TV Crack
My addiction has gotten worse. Within the last three weeks, I bought seasons 1-3 and watched them back to back to back over 14 days. During lunch hour at work, I surf the web for info on season five. I obsess over the minutia of each episode. I find myself wondering whether CTU is part of the CIA, or whether it is part of the Defense Department, for crissake.
As far as I'm concerned, 24 is the coolest thing on TV.
I don't know whether it is because Keifer Sutherland is so perfectly suited to play Jack Bauer, or because, season after season, he is surrounded by the best supporting cast I have ever seen, or because every season, the producers and writers have raised the stakes time and time again with graver threats and more adrenaline-pumping drama... but I can't get enough.
Sure, the show has its flaws. What show doesn't? Increasingly, they have begun playing fast and loose with the real-time factor, so that by season 4, characters can get anywhere in southern California within minutes. Some of the plot twists have been pretty damn lame (the infamous amnesia subplot and the cougar from season 2 springs immediately to mind), and the revolving-door of characters who appear suddenly and are liquidated just as quickly can be irritating at times.
But come to think of it, the fact that no character is indispensible might be one of the show's greatest strengths. this trend was established in the finale of season 1, which featured one of the most daring endings I have ever seen. You really never know who is gonna get there ticket punched. I was particularly struck by the demise of so many significant characters in season 3, including one of my favourites, played by Paul Schulze (Father Intintola from the Sopranos). The way that guy went out was so shocking, I could barely believe what I had just seen.
With Jack Bauer "dead" at the end of season 4, I can hardly wait to see what happens in Season 5. I'll be glued to the boob tube for that season premier. I guarantee it.
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Thursday, August 04, 2005
On the day that we find out that we have, in our new Governor General, "more of the same", the last of a breed has gone to his rest, and this nation will never see his like:
SMOKY SMITH, V.C. Dead at 91.
SMOKY SMITH, V.C. Dead at 91.
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
VORSICHT! BISSIGER SCHWEIN!
BERLIN (AP) — Coming across a 100-kilogram wild animal with bug eyes, a big snout and pointy ears is nothing unusual in many Berlin neighbourhoods.
Up to 7,000 wild pigs inhabit the forests in and around the leafy city and often make themselves at home in residential areas. The result: uprooted gardens, frightened pets and annoyed homeowners.
Marlis Goetze has lived in Eichkamp, one of the most pig-invaded neighbourhoods, for over 12 years. She often takes her golden retriever for a walk in the bordering forest, and says there are lots of the swine lingering around town.
“I am still in shock, I just saw a huge boar in the woods,” Goetze said, making quick steps while leaving the forest with her dog. Often the boars come as close as three metres, she said.
Authorities get some 4,000 complaint calls a year about wild pigs ravaging backyards, tearing up fences and eating their way through vegetable gardens, with onions a particular favourite of the pigs. Learning to tolerate the frequent visitors is part of being a Berliner.
“When you live here you kind of get used to the piggies,” said wild pig victim Peter Bebiolka. Last year three boars dug up his yard and turned it upside down.
“I had to plant new grass but my lawn is still full of humps,” he said. “You can feel the humps when you walk across the yard.”
In the anti-pig camp are Hans and Gila Ruge, a couple who has lived in Eichkamp for decades. “It is absolutely annoying, they come and eat what they can find in my garden,” Hans Ruge said.
This year the pigs — who prefer to ravage yards at night and in groups as large as 15 or 20 — broke into the Ruges’ garden three times. They can easily get in by digging into the ground and pushing up the edge of the fence with their snouts. “Every time they steal my potatoes and eat my onions,” Ruge said.
Derk Ehlert, the city’s administration wildlife expert, says people shouldn’t be afraid of the pigs despite their size. “Wild pigs are extremely peaceful, and only aggressive when they fear their own life is at stake,” Ehlert said.
Sows with piglets can often be more aggressive than boars. While the boars will often be content with a strong push with their snouts, an attacking sow may bite.
Ehlert said the growing population meant that a record high of 2,700 pigs were killed by hunters and cars last year — 1,683 killed during hunting season, while 900 more died in other incidents such as being hit by cars or being shot by city-hired hunters after they cause disruptions such as blocking traffic.
Residents can call for assistance getting a pig out of their yards, but regulations require that city workers must first try to shoo the pig back into the forest. Only when the pig won’t go peacefully or becomes aggressive can deadly force be used.
The biggest mistake people make, Ehlert said, is feeding them. “Home owners often leave their garbage out for days. And sometimes, they even purposely feed the pigs because they think the pigs are so skinny,” Ehlert said.
Feeding wild animals, which makes them lose their fear of people, can draw a fine of thousands of dollars, Ehlert said.
Reports of injuries to people are rare, although several years ago, a sow wandered onto a school playground and aggressively pushed one of the kids, who fell but wasn’t hurt, he said.
“There’s wild pigs all over Berlin but they are very calm and almost never aggressive,” said Marc Franusch, spokesman for the Berlin city forestry department.
“Just don’t monkey with them.”
BERLIN (AP) — Coming across a 100-kilogram wild animal with bug eyes, a big snout and pointy ears is nothing unusual in many Berlin neighbourhoods.
Up to 7,000 wild pigs inhabit the forests in and around the leafy city and often make themselves at home in residential areas. The result: uprooted gardens, frightened pets and annoyed homeowners.
Marlis Goetze has lived in Eichkamp, one of the most pig-invaded neighbourhoods, for over 12 years. She often takes her golden retriever for a walk in the bordering forest, and says there are lots of the swine lingering around town.
“I am still in shock, I just saw a huge boar in the woods,” Goetze said, making quick steps while leaving the forest with her dog. Often the boars come as close as three metres, she said.
Authorities get some 4,000 complaint calls a year about wild pigs ravaging backyards, tearing up fences and eating their way through vegetable gardens, with onions a particular favourite of the pigs. Learning to tolerate the frequent visitors is part of being a Berliner.
“When you live here you kind of get used to the piggies,” said wild pig victim Peter Bebiolka. Last year three boars dug up his yard and turned it upside down.
“I had to plant new grass but my lawn is still full of humps,” he said. “You can feel the humps when you walk across the yard.”
In the anti-pig camp are Hans and Gila Ruge, a couple who has lived in Eichkamp for decades. “It is absolutely annoying, they come and eat what they can find in my garden,” Hans Ruge said.
This year the pigs — who prefer to ravage yards at night and in groups as large as 15 or 20 — broke into the Ruges’ garden three times. They can easily get in by digging into the ground and pushing up the edge of the fence with their snouts. “Every time they steal my potatoes and eat my onions,” Ruge said.
Derk Ehlert, the city’s administration wildlife expert, says people shouldn’t be afraid of the pigs despite their size. “Wild pigs are extremely peaceful, and only aggressive when they fear their own life is at stake,” Ehlert said.
Sows with piglets can often be more aggressive than boars. While the boars will often be content with a strong push with their snouts, an attacking sow may bite.
Ehlert said the growing population meant that a record high of 2,700 pigs were killed by hunters and cars last year — 1,683 killed during hunting season, while 900 more died in other incidents such as being hit by cars or being shot by city-hired hunters after they cause disruptions such as blocking traffic.
Residents can call for assistance getting a pig out of their yards, but regulations require that city workers must first try to shoo the pig back into the forest. Only when the pig won’t go peacefully or becomes aggressive can deadly force be used.
The biggest mistake people make, Ehlert said, is feeding them. “Home owners often leave their garbage out for days. And sometimes, they even purposely feed the pigs because they think the pigs are so skinny,” Ehlert said.
Feeding wild animals, which makes them lose their fear of people, can draw a fine of thousands of dollars, Ehlert said.
Reports of injuries to people are rare, although several years ago, a sow wandered onto a school playground and aggressively pushed one of the kids, who fell but wasn’t hurt, he said.
“There’s wild pigs all over Berlin but they are very calm and almost never aggressive,” said Marc Franusch, spokesman for the Berlin city forestry department.
“Just don’t monkey with them.”
Sunday, July 24, 2005
Shocking news! Soldiers' job is to kill people!
My jaw hung open as I read a recent Globe and Mail Article that quoted statements made by General Rick Hillier, Canada's recently appointed Chief of Defence Staff (Top General):
"We are going to Afghanistan to actually take down the folks that are trying to blow up men and women," Gen. Hillier said.
He also gave a blunt assessment of the role of the Canadian Forces, which he said are designed to protect Canadian interests at home and abroad.
"We're not the public service of Canada, we're not just another department. We are the Canadian Forces, and our job is to be able to kill people," Gen. Hillier said.
Naturally, condemnation was swift in coming. Maude Barlow, Chairwoman of the Council of Canadians and my own personal favourite idiot, responded:
"I'm feeling it's time for people to be as calm as possible. . . . I would love Canada to play a thoughtful, moderating position in this," she said, denouncing Gen. Hillier's comments as "very aggressive."
Naturally -- because when you are going up against the head-hackers and woman-stoners of the Taliban, a gang of thugs who blew up a couple of Canadian soldiers the last time we sent our troops over, it is important to be "thoughtful and moderate". Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden was equally thoughtful when he declared Canada a "legitimate target" in March 2004.
Newfoundland-born Hillier, who earned the crossed-swords on his shoulder straps as an armoured officer in the Eighth Canadian Hussars and Royal Canadian Dragoons, is not one to mince words, characterizing the enemy --and that is what they are, THE ENEMY -- as "detestable murderers and scumbags".
This will shock those who think that Canadian soldiers are trained to hand out lollipops, but when I was on basic infantry training in 1994 --a year that saw Canadian soldiers deployed on several peacekeeping missions in the former Yugoslavia and elsewhere -- they were teaching us that the role of the Infantry is to close with and destroy the enemy. To the best of my knowledge, they are still teaching that very same thing.
The General, described as a soldier's soldier, may have shocked some of the Ottawa establishment with his blunt language, but he he is a man who knows what his job is.
--Stephen Staples, a military analyst at the Ottawa-based, left-leaning Polaris Institute, found Gen. Hillier's comments "rather alarming."
"Are we seeing an Americanization of the Canadian Forces?" Mr. Staples asked.
But other prominent lefties seemed to be cool with it. Jack Layton's reaction:
"Controlled anger, given what's happened, is an appropriate response," NDP Leader Jack Layton said. "We have a very committed, level-headed head of our armed forces, who isn't afraid to express the passion that underlies the mission that front-line personnel are going to be taking on.
"A bit of strong language in the circumstances, I don't find that to be wrong."
Jack Layton said that? What the hell is going on? OK, by this point in the article, I'm grinning. In another G&B article, Hillier is quoted again:
"We're not going to let those radical murderers and killers rob from others and certainly we're not going to let them rob from Canada," he said.
He pointed out that during the Second World War, Canadian soldiers did not shy away from fighting the Nazis.
"Did they say, 'No we might be attacked over here if we actually stand up against those despicable murderers and bastards?' No, they did not," Gen. Hillier said..
One question: Where have they been hiding this guy?
My jaw hung open as I read a recent Globe and Mail Article that quoted statements made by General Rick Hillier, Canada's recently appointed Chief of Defence Staff (Top General):
"We are going to Afghanistan to actually take down the folks that are trying to blow up men and women," Gen. Hillier said.
He also gave a blunt assessment of the role of the Canadian Forces, which he said are designed to protect Canadian interests at home and abroad.
"We're not the public service of Canada, we're not just another department. We are the Canadian Forces, and our job is to be able to kill people," Gen. Hillier said.
Naturally, condemnation was swift in coming. Maude Barlow, Chairwoman of the Council of Canadians and my own personal favourite idiot, responded:
"I'm feeling it's time for people to be as calm as possible. . . . I would love Canada to play a thoughtful, moderating position in this," she said, denouncing Gen. Hillier's comments as "very aggressive."
Naturally -- because when you are going up against the head-hackers and woman-stoners of the Taliban, a gang of thugs who blew up a couple of Canadian soldiers the last time we sent our troops over, it is important to be "thoughtful and moderate". Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden was equally thoughtful when he declared Canada a "legitimate target" in March 2004.
Newfoundland-born Hillier, who earned the crossed-swords on his shoulder straps as an armoured officer in the Eighth Canadian Hussars and Royal Canadian Dragoons, is not one to mince words, characterizing the enemy --and that is what they are, THE ENEMY -- as "detestable murderers and scumbags".
This will shock those who think that Canadian soldiers are trained to hand out lollipops, but when I was on basic infantry training in 1994 --a year that saw Canadian soldiers deployed on several peacekeeping missions in the former Yugoslavia and elsewhere -- they were teaching us that the role of the Infantry is to close with and destroy the enemy. To the best of my knowledge, they are still teaching that very same thing.
The General, described as a soldier's soldier, may have shocked some of the Ottawa establishment with his blunt language, but he he is a man who knows what his job is.
--Stephen Staples, a military analyst at the Ottawa-based, left-leaning Polaris Institute, found Gen. Hillier's comments "rather alarming."
"Are we seeing an Americanization of the Canadian Forces?" Mr. Staples asked.
But other prominent lefties seemed to be cool with it. Jack Layton's reaction:
"Controlled anger, given what's happened, is an appropriate response," NDP Leader Jack Layton said. "We have a very committed, level-headed head of our armed forces, who isn't afraid to express the passion that underlies the mission that front-line personnel are going to be taking on.
"A bit of strong language in the circumstances, I don't find that to be wrong."
Jack Layton said that? What the hell is going on? OK, by this point in the article, I'm grinning. In another G&B article, Hillier is quoted again:
"We're not going to let those radical murderers and killers rob from others and certainly we're not going to let them rob from Canada," he said.
He pointed out that during the Second World War, Canadian soldiers did not shy away from fighting the Nazis.
"Did they say, 'No we might be attacked over here if we actually stand up against those despicable murderers and bastards?' No, they did not," Gen. Hillier said..
One question: Where have they been hiding this guy?
Triumph the Insult Comic Dog and Eminem bury the hatchet
Eminmem's Ass Like That video has confirmed my suspicion that Marshall Mathers III continues to be a master of image manipulation. About a year ago, he was ridiculed for panicking and shoving a bodyguard in front of him when Triumph ambushed him at the MTV music awards --A video of the incident is available here.
It was later explained that Eminem's momentary discombobulation was supposedly because he was unfamiliar with the puppet-dog's shtick. Fast-forward several months, Eminem has now co-opted (exploited?) the popular character's persona for a hit single and featured the real Triumph in the Crank-Yankers inspired video.
The media-savvy Detroit rapper has walked a fine line over the last half-decade, jousting with the media over accusations of homophobia and mysogyny while juggling three distinct personas on each of his albums: There is Eminem, the main character --a mainstream rapper with real street-cred who relishes his beefs with Benzino of The Source magazine, and Irv Gotti's Murder Inc; there is Marshall Mathers, (Eminem's real name)--the doting father and troubled-man persona who tends towards introspection in some of the artist's more thoughtful songs... and then there is Slim Shady, the juvenile, puerile, vulgar, and borderline-insane dark persona whose every utterance seems calculated to shock. Each of these personalities appears distinct and fully-formed, as far as I can tell, differing in their style of rapping as much as their respective songs differ in their content.
A glance at some of the lyrics on "Ass like that" would seem to set it clearly in the Slim Shady catalogue. But for this song, Eminem has adopted yet another alter-ego: His former tormentor, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog.
I think the reason this song works so well is that Triumph (Robert Smigel's alter-ego) and Slim Shady are cut from the same cloth: They are characters whose outlandish and offensive statements are somehow mitigated by the fact that they are cartoons -- a rubber cigar-chewing puppet and a grotesque parody of a mentally-deranged sociopathic gangster-wannabe: both are so completely absurd and over-the-top that no one can take them seriously.
Throughout the song, Eminem does a pretty-passable imitation of Triumph's distinctive accent and uses many of the acerbic canine's trademark phrases like "I KEED! I KEED!" --one catchphrase that could easily apply to Slim.
In one verse of the song, he raps:
If I offend I'm sorry, please, please forgive
For I am Triumph, the puppet dog, I am a mere puppet
I can get away with anything I sing, you will love it
and in another verse:
I am Triumph, Britney Spears has shoulders like a man
And I can say that and you'll laugh cuz that is a puppet on my hand
Eminem reveals a deep understanding and complicity with the puppet. He knows how to dissociate himself from all the controversy he has churned up, claiming that people who get offended don't "get" the joke: Slim Shady, like Triumph is definitely NOT to be taken seriously. When it comes to Triumph, Eminem gets the joke, because it is the same joke he has been playing on everyone for years.
Eminmem's Ass Like That video has confirmed my suspicion that Marshall Mathers III continues to be a master of image manipulation. About a year ago, he was ridiculed for panicking and shoving a bodyguard in front of him when Triumph ambushed him at the MTV music awards --A video of the incident is available here.
It was later explained that Eminem's momentary discombobulation was supposedly because he was unfamiliar with the puppet-dog's shtick. Fast-forward several months, Eminem has now co-opted (exploited?) the popular character's persona for a hit single and featured the real Triumph in the Crank-Yankers inspired video.
The media-savvy Detroit rapper has walked a fine line over the last half-decade, jousting with the media over accusations of homophobia and mysogyny while juggling three distinct personas on each of his albums: There is Eminem, the main character --a mainstream rapper with real street-cred who relishes his beefs with Benzino of The Source magazine, and Irv Gotti's Murder Inc; there is Marshall Mathers, (Eminem's real name)--the doting father and troubled-man persona who tends towards introspection in some of the artist's more thoughtful songs... and then there is Slim Shady, the juvenile, puerile, vulgar, and borderline-insane dark persona whose every utterance seems calculated to shock. Each of these personalities appears distinct and fully-formed, as far as I can tell, differing in their style of rapping as much as their respective songs differ in their content.
A glance at some of the lyrics on "Ass like that" would seem to set it clearly in the Slim Shady catalogue. But for this song, Eminem has adopted yet another alter-ego: His former tormentor, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog.
I think the reason this song works so well is that Triumph (Robert Smigel's alter-ego) and Slim Shady are cut from the same cloth: They are characters whose outlandish and offensive statements are somehow mitigated by the fact that they are cartoons -- a rubber cigar-chewing puppet and a grotesque parody of a mentally-deranged sociopathic gangster-wannabe: both are so completely absurd and over-the-top that no one can take them seriously.
Throughout the song, Eminem does a pretty-passable imitation of Triumph's distinctive accent and uses many of the acerbic canine's trademark phrases like "I KEED! I KEED!" --one catchphrase that could easily apply to Slim.
In one verse of the song, he raps:
If I offend I'm sorry, please, please forgive
For I am Triumph, the puppet dog, I am a mere puppet
I can get away with anything I sing, you will love it
and in another verse:
I am Triumph, Britney Spears has shoulders like a man
And I can say that and you'll laugh cuz that is a puppet on my hand
Eminem reveals a deep understanding and complicity with the puppet. He knows how to dissociate himself from all the controversy he has churned up, claiming that people who get offended don't "get" the joke: Slim Shady, like Triumph is definitely NOT to be taken seriously. When it comes to Triumph, Eminem gets the joke, because it is the same joke he has been playing on everyone for years.
Friday, July 22, 2005
An Idiotic Knife to her Heart
A GOOGLE search on Natalia Glebova, the Russian-born Canadian winner of Miss Universe 2005, reveals numerous alarming possible scenarios of mistaken-identity.
A Czech golfer, a 35-year-old Russian internet bride, and a Webcam girl all share this name, which I imagine must be something like the russian version of "Jane Smith".
Anyway, in an idiotic move by the City of Toronto, OUR Natalia, a stunning raven-tressed, blue-eyed 23-year old Ryerson student, was recently banned from the Thai festival at good old Nathan Philips Square this weekend on the grounds that
"Activities which degrade men or women through sexual stereotyping or exploit the bodies of men, women, boys or girls solely for the purpose of attracting attention are not permitted on the square."
I don't know what the Thai festival folks had in mind, but I can't imagine it would have involved much exploiting of Ms. U's body, which, unless I'm mistaken, usually appears sheathed in a full-length dress topped by a tiara and circled by a sash. The whole HIV awareness thing that Glebova has adopted as her pet cause doesn't exactly lend itself to the raunchy bikini contest antics that the bylaw was designed to prevent.
Sexual stereotyping? Hmm... debatable. Some would say --but I wouldn't-- that pageants are inherently exploitative and therefore, anyone who wins one is being sexually stereotyped and degraded.
However, I'm certain that it could not have been too long before somebody at City Hall pointed out that, given the City's enthusiastic endorsement and participation in other "cultural" events like Gay Pride and Carribana, both of which feature multitudes of gyrating and thrusting quasi-nude men, women, boys or girls, it might be best to interpret the by-law with a bit more discretion.
The response on the Canada.com
Sound-Off board to this case of political-correctness-run-wild has been incredulous and highly entertaining to read, to say the least.
Mayor Miller has since rescinded the ban, claiming the by-law was "misinterpreted" and left some apologetic messages on Ms. Glebova's voice-mail. Don't hold your breath for that return call, Dave.
A GOOGLE search on Natalia Glebova, the Russian-born Canadian winner of Miss Universe 2005, reveals numerous alarming possible scenarios of mistaken-identity.
A Czech golfer, a 35-year-old Russian internet bride, and a Webcam girl all share this name, which I imagine must be something like the russian version of "Jane Smith".
Anyway, in an idiotic move by the City of Toronto, OUR Natalia, a stunning raven-tressed, blue-eyed 23-year old Ryerson student, was recently banned from the Thai festival at good old Nathan Philips Square this weekend on the grounds that
"Activities which degrade men or women through sexual stereotyping or exploit the bodies of men, women, boys or girls solely for the purpose of attracting attention are not permitted on the square."
I don't know what the Thai festival folks had in mind, but I can't imagine it would have involved much exploiting of Ms. U's body, which, unless I'm mistaken, usually appears sheathed in a full-length dress topped by a tiara and circled by a sash. The whole HIV awareness thing that Glebova has adopted as her pet cause doesn't exactly lend itself to the raunchy bikini contest antics that the bylaw was designed to prevent.
Sexual stereotyping? Hmm... debatable. Some would say --but I wouldn't-- that pageants are inherently exploitative and therefore, anyone who wins one is being sexually stereotyped and degraded.
However, I'm certain that it could not have been too long before somebody at City Hall pointed out that, given the City's enthusiastic endorsement and participation in other "cultural" events like Gay Pride and Carribana, both of which feature multitudes of gyrating and thrusting quasi-nude men, women, boys or girls, it might be best to interpret the by-law with a bit more discretion.
The response on the Canada.com
Sound-Off board to this case of political-correctness-run-wild has been incredulous and highly entertaining to read, to say the least.
Mayor Miller has since rescinded the ban, claiming the by-law was "misinterpreted" and left some apologetic messages on Ms. Glebova's voice-mail. Don't hold your breath for that return call, Dave.
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
R.I.P. Jimmy Doohan
Scotty died today. Paul is wearing a black armband and sipping Glenfiddich as he watches old VHS tapes of the OS. Let's face it, Kirk was a pantywaist. Bones was a one-note character who grunted and bugged his eyes out alot. Spock? Totally overrated.
The true heart and soul of the show was the Scotsman in the bowels of the ship, sweating it out over those dilithium crystals, always trying to give 'em more power! The guy who played Scott was a Canadian WWII vet, who stormed the beaches on D-Day and took four kraut bullets, one of which robbed him of a finger.
Why he never kicked Kirk's ass and took over the controls of the ship, I'll never know.
Scotty died today. Paul is wearing a black armband and sipping Glenfiddich as he watches old VHS tapes of the OS. Let's face it, Kirk was a pantywaist. Bones was a one-note character who grunted and bugged his eyes out alot. Spock? Totally overrated.
The true heart and soul of the show was the Scotsman in the bowels of the ship, sweating it out over those dilithium crystals, always trying to give 'em more power! The guy who played Scott was a Canadian WWII vet, who stormed the beaches on D-Day and took four kraut bullets, one of which robbed him of a finger.
Why he never kicked Kirk's ass and took over the controls of the ship, I'll never know.
Saturday, July 09, 2005
"Getting on with it"
July 7th, 2005 was my thirtieth birthday. Far from ruining it, the terrorist pigs gave me a reason to be proud. I am honoured to call myself English, and have nothing but admiration for the way the people of London conducted themselves in the face of tragedy... but then, Londoners have always had a remarkable capacity to "carry on" in the midst of adversity, haven't they?
One day after luncheon the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Kingsley Wood, came to see me on business at No. 10, and we heard a very heavy explosion take place across the river in South London. I took him to see what had happened. The bomb had fallen in Peckham. It was a very big one -probably a land-mine. It had completely destroyed or gutted twenty or thirty small three-storey houses and cleared a considerable open space in this very poor district. Already little pathetic Union Jacks had been stuck up amid the ruins. When my car was recognised the people came running from all quarters, and a crowd of more than a thousand was soon gathered. All these folk were in a high state of enthusiasm. They crowded round us, cheering and manifesting every sign of lively affection, wanting to touch and stroke my clothes. One would have thought I had brought them some fine substantial benefit which would improve their lot in life. I was completely undermined, and wept. Ismay, who was with me, records that he heard an old woman say: "You see, he really cares. He's crying." They were tears not of sorrow but of wonder and admiration. "But see, look here," they said, and drew me to the centre of the ruins. There was an enormous crater, perhaps forty yards across and twenty feet deep. Cocked up at an angle on the very edge was an Anderson shelter, and we were greeted at its twisted doorway by a youngish man, his wife, and three children, quite unharmed but obviously shell-jarred. They had been there at the moment of the explosion. They could give no account of their experiences. But there they were, and proud of it. Their neighbours regarded them as enviable curiosities. When we got back into the car a harsher mood swept over the haggard crowd. "Give it 'em back," they cried, and "Let them have it too." I undertook forthwith to see that their wishes were carried out; and this promise was certainly kept. The debt was repaid tenfold, twentyfold, in the frightful routine bombardment of German cities, which grew in intensity as our air-power developed, as the bombs became far heavier and the explosives more powerful. Certainly the enemy got it all back in good measure, pressed down and running over. Alas for poor humanity!
Winston Churchill, The Second World War, Volume II: Their Finest Hour
July 7th, 2005 was my thirtieth birthday. Far from ruining it, the terrorist pigs gave me a reason to be proud. I am honoured to call myself English, and have nothing but admiration for the way the people of London conducted themselves in the face of tragedy... but then, Londoners have always had a remarkable capacity to "carry on" in the midst of adversity, haven't they?
One day after luncheon the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Kingsley Wood, came to see me on business at No. 10, and we heard a very heavy explosion take place across the river in South London. I took him to see what had happened. The bomb had fallen in Peckham. It was a very big one -probably a land-mine. It had completely destroyed or gutted twenty or thirty small three-storey houses and cleared a considerable open space in this very poor district. Already little pathetic Union Jacks had been stuck up amid the ruins. When my car was recognised the people came running from all quarters, and a crowd of more than a thousand was soon gathered. All these folk were in a high state of enthusiasm. They crowded round us, cheering and manifesting every sign of lively affection, wanting to touch and stroke my clothes. One would have thought I had brought them some fine substantial benefit which would improve their lot in life. I was completely undermined, and wept. Ismay, who was with me, records that he heard an old woman say: "You see, he really cares. He's crying." They were tears not of sorrow but of wonder and admiration. "But see, look here," they said, and drew me to the centre of the ruins. There was an enormous crater, perhaps forty yards across and twenty feet deep. Cocked up at an angle on the very edge was an Anderson shelter, and we were greeted at its twisted doorway by a youngish man, his wife, and three children, quite unharmed but obviously shell-jarred. They had been there at the moment of the explosion. They could give no account of their experiences. But there they were, and proud of it. Their neighbours regarded them as enviable curiosities. When we got back into the car a harsher mood swept over the haggard crowd. "Give it 'em back," they cried, and "Let them have it too." I undertook forthwith to see that their wishes were carried out; and this promise was certainly kept. The debt was repaid tenfold, twentyfold, in the frightful routine bombardment of German cities, which grew in intensity as our air-power developed, as the bombs became far heavier and the explosives more powerful. Certainly the enemy got it all back in good measure, pressed down and running over. Alas for poor humanity!
Winston Churchill, The Second World War, Volume II: Their Finest Hour
Sunday, July 03, 2005
I watched the Live 8 Concert yesterday... yes the whole thing. I just spent two weeks in Spain and the splendour of the Canadian Summer is lost on me at this point.
Altogether, a mixed bag. Some bands were as good live as I expected them to be, some surpassed my expectations, and some should never be permitted to play live again, because their offensively poor performance may risk turning public opinion against the cause they are trying to help.
I'm fairly certain that some of the acts were not entirely sure of what the point of Live 8 was. You could tell by the way they spouted vague inane cliches between songs: Come on, people, we gotta do the right thing! We need justice! We need to make those leaders understand! We have the power!. I think one moron from A Simple Plan spouted something about "Your Vote"?
Did anyone else also notice that each of the concerts, while offering a variety of acts, seemed to be centred on a particular type of music?
For instance:
Toronto (yeah, actually Barrie, but who outside of Canada has heard of Barrie) featured:
ClassicRock/fogey music - BTO and Deep Purple, who were both great; Neil Young and Gordon Lightfoot who were, um, themselves.
Can Con - Simple Plan (derivative wannabes playing generic pseudo-punk); Les Trois Accords (some Quebec band that nobody has ever heard of); Two dreadlocked Quebecoises who I found obnoxious; Brian Adams; The Hip; Barenaked Ladies; Celine Dion, who is better off in Vegas: She was boed in Barrie, but the Vegas crowd loved her.
80s Hard Rock - Could anyone else understand what the hell Vince Neil was singing? I figured he couldn't remember the lyrics to the bloody songs!
Philly
Hip Hop - Will Smith (formerly known as the Fresh Prince, before he became an actor)
Hip Hop and Rock - Jay-Z and Linkin Park, who tore the mother down
Hip Hop featuring members of the Marley family - The grossly-overrated Black Eyed Peas
Did I mention Hip Hop? - Kanye West
London
Legends - Sir Paul, U2, Pink Floyd (those three alone worth the price of the DVD)
People who think they are legends, but ain't - Robbie Williams (know outside the UK as "Who the fuck is that?"; Coldplay and Richard Ashcroft; Madonna (looking pissed-off at the crowd); Sir Elton John (OK, he's a legend, I just don't like him)
Paris
Terrible music - cuz that's what the French like!
Berlin
Current Rock and Punk - Audioslave, Green Day
One-hit wonders - A-ha (man, did they look uncomfortable!)
Moscow
Gay acts from the eighties - A very mellow and grey Pet Shop Boys
Tokyo
Strictly B-listers - Good Charlotte, anyone?
Rome
Country music, naturally! - Faith Hill
Johannesburg
Music destined to never be televised - Various African acts
I seem to recall there being one more city, but I'll be darned if I can remember it!
Altogether, a mixed bag. Some bands were as good live as I expected them to be, some surpassed my expectations, and some should never be permitted to play live again, because their offensively poor performance may risk turning public opinion against the cause they are trying to help.
I'm fairly certain that some of the acts were not entirely sure of what the point of Live 8 was. You could tell by the way they spouted vague inane cliches between songs: Come on, people, we gotta do the right thing! We need justice! We need to make those leaders understand! We have the power!. I think one moron from A Simple Plan spouted something about "Your Vote"?
Did anyone else also notice that each of the concerts, while offering a variety of acts, seemed to be centred on a particular type of music?
For instance:
Toronto (yeah, actually Barrie, but who outside of Canada has heard of Barrie) featured:
ClassicRock/fogey music - BTO and Deep Purple, who were both great; Neil Young and Gordon Lightfoot who were, um, themselves.
Can Con - Simple Plan (derivative wannabes playing generic pseudo-punk); Les Trois Accords (some Quebec band that nobody has ever heard of); Two dreadlocked Quebecoises who I found obnoxious; Brian Adams; The Hip; Barenaked Ladies; Celine Dion, who is better off in Vegas: She was boed in Barrie, but the Vegas crowd loved her.
80s Hard Rock - Could anyone else understand what the hell Vince Neil was singing? I figured he couldn't remember the lyrics to the bloody songs!
Philly
Hip Hop - Will Smith (formerly known as the Fresh Prince, before he became an actor)
Hip Hop and Rock - Jay-Z and Linkin Park, who tore the mother down
Hip Hop featuring members of the Marley family - The grossly-overrated Black Eyed Peas
Did I mention Hip Hop? - Kanye West
London
Legends - Sir Paul, U2, Pink Floyd (those three alone worth the price of the DVD)
People who think they are legends, but ain't - Robbie Williams (know outside the UK as "Who the fuck is that?"; Coldplay and Richard Ashcroft; Madonna (looking pissed-off at the crowd); Sir Elton John (OK, he's a legend, I just don't like him)
Paris
Terrible music - cuz that's what the French like!
Berlin
Current Rock and Punk - Audioslave, Green Day
One-hit wonders - A-ha (man, did they look uncomfortable!)
Moscow
Gay acts from the eighties - A very mellow and grey Pet Shop Boys
Tokyo
Strictly B-listers - Good Charlotte, anyone?
Rome
Country music, naturally! - Faith Hill
Johannesburg
Music destined to never be televised - Various African acts
I seem to recall there being one more city, but I'll be darned if I can remember it!
Friday, July 01, 2005
Sunday, June 26, 2005
While in Madrid, Nes and I took the opportunity to catch up on some sleep, do some laundry, and spend time with my cousin Celia, who now lives right in the centre of town. We had a great time with her over two nights, eating and going from bar to bar enjoying Madrid´s incomparable nightlife. The second night was similar to the first, except that my Dad and sisters tagged along, having arrived from Torrelavega a day after us.
Finally, on Wednesday morning, we jumped on an Ave train and headed south to Cordoba. Arriving in this old Andalucian town in mid afternoon was a shock to the system. The thermometer said 43 degrees celsius. We quickly made our way to our air-conditioned hotel and, after waiting out the mid-day heat, headed for a walk around town. We were struck by the incredible distinctive architecture, the highlight of which was the Mezquita, a former Mosque-turned-cathedral smack-dab in the centre of town. We also ate an a great arab restaurant and enjoyed a Flamenco performance before turning in for the night.
The next morning we got on a bus headed to Granada (but we didn´t stick around), and then on to La Manga, a coastal resort in S-E Spain where we have spent the past three days. I can´t think of a better place to finish off the trip... on the beach surrounded by family. Tomorrow, we have to go back... I´m sad, but relieved, in a way... it has been an amazing four weeks!
Finally, on Wednesday morning, we jumped on an Ave train and headed south to Cordoba. Arriving in this old Andalucian town in mid afternoon was a shock to the system. The thermometer said 43 degrees celsius. We quickly made our way to our air-conditioned hotel and, after waiting out the mid-day heat, headed for a walk around town. We were struck by the incredible distinctive architecture, the highlight of which was the Mezquita, a former Mosque-turned-cathedral smack-dab in the centre of town. We also ate an a great arab restaurant and enjoyed a Flamenco performance before turning in for the night.
The next morning we got on a bus headed to Granada (but we didn´t stick around), and then on to La Manga, a coastal resort in S-E Spain where we have spent the past three days. I can´t think of a better place to finish off the trip... on the beach surrounded by family. Tomorrow, we have to go back... I´m sad, but relieved, in a way... it has been an amazing four weeks!
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
I hope will forgive my horrible spelling and bizarre punctuation (question marks? randomly? inserted¿?¿?¿)... these Eurokeyboards are pretty funky.
So the wedding on Saturday was everything we hoped. Bizarre, unseasonably warm weather in Cantabria (a supposedly humid, temperate mountainous region in northern spain), meant that we enjoyed a good post-ceremony roast in the sun, sipping cocktails outside the church, before we headed in for a belt-busting lunch in the hall next-door. The area around Torrelavega is absolutely beautiful, if nothing like what people expect when you say "Spain". It is lush vegetation, towering mountains, and misty valleys.
The night before, we had had a big Segura family reunion feed in the centre of town. The enviable lifestyle of spaniards means that even completely untouristy towns like Torrelavega (which does not even rate a mention in Lonely Planet) still has a bustling nightlife scene most days of the week --when DO these people sleep?
On Sunday we packed into cars to visit Santander --San Sebastian´s somnolent coastal cousin, and then Santillana del Mar, where my parents got married 31 years ago. We went to mass in a medieval Romanesque church, where the same priest who was there three decades ago still presides over his flock. He remembered my parents, and my brother Joe, who was baptised by him. The place was a 11th century dream, and a definite recommendation for anyone looking for a romantic spot to slip away to.
After a busride to Madrid, we are now enjoying the blast-furnace temperatures of Spain´s capital in the midst of June. It promises to get worse when we head south to Andalucia tomorrow... God help us!
So the wedding on Saturday was everything we hoped. Bizarre, unseasonably warm weather in Cantabria (a supposedly humid, temperate mountainous region in northern spain), meant that we enjoyed a good post-ceremony roast in the sun, sipping cocktails outside the church, before we headed in for a belt-busting lunch in the hall next-door. The area around Torrelavega is absolutely beautiful, if nothing like what people expect when you say "Spain". It is lush vegetation, towering mountains, and misty valleys.
The night before, we had had a big Segura family reunion feed in the centre of town. The enviable lifestyle of spaniards means that even completely untouristy towns like Torrelavega (which does not even rate a mention in Lonely Planet) still has a bustling nightlife scene most days of the week --when DO these people sleep?
On Sunday we packed into cars to visit Santander --San Sebastian´s somnolent coastal cousin, and then Santillana del Mar, where my parents got married 31 years ago. We went to mass in a medieval Romanesque church, where the same priest who was there three decades ago still presides over his flock. He remembered my parents, and my brother Joe, who was baptised by him. The place was a 11th century dream, and a definite recommendation for anyone looking for a romantic spot to slip away to.
After a busride to Madrid, we are now enjoying the blast-furnace temperatures of Spain´s capital in the midst of June. It promises to get worse when we head south to Andalucia tomorrow... God help us!
Thursday, June 16, 2005
My family has abandoned the use of e-mail!
What is more likely is that most of my messages are not getting through. I´ve been having trouble sending e-mail through hotmail... but one can´t complain about the quality of a service that one is getting for free right?
After fleeing Paris for the relative calm of Chartres, where we spent Tuesday admiring the incredible cathedral (beats Notre Dame hands down), Nesrine and I jumped on a train to Bordeaux, planning on spending one or two nights there, depending on how much we liked the place. Ultimately, we spent one day in Bordeaux (which is nothing special) and we are in San Sebastian now, which is quite beautiful, and will be taking a bus to Torrelavega tomorrow. Since I haven´t heard from anyone about the name of the hotel where we will be staying, I may have to wing it! I´m actually going to give Tia Celia a call today to let her know that we will be arriving in town and I will try to come up with some rendezvous point for me to meet up with the familia. If any of you read this, I miss you all and I hope everyone is OK. All my best to all.
What is more likely is that most of my messages are not getting through. I´ve been having trouble sending e-mail through hotmail... but one can´t complain about the quality of a service that one is getting for free right?
After fleeing Paris for the relative calm of Chartres, where we spent Tuesday admiring the incredible cathedral (beats Notre Dame hands down), Nesrine and I jumped on a train to Bordeaux, planning on spending one or two nights there, depending on how much we liked the place. Ultimately, we spent one day in Bordeaux (which is nothing special) and we are in San Sebastian now, which is quite beautiful, and will be taking a bus to Torrelavega tomorrow. Since I haven´t heard from anyone about the name of the hotel where we will be staying, I may have to wing it! I´m actually going to give Tia Celia a call today to let her know that we will be arriving in town and I will try to come up with some rendezvous point for me to meet up with the familia. If any of you read this, I miss you all and I hope everyone is OK. All my best to all.
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
On Friday, we checked into our oddly-brazillian themed hotel, the Acacias St-Germain in the Montparnasse area and took a stroll around. Eventually we ended up eating at a nice restaurant in the quartier Latin called Perraudin. Next we headed down to Place Saint Michel to browse the tacky tourist stalls and take in the atmosphere. By the time we arrived along the banks of the Seine, night had fallen, so we wandered West along the left bank, enjoying the view of Paris at night.
The next morning, we grabbed the obligatory petit-dejeuner at a cafe and jumped on the Metro (which ain't half as bad as some people make it out to be) and headed for Notre Dame. While I found it impressive, I can't say it is the most awe-inspiring church I have seen on this trip, and I was put off a bit by the inevitable tourist hordes. Next, we wandered across Ile Saint-Louis and towards place de la Bastille. The Marais is really a fantastic neighbourhood during the day? but I bet it is even better at night... of course, because this is Paris I'm talking about, you could probably say the same thing about half-a-dozen other neighbourhoods. Eventually, we ended up walking dozn the Rue de Rivoli, which kind of reminds me of Saint Catherine street in Montreal....times 100. The crowds were insane, but we got occasional respite by wandering up side streets and taking in the magnificence of Place des Vosges or Les Halles. Finally, after exhausting ourselves with all the walking? we left Eglise Saint Eustache and jumped on the metro to see the Arc de Triomphe. This is one monument that a photo can simply not do justice to.... the thing is IMMENSE, a true tribute to the glory of Napoleon, who started it, and to the history of the French nation over the following two centuries, whose leaders expanded and added to it? so that it is now a tribute to the achievements to all veterans since Napoleon.
We then meandered our way down the Champs Elysees before jumping on the metro to Montmartre, which provided the first real surprise of the trip. Montmartre has to be one of the coolest and most delightful places I have ever visited. Even the throngs of tourists cannot detract from the charm of its winding streets and charming buildings. It is bohemian and down-at-the-heels in some parts, but altogether spectacularly romantic. We ate at a tiny restaurant called la Maison Rose, and then checked out the Basilique du Sacre Coeur, where a crowd was gathering because, unbeknoznst to us, a big fireworks show was being put-on. We listened to a narrator trace the past two centuries of Paris' history, with syncronized music and lights as well as the fireworks? the overall effect was fantastic. What a great way to round out the day!
Sunday saw us grab a coffee and viennoiserie in the Saint Germain area, which I loved. It has some amazing historic buildings, including the oldest Church in Paris, for which the area is named: Saint Germain des Pres, which was first founded in the Merovingian period 1500 years ago ( it was named in honour of the first bishop of Paris, Saint Germanus). Next, was the Louvre. No words can do this place justice. It is the sine qua non of art collections, surpassing even the Vatican in scope. I managed to see all the must-sees, including the Mona Lisa, but I also took in some personal faves of my own that certainly pleased me. Eventually, after an exhausting few hours of touring this gargantuan palace of art, we took in a fez more sights, including Place Vendome, La Madeleine, and Place de la Concorde, before heading back to Saint Germain to eat at L'Arbuci and enjoy the incomparable nightlife.
Finally, having decided to head to Chartres in the evening, we checked out the Eiffel Tower (I think there is actually some kind of law for tourists that they can't leave the city without visiting the metal arparagus, because the place was crawling with sightseers). We walked up the stairs to the second level to avoid the queues for the lifts and got a great workout as part of the bargain. Finally, we parted ways for a couple of hours - Nesrine wanted to shop, I wanted to indulge my inner military history nerd and visit les invalides (which featured an incredible collection of Napoleonic memorabilia in its museum) and l'Eglise du Dome, which houses the Tomb of Napoleon --a monstrous thing that could easily house the bodies of Napoleon; all of his Marshalls, and his beloved Josephine all at once. By 4 pm we had met up back at the hotel, exhausted and exhilerated. We strapped on our packs and headed for Gare Montparnasse, thrilled with Paris, but definitely ready to move on to something a little slower paced. So we headed for Chartres.
I'll save that story for my next update....
The next morning, we grabbed the obligatory petit-dejeuner at a cafe and jumped on the Metro (which ain't half as bad as some people make it out to be) and headed for Notre Dame. While I found it impressive, I can't say it is the most awe-inspiring church I have seen on this trip, and I was put off a bit by the inevitable tourist hordes. Next, we wandered across Ile Saint-Louis and towards place de la Bastille. The Marais is really a fantastic neighbourhood during the day? but I bet it is even better at night... of course, because this is Paris I'm talking about, you could probably say the same thing about half-a-dozen other neighbourhoods. Eventually, we ended up walking dozn the Rue de Rivoli, which kind of reminds me of Saint Catherine street in Montreal....times 100. The crowds were insane, but we got occasional respite by wandering up side streets and taking in the magnificence of Place des Vosges or Les Halles. Finally, after exhausting ourselves with all the walking? we left Eglise Saint Eustache and jumped on the metro to see the Arc de Triomphe. This is one monument that a photo can simply not do justice to.... the thing is IMMENSE, a true tribute to the glory of Napoleon, who started it, and to the history of the French nation over the following two centuries, whose leaders expanded and added to it? so that it is now a tribute to the achievements to all veterans since Napoleon.
We then meandered our way down the Champs Elysees before jumping on the metro to Montmartre, which provided the first real surprise of the trip. Montmartre has to be one of the coolest and most delightful places I have ever visited. Even the throngs of tourists cannot detract from the charm of its winding streets and charming buildings. It is bohemian and down-at-the-heels in some parts, but altogether spectacularly romantic. We ate at a tiny restaurant called la Maison Rose, and then checked out the Basilique du Sacre Coeur, where a crowd was gathering because, unbeknoznst to us, a big fireworks show was being put-on. We listened to a narrator trace the past two centuries of Paris' history, with syncronized music and lights as well as the fireworks? the overall effect was fantastic. What a great way to round out the day!
Sunday saw us grab a coffee and viennoiserie in the Saint Germain area, which I loved. It has some amazing historic buildings, including the oldest Church in Paris, for which the area is named: Saint Germain des Pres, which was first founded in the Merovingian period 1500 years ago ( it was named in honour of the first bishop of Paris, Saint Germanus). Next, was the Louvre. No words can do this place justice. It is the sine qua non of art collections, surpassing even the Vatican in scope. I managed to see all the must-sees, including the Mona Lisa, but I also took in some personal faves of my own that certainly pleased me. Eventually, after an exhausting few hours of touring this gargantuan palace of art, we took in a fez more sights, including Place Vendome, La Madeleine, and Place de la Concorde, before heading back to Saint Germain to eat at L'Arbuci and enjoy the incomparable nightlife.
Finally, having decided to head to Chartres in the evening, we checked out the Eiffel Tower (I think there is actually some kind of law for tourists that they can't leave the city without visiting the metal arparagus, because the place was crawling with sightseers). We walked up the stairs to the second level to avoid the queues for the lifts and got a great workout as part of the bargain. Finally, we parted ways for a couple of hours - Nesrine wanted to shop, I wanted to indulge my inner military history nerd and visit les invalides (which featured an incredible collection of Napoleonic memorabilia in its museum) and l'Eglise du Dome, which houses the Tomb of Napoleon --a monstrous thing that could easily house the bodies of Napoleon; all of his Marshalls, and his beloved Josephine all at once. By 4 pm we had met up back at the hotel, exhausted and exhilerated. We strapped on our packs and headed for Gare Montparnasse, thrilled with Paris, but definitely ready to move on to something a little slower paced. So we headed for Chartres.
I'll save that story for my next update....
Sunday, June 12, 2005
Paris is everything the tell you it is... and more. What a whirlwind two-and-a-half days here in La Ville-Lumiere. Can't possibly go into details now, particularly since my internet counter is running rapidly down to zero, but I just spent a lovely evening with Nesrine in the F-B Saint-Germain on the left bank... that contrasted nicely with a fantastic evening spent in Montmartre last night... and an amazing evening walking along the Seine and dining in the Quartier Latin the night before. It is absolute heaven here... I haven't seen half of the things I wanted to, and yet I have seen so much! Hopefully, in the next couple of days I will be able to put it all down... for now it is just a blur! Next stop: Versailles.
Thursday, June 09, 2005
Ghent has been one pleasant surprise after another. Yesterday, after taking in an impressive number of sites, I grabbed a quick nap at the hotel (something I never do back in my "normal" life), and then headed off to find a place to eat. This city is absolutely lovely at dusk --people wander the streets and sit outside the cafes, the canals bestowing an air of tranquility and laid-back coolness you just don't seem to find many places. This is not a city that tries to seduce you. It just shows you what is has to offer and lets you decide if you want to take the relationship further.
Instead of finding a place to eat, I ended up wandering into a canalside pub that I remembered was highly recommended by Lonely Planet. I struck up a random conversation with an ex-pat Canadian guy who wqs soon joined by some colleagues from work: a Belgian and an American. We chatted away for hours, sampling the variety of incredible brews --including one called Delirium Tremens, which has a pink elephant on the bottle (a warning?). Before I knew it, I was stumbling into a frites shop for that long-deferred dinner before stumbling the rest of the way back to the convent. I slept a nice long boozy sleep.
Today, I have hit a few more can-t miss sites, including a twelfth century castle in the heart of the city knozn as Gravensteen... and the day ain't over yet!
Tomorrow, I head to Paris to meet up with my main squeeze. Hope it lives up to the hype....
Instead of finding a place to eat, I ended up wandering into a canalside pub that I remembered was highly recommended by Lonely Planet. I struck up a random conversation with an ex-pat Canadian guy who wqs soon joined by some colleagues from work: a Belgian and an American. We chatted away for hours, sampling the variety of incredible brews --including one called Delirium Tremens, which has a pink elephant on the bottle (a warning?). Before I knew it, I was stumbling into a frites shop for that long-deferred dinner before stumbling the rest of the way back to the convent. I slept a nice long boozy sleep.
Today, I have hit a few more can-t miss sites, including a twelfth century castle in the heart of the city knozn as Gravensteen... and the day ain't over yet!
Tomorrow, I head to Paris to meet up with my main squeeze. Hope it lives up to the hype....
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
Today, I arrived in Ghent, a beautiful historic city in Western Belgium. It is very close to Bruges, which I had originally intended to visit, but I'm not so sure I will anymore.... I like it too much here!
I am staying in a fantastic guest house, Monasterium Poortackere, that used to be a convent and I am only a hop skip and jump away from the centre of this town, which in the middle ages, was the biggest city north of the alps after Paris... Just my kind of place... crammed full of history!
I arrived here today from Brussels, after spending the day wandering the Capital of Europe and visiting various sites like the Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinee-- which prompted fond recollections of reading Tintin, Alix, and Asterix as a kid. After 2 days in Brussels (not including my side-trip to Waterloo, I was more than happy to leave. Don't get me wrong, I like the place fine, but somehow, it felt a bit too close to Ottawa for me, with all the Eurocrats running around;
One thing I will always remember with great pleasure is the beer --my God, the BEER! After tasting beer in this country, I dread returning home and drinking the stuff we have in Canada, which no longer qualifies as beer to me. I have sampled Lambics that tasted as though the angels themselves had crafted them, Trappist brews with a kick strong enough to knock you on your ass, golden brews; chocolaty rich ale delicacies... and my God, I want MORE!
I have a feeling I will be spending alot of the summer working off the beer-belly that will be the inevitable result of my new hobby....
I am staying in a fantastic guest house, Monasterium Poortackere, that used to be a convent and I am only a hop skip and jump away from the centre of this town, which in the middle ages, was the biggest city north of the alps after Paris... Just my kind of place... crammed full of history!
I arrived here today from Brussels, after spending the day wandering the Capital of Europe and visiting various sites like the Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinee-- which prompted fond recollections of reading Tintin, Alix, and Asterix as a kid. After 2 days in Brussels (not including my side-trip to Waterloo, I was more than happy to leave. Don't get me wrong, I like the place fine, but somehow, it felt a bit too close to Ottawa for me, with all the Eurocrats running around;
One thing I will always remember with great pleasure is the beer --my God, the BEER! After tasting beer in this country, I dread returning home and drinking the stuff we have in Canada, which no longer qualifies as beer to me. I have sampled Lambics that tasted as though the angels themselves had crafted them, Trappist brews with a kick strong enough to knock you on your ass, golden brews; chocolaty rich ale delicacies... and my God, I want MORE!
I have a feeling I will be spending alot of the summer working off the beer-belly that will be the inevitable result of my new hobby....
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