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I spent a pleasant afternoon yesterday reading a book under a lychee tree in my garden whilst occasionally gazing on the japanese garden feature. It was nice to commune with nature..

When was the last time you had a relaxing time... and where was it?



(Anyway, nice to see that this forum has less bickering now. Fewer posts and posters seems to be the cost for this 'calm'. I'll continue to pop in occasionally, and hope to see many more 'interesting threads' )

Cheers,
Shafique

I had a very relaxing week last week in Dubai. I enjoyed every day but particularly the day I spent with my friends on the Palm. They invited me to spend the day with them at their beach club. From my sunbed, I could see the Burj Khalifa, the Jumeirah Beach Hotel and the Burj Al Arab, all in the distance. The weather was perfect and I just lay there and watched some kids playing in the infinity pool.
We had a few beers and caught up on what had been happening in our lives.
A totally relaxing day.

Do you eat those lychees, Shaf? I'm afraid I don't read as much as I should. As soon as I pick up a book I manage to go to sleep. I do like a good biography though. Jackie Collins is writing hers, I've heard. That should be interesting.

As for DF, well there are always those who turn up when there's whiff of a scrap. While the waters are calm, they won't show up. They'll be watching though. I can guarantee it

Well I am having a relaxing time right about now. On a cool pleasant evening.
I always have plans for something. An idle mind and all that. But its relaxing for me to plan and then try and execute the plan. That's what my relaxation is, especially if all is going well. One of the things I've developed an interest in rather recently is Philosophy! I was reading today that the history of modern civilization is nothing but a series of footnotes to Plato!! Couldn't agree more.
I also read about "What is knowledge?" and the theories of knowledge. But more about that some other time on another thread

Hello Shaf, it has been a long time! Too long I'd say! A friend went on a holiday to Mauritius and came back with great reports. You must be proud.

In many cases just being outside is relaxing for me. Golfing, the pool, cycling and so on.

Golf, work, golf, work, golf, work.

Sounds good with you Shaf.

Onion must be glued to DF now with such a wide array of "interesting" threads !

BMreformed wrote:They'll be watching though. I can guarantee it

Back of the net!

Now, now - in the new 'interesting' DF we shouldn't be fanatasing about other posters should we.

Yes, lychees/Letchis are indeed eaten - this is what they look like ripe, on the tree (and what ours will look like in a couple of months):



One of my favourite fruits, in fact.

ETA:


I guess there are worse places to live and work and play than Mauritius.



Cheers,

Shafique

desertdudeshj wrote:Onion must be glued to DF now with such a wide array of "interesting" threads !

I'd hate to think how much more boring you'd be without BM's coattails to ride.

I also go fishing occasionally too.

We tend to throw back the small fry we catch, especially the bitter and twisted variety that tend that are just annoying to other fish.

Do you go fishing often? Caught anything lately??

Cheers,
Shafique

Why don't you take up mountain climbing? I hear the winter months are a good time to start.

Did someone say mountain climbing in Mauritius? It is indeed another one of my hobbies - along with snorkelling, cycling, hiking etc. Winter is indeed a good time to go climbing - but those who know how to use Google will know that Mauritius is in the southern hemisphere and we're going into summer.

If you're ever in town, I'll be found hiking up signal mountain every Sunday morning - and we regularly climb other mountains around the island on our hiking/camping trips.

Here's a view from 'le Pouce' - a nature reserve on a mountain..


Here's a view from the highest peak on the island (and yet a relatively easy hike to the peak):


Even stopped clocks are right twice a day.

Cheers,

Shafique

Shaf, those lychees look delicious! They are one of my favourites too, but there are so many different varieties, and the poorer quality stuff doesn't taste so good.

I used to hunt a lot in earlier years, but after graduation, I stopped.
It sounded senseless to me to shed all that blood just for pleasure.

I went on a deer hunt with some friends recently. Well, I was going to just tag along. We spotted a few in the late afternoon, and you are not supposed to make any sudden moves because that just alerts them. The pick up truck we were on was a diesel, and he didn't even switch the engine off for fear of scaring them off. His 11 year old son was in the back of the pickup and he had his dad's crossbow, and shot the deer right in the chest! Before we knew what was even going on, he had got off and crept right up close to one undetected.
That was just amazing, particularly for an 11 year old!

shafique wrote:I also go fishing occasionally too.

We tend to throw back the small fry we catch, especially the bitter and twisted variety that tend that are just annoying to other fish.

Do you go fishing often? Caught anything lately??

Cheers,
Shafique

I have no idea why DDS is so bitter and twisted. It was only a matter of time before he jumped he.

--- Oct 11, 2012 ---

Somehow you don't strike me as a camper or a mountain climber, Shaf.

I can't remember whether I like Lychees or not, I'm sure I've had them as a dessert after a Chinese meal but I may be wrong. Are they a bit slimy and in a prickly shell?

--- Oct 11, 2012 ---

Frequentflier wrote:I went on a deer hunt with some friends recently. Well, I was going to just tag along. We spotted a few in the late afternoon, and you are not supposed to make any sudden moves because that just alerts them. The pick up truck we were on was a diesel, and he didn't even switch the engine off for fear of scaring them off. His 11 year old son was in the back of the pickup and he had his dad's crossbow, and shot the deer right in the chest! Before we knew what was even going on, he had got off and crept right up close to one undetected.
That was just amazing, particularly for an 11 year old!

Why on earth would you want to go on a deer hunt FF? Deer are beautiful animals. We have lots around where I live. If I'm lucky I see a couple of Roe deer in the early morning from my bedroom window.
Your friend having a crossbow and letting his son use it is horrible. I would never allow anyone of mine to shoot an animal like that! It's quite ing. Animals should only be killed humanely and for food not pleasure.
I realise that deer need culling once in a while as they can take over. Unfortunately that's a fact, but never with a crossbow. That's like prehistoric. I hope that hooligan kid got a kick up his backside!

Frequentflier wrote:I went on a deer hunt with some friends recently

We have deer hunting here too - but not really my thing, as they don't stalk the deer but shoot them with rifles from hides.

I did try my hand out with a compound bow in the US - one used for deer hunting. Those things are lethal (and more powerful than a rifle, apparently)! However, didn't have time to do any stalking there, but had to settle for some wood pigeon shooting instead.

Lychees - the ones we get here are all tasty, but they don't keep well. Best eaten fresh from the tree.

Well, great to catch up with the going's on at 'DF Abbey' - will check in again in a few days to check out the new 'interesting' posts. Remember, 'choose love'.

Cheers,
Shafique

It is an interesting thread. You appear to be the sporty type. Good for you, keep it up!
Shooting pigeons for fun just seems animal cruelty to me though. I do not like guns. Funny x-bows are mentioned though. There is a nice particing ground for x-bowes in the polder, with moving fake animals on rails. I like that.

shafique wrote:will check in again in a few days to check out the new 'interesting' posts.

Okay, see you in a few matey. Do not be a stranger you hear!

shafique wrote:Remember, 'choose love'.

Love you too!

desertdudeshj ,

Certainly more interesting than anything you have posted for a while.

^^^oh I don't know! He had a bit of a rant about the Metro recently. Apart from that, the most interesting thing he wrote was that he posted from 'the can'. I take it that this is an Americanism for the toilet. Rather too much information for me. I hope he doesn't get type and wipe mixed up

BMreformed wrote:Why on earth would you want to go on a deer hunt FF? Deer are beautiful animals

Absolutely agree with you.
As I said, I stopped shedding any innocent animal blood a long time back. The part of the world where I live now is famous for hunting and fishing. But people here are also very caring about the environment. Its sparsely populated, and one of the past times is hunting. Not indiscriminately, but in moderation. We have elk, and moose here, and a particular type of deer called the Mule and I think the white tail deer. These are bigger than the ones you see in your part of the world. And very wild.
I used to like seeing the effect a bullet has on a big animal. I have used telescopes, and felt the thrill of a direct hit! But then I also had the opportunity to study something called ballistics as part of my studies. Whereas in the early days, say during WW1, it was thought that the size of a bullet is what mattered, the pendulum has gradually swung the other way. It is now known that its the velocity and speed of the bullet is what counts. A modern assault rifle like the M16, or AK47 has a very small sized bullet (.22) but very high velocity. This imparts a tremendous kinetic energy as it hits human/animal tissues, and produces a gaping wound, and a shock wave that travels with it through the tissues. It just has to pass within a few inches of say bone to shatter it completely. The shock wave pulsates as it travels through the tissues, and sucks in debris from outside like clothes, shrapnel, pieces of uniform etc. This is meant to knock a combatant out of a war for good at minimum cost! All in all, a very unpleasant state of affairs. I have never wanted to subject any living being to it, in fact quite the opposite.
A bow and arrow is very very low velocity, and perhaps the most humane way to kill an animal.
Moreover, you have to get quite close to the animal in order to bag anything, or you come away with nothing

Frequentflier wrote: and felt the thrill of a direct hit!

Why? Because of the achievement (which I can somehow understand), or the thrill that comes from the hunter instinct?

FlyingDutchman wrote:Why? Because of the achievement (which I can somehow understand)

I guess it was the sense of achievement, the killer instinct that is in all of us (particularly males), and the satisfaction of having hunted down something that you had stalked for days, all rolled into one. But I saw it for what it was; cruel and maybe fuelled by some hormonal high. I dont want to do it anymore. Stopped years ago.

I've considered giving up mammal meat. I don't have a problem eating turkey or chicken, but any animal with an intelligence approaching a dog's I could definitely give up eating.

I remember the scene from Powder where the hunter felt the deer's pain it shot as it was dying. I don't have a problem with hunters (except trophy hunting) but I'd personally choose hunting turkey over deer any day, personally.

I've almost given up red meat. Apart from the cruelty considerations, it contains lots of toxins and is not good for your body systems.
Frog meat is ok. Yummy
Btw, many years ago, there was a Korean restaurant in Dubai very popular with Koreans (naturally) where it was discovered after a couple of years that they were serving dog meat! It was closed down by the authorities. I believe its in business again, but under new management.

rayznack wrote:I've considered giving up mammal meat. I don't have a problem eating turkey or chicken, but any animal with an intelligence approaching a dog's I could definitely give up eating.

I remember the scene from Powder where the hunter felt the deer's pain it shot as it was dying. I don't have a problem with hunters (except trophy hunting) but I'd personally choose hunting turkey over deer any day, personally.

That's interesting Ray. I wish you'd post in general more often!

--- Oct 14, 2012 ---

Frequentflier wrote:Frog meat is ok. Yummy

The first Mr BM was partial to a frogs leg. Minging. Between them and Octupus, he always reeked of garlic. I should have posted this in 'what makes your stomach churn'.

They say bratwurst is made from horse meat. Don't know if it is but they are bloody good with a bit of curry sauce.

Frequentflier wrote:I've almost given up red meat.

Red meat and white fish are 'feel good' foods. Some ingedients in there that make us feel better. As a matter of fact, it has been researched and mental disorders are more likely with those not eating 'feel good' foods. Of course, you can always get those ingredients in pills nowadays, so you can substitute. I know it works of me, a nice BBQ-ed steak with a red wine tends to make my day.

In support of what you are saying FD, I was reading somewhere that human brain developement only happened when our ancestors (ape like) discovered millions of years ago when they split open the bones of their prey, the bone marrow inside it. They took an immediate liking to this, and gobbled it up with relish. This, it is beleived, led to the phenomenol developement of the human brain. But marrow being very high in fats, led to other problems like hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis).
But we all have to die SOMEday of SOMEthing!

Frequentflier wrote:But we all have to die SOMEday of SOMEthing!

That is very true . You have to care of yourself. I also read that every man will get prostate cancer, if he lives long enough. I'd rather go shagging, with a beer in my hand, foottie on tellie while singing the national anthem. For the queen and the motherland .

I won't start with my thoughts on brain development, because I donot feel like typing much today.

FlyingDutchman wrote:I'd rather go shagging, with a beer in my hand, foottie on tellie while singing the national anthem. For the queen and the motherland

I hope you keep your team shirt on FD.