Light in May

I have stayed one month in Japan of beautiful spring season, and had busy days back in Brussels.

I have to admit that living like this is hard for me, for an aging person who has less energy than before.

My body is honest. Anyway I have recovered after sleeping 12 hours in a row last night!

My eyes, liver, head and stomach…

I wonder how I can now play difficult passages of Mozart which troubled me so much since yesterday.

Is that because I practiced enough yesterday? Or is it simply because I slept well?

When I went outside, I had to squint my eyes in the bright sunlight.

In May, students are finishing their study towards the last examinations in June. The collage has no more lessons. My international students ask me how many lessons are left. They all want to go back home.

Vacation is waiting!

A lady in my neighborhood told me that she has changed all the window frames. She invited me to see them with other neighbors on the 9th floor who happened to be there in the elevator.

The wind from the north is bitterly cold on the upper floors of the building. As we were talking about how relieved we would be soon, she asked me, "Do you know what day is it today?" She continued, "It's the Neighbors' Day, 16th of May, by European Parliament".

This "European Parliament" is a very complex organization indeed. I can not even tell the difference between European Parliament and European Commission after living so many years in Europe. After the trouble of my violin confiscated at the customs, its regulations have changed with the signing of Mr. Barroso the president of European Commission. The first president of European Council is Mr. Van Rompuy, who happens to write Haiku poems. He should be comparable to the American President, but doesn't seem to be paid enough attention as such a high status.

When President Obama came over in March, the three were photographed together.

Belgium is a typical country of Europe where extremely complicated political mechanism works. People say that you understand Europe once you understand Belgium.

In the coming general election, it's predicted that the Flemish right-wing party would win. The opposing French-speaking parties say "Do you want to destroy the country?"

You can imagine the confusion by looking at how this county was formed. Catholic French people and Catholic Dutch people united with a King from Germany. In a discussion on the television, politician candidates, and even TV presenters spoke in their own language, French or Dutch. French TV program provides subtitle when they speak in Dutch, but in the discussion, they don't wait until it's translated. They understand each other perfectly well, but insist to speak in their mother tongue. It would be much easier with a single language for the speakers and audience!

Queen Elizabeth Competitions adds English to the two local languages. It takes so much time to announce the final winners. The audience cries "Hurry UP!!" when the president is speaking English to repeat the same thing as the third language.

The borderlines of European countries are very complicated. For example, how many times has Alsace changed its national identity between Germany and France?

It should be dreadful to see the borderlines change over night. The Crimean Peninsula and Ukraine are experience this fear. That's why everyone is seriously concerned.

Belgium is so small compared to the superpower such as Russia.

USA has rescued Belgium two times in the past, but it's not so reliable these days. They also don’t want to fight any more. So as we, so as Japan!

After President Obama, the VIPs of many nations have visited Brussels. Prime Minister of Japan, Mr. Abe came too with his wife Akie the first lady. She came to Conservatoire to listen to my students playing and watched the video of Fukko Concert. I enjoyed talking with her and it was so honorable to receive the visit of our first lady.

I guess the traffic regulations would be very tight again in June because of G7. When it happens, we can not walk on the street. "No Access Allowed". They set up a barricade yesterday too in order to deal with some demonstration. They always deliver the press announcement at the nearby Palais d'Egmont. I was stopped by the police and interrogated. "Show me your student identity card", a police man said. I replied "You are such a kind person!!! Do I look so young? I am supposed to be a professor here". Everyone of the police laughed aloud with me.

People finish working earlier on Friday to sunbathe in the terrace. It's almost criminal if we don't make advantage of this gorgeous sunshine. I also stepped out to the terrace and cleaned up the bird cage.

Before the nature, we all feel the same wants.

Translated to music, they must be Debussy or the suite for piano "Iberia" by Albéniz which would sound nice in this season.

I will go to listen to the recital of the Brazilian pianist Nelson Freire tomorrow.

16th May 2014