Ricardo Cooper – “Meetings with remarkable men” (Bahamas 2019)

Ricardo Cooper

REMARKABLE MEETINGS # BAHAMAS       

 RICARDO COOPER

 I’m sorry if I’m being a little shallow at this moment. I’m exhausted from a long international flight. I promise I’ll write extensively about this man I met in the Bahamas – only twice, mind you. Only twice and for a very brief moment each time.

Ricardo Copper (or Rico Cooper, a native Bahamian) intercepted me – as I was on my way to the beach: “Sir, can I ask you a question”, as he opened a contagious smile. “Sure, of course”.

“Are you Indian?”, he asked.

 “Indian ?” – I was rather taken aback.

 He corrected himself. No, I mean, “Native American Indian”.

 I had already been in the Bahamas for about one week. This is a blessed place. Blessed and deep, in all senses of the meaning.

 “Yes, you look different from all the other American tourists. It’s the way you walk, it’s your cheekbones….It’s your face”.

Other than one short blog piece I wrote back in 2016 called “I’m a Puyallup and I relate to stones” which gives me away a little (since it was only three years ago I took the DNA test and found a percentage of my heritage), he couldn’t have known.

“I am. I’m 23.5% Native….Yes….(I stuttered)…I’m from the Puyallup nation”… (That’s what I know from the little I was told in the Berkshires, MA back then and….)

And we started talking about colonization, extermination of the oppressed races and all these subjects I obsess about. I was honestly paralyzed by his vision. I almost could not continue talking. For the next two entire days, Adriane and I cried convulsively.

Why? Hard to explain. It’s almost as if all the recognition I’ve received in the theater for all these decades, all this “fuss”, all of that suddenly disappeared and what validated my existence there and then was his pure piercing vision.

 Yes, I don’t remember CONNECTING so closely EVER with anyone so fast, so easily, on such a different level than this one….”

The second meeting was even faster but the embrace, the hug, the aperture, the symbolism it contained – the magic it brought when he he pronounced these words “You have a friend for life!”.

I burst into tears then as I’m bursting into tears now.

I promise to expand on this encounter. A remarkable encounter which can only be (explained or narrated, if you please) on some other level.

Soon, Ricardo, Soon.

LOVE

Gerald

His quick reply on Facebook

Rico Cooper It truly was an amazing encounter. Gerald Thomas your spirit is what attracted me to approach you. Thank you for your words and the opportunity to share the moments and conversations.
LOVE
Ricardo/Rico Cooper

 

 

STINGRAYS and Gerald Thomas (Bahamas 2019)

 

Remembering André Midani

“NIGHT SIEVERS” por Fátima Vale (2017)

AL REBÉS DE LA BÉSTIA

fátima vale

19 de Janeiro de 2017

NIGHT SIEVERS

o espírito dele estava no corpo de um nascituro no ventre da montanha. ele no espaço em que se encontrava, dormia. ela era a montanha e o seu espírito dormia num leito algures. o amor estava-lhe em topologia aberta desde o momento em que passaram a viver nos muitos mundos. este corpo síntese, reunia-se no desdobramento de viagens longínquas. tenros são os tempos que carregamos no sangue quando a montanha engravida de nós. lambemos a superfície para transcrição do ponteiro em espaço sumário. arfamos ao despertar do avanço, é o oxigenial da vida! o glaciar do abandono derrete e ferve-se lava para a boca do infinito. eram 3 e 37 de amanhã no esternocleidomastóideu de cada um. o vulcão aquecia e nasciam rosas dentro dos vidros. o espinho era o ponto mais alto da rosa.

_______________________________________________________________________

(lindo presente de Fátima Vale: obrigado!)

Email da Fátima hoje (June 14, 2019)

Amado Gerald,

Sobre a paz redendora com as pedras, já nesse texto havia o sinal xamânico, pela terceira voz do silêncio (a escrita).

Dei o teu beijo ao Fernando Lemos. Dei muitos outros. Ele entrou-me vida adentro, foi um escândalo para o imaginário dos presentes, andarmos de mãos dadas, esses dias por Lisboa, inaugurando exposições e livros.

É tempo de nos livrarmos – de fazer livros com o fruto colhido. Pó disperso não alivia caminho.

Sempre presente, nesta máscara fé ausência,

Roma ao espelho, 

Da face,

f

v

_______________________________________

Comovido, como sempre fico:

Gerald

Bahamas

 

 

R.I.P. André Midani !

 

André and I, Rio, 2014

André Haidar Midani (Damasco, Síria, 25 de setembro de 1932 – 14 de junho de 2019) foi um profissional do mercado fonográfico brasileiroconsiderado um dos nomes mais importantes da indústria fonográfica brasileira dos anos 60 aos 90.^[1] Nascido na Síria, foi morar na França aos três anos de idade. Atuou no Brasil, na América Latina e na cidade de Nova York, Estados Unidos.

DEIXA SAUDADES.

MUITAS

Gerald 

Bahamas, June 14, 2019

Gerald Thomas entrevistado por Adriane Gomes em Bahamas June 2019 (edição do video Guilherme Godoy)

GUILHERME ZELIG escreve: “A Hipocondriaca”

Guilherme Zelig, autor.

A Hipocondríaca

Só estava sobrando a unha do mínimo da mão esquerda. As outras estavam roídas, sob os descascados desenhos escarlates de esmalte, em suas mãos. Ela não conseguia parar de pensar nos resultados dos exames que fizera havia quase vinte dias e que tomaria conhecimento na manhã seguinte àquele domingo outonal.

Marta tentou distrair-se o dia inteiro para manter a calma: ora buscava ler algo de Paulo Freire, ora punha uma música de Bach conduzida por Simon Rattle. Estava completamente nervosa, a pensar todo momento em seu possível definhamento. Preparou seu chá favorito – de erva doce – e pôs mais açúcar que devia. Às vezes, subitamente, acometia-se-lha ganas de prantear. Contudo, mantinha-se firma.

Divorciada, triste e solitária, Marta não podia deixar-se abater. Na manhã seguinte, acordou antes do despertador. Levantou-se, banhou-se e quando ainda faltava uma hora e meia para a consulta, saiu de casa. Chegou em vinte e cinco minutos no hospital, colheu os exames e aguardou a chegada do médico.

– Bom dia, Marta – disse o médico. – Como está?

– Bem – disse ela, hesitante -, só um pouco apreensiva…

O homem vislumbrou-a fundo nos olhos.

– E os exames?

Ela fuçou a bolsa, tirou um envelope e entregou-lhe. O médico percebeu que o pacote estava inviolado – Marta não era tão curiosa como os demais pacientes. De súbito, ele abriu o envelope, sacou os papéis e começou a lê-los.

– Bem como eu pensava, Marta – disse ele, a abrir um sorriso -: tudo dentro dos conformes! Só cuide um pouco esse colesterol…

– O que você quer dizer com “dentro dos conformes”?

– Ora – redarguiu o médico, a soerguer o sobrolho -, digo que você tem absolutamente nada! Está ótima! Você não está feliz?

– Feliz? – disse ela, a parecer um pouco decepcionada. – Claro, mas… pensei que. Bem.

– Marta, você procura algo? Digo – corrigiu-se ele, até na postura -, é a quinta vez em três meses que você vem aqui. Da primeira vez, alegou dores lombares: havia dormido de mal jeito. Das demais, admitiu que doía-lhe a cabeça. Mesmo com os comprimidos que lhe indiquei, a dor permaneceu. Eu, claro, como médico, pensei que uma bateria de exames ser-me-ia útil para diagnosticar essa suposta dor…

– Sim, Miguel – exclamou ela, irritada com o médico -, mas tomografia, ressonância, exame de sangue, de urina, etc e etc. Tudo isso para nada? O que direi na empresa?

– Posso te dar a alta agora…

– Não, eu digo… eu parecia realmente doente. Emagreci três quilos em duas semanas! Eu devo ter alguma coisa, Miguel!

– Não queira ter, Marta – disse o médico, a levantar-se e conduzi-la para fora. – E, seriamente, recomendo fazer uma caminhada diária, de pelo menos meia hora, para controlar mais seu colesterol.

E Marta obteve o mesmo diagnóstico de dois médicos diferentes: tudo o que precisava fazer era cuidar o colesterol. Nem sinusite, rinite, enxaqueca ou qualquer outra doença que fizesse-lha mal. Tinha absolutamente nada. Seu hipocondrismo chegara a um estágio alarmante. Alertada fora ela por sua antiga psicóloga – que acabou se suicidando com a ingestão de um excesso de antidepressivos.

Marta permaneceu muitos anos mentalmente mal, mas fisicamente bem. Ao primeiro sinal de resfriado, dor ou quaisquer outros sintomas, corria ao hospital. Esta fora a sua sina: vivera mais de cem anos, sem uma doença sequer e, a desejar imensamente morrer cheia de tubos em uma cama hospitalar, rodeada de médicos e enfermeiras, acabou morrendo em casa, dormindo, de causas naturais.

Guilherme Zelig

São Paulo June 10, 2019

This is the aftermath of Bourdain’s death – 1st year anniversary by Gerald Thomas (video)

ANTHONY BOURDAIN – ONE YEAR WITHOUT HIM.

ANTHONY BOURDAIN

 

On June 8 2018, he was found dead of an apparent suicide by hanging in his room at Le Chambard hotel in Kaysersberg, near Colmar; he was 17 days short of his 62nd birthday. Bourdain was traveling with his friend Éric Ripert, who became worried when Bourdain missed dinner and breakfast. Christian de Rocquigny du Fayel, the public prosecutor for Colmar, said that Bourdain’s body bore no signs of violence, that toxicology tests would determine whether drugs or medications were involved,and that the suicide appeared to be an “impulsive act”.Christian de Rocquigny later disclosed that Bourdain’s toxicology results were negative for narcotics, showing only a trace of a therapeutic nonnarcotic medication. Bourdain’s body was cremated in France on June 13, 2018, and his ashes were returned to the United States two days later.

Reactions and tributes

Following the news of Bourdain’s death, various celebrity chefs and other public figures expressed sentiments of condolence. Among them were fellow chefs Andrew Zimmern and Gordon Ramsay, and former astronaut Scott Kelly CNN issued a statement, saying that Bourdain’s “talents never ceased to amaze us and we will miss him very much.” Regarding Bourdain, former U.S. President Barack Obama, who dined with Bourdain in Vietnam on an episode of Parts Unknown, wrote on Twitter, “He taught us about food—but more importantly, about its ability to bring us together. To make us a little less afraid of the unknown.” On June 8, 2018, CNN aired Remembering Anthony Bourdain, a tribute program.

Bourdain’s suicide still affects me in an astonishing manner. Not only do I miss him, his phenomenal points of view about everything, geopolitics; this self taught anthropologist was absolutely UNIQUE. It is unbelievable that I’m writing all this in the past tense.

Gerald Thomas

Nassau, Bahamas

June 9, 2019

Gerald Thomas drumming to Pearl Jam’s “ALIVE” – Bahamas 2019

My SHORT drum solo in the Bahamas June 2019

My long drum solo in the Bahamas June 2019

Drumming away (in the Bahamas) to the tune of…..a….Tony Williams and Stanley Clarke….oh man !

Not bad for (almost) 65 ! (to indo bem pra quase 65, não?) (GT in the Bahamas) Nude # 4 Updates

At the COVE Atlantis, June 2019

Bahamas June 2019

GT – Bahamas 2019

 

Atlantis Royal Bahamas : A Paradise within a paradise (for TripAdvisor)

Gerald T

New York City, New York

135113

A Paradise within a Paradise

Review of The Royal at Atlantis

Finally, in Paradise within a Paradise !

So, after one week at what I consider to be my worst hotel experience ever (I’m referring to the Baha Mar Grand Hyatt, Bahamas), I finally managed to escape hell and land in heaven again and here I am at the Atlantis Paradise Royal. This must be my sixth time here but who is counting?

My terrible experience at the Baha Mar should long be forgotten but, you know what? It serves as a great perspective or counterpoint regarding my love and utter respect for the Atlantis as a whole; the wonderful hotel that it is, the amazing services it offers, the infinite number of things to do, the efficiency of it all, good taste and real, honest and extreme friendliness of all its staff.

Every time I’m here I discover a new treat. This time it has been all about stingrays and how amazingly smart (and cute) they are. Of course, such acquiring of knowledge doesn’t have to be in stages. But it so happens that it is, in my case. There is the Queen Mother of all stingrays swimming around – or, should I say, gliding around ? – in the Atlantis Royal’s main aquarium which begins at The Dig and ends in the foyer of the Royal Towers. I pay this stingray a daily visit. It’s a must. We’ve grown accustomed to one another.

All beaches are spotlessly kept. Same for their amazing number of swimming pools. But there are countless number of architectural details which deserve to be mentioned. It is beyond fascinating especially if you are, as I am, an artist or an artist deeply grounded in the fine arts.
Here you’ll find a mixture of Art Deco and Bauhaus explosions (yes, combustions, real explosions, in the good sense) and exaggerated forms of the Theater of the Absurd – typical of Ionescu, Beckett and Adamov. I’m looking up at the “Bridge Suite” (slightly reminiscent of the Venetian “Bridge of Sighs”, and it’s supported by gigantic sculptures of seahorses. It’s simply lavish. Lavish as in the urban landscaping of this giant park, minutely tailored by expert gardeners, lavish as the menacing mixture of styles such as the Mayan Temple or the dungeons of The Dig. So much to be enjoyed here from the Rapid River to the Dolphin Cay, the Splashers
Or the Golf course !

Ah yes. Eating adventures are endless and DELICIOUS. Chef José Andres has been added to the list of gourmet “amazements”, together with the already fascinating and well established Nobu.

What I found to be incredibly useful this time around was the in-house video – informercial, you may call it – underlining the importance of the Atlantis in the rescuing of endangered marine animals and helping in their recovery and so on. It’s a huge operation.

I am a proud guest. I’m paying and yet I’m proud to be Antoniette’s friend when she asks me, with a huge smile on her face “Hi Gerald, are you having a good time?”

I am. Thank you all.
LOVE
ENJOY
Gerald Thomas

A NIGHTMARE in THE TROPICS – Baha Mar Grand Hyatt (Bahamas) for TripAdvisor

Gerald Thomas

New York City, New York

134112

A Nightmare in the tropics

Review of Grand Hyatt Baha Mar

How does one begin to review or describe a hotel room that does not have a chair in it ? If asking for a chair is too much, what about a proper desk, work station and so on? After all, even at a beach resort there are rainy and windy days where one needs to catch up with the rest of the world, turn on the computer and suchlike things…Well, that’s about it, the point in question. And it was on a rainy day that my mishaps began. Electric outlets? Hmmm, wait ! Let me unplug the already defective and leaking coffee machine to see if, if I sweep all these superfluous things aside, maybe I can fit my expensive computer on top of that indescribable piece of white furniture, no chairs attached and no room for my legs underneath it. But no matter. Perhaps I can squat. Oh, electricity doesn’t work.

Where was I exactly? For one entire week, I walked about 15 minutes of an uninspiring, colorless path to get to what I had paid for: the beach.

Now if one could have stayed at the beach for the entire day without being bothered by vendors selling all kinds of things from already pre-opened (and highly suspicious) coconuts to seashells and a woman wanting to braid my hair. I enquired at the hotel about coconuts (since the trees were abundant): “No Sir, we don’t serve coconuts or coconut water at the hotel”. It’s, needless to say, a stunning answer if you happen to be in the Bahamas, as I am and as I was, and where coconuts populate and ornament the streets, avenues and landscape of just about everything.

But the nightmare at the Baha Mar Grand Hyatt began at check in. The check in line took – no exaggeration – one and a half hours. Was the staff friendly? Never. Not once. Nobody at this hotel is friendly. They all walk around as if doomsday has hit them.

Imagine putting in a simple breakfast order: scrambled eggs, toast and 2 espressos, a side order of honey and another side order of Swiss cheese. The lady on the phone says: “From 30 to 45 minutes”. After having waited about 15 minutes for her to pick up the phone, this came as a tragedy. But here’s the blow out: after 5 screaming phone calls (I confess, I lost it), a rolling tray finally came one and a half hours later (I’ll repeat: 1h 30 minutes later). Eggs were obviously cold and toast was flat and coffee undrinkable.

But there was no alternative. And so it went throughout my stay. This was a pre-paid package deal. My previous visits to this wonderful country, the Bahamas, were always joyful, close to heavenly. Of course, I always stayed at the Atlantis Paradise Cove or Royal. This time, due to unavailability of rooms (guess why !), I ended up at this almost ghost like resort.

But not all is hellish. As soon as there was a vacancy at the Atlantis I made my reservation and here I am, happy as could be.

I don’t usually write bad reviews. I’m doing so because I don’t wish this nightmare on anyone.

Sadly.
LOVE
Gerald Thomas

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Date of stay: May 2019