Dublin, Wednesday night, switched to a cheaper hostel with co-ed dorms, shared a big ol' room with a pleasant German fellow named Falk.
Early-ish Thursday to the AirCoach to Cork city. Arrive in time to catch the next bus to Bantry in 5 minutes, so no exploring Cork for me, but the bags were heavy anyoldway. The 17 Euro bus ticket for a less-than 2 hour ride to Bantry about pissed me off, though.
Arrive in the afternoon and Monique and Kate are there to meet me. Grocery shopping and off to my new home in Ahakista. Monique and Luc are a Belgian couple, retired here for the last 12 years. They have a gorgeous 36 seaside acres with sheep and horses, cats, dog, garden. Luc is an ex-architect, living out his dream of always wanting to be a fisherman, and he makes an old salty one at that. Monique handles all things terrestrial and domestic, basically; a very capable woman, although she was a bit concerned about my being vegetarian and not really knowing what to feed me... we worked it out. (When their son and daughter, Peter and Grina (sp?) were about 10 years old, they took off and went sailing with them for a year. I loved talking about this experience and imagining the kind of bonding and mutual understanding and respect that must come from it.) I like these folks, and I am content in their home-space. I like this piece of land and sea quite a lot.
A bit about the routine: Meals are set – breakfast is at 9 and involves bread and spreads, coffee and tea, Lunch is at 1 and is the big, hot meal of the day. Always followed with a dessert. Tea is at 6 and is similar to breakfast, really, sometimes with a few other savory bits thrown in. It's interesting and I like the experience... a different way of doing things. Interesting.
(In general, the most characteristic thing about the following month of my trip is that I did not talk to Jay enough, really. But that's just always the case.)
Friday –
Kate and I mucked the stable and then did a bit of weeding in the garden. Luc and Monique were off to a family event for the weekend and we only had orders to watch after things for the weekend. Fair enough. I had my first swim since arriving here and it was excellent! The water was cold, sure, but whatever.
Kate made a nice lasagna for dinner and we just took it easy. People come around Friday nights to the private bar at the boathouse, attached to where WWOOFers stay, but we didn't join the group tonight.
Saturday –
Little bit of tending to the animals and garden and generally taking it easy...
Stevie, Luc's fishing partner, came by to pick up a few crabs (from the catch which they store in a sectioned-off sort of cement holding tank) for tomorrow's dinner, and he inspired Kate and I to go ahead and try our hand at preparing some. Eating crab has got to be one of the most savage activities one can participate in, but we did and it was really very tasty.
Sunday -
Afternoon, the family arrived home again, with son Peter and his girlfriend Sarah and their young child Daniel in tow. This little one is quite a performer – a flirt and a ham and very energetic. It was nice to have the extra energy of the family around, although Suzie, the dog, would regret the little one chasing her around and around before long.
Monday –
A bank holiday, so not quite back to routine. We had the afternoon off and went hiking over the hill to Kilcrohane, along the beach and back. It was a good exploration and got me started on my walking and exercise kick for the rest of the week. I could have just as easily been lazy... Thanks Kate for inspiring the walk.
Tuesday -
Who can recall anymore?
Got up early and had a good walk before breakfast. More like my own routine, feels good.
Wednesday -
Sometime this week the sheep-shearer came around and we rounded up the woolly ones for their seasonal clip. That was entertaining and character-building. Strong, they are, little things. We had one escapee, but he eventually came around to the flock again, as they do.
Kate is certainly a party girl. It's nice because she is out there on the scene, and she met a couple from Marin who she then arranged to introduce me to, and it's always good to make home connections.
Thursday -
Ah, writing this after the week is long over and my dates are confused, but I think today we did a lot of moving of hay bales, which felt like real good, solid farm work.
Luc and Monique have a little 'practice' vineyard with about 10 plants. It was in desperate need of some love, and a nice place to work with a breeze and a good view.
Friday –
Morning trip to Bantry for the market - a big affair something like a swap meet, with something old, something new, something cheap, and something completely useless - whatever you wish. The farmer's portion of the market is rather small and dominated by baked goods, but still I was glad to have a browse. I like cookies, after all. Actually, what I had was a gluten--free chocolate cake slice. And a mushroom soup for lunch.
Afternoon, nap and then finish up with the vineyard.
Been swimming every day this week, and I love it love it love it. My rule for time to get out is when I can't cup my fingers together anymore, because they are going numb. Seems to be working.
Saturday -
Day trip to Glengariff - hike to Barley lake and then back down and into town through the nature reserve. Different landscape out here - higher mountains, more warped geology, more forest. And goats.
The town is a little slip of a thing, not much bigger than Ahakista, but apparently more famous with the tour-guides, with lots of souvenir shops.
Sunday -
Monique and I took Kate to Bantry for her bus first thing after breakfast.
Lovely afternoon meal with Luc and Monique, with the Sunday wine... it's a sweet ritual. And we had very good conversation - we talked a lot about sailing and family. I told them to let me know if they hear of anyone they trust taking a sailing trip who would want me along as crew, and be willing to teach me as we go. Maybe. Could be incredible. I'm compelled by bonding activities, if you haven't yet noticed.
I wanted to work a bit on a project I had started, especially since I had not worked Friday much or Saturday at all, so I did that until it was time to swim and then be on my way over to Peter and Amanda's, just down the road, around the bend. Monique drove me over with my bags and invited me to come swimming anytime while I was around, since the P&A live in a sheltered little hollow without sea access.
We had a good chat and a pleasant meal (they are also veg, so no worries about what to feed me).
Monday -
Weeding outside... getting used to the different rhythm here. Plenty of time alone, and it feels more isolated, more like being in the jungle.
Had an evening walk up the mountain for a look around before dinner, which was satisfying.
Tuesday -
Rain - painting Nirvana - weeding polytunnel
We watched a lovely, bizarre French film called The Hairdresser's Husband.
Wednesday -
Weeding outside
Living-willow-sculpture-gazebo project
Alder path clearing
Thursday -
More with the Alder path, plenty of bramble. Peter says my arms look like I have been self-harming.
Evening walk out to the Air Disaster Memorial – I don't know how long ago, a flight carrying mostly Indian-Canadian passengers was the victim of some sort of terrorist activity and went down over the sea about 100 miles out, but much of the wreckage washed up on the beach here and a memorial was erected. It is a lovely, peaceful place to reflect on tragedy and human folly.
Friday
Made nettle and comfrey compost tea – drove to Bantry for the market - Organico Cafe for lunch (good, and a comfortable place that makes a good social center for me and my ilk). Made a sweet potato, rice and black bean, kale and tikka masala casserole with fresh green beans in a honey-mustard-garlic glaze for dinner. And yogurt-cucumber salad, of course. Annabel (a fine local artist with a lovely garden of her own, and supplier of the kale and beans) and Klaus joined us for dinner and brought a local farmhouse cheesecake, which we topped with fresh berries, including some fine Irish strawberries. We went over to the Tin Pub after for more socializing. Played a game of darts called Killers. Too much fun. Found out I will be on the kitchen crew for the Vancouver Folk Music Festival - woohoo! That's mid-July. Should be a good time :)
Saturday
An altogether satisfying day. Laid around reading in the morning and had a leisurely late breakfast. Bit of fussing in the garden just for exercise and to commune with the buzzers and chirpers and Amanda took me along for a little tour of the neighboring peninsula, to run errands and to play. We went through Schull, where Annabel and Klaus have another gallery and their friend Lisa has a little health food shop. We had crepes (I went for sweet - called Honeyombs) at a little place with a back patio over a stream. The people operating the place are very French. Fresh off. It was lovely. We went to the little chocolatier, also French, but a local artisan if ever.
On to Skibbereen for the paint for Nirvana, and then to Lake Hyne for a walk up the hill. Gorgeous. The weather seemed threatening all day but stayed clear.
We came back and had a tea and then I got into making a stirfry and we had vanilla ice cream and berries for dessert, and a few of the French chocolates.
After, we watched Circle of Friends, and Amanda and I enjoyed sharing a bit of Tullamore Dew.
Kitties are piled all around me tonight as I wind down with my cuppa chamomile and my little laptop.
Sunday -
Leisurely morning and late breakfast again. After perusing recipe books for a while and putting ingredients into the bread machine for a basic French loaf; waiting to see if the weather would do something or simply be threatening all day, I decided the latter and went walking. Up over the mountain and along the ridge, down Finn McCool's seat and up to the Peakeen Ridge and finally down into Black Gate where I wasn't on the road long before a lovely little Irish family stopped to pick me up and take me along with them to the end of the Sheep's Head Peninsula. Amanda had told me the cafe there made a nice Guinness cake, so I had a slice of that and then headed down the path to the lighthouse, where I saw the family on their way back up. I had some time to stand at the edge of everything and muse poetically about the sea and the stone and caught up with them again just as they got to the parking lot. It was getting around supper time and I could have been left with a very long walk back, so it was nice to catch them. They were Amanda, John and Sarah (who was in her first communion dress, having been in the procession for Corpus Christi) and Jack. They had wonderful West Cork lilting, sing-song accents and were very kind to drop me back at Peter and Amanda's doorstep.
I made Dukkah (and Egyptian spice and nut blend I discovered in NZ and have not had since, but I sometime think of it and recall that I loved it. I never tried to make it before, but it turned out very well.) The bread was ready and fluffy and perfect (I think I could get used to having a bred machine, after all.) Amanda made a nice pasta dish with fava beans and peas and beet greens and it rounded out my weekend just fine. We finished with a bizarre recipe I found in the Irish Farmhouse Cheese Recipe Book – basically blue cheese stuffed dates and prunes. The dates went better than the prunes, but it was all a bit intense and I think the remainder of the stuffing will have to find it's way into a gratin of some sort.
Monday -
By the time we finished breakfast, it was simply pouring rain, straight down. I painted inside the little shack called Nirvana and then came in and made soup for lunch. After lunch, it was bright blue, clear sky and hot sun. Wild.
Weeding outside and afternoon tea by the pond. Perfect for swimming, so Amanda came along and we began at the usual swimming cove at Luc and Monique's. Amanda saw some jellyfish at the shoreline, but I thought I would brave it anyway – I was cruising along and it was a bit challenging because the normally crystal-clear water was rather murky (ostensibly from the morning rain washing the mountains into the sea) and suddenly I realized I was swimming in a SEA OF TINY JELLYFISH. It was a bit startling, to be honest, and I made my way back to shore. Yes, indeed, the jellyfish were spawning. They were everywhere. We saw about four different species. The most plentiful seemed to be something called a Sea Gooseberry and they were very shiny and lovely to watch. Anyway – we moved down to the next potential swimming area – to find more murky water and more spawning jellyfish. Luc came out to encourage us to swim, saying he saw plenty of them all morning while he was out with the fishing boat, all across the bay, but that they wouldn't sting (which I was willing to believe, actually) but it was all too much for me – the murkiness, low-tide and high-seaweed, and the odd feeling of little creatures bumping into my hands with every stroke... and being all in my face. Yeah, it wasn't happening.
But we tried again anyway. Down to another secluded cove with way too much seaweed and jellyfish littering the shore. Alright, fourth try down to the public dock and beach. I had a few laps of a swim, and Amanda even got in despite the cold water, but the little ones were overwhelming and I got out much sooner than I would have due to temperature or tiredness. I still wanted to swim and it was a bit frustrating, but that's what I get for being squeamish, I guess.
It was very nice that Peter had supper waiting for us when we returned home – avocado salad with some of the tastiest capers ever and a risotto. With a light, sparkling wine, Prosecco. Perfect.
Amanda wasn't feeling well this evening, though, and I hope it wasn't the shock of the water from our swim. I'd feel guilty about that – I did egg her on a bit...
Tuesday -
Hmmm... Pretty much just a regular day of gardening and chilling around the old homestead. No sign of Amanda, who was down for the day with the ick. Moved a bit of earth, opening a path through the canal mound past the alders. Unfortunately found and disturbed a hive of ground bees – they were flustered and would have rather I weren't there, but they weren't stinging. Lucky for me.
A gentleman called Harry came around with the new conservatory for the front of the house – it is essentially a greenhouse built over the porch. It's a several-day construction project, but I wasn't commissioned to help.
Rain rolled in for the afternoon and proceeded for the rest of the night, which made it a bit restless. I had been having lots of dreams here, unusual for me to remember them, which I think had something to do with the Valerian tea before bed - but I think it was also making me groggy, so I stopped drinking it. Alas.
Wednesday -
Rain cleared and it was a gorgeous day. I sliced my finger with the scythe and had a run-in with some bramble, but nothing I won't survive. It's my last night in Ahakista. Amanda was out and about a bit more and joined Peter and I to watch an odd film called 'Withnail and I', which I haven't decided whether I particularly like or not...
Stayed up too late because that's what you do before a trip, right?
Thursday -
Peter woke ill with the stomach bug, so our plans to drive to Cork together were dashed and Amanda offered to take me to Bantry for the bus to Cork. I had enough time to go over and say goodbye to Luc and Monique... so I thought. I got there and the fishing boat was out and Monique was not around the house or fields near to it. I figured she might be in the far field, but then thought I should just leave a note and be on my way. Ages to find a pen and paper and as I finished it, Luc and Stevie were pulling into the harbor and Suzie spotted me and was barking madly. So of course I had to run down, and he said Monique was, indeed, up in the back field. I ran out to find her and we walked back together chatting and saying goodbye and then I ran back to meet Amanda just in time. It was good to have the exercise, given all the auto travel I was embarking upon.
I met a couple girls on the bus who had been WWOOFing with Annie King, who co-operates WWOOF Ireland, and it was nice to chat and exchange stories. They were headed to Kinsale, which I was envious of, because I've heard it's interesting and there is a permaculture program there that draws people, but alas, I was on my way to Cork where I would meet Ella, with whom Kate (my co-WWOOFer in Ahakista) had connected me. I met her at her hydroponics shop, Utopianation, on Barrack St. She made me a coffee and we talked along with the other few folks who were coming and going and sorted out our plans for the evening before I went to explore town for a while. Didn't get up to much but had a salad at the Quaay Co-op and then visited the English Market, which was alright, but didn't impress me as much as people seemed to think it would. Alas.
Back to the shop and to Ella's apartment on the Quay, comfortable and with a great view :) For the night our group would be me, Ella and her boyfriend Dennis, who is long in the music industry, and friend Kate, who is a gorgeous musical artist from the US. We left around 7pm for a private send-off party at the Black Rock Castle, which is an observatory (astronomy) for a woman named Connie who is part of Ella's social group and returning to California after 20 years in Ireland. It was a great scene, lots of families and friends enjoying the evening together. There were burrito and mojito fixin's and music and everyone was very social. Dinner, dancing and then we were off to a mixed-bill concert of Punk music which was a benefit for cancer research at a venue called the Pavillion, which was across the alley from an old Huguenot burial ground. (It's Ireland, and these things happen.) More dancing, and having my ears blasted, which I could do without, but it suited the atmosphere... home for a late-night meal and a late night in general; bed at 4:30...
Friday -
...sleep until afternoon and brunch at home for me, Kate and Ella. And Montana Kate, who joined us. So it turned out I didn't have time for shopping or lunch at Cafe Paradiso as I had planned to do with my day in Cork, but it was well worth the change of plans. I was able to ride along with Kate and another friend, Joia (a gorgeous Dutch girl who was driving North to do shamanic firewalking in celebration of the solstice) up to Dublin and hear their stories of love, loss and lunacy instead of taking the long, quiet bus alone. And that was good. Made it to Mooney's place. Sadly, Winnie had gone home for the weekend to meet some cousins visiting... all old school like. But still it was a good way to round out my trip, since I had stayed with them when I first arrived in Ireland. We talked, walked, and had dessert at Eddie Rocket's, an Americana-type diner. It was suitably ironic for me. And that's about it.
Saturday -
Travel - you know the routine. Nothing extraordinary, just on my way over the Atlantic and back to old homesteads. DC/MD first. Watched Arsenic and Old Lace on the plane and dozed and read and eventually got to Newark, transfer to Baltimore, where Lex met me at the airport and we came home and visited with Alex and rested and then dressed and off to a concert of Madeleine Peyroux and her excellent band, opened by Kelly Joe Phelps, so very good. I was in that ethereal drowsy state for most of the concert that makes the world surreal and beautiful.
Sunday -
Happy Solstice. And happy father's day. Lex made omelets for breakfast and we went to the Farmer's Market in Takoma Park so I could say hi to all the old friend there and get my greens fix. After, Alex came along with us to Shenandoah National Park for a hike up Old Rag, which made me say things like 'I have to be honest, I really like America' and 'oh yeah, I want to hike the Appalachian Trail'. It's a great walk and climb and I hope I'll go again someday. We made it home around 11pm, exhausted. Emily came home and we caught up for a minute before I crashed. Tomorrow, tomorrow. I'm really fighting the jet lag, and the change-of-weather sore throat and ick that seems to want to settle in. I'm surprised it never came sooner.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
May 20-27. Week by week: Edinburgh.
Wednesday
Up and out before 10 to explore. Walked the tourist main street (The Royal Mile). Had a lovely bit of Amaretto/Marzipan fudge. (Fudge appears to be a big Scottish thing. And something called 'tablet', which is a lot like fudge, basically.) Went to the National Museum and spent hours there. Wandered and wandered and looked at every bill-board posting to find out what's going on, as I do. It was a full and exhausting day, but it was all just wandering and exploring and there is not much to say about it. Did a bit of grocery shopping so I could make dinner for my lovely hosts and ended up waiting quite a while in a cool wind outside the flat... Calum was held up with a work event. Nevermind, it was nice to relax together when he did return and after dinner we watched a film called the Stone of Destiny, about an event in the 1950's, when a group of Scottish college students stole the Scottish coronation stone back from the British, who were holding it in Westminster Abbey. I like these history lessons. Calum and I had talked over dinner about the issue of Scottish independence and I learned a bit more about the system here. Anyway, after all this, I decided to stay up for the laundry to finish, and I was wired from too much chocolate while I had been waiting on the steps earlier in the evening... so I was up until about 4am, as the birds were beginning to sing in the coming dawn. Alas.
Thursday
Got up at 11am after that late night and after morning logistics made my way to a tango practica at the University. It was good, but it is stressful, tango, especially when coming into a new group, unsure about my own current skill level and certainly unsure of theirs... a new way of teaching and learning... all so much all at once. But it was good, anyway. Toby, the instructor, teaches everyone to lead and follow in his classes – and that is excellent. But it was really hard to step in to an intermediate level group who had been learning this way without having had much instruction as a leader, myself. We learn, we grow. Practica over, I found my way to the Roxy Art House, in an old converted church, where a lecture was on about 3 Baghdadi Sufi Mystics... it is part of an ongoing series called “Reel Iraq” which includes films and art and lectures, etc. It was interesting and I spoke for a while with a woman from Japan who is studying Sufi Mysticism at the Uni here. Beautiful world. There was an exhibition of photographs adjacent to the lecture hall that occupied me a while and then around the corner to the Dovecot Studio where there was more good art on display. After all this gazing, I found my way to a really good, although small and expensive, salad at a big funky pub/restaurant and then to tango class for the night, which ran from about 5:30-8:30. All University students, the Edinburgh U. Tango Society in fact, and they were welcoming. Lots of people there, maybe 25-30. Good leaders... especially that good-looking Spanish boy. :)
Home to a lovely veggie curry and some time to myself as Mairi is napping to keep up with her 3-job schedule for the weekend, and Calum is off to a meeting about an upcoming Couchsurfing event he is helping to organize.
Friday
Hmmm... I don't recall the morning much anymore - but I did make my way out for a walk past town and into the hills, up to a rock outcrop called Arthur's Seat. Oh yes, I was going to attend a lecture but it was canceled... Anyway, really good hiking just in the middle of town, basically. Lots of folks out and about enjoying the greenery and views. On my way back into town, I just stopped in to a little boutique with a bright yellow dress in the window that caught my eye and wound up trying on luxurious lovely things I would never dream of actually buying, but then the fashion love of my life made it's way into view - so I went home with the conundrum of whether or not to purchase. Alas. Dinner at home (again, details are fuzzy) and off to dance tango at the opening night milonga. I was an hour late, but stayed the whole night and was surprised to find Calum was still out when I came home after 1:30am.
Saturday
morning - Edinburgh farmer's market, just around the corner from the Castle and the flat. Fresh veggies and local cheeses.
fitting dress
shopping with Mairi and her friend
summer ball... tired, overwhelmed, went home early
Sunday
bananas and pb
brunch fry-up
Tango lessons - much more comfortable
Tango cafe - many good dances, felt more relaxed in the group that remained
rest - soup for dinner
milonga - great! Bruce, Gerard
Left very late and went to meet Calum at a CSer wine and cheese party, but it was wrapping up as I got there and I only met the half-dozen or so folks very briefly before we went back home. On the way out there, a small group was doing capoeira in the Meadows - a big ol' park in the middle of the city - and it made me feel comfortable and added to my love for the place.
Monday
Sleep in!
Lazy morning
Out to wander the New Town - Princes Street Gardens, National Gallery
Groceries
Home, chill out with Calum, grapes and yogurt with cucumber, cilantro, garlic for dinner. ahhhh :)
Stupid stupid FB virus!
Milonga - so-so, I was feeling quite relaxed and good but then was dancing awkwardly and it all went to shit rather quickly. Performances were lovely - left around 11:30
Heather, friend of Mairi, is staying over and we stayed up chatting a while about pregnancy, India, small towns and friends.
Tuesday
The awesomest of days
Picnic with Mairi and Heather in The Meadows
Forest Cafe for tea - shared lemon ginger with heather
Dress fitting
shopping with the girls - indian frou frou, fudge
terrace rooftop at the museum
Home, and home-made pizza for dinner
Lindisfarne mead
off to the Afghan Sufi music concert
dance dance dance
off to The Royal Oak - Americana folk being played on guitar and trumpet, with a splash of harmonica
Whiskeys with Calum -Springbank, Le Froig (?) and Tilasker (?)
Wednesday
morning chill and share music with Mairi
yogurt and sauteed greens and onions for breakfast
fudge - rum raisin and peanut butter
genmaicha from Haleh - the quintessential sushi tea, nostalgia for SF
Final dress fitting, retrieval and immediately ship it to CA...
Visited Mairi at her new, good job in a mellow little pub. Tea and muffin. Hoped to go to a ballet class I saw advertised, but apparently it was not on, so I did some writing and creative thinking in a little basement cafe at the Roxy, called the Cloisters. Quick dinner at home and off to the bus to the airport and back to Dublin... Just passed the incoming CSers on my way out the door.
In summary, it was freaking awesome to stay with Calum and Mairi and have wonderful meals at home together and share stories and just be amongst them. Also, I dig Edinburgh and would like to return and see what I can get up to in the community there. Anybody want to try out Scotland for a year with me? I'm serious, you know - I don't want to go that long without friends from home, though. Consider it, let me know.
Up and out before 10 to explore. Walked the tourist main street (The Royal Mile). Had a lovely bit of Amaretto/Marzipan fudge. (Fudge appears to be a big Scottish thing. And something called 'tablet', which is a lot like fudge, basically.) Went to the National Museum and spent hours there. Wandered and wandered and looked at every bill-board posting to find out what's going on, as I do. It was a full and exhausting day, but it was all just wandering and exploring and there is not much to say about it. Did a bit of grocery shopping so I could make dinner for my lovely hosts and ended up waiting quite a while in a cool wind outside the flat... Calum was held up with a work event. Nevermind, it was nice to relax together when he did return and after dinner we watched a film called the Stone of Destiny, about an event in the 1950's, when a group of Scottish college students stole the Scottish coronation stone back from the British, who were holding it in Westminster Abbey. I like these history lessons. Calum and I had talked over dinner about the issue of Scottish independence and I learned a bit more about the system here. Anyway, after all this, I decided to stay up for the laundry to finish, and I was wired from too much chocolate while I had been waiting on the steps earlier in the evening... so I was up until about 4am, as the birds were beginning to sing in the coming dawn. Alas.
Thursday
Got up at 11am after that late night and after morning logistics made my way to a tango practica at the University. It was good, but it is stressful, tango, especially when coming into a new group, unsure about my own current skill level and certainly unsure of theirs... a new way of teaching and learning... all so much all at once. But it was good, anyway. Toby, the instructor, teaches everyone to lead and follow in his classes – and that is excellent. But it was really hard to step in to an intermediate level group who had been learning this way without having had much instruction as a leader, myself. We learn, we grow. Practica over, I found my way to the Roxy Art House, in an old converted church, where a lecture was on about 3 Baghdadi Sufi Mystics... it is part of an ongoing series called “Reel Iraq” which includes films and art and lectures, etc. It was interesting and I spoke for a while with a woman from Japan who is studying Sufi Mysticism at the Uni here. Beautiful world. There was an exhibition of photographs adjacent to the lecture hall that occupied me a while and then around the corner to the Dovecot Studio where there was more good art on display. After all this gazing, I found my way to a really good, although small and expensive, salad at a big funky pub/restaurant and then to tango class for the night, which ran from about 5:30-8:30. All University students, the Edinburgh U. Tango Society in fact, and they were welcoming. Lots of people there, maybe 25-30. Good leaders... especially that good-looking Spanish boy. :)
Home to a lovely veggie curry and some time to myself as Mairi is napping to keep up with her 3-job schedule for the weekend, and Calum is off to a meeting about an upcoming Couchsurfing event he is helping to organize.
Friday
Hmmm... I don't recall the morning much anymore - but I did make my way out for a walk past town and into the hills, up to a rock outcrop called Arthur's Seat. Oh yes, I was going to attend a lecture but it was canceled... Anyway, really good hiking just in the middle of town, basically. Lots of folks out and about enjoying the greenery and views. On my way back into town, I just stopped in to a little boutique with a bright yellow dress in the window that caught my eye and wound up trying on luxurious lovely things I would never dream of actually buying, but then the fashion love of my life made it's way into view - so I went home with the conundrum of whether or not to purchase. Alas. Dinner at home (again, details are fuzzy) and off to dance tango at the opening night milonga. I was an hour late, but stayed the whole night and was surprised to find Calum was still out when I came home after 1:30am.
Saturday
morning - Edinburgh farmer's market, just around the corner from the Castle and the flat. Fresh veggies and local cheeses.
fitting dress
shopping with Mairi and her friend
summer ball... tired, overwhelmed, went home early
Sunday
bananas and pb
brunch fry-up
Tango lessons - much more comfortable
Tango cafe - many good dances, felt more relaxed in the group that remained
rest - soup for dinner
milonga - great! Bruce, Gerard
Left very late and went to meet Calum at a CSer wine and cheese party, but it was wrapping up as I got there and I only met the half-dozen or so folks very briefly before we went back home. On the way out there, a small group was doing capoeira in the Meadows - a big ol' park in the middle of the city - and it made me feel comfortable and added to my love for the place.
Monday
Sleep in!
Lazy morning
Out to wander the New Town - Princes Street Gardens, National Gallery
Groceries
Home, chill out with Calum, grapes and yogurt with cucumber, cilantro, garlic for dinner. ahhhh :)
Stupid stupid FB virus!
Milonga - so-so, I was feeling quite relaxed and good but then was dancing awkwardly and it all went to shit rather quickly. Performances were lovely - left around 11:30
Heather, friend of Mairi, is staying over and we stayed up chatting a while about pregnancy, India, small towns and friends.
Tuesday
The awesomest of days
Picnic with Mairi and Heather in The Meadows
Forest Cafe for tea - shared lemon ginger with heather
Dress fitting
shopping with the girls - indian frou frou, fudge
terrace rooftop at the museum
Home, and home-made pizza for dinner
Lindisfarne mead
off to the Afghan Sufi music concert
dance dance dance
off to The Royal Oak - Americana folk being played on guitar and trumpet, with a splash of harmonica
Whiskeys with Calum -Springbank, Le Froig (?) and Tilasker (?)
Wednesday
morning chill and share music with Mairi
yogurt and sauteed greens and onions for breakfast
fudge - rum raisin and peanut butter
genmaicha from Haleh - the quintessential sushi tea, nostalgia for SF
Final dress fitting, retrieval and immediately ship it to CA...
Visited Mairi at her new, good job in a mellow little pub. Tea and muffin. Hoped to go to a ballet class I saw advertised, but apparently it was not on, so I did some writing and creative thinking in a little basement cafe at the Roxy, called the Cloisters. Quick dinner at home and off to the bus to the airport and back to Dublin... Just passed the incoming CSers on my way out the door.
In summary, it was freaking awesome to stay with Calum and Mairi and have wonderful meals at home together and share stories and just be amongst them. Also, I dig Edinburgh and would like to return and see what I can get up to in the community there. Anybody want to try out Scotland for a year with me? I'm serious, you know - I don't want to go that long without friends from home, though. Consider it, let me know.
May 13-19: Another week in Dublin
May 18, 2009
Arrived back in Dublin from Oslo last Tuesday (12th) night. Managed to meet up with Jess just in time to head home. She had a very ill housemate and company coming in for the weekend, so we did not get to hang out together much.
I went off Wednesday (13th) to wander Dublin and see what I could find. Evening, tango class where I met some lovely folks, and we all went together to a milonga at the Wynn hotel after class. It was really quite crowded, and I only got in a few dances – one of them those stressful types where a person expects you to know more than you do and you can feel it... ah well. It was fun anyway and I was out late. I had arranged to couchsurf with Frantisek, who had decided not to stay for the tango class, so I was after finding my way to his place after all the buses had finished running for the night. I walked halfway (it was pretty far out) and grabbed a taxi, the driver of which insisted on driving me right to the door despite my insistence that I would be able to find it on foot more easily from the crossroad. This practice ran up the taxi bill, of course, to about 10 Euro. Arrived about 2am and we stayed up chatting about Japanese music and tea and swimming and mathematics and travel and place for an hour or more. It was interesting conversation, anyway. I slept poorly, and decided to get a hostel rather than plan to couchsurf as long as I was going to be busy dancing late into the night.
Thursday (14th) - Got a dorm room at the Abbey Court Hostel on the River Liffey and felt better to have the independence of it. But that feeling vacillated with one of wanting interaction, as it was kind of a keep-to-one's-own atmosphere in the hostel. More wandering, and I had a huge delicious dinner at the Hare Krishna vegetarian restaurant - Govinda's. I was supposed to meet Mar, an Icelandic guy I had met at the tango class the previous night, at the same venue and we would go together to the class that night, as I did not know where it was. He didn't show (or I didn't see him anyway) and I gave up on tango for Thursday night, but went off exploring and found the Cultivate Center, where there was a panel of politicians (elections June 9th) discussing their positions on climate change and other environmental issues. I sat in, and the discussion and energy were comforting to me, in their academic way. That over, I walked into Temple Bar, the touristy cultural center of Dublin, and past a venue where a crowd appeared to be waiting for a show. Indeed, the Dublin Gay Theatre Festival had two shows on, and the Dublin Dance Festival had one beginning in 5 minutes. I grabbed a ticket and saw a piece called Fall and Recover, in which professional dancers worked together with survivors of torture, to create and perform a rather inspiring dance piece. There was a reception afterward and I hung around a bit and eventually asked just the right person (unknowingly, the Marketing Coordinator, Ellie) about how I might get a t-shirt. She said I could have one (yay!) and I also expressed an interest in helping with the festival, if they were short volunteers. She introduced me to the Volunteer Coordinator, Eve, who decided I could be useful and I went out with them and a few others to the sponsor bar at the Crown Hotel (apparently owned by Bono) across the way. (Also had a great conversation with eve's sister, Ayelet, who is a sculptor and who just had the very refreshing demeanor of a professional, and successful, artist.) Nice time at the pub socializing and it turned out to be a great night.
Friday (15th), I went to volunteer at the office for the DDF, distributed brochures and got to see some groovy parts of town I had not yet explored. Then spent a couple hours folding and stapling programs and just socializing. It felt so good to be contributing, to be involved in something, and to be interacting with interesting, engaged people.
Evening, I walked out to Rathmines to grab my big bag from Jess' place and made it back to the hostel just in time to make it to tango class at the Morisini-Whelan School. It was a good class, though I felt off-balance. The milonga followed at the same location, really relaxed and again pretty busy, but with a bigger dance floor. I danced a lot and stayed until after 2am. Mar was really coming on strong, in a humorous and unthreatening but persistent kind of way, and I enjoyed the attention for an evening, but really was not interested.
Saturday (16th) - I arranged to couchsurf in Balbriggan, a 40 minute train ride north of Dublin, little town on the seaside. But I was going to see a couple of shows in the DDF in the afternoon so I was wandering more (Amid the feeling: "I'm done, with all the waywardness, really, I have had enough wandering, I want to do something more productive with all this energy and time".) It turned out that the two shows were sold out so I did not get into either of them. Alas. But in between trying, I found a food market and a craft market in Temple Bar and both were very entertaining for me. Later, I had a salad at The Farm restaurant and later a desert at Govinda's. There, Shane met up with me, who I would be couchsurfing with in Balbriggan. I was exhausted, again, after walking all day with my stuff for the weekend. He seemed to want to hang around Dublin, though, and insisted on taking me on what he could remember of the Dublin walking tour. I did, indeem see some interesting things that otherwise would not have sought or noticed, but I wasn't very energetic about it all. Whenever he would ask what I wanted to do my answer was 'something relaxed, easygoing, laid-back.... in fact going home would be just fine'; but he still seemed to have quite his own agenda and we went to a pub and then to a club he was interested to see along the way to the train to catch the last one out at 11:20pm. When we arrived, we had some tea and listened to Mum, which was nostalgic and relaxing for me, but it was all a bit awkward of a household and by this point it seemed that Shane himself is a bit awkward and anxious and, well, generally lacking awareness in social cues. Anyway, it felt really good to go to bed finally and I slept great. Next day we cycled out to the Sonairte Ecology center, about 10km away. It was sunny on the way there. There was a small farmer's market, where I spent too much money on too many delicious baked goods. The garden was nice and I was glad to have a chance to visit the place. It began to rain just as we were leaving and it was quite a slog back. On the way, though, Shane decided he wanted to see this place that had been a holiday camp, but about 5 years ago was turned into a sort of refugee center, a place to house asylum-seekers. So we went off our path in the pissing rain to check the place out. Enter zenflowingrivermind. But it felt so good to get home and get dry. That's the way my brand of masochism works, anyway, after all.
Evening and we watched 'Sunshine', then had a nice walk by the seaside at sunset. Another movie 'Harsh Times' and bed.
Monday (18th) - Generally futzed around with breakfast and tea and got the train at noon to Dublin. Check in to the hostel again and repacked my bags for the next week, then just took a nap. Went to the venue for the DDF at 6pm to report for volunteer duty, which was rather light. It looked like I would not get to see the shows (the festival has been quite successful, which makes me quite happy) but at the last minute I was able to see both shows: 'Standing in Ink' by Daghda Dance Company and 'Happy Hour' by Wendy Houston.
Tuesday (19th) - When leaving the hostel, met up with a Canadian girl named Annika who went walking with me to find free internet at a cafe and we wound up at a place called Mocha, chatting and netting. I had an iced Orgeon Chai which went well with the Seal and Sting and the like on the stereo and suited my nostalgia just fine. She was good company and had great stories to share of her recent 3-month adventures around Ireland. She joined me to meet Jess, with whom we went to meet Rachel (EM's friend who was the original connection there...) for lunch at a really decent spot called Woodstock's. On the way back into town to pick up the handful of pounds I'd forgotten in my backpack from my little Belfast tryst way back when, we saw an art gallery and had a couple hours to pop in. There was a little exhibition of pieces of stained glass, a couple of which were captivating with their finely detailed fairytale art scenes. There was also an installation called 'Egg Fight' which involved a curtain constructed of eggs and two headless figures wearing funky pirate costumery. I could explain more, but I think that's enough. Oh, and it was based on Gulliver's Travels. Alright, that's all you get.
Onto the bus, to the airport, time to kill, read some more of Food First which has been more motivating and inspiring and informative in the recent chapters, perhaps simply because I have been able to focus better. Then chatted with a pleasant fellow named Greg, about farms and travel and restlessness. Very quick flight to Edinburgh, easy on to the bus into town, chatted with a good-looking young guy about work and recession and Ireland...
My couchsurfing host in Edinburgh, Calum, met me at the bus and showed me a winding back-route to his place through many stairways and cobblestone paths. He and his sister share a comfy little flat in the UNESCO World Heritage Area old town of Edinburgh right next to the castle. It's alright :). And they are vegetarians who have traveled in India and make delicious dinners at home. Ah, I'm contented here! The company is a very important part of this, but the feel of this gorgeous old city is wonderful and I want to spend more time with Edinburgh.
Also met Sara, from Mexico city, and Raquel from Brazil, who were staying just for the night with Calum and Mairie.We went out for a quick drink at a pub where there was a traditional music set going, and Calum, who is an absolute encyclopedia of whisk(e)y knowledge, recommended a nice peaty variety called Ardbeg. Excellent. What a wonderful day.
Arrived back in Dublin from Oslo last Tuesday (12th) night. Managed to meet up with Jess just in time to head home. She had a very ill housemate and company coming in for the weekend, so we did not get to hang out together much.
I went off Wednesday (13th) to wander Dublin and see what I could find. Evening, tango class where I met some lovely folks, and we all went together to a milonga at the Wynn hotel after class. It was really quite crowded, and I only got in a few dances – one of them those stressful types where a person expects you to know more than you do and you can feel it... ah well. It was fun anyway and I was out late. I had arranged to couchsurf with Frantisek, who had decided not to stay for the tango class, so I was after finding my way to his place after all the buses had finished running for the night. I walked halfway (it was pretty far out) and grabbed a taxi, the driver of which insisted on driving me right to the door despite my insistence that I would be able to find it on foot more easily from the crossroad. This practice ran up the taxi bill, of course, to about 10 Euro. Arrived about 2am and we stayed up chatting about Japanese music and tea and swimming and mathematics and travel and place for an hour or more. It was interesting conversation, anyway. I slept poorly, and decided to get a hostel rather than plan to couchsurf as long as I was going to be busy dancing late into the night.
Thursday (14th) - Got a dorm room at the Abbey Court Hostel on the River Liffey and felt better to have the independence of it. But that feeling vacillated with one of wanting interaction, as it was kind of a keep-to-one's-own atmosphere in the hostel. More wandering, and I had a huge delicious dinner at the Hare Krishna vegetarian restaurant - Govinda's. I was supposed to meet Mar, an Icelandic guy I had met at the tango class the previous night, at the same venue and we would go together to the class that night, as I did not know where it was. He didn't show (or I didn't see him anyway) and I gave up on tango for Thursday night, but went off exploring and found the Cultivate Center, where there was a panel of politicians (elections June 9th) discussing their positions on climate change and other environmental issues. I sat in, and the discussion and energy were comforting to me, in their academic way. That over, I walked into Temple Bar, the touristy cultural center of Dublin, and past a venue where a crowd appeared to be waiting for a show. Indeed, the Dublin Gay Theatre Festival had two shows on, and the Dublin Dance Festival had one beginning in 5 minutes. I grabbed a ticket and saw a piece called Fall and Recover, in which professional dancers worked together with survivors of torture, to create and perform a rather inspiring dance piece. There was a reception afterward and I hung around a bit and eventually asked just the right person (unknowingly, the Marketing Coordinator, Ellie) about how I might get a t-shirt. She said I could have one (yay!) and I also expressed an interest in helping with the festival, if they were short volunteers. She introduced me to the Volunteer Coordinator, Eve, who decided I could be useful and I went out with them and a few others to the sponsor bar at the Crown Hotel (apparently owned by Bono) across the way. (Also had a great conversation with eve's sister, Ayelet, who is a sculptor and who just had the very refreshing demeanor of a professional, and successful, artist.) Nice time at the pub socializing and it turned out to be a great night.
Friday (15th), I went to volunteer at the office for the DDF, distributed brochures and got to see some groovy parts of town I had not yet explored. Then spent a couple hours folding and stapling programs and just socializing. It felt so good to be contributing, to be involved in something, and to be interacting with interesting, engaged people.
Evening, I walked out to Rathmines to grab my big bag from Jess' place and made it back to the hostel just in time to make it to tango class at the Morisini-Whelan School. It was a good class, though I felt off-balance. The milonga followed at the same location, really relaxed and again pretty busy, but with a bigger dance floor. I danced a lot and stayed until after 2am. Mar was really coming on strong, in a humorous and unthreatening but persistent kind of way, and I enjoyed the attention for an evening, but really was not interested.
Saturday (16th) - I arranged to couchsurf in Balbriggan, a 40 minute train ride north of Dublin, little town on the seaside. But I was going to see a couple of shows in the DDF in the afternoon so I was wandering more (Amid the feeling: "I'm done, with all the waywardness, really, I have had enough wandering, I want to do something more productive with all this energy and time".) It turned out that the two shows were sold out so I did not get into either of them. Alas. But in between trying, I found a food market and a craft market in Temple Bar and both were very entertaining for me. Later, I had a salad at The Farm restaurant and later a desert at Govinda's. There, Shane met up with me, who I would be couchsurfing with in Balbriggan. I was exhausted, again, after walking all day with my stuff for the weekend. He seemed to want to hang around Dublin, though, and insisted on taking me on what he could remember of the Dublin walking tour. I did, indeem see some interesting things that otherwise would not have sought or noticed, but I wasn't very energetic about it all. Whenever he would ask what I wanted to do my answer was 'something relaxed, easygoing, laid-back.... in fact going home would be just fine'; but he still seemed to have quite his own agenda and we went to a pub and then to a club he was interested to see along the way to the train to catch the last one out at 11:20pm. When we arrived, we had some tea and listened to Mum, which was nostalgic and relaxing for me, but it was all a bit awkward of a household and by this point it seemed that Shane himself is a bit awkward and anxious and, well, generally lacking awareness in social cues. Anyway, it felt really good to go to bed finally and I slept great. Next day we cycled out to the Sonairte Ecology center, about 10km away. It was sunny on the way there. There was a small farmer's market, where I spent too much money on too many delicious baked goods. The garden was nice and I was glad to have a chance to visit the place. It began to rain just as we were leaving and it was quite a slog back. On the way, though, Shane decided he wanted to see this place that had been a holiday camp, but about 5 years ago was turned into a sort of refugee center, a place to house asylum-seekers. So we went off our path in the pissing rain to check the place out. Enter zenflowingrivermind. But it felt so good to get home and get dry. That's the way my brand of masochism works, anyway, after all.
Evening and we watched 'Sunshine', then had a nice walk by the seaside at sunset. Another movie 'Harsh Times' and bed.
Monday (18th) - Generally futzed around with breakfast and tea and got the train at noon to Dublin. Check in to the hostel again and repacked my bags for the next week, then just took a nap. Went to the venue for the DDF at 6pm to report for volunteer duty, which was rather light. It looked like I would not get to see the shows (the festival has been quite successful, which makes me quite happy) but at the last minute I was able to see both shows: 'Standing in Ink' by Daghda Dance Company and 'Happy Hour' by Wendy Houston.
Tuesday (19th) - When leaving the hostel, met up with a Canadian girl named Annika who went walking with me to find free internet at a cafe and we wound up at a place called Mocha, chatting and netting. I had an iced Orgeon Chai which went well with the Seal and Sting and the like on the stereo and suited my nostalgia just fine. She was good company and had great stories to share of her recent 3-month adventures around Ireland. She joined me to meet Jess, with whom we went to meet Rachel (EM's friend who was the original connection there...) for lunch at a really decent spot called Woodstock's. On the way back into town to pick up the handful of pounds I'd forgotten in my backpack from my little Belfast tryst way back when, we saw an art gallery and had a couple hours to pop in. There was a little exhibition of pieces of stained glass, a couple of which were captivating with their finely detailed fairytale art scenes. There was also an installation called 'Egg Fight' which involved a curtain constructed of eggs and two headless figures wearing funky pirate costumery. I could explain more, but I think that's enough. Oh, and it was based on Gulliver's Travels. Alright, that's all you get.
Onto the bus, to the airport, time to kill, read some more of Food First which has been more motivating and inspiring and informative in the recent chapters, perhaps simply because I have been able to focus better. Then chatted with a pleasant fellow named Greg, about farms and travel and restlessness. Very quick flight to Edinburgh, easy on to the bus into town, chatted with a good-looking young guy about work and recession and Ireland...
My couchsurfing host in Edinburgh, Calum, met me at the bus and showed me a winding back-route to his place through many stairways and cobblestone paths. He and his sister share a comfy little flat in the UNESCO World Heritage Area old town of Edinburgh right next to the castle. It's alright :). And they are vegetarians who have traveled in India and make delicious dinners at home. Ah, I'm contented here! The company is a very important part of this, but the feel of this gorgeous old city is wonderful and I want to spend more time with Edinburgh.
Also met Sara, from Mexico city, and Raquel from Brazil, who were staying just for the night with Calum and Mairie.We went out for a quick drink at a pub where there was a traditional music set going, and Calum, who is an absolute encyclopedia of whisk(e)y knowledge, recommended a nice peaty variety called Ardbeg. Excellent. What a wonderful day.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Monday and Tuesday 11-12 May
Another visit to the botanical gardens. Sunnier and bloomier than the last, unimaginably. Lots of communicating to arrange places in Dublin and Edinburgh and just when it was beginning to concern me, it all came together. Ahhh :) Also making plans for July in CA an elsewhere. Looks like it will be Rainier in early July and the Vancouver folk music festival July 17-19. Colorado in late July-early Aug. Let me know if you want to join in on any of this...
Afternoon walk up the hill to jog in the park and look back out over Oslo, goodbye. In the evening, EM's housemate Catherine (how have I not mentioned this woman? She's beautiful and interesting and a good housemate and I say so with even more confidence now that I have stayed at their place for this time...) returned and invited me to join her for a set of crunches. I was ecstatic! Yes! Of course! I can't go back to Mojo Fit in Davis in this soft-core condition, after all. Give me abs! Also, I have been stretching after jogging and can not believe how tight my hips and shoulders have become. But anyway, this is all being addressed. Never you worry. :) Really, it might be the prospect of all that tango dancing that has me so motivated.
EM and I made late-night granola and stayed up with a film called Kautokeino Opprøret, which is about a Sami community who rose-up against oppresive influences, set in the late 1800's. We stopped it early (at 1am...), so I am going to finish it today - I think it is an important Norwegian history lesson for me.
Tuesday and we went together to the post office in the morning to pick up a care package Haleh sent to me. Oh my goodness, what a special treat and wonderful feeling this is! I just want to tell the world how ridiculously happy this little box has made me. And that I am now the proud owner of an orange Davis Food Co-op water tin.
I am hanging out with EM at work for a bit this morning an then will be off to pack and shuttle off to Dublin. There is a 2-hour or so bus ride to the airport in Torp (gah Ryanair!) and the flight and bus into city center and I am sure to be finished with the day when I arrive after 9pm.
Last night, this feeling of inspiration and refreshment began to renew itself in my little heart, from some myriad of influences, and today it is growing alongside the sadness of leaving my sweet EM.
Afternoon walk up the hill to jog in the park and look back out over Oslo, goodbye. In the evening, EM's housemate Catherine (how have I not mentioned this woman? She's beautiful and interesting and a good housemate and I say so with even more confidence now that I have stayed at their place for this time...) returned and invited me to join her for a set of crunches. I was ecstatic! Yes! Of course! I can't go back to Mojo Fit in Davis in this soft-core condition, after all. Give me abs! Also, I have been stretching after jogging and can not believe how tight my hips and shoulders have become. But anyway, this is all being addressed. Never you worry. :) Really, it might be the prospect of all that tango dancing that has me so motivated.
EM and I made late-night granola and stayed up with a film called Kautokeino Opprøret, which is about a Sami community who rose-up against oppresive influences, set in the late 1800's. We stopped it early (at 1am...), so I am going to finish it today - I think it is an important Norwegian history lesson for me.
Tuesday and we went together to the post office in the morning to pick up a care package Haleh sent to me. Oh my goodness, what a special treat and wonderful feeling this is! I just want to tell the world how ridiculously happy this little box has made me. And that I am now the proud owner of an orange Davis Food Co-op water tin.
I am hanging out with EM at work for a bit this morning an then will be off to pack and shuttle off to Dublin. There is a 2-hour or so bus ride to the airport in Torp (gah Ryanair!) and the flight and bus into city center and I am sure to be finished with the day when I arrive after 9pm.
Last night, this feeling of inspiration and refreshment began to renew itself in my little heart, from some myriad of influences, and today it is growing alongside the sadness of leaving my sweet EM.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Another week in Oslo. May 4-10
Monday:
Train back to Oslo from Bergen - very melancholy morning, on account of the departure. We tried to play Carcassonne on the train seat-back tray, and that was pretty entertaining. Gave up halfway through. EM treated me to a Vestlands lefse in the cafe, where there were large windows for watching the countryside rush by. It was sunny (had been cloudy on the way to Bergen).
When we returned, EM had a work meeting so we went by the office for a while. I don't remember what kept us up late when we got home, but something certainly did, and I was exhausted.
Tuesday:
On my own for the day. Ferry to Bygdoy for a nice walk around and to see the Norwegian Folk Museum. There are indoor exhibits (which included one devoted to folk costumery, yay!, and one about the 1980's... which is very popular these days in European fashion) and a feature on the Sami (indigenous Norwegians). Most of the museum is a collection of buildings, however, from various regions and time periods. It was a sunny day and I really enjoyed it. All those big old wooden structures smell so lovely. There were plenty of little gardens and nooks in which to hide away and contemplate the birds and eccentric architecture.
Wandered, saw the big expensive mansions of Bygdoy (a sort of peninsula of Oslo, wealthy, ambassadorial residences and all, more on that later), wasted time in the sunshine in a coastal park and ferried back to town to meet EM at the old dome church, hummus wrap on the way home... Stayed up late again; watching Juno.
Wednesday:
I stayed in for the morning and worked on a cover letter to Marin Organic. (They have an apprenticeship program which excites me to no end and I am giddy with a crush on the idea of working with them... but that is a whole other essay. One that goes into an ambiguous speculation about 'home' and my contradictory desires to put down roots and remain a tumbleweed.)
I went out in the afternoon just to walk and be outside and must have looked like distressed prey - single female traveler sitting and thinking on a very public park bench in town center - because this guy totally came around to hit on me. Maybe he was from Belize, but no thanks, anyway. Not all such experiences are quite so close to the edge of lecherous and unpleasant, but then some are. I made my way to a chai and brownie at a great little cafe that EM pointed out previously. Back home to meet EM after a long day (she volunteers at the teen Refugee Center on Wednesdays after work). We stayed up late having chocolate and beer, which was altogether a mistake... because dinner had been the chai and brownie. Ah, someday I may cease doing these things to myself... may. It was a cozy eve at home together. I am loving this.
Thursday:
EM had the day off. We had a lazy morning... me online (where I found out there is a tango festival in Edingurgh in late May and decided to go, feeling a little impetuous, but only a little. The flight is 2 Euro roundtrip and I just couldn't help myself). Then a walk to the Botanical Garden, which was not a disappointment :)
Afternoon dear Haleh, I finally up and went for a jog. Felt so good!
EM's friend Jeni came for dinner; I made Lentil rice ambrosia and EM made lefse from scratch. YUM. We watched a totally bizarre film called Bagdad Cafe and late to bed again.
Friday:
Oh boy did I sleep in... until 11! More work on the app to Marin Organic and a good bit of thinking about a Ph.D. program at the Bren School of Envtl. Science and Mgmt. at UCSB. Indeed. And then...
Cinco de Mayo party and drinks at the American Embassy.
Jeni works for the Canadian Embassy here and those Canadians apparently had a standing invitation to a Friday happy hour event at the American Embassy. It's only open to external visitors once a month, lucky us it was this week. She got us on the list and we went along for beers and strawberry margaritas and tequila shots... a bit late for Cinco de Mayo, but I was glad to get the celebration in. Talked with a whole pile of interesting people, and then the whole crowd had to be run out of the place. Went next to a little bar with a window seat and from there, 10:30 pm but still light out, to Nomaden, a nightclub/bar where we were the first on the dance floor and that was how we liked it. Home and EM made delicious fried potato-onion-cheesy love and I typed while half-watching the Divine Secrets of the YaYa Sisterhood.
Saturday:
Had a walk with EM to a new part of the neighborhood and went jogging (again!) from there. Quick change and met her at the trolley to go to a choral concert featuring a friend of her's from work. It was billed as an A Capella exploration of the history of pop music... but it turned out to be a simple, well-performed random selection of various-genre. I guess they would all be technically classified as pop. But now I am nitpicking. It was good! And we had a good walk, and EM took me to have Kokosboller, which are a Norwegian specialty, funny little meringues with a thin coating of chocolate and coconut flakes. It was fun to share and we deserved it after our walk in the rain that snuck up in the afternoon. Roundabout bus home for a siesta. We missed cheering Jeni on in the relay race she was running with a team from the Embassy, some big fundraiser event, but she still invited us to the after-race celebration...
Dinner at the residence of the Canadian ambassador. Lovely, relaxed, delicious. EM was not feeling well after the previous night so she stayed in to rest. The weather almost kept me home, but at the last minute cleared and I went, and glad I did - such a pleasant evening! Met and chatted with some really good people and around dark we went out into town together and chilled at an outdoor bar that reminded me of something from Miami. Despite the cold, it was lively, and eventually we got to dancing. We made to leave several times, but then another good dance song came on and we just moved to different parts of the patio... eventually we left the area of the bar and danced in a little gazebo in the town square next to the bar. That Jeni, she's a good influence... I had told EM I would be home around 10:30 and think I finally made it around 2:30. It was good company and good conversation and good times all around. And Jeni gave me the bag she was carrying that says 'Bergen!', because I totally coveted it, and she is sweet as pie, that girl. I am so going to Montreal to visit her after she returns from the embassy job in Finland where she'll be next month... if I was lacking inspiration about how things just seem to come together right, she brought it all back.
Sunday:
EM took me for a nice walk up into the hills and we both discovered some nice new areas. And a big old ridiculous American-style car show. Go figure. It is pleasant to wander the sidewalks up in the wealthy hill suburbs of Oslo. Reminded me of good times in Marin.
We made a simple veggie stew for dinner and it was so satisfying. Shared a good Norwegian beer in the garden nearing sunset. I am reading a book called "Always the Mountains" the quality of which I am still undecided about... but it feels good to have a book in hand and a friend in the garden :)
Train back to Oslo from Bergen - very melancholy morning, on account of the departure. We tried to play Carcassonne on the train seat-back tray, and that was pretty entertaining. Gave up halfway through. EM treated me to a Vestlands lefse in the cafe, where there were large windows for watching the countryside rush by. It was sunny (had been cloudy on the way to Bergen).
When we returned, EM had a work meeting so we went by the office for a while. I don't remember what kept us up late when we got home, but something certainly did, and I was exhausted.
Tuesday:
On my own for the day. Ferry to Bygdoy for a nice walk around and to see the Norwegian Folk Museum. There are indoor exhibits (which included one devoted to folk costumery, yay!, and one about the 1980's... which is very popular these days in European fashion) and a feature on the Sami (indigenous Norwegians). Most of the museum is a collection of buildings, however, from various regions and time periods. It was a sunny day and I really enjoyed it. All those big old wooden structures smell so lovely. There were plenty of little gardens and nooks in which to hide away and contemplate the birds and eccentric architecture.
Wandered, saw the big expensive mansions of Bygdoy (a sort of peninsula of Oslo, wealthy, ambassadorial residences and all, more on that later), wasted time in the sunshine in a coastal park and ferried back to town to meet EM at the old dome church, hummus wrap on the way home... Stayed up late again; watching Juno.
Wednesday:
I stayed in for the morning and worked on a cover letter to Marin Organic. (They have an apprenticeship program which excites me to no end and I am giddy with a crush on the idea of working with them... but that is a whole other essay. One that goes into an ambiguous speculation about 'home' and my contradictory desires to put down roots and remain a tumbleweed.)
I went out in the afternoon just to walk and be outside and must have looked like distressed prey - single female traveler sitting and thinking on a very public park bench in town center - because this guy totally came around to hit on me. Maybe he was from Belize, but no thanks, anyway. Not all such experiences are quite so close to the edge of lecherous and unpleasant, but then some are. I made my way to a chai and brownie at a great little cafe that EM pointed out previously. Back home to meet EM after a long day (she volunteers at the teen Refugee Center on Wednesdays after work). We stayed up late having chocolate and beer, which was altogether a mistake... because dinner had been the chai and brownie. Ah, someday I may cease doing these things to myself... may. It was a cozy eve at home together. I am loving this.
Thursday:
EM had the day off. We had a lazy morning... me online (where I found out there is a tango festival in Edingurgh in late May and decided to go, feeling a little impetuous, but only a little. The flight is 2 Euro roundtrip and I just couldn't help myself). Then a walk to the Botanical Garden, which was not a disappointment :)
Afternoon dear Haleh, I finally up and went for a jog. Felt so good!
EM's friend Jeni came for dinner; I made Lentil rice ambrosia and EM made lefse from scratch. YUM. We watched a totally bizarre film called Bagdad Cafe and late to bed again.
Friday:
Oh boy did I sleep in... until 11! More work on the app to Marin Organic and a good bit of thinking about a Ph.D. program at the Bren School of Envtl. Science and Mgmt. at UCSB. Indeed. And then...
Cinco de Mayo party and drinks at the American Embassy.
Jeni works for the Canadian Embassy here and those Canadians apparently had a standing invitation to a Friday happy hour event at the American Embassy. It's only open to external visitors once a month, lucky us it was this week. She got us on the list and we went along for beers and strawberry margaritas and tequila shots... a bit late for Cinco de Mayo, but I was glad to get the celebration in. Talked with a whole pile of interesting people, and then the whole crowd had to be run out of the place. Went next to a little bar with a window seat and from there, 10:30 pm but still light out, to Nomaden, a nightclub/bar where we were the first on the dance floor and that was how we liked it. Home and EM made delicious fried potato-onion-cheesy love and I typed while half-watching the Divine Secrets of the YaYa Sisterhood.
Saturday:
Had a walk with EM to a new part of the neighborhood and went jogging (again!) from there. Quick change and met her at the trolley to go to a choral concert featuring a friend of her's from work. It was billed as an A Capella exploration of the history of pop music... but it turned out to be a simple, well-performed random selection of various-genre. I guess they would all be technically classified as pop. But now I am nitpicking. It was good! And we had a good walk, and EM took me to have Kokosboller, which are a Norwegian specialty, funny little meringues with a thin coating of chocolate and coconut flakes. It was fun to share and we deserved it after our walk in the rain that snuck up in the afternoon. Roundabout bus home for a siesta. We missed cheering Jeni on in the relay race she was running with a team from the Embassy, some big fundraiser event, but she still invited us to the after-race celebration...
Dinner at the residence of the Canadian ambassador. Lovely, relaxed, delicious. EM was not feeling well after the previous night so she stayed in to rest. The weather almost kept me home, but at the last minute cleared and I went, and glad I did - such a pleasant evening! Met and chatted with some really good people and around dark we went out into town together and chilled at an outdoor bar that reminded me of something from Miami. Despite the cold, it was lively, and eventually we got to dancing. We made to leave several times, but then another good dance song came on and we just moved to different parts of the patio... eventually we left the area of the bar and danced in a little gazebo in the town square next to the bar. That Jeni, she's a good influence... I had told EM I would be home around 10:30 and think I finally made it around 2:30. It was good company and good conversation and good times all around. And Jeni gave me the bag she was carrying that says 'Bergen!', because I totally coveted it, and she is sweet as pie, that girl. I am so going to Montreal to visit her after she returns from the embassy job in Finland where she'll be next month... if I was lacking inspiration about how things just seem to come together right, she brought it all back.
Sunday:
EM took me for a nice walk up into the hills and we both discovered some nice new areas. And a big old ridiculous American-style car show. Go figure. It is pleasant to wander the sidewalks up in the wealthy hill suburbs of Oslo. Reminded me of good times in Marin.
We made a simple veggie stew for dinner and it was so satisfying. Shared a good Norwegian beer in the garden nearing sunset. I am reading a book called "Always the Mountains" the quality of which I am still undecided about... but it feels good to have a book in hand and a friend in the garden :)
Sunday, May 3, 2009
The good life...
Ah, the weekend in Bergen, with Ellen Marie and Carl Phillip and Co. Glorious.
Friday. May Day. It is a proper holiday here, time off work, parades, flags everywhere. Ellen Marie wanted to walk in the local parade, which is as simple as finding a sign to get behind. We joined up as they were beginning after we had a walk in the very charming neighborhood of Nunez (sp?), which is probably very expensive, but then again, so is all of Norway.
I peeled off to walk about town on my own and do a bit of writing. After the parade, we got a soft ice cream - I was told I could have strawberry and chocolate, so asked for both - and what I got was vanilla soft-serve rolled in this weird strawberry candy and cocoa. It was very bizarre, but fun enough to try.
Carl Phillip hosted a board game party at his house, so we made our way back and he had made us all a lovely veggie soup for dinner, then right into socializing and games. I was a bit low on energy and did not make much effort to start conversation, so most of it was held in Norwegian, and I slid out of the scene after the first game (Elfenland), a long one since we were all working on the rules as we went. Despite my self-exclusion, it was a fun time and I was feeling everyone's good vibes, though I was disappointed we never got around to Twister :(
Saturday, meant to go for a full-day hike, but the weather did not cooperate, so we wandered town again and went to the Hanseatic museum at Bryggen. It was quite interesting - huge, sturdy wooden houses with high ceilings and very heavy door-latches built by German traders who set up office here in Bergen for hundreds of years, back in the day. We wound up doing a bit of shopping, which made EM quite happy. Among the treasures, she bought the game Carcassonne at this game shop that was having some kind of costume contest and giving away free comic books. I appreciated the Lara Croft look the most, perhaps, but the whole scene was lively and interesting. Groceries (oh god, the cost of food!) and home to make pizza for dinner. Yes! We read the rules to the game before crashing asleep on the table and giving up on the day.
Sunday and the morning weather was just fine, indeed. Over breakfast, we discussed this article, which Nick linked to me and I thought important to share with EM because we have a continuing theme about positivity in American culture vs. other nations (Norway, Russia, and Ireland, for instance): http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/09-04-15.html#feature
Another late start to the morning and we decided on a relatively short hike up Lovostakken (sp?) which is perhaps the prettiest little urban mountain ever. It was a very good hike with amazing views and a good sense of distance from the city below. We had fishcakes for lunch (special Norway diet exception) in the shelter of a friendly boulder. The cakes came form Sostren Agelene, sister restaurant to Madame Bergen, which are local institutions, but were bought by a large company some while back which has now found itself in a bit of a pickle and has announced it will close both. People are unhappy about this. After an adventurous descent, back to town for ice cream, proper gelato for me this time, and then home to rest, study, dance in the kitchen a bit and make pizza again, as it just struck our fancy. And was just delicious again. This time we got in a round of Carcassonne, and it was quite fun. Such a good day, such a lovely weekend. Mellow, melancholy, leave-tomorrow kind of mood to the evening, lightened for a moment by CP sharing a video of Michael Jackson-inspired dance performance for a high school talent show. Quite impressive. Hilarious. But impressive. Had to reprimand him for not busting out the dance a little more while I've been here.
Sharing time! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ofd-SzGweTo&feature=related
Friday. May Day. It is a proper holiday here, time off work, parades, flags everywhere. Ellen Marie wanted to walk in the local parade, which is as simple as finding a sign to get behind. We joined up as they were beginning after we had a walk in the very charming neighborhood of Nunez (sp?), which is probably very expensive, but then again, so is all of Norway.
I peeled off to walk about town on my own and do a bit of writing. After the parade, we got a soft ice cream - I was told I could have strawberry and chocolate, so asked for both - and what I got was vanilla soft-serve rolled in this weird strawberry candy and cocoa. It was very bizarre, but fun enough to try.
Carl Phillip hosted a board game party at his house, so we made our way back and he had made us all a lovely veggie soup for dinner, then right into socializing and games. I was a bit low on energy and did not make much effort to start conversation, so most of it was held in Norwegian, and I slid out of the scene after the first game (Elfenland), a long one since we were all working on the rules as we went. Despite my self-exclusion, it was a fun time and I was feeling everyone's good vibes, though I was disappointed we never got around to Twister :(
Saturday, meant to go for a full-day hike, but the weather did not cooperate, so we wandered town again and went to the Hanseatic museum at Bryggen. It was quite interesting - huge, sturdy wooden houses with high ceilings and very heavy door-latches built by German traders who set up office here in Bergen for hundreds of years, back in the day. We wound up doing a bit of shopping, which made EM quite happy. Among the treasures, she bought the game Carcassonne at this game shop that was having some kind of costume contest and giving away free comic books. I appreciated the Lara Croft look the most, perhaps, but the whole scene was lively and interesting. Groceries (oh god, the cost of food!) and home to make pizza for dinner. Yes! We read the rules to the game before crashing asleep on the table and giving up on the day.
Sunday and the morning weather was just fine, indeed. Over breakfast, we discussed this article, which Nick linked to me and I thought important to share with EM because we have a continuing theme about positivity in American culture vs. other nations (Norway, Russia, and Ireland, for instance): http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/09-04-15.html#feature
Another late start to the morning and we decided on a relatively short hike up Lovostakken (sp?) which is perhaps the prettiest little urban mountain ever. It was a very good hike with amazing views and a good sense of distance from the city below. We had fishcakes for lunch (special Norway diet exception) in the shelter of a friendly boulder. The cakes came form Sostren Agelene, sister restaurant to Madame Bergen, which are local institutions, but were bought by a large company some while back which has now found itself in a bit of a pickle and has announced it will close both. People are unhappy about this. After an adventurous descent, back to town for ice cream, proper gelato for me this time, and then home to rest, study, dance in the kitchen a bit and make pizza again, as it just struck our fancy. And was just delicious again. This time we got in a round of Carcassonne, and it was quite fun. Such a good day, such a lovely weekend. Mellow, melancholy, leave-tomorrow kind of mood to the evening, lightened for a moment by CP sharing a video of Michael Jackson-inspired dance performance for a high school talent show. Quite impressive. Hilarious. But impressive. Had to reprimand him for not busting out the dance a little more while I've been here.
Sharing time! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ofd-SzGweTo&feature=related
Saturday, May 2, 2009
I think I am going to buy myself a present...
I have considered one of these before:
http://www.rei.com/product/760622
But this might be the more useful option, actually:
http://www.rei.com/product/735317
http://www.rei.com/product/760622
But this might be the more useful option, actually:
http://www.rei.com/product/735317
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