Friday, September 6, 2013
Bangkok Bound
In about 6 weeks time I will be heading off to Bangkok. Thailand has long been an interest of mine, but I feel like the timing is finally right to fully embrace whatever experiences come my way. I am going to collect information for my masters thesis, but I am hoping to immerse myself in Thai culture as well. I'm really looking forward to whatever comes my way, both in my research endeavours and personal experience. I must admit I have left this blog dormant for sometime now. But, in an effort to find out what to wear while travelling I stumbled across Romantic Hippy's blog, (which had an adorable photo of a stall owner in a Bangkok selling clothes and accessories) I remembered. From this I realized that I had this little gem of a blog for recounting, reminiscing and learning. If you stumble across this, or I have willingly given you access I hope you enjoy it!
Ahh what the world holds before us.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Hipster Craze
My fashion has been significantly influenced by immersion into European culture. The look in Europe is not so tied up in the definiton, I feel like it is more of 'just being' than in North America. It has always been that Europeans have been fashion forward not just in style but in years of fasionableness. Hence the belief, that the hipster fad in North America is an off-shoot of the nonchalant trend of European culture, and the 'it' of the moment.
The hipster fad seems to have sky rocketed over the last few years in North America- with the help of American Apparel, Urban Outfitters, and to an extent H&M-maybe this is globalization importing trends all over the world, or maybe it is that Europeans are just so cool, or 'deck' that they need not make a statement. I recently fell upon a website Mod Cloth (super awesome clothes, and jewerly, my style for shizz): As I searched the website, I noticed the Pug mascot, and this furthered my belief that this website was for me, and that somehow this vintage throwback, which was coming up as a trend of new and awesome, and traces of Europe all over it. One thing I am trying to tease out, is if there is a difference between Indie and Hipster? I don't know where the hipster definiton first originated, but I do know that it is an interesting trend that I cannot fully embrace, yet elementally I can. It seems that everything counter-culture has been rolled into the essence of a hipster, so being an environmentalist that is fashionable is no longer just that, it has become a trend, based in hipsterism. I am by no means bashing this notion, I am just merely exploring and trying to understand it.
Here is something interesting I found, yes a handbook about the hipster, this seemingly intriguing and sought after trend line). (link below)
Excerpt from the Hipster Handbook:
Definition of a Hipster
Hipster - One who possesses tastes, social attitudes, and opinions deemed cool by the cool. (Note: it is no longer recommended that one use the term "cool"; a Hipster would instead say "deck.") The Hipster walks among the masses in daily life but is not a part of them and shuns or reduces to kitsch anything held dear by the mainstream. A Hipster ideally possesses no more than 2% body fat.
To delve further into the hipster style watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAO4EVMlpwM
I have become increasingly interested in this idea of a hipster. So many people want to be it, and so many more want to hate it. But is the essence not to just 'be cool'?
More to come on the Hipster Craze.
The hipster fad seems to have sky rocketed over the last few years in North America- with the help of American Apparel, Urban Outfitters, and to an extent H&M-maybe this is globalization importing trends all over the world, or maybe it is that Europeans are just so cool, or 'deck' that they need not make a statement. I recently fell upon a website Mod Cloth (super awesome clothes, and jewerly, my style for shizz): As I searched the website, I noticed the Pug mascot, and this furthered my belief that this website was for me, and that somehow this vintage throwback, which was coming up as a trend of new and awesome, and traces of Europe all over it. One thing I am trying to tease out, is if there is a difference between Indie and Hipster? I don't know where the hipster definiton first originated, but I do know that it is an interesting trend that I cannot fully embrace, yet elementally I can. It seems that everything counter-culture has been rolled into the essence of a hipster, so being an environmentalist that is fashionable is no longer just that, it has become a trend, based in hipsterism. I am by no means bashing this notion, I am just merely exploring and trying to understand it.
Here is something interesting I found, yes a handbook about the hipster, this seemingly intriguing and sought after trend line). (link below)
Excerpt from the Hipster Handbook:
Definition of a Hipster
Hipster - One who possesses tastes, social attitudes, and opinions deemed cool by the cool. (Note: it is no longer recommended that one use the term "cool"; a Hipster would instead say "deck.") The Hipster walks among the masses in daily life but is not a part of them and shuns or reduces to kitsch anything held dear by the mainstream. A Hipster ideally possesses no more than 2% body fat.
To delve further into the hipster style watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAO4EVMlpwM
I have become increasingly interested in this idea of a hipster. So many people want to be it, and so many more want to hate it. But is the essence not to just 'be cool'?
More to come on the Hipster Craze.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
10 things I am loving in Europe
Having lived here for almost 5 months, I have come to find some things in Europe absolutely fascinating and would say I love them, here they are:
1) Riding my bike everywhere. Not only is it environmentally friendly, it is also very healthy, and there are loads of ways to deck out your bike. IE) saddle bags to carry things in-groceries, shopping and sometimes small people; as well as fun bells in a variety of noises; baskets to carry things adorned with flowers, and even paint jobs. Also, in Holland there is a term 'dinking' it refers to when someone is riding on the back of your bike. Yup, on the back, there is a relatively flat part which enables you to take a passenger. It is a bit shaky at first, but once you get the hang of it, you'll always want to ride on the back of someone's bike.
2) Art. I thought I loved art before, but I love it even more now, with more passion and vigour. There is something so fulfilling about seeing the 'real thing'. Having seen some of the most famous paintings in the world, I feel I can finally have a proper opinion of it, not just something derived from a text book photo, or google. Also, having seen the masterpieces, I have begun to appreciate the genre of painting as a whole more, and have expanded my repertoire of artists whom I love, as well as styles. I've also been inspired to start sketching and drawing again, in hopes of putting my images of fashion onto paper, and possibly making a material object....
3) Amsterdam. Before I came here, I had a hazy (no pun intended) idea of what Amsterdam was all about- prostitutes, weed,canals, bikes and Van Gogh- fortunately, this narrow-sighted vision was corrected, and I have fallen in love with the city. It is so much more. It is actually quite livable. There are loads of different neighbourhoods catering to loads of different things-like most cities- but in Amsterdam it flows so well. And, there is just so much to see and do, you could never be bored. The canals, are the really charming part... seeing Amsterdam by canal is a MUST, it is a different side of the city, more intimate. But, even though I didn't live in the city, I will miss it immensely it is such a beautiful, well-rounded inspirational city.
4) Fashion. Fashion in Europe is so much fun, I feel like I got a kick in the butt, and became a fashionanista out of necessity. Although most stores are similar in Canada, such as H&M there is a European vibe, more specifically a Dutch vibe, and I love immersing myself in their fashion, because it actually is quite good. Not to mention that Amsterdam is a growing hub of fashion, and Amsterdam International Fashion Week starts next week, it is very innovative yet, wearable. But, in general fashion in Europe is taken very seriously, none of this wearing your sweatpants in public because you are tired, or are just getting groceries. Fashion aesthetic is even more so in Paris. Parisians live for fashion, and will always look their best, which is effortlessly fashionable, no matter what. And, I love it.
5) The party scene. So much more lively and interesting. Partying starts at around 1100 at the earliest, although the pre-party drinks always start before hand, most people don't set foot in the club until 1130ish, and the party starts around 1230-1am, and goes until 5am, sometimes later. It's fantastic. I must say so far I have only found one club that plays good music, the others have been interesting. Being a country with so many talented DJ's you'd think that trend would pass into second rate, and subsequent DJ's. Not always the case. Regardless, it is a lot more fun when you can party into the wee-hours of the morning instead of being shut down at 2am. Weak.
6) Books. My love for books was immense before, but it has been expanded further still. There are loads of used book stores with all the great classic novels, just waiting for you to adopt them so they can pass on their time-less wisdom. Not to mention, the large array of art books I am dying to purchase. The one thing I have noticed along my travels, is that you see a monument or sculpture or a painting and you see the one side, the finished product, but there is a whole story behind each object, and that alone is intrigue enough to persuade my interest in books to the brink of exploding.
7) Flower and produce markets. Never have I loved purchasing my food from several vendors in a large market with people milling all around me, and vendors yelling about their products competing with every other vendor. There is something so fabulous about purchasing fresh produce, and cheese straight from the wheel. There are several Turkish stalls that sell amazing dried fruits, and fresh bread, and olives and exotic cheese and vegetables. Yum. And, the flower markets, rows of flowers arranged by colour, or type or by bundle. So, beautiful waiting to be purchased to become a decorative flash of colour somewhere in your house. The tulips in Holland are amazing. Given, they are famous for them. The bouquets that the stall owners put together are dazzling in colour, and arrangement,and nothing beats the call of a flower vendor. 50 stuks of tulips 5 eurooooooo. 5 euroooooo. Yes, with the drawn out oooooooooo for emphasis. I am going to miss the flower market, and the food market.
8) The architecture. The cities in Europe are brimming with architecture on every corner. In Holland it is the landmark houses with there creative rooftops, and colour schemes, and fantastic shape. The Dom Towers and Cathedrals are dominating, literally towering over the plaza they inhabit. The cobblestone streets, and alleyways, with nooks and crannies of things to discover. It is a refreshing break from the wide sidewalks, and massive streets and highways, and polluted air, in North American cities. Also, the canals in Holland are incorporated into the design of the buildings and give character to the street as a whole, and the buildings, not to mention act as another form of transporation. The other cool thing, is how there are specific designs in each country, that define a particular type of architecture.
9) The proximity. Being able to travel mere hours to go to Paris or Brussels, and no more than 3 hours from one end of Holland to the other. A 9 hour bus ride from Utrecht gets you to Berlin. From Berlin, 8 hours gets you into Lodz in Poland, or 4 hours to Prague. The train system is unbelievable, so interconnected and vast. Not to mention the cheap flights and ability to travel almost anywhere in Europe within in reason. For Europeans, they don't care as much they are more eager to travel to Asia or to America, just like we care more to travel to Europe over America. The really convenient thing about Holland is its central location in Europe, which has made travelling so easy.
10) The inspiring mood Europe invokes. Maybe it is just me, but I feel inspired whenever I am out and about. Maybe because there is so much history in Europe, and the distinctive cultures of each European city. Also, the people you meet. There are so many interesting people in Europe roaming around, it could be a hub of creativeness making people gravitate to certain centres, but the cities inspire, and to me that is an incredible quality to have.
1) Riding my bike everywhere. Not only is it environmentally friendly, it is also very healthy, and there are loads of ways to deck out your bike. IE) saddle bags to carry things in-groceries, shopping and sometimes small people; as well as fun bells in a variety of noises; baskets to carry things adorned with flowers, and even paint jobs. Also, in Holland there is a term 'dinking' it refers to when someone is riding on the back of your bike. Yup, on the back, there is a relatively flat part which enables you to take a passenger. It is a bit shaky at first, but once you get the hang of it, you'll always want to ride on the back of someone's bike.
2) Art. I thought I loved art before, but I love it even more now, with more passion and vigour. There is something so fulfilling about seeing the 'real thing'. Having seen some of the most famous paintings in the world, I feel I can finally have a proper opinion of it, not just something derived from a text book photo, or google. Also, having seen the masterpieces, I have begun to appreciate the genre of painting as a whole more, and have expanded my repertoire of artists whom I love, as well as styles. I've also been inspired to start sketching and drawing again, in hopes of putting my images of fashion onto paper, and possibly making a material object....
3) Amsterdam. Before I came here, I had a hazy (no pun intended) idea of what Amsterdam was all about- prostitutes, weed,canals, bikes and Van Gogh- fortunately, this narrow-sighted vision was corrected, and I have fallen in love with the city. It is so much more. It is actually quite livable. There are loads of different neighbourhoods catering to loads of different things-like most cities- but in Amsterdam it flows so well. And, there is just so much to see and do, you could never be bored. The canals, are the really charming part... seeing Amsterdam by canal is a MUST, it is a different side of the city, more intimate. But, even though I didn't live in the city, I will miss it immensely it is such a beautiful, well-rounded inspirational city.
4) Fashion. Fashion in Europe is so much fun, I feel like I got a kick in the butt, and became a fashionanista out of necessity. Although most stores are similar in Canada, such as H&M there is a European vibe, more specifically a Dutch vibe, and I love immersing myself in their fashion, because it actually is quite good. Not to mention that Amsterdam is a growing hub of fashion, and Amsterdam International Fashion Week starts next week, it is very innovative yet, wearable. But, in general fashion in Europe is taken very seriously, none of this wearing your sweatpants in public because you are tired, or are just getting groceries. Fashion aesthetic is even more so in Paris. Parisians live for fashion, and will always look their best, which is effortlessly fashionable, no matter what. And, I love it.
5) The party scene. So much more lively and interesting. Partying starts at around 1100 at the earliest, although the pre-party drinks always start before hand, most people don't set foot in the club until 1130ish, and the party starts around 1230-1am, and goes until 5am, sometimes later. It's fantastic. I must say so far I have only found one club that plays good music, the others have been interesting. Being a country with so many talented DJ's you'd think that trend would pass into second rate, and subsequent DJ's. Not always the case. Regardless, it is a lot more fun when you can party into the wee-hours of the morning instead of being shut down at 2am. Weak.
6) Books. My love for books was immense before, but it has been expanded further still. There are loads of used book stores with all the great classic novels, just waiting for you to adopt them so they can pass on their time-less wisdom. Not to mention, the large array of art books I am dying to purchase. The one thing I have noticed along my travels, is that you see a monument or sculpture or a painting and you see the one side, the finished product, but there is a whole story behind each object, and that alone is intrigue enough to persuade my interest in books to the brink of exploding.
7) Flower and produce markets. Never have I loved purchasing my food from several vendors in a large market with people milling all around me, and vendors yelling about their products competing with every other vendor. There is something so fabulous about purchasing fresh produce, and cheese straight from the wheel. There are several Turkish stalls that sell amazing dried fruits, and fresh bread, and olives and exotic cheese and vegetables. Yum. And, the flower markets, rows of flowers arranged by colour, or type or by bundle. So, beautiful waiting to be purchased to become a decorative flash of colour somewhere in your house. The tulips in Holland are amazing. Given, they are famous for them. The bouquets that the stall owners put together are dazzling in colour, and arrangement,and nothing beats the call of a flower vendor. 50 stuks of tulips 5 eurooooooo. 5 euroooooo. Yes, with the drawn out oooooooooo for emphasis. I am going to miss the flower market, and the food market.
8) The architecture. The cities in Europe are brimming with architecture on every corner. In Holland it is the landmark houses with there creative rooftops, and colour schemes, and fantastic shape. The Dom Towers and Cathedrals are dominating, literally towering over the plaza they inhabit. The cobblestone streets, and alleyways, with nooks and crannies of things to discover. It is a refreshing break from the wide sidewalks, and massive streets and highways, and polluted air, in North American cities. Also, the canals in Holland are incorporated into the design of the buildings and give character to the street as a whole, and the buildings, not to mention act as another form of transporation. The other cool thing, is how there are specific designs in each country, that define a particular type of architecture.
9) The proximity. Being able to travel mere hours to go to Paris or Brussels, and no more than 3 hours from one end of Holland to the other. A 9 hour bus ride from Utrecht gets you to Berlin. From Berlin, 8 hours gets you into Lodz in Poland, or 4 hours to Prague. The train system is unbelievable, so interconnected and vast. Not to mention the cheap flights and ability to travel almost anywhere in Europe within in reason. For Europeans, they don't care as much they are more eager to travel to Asia or to America, just like we care more to travel to Europe over America. The really convenient thing about Holland is its central location in Europe, which has made travelling so easy.
10) The inspiring mood Europe invokes. Maybe it is just me, but I feel inspired whenever I am out and about. Maybe because there is so much history in Europe, and the distinctive cultures of each European city. Also, the people you meet. There are so many interesting people in Europe roaming around, it could be a hub of creativeness making people gravitate to certain centres, but the cities inspire, and to me that is an incredible quality to have.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Sinterklaas
Ok, so I am a bit late on the deli every about Sinterklaas, but it is better late than never, right?
Ok, so on November 15th Sinterklaas the Dutch version of Santa comes to the Netherlands from Spain on a boat and has a little (actually quite a large parade). This year he came to Almere, a city in the North about an hour form Utrecht by train. So, myself and maybe 6 others we took the train to Almere to see Sinterklaas arrive. At the train station all the little kids were dressed up as Swarte Piet who is Sinterklaas's helpers, they are traditionally black slaves, but now the story is that they are black because of the soot from the chimney. It is a wacky tradition, but that is just it, it is a tradition. Back to the kids, some have black painted faces, that is the weird bit, considering they have blonde hair and blue eyes, but I wouldn't mess with the tradition. And, colourful outfits and little bags to collect candies that are handed out, and lastly, letters they have written for Sinterklaas. Very festive!
When we arrived in Almere it was chaos people everywhere, signs pointing us in the direction to the buses to get to the port. So, one bus ride packed full of little Swarte Piets and parents and we are taken to the parade zone. The parade route was already packed and we were an hour early! So, we squeezed ourselves into little pockets along the railings, and managed incredibly compromising positions to see the full parade route and get a proper glimpse of Sinterklaas. To keep the crowds entertained there were kids parading about along the route with decorative outfits they made in primary school, and then..... Sinterklaas's boat arrived. This massive ship decked (no pun intended) out to the 9's. It was at least 3 levels in total totally decorated, and loaded with Zwarte Piets. Finally, they docked and the procession began, first the Piet's came and threw, yes threw, little gingerbread cookies at the crowds, avoiding them was difficult. The Piet's were dancing and doing little acrobatic things along the way, collecting the letters for Sinterklaas, while the kids yelled "Piet, Piet, Piet"! Then, came Sinterklaas, who may I add looked like the Pope (historically Sinterklaas was a patron saint) riding along on his white horse, and looking ever so real! It was definitely one of the best Santa related parades I have ever been too, and our Christmas parade back home has nothing on the Sintreklaas parade. But, Sinterklaas came and went in the flashest of flashes, and then it was over. Kind of like the build up to Christmas, and then you open all the presents and then it is just the aftermath. But, for those few seconds that we saw Sinterklaas and the Piets it was totally worth it. Afterwards we took photos with a few Piets and then took a look at the boat, very decked out. You could go on the boat but, the line up was a bit too much for me, especially because I didn't want to take away a spot from a eagerly awaiting child. We saw some dancers, drank some hot chocolate, and then decided to head home exhausted from the chaos of the crowds and the excitement. However, the crowds to get on the buses back were just as bad. It was like waiting for the doors to open to Futureshop (maybe WalMart is a better choice) on Boxing Day... out of control. After 25 minutes we had enough and wiggled our way onto the bus and only to get on an indirectly wrong bus, meaning we had to transfer, but it turned out to be worth it because we were heading away from the crowds. When we arrived back at the train station we were famished, so we stopped in for a good ol' sub at Subway! Can you believe they have Subway? Me neither, but I was stoked they did, yum veggie foot long. We ran to catch our train and settled in for our ride back home.
A few things to note about Sinterklaas:
The kids put out their shoes with carrots or hay for the horse of Sinterklaas in exchange for presents.
Typical candy for Sinterklaas is: a chocolate letter- yum a block of solid chocolate in your first initial. Pepernoten, kruidnoten (is the type gingerbread-biscuits that Piet was throwing at the parade, but you also by them by the bags to eat),chocolate coins, a figurine of Sinterklaas made out of chocolate and wrapped in painted aluminium foil, and coloured marzipan shaped into fruit or animals. (Not a fan of the marzipan).
When you exchange gifts on December 5th, the eve of Sinterklaas's birthday you have to write a poem about the person you are giving the gift to. For example, I had to write a poem for our Sinterklaas gift exchange my international committee arranged, it goes like this: (don't laugh, I am a noob at this)
It has to rhyme...
Sinterklaas has come, and celebration is near.
If you listen closely, the shoes of Piet you will hear.
Because you have been so good this year.
Sinterklaas wants to share the cheer.
It was a generic poem for all the participants, but usually it is a little bit longer and more in depth, relating to the gift, and poking fun at the receiver of the gift. I think it is a cool tradition.
So, that was Sinterklaas, the more traditional Christmas celebration in the Netherlands. However, people do celebrate Christmas too, sometimes both!
Ok, so on November 15th Sinterklaas the Dutch version of Santa comes to the Netherlands from Spain on a boat and has a little (actually quite a large parade). This year he came to Almere, a city in the North about an hour form Utrecht by train. So, myself and maybe 6 others we took the train to Almere to see Sinterklaas arrive. At the train station all the little kids were dressed up as Swarte Piet who is Sinterklaas's helpers, they are traditionally black slaves, but now the story is that they are black because of the soot from the chimney. It is a wacky tradition, but that is just it, it is a tradition. Back to the kids, some have black painted faces, that is the weird bit, considering they have blonde hair and blue eyes, but I wouldn't mess with the tradition. And, colourful outfits and little bags to collect candies that are handed out, and lastly, letters they have written for Sinterklaas. Very festive!
When we arrived in Almere it was chaos people everywhere, signs pointing us in the direction to the buses to get to the port. So, one bus ride packed full of little Swarte Piets and parents and we are taken to the parade zone. The parade route was already packed and we were an hour early! So, we squeezed ourselves into little pockets along the railings, and managed incredibly compromising positions to see the full parade route and get a proper glimpse of Sinterklaas. To keep the crowds entertained there were kids parading about along the route with decorative outfits they made in primary school, and then..... Sinterklaas's boat arrived. This massive ship decked (no pun intended) out to the 9's. It was at least 3 levels in total totally decorated, and loaded with Zwarte Piets. Finally, they docked and the procession began, first the Piet's came and threw, yes threw, little gingerbread cookies at the crowds, avoiding them was difficult. The Piet's were dancing and doing little acrobatic things along the way, collecting the letters for Sinterklaas, while the kids yelled "Piet, Piet, Piet"! Then, came Sinterklaas, who may I add looked like the Pope (historically Sinterklaas was a patron saint) riding along on his white horse, and looking ever so real! It was definitely one of the best Santa related parades I have ever been too, and our Christmas parade back home has nothing on the Sintreklaas parade. But, Sinterklaas came and went in the flashest of flashes, and then it was over. Kind of like the build up to Christmas, and then you open all the presents and then it is just the aftermath. But, for those few seconds that we saw Sinterklaas and the Piets it was totally worth it. Afterwards we took photos with a few Piets and then took a look at the boat, very decked out. You could go on the boat but, the line up was a bit too much for me, especially because I didn't want to take away a spot from a eagerly awaiting child. We saw some dancers, drank some hot chocolate, and then decided to head home exhausted from the chaos of the crowds and the excitement. However, the crowds to get on the buses back were just as bad. It was like waiting for the doors to open to Futureshop (maybe WalMart is a better choice) on Boxing Day... out of control. After 25 minutes we had enough and wiggled our way onto the bus and only to get on an indirectly wrong bus, meaning we had to transfer, but it turned out to be worth it because we were heading away from the crowds. When we arrived back at the train station we were famished, so we stopped in for a good ol' sub at Subway! Can you believe they have Subway? Me neither, but I was stoked they did, yum veggie foot long. We ran to catch our train and settled in for our ride back home.
A few things to note about Sinterklaas:
The kids put out their shoes with carrots or hay for the horse of Sinterklaas in exchange for presents.
Typical candy for Sinterklaas is: a chocolate letter- yum a block of solid chocolate in your first initial. Pepernoten, kruidnoten (is the type gingerbread-biscuits that Piet was throwing at the parade, but you also by them by the bags to eat),chocolate coins, a figurine of Sinterklaas made out of chocolate and wrapped in painted aluminium foil, and coloured marzipan shaped into fruit or animals. (Not a fan of the marzipan).
When you exchange gifts on December 5th, the eve of Sinterklaas's birthday you have to write a poem about the person you are giving the gift to. For example, I had to write a poem for our Sinterklaas gift exchange my international committee arranged, it goes like this: (don't laugh, I am a noob at this)
It has to rhyme...
Sinterklaas has come, and celebration is near.
If you listen closely, the shoes of Piet you will hear.
Because you have been so good this year.
Sinterklaas wants to share the cheer.
It was a generic poem for all the participants, but usually it is a little bit longer and more in depth, relating to the gift, and poking fun at the receiver of the gift. I think it is a cool tradition.
So, that was Sinterklaas, the more traditional Christmas celebration in the Netherlands. However, people do celebrate Christmas too, sometimes both!
The Netherlands - 4 months
Four months in, and this place is growing on me. Markets on Wednesday and Saturdays = cheese by the wheel, flowers by the bunches, fruits and veggies brimming from boxes, knock-off bags and wallets, kitsch watches- blinding with their 'diamonds'. Coffee Company, my new favourite hang out. Lattes in proper latte cups, big comfy chairs, and music to inspire even the coldest of hearts. It's the living room I never had. Museums galore, I am a frequent flyer at the Van Gogh Museum, I am really getting used to the European way of life.
Life has been buzzing along and the next thing I know it's already Christmas. It's insane! School is going well, I am taking Conflict Resolution (I am learning how to deal with large scale conflict negotiations between parties such as Russia and Georgia, or rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the UN- I hope this translates into more practical use in everyday life). And, my Art and Ideology class is phenomenal, I wish I got into art history much earlier in my academic career. This class is really linking so much, it's essentially examining the art produced during periods of conflict or revolution - ie) The Mexican Revolution, the Cold War, the Russian Revolution, etc- and how these periods of strife effect the art being produced such as, limitations and inspiration, so to speak. I love it, by far one of my favourite classes so far content wise. It also helps make those historical links when you are actually looking at the paintings. For example, I will be in Berlin and during Hitler's reign he considered all Modern Art degenerate art, and showed it off to the people as that trying to persuade them to dismiss it, and revert to Classicism, more traditional art forms and painting styles. So, having studied that I can look at some of the pieces that were banned during the Third Reich (the ones that survived, or others by a particular artist considered degenerate) and have that backgrounder. Love it.
About 2 weeks ago we had our floor Christmas dinner, that was a lot of fun. I decorated the kitchen, and I got a planted 'Charlie Brown' tree, and decorated him to the 9s. Then everyone made a dish or two and that was our dinner, so we had pizza from the Italians, American Mushroom Risotto, I made yams with honey and brown sugar, a tofu Parmesan loaf (sounds gross but it was actually really good!) oh and I made stuffing, with apples and walnuts as an alternative to celery, because apparently the grocers thought cilantro was celery, so when I got 2 people, 2, to go and get some celery for me, that is what they came back with. But, it was a blessing in disguise because the apples and walnuts were a flavour explosion. There was Italian desserts, Polish perogies (btw if you think you are eating perogies in Canada, nothing compares to the Polish ones)! It was a hit, we managed to drag a table from downstairs upstairs and add it to our table. Wine and beer galore, a bit of champagne I really like these huge dinner parties, I am going to host them when I get into my new place.
Other than that, I have mastered my bike manoeuvring skills, so far I have only almost been hit 3 times by a car, that is a good score card, 1 per month with the actually total being more like 2 in one month. Oh I climbed the Dom Tower in Utrecht, you can see the WHOLE city... it is unreal! 490 stairs up, I took it like a champion, nothing like the 520 in Kolon (Cologne). There is a Viktor and Rolf fashion exhibit at the Centraal Museum in Utrecht, so when I get back (from xmas break) I will check that out, and go to Den Hague to see the 'Girl with the Pearl Earring' and the miniature everything in Holland, in a museum also in the Den Hague,and maybe check out the ICC (International Criminal Court).
My days are numbered here, so I have to check off my list of things to see before I go. But, this has been an amazing experience, and wouldn't trade it for anything. I am also excited to come home, I must say Christmas was really different this year. It really didn't feel like it, unless I was directly participating in a Christmas type event. I still enjoyed myself.
I will write about the individual trips and such, in another blog.
Life has been buzzing along and the next thing I know it's already Christmas. It's insane! School is going well, I am taking Conflict Resolution (I am learning how to deal with large scale conflict negotiations between parties such as Russia and Georgia, or rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the UN- I hope this translates into more practical use in everyday life). And, my Art and Ideology class is phenomenal, I wish I got into art history much earlier in my academic career. This class is really linking so much, it's essentially examining the art produced during periods of conflict or revolution - ie) The Mexican Revolution, the Cold War, the Russian Revolution, etc- and how these periods of strife effect the art being produced such as, limitations and inspiration, so to speak. I love it, by far one of my favourite classes so far content wise. It also helps make those historical links when you are actually looking at the paintings. For example, I will be in Berlin and during Hitler's reign he considered all Modern Art degenerate art, and showed it off to the people as that trying to persuade them to dismiss it, and revert to Classicism, more traditional art forms and painting styles. So, having studied that I can look at some of the pieces that were banned during the Third Reich (the ones that survived, or others by a particular artist considered degenerate) and have that backgrounder. Love it.
About 2 weeks ago we had our floor Christmas dinner, that was a lot of fun. I decorated the kitchen, and I got a planted 'Charlie Brown' tree, and decorated him to the 9s. Then everyone made a dish or two and that was our dinner, so we had pizza from the Italians, American Mushroom Risotto, I made yams with honey and brown sugar, a tofu Parmesan loaf (sounds gross but it was actually really good!) oh and I made stuffing, with apples and walnuts as an alternative to celery, because apparently the grocers thought cilantro was celery, so when I got 2 people, 2, to go and get some celery for me, that is what they came back with. But, it was a blessing in disguise because the apples and walnuts were a flavour explosion. There was Italian desserts, Polish perogies (btw if you think you are eating perogies in Canada, nothing compares to the Polish ones)! It was a hit, we managed to drag a table from downstairs upstairs and add it to our table. Wine and beer galore, a bit of champagne I really like these huge dinner parties, I am going to host them when I get into my new place.
Other than that, I have mastered my bike manoeuvring skills, so far I have only almost been hit 3 times by a car, that is a good score card, 1 per month with the actually total being more like 2 in one month. Oh I climbed the Dom Tower in Utrecht, you can see the WHOLE city... it is unreal! 490 stairs up, I took it like a champion, nothing like the 520 in Kolon (Cologne). There is a Viktor and Rolf fashion exhibit at the Centraal Museum in Utrecht, so when I get back (from xmas break) I will check that out, and go to Den Hague to see the 'Girl with the Pearl Earring' and the miniature everything in Holland, in a museum also in the Den Hague,and maybe check out the ICC (International Criminal Court).
My days are numbered here, so I have to check off my list of things to see before I go. But, this has been an amazing experience, and wouldn't trade it for anything. I am also excited to come home, I must say Christmas was really different this year. It really didn't feel like it, unless I was directly participating in a Christmas type event. I still enjoyed myself.
I will write about the individual trips and such, in another blog.
Christmas in Poland
What a trip... I left for Poland Decemeber 22, at 8:15pm the bus was estimated at 16 hours, route -->the Netherlands to Germany north into Poland. To start, the bus was 25 minutes late, and it was literally on the verge of freezing. The bus ride was ok for the most part until we arrived in Poland. At about 8am we arrived at our transfer point, except the the bus from London had its engine break down, and delayed the other busses for 3 hours. 3 hours! Don't ask why they couldn't send another bus, it was pretty shady and hardly anyone spoke English. So, I had to wait it out, and finally we were able to leave and I was on my way to Lodz, my roommate's city. I arrived in one piece happy to be off the bus, and met Ania and we headed to her city 20 minutes from Lodz. It was an interesting situation, because Ania's mother spoke very little English, she spent 1 year in Canada 30 years ago, and her father spoke only Russian and Polish, so we had quite the language barrier. However, Ania was able to translate quite well for me, and I was able to pick up bare essentials in Polish, and used sign language to communicate with her dad when Ania was not available to translate. It all worked out quite well.
December 23rd, I arrived and got to decorate the Christmas tree~! Christmas eve I was tasked with food prep for the dinner, and misc things. In Poland they are very Catholic and very traditional, this meant that for dinner we had to 'break' the bread with everyone and make Christmas wishes. After, we start the first of 12 dishes, yes 12. The first was traditional warm drink made with dried fruits (apricots, plums and prunes, with cinnamon and nutmeg and lovely Christmas smells) 2nd was soup with perogies inside, very tasty. 3d was a different type of perogy with mushrooms and onions inside, 4th was fish dish 5th and 6th were traditional Polish salads, 7th and 8th was a fish dish with vegetables and potatoes, 9th was an additional salad and 10th, 11th and 12th were cakes. I thought Canadian Christmas dinners were too much food, this was a lot! It was a very cool experience to eat traditional Polish food. Afterwards, came the tea always the tea, very typical of eastern European culture. Then came the presents, the family was very nice to me, and gave me gifts, I got a book about Poland, typical Polish chocolates and a bracelet. I gave them a wine decanter in the shape of an old bottle, and a candle decoration from the Christmas market in Cologne. It all went very well!
On Christmas morning we had a big breakfast, and just spent the day hanging about the house and eating. In Poland, their biggest meal is our lunch around 3-4, and then a small meal at 7-8. Another big meal was the Christmas 'dinner' and then we had to eat later on as well. It must be noted, that I am not used to eating this much food, and well it's a good thing I didn't have anywhere special to go because I just wanted to wear stretchy pants, even though I secretly wanted to eat granola and go to the gym. But, hey when in Rome.
The following day we went into Krakow in the south and Auschwitz, about a 2 hour drive. Auschwitz was an interesting experience, it was something to see if you want to grasp the gravity of the situation, but it is hard to see. Going into the camp and seeing the displays was pretty hard, it's hard to comprehend how one individual was capable of creating an ideology that inflicted so much cruelty and harm, and that people actually believed in and supported such an idea. I saw both camps, but the smaller one with the buildings where the torture and killings happened had the biggest affect. A lot of strange things, like a display of hair that was collected from victims and shows, and bowls and luggage. Hundreds of pictures showing victims lined the walls, and it was hard to see them after awhile. But, if you have an opportunity and you have the will to see it, it is something that should be seen.
It is a beautiful city, with a massive castle and a wonderful old city centre. We walked around the castle, and then headed over to the centre. I saw an old market set, where they were sealing touristy things, and loads of jewelry and some Christmasy things. We went into a Christmas market and bought traditional Polish candy, the fudge like stuff, so full of melty goodness. Afterwards, we went to the gate of the city that was from the Roman times. All this in the what I felt was freezing cold, and darkening of night. Finally, we went to restaurant and I had some hot rum with cinnamon, and then a giant pancake concoction with zucchini and cheese. A wonderful dinner of sorts. Then it was time to go home.
The last day Ania took me shopping to one of the largest markets in Europe, and then to one of the biggest shopping malls in Europe. A bit excessive, but interesting to see. In the evening we went to several parties in the centre, and I got to party Polish style. I must say, even though the Dutch don't dance, I prefer the non-dancing blunt Dutch to the electro ravers of the 80s in Poland. Overall, it was fun, the first club not so much, but further through the night it got much better. My stay in Poland was very nice and on the 28th I was on a bus to Berlin.
Poland is an interesting country, it is still recovering from the war and has a mixed tier of poverty and wealth. The buildings are quite old, and shambled and will become revitalized but in time. Being a new member of the EU means revitalization is occurring but it will take time. I would recommend Poland, but in 10 years. It is a tough country to be in as a back-packer, but I had the luxury of being with a family and well-off family too. I am glad I went, it is one country I am glad to have had company and someone showing me around, and maybe I will go back.
December 23rd, I arrived and got to decorate the Christmas tree~! Christmas eve I was tasked with food prep for the dinner, and misc things. In Poland they are very Catholic and very traditional, this meant that for dinner we had to 'break' the bread with everyone and make Christmas wishes. After, we start the first of 12 dishes, yes 12. The first was traditional warm drink made with dried fruits (apricots, plums and prunes, with cinnamon and nutmeg and lovely Christmas smells) 2nd was soup with perogies inside, very tasty. 3d was a different type of perogy with mushrooms and onions inside, 4th was fish dish 5th and 6th were traditional Polish salads, 7th and 8th was a fish dish with vegetables and potatoes, 9th was an additional salad and 10th, 11th and 12th were cakes. I thought Canadian Christmas dinners were too much food, this was a lot! It was a very cool experience to eat traditional Polish food. Afterwards, came the tea always the tea, very typical of eastern European culture. Then came the presents, the family was very nice to me, and gave me gifts, I got a book about Poland, typical Polish chocolates and a bracelet. I gave them a wine decanter in the shape of an old bottle, and a candle decoration from the Christmas market in Cologne. It all went very well!
On Christmas morning we had a big breakfast, and just spent the day hanging about the house and eating. In Poland, their biggest meal is our lunch around 3-4, and then a small meal at 7-8. Another big meal was the Christmas 'dinner' and then we had to eat later on as well. It must be noted, that I am not used to eating this much food, and well it's a good thing I didn't have anywhere special to go because I just wanted to wear stretchy pants, even though I secretly wanted to eat granola and go to the gym. But, hey when in Rome.
The following day we went into Krakow in the south and Auschwitz, about a 2 hour drive. Auschwitz was an interesting experience, it was something to see if you want to grasp the gravity of the situation, but it is hard to see. Going into the camp and seeing the displays was pretty hard, it's hard to comprehend how one individual was capable of creating an ideology that inflicted so much cruelty and harm, and that people actually believed in and supported such an idea. I saw both camps, but the smaller one with the buildings where the torture and killings happened had the biggest affect. A lot of strange things, like a display of hair that was collected from victims and shows, and bowls and luggage. Hundreds of pictures showing victims lined the walls, and it was hard to see them after awhile. But, if you have an opportunity and you have the will to see it, it is something that should be seen.
It is a beautiful city, with a massive castle and a wonderful old city centre. We walked around the castle, and then headed over to the centre. I saw an old market set, where they were sealing touristy things, and loads of jewelry and some Christmasy things. We went into a Christmas market and bought traditional Polish candy, the fudge like stuff, so full of melty goodness. Afterwards, we went to the gate of the city that was from the Roman times. All this in the what I felt was freezing cold, and darkening of night. Finally, we went to restaurant and I had some hot rum with cinnamon, and then a giant pancake concoction with zucchini and cheese. A wonderful dinner of sorts. Then it was time to go home.
The last day Ania took me shopping to one of the largest markets in Europe, and then to one of the biggest shopping malls in Europe. A bit excessive, but interesting to see. In the evening we went to several parties in the centre, and I got to party Polish style. I must say, even though the Dutch don't dance, I prefer the non-dancing blunt Dutch to the electro ravers of the 80s in Poland. Overall, it was fun, the first club not so much, but further through the night it got much better. My stay in Poland was very nice and on the 28th I was on a bus to Berlin.
Poland is an interesting country, it is still recovering from the war and has a mixed tier of poverty and wealth. The buildings are quite old, and shambled and will become revitalized but in time. Being a new member of the EU means revitalization is occurring but it will take time. I would recommend Poland, but in 10 years. It is a tough country to be in as a back-packer, but I had the luxury of being with a family and well-off family too. I am glad I went, it is one country I am glad to have had company and someone showing me around, and maybe I will go back.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Paris part trois
Where did I leave off.... right the 200 lb man sleeping above me. Well, everything is ok, because I am here writing this blog, but it was a little disheartening. Day 3 was our final day in Paris, and it was a little sad. I had (and still am) gotten used to using the Metro system, and being able to go from one end of the city to the other in a matter of minutes. Not to mention, the exceptional organization and efficiency of the system. I would also miss the simple pleasures of having historical monuments at your finger tips.
But, it wasn't over yet, let me explain my last day in Paris...
So, we got ourselves ready and stored our gear in the 'storage room' which was just a room behind the kitchen. It's a good thing I had a lock for my bag, I felt a bit safer leaving my stuff there. Afterwards, we had our last baguette and croissant breakfast, and then headed out to the city. Firstly, we went to the Pere-Lachaise Cemetery \9http://www.pere-lachaise.com/perelachaise.php?lang=en),housing the likes of James 'Jim' Morrison, Edith Piaf, Marcel Proust,Oscar Wilde, to name a few. Quite the 'A-list' of celebrities gracing one of Paris's oldest cemeteries. It really was amazing though, the tree lined lanes, and old tomb stones, and people paying their respects. In October of last year I watched a film at the Vancouver International Film Festival which was directed my a Dutch women, based on the cemetery. The idea was to uncover why people went to the cemetery. Many of the people there were older women taking care of their loved ones graves, going on a consistent bases, bringing water to clean the grave, brooms to sweep debris, and flowers to adorn it. Other people were paying respects to some of the greatest individuals of history. The film inspired me to see the cemetery. I am incredibly happy I went there, I tried to break down that Western fear of death, difficult at best, but necessary because I feel that we are so afraid of death. But, enough about this it is a difficult subject but one that felt compelled to explore. I did see Oscar Wilde's grave and I kissed it, it's a unspoken tradition to kiss the grave, and after what seemed hours of searching we found James Morrison's grave, fenced off to fend off people from fornicating and doing drugs on his grave. One weird thing though, when I was leaving the cemetery, a pigeon fell from the sky (what it looked like, probably a tree) but it was convulsing and then died. Kind of weird. Also, it's head seemed to be decapitated. I was so afraid for like 2 hours, I thought it was an omen. Everything seemed ok though.
Afterwards, we headed over to Versailles to see the Chateau Versailles home of the infamous Louis the 14th and Marie-Antoinette. It took a while to get there, with the train lines being incredibly confusing to get to- the case for suburban trains, not to mention the underground network of tunnels that you have to walk through to get to the 'other' trains. Despite my best efforts, we ended up on train C which I was told to avoid in my guide book, it is the SLOWEST train in Paris. What should have taken 45 min tops took about 1 hour and a half. But, we arrived in one piece, getting a lovely view of the industrial and then the fields of Paris.We had to walk about 20 min to get to the Chateau but it was worth it. A sprawling view, the chateau is immense, something I would highly recommend one to see for themselves. It was breathtaking the closer you got. It was also incredibly busy, people were everywhere, queues for hundreds of meters. Unfortunately, this meant we couldn't go inside because the line was outrageous, so huge. But, we did get to go into the garden which was stunning. We had fabulous sunny, warm weather. Walking into the garden felt like you time warped backwards to the days of French court. They had classical music playing, and people were milling about, it was so cool. We took loads of photos and then sat to take in the view. My favourite spot was the terrace looking over into the orange orchid and then on to the man-made lake. It was such a manicured spectacular view. We walked around and saw statues of gods and goddesses. I think in the end the money spent on Versailles was worth it, the view and the constructions were phenomenal, and it instigated the revolution which created the French Republic and Freedom for the French. So, in retrospect, it paid off. All that greed and materialistic spending. After we scoped out the garden we peeked through the windows to the inside quarters, but stopped shortly after because of the fierce looks we were getting from the people pissed that they didn't think to do what were doing, and who instead spent a fortune getting inside, and hours standing in line. I don't blame them. So, we toodled off to the book/gift shop. I got a guide to Versailles, which gives me the historical background, and images of the inside. Pretty exhausted from the walking we hobbled our way back to the train station, hoping to catch the train in time because on Sundays half the trains run, compared to every other day of the week. We made it though, and the fast train.
When we arrived back in Paris, we decided to head over to the Eiffel Tower to catch a river cruise on the Seine. It was free with our Paris tour cards, however, the card expired on Saturday, so we had to fudge it a bit.... It worked though, we were able to get on the cruise and sit back and enjoy our last hours in Paris. It really was the perfect end to our visit. We got to take the cruise at dusk, so the sun setting against all the buildings and monuments was an amazing view. We also got to see the major monuments and buildings again, but from the water which was a very unique view. When the cruise ended we headed back to the hostel to grab some dinner near -by and head over to the bus station to go back home. My last meal in Paris was a Marilyn crepe- dark chocolate melted, with pear and ice cream. Fabulous. I gained a new found love for pears, they have such a unique taste when paired in combo with something else.
Our ride home was ok, except for the ridiculously rude bus driver who made us wait for 30 minutes well he went inside and did who knows what.... we made it home on time though, which was the most important thing. Exhausted but happy we made it back to our humble abode and slept for hours.
That was Paris, and I would go back in a heart beat. It is my favourite city, in my growing repertoire of cities experienced. I could live there, it's that amazing.
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