Monday 7 July 2008

Saturday, June 28th, 2008

Sat. June 28/08 - Detroit, Michigan, USA

The motor city gets drenched. Rain has favored this area of Michigan. As our two busses pulled up after a 12 hour drive from North Carolina we plunged into flood water as well as rain from above. Nothing seems to stop an enthusiastic group from the Krishna community from going forward with their chariot festival. Chanting in the rain on Belle Isle is an annual event here it seems. The site of booths, exhibits and food displays were fore-grounded by serious pools of water surrounded by spongy sod. Somehow participants transcended the conditions and rationalized that at least it's not blistering hot.

At the end of the event a group of blue T-shirted folks combed tourist at Belle Isle hoping to commit anyone to making vows on-the-spot to being "born again" and accepting Jesus. It had been quite some time since meeting such passive-aggressive spirituality. I agreed to listen only on the condition that they will listen to my message. It was a mutual agreement however when it was my turn to speak it landed on deaf ears and so I felt the contract was broken.

I managed to disinvolve myself from bus activities by strolling to the Detriot River. There I met simple folks as dusk hit. There were fishing, playing old time jazz from their portable radio while children frivoulously moved about. For some of them I guess I looked like a big salmon passing by. They had never seen a white guy with such pink robes on before.

4 km

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