With the academic year now over in Cambodia, I headed back to Finland to see my daughter, friends and colleagues, as well as to catch up with my long-time jiu jitsu brothers. However, the highlight of the trip was a week long self-development retreat located somewhere in Finland’s countryside. There, with my daughter’s Godfather, we had an in-depth discussion about friendship, artificial intelligence, and the related project that he was currently working on, as well as how the magic of Cambodia can serve to save the west from its downward moral trajectory. I then conclude with some fresh news about Matilda’s, Snuffy’s and my maiden Tour de Cambodia bicycle tour, which will go ahead shortly after our return to Siem Reap, so be on the look out for that!
In the Chinese Zodiac, 2026 is the Year of the Firehorse. I, myself, was born in 1966, which is the previous year that the Firehorse occurred. This reoccurrence now in 2026, after the completion of the full 60 year cycle, is considered to be the ‘return’ or ‘mirror’ year.
Inspired by my brother-from-another-mother back in Finland, and who is currently working on various AI related projects, I decided, for the very first time, to ‘have a chat’ with AI (in this case OpenAI), and the core topic was indeed in regards to the characteristics, as well as the many other aspects, of the Firehorse, including possible differences between the 1966 and 2026 years, and whether there were any other interesting perspectives that could be worth exploring.
In this video, I address the first of the 3 main questions that I asked, and it was mostly about the general nature and tendencies of the 2026 Firehorse year, and how it may related to all people, and also, more specifically, to me as an actual ‘returning’ FIrehorse myself. While the 2 remaining questions will be addressed in later videos, please just sit back and enjoy this opening narrative, with a nice backdrop from another local village moto tour here in Siem Reap, Cambodia with Kelly’s MC. The day out included a visit to a well known pagoda, Prasat Lpeuk Teuk Thla Bopharam, which is located about 10km out of town, and one that is, in fact, intimately connected with the Chinese Zodiac, as you may notice if you look carefully, as I wander around the grounds of the pagoda complex.
Anyway, thank you for taking the time to watch this latest video, and I wish you all a happy and prosperous Chinese Firehorse New Year, which officially started on the 17th of February, the day on which I published this.
The Camino Portuguese is an approximately 245km long Christian pilgrimage trail, which starts at the cathedral in Porto, Portugal and then ends at its architectural namesake in Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain, but it isn’t just for the dogmatically inclined. The Portuguese Way is undertaken by people of all backgrounds and for all kinds of reasons, though commonly as a part of one’s personal growth. However, regardless of the multitude of possible personal life or spiritual perspectives, it’s also simply a very scenic and interesting 1-2 week long walk.
Here I highlight the most special moments of my own camino, ones in which I’d become utterly absorbed in the sunlight’s exquisite play with the continuously unfolding environments, as well as the consciousness awakening primal sounds of moving waters in the multitude of rivers and streams that I crossed along the trail.
“If you feel that you can’t go on, and your will’s sinking low, just believe, and you can’t go wrong. In the light, you will find the road.”
‘In the Light’ | Led Zeppelin, Physical Graffiti (1975)
So, please just sit back, relax and enjoy this brief sidetrack from the hustle and bustle of regular life; and please share this post with anyone who you think would find it inspirational or helpful. Obrigado, gracias & thank you!
