Friday, February 17, 2012

Peggy Guggenheim


Paul Bowles had invited me to Ceylon, where he had bought a little island. It was the southern-most inhabited spot in the Indian Ocean, fantastically beautiful and luxuriant, with every conceivable flower and exotic plant from the east. The house resembled the Taj Mahal, as it was built in octagonal form. We all lived there together in separate rooms divided by curtains, we being Paul, his wife Janie, Ahmed, a young Arab primitive painter of great talent, and an Arab chauffeur, who seemed rather sad without the Jaguar car, which had been left behind in Tangier, Paul's other home.

In order to get to the island one had to pick up one's skirts and wade through the Indian Ocean. There was no bridge or boat. The waves usually wet one's bottom, even though the distance walked could be done in one minute and a half. It was terribly unpleasant to go about all day with a wet bottom, but there was no other way. The beauty of the surroundings made up for all the inconveniences, which were many. There was no water on the island and the servants had to carry it over on their heads. This made bathing, apart from sea-bathing, virtually impossible. But there was a raft just below the house and the swimming was superb. The beach opposite was skirted with coconut palms, and there were narrow fishing craft with beautiful Singalese fishermen riding them astride. It was another world. . . .

37 comments:

T. Roger Thomas said...

The wet bottom and the lack of Jaguar does sound like it was terrible for Peggy.

Me said...

Wow. This is insanely awesome! Sounds like quite the experience!

MynameisEarl said...

Lucky bugger, I wish I had an incredibly rich friend with a chauffeur and an island, etc.

I can only imagine your time there! :)

Jon said...

Sounds like my idea of paradise.....
but of course I'd possibly want running water, would probably want electricity, and would definitely want a piano.
And a toilet.
Am I asking for too much??

Atley said...

SAtinking awesome! If I win the lottery or something I am so buying myself an Island and employing people to get me my daily supply of water everday!

Eko said...

'Paratiisi-Saari'...
Kelpaisi kyllä minulle kesä-mökiksi.
Nohhh... haaveita... haaveita... vain - pakkasen ja lumen keskellä.
Terveisin Eko
Suomi/Lapland/Kuusamo

Inspiring Scent Of Rain said...

Beau. God bless Peggy Guggenheim :) have a great weekend all.

dorobo said...

sounds like a time well spent and the island looks awesome

Unknown said...

Thank you for the follow. However you did not leave a comment, which begs the question, "Did you vet my blog properly?" I've vetted your blog and see no indication that you comment on your followers pages. I also see an inordinately large number of follower which indicates to me that you're into numbers and I see a high turnover on those who comment. I am not interested in numbers and I am not currently in the market for "courtesy follows"

Javier said...

Realmente parece sacado de otro mundo, es maravilloso

Saludos

Liza Vel said...

wow great post!awesome!

Susan said...

Wow, it would be awesome to have such an experience. The water is so absolutely beautiful. A person would be hard pressed to get me out of it.
Lucky Peggy! Great post!

Jéanne said...

What a lovely blog you have!

I think it takes a very special kind of person to truly enjoy beach living. I only know of a few. They have salt water dreads, a surfboard stuck under the arm and they ALL permanently have wet bottoms! I lived at the sea most of my life and I never got used to it. Give me the desert any day!

Have great weekend, Harry! :)

Carla Fernanda said...

Uma ilha e tanto, um paraíso amigo.
Voltei!!

Beijos e bom carnaval!!

Kid said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kid said...

Sounds fan-dabbi-dozi. (That's a good thing.)

Harmony said...

I agree with Peggy, wet bottoms are no fun.

Have an awesome weekend, Harry!

Harmz xx

Art said...

Looks very delicious! I can only imagine your time there!

Bento Sales said...

Hello, friend Harry!
This landscape is a paradise memos.
Just have the privilege of being invited to enjoy this beauty.

Hugs!

MRanthrope said...

I'd love to have an isolated island...but then again i'd probably go mad and need another residence to escape from my "escape" of you catch my drift.

Sarah said...

Wow! Sounds breathtaking!

& thanks for your comment on my blog. Hope you liked it!

<3!

Unknown said...

Olá minha querida amiga!!!
Vim lhe visitar, deixar meu abraço e colocar meu bloco na rua. E dizer-lhe que sua "Escola" é tudo de bom.Nota 10 em todos os quesitos, 10 em "harmonia", 10 em "alegorias", 10 em "adereços" e principalmente 10 pelo "conjunto". Que sua "evolução" nunca se dissipe e que você seja sempre a campeã desse samba-enredo chamado "Vida".Nessa folia, sou arlequim de sua paz e de sua alegria em viver.Conte comigo para convencer os jurados, de que sua "Escola"(blog) é NOTA DEZ em tudo.Bom Descanso!!! Rubi Valente.
www.valentebrasil.blogspot.com

Elisabete said...

Super foto! I want to be there... Good week-end!

Anthony Hopper said...

Sounds like a great getaway/vacation experience.

G said...

sounds like a little paradise...what a great experience

24 Corners said...

I'd think et bottoms would dry very well in such a sunny climate!
xo J~

Simone butterfly said...

Que lugar lindo, linda foto, um beijo

RosaE said...

Buen texto, la imagen espectacular
Buena semana

olivia said...

Wow... Peggy is awesome.

All the best,
Liv.


shortpigeonservice.blogspot.com

steveroni said...

Doesn't matter how I got here, but, OMG! A fantasy dream--to own and live on, and island in such beautiful part of God's earth!

Whenever my ass gets wet--it dries within an hour or less. I could not imagine ALL DAY!

PEACE to you and all your commenter-Peeps!

Kid said...

Have an even more SUPER week than me, Harry.

Ivana said...

Wow, paradise... :) I can only imagine... What experience! I am SO jealous!

Elda said...

¡Dios mío! ¿te da tiempo a leer tantos comentarios?.
Bueno, te diré me ha gustado mucho tu escrito y por supuesto esa isla maravillosa, pero la verdad es que echaría muchas cosas de menos en ella.
Un saludo

efa said...

great description man! Yeah I miss the Jaguar too.

Helena said...

Oh, my! Paradise complete!!

Giga said...

Bajkowa wyspa :-). Pozdrawiam.*** Fairytale island :-). Yours.

ilduce said...

So all that money and no one thought to buy towels and fresh underwear for the damp bottom issue?

 
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