Egg and Chips

How to be rubbish at something. Part 1

2008-10-06T22:55:00.003+01:00

6th October 2008

Day 1

I feel terrible. Just three hours ago I was excited about my new Journalism course; now I’m deflated. It started well, all introductions and what lies ahead, then as each new challenge and assignment was mentioned I became more and more filled with doubt. I’m now convinced that I will not be able for any of it. Failing the first, just for fun, assignment was the nail in the coffin for my confidence. All I had to do was interview a co-student - the perfectly pleasant Catherine - and write 150 words. I didn’t get past, “Catherine wants to be in current affairs...”. She’s in television, for God’s sake, and I still couldn’t manage two interesting sentences. I was just too embarrassed. Not so my classmates. Theirs are all completed and submitted; my scribbled efforts sit in my bag. A smudged documentary of my inability.

Result: shame and D:Ream’s mindlessly optimistic Things can only get better stuck on internal jukebox.

lovely slovakia

2008-02-28T20:10:00.040Z

on top of lomnicky stit (-17.3degC; brrrrrr)

in the post-christmas slump i booked a short break so i had something to look forward to in the dark of feb. (i did have a weekend in norway -- when i feel i really need to vent spleen i'll write about that experience)

i booked a mixed trip of skiing, sight-seeing and snow-shoeing. for some reason i thought i was heading to slovenia so was suprised and, later, delighted to end up in slovakia (i didn't mention this to the lovely tour leader, who was, for good reason, very proud of his country).

i had no expectations --- so when it turned out to be extremely gorgeous and populated with friendly smiley people i was more than happy...

the hotel in levoca - u leva - fantastic

(room 101, luckily didn't live up to its rep. it was palatial. sadly the planned bikini party never came to pass so the cage of shame remained empty)

the holiday had started badly; i had to fly ryanair to luton first (which, alone, would be enough to destroy the most enthusiastic heart) - then i split my forehead open in a tragic stationery shop accident. (wh smith be prepared; a howler your way comes). i was row 27 on the plane (right by the toilet; hmmmm) and the plane was almost diverted to kosice (miles and miles away) owing to it being -8degC at our destination airport (poprad) with zero visability. the first inkling that things were looking up was the pilot deciding he was a real man and landing the plane at poprad anyway!

quick trip to the hotel in levoca (which was our base). the trajectory of enjoyability shot skyward when i reached the hotel. we stayed at the u leva. which is a 14c building - it used to be an apothecary, and den den deeen it still is (the lady that owns it is a pharmacist and has a little shop in part of the building). the building itself is superb; impressive and substantial; a manly building that gathers you to its chest and reassures that all is well. As is the case for all of the buildings in, and around, the central mediaeval square. the square also contains a fabulous church with amazing altars (no pics, not allowed; google master pavol images) and a huge town hall (in front of which is the "cage of shame" where ladies out after hours were put to demonstrate what hussies they were!)

town hall, levoca

mediaeval buildings and church of st james, levoca

first day was a trip to the tatras mountains. a cable car took us to the top of lomnicky stit. on top of the mountain is an observatory and, as we fell out of the cable car in our uber-unsexy winter clothes we found ourselves in the coolest bar i'd seen in a very long time. it was all white leather cube seats primary coloured walls and a smartly dressed (and attractive) barman! after many photo ops and mooching about at -17degC (utterly feckin' cold) it was back inside for a hot chocolate. i cannot say enough about the magnificence of the hot choccy. it has spoiled all hot chocolate i have ever had, or will ever have. it was divine!

after all that effort and sight-seeing the afternoon was spent in bliss in the thermal pools of aquacity. it was really odd being outside in -8degC in a bikini. swimming in hot water while my head bobbed about in icy-coldness. the popradians seemed a happy lot and who'd blame them - the complex of pools and spas are brill.

evenings were spent in the teatro bar which was in the lower floor of yet another historical building in the square. as it's associated with the theatre it is decorated in a really quirky way. and for some reason the locals in this pub are prone to buying rounds of beer for the visitors. (always a good sign).

monday saw the start of the active-activities. we headed out to snow-shoe in the tatras paradise - (which, fortunately, lives up to its name).

kitting up for hours of snow-shoeing through narnia-esque forests

for the small, hard core, all the oceans of fresh air and tramping about in pristine forests just wasn't enough. so apres four hours of walking... we decided to walk up from the town to the church on the hill. (a pilgrimage site). the climb was tough. the only thing that kept me going was the fact that in july thousands of little old ladies manage to skip up here, no probs; never underestimate the miraculous effect the promise of a good mass has on little old ladies. (great chalice work, ted)

the church on the hill - no matter how far you walk it doesn't get any closer; view of levoca from the hill

next day the skiing happened at slopes only 6km from levoca. i'm used to having to endure four hour transfers airport to ski resort - slovakia wins by having all the activities close to town and close to the airport. the thing that struck me most about the little ski resort was the trust. usually there are lockers for your kit - not here, everyone just dump their bags and shoes and head off. the snow was lovely and the views great - ski hire, lift pass and food enjoyably affordable.

so if you're looking for a lovely hol, in gorgeous surroundings with friendly people - have a go at slovakia!

lol

How to look a complete idiot

2008-01-14T10:38:00.000Z

first in a countless series...

christmas time

every december, like many workplaces, we get all "silly" and christmassy. the first year i was in the job my fellow minions and i decorated the department in the traditional tack-fest of tinsel, baubles and flashing lights (very judea, 0 AD). the powers that be decided that lights in combination with flammable gaudiness were a health and safety risk; so they were banned.

the following year; lights and bauble-less, i had a moment of inspiration from my post x-mas party polluted mind. i (and a similarly incapacitated colleague) spent an entire working day making paper snowmen and decorated a innocent bystanding ficus plant. in a moment of injustice, our 'tree' won a prize for charity for "best decorations based on a company value" (don't ask).

when decorating company property became a security and safety issue the paper based fun was ended... yet the charity prizes for decorations remained...

what to do? the only things left that we could legally decorate were ourselves.

so cue me getting an entire department to dress up as polyester christmas trees

(here's me; i decided not to include the group shot - far too cruel)

... we won again!

next time on "how to look like a complete idiot" --- skiing

granda at 100

2007-12-03T12:50:00.003Z

the granda at 100 in oct 07.
this is his "oh boy" face... i reckon i've just asked him if he wants a cup of tea --- though this is his usual response to a "blonde"

[The Da: 1907 - 6th July 2008]

jimmy - fallen into darkness

2007-10-02T14:43:00.000+01:00

i'm very saddened that jimmy is no more. victim of a car, sept. 07

this poor little cat had such a sad, short, little life; i can only hope his time with us and his fatty-tabby best friend was a warm glow in the darkness.

jimmy was a stray with a very nervous disposition - he escaped from a pack of neglacted cats in our area and wound up in our garden.
he spent most of his early days in a constant state of anxiety - best efforts by a sister reassured him slightly but not totally. he was picked on and terrified by many a passing moggy. beaten up so badly he lost an eye. despite our constant attempts we couldn't tame him; so he never got the reassuring hugs and squeezes we wanted to give him and that he so badly needed.

little jimmy - afraid no more

oh, vienna

2007-09-09T16:41:00.001+01:00

was in vienna for five minutes in september to visit a mega-cardiology conference. the downside is, as i had articles to write, i spent most of my time at the conference and in my hotel room!

i did get out to see one, yes! only one, sight. the stephandom. this is an impressively massive gothic catherderal from the 12th century. the interior is awesome (the old meaning; not the bill and ted meaning). i like ye-old-fashioned religious art with the "you're all going to hell" motifs - they were in abundance here - so i was happy as a pig in the proverbial.

massive vaulted ceiling, stefandom

interior, stephandom

self-portrait of the master mason pilgram, stefandom

the only bit of history i remember from the guide is that mozart and constanza were married here.

the cardiologist liked the idea of climbing the north tower so we did that.... more than 300 steps. he skipped up like a goat, I, on the other hand, managed the narrow spiral staircase, "like an asthmatic ant with some heavy shopping" (when i arrived at the top panting like a pervert, i was glad that i had a cardiologist with me as the pain in my chest was so severe it was blurring my vision). the views over the city were worth the pain.

view of slate roof, stefandom

i was let out to have dinner; which for a veggie in vienna means grated cabbage and sliced potatoes. not very inspiring. the cocktails were nice though!

self-portrait: slices and her new frock

rome feb 07

2007-08-25T17:48:00.001+01:00

for my birthday my lovely sisters got me a trip to rome. rome is one top destination. the history, ruins, people and food are marvellous.

my fav. bits are the roman forum; the pantheon; domus aurea; the catacombs and the endless, stupendous, pant-wettingly amazing art and architecture

for lovers of cats and history (great combination) go to the ara sacra; this is a small plot below the level of the road in the largo torre argentina. it contains three ancient temples (of unknow dedication) and a cat santuary. it's the spot where julius caesar was murdered, back in the day. the temple complex is home to hundreds of cats and the santuary is run out of offices/vets under the arches to one corner of the complex.

temple of saturn, forum

towards the tabularium on the capitoline hill
(templum divus Vespasianus in front)

the floor of the senate house, roman forum

pantheon; monolithic colums!
inscription "M·AGRIPPA·L·F·COS·TERTIVM·FECIT" marcus agrippa, son of lucius,
built during his third consulate (according to a sister)

occulus, pantheon

occulus, pantheon

contemplating michaelangelo's steps
capitoline hill

Berlin Mar 07

2007-08-25T17:38:00.000+01:00

checkpoint charlie, berlin

i was in berlin for a weekend meeting in march. i had no notion of what to expect but everyone i talked to said i was going to love it - and i did.

owing to the short time available (less than a day) i did the standard touristy thing. an open top bus tour followed by precision targetting of key sites. so the plan was: marvellous public transport to museum island, walk back, via unter den linden, to checkpoint charlie and the wall.

first stop was the pergamonmuseum. and it is a definite on a must-visit list. the museum is named after the Altar of Pergamon housed in its main hall. this is a knee-weakeningly impressive monument. (unfortunately i didn't have my camera with me just my mobile phone so had to take two shots to fit it in)

pergamon altar, 160BC, pergamon, greece (now bergama, turkey)

the hall also contains friezes from the temple - the preservation is excellent and the detail superb. they represent the battle between giants and the gods. the anatomical detail on the figures is so clear you can see the muscular tension and almost smell the battle.

frieze, giant defeated by athena. pergamon temple.

giant defeated by athena, detail. pergamon temple.

i love issues concerned with scale. the sight of large pieces of architecture inside buildings i find exciting. so the pergamonmuseum was a treat. in addition to the massive altar it also houses the ishtar gate and prosessional way (babylon, 6th century BC) and the temple of athena. my little mobile phone couldn't deal with the immensity of the babylonian gate; i managed to get a small pic of the temple.

temple of athena. 2nd century BC

after the nuseum i wandered back via unter den linden (under the limes). this sia beautiful avenue which runs from the museum island to the brandenburg gate. lined with incredibly beautiful buildings, it includes the opera house several government buildings and embassies.

my journey took me through bebelplatz a square with the opera house on one side and st hedwigs on another. i took a piture of st hedwig's catholic cathederal (sadly, not due to piousness on my part just cos hedwig is harry potter's owl). this square is where, in 1933, ~ 20000 jewish books were burned at the behest of goebbels. it was a stark reminder of the evil that was (and is) in the world. in such a beautiful place it was hard to imagine such ugliness; but there it was.

st hedwig's cathedral. view from bebelplatz

i pressed onwards to friedrichstrasse passing gendarmenmarkt. this is a huge paved area housingthree mainbuildings; a cathederal at either end and a concert hall in the middle. it's a 17th century square named for the regiment gens d'armes who had their stables here.

the french cathederal, gendarmenmarkt

at checkpoint charlie they have a replica of the old guard post (complete with replica sandbags; sorry i didn't get a photo of those). there is a museum at ccc but it was a bit too artsy fartsy for me to undertand (they had an odd style) but the do have some amazing artifacts. items people used used to get out of east berlin. (one lady was smuggled in a marshall speaker in her musician boyfriend's car.) sections of the razor wire and some motion activated machine guns (then even had the bullet-hole-ridden-blood-soaked overalls of some poor unfortunate who didn't make it

checkpointcharlie, friedrichstrasse, berlin

a short distance from checkpoint charlie is a section of preserved wall. it is really grim. pictures show what it looked like at the height of the cold war. lovely west berlin and stark east berlin. dogs patrolled the wall to discourage defectors; that is in addtion to the wires, trenches and machine guns.

remains of the berlin wall.

after that it was a train back to the hotel. i was staying near the zoo and one of the main shopping streets, kurfurtendamm. in breitscheidplatz at the top of that street is the "hollow tooth" church. once a lovely 19th century church it was damanged during the war (along with vast swathes of berlin); they have left the ruins standing as a memorial. it houses a little museum and is def. worth a visit. next door is the "new" church. it has amazing blue glass windows - by day the inside glows blue; by night the interior lights make the whole building glitter

main altar "new" kaiser wilhelm gedachtnis-kirche

lucas owes tunisia; big time

2007-08-18T13:15:00.000+01:00

tunisia is an amazing. i was there in 2005 on a tour that circled from tunis in the north, southeast to kairouan, sfax, el djem onto matmata and touzeur in the south; then back via le kef to tunis. the roman ruins are superb, the people are lovely, food, drink and weather is great.

roman amphitheatre - el djem

subterranean roman house - bulla regia

floor mosaic in situ roman house - bulla regia

so why does lucas owe tunisia a couple of quid? well ... the landscape is very striking; hence lots of films are shot there - star wars, raiders and english patient. but i reckon lucas used more than the landscape for star wars. part of the trip was a camel trek into the sahara. two seconds after meeting a camel for the first time you realise that they look and walk like the AT-ATs; then at night they make noises exactly, and i mean exactly, like wookies.

astride an imperial walker

a "wookie" at dawn

... he also used the troglodyte town of matamata for skywalkers' home; nicked the name of the village of tataouine for the planet...lucas, thief *shakes fist* pay the locals some royalties

matmata aka tatooine

my room at the cave 'hotel' - matmata

view from my room to the cells below - matmata

the bar at the hotel next door - the hotel sidi driss aka the skywalkers'

touzeur aka mos eisley

Kitty

2007-07-28T15:57:00.001+01:00

look upon my cat and marvel at his majesty

Tag 06

2007-07-26T12:40:00.000+01:00

you know the nightmare where you're naked at an exam or work or some such... well it sort of happend to us at tag. week five of tag is fancy dress week. being good little participators we went as dalmatians. we were alone! 23 teams of 10 in regular kit and us dressed like this...

values ball 07

2007-07-26T12:27:00.001+01:00

there's a moment in your life when you realise metamorphosis is complete and you've turned into your mother (more of a bummer if you're a lad) mine was a pic of me 'mammy dancing' to an abba tribute at a corporate do...