Chopin and I have an unusual relationship. He is big on the Piano and I´m not exactly musical. It would be his 200th birthday this year if he had a healthier lifestyle and I´m turning 30. Two big milestones.
He has also been avoiding me on our travels. We arrive in Gdansk, concerts evey other day except when we are there. Poznan, Wroclaw, Katowice, Krakow, Berlin and Vienna to boot. I got the feeling he doesn´t like me.
We are both half Polish living in foreign lands so we are not completely unalike. But all was forgiven when I found out at a music museum here that this great composer was rather glad to leave Vienna behind him. Tell me about it.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
A defense...
while D is out of the room :)
As far as eating ´fast food´ goes...well, this baby has a lot to answer for...no seriously...sometimes fries are what I need! But mostly a desire for something approximating less wait time and more bland food has led to us eating maccas etc. Might I add, only 3 times in 7 weeks.
Sprite? What can I say...it´s cheaper than water in Europe...
Football games? Dean can talk he´s been to the opera and symphony! It´s purely to study the cultural phenomenon of how large crowds act in a charged environment. You might like to call it my anthropological bent...
Draw what conclusions you like from these observations of my husband as to the sex of our baby. In 3 months we´ll find out!
As far as eating ´fast food´ goes...well, this baby has a lot to answer for...no seriously...sometimes fries are what I need! But mostly a desire for something approximating less wait time and more bland food has led to us eating maccas etc. Might I add, only 3 times in 7 weeks.
Sprite? What can I say...it´s cheaper than water in Europe...
Football games? Dean can talk he´s been to the opera and symphony! It´s purely to study the cultural phenomenon of how large crowds act in a charged environment. You might like to call it my anthropological bent...
Draw what conclusions you like from these observations of my husband as to the sex of our baby. In 3 months we´ll find out!
Biting Wind
It nibbled my chin.
It chewed on my nose.
And it really gobbled down my ears.
Then, it turned into snow. A last hurrah in Europe...everything pretty and white once more before we fly out!
It chewed on my nose.
And it really gobbled down my ears.
Then, it turned into snow. A last hurrah in Europe...everything pretty and white once more before we fly out!
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Wiending Down
Our time away is coming to an end. We are both a little tired and are quite happy we will soon be home. We are currently in Vienna or Wien as it is known by the locals, except on touristic merchandising. Yes, "touristic" is a common word in "International English."
Today we saw some of the sights before heading to Prater which is essentially an open fun park (a bit like Luna Park minus the face and whinging residents). We went on the old Ferris Wheel and I figured out why most things like roller coasters were closed when I nearly lost my hands to frost bite on a Go-Kart. It was a bit of fun.
Instead of following some dodgy looking bloke dressed as Mozart to an average yet expensive (even for Wien) classical music performance, we caught a movie. We saw Invictus in this old cinnema which was built before the invention of heating. It was nice to do something relaxed.
Tomorrow we might get a little more culture in, maybe another movie and definately an over priced coffee haus.
We went to one previously frequented by Trotsky and Lenin proving once and for all these revolutionaries were Bourgeois imposters. I've also been telling Thora how evil the Hapsburgs were and blaming Austria for two World Wars.
Anyway, we will see you soon. Stay tuned for the Inaugral T and D travel 10 Touristic awards. Who will win the prestigious "Golden used bus ticket"?
Dean
Today we saw some of the sights before heading to Prater which is essentially an open fun park (a bit like Luna Park minus the face and whinging residents). We went on the old Ferris Wheel and I figured out why most things like roller coasters were closed when I nearly lost my hands to frost bite on a Go-Kart. It was a bit of fun.
Instead of following some dodgy looking bloke dressed as Mozart to an average yet expensive (even for Wien) classical music performance, we caught a movie. We saw Invictus in this old cinnema which was built before the invention of heating. It was nice to do something relaxed.
Tomorrow we might get a little more culture in, maybe another movie and definately an over priced coffee haus.
We went to one previously frequented by Trotsky and Lenin proving once and for all these revolutionaries were Bourgeois imposters. I've also been telling Thora how evil the Hapsburgs were and blaming Austria for two World Wars.
Anyway, we will see you soon. Stay tuned for the Inaugral T and D travel 10 Touristic awards. Who will win the prestigious "Golden used bus ticket"?
Dean
Friday, March 5, 2010
Hungarian Idiosyncracies
"I don't know anything" woman in Tourism office
Asking where the Ferry left from to be shown an inland railway station.
It's rude to chink beer glasses because the Austrians and Russians did it when dividing up the country.
The Holy right hand of Hungarys patron saint is on display and can be lit up for 200 Florets.
Allowing derelict buildings awaiting development to be used as really cool pubs.
The language is not Indo-Aryan meaning the last time Germanic/Latin/Hellenic/Slavic/Baltic etc... speakers spoke the same language was Babel.
Asking where the Ferry left from to be shown an inland railway station.
It's rude to chink beer glasses because the Austrians and Russians did it when dividing up the country.
The Holy right hand of Hungarys patron saint is on display and can be lit up for 200 Florets.
Allowing derelict buildings awaiting development to be used as really cool pubs.
The language is not Indo-Aryan meaning the last time Germanic/Latin/Hellenic/Slavic/Baltic etc... speakers spoke the same language was Babel.
Hazy Grey
The deal: Dean writes about the opera, I write about the night in an east berlin dive, hangover from the days of the wall.
Yes friends, last Friday night found us in a seedy little pub, on the invitation of our erstwhile tour guide Terry, a british expat who has been in berlin for about 50 years. Or something like it. Anyway, it was the sort of night out that you can´t buy or read about! And in the sort of place that you would waltz by, even if you had deigned to look in the window!
There was melamine. A lot of it. There was a long bar and a dark corner for darts. The only concession to modernism was a tv screen, set up in the corner for viewing sport. Which we duly viewed - a football match.
Terry sat by me, occasionally patting my hand, and assuring me (with more regularity as the night wore on) that I was in the nicest pub in Berlin, with the nicest people in Berlin. Was I having an interesting night? Yes Terry...now I know where the little red veins lining his face come from...He had a routine which the bartender knew downpat. A big glass of water, a cup of tea...then into the beer. (´cheapest beer in Berlin´)
When we arrived there was the requisite unemployed sad man at the bar, who engaged Dean in conversation for some time. Then gradually the lads (all over 35) began pouring in, Ecky and Gunner and Enrico of the spectacular mullet and large gut. The cloud above our head lengthened and I learnt a thing or two about German drinking culture.
1. The bartender must know when you have finished your drink and bring you a new one. It is rude to draw attention to it.
2. In order to greet people you can just knock on the table, so as to avoid shaking everyones hand.
3. beer and cigarettes.
4. more beer.
And so we watched football, in a fog, and we were welcomed by the nicest people in Berlin. We ate sausages with mustard (Terry´s favourites you know). We chinked glasses and grinned inanely.
We burst out of the fog sometime after 11, having spent about 4 hours in our timewarp. So glad the wall came down...and so glad that non smoking rule now exists in all but a few pockets.
Yes friends, last Friday night found us in a seedy little pub, on the invitation of our erstwhile tour guide Terry, a british expat who has been in berlin for about 50 years. Or something like it. Anyway, it was the sort of night out that you can´t buy or read about! And in the sort of place that you would waltz by, even if you had deigned to look in the window!
There was melamine. A lot of it. There was a long bar and a dark corner for darts. The only concession to modernism was a tv screen, set up in the corner for viewing sport. Which we duly viewed - a football match.
Terry sat by me, occasionally patting my hand, and assuring me (with more regularity as the night wore on) that I was in the nicest pub in Berlin, with the nicest people in Berlin. Was I having an interesting night? Yes Terry...now I know where the little red veins lining his face come from...He had a routine which the bartender knew downpat. A big glass of water, a cup of tea...then into the beer. (´cheapest beer in Berlin´)
When we arrived there was the requisite unemployed sad man at the bar, who engaged Dean in conversation for some time. Then gradually the lads (all over 35) began pouring in, Ecky and Gunner and Enrico of the spectacular mullet and large gut. The cloud above our head lengthened and I learnt a thing or two about German drinking culture.
1. The bartender must know when you have finished your drink and bring you a new one. It is rude to draw attention to it.
2. In order to greet people you can just knock on the table, so as to avoid shaking everyones hand.
3. beer and cigarettes.
4. more beer.
And so we watched football, in a fog, and we were welcomed by the nicest people in Berlin. We ate sausages with mustard (Terry´s favourites you know). We chinked glasses and grinned inanely.
We burst out of the fog sometime after 11, having spent about 4 hours in our timewarp. So glad the wall came down...and so glad that non smoking rule now exists in all but a few pockets.
Operatic Synopsis
Ahh Budapest, and how would a Rugby League loving barbarian such as myself spend an enjoyable evening?... A night out at the Opera of course.
We went to see half of Turandot (more information on that later). The location was the Hungarian State Opera which is a most beautiful building, ornately decorated -enough to make the Austrian Hapsburgs (the villians in Hungary) envious. Turandot is an Opera by Puccini. It includes the song made famous by Paul Potts on You Tube following his debut on "Britains Got Talent" and also covered by some bloke called Pavarotti.
The story of Turandot is set in China and follows the common theme I´ve noticed in some modern Chinese films of: "you rebel and you die!" Turandot is a homicidal princess who doesn't show a lot of expression and likes to have potential suitors beheaded. Because she is beautiful, an unknown Tartar prince falls in love, ignoring the fact that she is a complete cow, with murderous tendencies. He answers her 3 riddles thus not getting the chop himself.
Turandot is then given a task as a get out clause where she has a slave girl who truely loved the prince tortured until the poor girl commits suicide and in the process of dying, reveals her love. Turandot then finds out the Prince is a Tartar (the people who killed one of her ancestors) and then sings for about half an hour while dithering on what to do. In the end, she and the Prince get married suprise suprise. This was then followed by hours of rapturous applause worthy of a Grand Final victory. And a lot of bowing, and more bowing and so on.
The reason we saw half of Turandot is that we bought dirt cheap tickets with obstructed view. This I decided was a joke on part of the Upper class on the rising Bourgeois who having risen in rank, were able to elevate themselves to the upper tiers away from the salt of the earth with a good view in the stocks below. Nice to be elevated but a bit pointless in not being able to see the show. What was the architecht thinking? It might just be me, but if I were to design a theatre, sight lines would be a major consideration.
Well I hope you are all now a little more culturally enlightened.
Dean (no, really it's not Thora)
P.S Our evening of culture was bookended with Burger King and a trip to a bar housed in a derelict building awaiting demolition.
We went to see half of Turandot (more information on that later). The location was the Hungarian State Opera which is a most beautiful building, ornately decorated -enough to make the Austrian Hapsburgs (the villians in Hungary) envious. Turandot is an Opera by Puccini. It includes the song made famous by Paul Potts on You Tube following his debut on "Britains Got Talent" and also covered by some bloke called Pavarotti.
The story of Turandot is set in China and follows the common theme I´ve noticed in some modern Chinese films of: "you rebel and you die!" Turandot is a homicidal princess who doesn't show a lot of expression and likes to have potential suitors beheaded. Because she is beautiful, an unknown Tartar prince falls in love, ignoring the fact that she is a complete cow, with murderous tendencies. He answers her 3 riddles thus not getting the chop himself.
Turandot is then given a task as a get out clause where she has a slave girl who truely loved the prince tortured until the poor girl commits suicide and in the process of dying, reveals her love. Turandot then finds out the Prince is a Tartar (the people who killed one of her ancestors) and then sings for about half an hour while dithering on what to do. In the end, she and the Prince get married suprise suprise. This was then followed by hours of rapturous applause worthy of a Grand Final victory. And a lot of bowing, and more bowing and so on.
The reason we saw half of Turandot is that we bought dirt cheap tickets with obstructed view. This I decided was a joke on part of the Upper class on the rising Bourgeois who having risen in rank, were able to elevate themselves to the upper tiers away from the salt of the earth with a good view in the stocks below. Nice to be elevated but a bit pointless in not being able to see the show. What was the architecht thinking? It might just be me, but if I were to design a theatre, sight lines would be a major consideration.
Well I hope you are all now a little more culturally enlightened.
Dean (no, really it's not Thora)
P.S Our evening of culture was bookended with Burger King and a trip to a bar housed in a derelict building awaiting demolition.
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