s e v e n i s a j o u r n e y

Well, having failed to strike while the iron was hot, I now find I have very little to say about the drum workshop Monday and Tuesday, except of course that it was faboo and I learned tons — including how to do those funky toks and pops and slaps and stuff, which I must now practice and practice until I can do them consistently.

Pictures were taken on other people’s cameras that I hope will eventually filter their way to me, at which point I will post them. As for me, I was lame, and all I got on my own camera were some blurry pics from the second day of the drum workshop:

Monday night was another dinner, more casual this time, at Istanbul on Cuba Street. (I note that while most of the Middle Eastern restaurants — even the little kebab shops — around town have carpets incorporated into the decor, Istanbul expanded on that with a variety of drool-worthy Turkoman textiles. Yum. I’m also pleased to note that there was no sign of the rather frightening chicken toothpaste dip we had at Sahara on Friday.) Stephanie, Patrick and I spent most of the meal chatting with Alan and his wife, who seem very cool. After the food was cleared away, the drummers started up and there was dancing on the tables and etc. All very right and proper. Hossam joined in the drumming and seemed to enjoy himself very much, to see the dancers putting into practice the stuff we’d been taught at the workshop.

Despite the fact that they all got sick the last couple of days, Hossam and Serena seem to have liked NZ enough that they are planning to come back in a year or so and do more workshops. Hossam was impressed enough with the way Glen organized and promoted everything that he hired him on to be his manager. How cool is that ?

— 3.5 days to Snog Week !