INTERNET BY
CANDLELIGHT
No, I don't mean
to go back in time, by energizing Internet by Candlelight. During the heyday of
alternative lifestyle, they used to talk about Steam Guitar rather than
Electric, and other forms of alternative energy resources, of which the Wind
sourced electricity has become a reality.
You are familiar
with Dinner with Candlelight. A nice restaurant, ambience subdued with
decorations conducive to conversations with delightful service and a highly
palatable food.
But what is
Internet by Candlelight?
I had just come
back from the nearest city, 50 km away, after having had a reasonable Thai
dinner, to the house in the village of American Indians. Soon after I arrived a
sudden thunderstorm passed over the village. I was about to brew a cup of
coffee for myself, when suddenly the lights went out. It was about an hour and
half ago. There was still a flicker of light from the western horizon but it
was in the haze of the downpour.
I am waiting for
the electricity to come back. In Cuba, we are used to “apagones” sometimes on a
regular basis, and in fact some village officials in Baracoa, informed people
which part of the village would be without electricity that particular night,
so that those intending to celebrate could switch over to other venues.
Here in this isolation,
it is not the first time the blackout has happened. I remember a bitterly cold
February night when the electricity went out, but when it came back the heater
would not function, so the house had plunged to the depths of cold. I wrapped
myself in blankets, chatted with friends on line and stayed awake all night.
So this is a good
time to write notes, reflections, and emails. There are no telephone
connections so talking to people is also out of question.
If we are upset
about these things, remember, the native people of this continent (I would
imagine the areas where native Australians live also) suffer such depravations
on a regular basis.
For them it is
just wait
Like they wait for
many things to happen
And have to be
satisfied with what comes their way.
For their sake,
hope the electricity comes back soon, so that they can have their dinner.
I will use this
solitude to think of nice thoughts.
