Monday, April 14, 2008

Plane crash dreams and some classy loos

It took a while to come to this morning, from a plane crash dream. Please don't think because I'm getting up early again this will become a dream diary, nothing is more tedious generally than other people's dreams, I know. I rarely remember mine in any coherent form, probably because I don't have coherent dreams. Tom has enormously long and cogent narratives which he can remember completely, no matter even what time of the night he dreamed them. I never mind hearing about his dreams, they are interesting, often quite logical at least in their own terms, and frequently amusing, and I love the voice and mode he slips into when telling them.

But the plane crash dream seemed to have some sense, unless I'm just imposing that, and I was deeply involved with it for quite a long time after waking, so it seemed like the only important thing. From a house high on an escarpment with my family, I saw the crash, and the events leading to it clearly in the valley below - usually the plane disappears behind trees or buildings before exploding. As we watched, a huge fountain of oil exploded from the ground where it had crashed, and began to rain down on us. I hurried everyone into the house, but a slate was loose on the roof, and the poisonous shower rained inside also. We fixed it, but the sense of menace prevailed. Later I drove off in the direction of the cataclysm, I had an appointment to keep, but drawing nearer, I, and others were driving into a thick and impenetrable darkness. Just when it seemed hopeless, we found ourselves in a kind of farm shop, selling plums and aubergines and other fruit of the most beautiful purple hues and textures. The staple vegetables, beans and suchlike, would no longer grow in the aftermath of the disaster, but these luscious things would. I was charmed but uneasy, it compounded the sense of guilt I already felt about the relief of escaping the crash, and the fear that it may have further consequences.

I think, but I don't know, this may have been triggered by a post, with a stunning poem, over at Dick's place, about creating beauty out of suffering, and to what extent it is acceptable.

*****
It may seem strange to bolt this on to the last thing, but I was moved to go and dig out some of these photos from our New Zealand trip in September 2006, after seeing Jean's post about the beautiful Hundertwasser buildings in Vienna. Hundertwasser retired to Northland, New Zealand, and designed and built the most astonishing public toilets anywhere, I should think, in the nearby town of Kawakawa. The link gives more details, but these are some pictures I took. I especially like the idea he expressed that a toilet should be a place of meditation akin to a church.








11 comments:

Rosie said...

I found Dicks post very moving too, but it did not affect my dream life in quite the same way. Feel free to tell me any of yours, I like to hear about dreams and never find them boring unless their meaning is too minutely explained.
Those are the best loos that I have ever seen, and worth going back to New Zealand for on their own account.

Anonymous said...

Oh I love Hundertwasser. I tried to make a floor in that style in my old garden out of old discarded floor tiles from the houses in our terrace (they were old Victorian tiles). Not sure it was ever quite Hundertwasser but it was very pretty.

I have a recurring plane crash dream - I am told they are quite common. I always think mine is about feeling small and powerless in the world at large. But who knows? Probably just too much cheese before bed.

Anonymous said...

What a disturbing dream! I rarely remember mine, just some recurring ones I used to have plus a couple of truly amazing ones a few years ago.

I love Hundertwasser too, but didn't know hew went to NZ. Amazing toilets, public at that! Wouldn't mind that in my home. Thanks for sharing your great photos and the link.

Lucy said...

Dreams always seem more important immediately after waking; I didn't actually eat cheese last night,RB :~), but it seems neither here nor there now. I do often have plane crash dreams along with car-going-out-of-control ones; I wonder what people dreamed about before planes and cars?

The People in Kawakawa are really proud of their loos. In the town where my sister works, Whangerei, some way south of there, there were proposals that Hundertwasser should build the new library, but the town authorities were conservative, stingey and unadventurous, and turned the idea down. They're kicking themselves forever now, as it would have been a tremendous acquisition for the place. The library they now have is very fine, but it isn't Hundertwasser!

Lucy said...

Oh yes, and the scarey face looks at you while you're on the loo!

herhimnbryn said...

Your dreams was unsettling, but, but ,but the loo is stunning. What glorious mosaics. Thankyou for drawing my attention to this.
The Bear is now getting anxious as I am eyeing our lav. in a new light:)

Anonymous said...

a toilet should be a place of meditation akin to a church
Holy sh*t! Amazing.

Jean said...

I love, love the toilets! He decorated the toilets in the Hundertwasserhaus apartments in Vienna too, but (quite rightly) the tenants are not expected to open these to the public.

MB said...

Can you imagine how different a place the world might be if all loos were as beautiful as these?

meggie said...

Kiwis can be so farsighted & eccentric when it suits them. They often welcom the bizarre & the unusual.
But then, of course, there are always the stuffed shirts, & the shortsighted, to blight the tone!

The Hundertwasser toilets are to be celebrated, loudly!!

Anonymous said...

Mindful dumping. It's the way to go. And what better surroundings to trigger such a meditative act :-)