We Call It The Tube

Leaves as Toothbrushes

2009-03-14T13:58:00.004Z

The leaves of the Cottonwood tree apparently make a good toothbrush-toothpaste combo. While I did not see them using it frequently, Paul's wife had the kids brush their teeth with the leaves this particular day.

Serious Erosion in Ghana

2009-03-14T13:57:00.006Z

Villages can have a serious erosion problem. Just a little below Paul's hand is where the ground level used to be. But because of erosion, the ground has washed away to the level you see in the picture. Fortunately, there are some guys here fighting the erosion and are having success. They just haven't gotten to this point in the village yet.

Ghanaian women have a custom of sweeping the dirt. This might seem odd to people to many people reading this blog, but in their environment it makes a little bit of sense. Most of the ground around houses/huts is exposed dirt. Most places do not have grass. As they walk on this dirt and often is in a space for relaxing or cooking, they want to keep big pebbles and other "rubbish" out of the area. This means that the heavy rains are capable of causing major erosion.

What most of the women don't seem to realize is that if they stopped sweeping, the grass would grow. Here grass seems to grow without any problem or needing daily waterings. How many reminders I have had of the waste in the Western way of life? Why don't we find local grass or ground cover that can survive local climates and not require the constant watering? When will we stop being so concerned with beautiful lawns at the expense of our environment and water supply?

Ghanaian School kids

2009-03-14T13:57:00.005Z

White person + camera + crowd of Ghanaian kids = a very excited crowd of Ghanaian kids. We stopped by the school in the village where the serious erosion problem was. The children at every school that I have been too get so excited when they see a white person. Class more or less does not go on for the whole school until I leave the premises because the kids are so interested to see the white person. This is the first school where I asked to take a picture but I could not get the kids to stand still long enough before they were rushing to me to see the picture! I was backing up as I was taking this picture, trying not to fall. I quickly finished and said good-bye without letting them see the picture. I felt bad for this but I really didn't think my camera would survive a display.

Croc in Techiman

2009-03-14T13:56:00.007Z

Paul and I had been feeding the fish in this spot for 5 or 10 minutes without noticing the crocodile laying on the edge of the water. Someone walking by pointed it out to us.

We came to feed the fish here so I could see the large fish that are in the water. Apparently, it is a tradition that you don't eat the fish in this river so that there will be fish for the next generation to eat. That's right...it means no generations get to eat the fish from this river! It doesn't mean though you can't eat fish from someone else's river...let their next generation not have fish!

Kintampo Falls

2009-03-14T13:56:00.006Z

About an hours journey north of Techiman are the Kintampo falls. There is a small park here with an entrance fee (foreigners pay more than Ghanaians to enter). It appears there might be a mandatory 10-15 minute tour to the three stages of the falls. The final stage requires doing about 125 stairs. Here you can plan to take a picnic and have a shower in the falls which really you should do to make the trip more worth it. The water was not deep enough for swimming when I went there but maybe after the rainy season it is possible.

Northern-style Ghana Mud House

2009-03-14T13:55:00.003Z

This house is the style of house seen in the Northern region of Ghana. The roof is a place where many things happen...food is sun-dried, water is collected, people sleep at night, etc. It appears that it is common in Ghana to write phone numbers the walls. I haven't asked why yet. I think it is because of a lack of access to pen and paper...plus it's harder to loose the number this way.

Raising Snails

2009-03-14T13:54:00.002Z

While visiting a site where Paul is hoping implement many elements of Permaculture to create a demonstration location, I got to see how snails are raised. There was a pit in the ground with a thick layer of leaves. If you dig around in the leaves, you can find many snails. The biggest one I saw had to have been about 6-8 inches.

The Abandoned Eco-village Xofa

2009-03-14T13:53:00.000Z

This whole adventure around the world centered around some volunteer and educational work I was planning on doing at the eco-village of Xofa, near the village of Dodi Asantekrom. I received a big disappointment when we arrived there. No one had bothered beforehand to tell me that the eco-village had been abandoned and was in need of repairs and restoration even thought I have been planning this trip for months with one of its founders who now lives in Austin. Apparently, Xofa's management thought they could either do the repairs once I arrived or keep me satisfied with a homestay.

I had arranged for Paul of International Permaculture Services (a company started in Australia) to conduct the permaculture design certification (PDC) course at Dodi, in hopes the people of Dodi could join and might benefit. The secretary and farm manager of Xofa joined us for the course but no one from Dodi. The course took about a week.

During this week, after repeated instances of unreliability and irresponsibility on part of the management/local coordinator of Xofa, I decided it was better that I not stay there and to extend the PDC in the town of Techiman with Paul.

Pounding the Fufu

2009-03-14T13:52:00.006Z

Pounding fufu is really an art of timing between the stick coming down on the fufu and the hand turning the fufu in the bowl. To watch it, you think the person's poor hand is about to be smashed but with great rhythm and timing, this never happens (well...not that I've seen so far). The fufu-pounding bowls are a solid piece of wood. Can you imagine the size of the trees that they are made from? They really must preserve trees to be able to make them in the future.

The Rain Arrives

2009-03-14T13:52:00.005Z

The day that we went out to finish our Mandela garden, we were hit by a heavy rain. It was a really nice rain. It reminded me of laying on the bed reading a book during a heavy rain at Wolf Creek in East Texas. A good afternoon rain is so nice when you are in the countryside! Right before the rain arrives, heavy winds come first. Since there is a lot of exposed dirt, this means there is a bit of a sand storm which makes it hard to keep your eyes open if you get caught in this wind. See...I knew lasik would be a good idea! I couldn't imagine having contacts and getting lots of sand in my eyes!

This rain however demonstrates a major problem in many villages in Ghana...erosion.

Living in Dodi

2009-03-14T13:50:00.003Z

Five of the people in this picture are members of the family where I stayed the week that I was in Dodi. The mama is the lady in the center. The lady on the right is preparing dinner on a charcoal stove that you must fan for about 10 minutes to get the coals to a good state for cooking. The experience of seeing how they prepare food made me learn how anal we are about how clean the area is where we prepare our food (and this is coming from someone who is already not so anal about it). Apparently Paul and I kicked the kids out of their room and they slept out on this porch while we were there. The kindness of Ghanaians is amazing!

Market Hats

2009-03-12T16:46:00.002Z

I loved these little (in terms of affection not size) market hats. I thought it would be the perfect addition to my "farming wardrobe." I decided (wisely in the end) to wait to buy one to see if it was so necessary as it would be quite bulky to carry around. These women are selling smoked fish. Smoked and dried fish seemed to be a big meat staple in Ghana. The smoking and drying are not done so much for taste but for preservation. A well smoked or dried fish has little or no odor.

Fishing Traps

2009-03-12T16:44:00.002Z

This man sits in the shade making fishing traps of bamboo to sale at the market. He can make about 30 a day and they will sale for about $0.80 each. I considered buying one for my stay at Xofa. (At the time I saw these, I had not decided to not stay at Xofa/Dodi.) I imagined it an easy way to catch fish for the day. It made me think of a simple life I am planning for the US where I can catch my own fish each day. Of course, this means there is a source for fish on my unbought, imagined property in the US :).

Belly Button Sealing

2009-03-12T16:37:00.002Z

This is my other baby friend from Dodi who liked me instantly. His nickname is Nana (meaning 'Chief'). You may have noticed the extreme outty of a belly button. It was explained to me that sometimes when babies' are born, they do not clamp/seal off the belly button well and air gets inside it causes this extreme protrusion. They told me that is it not fixable and the child will grown up to an adult and still have this. Knowing how advanced medicine is, I'm certain there is some way to fix it but probably not something very available (or so necessary) to those in small villages in Africa. I wondered if something so superficial could impair one's ability to reach a job level of high regard?

Child Fear of the Obruni

2009-03-12T16:35:00.002Z

I had the most unexpected response from babies. Babies of Accra (the biggest city in Ghana) were scared to tears of me. However, the children in the small villages took to me instantly. This was the baby to instantly like me and come to me. She even took to playing a blinking game with me. Everytime she saw me, she would get excited and smile. She was a breath of fresh air. I would have expected that the kids in the villages would have been scared of me and the children of the city would have not been scared...but I've been reminded you should never make assumptions.

Quality and Maintenance

2009-03-12T16:34:00.000Z

One way to get to Xofa is by taking a boat from Dodi across the water to Xofa. It's a nice way to get there. The other ways are by road (which is much longer) or trails through the bush. To take a boat however, you would have to convince some local to take you in his boat. I don't know how easy this is normally for a stranger but as I was with the people of Xofa, we did not have a problem.

This does bring to attention the state of repairs of things, not to point "inferiority" but because it reminded me again of how much we have that we don't need and how quickly we throw things into the garbage. Every boat I road in had a leak and was equipped with a bucket for dumping water along the way. It would be great if we could learn to use things until they are truly unuseable. I don't know the exact reason for not repairing the boat...if it was because they didn't have the money, skills or time.

Ghana Transportation

2009-03-12T16:32:00.002Z

While this was not the normal type of transportation we took, it was for sure one of the more fun ones. while there are buses as public transportation between towns, most often you see shared taxis (a taxi shared by a few people going in the same direction but it only goes on major routes) or mini-vans. These are generally called tro-tros. Depending on your accomodations, a ride in a shared taxi can be the most comfortable seat you experience for a while. This is not necessarily true for the mini-vans. You can pay the shared taxi when you get out. However, the minivan conductor (someone other than the driver) will request payment during the journey. Traveling within a town, they cost about $0.20. Traveling to another town depends on the distance...but for sure cheaper than most westerners are used to paying. Also, taxis and minivans seem to be the cars in need of the most amount of repair. But again a reminder of how much we throw away usable things.

Ghanaian Food

2009-03-12T16:30:00.003Z

Can we say pepe? Yep...spicy food! Fortunately, some people understand that foreigners may not eat so much and will ask you before preparing the food. Typical dishes include a ball of a doughy substance (made from various starching vegetables) that is about the size of 2 fists and a sauce or stew poured on top. The mass of the food will be this doughy bit. Banku and fufu (made from unripe plantains and casava or yams) are the two common doughy foods. Steamed unripe plantain and yams or rice are eaten instead of the banku or fufu. Bits of fish are usually in the sauce. Proximatey to fresh fish seems to determine how much. Meals are eaten from a shared bowl with your hands. But you only use your right hand as your left hand is for wiping yourself after going to the toilet. Overall, the food is not bad but I would not say my tastebuds leap with excitement when I eat it.

As for drinks, an interesting one that I had is palm wine. This is made from (as indicated by the name) palm oil (the bane of anti-biofuel activists). The palm wine has a natural carbonation to it so it is a slightly bubbly wine and white in color. They also make strong liquors from things such as palm oil and mangoes. As for the beer, the major ones are nothing to write about. I've always drank bottle water or "pure" water in little plastic bags. I've not had problems with this water so far.

Accra Beach

2009-03-12T16:29:00.003Z

One evening we hung out at the beach in Accra. It's a lively area in the evenings with restaurants and bars along the beach and plenty of chairs to relax in. The beaches did not strike me as anything spectacular, but simply a decent beach. For sure better than what we have on most of the Texas coast! You can kick back and have a beer brought to you and enjoy some live music while you relax on the beach.

Ghana Water Use

2009-03-12T16:19:00.000Z

While there are for sure cultural differences between the US and Ghana, I was not hit with culture shock as I expected. The way of doing daily things is a bit different, but I did not find this hard to adjust to. The house where I stayed in Accra did not have running water but did have electricity. Water was kept in a barrel in the kitched and was refilled from a neighbor who had a large water tank that supplied the neighborhood with water. Neighbors come to fill their barrells from her tank, at a price of course. Dishes are washed in buckets filled with water. Showers are bucket baths. An initial wetting by pouring a bit of water on you, followed by the washing of the body, and wrapped up with the rinsing again by pouring water on your. Brushing of the teeth is accomplished with a toothbrush, toothpaste, and a cup of water...done at your outside location of choice. While there was a toilet, it was only used for #2s. Peeing is again done at your outside location of choice. When the toilet was used, you must bring your own bucket of water to pour into the toilet bowl to flush the toilet. However, as enough water is not often used to flush the toilet completely, you often had a present waiting for you.

All this being said, I could not ignore how much less water I was using this way. I could bath with about 2-3 quarts of water (a few more for washing the hair). Brushing my teeth can be accomplished with less than a cup of water. I also am not frivolous with the amount of water I drink. And if you take too much water, it doesn't have to be wasted by throwing it out, you can simply put it back in your barrell of water...or set it aside for later use. It was a good lesson to learn to quickly. I have plenty of time to consider how to reduce my water use (of course, I have exmamples already) when I return to home

Salbutes

2009-01-29T00:03:00.004Z

I need to find an article that explains why greasy food is so addictive. These little 3" pockets of joy are nothing more than fried mini, puffy tortillas punched open to put some meat and other toppings...but my how they were tasty!

Belize Clam Chair

2009-01-28T23:53:00.006Z

Here is a chair that we saw frequently in Belize and is pretty comfortable if you are in the mood for lounging back in the chair. It's a little hard to sit (lady-like) in a skirt in it though. You can buy some at http://www.belizegifts.com if you like them so much. I haven't bought from them so can't vouch for the business.

Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave - Belize

2009-01-28T23:37:00.003Z

Spelunking through a cave where you have to swim to find ancient Mayan skeletal remains is definitely one of the highlights of my trip so far! There are no lights put in place in the cave so the tour guides provide you with a hardhat with a headlight on it. It's about as raw as caving can be with a tour. You are allowed to wear your bathing suit while going through the cave but you must carry your close with you tucked away in your hardhat. They require you to wear clothes when you get to the area of the Mayan rituals took place out of respect for those who died. Definitely something to do if you go to the Cayo district in Belize. And better go quick before they decide to stop allowing tours.

Martha´s Guesthouse - San Ignacio, Belize

2008-12-10T18:17:00.002Z

When we went west to the Cayo district in Belize, we stayed in San Ignacio at Martha´s Guesthouse. We got the First Lady Suite which we were very pleased with because of this huge balcony that was the same size as the room...which is quite spacious. To top it off, it´s on the 4th floor and has a hammock...which was just what the doctored ordered for me! While the room was lovely, both of us found the people that worked there rather unpleasant. Somewhat of a turn-off from staying there.

Mayan Ruins of Tikal - Guatemala

2008-12-10T18:05:00.004Z

We made it to the ruins of the ancient Mayan city of Tikal in Guatemala. It really was amazing to see for a pyramid first-timer as myself. Tikal is something like the most excavated ruins in either the Americas or something...sorry I loose the location...but the excavation is rather extensive. You can´t help but to wonder what happened to the Mayans, but as with all Empires, an end must come so maybe it is not so relevant...maybe there is nothing useful to be learned from why the empire fell apart as the downfall of an empire cannot be avoided.There is also plenty of jungle life to be seen among the ruins. We saw howler monkeys, spider monkeys, and i don´t know what else. The vegetation was amazing. I haven´t been to see the big trees in Cali so I was quite amazed by the size of the trees here. Our guide was so kind to pose in the base of this tree to demonstrate the size of it.

Bussing it in Central America

2008-12-10T17:56:00.002Z

Taking the buses is definitely an experience. The public buses that transport you around the country are old American school buses. They will cram as many people into as possible. The part that is quite different and entertaining is that the buses stop anywhere along the way to pick up and drop off people. If you need to be picked up, just stand on the side of the road (and this can be in the middle of no where) and flag down the bus when it comes and it will stop and let you on. If you need to get off, just whistle, tap on the roof, or anything to get the drivers (or the fare guy´s) attention and he will stop immediately and let you off. The fare guy stands at the opened door while the bus is driving along and keeps an eye out for people needing to get on and will help with any big bags you might have. He'll also help you with your bags when you are getting off. This way makes the trip a bit longer but for a country where cars are not common, it makes a lot of sense.

Toilettes in Central America

2008-12-10T17:45:00.003Z

I´m sure those that have traveled in Europe and Asia have encountered the toilettes that are just holes in the ground with ceramic to stand on. The surprising thing here in Central America is that so far, I have not encountered those toilettes anywhere. What is common here is that you can´t put the toilette paper in the toilette...you must put it in the trash can because more than likely there are cracked pipes along the way and the paper could get caught and build up. This sign however is the only time I´ve seen such instructions for flushing. Unfortunately, due to clogging the sink at my apartment the day I was moving out, I discovered this technique. It was a fun, educational find for me! :)

Captain Baxter´s Snorkeling

2008-12-06T14:31:00.002Z

We went snorkeling with Captain Baxter in what appears to be his partially handmade sailboat. It was a nice way to go out on the water...tour speed boats being the other option. Captain Baxter was a character himself. He couldn´t be bothered to learn our names so Debbie was "Chinese Lady" and I was alternatingly "Texas Lady" or "Travel Lady". He was a bit disappointed none of us knew how to roll a cigarette and so resigned himself to smoking a cigar while we sailed and making his cigarette while we were snorkeling. He was resistant to getting in the water with us because as you can see it wasn´t sunny and so it was cold. But fortunately he did. He took us to Shark Ray Alley and Hol Chan Reserve. At Shark Ray Alley we saw sharks and sting rays. At the reserve, we saw a variety of sea life, include sharks and barracudas. He took us to an underwater cave/tunnel but none of us were experienced enough snorkelers to make it down there and back. He said there was an eel in there. He really is a fish!! It was a fun time and I highly recommend him. You can find him at the Caye Casa Condos/Hotel.

Wild Mango

2008-12-06T14:23:00.002Z

This little restaurant at the south end of the main strip of beach in the town center serves tasty food and very tasty margharitas...so good I even got Debbie to get one! This is there spicy mango margharita...a mango margharita with some red chile powder sprinkled on top...tastyyyy! The food is a fusion food so don´t expect the local fare but it really is good and this place should definitely be tried. If you are not eating street food, then you are more than likely eating at a touristy place as the locals are generally too poor to afford the restaurants. On the north end of the center of town, you will start to find more street food vendors (little "shacks") where you have just a few choices of food but it is very tasty and cheap.

Pupusas

2008-12-06T14:08:00.003Z

I love these little pouches :)...at least that is what I think the name translates to. It seems to be not quite tortilla dough stuffed with your choice of stuffings (meat, cheese, beans) and then topped with a "cole slaw" and red sauce (which isn´t too spicy). They are made fresh in front of you and takes longer than you would expect to cook them. This little lady in San Pedro, Belize was churning them out like a pro!

Mapping my progress

2008-12-03T23:40:00.002Z

View Larger Map
I hear that people keep wondering where I am as I can't update my blog as often as I'd like but what I can find time to do is keep the map of where I'm going and where I've been fairly up-to-date. So, you can check out my google map link in the list of links on my blog.

Lamanai Ruins with Tanisha Tours

2008-11-29T15:27:00.004Z

Debbie got a good tip that Tanisha Tours is a good outfit to use for a tour of the Mayan ruins of Lamanai. If you head out from San Pedro, you get the pleasure of a fun zipping boat ride on the river through the mangroves. This was for sure more exciting than the ruins though the ruins were interesting. Your tour guide Daniel has been doing the tours for 20 years so he is quite experienced and has loads of knowledge on the wildlife of the area. He and his helper can amazingly spot a small bat or lizard amongst the mangrove as they wiz by in the boat. They are always willing to turn around and show the animals to the people. If you come from San Pedro, breakfast of banana nut bread and juice, lunch of local styled food, and water during the tour, and a rum punch or beer is provided. The only down side is that the trip to the ruins from San Pedro via boat is about 3 hours (including an unpleasantly bumpy 1 hour bus ride), but the fun boat ride makes it well worth it. The other option (not with Tanisha tours) is to fly with TropicAir and you will still get to do one portion of the boat ride but I think the portion you do if you go with Tanisha is more interesting (possible dolphin spottings when traveling through the sea and sharper turns when navigating through the mangroves).

Natural Scaffolding

2008-11-29T00:35:00.002Z

One thing that is refreshing is the use of natural, unmanufactured materials for various purposes. Granted, this is probably done out of necessity but it keeps open the question of how much we really need to manufacture. (This is really a post for my mom because she was wishing she could get into the scaffolding business the first time she went to Europe and I know she loves natural "construction".)

Critters

2008-11-29T00:28:00.002Z

This little crab somehow managed to crawl into our bathroom at night and die. It was there first of what to be some critter visitors in our little cabana at Hotel Del Rio in San Pedro, Ambergris, Belize. The "hotel" has a nice little common area where the guests seemed to use quite frequently which gave it a nice community feel. So much of a community feel that Debbie and I had no qualms of dashing to one of the other cabanas late at night to get a guy to come kill what was the biggest spider either Debbie or I had ever seen. Really...it had to have been at least 6 inches in diameter (including the legs). It moved to fast for us to get a picture of it. The owner and manager of the hotel says they didn´t know what type of spider it was. We are still alive now so I suppose it doesn´t matter now.

Belikin Beer

2008-11-24T02:42:00.002Z

I took the opportunity of drinking Belize's beer to test out my handy-dandy Swiss Army knife. It worked wonders! I was pleasantly surprised by how good the Belikin beer is. One could even call it pretty good. I'm definitely surprised that the national beer is good...at least from the comparison to the "national" American beers.

TropicAir Flight to San Pedro

2008-11-23T22:11:00.005Z

We opted to fly to San Pedro from Belize city which meant we flew on a plane that takes about 15 people. It's only a 15 minute flight. The Belize City International Airport is quite small and the flights on TropicAir leave as soon as the plane is full so we left about 15 minutes earlier than the scheduled time. It's a nice view over the ocean to the island of Caye Ambergris. There is another airline (Maya Air) that flies to San Pedro and they have the same flight schedule and similar prices. Not sure what their planes are like but I had no complaints about our flight with TropicAir.

Let the adventures begin...

2008-11-23T21:40:00.005Z

Well...my around the world trip started in luxury. Debbie and I got upgraded to first class for our flight to Belize which meant we could get into the American Airlines lounge. We lounged in-style while we waited for our flight. I had to soak it up because it is probably the last vestige of luxury I will have for a while :).

The Power of the Consumer: Carrot Mob

2008-07-28T14:55:00.004+01:00

This is a great demonstration of how we can put our over-used power of the consumer to good use.

Carrotmob Makes It Rain from carrotmob on Vimeo.

Wall-e

2008-07-23T03:56:00.003+01:00

Come on people...really...you can't in the first 2 minutes of the movie get the theme of the movie?? I saw Wall-e the other day and was struck by the strong message in the movie that was for me blatant in the first 2 minutes. What has baffled me is how no one (in the mass media) is talking about this and how the message seems to escape a lot of people. So, I write this post so that anyone planning to go see Wall-e will know to look for a message about our current path on Earth in the first 2 minutes. If you are not sure what it is by the end of the movie, please contact me and I'll explain then.

In-room coffee at Carmel River Inn

2008-07-23T03:22:00.004+01:00

Now I have to admit one thing that I didn't like about Italy (and a few other countries in Europe) was no coffee maker in the room. It is a standard that I had become accustom to in the US and England (well...there it was water boilers for tea) and it is nice to enjoy your morning cup in the privacy of your own room. But let me say that no place has lived up to the coffee luxury of Carmel River Inn in California. A coffee machine with a built-in coffee bean grinder....in your room...I'm loving it!!

Peace

2008-07-23T03:16:00.003+01:00

Ha...Enough said.

A new phase

2008-07-10T22:55:00.002+01:00

Alright, while I had mostly been a tourist in the places I had been living, I have now returned back to the US and Austin where I lived previously and so am quite familiar with it. That being said, Austin has changed a lot in the past couple of years, so now the blog is going to focus on exploring these new things of Austin and also information worth sharing as I prepare for my year off, volunteer, and travel around the world.

Bar Quadronno in Milano

2008-04-29T18:33:00.003+01:00

This little place serves up tasty unique little sandwiches but a bit expensive. It probably will take two to fill you up and they go for about €6 each. But it will be tasty! Here's a link to the google map.

Bring it on Mediterranean Sea!!

2008-04-29T18:20:00.003+01:00

As I was walking to the beach in Tel Aviv, it hit me that this was my first visit to water since my lasik surgery where I could actually get in and enjoy. Let me tell you...it is so nice to be able to swim and play around in water without having to worry about water getting in your eyes because of contacts (not wearing the contacts was not an option because I can't see anything without them)! So, to anyone considering Lasik...I say do it! The freedom is liberating! Plus, you don't have to worry about sandstorms in Africa either! Water and sand...I have no fear now!

Tel Aviv Beach Sunset

2008-04-29T18:11:00.002+01:00

Well, I thought I would welcome myself back with a nice peaceful picture from my trip to Tel Aviv. Apparently, kite surfing is very popular here and it is a most peaceful time to spend sitting on the beach watching the kites float through the air. It's way better than watching birds fly through the air I must say...the kites stay around longer and keep soaring. You have the excitement of near misses with water and specators on the beach when the kite glides breathtakingly close to either. Too top it off, you can sip on a beer or cocktail with the sunset in the background. Really, I couldn't have imagined a better way to spend my last night there.

Fishing in Dublin

2007-07-23T14:33:00.001+01:00

Maybe such a store shouldn't surprise me, but I was quite surprised and amused when I saw this store in the smack dab of the middle of Dublin. I know Dubliners must getting the tackle supplies somewhere...but it still seems out of place...it's not like they are going to go fishing in the middle of Dublin...are they???

Cascina Monluè

2007-07-23T14:22:00.000+01:00

There is a little farm called Cascina Monluè just off one of a major road near Milan that hosts various music festivals. While I didn't know the bands that were playing, I did definitely enjoy the music. This is just a shot of the place to get food so you can see the old farmhouse building. Everything is outside though.

Storms

2007-07-23T14:17:00.001+01:00

The Milan area can get East Texas style rain storms...it's a nice reminder of home. I promise, I didn't alter this picture...this really is the rain cloud. I'm not sure what the people in that building did to make God mad, but I would suggest not doing it again.

La Piazza dei Sapori

2007-07-23T14:13:00.001+01:00

La Piazza dei Sapori was a nice festival I stumbled across while I wandered around the city center of verona when I was visiting a customer for work. It was a nice surprise. It was a festival for food specialities of the various regions of Italy. As I was starving and not sure how I would eat the food nor how I would store what I didn't eat, I passed on getting anything and instead went on to eat at a restaurant. There was also live music at the festival so it was quite nice.

Italian Iron

2007-07-23T14:08:00.001+01:00

These Italians aren't joking with their iron. This has got to be on of the most intense home iron I have ever seen. This puts the American home steam iron to shame. What do you think an Italian mom is trying to say to her Italian son when she gives him an iron? Don't worry, he had it before he met me so it wasn't a message to me :)

Vietnamonamour

2007-05-08T15:37:00.000+01:00

We tried this Vietnamese restaurant Vietnamonamour in Milan the other night. It is my first crack at Asian food in Milan. While it wasn't bad, it also wasn't the greatest either, but I wasn't expecting it to be. One thing is for sure, while you can can get excellent Italian food in Italy, that is about the only excellent food you can get here. So, not-bad Vietnamese is a good thing. Look out for the Asian waitress...she's a bit of a hard-core woman...no joking with her! And be prepared for a bit of competition-bashing from her. Oh, and Vietnamonamour is actually a B&B with a public restaurant.

Eating on the patio

2007-05-08T15:32:00.000+01:00

Is it a sidewalk cafe in a quaint little village in the Italian countryside? No, it's the new patio furniture so we can eat outside at home and enjoy the wonderfully perfect weather (when it's not raining). Don't you just love the quintessentially Italian red and white checkered tablecloth? Oh, and please ignore the dead flowers. I promise...I didn't kill them!

Reunion at the Cabin

2007-05-08T15:23:00.000+01:00

No East Texan family reunion is complete until stories are being told around a campfire while weenies roast. It was nice to see 70 people gathering to celebrate the 50th anniversary of when my grandfather and his friend built the cabin we affectionately call Wolf Creek. One for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, now go cat go...SPLASH!!!

The barber's 3rd client

2007-05-08T15:11:00.000+01:00

Before & After...I keeeeed....I keeeeed. What a difference a season can make! This is the view of a field from Bec's balcony. This Pine-Tree-East-Texas girl is not accustom to baron winter vegetation!!

Italian pitstop

2007-05-03T13:58:00.000+01:00

Autogrill is the Italian equivalent of an interstate truckstop. You can get crappy food, useless souvenirs, bad cds, and the classic snacks and soda. But my do I love how the big ones span the road!! It looks like some 50's version of a futuristic place.

Fra Diavolo Ristorante

2007-05-03T13:34:00.000+01:00

Fra Diavolo is a nice restaurant in the countryside in the small village of Pompeiana. Don't be deterred by the rugged exterior. Both the interior and the food are quite nice. You can enjoy some typical local food here.

Comfort TV

2007-05-03T13:27:00.000+01:00

There is nothing like some good ol' Dukes of Hazzard in Italian to help get a person through an illness. It's amazing how you don't have to understand a single word of an language to follow the show. Should I attribute that to the wonderful acting?

The barber

2007-05-03T12:19:00.001+01:00

Have I ever told you that I love to buzz guys heads? Boy do I!! Actually, I shouldn't limit that to guys. Girls, I will buzz your head too. Hermaphrodites included as well. Here is my second client ever (other clients include David Sims). I think it is an excellent #1 buzz. The haircut allowed Bec to enjoy his first full English breakfast.

Thanks for your patience

2007-03-27T23:27:00.000+01:00

Ok, so I have caught up on the blog. There some 15-20 posts of my catching up and I hope you made it through them. From now on, I promise not to deluge you with so many posts at once. {imagine rainbow picture now}

Fresh Italian Milk

2007-03-27T22:54:00.000+01:00

Oh, how my childhood memories of getting fresh milk from an old lady we knew came back to me when we pulled up to this dairy to get some fresh milk. The outfit I went to when I was a kid was nothing like this...it was just a single old lady who milked her one or two cows and kept the fresh milk on her front porch in a fridge which you could go to at any time and replenish your supply, leaving the appropriate amount of money on a chair on the porch...oh the simple good ol' days! When Bec told me we were going to get some fresh milk, I was not expecting this...what a treat it was! Just inside the entrance to the dairy farm is this little machine where you place your your own bottle and €1 gets you one liter of milk. Yum Yum...truly fresh milk!!

Lodi Antique Car Show

2007-03-27T22:42:00.000+01:00

We went to Lodi in the Lombardy region in Italy just to take a look around the town center but there happened to be an antique car show going on so we got to enjoy that. We saw a few nice old Porsches, Fiat 500s, and loads of other cool old European cars. There were two old American cars there and boy could you spot the American boats...oh I means cars...out!! Why did we want our cars to be spaceships back in the day? This is a picture of one of the first cars we saw, the first model of the Alfa Romeo 1900. You can't tell so much from this angle, but it was designed by the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia designer Ghia. Of course, I noticed this fact right away!

CapoVerde - Milan

2007-03-27T22:21:00.000+01:00

This is a great little restaurant that was recommended to me back in September when I was visiting Milan. It is a plant nursery, natural cosmetics and toiletries, bar, and restaurant all rolled into one. Because of the nursery, the atmosphere is very refreshing with all the vibrantly green plant around. You walk through a maze of plants before you get to the outdoor patio where you can enjoy a nice drink from the bar while munching on the all you can eat happy hour appetizers with the purchase of a drink! Becareful because you might spend too much time having drinks and appetizers and never actually make it to the restaurant. This is what happened to me so I can't actually comment on the food but the atmosphere is great!!

French Water Taps

2007-03-27T22:12:00.000+01:00

Maybe you were expecting H and C for the tap labels but that would be a wrong in France. It's the little differences in life that make life fun. Say for example the surprise you feel when you are sitting in the tub taking a bath examining the nice tap set and think they have mislabeled taps but then think a bit more and realized that they are labeled perfectly fine seeing as you are sitting in a bath in Paris. Hot = Chaud and Cold = Froid. So please don't be thrown the next time you are at a sink or in a bath in Paris...C and F are right...now you just have to remember which is which. (Yes, I was sitting naked in the tub when I took this picture. The first person that can detect a glimpse of me wins a prize...not really, but what else are you to write after that).

Winter food in Autumn

2007-03-27T22:05:00.000+01:00

So, if one happens to find themselves at a cafe in a strange country where you don't speak the language too well, it would seem normal to look around to see what others are eating and if something looks appealing, tell the waiter that you would like one of those. And on top of that, you would not expect that the people who originally were eating that dish would laugh at you when they saw you eating it as well. Nor would you expect that they would point this out to your other cafe patrons so as to incite them to point and laugh as well. Apparently, that is what happens when you order a Winter dish in the Autumn in Paris at a cafe that I unfortunately don't recall the name of on Rue Daguerre. I still like Paris and this street though.

Rue Daguerre - Paris

2007-03-27T21:57:00.000+01:00

I was in Paris and stayed in a hotel that was near the cutest little street. Ok, maybe not the cutest, but some great little food shops are on it. Of course, you have your obligatory typical Parisian cafes but there are a few uniques one to check out. More importantly are the little cheese, meat, and fish markets that are on it. It really is a nice way to spend a little time in the afternoon. It is completely a pedestrian zone as well. It's only one block long, maybe 2 so it's easy to fit into a visit.

Beer and beach

2007-03-27T21:43:00.000+01:00

Does one need anything more? Probably so, but play along with me here! Especially since it's in East Central London at one of the older breweries in town. Truman Brewery creates it beach-away-from-the-beach just off of Brick Lane in London. They like to call it the City Beach Club. Its amazing that people will flock to sand in a hot, humid city with no water to go rinse off. Tell me why the dry, sandy spots in the city parks don't have the same appeal??

Outdoor chess

2007-03-22T11:14:00.000Z

We stumbled across Stockholm's version of New York City's Washington Square Park's chess. There is only one board so that means that the one game tends to draw a bit of a crowd...the pressure is on! At first I thought they could have nicer chess pieces but as it is a public board, you don't want them too nice as they might get stolen. Though something tells me that stealing isn't so much in the Swedish vocabulary.

Swedish Design

2007-03-22T11:10:00.000Z

Ok, I know this isn't the greatest of pictures but it's the only I got on the trip so I'm using it. Anyway, I liked this chair and thought my mom would as well so i took a picture of it. For me, it is a good example of the organicness (ok...so I'm making up words now) of some of the Swedish design. I wish I had sat in the chair to see how it feels. Oh and yes...that is me in the reflection if you can't tell.

Wat Pho Thai Massage

2007-03-22T10:59:00.000Z

All I could think of when I saw this sign were the black guys in my high school asking why they were getting sent to the office...in ebonics of course as follows:

Teacher: Johnny, go to the office now!
Johnny (black guy): Wat Pho?!!! (What for?!!!)

It cracked me up and I couldn't stop saying Wat Pho! My friend was probably getting a bit tired of hearing it! We didn't actually go for a massage there but if you are ever in Stockholm, maybe you can check it out!

Mushrooms in Stockholm

2007-03-22T10:54:00.000Z

In September last year, I found myself in lovely Stockholm. In one of my walks through the city, I passed a food market that had many of these mushroom stands. At least that is what I think they are. Maybe some foody out there can help me out on what exactly they are. Anyway, I was surprised to see so many of these foods in a Western country and not have any idea of what they were. Apparently the Swedes love them!!!

Michelangelo's Davide

2007-03-22T10:36:00.000Z

And of course, no trip to Florence is complete without a visit to see Michelangelo's David in the Galleria dell'Accademia. Pure perfection! They now forbid pictures to be taken of him so I had to sneak this one but when I lived there and we went to visit you could take all the pictures you wanted. I came to learn that every female member of my family that went to see him took pictures of his butt...it is a nice one (I know it's not real) and we are butt people in our family! You can also see one of Michelangelo's Pietas and some of his Slaves he was working on when he died. To miss the opportunity to go to the Musical instrument museum as well that is attached. There are some neat old instruments there.

Ponte Vecchio at night

2007-03-22T10:23:00.000Z

It really can't be beat, especially when there is a street musician playing. That is what is going on this night in the picture. Some of the evening strollers have taken a seat to enjoy the nice show. It is required when you visit Florence to take a break in one of the open spots in the middle of the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge)...best if done with significant other to steal a nice kiss. The bridge is lined with jewelry shops now that are open during the day. It used to contain butcher shops way back in the day of the De Medici family. The De Medici family had to cross this bridge every day to go from their home (Pitti Palace) across the Arno to the government offices. When a flood happened one day and ruined the shops, they made sure that the butcher shops were replaced with nice jewelery shops...a much better aesthetic than raw meat!

i 5 Tavoli

2007-03-22T10:01:00.000Z

These are some pieces of art on the wall at a pub I frequented every Thursday night with my friends with I lived here almost 10 years ago! The name "i 5 Tavoli" means "The 5 Tables" and rightfully so as it is a very small pub where they know the regulars quite well. It is very close to the Santa Maria Novella Church, close to the main train station so you an stroll over after you arrive via train for a nice cold 1/2 pint of Murphey's (it's the beer I drank when I lived here).

Duomo in Florence

2007-03-22T09:43:00.000Z

I took the weekend between working in Rome for two weeks to go to my old haunt of Florence. My how I love that place!! Be prepared for a number of posts about it. That being said, I was able to see some more of my friends while I visited the old site of Florence. Pistachio joined me for part of the trip but again as in Rome, one friend Caffe (Coffee) had to leave early...what a flake...always bailing so early! The Duomo is a definite place to visit in Florence. You can climb to the top of the Duomo for a nice panoramic view of Florence. I didn't on this trip but have in the past. It's nice to see friends like Pistachio and Caffe after a climb to the top!

Trevi Fountain in Rome

2007-03-22T09:36:00.000Z

My friend Nocciola (Hazelnut) joined me for a short visit to the Trevi Fountain while I was in Rome in August. It was a short visit as she had to leave soon after that. My friend Caffe (Coffee) was with us earlier but he left before we could take a picture. I really do like those guys...they are a great pair!! It's great to see them in Rome in August!

Windy Rome?

2007-03-22T09:28:00.000Z

No, just a cute little street performer. I must say that I do still get a kick out of them. Even though he does nothing special besides stand there looking goofy, I think street performers shouldn't go away. At least this one is fun to look at and not boring like the multitude of "human statues" you will see in Rome. I do tend to prefer when the street performer exhibits some sort of talent besides standing but being funny looking can be just as pleasing.

Updates to come

2007-03-22T09:26:00.000Z

So I'll get back to adding posts and will try to catch you up on what I've been up to. There could be no particular order to my posts so just take it for what it's worth.

The end of a cold era

2007-01-05T00:56:00.000Z

So, I have taken my last cold shower! And let me tell you, it didn't go out easy. We fought a number of times over the hot water. I don't think there was a clear victor and in the end it was called a draw. I, however, left happy knowing it would be my last!

For those who don't know, I have had many bouts with my shower not putting out the hot water that is suppose to be available on demand. Imagine coming home from an international flight, looking forward to a nice, long hot shower to rinse the filth of travel off of you, and all you are welcomed with is cold water. Not good...not good.

EDIT: It is my last shower because I am moving...nothing morbid.

Talyllyn Railway

2006-12-30T22:05:00.000Z

Since I cut our hike up the mountain short, we found ourselves with a few hours to kill and it turned out our timing was impeccable to catch the last train on the Talyllyn Railway, a rail line that started in 1865 and still runs using the original engine and passenger carts. We took a short bus ride from the base of the mountain to the next station on the train's route. We provided much amusement to the master of the small rural train station when we informed him that we just got off the bus (a mostly unused system by the locals) to catch a train that would take 3 times longer than the bus! This train is purely a tourist attraction so we were a bit confused why it was so humorous as we weren't using it as the most efficient means of transportation. Any at any rate, he happily sold us a ticket and off we were on a ride at a speed that many people could have ran along side! But it gave us an opportunity to see a bit more of the gorgeous Dyfi Valley countryside. Oh, and if you stay for the stop at Abergynolwyn, then you get a complementary glass of Sherry and minced pie. It ended in Twynn by the sea and we had a quick glimpse of the sea before catching the last bus back to where we were staying. Let me tell you...that see was the most violent sea I have seen (though that is not saying much)!

Welsh Cadair Idris Mountain

2006-12-30T21:54:00.000Z

Bernard joined me for the trip to Wales where CAT is and we spent the next day trekking up a nearby mountain Cadair Idris. We were caught by the wet, winter Welsh weather just at the beginning of our journey and it stayed with us the whole way up and down. We made it to the lake at the top but I was too drenched and cold to make it to the peak so we turned back after a quick picnic lunch by the lake. Now, when I say picnic lunch, I mean sitting up against a rock hoping for it to provide some shelter from the windy rain while we scarfed down our sandwiches. I must say though, I loved the effect of the gusty wind on the top of the water! I could watch that for ages.

Center for Advanced Technology

2006-12-30T21:42:00.000Z

In my desires to learn more about sustainable living and development, I set out to visit a place that promotes/lives these ideas. After much scheduling re-shuffling I found myself going to CAT. Not being impressed by the quality of information on the website should have been a clue of what was to come at CAT. While CAT promotes great principles and ideas, I don't think a one day trip will be of great inspiration to a new-comer to ecological/sustainable living nor provide in-depth enough information for someone who is already informed on these topics. Maybe I am wrong on the matter of a new-comer. They do offer courses and maybe those are worthwhile, but I have not taken one so I can make an opinion. Don't get me wrong...I think CAT is trying to do a great thing...one just may not be inspired by their facilities. They do live and research the ideas they promote. I found CAT by exploring the ecovillage website...http://gen.ecovillage.org/. Maybe there is one near you that will be interesting to visit!

Absolut Vodka Ice Bar

2006-08-22T12:20:00.000+01:00

In an attempt to show a collegue an interesting time in London, we decided to try out the Ice Bar in London. It cost £12 to get int but that includes one fruity vodka drink. You get a special coat with gloves to wear to keep you warm as it is below freezing in there because yes...it is all made of ice...the bar, tables, and glasses. Needless to say, the coat and gloves don't keep your feet warm when you are wearing sandles! So it is a fun, try-it-once experience, not really interesting enough to keep going back...except to bring others :).

Jacob's Well - Wimberley, TX

2006-08-22T12:01:00.000+01:00

During my last visit to the US, my family and I went for a swim at Jacob's Well just outside of Wimberley, TX. It was recently purchased by Wimberley Valley Watershed Association in an attempt to preserve and learn from the natural well. The US Geological Survey provides real-time water data. Essentially, Jacob's Well is a real deep hole that is the main source for Cypress Creek. While I have heard rumors that it is 1 mile deep, my reading have not put it quite that deep...but still deep! The well is the dark spot in the water. Otherwise the creek is only a few feet deep in the area. So the fact that you only have a hole with an effective diameter of about 2-3 meters makes it quite exciting to jump from the rocks above. A few kids went to the highest point to jump into the well, which required a bit of a running start to build enough propulsion to make it to the hole and not land on the rocks. We were told they were closing it to soon to begin research so if you want to experience jumping into a really deep hole, better go soon! Oh, and it's quite refreshing in the Texas heat!

No Catapults!!!

2006-08-19T13:05:00.000+01:00

In light of the current flight events, I thought I would mention this bit of amusement at the airport. Unfortunately I was in an area of Gatwick security that didn't allow pictures else I would have taken one of the sign of items not allowed on flights...among them...CATAPULT!!! I don't know about you, but I was greatly inconvenienced by the prohibited item! How am I suppose to attack the castle in a land far away that requires a flight if I can't take my catapult on board with me?! Really, I can't check that on because I can't trust that there are no enemies working for the airline who would steal it from the checked baggage!

Chaplin Film in Canary Wharf

2006-08-19T12:49:00.000+01:00

I spent a little over a week working in the Canary Wharf area. There is a park there and one night they had a showing of a couple of Chaplin films with a live orchestra. It was really nice! I had never seen a Chaplin film before and had assumed it was purely silly slapstick humor, but I found it to be really intelligent and I found a dark side to some of it as well. So if you never seen a Chaplin film and have a little hesitation, get over it and check them out! And keep on eye on the summer season at this park.

Queen of Spades Opera - Holland Park

2006-08-19T12:35:00.000+01:00

A friend has a friend who is in this Tchaikovsky opera and got two free tickets to the final dress rehearsal so we went. There is an outdoor stage in Holland Park that does an opera series. It was a good opera...I definitely got wrapped up in the emotion of it. The costumes were Russian winter garb while we were in the middle of our great heat wave, so you had to feel bad for the performers! We met a deputy orchestra player (he plays when one of the regulars needs a night off) who happened to be Russian so he explained some of the historical references in it which was nice. Queen of Spades is no longer playing unfortunately.

Zurich - How Lovely!

2006-08-19T12:23:00.000+01:00

Ok, I have fallen in love with Zurich! I would like to think we have a bit of a romance going on. I've managed to visit so far her each season I have been here and she's been wonderful each one...you get the full range! The summer was so exquisite! While riding on the trains can be a bit hot and stuffy, the head of Zurich Lake is right there in the city center so a quick swim is only a few steps away. And let me say, that water is oh so refreshing and clean as it's not that far from the source of the snowy mountain tops! I'm looking forward to a fall visit to see the changing of the leaves. It's not the largest of cities, but it is gorgeous and has come interesting people. There are some interesting swimming spots along the river that runs through town near Limmatplatz.

Even if they can't win...

2006-08-19T12:17:00.000+01:00

America will make sure they are visible. I couldn't believe it when I saw this sign that one of the worst (but most well known) American beer is the official sponsor of the World Cup while the World Cup is being hosted by Germany, a country well-known for it's beer! Leave it to American Capitalism to take away from a hosting country to tout its local culture.

Indymedia's Anti-G8 Film Festival

2006-07-09T01:28:00.000+01:00

So, I did actually make it to the film festival. Saturday nights films were footage from the protests at last years G8 summit in Scotland. The film "Won't Get Fooled Again - G8" I found particularly interesting. It focused on the teenagers who were there to protest and demonstrated that children are intelligent enough to beware of and understand major world issues. But if you insist that children are dense, then the film is a demonstration of how simple the problem with G8 is because these kids get it. I must say that I was moved to see children being so passionated about things beyond pop culture and it helps to prove my idea that the best way to change this world is to educate our children properly. As I discussed with another festival attender, education isn't about learning dates, it's about learning why things are happening. We don't prevent bad history from repeating by know that something happened, but why it happened.

As a plug for IndyMedia...you should check them out. They have local websites all over the world and rely on local, responsible reporters to provide worthwhile news. That being said, I'm sure some cities' local IndyMedia sites may be more useful than others.

Gabriel, a Penis, and a Birth

2006-07-09T01:05:00.000+01:00

Or something like that is the title. In my attempt to go to this anti-G8 film festival tonight, I found myself on the rooftop of the Rampart Social Center in east London looking at 2 girls standing on chairs, panty-less with the skirts of their dresses up over their heads, leaving their body naked from the waist down. They stood there on the chairs about 8 feet apart with a rope holding sheets of paper with writing on them between them. Afterwards we found out that the rope was being held up not by their thighs as we had thought but due to the fact they had inserted the rope in them. This is the scene we saw as we came out on the roof...I knew then I was not at the film festival but it seemed interesting so I decided to stick around for a bit. What proceeded was surprisingly delightful and good and not so surprisinglg...intriguing. A performance ensued that to me started as if two girls were in their secret place in the woods, free to play as their child-like creative mind moved them. It slowly became more intense and it never seemed to loose the sense of a deep bond between these two girls. The setting could not have been more perfect...everyone in attendance agreed on this fact. This post is already long enough so I won't talk on what happens in it, but keep you eyes and ears open for a performance with 2 Greek girls coming to a local theatre near you (in London). I think I heard them say they will be performing it at Ladbroke Grove on Portobello Road.

MAR-GHER-ITA!!!!!!!!!!

2006-07-09T00:53:00.000+01:00

OH YES!! Margherita, let me count the ways you refresh me! My goodness I forgot how refreshing a margherita is!! In my attempt to find a sushi place that ended up being closed, I stumbled across a Mexican restaurant La Perla that seemed to be calling me so I went in to eat. How happy I was to see chips and salsa already waiting for me at the table! To top it off, the salsa was actually spicy. And it was that perfect spicyness where it's not too spicy but spicy enough that you have to keep eating it to postpone that oh so good burn. This, in addition to the latest heat wave here, was just demanding I have a margherita so I got one on the way. While a bit tangy, it actually wasn't half bad. I did savor it and not just gulp it down quickly. I ordered some chicken quesadillas and rice but they are not much to talk about. The menu was interesting and worth trying other things to find something good. So, at the least, this place is good for some drinks and chips and salsa. You can also get some of those good summer Cuban drinks here as well. I wish I had found this place a while back as I was craving a mojito.

London Gypsy Orchestra

2006-07-08T11:09:00.000+01:00

So finally I have made it to a performance of the London Gypsy Orchestra. What a fun group this is! To start, saying the leader, Gundula, has a flare for energy is an understatement. Her enthusiasm and joy for the music is undeniable. I think the motley collection of people that have come together to form this orchestra is probably a testament to the universal fun this music is. The belly dancer that performed few a few songs was a nice addition to the show. It will be interesting to see how this group grows, not in members but in being a professional act. A few mics for the instruments would have helped boost this great music into the audience more. This was their largest audience yet (if you don't count the shows they have done on BBC 3 Counties radio) and the venu was sold out so these guys are definitely developing a following...check them out!

A bitch session

2006-07-08T00:43:00.000+01:00

So, if ever you iive in an area that is hot and there is no air conditioning so you leave your windows open, beware of moths! Who knows how long the moth must have been trapped between my comforter and the sheets (I swear no more than 2 weeks though....I do wash my sheets :) ). After treking my favorite nice soft, high-threadcount sheets all the way from the US, their ruin has be expediated by the bastard moth that somehow found his way into my washing machine/dryer, only to find himself with the experience of a full wash and dry and survive!! Well, I think it pissed him off so while he waited for me to take the sheets out, he had a lovely dinner on my nice cotten sheets! The bastard! I assume it is only a matter of time and usage that the small hole he has eaten will rip my sheets to an unusable state. Now the search begins for my new favorite sheets only because of the beginning of the end of the current ones.

Welcome to the Tent

2006-07-07T14:00:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I attended the first event at a festival in a tent that has been organized by an artists named Andrea. Andrea has organized this festival to bring together and provide exposure for local artists. Last night, three members of a Georgian choir (Bernard being among them) sang songs while Rima painted from the musical inspiration. The tent with its wooden floors which everyone sat on with pillows added to the natural, organic experience. The Georgian choir sings folk Georgian music and definitely something one should experience. Rima's paintings are quiet enchanting and wonderful to see them evolve and come to fruition.

If you would like to find out more events happening at the Tent, call Andrea at 0793 9590652.

Italy advances to World Cup finals

2006-07-06T11:37:00.000+01:00

After catching up with some friends over drinks, I found myself in Piccadilly Circus after the Italy-Portugal semi-finals World Cup game that Italy won. You can see from the picture that the Italy fans were just a "little" happy their team had won (notice the guys climbing the fountain). I really can't wait to see the celebration after the final World Cup game! I'm sure London has a population of either of the contenders so it should be a sight to see and enjoy!

Isabella Rossellini

2006-07-03T23:55:00.000+01:00

Last Friday, I got free tickets to see a speaking event of Isabella Rossellini. It is her father's, Roberto Rossellini, 100 birthday this year and in his honor, she has written a book "In the name of the Father, the Daughter, and the Holy Spirits" and made a short film about him. So, she spoke quite a bit about her father and his film style. She is a very witting, entertaining speaker who doesn't seem to take herself too seriously, and is probably humbled by the reputation of her parents. She rejects any undo, polite praise which makes her more human than celebrity. I must say it was quite an entertaining evening despite the fact she appeared to have a few stalkers in the audience who caused awkward moments during the audience Q&A session to the point where the interviewer had to under his breath ask for the mic's to be taken away from the questioneer. One almost hoped she had some security afterwards.

My first Banksy

2006-07-03T16:25:00.000+01:00

Carter was the first to tell me about Bansky, a stencil graffiti artist that has a message in his paintings. Well, yesterday I had my first Bansky sighting and it happened just as my bus was pulling up so I had to snap teh picture once I got on the bus. This one is just by the intersection of Farringdon Rd and Rosebury Avenue.

First and last English 2006 World Cup game

2006-07-03T16:19:00.000+01:00

Saturday we watch the English-Portugal game out in east London. It was a good crowd that had gathered at the York pub near the Angel tube stop. Unfortunately, the supportive crowd was not enough to help England win the game. This picture was taken just at Portugal made its game winning point in the sudden death. It was quite exciting game that kept you on edge until the end.

World Cup Fever

2006-07-03T16:10:00.000+01:00

So, I finally had an opportunity to watch the world cup in England. Subhayu was in town this weekend and in our wandering around on Friday, we stumbled across a crowd gathered in the street watching the Italy game from a 25" tv INSIDE a pub! Keep in mind they were having to watch it through the windows of the pub so there was quite a glare on it. You have to respect the dedication of fans!

Traveller's guide

2006-06-28T22:47:00.000+01:00

As I've had an abnormal amount of jetlag since I've been back. Life has been rather slow. I met with the founder of Dan's Fund for Burns and others who are trying to plan a black tie fundraising event for the organization (details can be found on website). Anyway, so I don't have much to say so I thought I would comment on how ever traveller needs a travelling companion...aka musical instrument. I have found the harmonica to fit the bill as it is so portable. Plus a music book for it can be quite compact as well. Also, for those who travel so much, don't hesitate to get a cleaning person to come clean for you right before or after you get back from your travels. The last thing you want to do with your precious time at home is spend it cleaning. That being said...anyone have a good cleaning person in London?