sado

It has been a while since Sado but I have actually been busy at school and my access to the Internet has become more restricted. Sado was a great time and the weather was perfect not as hot as last year but with sunny days and clear nights. It was funny because everyone was commenting on how bright the stars were and how they could actually see the milky way. We are lucky in Saskatchewan that way and though it was beautiful it was like any clear night in the prairies.

Kodo is the taiko group that sponsors the Sado Earth Celebration and they are a small but famous commune of taiko drummers. They constructed their own town where they live, eat, train and sleep together. Their concert was absolutely amazing though and put my taiko group not only to shame but out in the gutter. It was really quite beautiful set outside and everyone sat and watched or stood on the sides dancing. I had an annoying encounter with an older European man. He was invading my personal space a bit much (as in arm rubbing against me) and there was plenty of room. I had politely requested he move over to which he basically ignored, then Evan asked him to move which he said something like I am just trying to enjoy the concert. I ignored it for a bit but he was continually pushing me over and it got to the point where I was standing in front of people who were sitting. I got fed up and asked him to act like an adult and realize we were obscuring people's views, to no response so I finally shoved him pretty hard and he got the message. Still it was a great concert.

The members of Kodo were some of the fittest Japanese people I have seen!

We camped on a beach with a nice view though the water this year was pretty gross. There was a big group of Irish engineers amassed on the beach and I spent much of the beach parties chatting with them. I have never met a more entertaining group of people than the Irish. With Pamela and Deccy gone (Irish ALTs from last year) I am glad that the equally funny Richie (also Irish) has arrived. Never dare an Irishman though! Conversation somehow turned to some other people who had been skinny dipping the night before and a couple of the guys were laughing about it. I said something to the effect of why weren't you out there last night with them; didn't happen to be self-conscious? With not a second though two guys stood up and stripped completely naked (in a fully lit room) and proceeded to run pell mell to the beach. After which the owner of the shop said he was going to call the police. Oops!!!

There were some great smaller performances as well ...belly dancers, African drummers and fire dancers. It was quite a hippy crowd.

I am trying to upload some video of the fire dancers but I not quite sure how it will work so...