Riding the magic carpet: One World One Heart 2010

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Welcome friends old and new alike. Your magical carpet floats delicately before you. Before our flight departs, let me give you some history and a small safety briefing.

You are about to be taken on a wonderful ride through Bloglandia. The journey (since it is magical) can be as long or as short as you like. Perhaps you merely want to gaze at a few sites and treasures before alighting at your next stop, or you may stay and explore. Whatever you choose you are most welcome - for this is a One World; One Heart journey as the residents of this land of the imagination open their doors and share a little love.

The carpet before you may look a little threadbare and lack the usual creature comforts one expects with modern travel - there will be no drinks service I'm afraid, nor indeed any chairs; but I can assure you of a trouble free and safe flight.

(image: Annie Liebovitz)

Are you sitting comfortably now? Then we'll begin. Let's go right back to the beginning...

My Great-Great-Great Grandmother Elvira was a lady born with wanderlust sewn into her silk stockings. It was many years however, before it made its way from such a bizarre home and took this fine lady on her many adventures.

Her husband Ernest had regrettably grown into his name for he was a most serious fellow and not taken with the idea of travel outside of England's green and pleasant land, nor indeed even the small country town where they had made their home. After spending her honeymoon gazing wistfully at the lands across the English Channel from a wind-swept Brighton beach, Elvira begged her husband to take her to see the world.

Ernest thought he could placate his wife with trips to Bath and Edinburgh, but not even the ghosts of Holyrood Palace could tame her wild spirit. Eventually, for he was a kind man at heart and dearly loved his wife, he agreed on one special trip. They would travel to Spain.

Elvira's heart was bursting with excitement as they clambered aboard the steamer in Plymouth that would take them to the magically named Bilbao. However, what followed was not quite the journey of their dreams. Foul weather followed in their wake tossing and throwing their craft across the Bay of Biscay. A mysterious ailment struck the crew down who were unable to fulfill their duties. Ernest and Elvira took turns with the other passengers to steer the ship and guide her away from the terrible rocks that threatened to smash them to pieces. Wild storms swallowed them whole and spat them out into a maelstrom of confusion and far off course. After days of terror listening to the moans of the crew and wrapped in a blanket of confusing fog, they at last sighted land and made for the welcoming arms of a harbour on what appeared to be a small island.

Elvira and Ernest thankfully stepped onto dry land once again. A bustle of humanity greeted my relatives and their fellow travellers, whisking them up into a small town which appeared to be in the middle of a busy market day. Crowds thronged the streets admiring exotic fruits, vegetables and spices piled high. Garishly coloured clothing swung like washing on lines and the noise of colourful birds and beasts fought to be loudest among the strange language spoken by the residents of this haven.

The travellers wandered lost among the chaos unable to make sense of any words. The Captain, now sufficiently recovered, was using the universal language of barter for food and a new compass (since their own was behaving in a manner that indicated six poles instead of two). He instructed his crew and passengers to be back at their ship before sunset when he would guide them back home to Plymouth, thinking they had possibly had enough adventure to last a lifetime. Or at least he hoped he would, since at this moment he hadn't the slightest idea where they were.

Knowing that this might be her only chance of travel in this lifetime, Elvira grasped at it with an enthusiasm that surprised even her. She lifted her skirts and, leaving Ernest surrounded by chattering ladies, ran through the market laughing and waving at the surprised traders. Her senses were alive and devoured all that she threw at them. There was one sense however that was just waking up... Her sixth sense suddenly took Elvira away from the crowded market and into a narrow alleyway. With no fear she walked alone toward a small shop almost hidden in the shadows. Moving aside a dusty curtain she entered...

An old man bent his head in greeting and beckoned her in. As her eyes adjusted to the gloom, Elvira noticed that the tiny room appeared to be covered completely in carpets of the richest hues. There was not a scrap of wall, ceiling or floor to be seen among the beautiful patterns swirling before her eyes.

At last she stopped in her inspection as she beheld a small rug of outstanding beauty. Ruby reds, met sea blues and greens that were surely the colour of mermaid tails. Elvira stroked the soft fibres and breathed in a mysterious spicy scent that wafted from them. The man smiled and lifted if from its hook on the wall. He gave it to her to hold and Elvira gasped with surprise when she felt a weight no heavier than the silk shawl she wore over her shoulders.

Elvira knew at that instant that she must have this carpet. It already seemed a part of her. She had no money with her and somehow doubted that this shop would accept her Queen's Sterling. The man, sensing her thoughts just smiled, placed a gentle hand to her back and guided her towards the door. Elvira turned in confusion, attempting to return the treasure, but the man would not take it. It seemed he wished to gift it to her. Elvira could not possibly accept such generosity from a poor stranger and the man, again reading her thoughts, continued to smile and pointed at silk shawl.

Elvira shrugged it from her shoulders and gave it to the man who wrapped it around himself and smiled, before returning to find her frantic husband and return to their ship. They sailed within the hour and two weeks later were back at home believing they had visited a small and uncharted island off the coast of Africa.

You might think that the story ends here, but readers, this was just the beginning. I am sure you have guessed correctly that mysterious illnesses, navigation equipment failure and unknown islands appearing out of the fog can only mean one thing... that magic was afoot... and it wasn't long before it showed itself again.

The very first night they were home, Elvira carefully placed the carpet on the floor of her bedroom. She slept fitfully and after waking from an incredible dream clambered out of the warmth of her blankets to fetch a glass of water. The second her bare foot touched the carpet, she was thrown first to the ground and then in the air. Bracing herself for impact she was shocked again when none came and to her utter amazement she found herself seated on a carpet suspended mid air. When it took off out of the window and she disappeared with it into the night she was tempted to faint, having no suitable lady-like reaction stored up for just such an occasion, but curiosity and her sense of adventure got the better of her and so she was fully conscious when they landed just outside the Parthenon in Athens. Just as she was when subsequent trips took her to the Pyramids, The Grand Canyon, Paris in the Spring, The Ganges, Victoria Falls, Machu Picchu.....

Elvira recorded her adventures in her many journals illustrating each with words and drawings that excelled the imagination. After she died (at the grand old age of 102), the carpet and her 'fanciful' stories were packed away in storage waiting for the next female in the line to come of age... Many sons were born to my family.... until 1970 when a baby called Lisa made her entrance into the world!

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Well, I have to confess that this post wasn't at all how I thought it would be. I had no idea that Elvira would appear and tell me her story. I was just going to give you a short tour around my blog. If you're still with me by this stage I'm sure you're exhausted so I'll give you leave to depart. Thanks for your visit and do pop by again. What you'll find (apart from evidence of an over-active imagination) are the varied ramblings of my words and creativity. I'm a rather enthusiastic blogger who rediscovered a passion for art and enjoys combining the two. I hope you'll return for a longer look around.

Before you go, you may like to enter my little giveaway and take a piece of Elvira's story with you. Who knows, there may be some magic lingering with it. This mixed media painting and collage is made from fragments of Elvira's journal, letters, photographs and paintings (yes, that's her bottom left, she was quite a beauty!).

To enter, simply leave a comment to this post ensuring that I can reach you if you win via your blog or email. All comments must be received by February 14th and I'll announce the winner on the 15th.