleeting movement, a magnetic power has exerted a distinct influence in the art of her writing.

Your writing reminds me of Homer and epic style with the element of suspense. I really enjoyed reading the poems. It’s a lot better than ordinary travelogue fare. Did you really see a shooting star after the Holy Mass at the Paray church?

Ram Nieves - Port Vila, Vanuatu

It takes one Odette Ricasa to be so generous in sharing her escapades with us! Reading your 2009 newsletter takes our imagination to places you actually visited and we felt we were with you vividly in living color, in the process, we’re learning too

Nini Evangelista - Los eAngeles, California

Your newsletter is beautifully written, again with very picturesque vocabulary.  You have a gift of describing things that makes readers see what you saw, feel the breeze that slapped your face, see other God’s creation that we do not have the opportunity to gaze on (yet), and even smell the sweet and the yucky of things and of human!

Edgardo Uguet – Monte Perdido, Spain

Wow, Odette, quite a lot of travelling this year and you did manage to meet up with the girls in San Clemente!  I admire your energy!  Reading through your newsletter, you give me inspiration to still try to go see those places.

Dodit Reyes - Manila, Philippines

Often people don’t get to fully understand how they have influenced other lives because no one ever tells them.  I wanted to let you know, you were a big, big influence on my life. I admire you and all the things that you have accomplished.  Patrick and I often talk about the Power House that you are.

Janice Clark - Torrance, California

I really enjoyed reading your diary of poems.  I wish I could travel to those places and see for myself the beauty. What a travelogue about Yemen. I can feel I was there. It is lovely writing, it is a song. I was so immersed, I forgot where I was.

Aurora Costales - Simi Valley, California

I envy you. I dream of going to some of these places in my lifetime.  When I have fully retired, perhaps. 

Cita Cruz - Washington, D.C.

I love your annual newsletter—I get wrapped up in your descriptions and almost feel as if I am experiencing in part your sensations during travel. Many thanks for the newsletter as well as everything else you do—you actually enhance my life!

Mabe Vetra - Los Angeles, California

I always enjoy your reflections—they are so accurate and charged with passion. Thank you for sharing and all you do for the club

Anna Pereta - Alicante, Spain

Bought one of your books and enjoyed it immensely. The book is Pieces of Dreams. I have read a lot of travel books (essays and narratives), from Theroux to Bryson, but have never seen anything like what you have created, shall I call it travel poetry?

Tina Vela - Burbank, California

You are such an inspiration to those of us who have not travelled  very much but wish we could.  My friend Denise still asks about you and your luncheon.  You are one fabulous lady. 

Valerie Wright - Covina, California

Thank you for sharing your world travels and adventures with us!  I felt as if my spirit was also there, on those breathtaking places, which you so vividly described. 

Mila Ocampo – Vancouver, Canada

Read your poetry. Traveled the world with you just sitting at the computer. You made everything come alive.

Rosa Gutierrez – Buenos Aires, Argentina

Norma’s, and now my, admiration for you and your travels are well founded only to be exceeded by my admiration for your written words.  Each time you have added something to our internet group I have been enlightened…Thanks for sharing your voice!

Dixie Damn - Tenneesee

Norma Crawford-Meads has expounded on your gracious host talents.  She made you sound interesting and exciting …Your recent email only amplifies that. 

Norma Meads – Auckland, New Zealand

What a graphic report of your travels to the Galapagos Islands!

Prem Mohan - Mumbai, India

You are such a great writer - you bring life to the word! Enjoyed your latest newsletter.

Lynn Stephenson - North Carolina

You are the type of person I would love my students to meet, an accomplished world traveler and good speaker to boot! Not trying to use you though but really enjoy talking to people who are well informed and well travelled, as I am an English teacher and love the arts - music, ballet, classical concerts.

 Jackie Tan – Penang, Malaysia

I especially enjoyed your writing about all your travels.  We’re a lot a like in that we both try to actually meet the locals and veer away from the main strip & see what the back alleys hide. I just checked out your books on author house.  I love your writing. You compress a lot of information and visuals in such short poems. It sort of like you’re telling the reader that they could see the world as a poem too if they just tried.

Dario Cruz – Elmont, New York 

Gee, what a year of travel you had — Amazing!  Were you at all apprehensive about traveling in Muslim countries?  Especially Oman, Syria and such?  I enjoy your newsletters and envy your ability to do as much travel as you do. 

Ken Rose – Lalibela, Ethiopia

Thank you Odette for this wonderful travel log, and how fortunate for you to do all this traveling. Beautiful, beautiful writings about your trip. l will keep your information to return to often.

Kay Shary - East TN, USA

I’m glad you had such a wonderful time in Jordan and the visit to Petra lifted your spirit. As always, I much enjoy reading the travel descriptions you send via the 5W smart group.

Joyce Szameitat – Copenhagen, Denmark

Re: Women Welcome Women Worldwide The Red Splendor of Petra, Jordan

Dear Odette, I traveled with you and, by your magnificent descriptions, imagined it all.

Wonderful! 

Coral Walsh -  Trustee in Australia.

You truly are a wonderful writer — I read a lot and really appreciate a good turn of the word.  I don’t have that gift, so appreciate it when others do.

Sharyl Overholser - Torrance, California

I must admit, I have admired you even before I have met you. You have written so many poems and travelled so widely. That is good spirit and am happy for you.

Njihia Whainuzi – Nairobi, Kenya

You are a very nice and interesting lady with all your travel adventures.

Smilja Sradosav – Santiago, Chile

What a book! It was truly an eye-opening experience for me to realize hidden talents among my friends and acquaintances.

Sixto Columbus – Fullerton, California

You are a gracious hostess, with the mostest…..that’s for real…. extremely talented and gifted. I only have one question to ask, with all your accomplishments, do you ever get to sleep, or do you cat nap like an elephant which only sleeps two hours a day…..

Coni Wright – Laguna Niguel, California

As always, I much enjoy reading your journals, especially the one on Oman. I could imagine the scenery and atmosphere from your excellent descriptions and they made me want to follow in your footsteps.

Lillian Ivey – Chartres, France

Your last email was a delight to read Pieces of Dreams - oh how I wish I had been there to witness all the joy and colour of your travels. Lunch on the waterfront was great and of course being in Hollywood that night was something I’ll always remember.

Nola Holland – Carins, Australia

It was so nice for me to read your OMAN report and hope to get more about it soon. It’s so interesting to know more about other cultures, like orient etc. and often people don’t know about the background of the country’s history, traditions etc. which leads them to wrong judgment about the people. The possibility to look into some peoples’ life in this part of our globe is amazing. It opened my eyes enormously about many things.

Lilli Zilz – Barile – Hamburg, Germany

This reads like something out of National Geographic.  Thanks for sharing. Why were you excited to see a Filipino restaurant?  Is Ricasa a Filipino name? I was born in Manila and was there during WWII.  I’ve written a book about my family’s struggle for survival during the battle for Manila  — A Child in the Midst of Battle. I shall look forward to the next installments.

Evelyn B. Empie – Los Angeles, California

Once again you’ve excelled in painting your ‘word pictures’.  Don’t have to visit these places now - seen them all through your eyes !

Marissa Kaplan – Toledo, Spain

You are truly a gifted artist, Odette, not just in your paintings but also in words.  This is well written, very accurate, a masterpiece.

Bobby Cuento – Monrovia, California

I am very impressed by your travels and writings.  Even if the money and time were no issue, my lack of courage would prevent me truly experiencing so many and diverse cultures. But I can enjoy the memory of your stories.

Patrick Bingham – Northridge, California

Part I A Remarkable Promise

Picture.tif

City of Port Vila, Vanuatu, It is Hard to Imagine

Ten nights ago

I was a complete stranger

In this exquisite island of Vanuatu

Where at times the sky throws a veil of mist

Then the ocean radiates like a sheet of mother of pearl

Voted as the Happiest Island

Eighty two relatively small islands

At the meeting point of continental tectonic plates

Mountainous with volcanic origin

Rocky with fringing reefs

Whipped by the wind

Metallic pigeons and rainbow lorikeets fluttered around

Chased each other in a playful way

Their wings in capricious curves

Making sounds of music

Guided by a Travel book

And James Michener’s Tales of the South Pacific

I ventured to this place

Not knowing a single soul

The heat was oppressive

My hotel was across the market along the seafront

Facing the sunrise

My window had a peek of the waters

Comprised of every shade of blue and bluish green

I felt safe walking around

There were no beggars on the streets

Policemen did not carry guns or batons

Statistics show there is one boat for every fifteen inhabitants

Natives are self sufficient

Freshly caught fish, vegetables and fruits abound

I will gladly work here

People are not obliged to pay income tax

A haven for the rich

I tried to walk in the constant shade

Under groves of bread trees

Fruits were beginning to ripen

From their height, these trees must be of immense age

With broad glossy leaves and smooth bark

It looked majestic

Houses were thatched with green

Or yellow leaves of the palmetto

Surrounded by fences of bamboo

Here and there were lime and mandarin orange trees

Where the warm air filtered freely

I set off to the market

Women (fair Indians) with pale golden skin

Smelled of scented coconut oil

They wore colored prints of pareu and mission dresses

Affectionate mothers held their babies

Fanned and swatted the flies

Their soft brown curly hair decorated

With pink or yellow hibiscus

They stayed in the market from Monday to Saturday

Eating and sleeping on the spot

On large rolled out mats woven out of palm leaves

Every day

The men brought in fresh supplies to replenish the stalls

Tables were covered with plantain leaves

For sale were live coconut crabs with its pincers tied

(Its strong pincers can crack coconuts)

Fresh water shrimps and ground pigeons

Kava (a sedating