La Falsa Moneda

                                  ISTANBUL es ASI

                                             2013

                                 FLASH for FLESH

     Isa-es-Asi, fortunate guest artist at 
Danny Garcia's traditional Inkstanbul Artcore Studio.                                   

Istanbul güzellik

Kedi Romantizm

Sultanin denizci kiz

                                             

MY VAGABOND ROADS

                           ¿? WHERE DO WE GO NOW ¿?

La vida es una tombola

Ever since I was born on this planet, 
it has been my passion and pleasure to roam around 
as much as possible... 
I realise this is a priviledge that not everybody can enjoy...
Allow me to share my luck, love, happiness 
and adventures from these Vagabond Roads.

                                                A WORLD CLASS ESCAPE ARTIST 

Every year again, it is a mystery to guess at which precise 
Geographic coordinates the New Year's celebration will catch me...
This year it was in Targu Jiu, Gorj county, Rumania... 

We were all very worn out from the Scandinavian cold

 The journey started before Christmas 2012 in Scandinavia...

An adventurous road trip of 3000 km aproximately, 

A brave, overcrowded overloaded van, resolutely challenging

the misty nights,  slippery roads,  powder snow and general exhaustion... 

Anything to escape a harsh Viking environment
at minus 20 degrees Celsius, ... 

As the sun rose over the Rumanian border,
Happiness rose in our hearts

As the sun rose over the Romanian border crossing,
a general sense of releif found voice through lively chatter,
and the singing of Chrismas carrols,
Our faithful vehicle rythmically swinging through  hairpin curves
down the foothills of the Carpatian  Mountains ,
leaving Starmina Mountain behind at Tismana Monastery as we enter
Jiu River valley, heading for the city of Targu Jiu, capital of Gorj county...

Chatter of birds in the soothing light

of a mild winter afternoon in Targu Jiu

The most popular song is about a deer or a goat, 
Capriora Capriora, Dom Dom Dom...

It is traditionally sung by groups of youth, 
moving from door to door in the Christmas season,

Blessing the house with their chants, drums
and the throwing of corn grains for prosperity,

One of them will be dressed like the Capriora...

People will give them a small cash donation for their efforts.

Capriora Capriora, dom dom dom...

Doggie Lucky and me, emmediately set out to discover the new surroundings,
This, every time again, is most exciting ...
We roam around, left right up and down streets, alleys,
short cuts, round abouts... we talk to people, dogs, birds, horses...
As you can see,  it is sunny in Romania!

        Constantin Brâncuşi

Coloana Infinitului

 We set out looking for the famous 

"Coloana Infinitului" The Endless Column 

by sculptor Constantin Brâncuşi,
We find it in the middle of a pleasant park,
where Lucky can run free...
There's a guard who whistles furiously,
whenever anyone as much as 

looks at the art work... probably to show his 

employers that he does something for his pay...
Along "Calea Eroilor...Heroes Path, 

Brâncuşi's Monument Ensemble is in 3 parts,
At the big park near the Jiu River 

there is "Poarta sărutului "...Gate of the Kiss , 

and "Masa tăcerii"...  Table of Silence...

 

I don't smoke...I kiss doggies instead

As a proper Vagabond, allways on the move,
I have of course a special fondness 
for vehicles,
I love old trash, Nostalgia is my cup of tea...
The modern world is a thing i prefer to ignore,
politely, as far as possible...
So imagine my happiness as i ran into
this little treasure...Soy Feliz con-Trabant...
Damn Sexy...I tell you!

Soy Feliz con-Trabant

COSITAS GITANAS

 

                           EARTH, SKY, ON THE MOVE

A Free Bird...

The Roma flag has a green and blue background,
and a red charriot wheel, similar to the flag of India,
This represents  earth, sky and the itinerant / traveling tradition of the Roma people,
This "styago le romengo" is to an extend the oficial international flag of the Romani people,
Created by the "Uniunea Generala a Romilor" from Romania in 1933,
Then approved by international representatives at the First World Romani Congress in 1971, 

Chris Isaak with his Lucky Gypsy Stone, showing an eye for detail

Close up of same stone... Nostalgia is often the price of Freedom

There's a bit of an Angel in every Devil

And a bit of a Devil in every Saint...

 

 

 

 

 

 

A special baggy to keep the Lucky stones

                                 MUSAFIR FREE BIRDS

Some Items designed by me, made out of felt, beads and recycled materials, to be manufactured and produced by and for Rroma people and their cause...

Freebird Peace broache of felt and beads, with logo tag

Musafeer Freebird dangling decoration

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

             LAS PIEDRAS DEL CAMINO  

                                  2013  

                LIKE A ROLLING STONE

Alma Gitana

After spending one month in the Tsigania of Targu Jiu in beautiful Romania,
Just than, there wasn't any board, cardboard or canvas to be found to satisfy
my need to draw, doodle and paint..., but there were heaps of stones
on the roads rolling under my vagabond feet... So I painted stones...
Like when I was a kid at the Tibetan Buddhist Monastery in France
Hand painted stones were my first bizzness venture ever...

I saw a white horse chased by dark dogs...

And a man resting, while talking to a dog about the benefits of liquor

Madame Balicho, the Lady and the Pig...

And the handsome gentleman with his dog...

Flowers for a green eyed Beauty...

 And flowers for a keen eyed death...

 










 

El Amor es Eterno...

La Muerte solo un Instante...

POSTCARDS FROM PRECIOUS PLACES

                                    Postcards from Delhi

Who let the Dogs out...

Dear Somebody,

In the park near the  Kailashpatti Mandir there is a beautiful big tree, 

the items that people have used for their puja are left there, 

food stuff is enjoyed by a large variety of animals…  

It’s lovely to see the peaceful interaction of Squirrels, Pigeons, Doves, 

Minah birds, Seven Sister Babblers, Sparrow , bright green Parakeets, 

Crows,  Dogs, Monkeys and Cows …

Every day early, a small gentleman visits that tree and feeds the beasties 

from a big bag of birdseeds and a pack of tiger biscuits,

he makes sure every single creature gets something to munch on, 

and in the meantime from a small radio inside his cotton shoulder bag 
lovely tunes of bhajans swirl up into the morning air…
Then some roughytoughy visitors like Uncle Ronnie and Mr.Biscuit

barge into the middle of this peaceful reunion..

The little gent is very happy and welcoming , these intruder's 

audacity is payed back with a big smile and an extra treat. 

This is the spirit of Delhi SDA park, i hope it's contagious.

Jaadoo ki Jhappis, your loving Isa Aunty ;-) xxx <3  

Tota-Television

Dear Thingthang, 
I'm writing to you just to let you know that every afternoon in Delhi
I watch Tota-Television from the rooftop barsati, 
Where the highest branches of the Jacaranda trees are down below, 
I get a birdseye view of the parakeet show,   
It is very entertaining to see them hop flip flop and twirl 
into a bright green explosion of squawking excitement,   
when they get tired they suddenly pause to concentrate 
on the bunches of berries, and pick them one by one 
with the precision of rocket scientists 
These little fellows are called IRN… but not NRI… 
They are definitely residents… it is written that these Indian-Ring-Necked 
parakeets are of the few parrot species who have adapted to living in a disturbed 
habitat of ever growing urbanisations and and ever receding forests… 
Thankfully these feathery fellows have the Neeli Gulmohar and many more 
of Delhi's beautiful trees to live out their rainbow-chatterbox existence, 
I heard by gossip through the grapevine that these lovely Rose-ringed parakeets
are sexually dimorphic, but mind not this is not an indecency it only means
that Mr.Tota sports a red neck-ring and Missus Tota doesn’t wear hers, 
She prefers to go all in green...
I hope you enjoyed the news from my Rangeefirangee world, 
Flying kisses and happiness allways, Isa-la-cacatua  <3

CR park Machlee Bazaar

Dear Sardeen,
It seems to me that Chittaranjan park harbours Delhi’s nicest fish market, 
The moment I walk into that place I feel like a happy cat… 
Sparkle of scales, all colors and sizes, silver shining, a trickle of cold ruby blood,
The absent gaze of dead eyes on ice...
The bright glare of bare light bulbs reflecting from wet tiles, 
Gurgling streams of water running into blue overflowing bucket, 
Other scales with their rusty metal weights, 
Big standing knives straight up on their massive cutting boards, 
Colorful Bengali market men and women , 
Sounds, splashing, slicing, slapping, scraping, shouts and  voices, 
People picking and choosing, haggling and dealing, 
Exchanges of recipes... Smells of spices in my mind, 
The thought alone of all these delicious mouthwatering dishes, 
My fantasy makes a run for it and I’m swimming like a fish… I love that place! 
Actually CR park’s Machlee Bazaar is not fishy at all… 
Everything is clear, crisp, fresh and beautiful … 
There are even amazing pyramids of precariously displayed eggs 
Supervised by keen eyed, proud, productive chickens,… 
There is no question of what was first, chicken or egg… here Fish is first.
I hope you enjoyed this evening trip to the market, 
Much love from the frying pan, with a kiss from Miss Farting-Flounder xxx

                          Postcards from the Vagabond Roads

 

The Smokers and the Dog Kisser... 

Dear Trolly Tollbooth,
First of all, Please forgive me for passing you by this trip without as much as a glance,
the truth is since I'm in Love I have been very Absynth minded...
I'm writing this postcard to you, on a 3000 km non-stop roadtrip...
Our driver is an Artist, a Wizzard and a Genius... 
We are all very obedient passengers....
My lover is terminally car sick, normally...
This time he has been taking some special pills that really make him drowsy,
Most of the time he is snoring in my lap, with his feet up in the air
His adorable little front teeth exposed in peaceful abandon...
My Love has been formerly very traumatised,
I picked him up at a Shelter, but not before he left his Balls in Belgium...
Anyway I finally got Lucky in Love...
He's getting better day by day...
The Master of our Carriage to Dracula's own country is Mercyful,
We get to stretch our legs from time to time at a random truckstop...
Instantly, every single passenger avidly dives into their sigaret stash,
But I don't smoke!... I kiss Dogs instead...
At the misty midnight hour on restless haunted rest areas in strange foreign lands,
a dozen Tsigan puff away like steam engines,
while one solitary Gadji kisses her pet Lucky...
I hope you can picture it, The Smokers and the Dog Kisser...
And please, Dear Tollbooth, don't feel abandoned ,
I'm sure plenty of goodygood people, in lesser Love,
Do, at anytime, give you their full attention, In an alternative reality...
Much Love from the Lovers, Byebye, don't catch cold, hasta nunca and hadebrade xxx   

Love before Democracy

Dear PichikaMichika,
Christmas is a comercial affair in many places in the world...
In another ever so many places, Christmas is nothing at all...
Right here and now we have Comercial Christmas, New Year,
Orthodox Chrismas and St John the Baptist Festival all in a row...
Between people,  some cosey happy reunions have to be organized,
Money has to be spent on fancy items of consumption...
While you are sitting there, your purrdy white snout in a pale ray of wintry sunlight, ...
Under the kindly watchful eye of a batfaced fluffy neighborhood dog...
People come and go on their shopping errands... Loaded like Donkeys,
Amongst Humans, there's a lot of Showing off,  Pichica...
But, Where has the Love gone?!...
Then suddenly there is the lovelyest couple... negociating ice patches, slush puddles...
on their way home with their "Sarbatoare Fericit" shopping,
A bag of oranges, a bottle of Rakia and a tank of gas... Perfect balance between them,
They look like two peas in a pod, A lifetime of Love and Complicity...
I ask my Sweet Sister ,  " Why is this so rare these days ?!"
She promptly answers, "When this thing called Democracy happened,
Love disapeared...after that, people have looked at each other with Profit only in mind"
...She might have a point... Think about it ...
You can trust my sister, she knows a thing or two about True Love for sale,
and having her heart ground to dust in the mercyless mills of Capitalism ,
In some parts of the world, people are still able to fix things that threaten to fall appart 
Some folks are not too spoiled, they know how to share, and are happy with less,
No need to be poor, but those who can't value what they have,
allways want more than their fair share...
They can never be Happy, and never allow others to get by...
What's the need to be stinking rich... We can't take it with us...
When a balance is found all will be well in the world...
In the mean time, dear PichikaMichika, try to be a good example,
And show the world that Dogs and Cats will allways manage to get along, , 
Much Love and Happy new year 2013,
Don't forget to wax your whiskers xxx

 Loneliness is the mother of the lamb...
"Underneath the lantern
By the barrack gate,
Darling I remember
The way you used to wait..."