Finding My Way

The other day I went to get a blood test, and went to the wrong place. They were actually demolishing the building as I arrived, so they had definitely changed their address. The foreman told me I had to go to the Casa della Salute, and sent me across town. It was the first hot day, and I was late for my appointment and extremely flustered. As I dashed through the old city streets like a flustered rat in a maze, I came upon this sign, "Via della Cerca", "Road of the Search". So I went down that road. & you know what? It took me where I needed to go. 

NB new favourite facemask created by Lior from a t-shirt I got at the Memphis Zoo when I visited the lovely Peggy Kaplan z"l many years ago. Peace, Love & Pandas!

So Long and Thanks for all the Bamboo

ravaj with Yuricita & Bai Yun a while back

News travels slowly. Checking in on my PandaCam link at the San Diego Zoo I found this message from at least 6 months ago:

"In honouring the terms of our conservation loan agreement with People's Republic of China, 27-year-old Bai Yun and her son, 6-year-old Xiao Liwu, have been repatriated to their ancestral homeland. We are now working with colleagues in China to determine and redefine the future of panda conservation and research."

Loved visiting Bai Yun. Hope she's doing well back in China!

I Love Panda Bears

If there is one thing in the world guaranteed to make me feel calm, and peaceful, and better, it is being in the presence of a panda bear. A Native American friend once told me that the panda is surely my spirit guide. Since it's hard to hang out with live pandas in Finchley, here are some alternatives that are quite helpful:

1. The San Diego Zoo PandaCam  LINK

ok there's an 8 hour time difference and sometimes the pandas are behind a tree or somewhere else, but so far it's the best way to get a live fix when necessary

There are also PandaCams in Edinburgh, Atlanta, & Memphis.

2. Cute videos, e.g.,

Baby pandas team up to resist taking their meds here.

3.  Wildlife Documentaries

(this is a clip from the David Attenborough film where the panda does a handstand)

Perhaps one day I will experience a moment of joy as I hold a small panda in my arms, like the lucky lucky film-maker gets to at the end of this clip