Friday, 26 February 2016

“Homeless But Not Hopeless” — A Chitchat With a Man Holding a Sign



“Homeless But Not Hopeless” — A Chitchat With a Man Holding a Sign by Omar Cherif, One Lucky Soul


I had an unusual encounter today. I was back from buying tea from the grocery store across the street when I saw a black man in his late 40s-early 50s holding a sign. I could read the first word which is ‘homeless’.

Having a few quarters in me pocket, I stopped, smiled, and got the coins out and handed them to him. Only for him to say: I don't take no money.

You rarely ever get that reaction from someone who looks homeless and is standing in the street with a sign. I then decided to read the rest of the sign so I may better comprehend, and it read: Homeless But Not Hopeless.

Ah. So you're here to show the sign and spread the message? I asked.

Yeah.

Well, I hear you. Have a good day, Brother.”

I went back to my room and made a cup of tea, but the brief encounter was all over my mind. Then it hit me: Since all he wants is to spread his heartfelt message, being a writer and photographer with some online presence, I should assist him in getting the message out.

I took two sips from the tea, grabbed the camera, and went down rushing. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the man. I saw the guy who works at the mart of the gas station so I asked him about the sign man who was just standing there.

He said he probably left this way, signaling to Washington Blvd, but he's here everyday. Alright then, I'll hopefully see him again and get him and his message in a photo or video and upload it online. Who knows, maybe it goes viral and he gets some kind of help. You know these things happen in real nowadays thanks to the virtual world.


15 minutes later, I saw him again standing in the same spot by the gas station. So I went to him, explaining that since he doesn't want money I could take a photo of him to spread his message.

I don't do that.

Well, how do you want to spread the message?

I don't want.

Then what do you want if you don't want money?

I said I don't take change; I could take bills.

Aha (I must have misheard him).

Do you see how the struggle is real?

Yeah. You know, I'm currently homeless too, but I'm originally all the way from Egypt.

Salam Aleiko,” he smilingly blurted out.


I said that now that I know his struggle, next time I see him I'll have a bill for him. Then I left.

As I was crossing the street, I reached my hand in my pocket and found a few one dollar bills. So I just turned around and went back to give them to him. I introduced myself, we shook hands, and he said his name was Malik.

Somehow the brief chitchat led to him telling me, one needs to have faith in Allah.

I nodded yes, then said that, “Allah is within us all, you and I included. ‘He’ is not an old man in the sky holding a big book. Everyone one of us is part of this collective divinity

I could see his eyes widening in agreement.


Malik's last words before I leave was not to do drugs or drink alcohol. Like many homeless people, he must have had bad experiences with one or the other, or both. He now looks clean and sound coherent. But then again, you never know if he's talking about his own past or just in general. Whatever it is, I'm certainly not here to judge the man.

“Well, I've had serious issues with hard drugs in my 20s. Now I'm cleaner than ever and loving it”, I confessed, responding to his well-meaning advice.

Good for you. God bless you.

God bless you too. Have a peaceful day.


Another human interaction from the heart of Venice.


UPDATE:

Well, as I have been seeing Malik almost everyday standing there with his sign for over four hours, I began to wonder if he can't stand somewhere else where he can get [more] paid for it — think a security guard or so. Is it because some homeless people are lazy and do not want to work or is it because he thinks he'll be making more money by standing by a gas station holding a sign? Or is there may be a criminal record making it much harder to land decent jobs.


“Homeless But Not Hopeless” — A Chitchat With a Man Holding a Sign, One Lucky Soul
Is this his best option?



ALSO VIEW:


Hotel Living: Then and Now

Stop-n-Search That Hippy

Personal Questions I'm Often Asked and Their Answers 
 
 

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Thursday, 25 February 2016

Words I Made Up — The Sequel



Words I Made Up — The Sequel by Omar Cherif, One Lucky Soul

Since I was a kid I always loved playing with words and coming up with new ones. Whether they were meaningless or as nicknames for my schoolmates, friends, girlfriends, and pets, the creation came naturally to me.

As I matured and really got into language and writing, I found that, apart from the reflections, my thoughts are often invaded by new, single words. Sometimes I wake up with one in my head, such as ‘Jalapeñonated’ from Words I Made Up, for example. Other times, it's while meditating, showering, reading, or just relaxing.

Knowing that language is beautiful yet elusive and limiting, the lexophile in me now finds exquisite joy to give the made-up words proper definitions. For perhaps someday they could be used in appropriate situations — even make it to dictionaries and thesauruses. Who knows. Because, when you think about it, some way or another all words are made up. So maybe we should play around with language. 

Without being too wordy, I hereby give you the sequel. 



• Winterbating: (v) The act of masturbating during the winter season in order to keep warm.


• Amoonwalk: (n. or v.) Illusory dance move in Egyptian mythology involving major deities gliding backwards.
                                                                                                                                                                                                               
• Hipponotic: (adj. or n.) Something so entrancing and hypnotizing that it leaves you with a mouth right open, looking like a hippopotamus.


• Appaulled
: (v) Being horrified by people named Paul.


• Seaguile
: (v) To charm or enchant someone in such a way, they feel as though they are flying in the air like a long-winged, short-legged seabird.


• Herbievore: The movie following Herbie Three.


• Besturbing: (adj) Causing worrying and anxiety in the most excellent, outstanding way.


• Inverstibule: (n) Pièce ou couloir d’entrée par lequel on doit passer en marchant à reculons.  (French)


• Maelstrone: (n) Thick vegetable soup of Italian origin containing pasta and a powerful whirlpool. 




“The basic tool for the manipulation of reality is the manipulation of words. If you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.”
― Philip K. Dick




ALSO VIEW:

Words I Made Up

Words I Made Up — The Threequel

Words I Made Up — The Fourquel

Words I Made Up — The Fifthquel

Words I Made Up — The Sixquel  

Words I Made Up — The Seventhquel

Words I Made Up — The Eightquel

Words I Made Up — The Ninthquel

Words I Made Up — The Tenthquel

Words I Made Up —  The Eleventhquel

Words I Made Up — The Twelfthquel
 
Words I Made Up — The Thirteenth

Words I Made Up — The Fourteenth   

Words I Made Up — The Fifteenth    



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Wednesday, 24 February 2016

Hotel Living: Then and Now



Hotel Living: Then and Now by Omar Cherif, One Lucky Soul

I was lunching at this place in Santa Monica and there was a 60-something-year-old couple with a Golden Retriever on the table next to mine. Since I cant really hold myself around dogs, I started petting that sweet creature, which led to a short chitchat with the owners. We briefly spoke about where Im from and what I do, and also about the book Im currently writing. When telling them I grew up living in hotels, they both looked at me and almost at the same time they merrily said: ‘Heres another book you could write.’ Then before leaving they asked about my name and were astonished when they heard it. We shook hands and the lady looked me straight in the eyes and said: ‘You will do great things.’ Just a simple interaction that left me with some needed positive energy.


I wrote the above lines a little less than two years ago. Even though the following is not a book about hotel living, its a piece I enjoyed writing while staying at a hotel...


My earliest memory of living in a hotel goes all the way back to when I was 4-years old in Alexandria, Egypt. My father was appointed to Hotel Manager of the Montazah Sheraton and that was when we moved from Cairo to there. He then moved to Saudi Arabia while I went to Cairo to live with my grandparents for a couple of years. When they came back, we moved to the Cairo Sheraton and ended up living there for 17 long years. Knowing that this was a major hotel in the region, it only shows that the man was doing a great job. 



Of course this was an unusual life for all of us — to reside in an actual hotel with housekeeping, room service, laundry, swimming pool, and all these restaurants. It sure was different growing up in such environment. 



As a young boy, I recall that I sometimes wanted a normal house with a building and neighbourhood. You know, like my friends at school. I wanted to have neighbours and to play soccer in the street with the other kids and the ‘bawabeen’ — doormen. Not that this was the norm in mid-80s Cairo, but the stories from my fathers 1950s childhood in Zamalek were always on my mind. 



I often wished to ride the school bus with the rest of the boys instead of having a driver, who worked for the hotel.

Other times, probably as I grew up a little, I appreciated having a driver because it allowed me to leave home in the morning later than all those who ride the bus, hence wake a little later. I could also leave late after school so I play basketball.

Hotel Living: Then and Now by Omar Cherif, One Lucky Soul
In room 2109 at the Sheraton just living a kind-of-normal life

Then as I reached my mid-teenage years, I began to realize that Im pretty lucky to have that kind of life. I began religiously using the gym, like six times a week, as I also began to have friends and girlfriends coming over to spend the day — usually at the pool. I got to know lots of people throughout the years, though I never had many close friends, only a group of maybe five or six real ones was always more than enough. 



At the time, none of the boys had a private place to go to with their dates. In fact, some of them had to drive to Maadi — a relatively far neighbourhood — and put a cover on the car to be able to get some privacy and play. Others had to go park somewhere on the Cairo-Ismaileya Desert Road (highway)…at night. This was around the time when most of us began legally driving at 18. 



I, for one, despised car action. In fact, much later I learned that a teenage boy who gets caught fooling around in a car by a cop, or a parent, or any kind of authority can later in life develop erection problems — or erectile dysfunction (ED). Thats because the memory keeps haunting them as they keep replaying it over and over in their heads. No doubt such early traumas can equally affect females.


One major thing I am grateful for is the way my parents brought my sister and I up. I am certainly grateful for more things when it comes to them, but this is related to living in hotels in particular.



My father would always tell us to shut the light in your room or bathroom if youre not using them. And if youre not having lunch at home, then let us know beforehand because we cook for you and your sister everyday.



Knowing that we did not pay for the food or electricity or water, this still made sense. Not because we can order from room service or eat by the pool and sign a check which would later be rebated, then we shouldnt think about these things.


My mother was more general; she would constantly remind us that this kind of unusual, luxurious life wasnt going to last. And I always knew that. 



Fortunately, we never had more money than sense. 



As a teenager at the time, though, I still couldnt fully value these early lessons. Let alone my younger sister. Only when I matured a little and we left the hotel and I had my own place for about 10 years, have I truly understood their meaning. Growing up living in hotels, we could have easily turned out to become spoiled assholes if we were exposed to a different upbringing.


Enough with reminiscing about the past, let us now fast-forward to right after this decade when I lived alone. 



Afterwards I moved to Canada for a few years, then again to the U.S until this very day. I had already started writing my book and was seeking novelty and inspiration through travelling.



Then after a tour throughout the U.S, which lasted almost four months, I arrived to Venice Beach in California and instantly knew that this was it, at least for now. The right amount of crazies, the right amount of artists, the right amount of conscious people; the weather is amazing all year through; the beach is right there; and last but definitely not least, the Drum Circle — which had been going on since the 1950s. I found this Bohemian hood to be a truly stimulating place to live. 



On and off I have been residing in Venice for over two years now. When I recently went back to Egypt, the place I was renting was sold, which means being currently back to the hunt for affordable rent. And thanks to Gentrification, thats no easy feat.

This last trip has actually reminded by how my life there is filled with comfort and abundance, which also reminded me by why I must leave it. So I keep leaving.

Since I was still in Cairo, 

I have been trying Craigslist, AirBnB, and other Facebook L.A Rentals groups, but no luck until now. The alternative was to take a bike and pass by everyone I know in the area and ask them. As you may already know, I like to ‘connect’ with people. So from Steve on the Boardwalk, Jose the bike guy, Mani the server in Lemonade, to Honey the Hawaiian lady from the tobacco shop, I told everyone what Im looking for and exchanged contacts.

Words of mouth can sometimes be more effective than searching online. You never know, the universe does work in mysterious ways. 

Echoing with Honeys encouraging words: “Keep manifesting.”

During this search time, I had been staying at my aunt in the Valley. After about three weeks there, I realised that its not convenient to be looking for places in Venice while Im so far away. So, I called up my buddy Awad, the Egyptian receptionist/concierge/guest service from the roadside Jolly Rogers Inn where I have spent multiple weekends before, and asked for a room for the long President Day weekend. 



After knowing about my dilemma, on my last day at the Inn Awad offered me a weekly “long stayers” rate — its a slightly older, unremodelled room right by the pool, almost like a cabana.  

I pondered for a moment…



My own room, AC, hot-ass high-pressure shower, fridge, microwave, fast and reliable Internet, the comfy bed, the clean white towels and sheets and pillows, the small jacuzzi-like pools, housekeeping, having someone on call 24/7 (think a burnt out light bulb or a clogged toilet), and more importantly, the location of the property which is on the cool Abbot Kinney Boulevard — 1.2 miles to the beach, or 6-7 minutes by bike. 



Hotel Living: Then and Now by Omar Cherif, One Lucky Soul
One of the two small pools in the hotel is just underneath my room

Perhaps above all, it was the special rate I was offered; it was the same as what I was paying for the room in the shared bungalow during that last year, including taxes and all. Despite having a full kitchen, a spacey garden, and the full bungalow to use, I was still sharing a bathroom and there was no AC or pool.

Nevertheless, 

I am still willing to pay the same for a one bedroom with private bath in the area. This arrangement, as I previously mentioned in Countering Gentrification — Eating Cheap and Healthy in Venice Beach [With a List of Places and Their Menus], leaves me about $20 for food per day.

The slightly frustrating thing is that with the same rent in Venice, one can afford a fancy two-bedroom apartment in so many other places around L.A —with pool, sundeck, Jacuzzi, 24-hour fitness centre, billiards, air hockey in the building. Only that you have to move further from the beach, which in my case, as someone without a car who uses a bike to move around, is not something that would benefit me much.

The normal rate at the Jolly is about $100, with a rack rate of $170, which I doubt anyone really pays. The one I got, however, was actually quite appealing. The room is right there and Im not sharing anything with anyone.

Fun Fact: 91% of American households have access to at least one vehicle. The country is huge so it makes sense. L.A though is notorious for its traffic; and as a mode of transportation, bikes are as green as it could get.   




All these things considered, I spontaneously agreed to take the room and made my first weekly payment in advance.



Later that day, I went to my aunts house and brought back one luggage and one handbag.  



Hotel living...and writing


Of course being settled like that in a hotel made me relive 20 years of my life of being a ‘guest’. Since we left the Sheraton in 2001, I dont remember staying for long periods in hotels, usually because they are expensive. Ten days have already passed since I first arrived at the Jolly and everything seems to going seamlessly. I ended up staying at the hotel for two years

Being an organised minimalist, I only need housekeeping once a week, mainly to change the bed sheets. Though as I came to realize, there are even more perks: No worry about washing or drying any linen or towels, not even attempting to fold those damn fitted sheets. Endless supply of toilet paper, tissues, lotions, and shampoo (not that I use their shampoo myself). 

So as you can see in the below video, the room is kept clean and tidy, the garbage is taken out daily, and all is under control.





The property may not be a 5-star international chain — only 3, which isnt that bad — and Im not the son of the General Manager. There are no pool cabana, fancy restaurants, room service, or laundry. In fact, I suspect that one of my next doors neighbours lives between the room and his car, the other appears to be an actual homeless person who until quite recently was living in the street.

But, I am a step closer to where I want to be. So for now, and until I find that affordable place, being here seems reasonable…and affordable. Unlike the hotel life I was born into, this time it’s my own choice, which itself is based on my own priorities.

The stay reminded me by how I used to hear from my dad that so and so was an extended-stay guest and had a special treatment — along with a special rate. Those people were often artists, some of whom were writers, others were singers and dancers who worked at the hotel and whose contracts included the accommodation. Long-stayers could also be training and business folks; of course those dont have to worry about rates since they are almost always covered by their companies.



I saw the same when I later worked in hotels for seven years. And always, the longer the stay, the better the room rate becomes. 
This was the time when I saw hotels from a totally different perspective. Obviously the long hours and the night shifts could not match with living there. Yet, it still remained an experience which had taught me quite a few things — about life and, more importantly, about myself.


At the time, I didnt really understand those who willingly chose to live in a hotel. Now that I myself am a freelance writer on the road, I can relate to those long-stayers. At the moment, I am enjoying being a “homeless” wanderer. I am enjoying this captivating state of never arriving, this state of transience. There is a certain freedom to having my luggage ready for leaving at any time I wish. 

As one finds out, the creative excitement such a fully nomad, unattached life-on-the-edge can bring is truly exuberant.

When all you need is a luggage or two, you also feels light and unburdened. Thats because ‘Stuff’ weigh us down. 

Interestingly, there is a book by Paul Carr called “The Upgrade: A Cautionary Tale of a Life Without Reservations”, which tells the story about giving up his flat in London and permanently living in hotels around the world.





Just like everything in life, as there are advantages to hotel living there are some disadvantages as well.



Personally, I do love to cook. So unless its an apartment hotel with an en suite kitchen-ette as we used to have in the Sheraton, Im not too certain if I can keep living in a hotel room or even a suite for the rest of my life. After all, I have already spent half of my life there. A reason why Ive written before that I think because Ive spent 20 years living in hotels I can mentally afford living pretty much anywhere for the next 20.


By the time I was done with this article, I had to do something about the food issue. So I got a burner and a pan, mainly to be able to make the morning eggs which are essential to my veggie diet. 



Hotel Living: Then and Now by Omar Cherif, One Lucky Soul
Mission eggstraordinarily accomplished

Another concern is that I would have to either have a garden or a balcony, since this is where I usually take my breaks from writing. Then again, many hotels offer such accommodation, probably a tad more pricey than my rate, depending on where one is in the world. 

An additional drawback for living on the road is strictly for dog and maybe also cats owners. Even though some hotels allow them, sometime for a certain fee, others dont.




In summation, full-time hotel living is an outré lifestyle  which isnt for everybody. The idea of not having a permanent residence or being ‘homeless’ may appear scary to many people. But for those of us who enjoy it, these somewhat temporary sojourns can be highly adventurous and inspiring learning experiences…even wild and romantic at times. This makes them worth writing about.

The series Chronicling The Journey here on One Lucky Soul 
includes a wide variety of lighthearted articles about the 10-year trip to North America. Also photo-articles 
like Tripping Through Venice Beach Art and its Sequel and A Year at the Venice Beach Drum Circle in Photos & Videos and its own Sequel and Threequel.
 

Now if you excuse me, Ive been writing for quite a while so Ill grab a glass of rosé and a smoke and go chillax by the cosy pool in this magnificent City of Angels sun.


Hotel Living: Then and Now by Omar Cherif, One Lucky Soul
An odd sign at the pool that I have never, ever, seen before.
Found out later it is required by law in
California since 2013




ALSO VIEW:

The Day I Became Bill Gate’s Elevator Boy

Funny Hotel-Related Stories

Countering Gentrification — Eating Cheap and Healthy in Venice Beach [With a List of Places and Their Menus]
 
 
 












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Wednesday, 10 February 2016

OLS Reflections Dreiundzwanzig




OLS Reflections Dreiundzwanzig by Omar Cherif, One Lucky Soul
Breathe

    • Man’s true greatness lies in how humble he can be.

    • Trust is the foundation of every healthy relationship; make sure not to shake it too many times.

    • Sometimes what we need is a warm heart rather than a brilliant mind.

    • We are all messengers. Some souls get to know it in their current human form, others have to pass through more lives before finding it out.

    • The ultimate attitude is embracing solitude.

    • The more you understand, the more you realise there is so much more to understand.

    • We do not become grateful by being happy; we become happy by being grateful.

    • Sometimes, I ask people questions which I can easily find the answers to just to let them open up.

    • The right question is often more important than the right answer.

    • Dare saying an honest ‘YES’ and an honest ‘NO’ without having to explain yourself.

      OLS Reflections Dreiundzwanzig by Omar Cherif, One Lucky Soul
      Reflections of a Contemplator



      ALSO VIEW:


      OLS Reflections

      OLS Reflections Deux

      OLS Reflections Vier

      OLS Reflections Khamsa

      OLS Reeflections Yedi

      OLS Reflections 八

      OLS Reflections Ten

      OLS Reflections Onze

      OLS Reflections 13

      OLS Reflections Quince

      OLS Reflections Sixteen

      OLS Reflections Dix-Huit

      OLS Reflections تسعة عشر

      OLS Reflections Veinte Uno

      OLS Reflections 22

      OLS Reflections Twenty-Four

      OLS Reflections Vingt-Six

      OLS Reflections Ventisette

      OLS Reflections Veintinueve
       
      OLS Reflections 30

      OLS Reflections Ein Unddreißig

      OLS Reflections  إثنان وثلاثون

      OLS Reflections Thirty-Three

      OLS Reflections Trentaquattro

      OLS Reflections 37

      OLS Reflections Trente-Neuf

      OLS Reflections Forty  

      OLS Reflections Einundvierzig

      OLS Reflections — The Spiritual Edition 

      OLS Reflections Cuarenta y Cuatro

      OLS Reflections 45

      OLS Reflections Quarantasette

      OLS Reflections — The Unpublished Edition

      OLS Reflections Forty-Nine

      OLS Reflections 50 

      OLS Reflections Cincuenta y Dos
       
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      Monday, 8 February 2016

      Random Stuff You May Not Know: Five



      1- Shrek is Real

      Maurice Tillet. Shrek Is Real, Random Stuff You May Not Know: Five by Omar Cherif, One Lucky Soul

      Just like how Popeye was inspired by a real life person, a tough guy from Illinois named Frank “Rocky” Fiegel, the popular cartoon Shrek did also exist in real. Indeed, the ogre head was modeled after a real person, Maurice Tillet (October 23, 1903 - August 4, 1954), a Russian-born French professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, The French Angel. The man was actually highly intelligent, he was a poet and a writer who could speak 14 languages.

      In the beginning of his life he had none of the physical attributes he would eventually become famous for. In fact, his nickname as a child was ‘The Angel’ because of his beautifully angelic appearance. Then at 17, his hands, feet, and head began swelling to disproportionate sizes, prompting doctors to diagnose him with a severe form of acromegaly — a condition often caused by benign tumors that accelerate bone growth.

      The French Angel was twice recognised world heavyweight champion by the American Wrestling Association and remained undefeated for 19 consecutive months. 


      2- Lobster Conga Line [Video]
       
      Lobsters Conga Line Migration, One Lucky Soul

      Every autumn, a large number of the Spiny lobsters living in the shallower waters around the Bahamas begin marching forwards
      while forming straight travelling queues that aggregate into long chains. Also known as langoustes or rock lobsters, the animals keep migrating to deeper waters, forming chains which can swell to hundreds of individuals.

      Each lobster maintains contact with the one in front with its antennules and anterior legs. The chain is led by the most
      active individual, while the one at the very end assumes the role of a rear guard. The theory behind this peculiar phenomenon is that it is done to conserve energy — by travelling in each other’s slipstream. 
       
      This mass migrations may last several days, with lobsters walking both night and day. Despite encountering changing currents and seafloor topography, they mysteriously continue marching in straight lines. The storms rage in the blue waters of the Caribbeans during the Autumn months, causing the shallow zones to become more turbid. So to avoid this commotion, lobsters head towards the deeper ocean.

      Check the eerie sight in the video below.



      Come on, shake your body baby, do the conga
      I know you can't control yourself any longer



      *Footage taken from Blue Planet and The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau.


      3- Not the Sunset at the North Pole

      ‘Hideaway’ by Inga Nielsen, Random Stuff You May Not Know: Five by Omar Cherif, One Lucky Soul

      After rechecking the authenticity of this image, I found that it is NOT a photograph as commonly claimed online. But rather, it is a work of art called Hideaway’ by a young German artist named Inga Nielsen. The artist was studying Astrophysics when she produced the work in 2006 using Terragen a scenery rendering software. Since then, the image has been falsely circulating online as a photograph titled Sunset at the North Pole.

       
      4- Not an Abandoned Polish Wedding  


      “Les Quatres Saisons de Vivaldi” is an art installation by French conceptual artist & sculptor Patrick Demazeau, located along the road between Haut-bois and Faulx in Namur in Belgium.

      Another falsely circulating photo with “A wedding in Poland was abandoned due to the German invasion in 1939. They were found again after the war with the trees growing through them. They are repainted every year”, as its description. In actual fact, this is an art installation by French conceptual artist/sculptor Patrick Demazeau. The work is titled “Les Quatres Saisons de Vivaldi” and was created in 2001 along the road between Haut-bois and Faulx in Namur in Belgium.

       5- The Japanese Town Where Everyone Wears a Mask

      Some masked residents of Japanese island Miyake-jima, Random Stuff You May Not Know: Five by Omar Cherif, One Lucky Soul

      Miyake-jima is an island in the Izu group, southeast of Honshū, Japan where all citizens are required to wear a gas mask at all times due to poisonous gases leaking up from the ground. Resting atop a chain of volcanoes, Miyake-jima is a hub for volcanic activity. Over the past century, the volcanoes have erupted six times. The worst of these occurred in June 2000 when, after a repose of 17 years, Mount Oyama erupted. A staggering 17,500 earthquakes followed the eruption, which hit the island between June 26 and July 21.

      Have they been wearing masks during the recent Covid pandemic, I wonder.





      ALSO VIEW:

      Random Stuff You May Not Know

      Random Stuff You May Not Know: Two

      Random Stuff You May Not Know: Three

      Random Stuff You May Not Know: Four

      Random Stuff You May Not Know: Six 

      Random Stuff You May Not Know: Eleven

      Nations’ Did You Know

      Useful Home Tips

      Some Useful How-To Videos
       
      Bizarre Random Facts

      What's the Story with Blue Balls (and Blue Vulva)?
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