World Cup Fever

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

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?

A bon voyage post

As usual, this time home was too rushed but still good to see everyone. I really just wanted to post this picture as it's been a while since I put a cloud picture up here. It was lovely to see everyone but I must say I didn't miss the Texas heat!! How much worse will in be in August?!! At least with a picture, you can imagine/remember it as being perfect!

Sky Lounge - Austin, TX

Friday night ended with with some dancing at the Sky Lounge. Although I wasn't initially in the mood for dancing that night, I ended up having an excellent time. I must say I didn't think Austin had it in it to pull off a proper dance club, more than just cheesy techno music. Maybe though with the sound system Sky Lounge had, any music could have been good to dance to. At times, your whole body vibrated with bass. The dj Friday night is DJ Shadow's producer...everyone was having a great time! I definitely recommend this place if you want a long night out dancing...the party doesn't get going until after 11pm.

Blue Hole near Austin

I did a surprise visit home to Austin, telling only 2 people who would have to help me get some others into town. Anyway, my family and I went to a swimming hole Blue Hole outside of Austin, TX in a town called Wimberley. It is named so because the water is typically crystal clear, able to see the bottom of the creek. However, due to a drought going on in the area, the water was murky brown, but still very cool and refreshing. As the creek is quite deep in some spots, they have 2 trees with rope swings and ladders to climb to limbs and jump from. One of the nice things about the Blue Hole was that it wasn't overrun with people. The Blue Hole is awaiting some development work on the grounds and facilities so bathrooms are a bit rundown (but who's there for the bathrooms). It cost $5/person as they are trying to build up funds to do the renovations. It's definitely a great place to beat the Texas heat!!

Paris - Chartier Brebant

Our final night we had dinner at an old restuarant Chartier. It was opened in the 1800s to provided the working class a place to go out to eat that a bit nicer for them. The food was nothing amazing, but it wasn't bad either. The waiters are professionals and do expect that you treat them as so. It's worth a visit for the architecture and wait-staff and the menu is interesting enough. Afterwards we went to Le Brebant for a , a cafe in the Brebant Hotel, for a drink. The cafe had an interesting decor and unfortunately, I can't comment on their drink selection as we stuck with wine. The bar staff were quite friendly and jovial. We had a good time and it was a good way to end our time in Paris.

Paris - Day of Relaxing and Specialty Shops

Saturday morning we visited a chocolate shop and a pastry shop that Carter had read about. He is the king of specialty food shops! I think it was about the 3rd chocolate shop Carter had been to since they arrived in Paris so if you need a Parisian chocolate expert, he's your man! For lunch we went to the only Vietnamese restaurant we had found (stumbled across really) that was on the same street at the restuarant we had dinner at the night before. I had a pork balls (meatballs that is) with rice paper...I got to do the wrapping myself :). It was quite tasty. Definitely recommend others checking it out.

After lunch while the rest of the gange went to the Musee D'Orsay, Carter and I went to yet another pastry shop which unfortunately for Carter didn't have the chocolates he was hunting so instead we got some fruit juices and baguette to help us prepare for our snack in the park. We checked out a nice olive oil shop nearby that had olive oils from a number of countries. It wasn't until on our way to purchase did we see that we could have sampled some to make our selection. The lady in the shop to demonstrate that a fruity taste was not good would do a coughing/gagging motion...it was quite amusing. So after Carter made his selection, we found a park where we enjoyed our pastries (from the shop that morning), juices, olive oil and bread.

It was a perfect day and the park was full of groups of young 20-somethings hanging out. It made me realize that such a social scene does not happen in most U.S. cities as everyone has their own backyards where they gather with their friends. And when they do go to parks, it is to do an activity, not just to lounge and socialize. I think it is a nice social interaction that most Americans are missing out on and it would be lovely if we could find a way to get them out.

So, I was really bad about noting names of places we visited, but I will update this post as I figure them out.

Paris - L'Orangerie and Eiffel

Well, the crew obliged me with my one sight-seeing request to visit the newly renovated and opened Musee de l'Orangerie, original and rightfully returned home of Monet's Water Lilies. The opening of the Museum was delayed by the discovery of a portion of an old wall under the museum during the renovations. A portion of the wall is now visible in the museum now. As for the Water Lilies, what an equisite display they have! A glass ceiling provides plenty of natural lighting. The first floor is dedicated the Water Lilies while the lower level has a surprisingly larger painting collection and where the old wall can be seen.

After a dinner at lovely little French cafe, Debbie got her fill of the Arc de Triomphe and we watched the Eiffel Tower go all sparkley from the Trocadero Gardens. I must say, I find the Eiffel Tower quite mesmerizing when it is lit up at night (but not when the sparkley lights are on). I highly recommend grabbing a bottle of wine and just letting your mind go free while you are hypnotized by the Eiffel Tower at night.

Lyon, France

A few weekends ago I visited my sister in Lyon. While Lyon isn't the largest of towns, it is old enough to have old French charm with some modern conveniences. We mostly walked around enjoying the beauty of the city, having plenty of Kir Royale's, and enjoying spending time together. You can take a 'tram' of sorts up to the old city at the top of a hill. It's full of picturesque cobble-stone streets. Unfortunately we arrived to late to go into the old cathedral there. On the modern conveniences front, they do have a subway/metro/tube/u-bahn (take your pick) system that gets you to all the major points. But even more interesting is the bike sharing system they have there. It's a system that provides bikes and bike locking stations all over the city. One might ask, what is the difference between someone buying their own bike and locking it up themselves? Well, I personally think this system encourages the usage of bicycles as a mode of transportation more than simply expecting people to have their own bike and the city providing bike racks to lock your bike to. Though we did have a bit of trouble getting a day card for me, I think it is a system worth exploring in other cities. An interesting fact is that Lyon has the headquarters for Interpol.

African Perception

So, I thought I would do a post to comment on my perception of Africa.

I must comment on how little the warnings of being a female alone were relevant. Except for being blatently checked out at times (things I would experience in other countries say like Italy), I felt no fears of being a female walking alone. Ghazi tells me that tourist get some slack in these areas. Of course as in other places, discretion should be used in where you go alone. But also, most Tunisian women (and I suppose men for that matter) do not appear to be conservative Muslims. I see more covered women in London than I did in Tunisia.

The people in rural areas seem to have a purity and rawness about them that I don't feel in rural America. Maybe it has to do with little exposure to capitalist culture and a simple focus on sustaining and enjoying life. I was very drawn to this. It was the first time where I felt the serenity of a simple life could be satisfying. Simple should not mean uninformed, uninvolved and without access to the outside world.

So, here is my call for everyone to keep yourself informed of things outside of yourself and to live a life with purpose! May your mark leave the world a little better!

And then there was the beach in Sousse

And so we arrive at the beach...


We stayed at a hotel that at least looked interesting but was a very touristy hotel. Apparently, the Russians got a good package deal because 85% of the people there were Russian. So naturally, there were cheesy, touristy events planned at the hotel. First night was karaoke (which a lot of people didn't participate in) and the 2nd night was a drag queen show (which none of the Russian's attended...just other nationalities). The drag queen's weren't even good at their lip-syncing! I mean if you are going to not sing, you have to at least learn the song well enough to lip-sync well! Most importantly, we got to relax on a beautiful beach on the Mediterranena and I didn't get burnt!




This is the view from the hotel room...man...why can't life always be like this!!


It was a wonderful visit and I recommend others visit around. The clarity in mind you experience is exquisite!

On the road to Tamerza

Ghazi and I headed to Tamerza in central Tunisia on the 2nd day. It ended up being about 5-6 hour drive and we saw some beautiful serene countryside. I must say it did remind me a bit of the bits of New Mexico I have seen (minus the Native American influence). We crossed a few major hills/small mountains with awesome panoramics. Lush vegetation slowly became isolated to scattered oases.

That night we stayed at a hotel Tamerza Palace that is situated just next to some old ruins and an oasis. Tamerza is the largest mountain oasis of Tunisia. It was quite a picturesque setting. We lounged by the pool that afternoon and I must say, the silence out there was nothing like I have experienced. It was amazing the level of peace of mind that can be achieved in one afternoon. As we decided the next morning to head to the beach, we didn't get to explore the nearby waterfalls and gorges. I think neither of us realized how worn out from work we were and just needed to relax.


So we turned around on Saturday and headed to the beach. We found out from the hotel desk clerk that as I registered as an American at the hotel, we could get stopped at checkpoints as America has agreements with various Muslim countries to help look out for its citizens. I don't know if I buy that is why, but sounds plausible. And he was right...on our way to Tamerza, we didn't get stopped once. However, when we left from Tamerza, we were stopped at a few checkpoints. I was actually surprised at the number of policeman that are just out and about hanging out at various round-abouts.


We had lunch at a small cafe along the way where the meat was fresh daily, as signified by the hanging fur by the bbq pit. It was quite tasty. Along the way, we passed a herd of camels and pulled off the road to take a few pictures. We were quickly approached by the shepherd, requesting something in return for getting to take the pictures of his herd. While Ghazi had planned on giving him something, the shepherd remained belligerant and Ghazi refused to give him something and so we were promptly ran off.

Tunis, Tunisia

I visited my friend Ghazi in Tunisia this past weekend. How reminded I was that we need to continually visit places completely different than our norm! The first morning he had to work and so dropped me off in the old part of Tunis. As you can see there is a market for touristic/traditional goods. Notice the place/door at the top of the stairs, that is an old cafe that has been open since the 1300s! I arrived early enough that the shops were still opening and putting their goods out so that they didn't have time to harrass me too much to go in and take a look around. This all changed an hour later when all the tourists arrived! I sat and enjoyed a coffee (traditional Tunisian style) at the old cafe for a bit. I think one waiter was going to give me my coffee for free as I didn't have any small changed but another waiter took my 20 dinar bill.


As Tunisia in on the Mediterranean Sea and has been controlled by various European countries through the centuries, there are ruins and remnants of these ruling powers. Here is an example of a Roman aquaduct that would carry fresh water from 60 miles and store the water in these cavities where people would pull water through the circular holes.

The Foundry in Shoreditch

Rima (painting) participated in an improv art event at the Foundry in Shoreditch near Old Street tube stop. While a violinist, bass clarinetist, electric guitarist, cellist, xaphoonist (the last 3 are all the same person) and vocalist improved music, Rima worked on a painting, taking inspiration from the music. A writer probed the audience for thoughts while this was all going on and read allowed a compilation of these thoughts. I was quite impressed with the whole event. The instruments were not played in traditional manners and lead to a very hypnotic sound that allowed your mind to meander from Rima's painting to wherever your mind led you. This event was organized by Openned. Check out their website for other events they organize.

The Chapel Bar

Jennifer and I got together for a late night drink at the Chapel Bar the night before Carter and Debbie showed up. It turned out they were having a costume party there (Duo's was the theme). It was a fun atmosphere and not too loud and obnoxious. The crowd was friendly and open...not necessarily sticking to the people they came with. There was a DJ and dance floor though the music wasn't exactly my tastes. It is a place that stays open past 11pm (always a good thing to know!!). They had hidden these playing cards around and if you found your matching card, you got a prize. Jennifer won some bubbles and this guy we met won a My Little Pony. 2 of Diamonds....where are you??

My Little Pony guy was quite stuck on the brilliance of England, London, and himself. It made me ponder once more why people live by stereotypes? Even though he says he allows people to prove themselves, the fact he commented that I was a progressive Texas shows more you have to prove you are not something, verse that you are something. Maybe one day we can live life truly being open to people.

More Austin Visitors and sights

Debbie and Carter (Bernard in the middle) swung by London for a couple of days of their European tour. This picture is from a Mediterranean restaurant out by Hammersmith that we went to. The food was good (one of the first I've seen with coucous on the menu but then again I haven't been to many Mediterranean places here) however at the end of the evening, they spotted a mouse scurrying across the floor. I think that kill the place for everyone. I got a bit of a stomach ache from a bean appetizer that I originally had no plans of touching (should stuck with that).

We also ate at Ebury near Sloan Square for lunch one day. I thought the food was tasty a bit better fare that a lot of places. It was definitely worth the try. Carter also brought us to a chocolate shop (L'Artisan du Chocolat). They have a wide selection of chocolate morsels made with various ingredients. Of course, a chocolate shop is not complete without some trouffles as well (which it did).

We checked out the Modernism exhibit at the Victoria and Albert museum. It's a fun exhibit to see the thoughts of that period of how design can impact society. Unfortunately, London did not offer the gorgeous weather we had a few weeks ago to Debbie and Carter, but at least this was no surprise.

I'm back

Ok, so after a long break from here (mostly due to heavy work schedule but then partially due to loosing my digital camera), I'm back. I've decided that I will slowly catch up on here what's been going on when the current stuff isn't that interesting. There's been some fun times but then some boring, work times. So, I hope you enjoy the catch (when it happens).

Classical Music Club

I have a visitor this week, Vinny, from Austin. He's on Spring Break hanging out. The first night he got here we (Jennifer joined us) went to what was advertised as a Classical Music Club at one of the neighborhood town halls (Shoreditch Town Hall). When I first heard about it, I was excited because I thought it was a real club that did classical music. It wasn't until we actually looked into going that I realized it was at a town hall and this made think it wouldn't be as interesting. It turns out it was interesting but maybe a bit too pricey (£15) for 1 hour of live music. The event is called This Isn't For You and occurs once a month. There are about 10 different pieces played by a few different groups. There was a rather eiry video collage playing up on the big wall while the music played. There were no seats so for a person who doesn't like to stand, this isn't good. By the end, some people had taken to sitting on the floor...including me and Vinny. There was quite a diverse crowd, all ages and walks of life...though mostly white. The performances were good, both from the selection and execution. I liked that it was a mix of composers. So unlike going to a symphony or orchestra where you only here one or two composers, here you can hear 4-6 different composers. For this fact and that I like the pieces, I recommend this show. You can buy beer, wine, water, and soft drinks. Oh, it takes place in a grand room in the town hall...very ballroom-ish. Despite recommending it, I don't know if I'll go back because of the value (£15 for 1 hour of live music). Oh I should say that a "dj" plays classical music before and after but with everyone talking, you can't really hear it until there is a dramatic bit in the song.

Frankfurt and neighboring towns

I spent the 2nd half of last week in Frankfurt and Pfungstadt. The work week was nothing, but I spent the weekend with my friend from high school Adrian and his new (to me) wife Amber. We had a lovely time catching up and getting to know Amber, who by the way is an utterly sweet person! I got to see my first old school German town, Heidelberg. There is an old castle there that we toured around in. Oh and there is a winery nearby which they sale the wine at this castle and there is a wine barrell about 30 feet tall!! Unfortunately, I lost my camera my first night there (sniff sniff) and so couldn't take a picture. Hopefully Adrian will send me some pictures and I can update this entry with some. Heidelberg was a really neat old town and I'd recommend checking it out.

Copenhagen

After a lovely evening at a party with Bernard where the guest played chamber music and sang, I had to run off to Copenhagen for the weekend before having to head to Aarhus, Denmark for work this week. I visited a friend I met back in September when I first went to Copenhagen to work. We met a an excellent jazz club. Anyway, we hung out this weekend. We ate at a Vietnamese restaurant where I finally got to eat some soft spring rolls with peanut sauce...YUM!! Getting our table was quite weird. The couple in front of us was told there was a 30-40 minute wait for a table. I think they left. We came up next and we got seated immediately. Elton thinks it was because they were Muslim that they got told the wait time. After that dinner, we returned to the jazz club, La Fontaine, where we first met. The singer that night was was having her 40th birthday party! The band was really good. She could do that skit-skat stuff quite well. It was a fun show! Elton's friend Christian eventually joined us and we headed to a late night joint to grab some food. We all walked back to my hotel where Elton played the piano and sang us one of his songs. Oh, he's a musician...you can check out some of his music on mysapce.com...The Sohio Project Sunday, after a bit of recovering from a little too much to drink the previous night, Elton took me to a place where there was an excellent brunch as picture. Isn't it verly lovely looking as well? After that we went and listened to some of his music and see his music video. On top of simply liking his music, his music is actually what most of my friends would say is the type I like to listen to now. So, I think his music rocks and you guys should all check it out! His video was very creative. After the quick, fun weekend, I had to dash off to Aarhus where now it's work time. Although, it's quite nice bcause they only work 36 hours/week and leave the office by 4 or 4:30pm. If only the rest of the world would work like that! So, I recommend checking out Copenhagen, thought you might want to avoid the winter...it's freakin' cold!