Berlin Wall

It has been almost 20 years?! I can hardly believe it myself and I was not even there. I took this photo outside the German Embassy in the Hague last night coming home from visiting a German friend and another friend who was raised in Germany.

And then it made me think of all my other friends in Berlin, Bremen, Hamburg and Dresden what it must be like for them to think of that occasion. Especially my dear Andreas who was on the "other" side of the wall.

Other walls are being built around the world to divide and separate peoples, don't we ever learn?

This photo was taken in June 2007

Into the Great Wide Open

Last weekend me and the 'lads' went to a little island in the north of the Netherlands called Vlieland. This Island is part of the province of Friesland and judging by the look of the average local they were all of viking decent.
We stayed one night in Harlingen and caught the early boats over. H and I on the fast ferry the others on the slow. We arrived within 15 min of each other on the other side. Picked up our rented bikes and headed for our accomodation for the weekend which was only a few min away.

First impressions were there were many more trees than I expected and there was lots and lots of sand.
We happened to be staying near the festival site and could bike there in less than 15 min as well which was convienient.
The first day we went for a bike ride to get the lay of the land and had a look at the festival grounds, and went for a peek in the shopping street.
We headed over to the festival and saw an act before going home to grab a bite and then back to the festival. It was wet.. and I was feeling not much like staying in the rain so I headed back before the others.

Sat was a fine day and Helen convinced us minus one to go to a bike ride. Cors turned around after many sand dunes and the wind against you not the mention the with the extra 15 kilos on his bike and in hindsight I think he was smart to do so... my calves still ache from the ride which seemed to go on and on. But we saw wild cranberry patches, 'muckle coos' (Scottish highland) cows, large waves off the coast and more hills than we have in the whole of the Area we live in.
After we got back to the house we had a glass of wine, made some food and then headed back to the festival to catch Emiliana Torrini who was as wonderful as ususal. I must admit that by this time I was starting to feel the effects of the cold and was not entirely in the mood to stick around at least it stayed dry.
On sunday we had to be up and out by 11 and the festival started again at 12. The others changed their ferry ticket to an early one and headed over to Harlingen for the afternoon to wait for H and I to come on a later ferry.
We went to see Alela Diane and then for a nice long walk through the art trail in the forrest. Which was really nicely done, we also went for another bike ride and visited some friends of H's for some tea.

We also were hoping to get on an earlier ferry and managed to sweet talk ourway onto the boat a few hours earlier than we were booked arriving us home almost before it was dark which was a pleasent change.
It was a lovely festival with a real family vibe to it. I doubt it will or should get much bigger the accomodation and campsites were already heaving from the extra people and I doubt the island could have coped but nice none-the-less. I felt a little bad that I was not in a better mood for the music but it was a nice weekend to be out of the Randstad for a change.

Beats not Bombs ''FREIe HEIDe"

Another summer has come to pass. Some say it is the first weekend in September when labour day is gone others when school starts for their kids. For myself it is very often indicated by the passing of another Sea U Site party.

Now since at least 2001 I have been attending these underground and always cause driven parties with my friends in Germany. Each year is for some reason or another to protest against military, state or against racism.

This years party was a little bit of a celebration as the protest for the Heide in the area was won.

A quick recap on the issues. The area around this little town and for several hundred kilometers used to be a military testing site for the former DDR (East Germany) and after the reunification the current German air force wanted to resume using the area and the land for bomb testing and fly-over for military planes. Obviously nobody wanted to have jet fighters flying 'low' over their houses nor for that matter dropping bombs in their backyards daily. And the movement for the "FREIe HEIDe" was born. It has now come to pass that this will remain a nature area and be allowed to recover from the ammunition and toll the military has taken on it in the past.

But often times this is just a nice excuse to meet your friends, enjoy the beautiful and often forgotten outdoors of the north east part of Germany and have a nice long weekend in the sun.

All photos not watermarked were from the protest from 2003, Bass not Bombs.

Soundwave music festival 2009

Last year I attended Soundwave festival with my brother Enrico. It was mad, wonderful and crazy. This year was not much different with three exceptions. Bears,Tutus... and my two best friends joined me.

We arrived a few days early as G and I happened to be up on the westcoast of Vancouver Island anyway. H was catching a ride with Keith and we would be joined by Mr. Blayne as well. We converged found what we thought a great place to set up Camp Honeymoon Suite far enough away from the main stages to keep most of the riff raff at bay and close enough you were not shattered from making another beer/ drink run. After setting up our fantastic camp, made a great dinner and had some lovely drinks before turning in for the night.
Thursday rolled around with some Yoga on the beach, and the day slowly took shape. Mr. Blayne was our arts and crafts director while we pimped the camp and the loos nearby.

Afterwards the 5 of us decided to do a little sightseeing back in Tofino and Ucleulet before the Brother unit was due to show. We shopped at totally great places in Ukee called Pina and hit the second hand shop as well, bought some junk and then walked through rain Forrest's, along long beaches, and had a last stop in the town of Tofino for last min supplies.
Getting back to camp we were told by the guards at the gate that they were having a little bear trouble at one of the camps and that we should be bear safe at all time, lock food away in coolers and containers etc etc... we just knew it had to be our camp.

We came back to find Stella, Christoph and Noah quite excited as they were having a picnic at our place and waiting for us to return and low and behold a bear decided to show up and see what was cooking (so to speak). Now the interesting thing is my friends are from Germany and the only time you might see a bear is in a zoo or on a nature program, to see one in real life is quite another thing. They did well and alerted the proper authorities to come and take care of the little critter. Some other campers were not so fortunate, they had not heeded the warnings and had left only a few things (apples, bread and steaks) in their tent to return to find it torn to shreds.

Anyway once the excitement died down a bit the Sibling unit showed up with two buddies to round off the camp and their perimeter tenting, had some drinks and settled in for a last "quiet" evening before the party started.

Christoph was due to open the big stage that afternoon on behalf of Liebe Detail, Hamburg.

We had fun and were only sad that there were not more people there for him, he did get the first bunch of girls on the stage in bikini's and cutoff's though that I saw.

The day turned to night and we kept on till late visiting several stages, meeting friends and enjoying the west coast outdoors. Below are photos from the Renegade stage probably my favourite stage EVER if for nothing more than the location alone.

Saturday morning Keith, H, G and I headed off down the beach for some swimming and relaxing. Then Helen and I decided to swim from the point back to the Renegade stage, it was a longer distance than you might have thought but glorious to be in the Pacific again.

The costumes and people were as wonderful as ever, nice to see some old faces (Beer for a Bear).

And the camps seem to get all the more out there, camp no nickers, camp virgin (who's occupants conceived a child and the previous years SW), Camp Dirt Dog, Camp Saloon, Camp Re-tox, Camp F!@K Off (later to be known as Camp Fame Off), Camp Hummer (cause they discovered a real humming bird next at the entrance), Camp Giggidy and many others not forgetting Camp Last Call. And of course Honeymoon Suite.

Fame Inc held the annual GM Meeting I knew the day would be long from there on out. I heard rumours there was a merger with some gorillas.

We spent some time up in the Meadow drinking yummy cocktails.

And spotted some unicorns as well.

WOAD!

Last weekend I visited Scotland.

It is amazing how many people have opinions on this wonderful and lush country. And pre-conceptions of the people and places.

Yes I have heard all about the Glasgow kiss and smile but, the most terrifying experience I had there in the few days I visited was the excessive amounts of hen parties... quite surreal in fact. Made even more so with the experience of being evacuated from my hotel room early Sunday morning to find myself on the street with hundreds of pink clad women. To my relief this turned out to be a Walk for Life, Cancer awareness 5km jog/ run/ walk.
But arriving in Edinburgh airport to a beautiful and sunny evening I picked up my rental car and being only a little nervous as I have driven in the UK before but only in a left hand drive. I must admit I got the hang of it pretty quickly and only a couple of times had to look at the gear shift before switching. But anyway onto Glasgow where I had booked an extremely good deal in the Merchant City and waited for my lovely Glaswegian friend to meet me for drinks and dinner when he got off work.
We had great wine and food at Cafe Gandolfi & I must recommend the Montagny Bonneveaux ler Cru 2006, Oliver Leflauve. A beautiful chardonnay.
On Friday morning I got up and ventured into the city to search for some coffee and window shop. Immediately I noticed that besides the usual high street shops there were many high-end brand names to be found. Nearer to the afternoon I took the underground to the Kelvingrove Museum and Gallery. As it was such a beautiful and sunny day outside I only really went to see the Mackintosh exhibit and the Scottish art and influence. I also took a peek at Dali's Christ on the Cross (for Jo) but must say after standing in his house in Figueres a few years back I was not all that impressed. Had lunch in the cafe and had a walk in the park next door before heading back to the city to meet my friend for drinks and dinner.
Now being a whisky fan I had every intention on picking up some of the trail that Mr. Banks left behind in his book (see last entry) but then realised even if I visited a distillery I would not be able to sample the tipple. Lucky for me the Ood Bins I happened to visit had a wee selection for sample, I am guessing, show enough interest and knowledge and the magic curtain will be opened for you.
I actually got a bottle of 12 year old anCnoc (A knock) which I loved from the first sip, and which actually added to my collection at home nicely of a 12 year old Bowmore (Islay) and a 12 year old Glen Morvan, Speyside.
So onto the west side where we had dinner at an 'ok' place called the Loft. It was at least good for people watching. I must say that living in the very low key, under dressed and bad fashion sense Netherlands I was shocked and appalled what some women put them selves into.. I mean Play Suits, puff skirts and god knows what for non flattering tops it was an amazing sight for my eyes. Don't get me wrong I also saw some beautiful women also dressed to the 9's while I was there, but the fashion police should have been making some arrests.
Anyway... onto Oran Mor. Wonderful place, converted church, large whisky bar and although they boasted 250 whisky's they seem to have a problem coming up with my first 6 (diverse)choices. None the less I had an enjoyable time and wished I had seen Metric play there to see how it stood up to the Paradiso in Amsterdam for a converted church. It was an impressive building anyway.
Then onto another bar to meet with friends and more drinks.
Sat after prerequisite coffee, a little more window shopping and a dip into the Modern Art Gallery to avoid the ONLY rain I had during my stay! I headed for Loch Lomond. As my friend did not drive he agreed to come with me to enjoy the scenery. And what scenery it was, the beautiful mountains, the Loch, flowers, trees and villages and Forrest's. What a beautiful place indeed. I really loved it even the twisty little road around the north of the Loch. And the Village of Luss was really quaint as well.
Later on and back to Glasgow for more drinks, dinner and good company.
Sunday after the shock of the fire alarm in the hotel, breakfast and coffee, I got in the car and headed for Stirling & the William Wallace monument, St Andrews, some other small villages and places along some wonderful wee roads and then onto Edinburgh. Originally I wanted to go to Oban but just could not find reasonably priced accommodation for the 3 hour drive it would have taken.
But being diverted by traffic and the construction of the new tram lines on Princes Street I was brought around George square and to an amazing view of the castle hill... really beautiful and I was only sad I could not stop to the car to take a photo of the sun on the buildings but was over the North Bridge and onto my hotel that was just off the Royal Mile and around the corner from the City Chambers. Having been to Edinburgh before I was still suitably impressed with the sheer size and beauty of the city not to mention having read everything Ian Rankin has ever written I especially love the familiarity of the city because of him and of course Inspector Rebus.. A little bitter sweet to be leaving the next day but knowing I had a wonderful time and saw a little bit of a wonderful country I hope to explore more of.
Please see here for photos
The night ended after some food in a Irish Pub on Grassmarket with a band (if memory serves) called Absent Friends, met some nice people had a few drinks and then climbed the street to my hotel with a last glance at the castle.

Iain Banks

I have friends, who for years have been telling me I should read this Scottish author Iain Banks, both fiction and Sci-Fiction books and for some odd reason I have not, until now.

Only the book I picked up years ago was neither. It was a non-fiction book on whisky, to be precise on finding the perfect whisky whilst driving up down and all around Scotland Raw Spirit; In search of the Perfect Dram, and including in his story telling are tales of cars, friends, escapades and many miss-adventures.. I have been laughing A LOT while reading this book, out loud and over and over... his style is exactly right for my funny bone.

So in honor of not even finishing the book (yet!) and planning a wee trip to the West Coast of Scotland (very very soon) I bought a bottle of Bowmore Single Malt 12 year old en route to the UK last weekend. A quick note on the Bowmore, from Islay. Salty is my first impression. I little more peat than my usual Speyside favourites but still a very nice whisky non-the-less.

Which has since become well dented after an evening in the Kelly-Moxham household on Friday. Several beers, 3 bottles of wine and rounded off with the lovely single Malt, between 4 adults and a house full of kids the bright and early the next morning was a great way to introduce a good hangover to all 4 adults involved. However, I could not think of a nicer birthday morning to be had as I was sung happy birthday in Spanish, English and the Sun will come out tomorrow by two enthusiastic kids, Gabriella and Tallulah. A very lucky me indeed!

I am hoping that whilst in Scotland I can find another bottle of the 1990 Clynelish Signatory Vintage which has been one of my best (and most expensive finds to date in Whisky). But other favourites as Dalwhinnie or Aberlour (which my friend Fiona introduced me to a few years back). But as I am discovering there are hundreds to choose from and not being a huge fan of a lot of peat I am guessing I could be still tasting whisky's for years before trying them all.

And other than that I will begin on the Wasp Factory as it has been sitting on my shelf for several years now (also courtsey of Fiona) as soon as I am done this book.

I Don't mean to be rude, BUT!

I had yet another delightful in-sight into the Fabulous and Fantastic Dutch Customer Service recently.
I was in a shop in the Hague called STEPS, I had bought 2 dresses not knowing which one I preferred and took both knowing Helen would have a answer for me.
Have checked carefully the return policy I brought the dress back within the 8 days they allow, having tried both on a total of twice.
As soon as I brought one of the dresses out of the bag the sales clerk started going over it with a fine eye picking at minuscule specks and then informed me because I said specks she could not return the dress but would have to ask her manager and if I would be so kind as to come back in 10 min. Which I did.
The manager seemed to be informed of my return and started humming and hawing over the condition of the article, checking the receipt and counting off on her fingers how many days had passed and then took the dress into the back room, for what I do not have a clue. Returning a few min later saying to me,
"I would normally not give you your money back as the dress is in this condition and ask you to take a coupon for the shop".
To which I said, "but I already bought another dress from here and do not want anything else."
She then said "I don't mean to be rude, BUT it smells!" My reply being that it has been sitting in the bag you gave me since I bought it and well the smell is not my problem.
Her reply was "No, I mean it smells of you!".
My mouth agape I said "Excuse Me!?" She said well some people have that 'problem'.
I will take my money thank you, later wishing I had told her that she was being bloody rude and she could then return both dresses.
Having to share such a wonderful experience I called Helen. Who told a story of the same manager in the same store a few weeks earlier that she was also looking for a dress and one of the sales girls was being very helpful and the manager had come along and in hearing distance said to her sales girl. "Don't waste so much time on her, She is not worth it I can tell".

Good management training program Steps has got. I find it shocking how rude and un thoughtful some people can be. And if this was a once-off experience I might not be so amazed. But things like this happen all the time in the Netherlands, so when you find a great sales team, shops, restaurant and so on, you keep going back. I written to Steps and complained, not that I expect anything to happen but it is better than stewing in the anger. They incidentally enough did not have an option for complaints, unless I missed the translation in Dutch and Compliment is the same meaning.

On the other hand I then went across the road to the Beijnkorf to have some shoe therapy and meet with a friend and was helped by a really nice sales clerk whom I have dealt with before. After finding by coincidence a really great pair of red wedge sandals I made sure to tell her it was a pleasure dealing with her as I had just had a terrible experience with someone else and she is and has always done a great job.

So my Hague friends, if you are tempted by the new Steps collection, be forewarned! It's a jungle out there.

Metric - Melkweg Amsterdam

Ahh Metric, metric, as any Canadian roughly the same age as me can tell you we suffer from the old cross over of Imperial and Metric from being neighbours with the US, being part of the UK commonwealth and wanting to be a modern country. Most Canadians I know will still quote height and weight in feet and pounds we drive kilometers and measure our recipes in Cups and tea spoons, but somehow this confusion and angst fits with the one the only really super cool band from... well lets just say Canada.

Their gear on stage is ridiculously Low Fi (in the coolest way possible), they use stage monitors, analogue key boards and effects and the guitarist has two Super huge Marshall Amps to feed back his super cool grungy punch pop sound back at him.

Any way you slice it though, this band rocks my socks off.. well I wasn't wearing any but if I did they would do it.

The gig started a little late but with some of the great new numbers from the new album Fantasies, when I first heard it online I was already hooked to the track Help, I'm alive but so many of the other songs are even more punchy, poppy and powered then you could ever imagine. Considering that the previous album Grow Up and Blow Away was great but much more subdued in comparison.

The average age of the audience at the Milky Way in Amsterdam was about 25 and a great deal of those were not Dutch, it was interesting to hear when I was asking some of the 'kids" around me how they came to know the band they almost all quoted Grey Anatomy.. but I guess in all fairness if it was not for 90210, The Barenaked Ladies would never have hit mainstream and if not for The OC neither would Death Cab for Cutie (who I still think are boring as frac live).

Anyway back to Metric, I saw them in Rotterdam at a similarly small venue RoTown in 2005 and loved the performance and the energy (check this blog 2005 for the entry). This gig though however, kicked some serious ass. Emily seemed more relaxed, feminine and sure of her beautiful self. What a treat to see her smile so much as well... Only one question remains, why do they not play Combat Baby? People love that song.
I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I enjoyed taking them. I was still so wired after the gig it took me ages to actually get to sleep, and that was also after meeting so many other Metric fans on the tram and train on the way home. Interestingly enough almost all the people we met came alone since their friends did not know the band and they loved them enough to make the effort.. right on.

All I can say it does not matter if it is feet or centimeters I still Love Metric!