Maybe it’s because people want good luck and to live a long life to enjoy worldly things. Maybe people create large things to make themselves insignificant and invisible? Is it for them to hide beneath? Why would man dedicate himself to create such large structure in the name of a God king with a body and spirit much like their own? What do you think?

I am here at the Killing Fields, remnants of the genocide of the 1970s where an estimated 1.5 million people died here under the bloody hands of the Pol Pot regime. This is too much to take in.

People were brainwashed that they had a mental disease called “thinking too much” and that they should release themselves to the free will of Angka, the supreme authority of the land. People were told that God had died and Angka would now sustain their needs. Educated countrymen were summoned forward for their skills in order to rebuild the nation…only to find out they would be the first to be massacred.

It turned out there was not enough fuel, time, or precious ammunition to deal with the thousands of citizens every day that needed to be evacuated from the cities to the countrysides to concentration camps to be murdered. Hateful human torture agents were trained and manufactured as quick as victims were being exterminated who would turn against their own people killing their families and friends for the lords of the land.

Somber, sad, stoic, sedated, sorrowful: this is Cambodian mood. In their Khmer eyes a million untold stories of the past.

As a Muslim Arab, it grieves my heart to learn of such horrid atrocities that happened recently in the past 70 years to our brethren People of the Book…in a century of understanding, industrial ingenuity, and modern civility.

Let it be known that Muslims cry over this genocide and we wish no heritage suffer such cultural upheaval and bitter torture. We will not tolerate injustice to anyone on earth, be it Muslim, Jew, Hindu, or otherwise. This is the way of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Gandhi, Jesus, and the great thinkers of our time.

This speech was delivered at his funeral sermon. It is indeed hard to believe that a short man dressed only in a loin cloth could lead an entire nation to take on the mighty British Empire using non-violent means. Yet, that is what Mahatma Gandhi did. Most famous Gandhi quotes bear testament to the fact that this man was truly a Mahatma or Great Soul. More than half a century after his death, Gandhi continues to be an iconic figure.

Gandhi was a revolutionary hero and a “game changer” that introduced a new way of resisting oppression; this redefined war from its traditional terms of guile deception, elimination, and humility to transparency, benevolence, and a benign heartful humility. He showed us the meaning of self-sanctity and human respect through nonviolence. Innovative in his genius simplicity, he serves as a unique example for us on how to appeal to humanity and win hearts and minds of the masses with swift paradigm shift mechanics, leveraged by simple the ingenuity of passive resistance. My hero!

The remains of John the Baptist, the Son of Hussain, Sayyida Ruqayya, and Salahulddin Al Ayyoubi are all within dear proximity of your sturdy stone walls. Oh how I wish the days of old were still here. Imbeciles like me don’t know how to appreciate your glory as we flick and frolic around your holy grounds balking at what is a masterpiece of God, a place where roamed the greatest figures in history. I am honored to be in the embrace of your holy shade.

Other than that, it was an insane feeling floating on water. I tried to drown myself. This time, it didn’t work. Get this: after this altered beast moment, I bathed in a fresh water stream with a half cut open pepsi 2-liter bottle and changed into a 3 piece suit to attend Nidal’s sister’s wedding. The day after: hitched a taxi ride across the border to Syria to witness at dawn the call to Eid prayer with family. What a way to go out and reunite with family. They must think I’m crazy.

The Dead Sea: another must visit if you have never been!

[youtube]CoLhOzMUFQ8[/youtube]Today I spent my second day in Córdoba. I’m taking tons of pictures, video, audio recording. I don’t want to leave!!! This is like Syria with a different twist and also beautiful people. Allahu akbar. Allahu akbar I say with the same voice you do when you see this diversity. God gave them Islam and they took away our opportunity to display its vanity and sheer success. If you haven’t been to Córdoba, you really need to come at least once in your lifetime. The resemblance of culture, architecture, and food to the Middle East is quite striking – a real treat to witness the beautiful influence of our Islamic history.

I love life here. Everyone gets together to enjoy life. Girls and guys holding hands. People randomly dancing in the streets- outbursts of laughter from the heart. Groups of 4 and 6 and 8 friends walking around, saying jokes. Not too much American influence but it exists. The girls are so unprissy and easy to please and talk to. They ask you questions instead of being locked up and reserved. Waistlines all perfect. Classy dresses and style like JCrew and then a scarf or shawl. The girls are the most beautiful I have ever seen in my life, I can’t stress this enough. It’s as if God blessed every girl here with beauty…every single girl on the street from Sevilla to Spain is stunning. Girls with cinnamon skin, perfect waistlines, dark and enchanting eyes, passion in their voice, their addiction to smiling, their free and dancing spirits…even older women in their 40s are very classy, talk very expressively and courteously.

It seems everyone gets along here. Arab-like upbringing and family discipline. The dads I talked to are like they are young and happy enjoying life. They are so positive overall and the young and old, husband and wife, and elderly all roam the streets, dance, take interest in your conversation. Nobody I ever asked for directions showed me they were in a hurry. They touch you a lot when they’re talking to you. Call me weird but I like the close comfort zone labido – it reinforces trust when its with guys, and turns me on when girls do it. I’m like uh-huh I’m sorry, then I turn izquierda??

The little girls are so cute here. This one was fascinated with my camera. She was adorable! Kid teenager not much younger than me said de nada hombre when I said thank you. Respect is key. I treasured those words. I speakish Spanish nowv. Ok I tell you. I started out yedsterdays not knowing how the people. En…I was like in state of Chaos…I was not smiling, not talking, when I saw a beautiful girl (like every girl that passes) in my mute frustration I’m like beh beh beh like a caveman. The power of language is an amazing catalyst. So then I remembered what my friend advised and adopted a cute smile. It helps that I am happy and so I learned…smiling is required with everyone you talk to. I like feedback. Since I like it, people like receiving it and feel unattached and threatened when you don’t respond back frequently, when you don’t smile. People actually want you to talk to them! When I got that in my head, I tested it and it kept pinging back successfully. True I lost my bags first day but I was like screw it, think the positive side…I didn’t have to tout my luggage. I was negative yesterday in the beginning and saw negativity all around me. Then I judged negatively. Being negative is unfair to others and your perception. I conclude people have a right to your happiness.

I have found out a lot about life and myself while traveling. And yes, I am independent but u should have seen me yesterday. Traveling without conveniences is a true test. No bags, poor language, cold in shorts, no group, limited time. I was literally walking in circles for an hour before leaving the airport to the clutches of the city. I was waiting for a plan but that was never served. Then I busted out, got lost, got frustrated, I shut off my feeling of pain in feet, need to use restroom, need to eat voices to go into full lean and have fun exploring mode and my body responded positively.

I feel like I’m in an old black and white history book. The owner of this hostel is treating me like his son, he tells me where to go, what dishes have pork to avoid. He promised me a tour tomorrow morning just to chill. Ill probably pick up his dinner tab. Speaking of which, I lost myself writing. Its 3am I’m going to take a walk. I’m going to take an Arab Bath at this place tomorrow morning. I’m resting between my 6 hour walks here! Voy a regresar a Sevilla mañana. Still, undescribable. Spain is all that I fantasized and more…I am really in love…in love with gods wonders…in full stupor of how I choose to live elsewhere.

With lots of love…adios!