Sketchbook_4-6_NovDec_2009_Norman_J.

Sketchbook

a journal for eastern and western forms

The Art of Norman J. Olson, US

A Journey...and Some Found Haiku*

...well, I am back from my vacation… had a wonderful relaxing time… Mary and I were on a two week cruise from Lisbon to Sao Paulo… lots of days at sea crossing the ocean… the sea was pretty calm and the days were warm and sunny… so, it was a wonderful relaxing trip… Lisbon was very nice… we had a lovely sunny day there and found some amazing pastries in a little shop on Belem ave...

amazing pastries,
then sea waves and flying fish—
a tropical cruise

12-09 ball point pen drawing 5x8 inches

the ship stopped at Madeira which was gorgeous if a little rainy and Tenerife which was sunny and tropical… then five days at sea which I spent reading and drawing on the promenade deck… in the shade with the sound of the ship crashing through the waves, accompanied by sea birds and flying fish…

we crossed the equator and stopped at Recife in Brazil … there were beautiful tropical and colonial buildings and vistas there but also much poverty and sadness, broken down infrastructure, etc…

gorgeous sun
for hours of drawing—
palm trees and saddness

12-09ink drawing 5x7 inches

the second port was Salvador which is a very nice, very large city on cliffs overlooking the sea… then Rio which is spectacular and Sao Paulo which is huge, hot and sprawling…

from the cities
a view of the seas—
promenade deck

12-09 ink drawing 5x7 inches

above are the three drawings I finished on the ship…

we flew on airline employee passes, and the flights all worked well, so after a pretty busy year, it was a really nice restful vacation and warm… it is cold now in Minnesota with a little snow on the ground and more forecast for tomorrow… so, flying back from the mid summer tropics was a bit of a reality sandwich!!! but nonetheless glad to be home…

restful and warm—
a return flight to snow
and winter solstice

*Found Haiku: The haiku on this page were found / or suggested in the original text written by Norman J. Olson.

Editor, John Daleiden

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