Friday March 06, 2009

Churchill has the last word...

I have just finished this jigsaw. It is not like the photo mosaic ones I have done in the past, this one is made up of all the famous Churchill quotes. Sadly you can't read the words in this photo but if you get up close to the jigsaw you can easily make out the sentences. I am now doing another photo mosaic of a dolphin which is proving more troublesome...

Thursday March 05, 2009

A Time Of Gifts..

This book by Paddy ( Patrick ) Leigh Fermor is a classic. It is the first of three books ( the last has not been written and may never be) on his trip from the UK to Constantinople. The trip was made just after Hitler came to power and starts with a brief autobiography of his life before he made the trip. By all accounts he was a wild child, his family lived in India where his father worked and he was left behind with a family and he pretty much did what he liked. He got thrown out of school and then decided on a whim to make this trip. He kept a journal of the trip but it was only after he was re-united with it that he wrote these books in the 1970's. His historical knowledge and love of languages is quite amazing for someone so young at the time he did the journey.

The incredible thing is he undertook this journey on foot. He did get a few freebie trips on boats/lorries but he had strict guidelines before he accepted such lifts. His accomodation given he was living off a small amount of money varied from barns sleeping on straw to plush 'stately homes' as we now call them ( where he was invited to stay). Wherever he went he marveled at the buildings and took in the culture unusual for someone so young. People were very kind to him and often allowed him a stranger to stay in their houses. Of course WW2 was around the corner and already Europe was getting ready for those dark years but there was no bad feelings towards him at all.

At one point his rucksack was stolen and he to go to the local embassy in Germany to get replacement papers. The embassy also loaned him a fiver which in true Fermoor style was returned to them as soon as he could. He also lost his diary in the theft. He had arranged for money to be sent to various places so he could pick up extra funds on his travels. In Vienna he had a longer stopover and ended up making money by doing drawings for people. He also learnt there that many years ago the Viennese stopped the Turks over running their city and possibly prevented a total Turkish victory over all of Europe. One reason they managed this was they had a wall protecting the city built that was paid with money obtained from the UK to release someone the Viennese had kidnapped. Europe's love affair with coffee started there also when Turks who did not want to return stayed on and introduced the locals to the strange brown liquid. I imagine they did not want to go back as the reception they might have got having not won the battle might have ended up with their untimely death..

Fermor has finished the second book in this series but has not written the last of the three. He needs to get a move on as he is in his early nintees... I will be getting the second book soon.

Wednesday March 04, 2009

On the continent...

I thought after several years observations having had holidays on the continent I would discuss the differences between Europe and blighty (The UK). First of all the bad stuff....

Cars. Because of the narrow streets and shall we say erratic driving most cars have accident signature(s) on them. Except Police cars for some reason...

Horns. European driving requires ample use of the cars horn. So much so that car makers when they hand out guarantees for new cars exclude the cars horn in any warranty

Two stroke engine fumes. These come from the scooters and other two wheeled vehicles that wizz around the streets causing ear splitting noise pollution as well.

Toilets. The ones in the UK are not brilliant but it has to be said my experience of toilets in Europe is worse. When in Italy recently no public toilet had a seat at all. Is someone a toilet seat maniac and is stealing them all ? How could you smuggle out a toilet seat from a bar ? Also what is with that toilet looking other porcelain bowl in the bathroom - what is that used for ?

Now we have got the bad stuff out of the way lets discuss the good things..

Street squares or Piazza's. These are wonderful places. They provide a rest for weary walkers with cafes where you can sit down and take a break and people watch. In the evening very often they are places where people gather and meet and talk to each other. Kids play in safety.

Paying the bill. Often when you go to a bar you pay when you are ready to go. You can often be sat outside and the proprietor will trust you to pay before you go. Amazing.

Sunglasses. I think it is so cool as soon as the sun appears even in winter our European cousins don their sunglasses. They also manage to wear them on the tops of their heads and they never fall off. I am also sure Europeans are cold blooded. As soon as the sun shines very often they will stretch out in the sun soaking up its rays - again even in winter.

Cobbled streets. Very often old towns will still have their cobbles showing. In the UK most have been tarmaced over. They add character to the place and slow cars down as they are like a medieval rumble strip.

Rustic buildings. Very often the old buildings will have chips out of them, cracks, peeling exteriors. Like the cobbles they make the place seem lived in and full of character.

No sink taps. In public toilets the sink will have a foot pedal. Two good things about this. One it is hygenically a good idea. Second you don't end up with taps being left on wasting water.

Food. The tomatoes and other fruit and vegetables are fresh. They have not been transported miles and or were taken from the farm when they were green and ripened over a prolonged journey across continents. It means food like pizzas and salads are divine.

Language. It seems amazing that so many languages sprung up on the continent. Countries that butt up to each other created their own language. Some like Belgium chose to use one or more existing language. It is so nice to hear different languages even if you can't understand a word that is being said.

Driving on the right side of the road. I hate to admit it but once you get used to it driving on the right hand side of the road seems better - I can't explain why but I am sure there has been studies on this and those studies indicated it was better to do so. Also the UK are in the minority driving on the left.

The Euro. Ok it was a joke when it came out but who is laughing now with the pound almost at equality with the Euro.

Siestas. Great idea. When it is boiling hot who wants to be working? Have a midday sleep and come back when it is cooler. I often have a nap during the weekends and feel rested afterwards.

Shops. It is great to see on the continent they have managed to keep the local shops and have the large supermarkets alongside. Both seem to be doing well. It keeps the centre of towns vibrant and alive with activity.

Tuesday March 03, 2009

A few horses which should have not left the BMW stable

Over the last two weeks I have seen two examples of the new BMW X6 car. It is the 'X' version of the equally horrible Six series coupe that to me looks like it has been run over by a steam roller. Looking at X6 car from the side its shape appears to be a lop sided triangle. The only reason I can see for buying this car is to indicate to all you meet while you are driving it that you have fifty thousand pounds to spend on a road vehicle; more than the average person. While I am critising BMW cars, I cannot miss out mentioning the one series that seems to be selling well. The front and rear look like they have come from two different designers who never met each other until they glued their front and rear bits together and then BMW made the car.

The final car to mention which is a BMW car in all but name is the Mini. The basic car is a fantastic - if overpriced version of the classic Mini. The rag top version looks silly but then BMW decided to rebuild the Clubman. The original was bad enough but new version looks like a Mini Hearse [pun intended]

Monday March 02, 2009

Eddi Reader

A friend from work lent me an album by Eddi Reader . I sort of remember her from Fairground Attraction but the album lent to me Angels and Electricity is fantastic There are 'twelve plus one tracks' on the cd and the best is the first called Kiteflyer's hill. Very often in the car I'll play that track twice in a row - it is that good. Apart from the quality of the lyrics and music she has a really great voice. I like the cd as it has a nice mix of music not just ballads. If anyone can recommend any of her other cd's I would be grateful.

Shine a light

Watched the DVD of this film by Martin Scorsese recently. It is a part documentary part live show of the Rolling Stones. It follows the other film he did a while ago called No Direction Home about Bob Dylan. I did not expect the Stones film to follow the same format but it was mostly live show with little documentary. For me the amazing thing about their live performances is the energy Jagger has on the stage. It is like he is Jumping Jack Flash himself. Keith Richards with his laughter lines and odd things in his hair, Ron Wood with the perpetual cigarette hanging from his mouth an boyish face and Charlie on the drums who is delightfully vague - the man with a garage load of cars who cannot drive. An interesting question was posed to a very youthful Mick Jagger in the documentary bit. Do you think you will be doing this when you are sixty? Yes he said.....