insights

Simon's Summer retreat

Starting today, the 1st of june, untill the end of july i will be a retreatent in my home, at the oudezijds voorburgwal 6. Because i want to show myself that it is possible to live attentively, relaxed and happy life in the city. Feel free to join me every evening but sunday at 19:30 to meditate together, because with your support and togetherness this is possible!

just ring the doorbell and say @#$%^

In the five days time from the phone call to flight I had misplaced the paper with the address, me being an optimist said "no big deal everyone there probably knows what casa robino is I'll just ask someone when we arrive".

I came across this blog-post of Gary who apparently stayed with us last Summer (and took a plain for that purpose).

Casa Productions

Finally our wonderful september masterpiece. Hopefully many to follow!

Learning

My internship ends and so does my time in Amsterdam. Summing up for school and for myself I came up with quite a list of things that I've learnt here.
In my internship report, apart from all boring arty-farty stuff, there's also chapter about Amsterdam experience. Being thankful for this, I'll share it with you:

"In Amsterdam I have learned:

- to make bread, using and maintaining a sourdough.
- to do small repairs for my bicycle.
- to dumpster dive food and furniture.
- to cook vegan.
- to hitchhike alone.
- to share, to live in a community.

goodbye letter

Dear Casa Robino,
I left in rush, as I came and as I spend the time there...
not the pace that belongs to this place, unfortunately I didn't manage to keep up with the relaxed rhythm of the house...
I also didn't manage to write a goodbye letter before I left, therefore am doing it now.
Things are still going fast over here, but am finding a moment out of it to say thank you!

Dank u Casa

Dear Casa,

bumping into you was like diving my head into the wizard's ball. I have seen an underworld teeming with life that I had no idea could exist. But soon I had to breathe in again, and everything faded out in the edge between dream and reality. Hugs, voices and smell of home-baked bread. Was it really real?

I have given too little of myself and taken too little of yourself. It does not end here, my dear, bewitching Casa.

Diego

When I arrived

When I arrived

everybody was out dumpsterdiving for the open dinner, Robino was standing in the kitchen making bread.

Sunshine flooded the kitchen, there was the smell of the bread-mixture, nice music, all peaceful, and everything was

JUST FINE.

I miss everyone already

On the train I wrote a letter home to friends and family describing my time at the casa. I've pasted it here for everyone's enjoyment (minus the part where I talked about how much I secretly hated everybody).

----
Wow, so, where to begin...

Meeting people, sharing stories

Over the last two weeks I ended up meeting people with fairly different backgrounds.
"Louis" from Kurdistan, living in the parallel universe just next wall from casa, hosted our family last Thursday. To celebrate the event, we ate wine leaves stuffed with rice and meat, almost breaking the guideline number one of the casa (no death animals). I say almost because the few food left has been saved over the balcony and eaten there the next day.

the third side of a coin

"My first day at "Casa Robino," I asked where the bathroom was. Simple question, I thought; it should have a simple answer. "Just open all the doors - you'll find it," was the simple reply", is how Charlie the First Brigham the Fourth, aka Caveman, starts his latest entry on his website. What Caveman writes is what comes closest to any description of what actually takes places in this casa, and is a must read for all who is coming here for the first time. Enjoy, here it is. "No hand-holding, no directing; power and responsibility are refreshingly balanced in the Casa."

And for those who want more of Caveman, here goes a nice video: