tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70302931940315757552024-03-21T16:30:50.440+02:00Alans adventuresUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger267125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030293194031575755.post-62456667811901699692017-06-22T16:06:00.001+03:002017-06-22T16:06:24.756+03:00Midsummer Epiphany in a Year of Graft<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Its funny what jet lag and exhaustion does for a man.<br />
<br />
This morning I woke at 6am (far too early) and forced myself to go for the first run of the year (i've a half ironman in 10 weeks, so kind of makes sense) After some initial spluttering it turned out ok. As all you runners out there know, the best thing about a run is that it clears the head and so here i find myself writing my thoughts on paper while my bacon burns...<br />
<br />
For those who haven't read this blog before, a quick disclaimer - while I do intend to just jot down my honest thoughts about the world. None of these thoughts are remotely politically correct, so if you have an issue with honesty, or get faux offended by me making fun of fat people, skinny people, tall people, short people, black people, white people yellow people and kind of brownish people, gay people, trump supporters, Inca princesses, the funny way asian people pronounce things, hillary clinton, leftists. (Have I left anything out?) Then don't read this blog.<br />
<br />
And of course if you are a winner in life, who shares my 'samui' sense of humour, please read on...<br />
<br />
This morning, while 'cleaning out the cobwebs' on this frankly slow and plodding run, like many of you i found myself thinking of my life and what I'm doing, and what I'm not doing, and how to do what I'm not doing and want to do. So i made a few resolutions for myself -<br />
<br />
One thing I notice is that while lots of people do new year resolutions, why doesn't anyone do midsummer-resolutions? Its probably a better time to do it to be honest. The sun's shining, there are less temptations, more reason to have a mankini-body. So just to be a trend-setter, here are mine -<br />
<br />
1. I won't drink alcohol until 2nd September (this ludicrous triathlon date which i haven't done any training for yet)<br />
2. I won't get married<br />
3. I won't have sexual relations with any animals.<br />
<br />
<br />
If anyone see's me doing any of those terrible things, I will buy you a drink.<br />
<br />
I just came back from Japan so i'll write some quick thoughts on the trip later....<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030293194031575755.post-14454528865958523182014-06-26T00:17:00.001+03:002014-06-26T05:09:26.081+03:00Last Post<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So, dear readers, I'm afraid to say that its likely i'll stop posting on here so often now.<br />
<br />
I must admit, it was great fun to write about the various ludicrous situations I found myself in around the world these last few years, and to be honest, nothing has changed in these last 3 months. I had a great time in Japan again, and God knows where else, I forgot now, but I couldn't help but think about the sheer <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxVZYiJKl1Y#t=142">Narcassism of Facebook </a> posts and all the various blogs out there that make out this amazing fun and happy life lived by everyone, but which is in fact if you're not careful, ends up being lived out for the benefit of your voyeurs.<br />
<br />
The reason I began to write this blog was in order to learn how to write better, (and of course to rant a little about the stupidity of the world) and I think i've achieved that to some extent. But to be completely honest and selfish about it, I go on adventures round the world, not for Facebook likes, not for views, or the acceptance and validation of random people, but because I enjoy them, and the writing about them part just became a chore that detracted from the overall experience. It's like taking photos - I really can't be bothered about it any more, because it really ruins the moment.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I hope some of it inspired some of you to go out and have your own adventures instead of reading about other peoples.<br />
<br />
The good news is that my new book is about to come out, called 'Recession Proof Real Estate', so look out for that, and i'm working on my second novel which I hope will be about 2.5 million times better than my first.<br />
<br />
Anyway, farewell and I'll keep the archive on here to amuse you all on rainy days and to ensure my political career never gets off the ground...til then i'll leave you with a few recent photos of Japan...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivmEyYi0VWW9YwwGSGxJsxfc3BJC9ZcgfR_orFrhhMZXQJkYgRqdYHDNW8kUeEJA9_rK2_3jtrzNsjP0npUVz9NqntFqLZm_HY77igpGh2BBmp15h2HEahuoAR3BBl1W1yPytIbvkP2QA/s1600/IMGP1487.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivmEyYi0VWW9YwwGSGxJsxfc3BJC9ZcgfR_orFrhhMZXQJkYgRqdYHDNW8kUeEJA9_rK2_3jtrzNsjP0npUVz9NqntFqLZm_HY77igpGh2BBmp15h2HEahuoAR3BBl1W1yPytIbvkP2QA/s1600/IMGP1487.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shinto Temples at night are Pretty Spooky places</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJv2SExobjO1vNguD28-ggmyxb5nNtxL6dJvLcLfNeavkFXNM14g-RP5swmkkoQ59EM6qxXl_OQpYQb3xpJZmszwoNniutdXNq6L9_Wueq3gl8RlA5L0uozZ7OqVyYNTFkdp3oNVzjjE/s1600/IMGP1468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJv2SExobjO1vNguD28-ggmyxb5nNtxL6dJvLcLfNeavkFXNM14g-RP5swmkkoQ59EM6qxXl_OQpYQb3xpJZmszwoNniutdXNq6L9_Wueq3gl8RlA5L0uozZ7OqVyYNTFkdp3oNVzjjE/s1600/IMGP1468.JPG" height="245" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and a random official guy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUtmmO5ypxSwDHN9ffNstdpxi_43HLXZBdYiQIZkqFMKCAWXnAW7kzqxdgY_4PnGtOyD2MKlutOQXVs-Un5GZH32zpGSaID2fBXKX_Qzm4r8Nz_qyX-AZ8KmfF-DwJ_xoOCSdYZBquhA/s1600/IMG_0837.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUtmmO5ypxSwDHN9ffNstdpxi_43HLXZBdYiQIZkqFMKCAWXnAW7kzqxdgY_4PnGtOyD2MKlutOQXVs-Un5GZH32zpGSaID2fBXKX_Qzm4r8Nz_qyX-AZ8KmfF-DwJ_xoOCSdYZBquhA/s1600/IMG_0837.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Only in Japan....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBdIS9fBj_5XPyOZddp8eFv4cQwQI4BQ-ZRC08-oktP4kCNMu5v-6g6CCCp6pApnnleeFLr1K5Slx9XlO05YePDGt3H7CTgGwu1w-ne8INcVoISipKFnn-tzxXASQpHdqmLeEeaueC0XQ/s1600/IMG_0822.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBdIS9fBj_5XPyOZddp8eFv4cQwQI4BQ-ZRC08-oktP4kCNMu5v-6g6CCCp6pApnnleeFLr1K5Slx9XlO05YePDGt3H7CTgGwu1w-ne8INcVoISipKFnn-tzxXASQpHdqmLeEeaueC0XQ/s1600/IMG_0822.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Confirming my ongoing fight to promote sexism throughout society</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030293194031575755.post-50773436635988570512014-03-01T06:33:00.003+02:002014-03-01T11:36:27.706+02:00Las Vegas and the future of Surveillance<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
What is it with Las Vegas and flunkies?<br />
<br />
I was getting a taxi today from a rather upmarket Las Vegas hotel, and they have a guy who asks you in a patronising voice where you want to go, and then opens the door for you. All competely superflous stuff that nobody actually needs in any way (especially if you're planning to go to the strip club) I also noticed everyone giving this guy a tip for such a non-service. Now waitresses and waiters I can understand, since they actually provide a useful service, but nosey parker door opening, borderline aggressive begging flunkies? No thanks. Anyway, I got a cuttingly sarcastic (i.e. fuck you, hope you die you cheapo non tipper) 'have a great day' as I didn't give him any tip for the nothing he provided. Fair enough he's not working for any salary but he also isn't providing any kind of service...<br />
<br />
Anyway, a bigger shock was an hour ago, when I got another taxi to the xxx casino, walked up to the single deck blackjack, changed up $70 (I wanted to play quickly to double up to $140 for a small poker tournament.) As soon as I got my chips, the pit boss came over to the dealer and told her, 'Sorry this guy isn't allowed to play blackjack.' Of course she thought he was kidding, but he wasn't.<br />
<br />
Within 5 minutes of being in the casino, talking to nobody, and not giving over any ID or anything that could give away my identity, they were able to confirm, purely from my face from when i was last there (last October or so) - exactly who I am and, sadly, the fact that I'm banned from playing Blackjack in their casino.<br />
<br />
What does this mean? Of course, The xxxx possibly spent millions of dollars on a super duper facial recognition system to stop guys like me taking them for lots of money. But its bigger than this. Is this the future of western society? The potential uses for facial biometrics are pretty amazing. Capturing criminals or 'terrorists' by simply putting out their data on CCTV and waiting for them to go to the shops? Detecting fraud? Even finding dates or the next perfect face of TV could all be done one way or another here. Certainly makes for reasonable paranoia while staying here in Las Vegas. Most casinos on the strip at least, must therefor know exactly where I am, how many casino chips I have, how much i'm up or down, and whether they should let me keep playing or ask me to leave...Imagine that extrapolated into city wide areas? Welcome to the future, dear friends, Big Brother really is watching you...<br />
<br />
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<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030293194031575755.post-19819043004994201622014-02-19T02:05:00.000+02:002014-02-19T02:05:19.272+02:00Sauna Etiquette for Non Finns/Estonians/Russians<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
If the only thing you could hear in the gym sauna today was
my palm slapping my forehead, then all would have been well. But it wasn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know, to sit in the sauna today,
watching 3 fully grown but plainly dysfunctional men, unable to be away from
their i-phones for 5 minutes, bleeping away I could not but despair - Tyler
Durton was right, and by the look of the way western manhood is going, he’s
getting more right by the second. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Your lack of Sauna etiquette is not your fault, dear
Americans. I understand they don’t teach you it at school and you’re too
ignorant to read what it says outside the sauna. If it’s any consolation, Brits
are just the same (on a less loud/high five level admittedly), when it comes to
knowing how to behave in that sacred Baltic Grotto, so I think its time I tell
the world a little about how it should be in there…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ok lets start at the beginning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sauna, to take it back to its roots,
really is a sacred, serene place in Nordic/Baltic culture. It’s where many
babies were traditionally born. Its where business is conducted, vodka drunk,
even relationships consummated. But all in all it’s a place where the family,
or close friends congregate to relax, meditate, sweat out the bad stuff, and
contemplate the meaning of life. In silence – i.e. not sitting tweeting on
their i-phones. And definitely not shaving your armpits in front of everyone.
Or sitting fully clothed with shoes on. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ok lets put some bullet points in so next time you go to
take a sauna, you know what to do.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Go naked. The point of the sauna is to sweat out
your toxins not to dirty your clothes and skin. If you’re in mixed
company,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ladies will tend to wear a
towel round to protect modesty (although they will get to see your parts, guys,
is it such a bad thing?) If you’re with a bunch of guys, sweating and naked, it’s
not a gay thing despite your insecurities, unless you’re actually gay, in which
case you probably visit a very different kind of sauna. However if a guy gets a
hard on, then you probably don’t want to invite him next time. And if the girls
don’t towel up, then you’re probably on a promise. Or in Sweden.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Don’t talk loudly at people. Especially not
strangers. Ok I understand it’s not easy to shut up for a second, but
really, its not that hard.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Actually, don’t talk at all. That’s really not
the point of the sauna. You have bars to shout at each other and hug strangers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Don’t bring headphones, ipods or phones into the
sauna.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apart from the fact that its not
very good for them, its also pretty bad manners. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Pour water on the sauna, to increase the
humidity and open your pores. Ignore the warnings on American saunas to not
pour water on it. They are plainly idiots and don’t know anything, not least
the whole point of a sauna.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->If you can increase the temperature, do so. This
will get rid of unwanted men on iphones. Or at least will break their iphones which
serves them right. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->I know this sounds hard, but after the sauna,
jump in a VERY cold shower, or run out and roll in the snow. The sauna (when
you pour water on it) opens the pores, and so the biting cold will close them
again, and leave you feeling (afterwards) pretty amazing. Your girlfriend will
thank you.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Use birch branches to both waft (to increase the
‘burn’) and to beat yourself or others. You really need to take turns on this –
basically lie down and get another to beat you with the birch branch all over.
It helps the pores again, makes it hotter, and pretty much doubles the whole
sauna experience. If there are no birch leaves, just beat the guy with the
i-phone with his phone until he leaves.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->You should repeat the hot/cold combination 2,3
even 4 times if you can. Don’t stay out in the snow for more than 5 minutes
though. It can feel great, and you want to go to sleep. But that’s because you
have hypothermia. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Don’t
wear shoes and socks in the sauna. It defeats the whole purpose. I mean do I
really have to say this?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">11.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Fat
people – sauna does not lose you weight or get you fit. You just lose sweat,
which comes back in a few hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fat guy
in the sauna today – Please try not to fart in the sauna, it was disgusting. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ok so now everyone in Western New York is educated on Sauna
etiquette, I’m looking forward to going into the sauna next week and having
birch leaves waiting and the ultimate zen experience….<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment--></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030293194031575755.post-82864274967656003252014-01-07T22:59:00.001+02:002014-01-07T23:20:00.175+02:00Driving in Ecuador...(and remaining alive)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
If you told me ten years ago i'd be tearing down the Ecuadorian Coast Road at 100km per hour, downing shots of rum with an Inca Princess who keeps grabbing the steering wheel, while narrowly avoiding donkeys and children then i'd order a drink of what you just had...but there you go, here i am now finally in surfing HQ, Montanita, Ecuador, with a surprisingly intact car and a splitting headache...<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZerUpuTvQy236HXrPxK5-mNLiyL-7V8W2kBPYCkGfyBybbUrYJHeHOZAGaZQHV2tdEfEkBdQ4Xq4C-RAl3GEen0jmOSNJPca_qj2ee3_oFPLVdm6QLvQdyGK2-zgyDa09SMbunmC7GDU/s1600/IMGP0877.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZerUpuTvQy236HXrPxK5-mNLiyL-7V8W2kBPYCkGfyBybbUrYJHeHOZAGaZQHV2tdEfEkBdQ4Xq4C-RAl3GEen0jmOSNJPca_qj2ee3_oFPLVdm6QLvQdyGK2-zgyDa09SMbunmC7GDU/s1600/IMGP0877.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This bus was racing up the hard shoulder. Kind of funny until it crashes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I plan to drive right round the country, up the Andes and through Quito, then down the spine of the mountains to Banos and Cuenca, then back to the insanity that is Guayaquil. Driving is perhaps safer than Taxi's, as <a href="http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/01/04/national/man-fatally-shot-wife-injured-during-ecuador-honeymoon/">this</a> Japanese Honeymoon couple found out (they were robbed and fatally shot in Guayaquil just there, I hope my mum isn't reading this) I'm trying not to jinx my driving plans and avoiding kidnap, robbery, and plain old crashing by offering you, dear reader, some tips on latin american driving...<br />
<br />
1. Don't do it. When I think about it, the danger involved in driving in Latin American cities if you're used to normal countries with broad rules of the road are outweighed by advantages of taking the (also dangerous) bus, even if you are likely to lose your camera and wallet on the bus. You'd better just not bothering really...but in case you are daft enough...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilm3V2Syox1gsGzfwhCH77ogEwaaMFK1OfQ9zSFSbBVDM_j-ZVAqETumtOiw_ziRQLiVhtZvNXz6RyRJVQ9XZv2Jps89_sardj8_yn1iPhxtebq2sJmnVwkn9EGbP9u6YysSnoeAS7vRo/s1600/IMGP0891.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilm3V2Syox1gsGzfwhCH77ogEwaaMFK1OfQ9zSFSbBVDM_j-ZVAqETumtOiw_ziRQLiVhtZvNXz6RyRJVQ9XZv2Jps89_sardj8_yn1iPhxtebq2sJmnVwkn9EGbP9u6YysSnoeAS7vRo/s1600/IMGP0891.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh...and try to avoid travelling in the rainy season...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
2. Keep a constant eye out on either side. There are no rules at all here. People undertake, overtake, race along the hard shoulder (especially buses I notice) The good fun part is that you can do the same. It's even more fun if you peep your horn like mad while doing it, that usually shuts them up.<br />
<br />
3. When a truck or bus is peeping the horn frantically and coming out of a junction, that means you should give it some respect, because it doesn't care that you have right of way- it's bigger than you and doesn't care about its passengers, and it's made its decision that its going straight in front of you, so slow down, swerve and avoid it as it hurtles into your lane right in front of you on two wheels...<br />
<br />
4. Don't worry about speed limits. It's all about how well you can swerve when guys come out in front of you, and how good you are at missing the assorted dogs, donkeys and children who seem to mill around on the busiest and fastest roads.<br />
<br />
5. Keep a handy bunch of $20 bills, in case of...legal complications related not particularly to your driving or state of inebriation, more related to the very low salaries of the average policeman and the fact that you are a gringo and probably will want to avoid Ecuadorian 500 to a cell prisons...<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikuroBGi3SjnK3eraSalwy2sdbLYmvB2Hl8WEipSknnW3Cg5WoN4yf2UUR2eR2yVccNIQ7bYmYibABGp5_uwpO_S0U10_MbFhR959sAdVRs2h1ksFKHLmRsieiCn8QQUwLwJ6gdIBFRsE/s1600/IMGP0893.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikuroBGi3SjnK3eraSalwy2sdbLYmvB2Hl8WEipSknnW3Cg5WoN4yf2UUR2eR2yVccNIQ7bYmYibABGp5_uwpO_S0U10_MbFhR959sAdVRs2h1ksFKHLmRsieiCn8QQUwLwJ6gdIBFRsE/s1600/IMGP0893.JPG" height="640" width="448" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wonderful roads of Montanita</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXq2gwQXPtIyil_NtQVkWxdX24owp9eYghizeqgJxA5Jo_FnFdW0lJgg2JCtt57dHJsfvghq-dQDMZjvl9NwYdGkXbxCfH9jW3-qCewmUq4wX5cRNNPLzSdYmtcu_uBhiPAS1V-tPBDRs/s1600/IMGP0897.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXq2gwQXPtIyil_NtQVkWxdX24owp9eYghizeqgJxA5Jo_FnFdW0lJgg2JCtt57dHJsfvghq-dQDMZjvl9NwYdGkXbxCfH9jW3-qCewmUq4wX5cRNNPLzSdYmtcu_uBhiPAS1V-tPBDRs/s1600/IMGP0897.JPG" height="337" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wonderful dead bodies on the sand of Montanita....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
The roads so far in Ecuador have to be fair been quite good though. They've spent a fair amount on infrastructure - lets see how the winding roads up the mountains go before I start showing off, as i might be showing off from the luxury of a hospital bed...<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030293194031575755.post-47246000881201591462013-12-28T09:51:00.000+02:002013-12-28T09:51:38.641+02:00Things to Avoid While Travelling No. 143 - Wallets (and No. 158., Airport Food)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I'm writing this while trying to consume the inconsumable. An 8 euro Airport panini, here in Amsterdam Airport, that must have been sitting there for weeks. So there's the lesson of the day - avoid overpriced and generally poor airport food, even if you are hungry.<br />
<br />
But back to the main point....When I was packing for my current trip (to Ecuador), I thought to myself - why do i have all these wallets and never use them? So, like a beaten husband who keeps coming back for more to his abusive wife, I blocked out the why's/why nots, and went back to old habits, put my cash into one and off I went, completely forgetting why I never use a wallet (and I recommend you don't either)<br />
<br />
And then, last night I remembered. Last time i took a wallet out with me, I got pickpocketed (in Jaco, Costa Rica) And yes, everything, cash, bank cards etc etc were all in there.<br />
<br />
So last night, between walking the 100 metres from the taxi to the Casino Holland, with about 200 Euros cash in my wallet (and little else, thank God) I got to the casino with no wallet. They're pretty amazing. A completely inconsequential brush on a busy street, and hey presto its gone without you even noticing.<br />
<br />
Anyway, my conclusion? A wallet in a busy street, (especially in Europe, thank you dear gypsies) by and large means a loss. Maybe not now, maybe not the second time, but I dont know, I can't seem to last a week with one these days, they're worse than umbrellas...<br />
<br />
...which I dont think i'll bother with in the lovely warm rain of the equator, where i'll be (slightly poorer) in 14 hours time. I'll write about that soon, til then, hope you all had a merry christmas.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030293194031575755.post-1836562956281017532013-11-07T01:09:00.000+02:002013-11-08T12:06:03.881+02:00The Day I met God in Ueno Park<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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One morning, a long time ago, when I was perhaps a lot more
shallow than I am now, I landed in Tokyo from Europe, and my
hotel room wasn’t ready until that afternoon. So in a jetlag haze, I took a
little walk around Ueno Park, the scruffy old green lung of North Tokyo, and
sat down to watch the world go by. I’d almost forgotten what a strange and amazing day that
was, so now I think I’ll share it with you...</div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In my daze, I noticed that an ancient wizened old homeless guy was
sitting beside me, and without realising it, struck up a conversation in English, which he spoke fluently. Although I was so jetlagged and exhausted I could hardly keep my eyes
open, we talked all day about philosophy and the meaning of life from an
eastern perspective and western perspective, and how in, fact there wasn’t a
great difference from the fundamentals of what perhaps Jesus really meant
Christianity to be (no, not silly statues of the virgin Mary and supporting Zionist colonial plans, you fools), the old pagan ways of the west and the Shintoism of
Japan, and how really, the rules of life were the same no matter where you are
in the world. There are good and bad people on both sides of every fence, and
many ‘bad’ people have good traits and many ‘good’ people have bad traits (bad
spirits inside them that haven’t managed to throw off), and really, the love of
money and material goods, of conquest and domination, were just bad spirits
inside a man. He talked and talked and everything he said seemed like deeper
wisdom, and for years afterwards I often thought about this Yoda of Ueno park,
and who he was, and how he became homeless and, did he really exist or was this
old man actually God speaking to me in some way to help change my life’s
direction and understand why I’m actually here?</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I can say I’ve learned my lessons slowly. But if it wasn’t
for this guy, I wouldn’t have bought books comparing Buddhism to Christianity,
or the 'crazy' writings of Zachariah Sitchin, Graham Hancock or Daniel Pinchbeck.
And if I hadn’t done that I wouldn’t have considered Ayahausca, which to all
who’ve taken it would agree is a profoundly life changing experience. But
strangely enough I thought about this man again the other day, probably for the
first time since I’d taken Ayahuasca, and realised that all the time it wasn’t
that he was God, it was just that he was a man with the light of God shining
brightly in him. An enlightened man, if you want to call it that. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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But now thanks to him, I can see that we all have a piece of
Gods love in us, he’s everywhere, its just that, for almost everyone (at least
in the west) that piece of their soul and is hidden so deep inside that, that
they’re trapped in the web of their own short term animal-like cycle of needing
‘stuff’, and of needing the fix of temporary ‘satisfaction’ that distracts them
from taking a moment to realise the true reality and the true love of life. ‘Life’ for most people
involves TV shows, sport, the soap opera and politics of everyday gossip, political
correctness and other false ‘causes’, fast food, prescription drugs, casual
sex, getting drunk, recreational drug use, pretend illnesses like ADDT and
other attention seeking cries for help…you get gist) every last one a short
term fix and none of them connected in any way to the reality and true beauty
of the world.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Maybe the wisdom of the Ayahuasca is beginning to kick in
finally, that I’m beginning to see the cancer of the ‘western’ consumer world
for what it is, and can see how the ‘answers’ to these cravings simply make you
want more. The ‘bad guys’ even created new language to distract, divide,
confuse, and ultimately, cause needless conflict – (smart huh?) - How do you
react to someone calling you a ‘racist’ (always by idiotic white guys with beards)
or a ‘sexist’ (usually by those same spineless men, although sometimes by girls as a sly compliment) when this is every time a trap question because the words actually
have no definitive meaning and were constructed originally as trap questions to
damage reputations by avoiding real issues. But this is just the start - The
legal system is changing. The media is pushing the moronic masses to accept
different boundaries of what’s appropriate, and what’s acceptable in terms of
‘the mans’ interference in your life. And believe you me, your voluntary
enslavement has a long way to run yet – so subtle, you wont even notice.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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So what’s the answer? Should you stop watching crappy TV
dramas? Should you realise that the Bills vs. the Redskins or Arsenal vs. Man. City mean absolutely
nothing? No, of course not. For some people, maybe you, that and hamburgers all
they have to look forward to in life. Maybe you’re too far gone to accept that
reality is not the slavery you’ve already sleepwalked into. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The true answer is that there is no answer, except to ask
yourself truly the question that why the homeless old man, with no bank
account, and no material possessions, who lives free in Tokyo’s Ueno Park, is
infinitely happier and more content in his life than you, or anyone you have
ever known?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment--></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030293194031575755.post-33941570117567915122013-10-10T20:08:00.000+03:002013-10-10T21:37:00.629+03:00If Jeremy Clarkson made Nightclubs - York Club, Dubai<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So I booked into a random mid-level hotel (York International Hotel) here in Dubai, as I stop over a couple of nights en route to Singapore. The first night, arriving at 2am I went straight to sleep but I did notice the next day there were various bars, restaurants and clubs around the venue, so I ventured down the 2nd night to see what was on offer...<br />
<br />
First stop was an 'Asian Club'. This basically meant that I sat and drank a beer, and a row of pretty young Indian girls sat on a stage looking bored, and one was up dancing. I'm not quite sure what was going on here, maybe someone can help - it sure seemed strange that a bunch of fat rich looking indian guys would want to just sit and watch girls dancing in some kind of Indian style dancing all night. Who knows, maybe they were there to buy more wives, maybe it was all just a bit of good fun...anyway, bored out of my skull after two pints, I headed down to the York Club, downstairs. This was a very different kettle of fish. As soon as I got in, fifty sets of eyes were on me, smiling gappy teeth in the dark. Yep, you guessed it, skanky hookers. I went over to the stage, and a Japanese girl band were rocking it out to 'Breaking the Law' by Judas Priest. Jeremy Clarkson lookalikes were in frantic air guitar competitions. One finished off with the drunken 'spin' on the dancefloor - you know it - you've probably done it, when you're dancing with a lucky lady, have been downing shots all night, and you have it in your head that making a little spin around on the dancefloor will be a good move, but actually 50% of the time you end up falling over and looking stupid. I noticed actually the dancefloor was full of drunken 50 year old blokes, with some of the most awful dance moves you could ever dream of. Still, with AC/DC's 'Highway to Hell' coming on straight after, they were in Top Gear heaven. I felt kind of sorry for the prossies though. This place must be a kind of place where hookers end up when they get too old, clapped out or just not sexy enough to be in other places, so they trawl around here, looking desperate, trying to catch Jeremy Clarksons in between downing shots, hoping they won't notice the fact they are more than ready for the prostitutes knackers yard.<br />
<br />
Anyway, all in all it was a good fun place, albeit bizzare. I met a chubby Georgian girl who was just a normal tourist and so I enlisted her as my DHD (desperate hooker defence) and watched the clazy japanese girls, who seemed to even have choreographed dances for Led Zeppelin numbers...<br />
<br />
And I just noticed the hero of last nights show, the craziest air guitarist of the whole club...mr dancefloor spinner, furtively sneaking out of the hotel looking like a total wreck (it's 2.30pm the next day as I write this...) and probably wishing he'd stayed at home...<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030293194031575755.post-66276375545069613352013-10-07T17:34:00.001+03:002013-10-07T17:50:11.762+03:00The Spirit of Adventure - Ukraine, Moldova...and Trans-Nestria<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
What I love about traveling are the daily interactions with random strangers, especially the experience of how people treat other people in a position of vulnerability. Last night, when driving home from a cave monastery in deepest (read African level roads) Moldova, I scraped the rental car off a giant kerb at a petrol station in the middle of nowhere, and got a puncture. Sure, the rental company took complete advantage today, and blamed me for all sorts of other fictional scratches (and suddenly the insurance doesn't work anymore and no one remembers how to speak english except the words 'problem' and 'money')<br />
<br />
But, to take the silver lining from the cloud, that night as i drove off cursing, some complete random stranger flagged me down as I trundled along the track, told me I had a puncture (which we hadn't noticed at all) and fixed it in the dark, in the middle of nowhere, just like that. I have no idea who he was, and never will, but that, i'd prefer, to be my memory of the incident, rather than goons trying to do me over, which sadly is often the foreign view of Eastern Europe.<br />
<br />
In Ukraine it was the same - a very kind random couple, went out of their way to help me find the 'secret' bus ticket office, to buy the bus ticket from Odessa to Kiev. It was no easy matter, I can tell you, even for them. It's an endearing part of being in post-soviet countries. People are expected to just 'know' this kind of thing - no adverts, no info. and certainly no english.<br />
<br />
Anyway, such is the fun and the spirit of making random trips. Good souls can make your day, and goons can ruin your life, but all in all, it's the same the world over, and thats what keeps a mans faith in humanity.<br />
<br />
Trans-Nestria, the infamous non-country east of Moldova, was, i'm afraid, a washout. It was totally safe. No big nuclear weapons auctions. No post-soviet ghost town. No armed guards at every corner demanding bribes and passports. Perhaps the guys who tell of having problems there are simply dickwads. We filled in the form, paid about $1 for the mini-bus from Chisinau (the capital of Moldova) stopped at a kind if kiddy-on checkpoint/border crossing, showed the passports, went to Bender Fortress (a giant castle, with a quite interesting history among various battles between Swedes, Ottomans, an Russians) got a bus to the capital, Tiraspol, ate a pizza for about a dollar. Took a photo of Lenin (the only soviet thing we found), got bored after realising...ah thats it then, and went home to Moldova. So its basically like a Narva with less blonde people.<br />
<br />
Eastern Europe is full of honest, good people. Its just than none of them are in the government. Nations of lions are led by inept corrupt donkeys. Road needs fixed? pocket the money. Your people need schools? Build a football stadium. Not enough hospitals? Buy some new limousines for the cabinet. Welcome to Eastern Europe, Africas role model...<br />
<br />
Next move, is an overnight train, tonight, to Kiev, then the long flight east. We had a 5.7 richter earthquake two nights ago here in Chisinau (a lovely but boring city, by the way) my rudely built building wobbled like it was made of cardboard, but fortunately just for a few seconds. Thank God Tokyo is built to withstand these things...<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030293194031575755.post-16000169142980273222013-09-23T11:26:00.002+03:002013-09-23T11:26:26.721+03:00Paris and onward...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Arriving off the Eurostar in Paris is always a strange
feeling. 2 hours from St Pancreas and suddenly there you are in a different
city, country – a different world from London. Everyone smokes, women look and dress like
women – even ‘<a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=borderline%20boiler">borderline boilers</a>’ have a certain ‘je ne se qua,’ here, which is
the way things really should be. Men still look and dress like pimps, I notice.
Everyone seems locked in intense conversations over tasty fresh food or
expresso’s, and you can be sure the subject isn’t related to house prices, or who of their hapless colleagues are going to be
applying for some awful middle management position in Barclays Bank.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I ended up avoiding the $250 a night hotels and getting a
room in ‘<a href="http://www.villagehostel.fr/">le village</a>’ hostel in Monmatre for about 60 Euros. I couldn’t complain at all about the
location, just underneath the beautiful Sacre Coeur and with meandering roads,
little squares with fountains and steps and little café’s with views, in what I’m sure
everyone thinks of the archetypal Paris of romantic dreamers, philosophers and writers.
Sadly, there aren’t so many places in Paris like this, but still, it’s a nice
place to be – I ate somewhere different every day and didn’t have a single bad
morsel of food or glass of bad wine, although you're talking a good 40-60 euros for dinner and wine (Paris is possibly even as expensive as London, although better value.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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To the west a little is Pigalle, of Moulin Rouge fame. To be
honest, it’s crap - nothing more than a pretty sketchy area with down at heel, clip jointy looking strip
bars and sex shops, and the odd rubbish looking bar – a bit like Soho, I suppose, where no actual locals go, only
perverts on tour, lost tourists, and stag weekends. After getting drunk one
night I decided to wander round looking for anything reasonably interesting only
to find lonely looking transvestite cabarets, and the only bar that had any
sort of life was O Sullivans which, like a night out in Newcastle, was jam
packed with British/American teenagers downing shots and dancing on the bar.
I’m pretty sure most of them had a vague idea they were not really getting the
authentic Parisian experience and they may as well have been in aery
overpriced Birmingham, but hey ho, ce la vie. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s not so easy to give a general overview of a city like
Paris in one post, so I’ll do a general comparison with London, Tokyo and New
York later on. I think that would be interesting to think about…<o:p></o:p></div>
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…But back to Paris- what a lovely example of how a big city
can be. Unlike London, it’s (just) walkable – most of the tourist sights go
from the Eifell Tower in the South West, across to the <a href="http://www.aviewoncities.com/paris/champselysees.htm">Champs Elysees</a> and the
Arc De Triumph, then down through the Tolleries to the Opera and Lafayette (the most beautiful shopping mall you’ve ever seen) the the Louvre and Notre
Dam are just a few hundred yards further east. La Defense is actually pretty
boring if you go up there, it’s just as interesting from a distance. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyway, if you’re feeling lazy there are
plenty of hop on hop off buses at all the main tourist sites (27 euros a day) The Louvre is doable in a day, no matter what guides tell you - it's not that big, and it's most likely you won't actually want to see all of it. I was focussed on the old Dutch and German paintings, for some reason my favourites, but there are some pretty mighty old French paintings in there. </div>
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I think the funniest thing I saw on my whole trip was the hordes of idiots taking photos of the Mona Lisa - for the slapping the forehead, shaking your hear at the sheer lunacy factor, worth the 12 Euro entry ticket alone. The Mona Lisa is the first ever example of modern art. Its a quite average painting that some people said somewhere thats its amazing, even though it patently is not, and for that, and that alone, sub-human IQ snap happy morons come from the world around to look at this painting, which, yes, looks exactly like the picture you can google right here. Its just an average looking woman smirking. Smirking at you, Brasilian guy taking a movie of the mona lisa with your apple tablet, because you came halfway across the world to make a fool of yourself in front of other fools and in front a distinctly average painting of a woman smirking at you. You idiot.</div>
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On the crowds of snap happy morons subject, one thing that ruins a lot of the biggest sites are the sheer numbers of tourists. Notre Dam Cathedral is beautiful, yes, but there are actually quite a few lovely churches around Paris that are just as beautiful (and infinitely more serene, because half of China isn't walking around taking photos and talking loudly.)</div>
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But one thing I see
about Paris is that its very liveable and on a scale that Prince Charles would
be proud. The expensive neighbourhoods actually look expensive (unlike the soon
to fall apart apartment blocks in the posh parts of London, which set you back a fair bit more than million
quid at least.) The city does have a slight authoritarian vibe though, in the
architecture at least. I wouldn’t be surprised if at least some of 1984 was
filmed here…<o:p></o:p></div>
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For those of you who, like me, like to meet local people and
play Poker, the <a href="http://www.aviationclubdefrance.com/en/">Aviation Club de France</a> at 104 Champs Elysees is the way forward. It's 150 Euros to join, but it’s a lovely poker club with good service, lots of
rich gambler players, interesting people, and nightly tournaments. I played the 500 Euro entry
tourney and the poker gods were kind and I won 4200 Euros, which actually
covered my round the world trip, but really I wasn’t up against any more than
good recreational players, and the cash game was even better, lots of guys with
seemingly endless wads of money to throw in the middle and even a fish like me could win. The downside is of
course that i’m going deep into Eastern Europe now with a good part of 8000 Euros
cash on me, which probably wont feel too wise at the Trans Nestria border
crossing if they search my bag… Anyway, there is another Poker Club just round from Pigalle which is only 30
Euros to join but they wouldn’t let me in without my passport (or was it
because I was drunk) it looked a bit scabby though, truth be told.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So after 3 nights in Paris, just about enough to want to come back with some good company, I jumped on an overnight train
to Berlin. Thinking I would be in a lovely comfy bed, I found myself in a couchette
piled 3 bunk high and with almost no room to swing a cat. I was sharing with 2
dodgy looking Turkish guys who looked like they were jumping bail for rape
convictions, so I scrambled on to the top bunk, put all my cash in my
money belt round my neck, and went to sleep.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As we sat in Berlin Station the next morning, I was just getting my bags
ready to find that one of the two Turks in the other bunks had stolen my toilet
bag, which I’d left on the empty middle bunk. Nothing much but still, annoying.
Anyway, even more annoying was that as I packed my bags up and searched for my
contact lenses, the train started moving again from the station, and I was the
only person on it...<o:p></o:p></div>
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With visions of spending 3 days locked in a train on a
remote siding somewhere in the darkest suburbs of Berlin, I had no idea what to do – I had no way to
communicate with the driver (in a separate coach that I couldn’t get into) so
like an idiot, I had to pull the emergency cord…<o:p></o:p></div>
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The train stopped abruptly in the middle of nowhere, and the
driver walked through and found me standing like a fool, and of course started
banging on about a 300 Euro fine but as he eventually stopped in some random station near Berlin and let me off, he seemed to forget about it, so all was good (except i had to find a hotel and a way to get to it) </div>
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The truth
is though, I’ve always secretly wanted to pull an emergency stop cord on a train, haven’t you? well, I can tell you it was kind of good fun, and after my win in the poker, I would have even quite ok with the potential fine…</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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So now after a nothing special day in Berlin, which included sausages and beer, I'm getting ready to get onto an overnight
train to Budapest. I’ve upgraded to get a proper nights sleep and not have to
worry about random sleazers stealing my toothbrush again. The cabin even has a shower! I haven’t been to
Budapest for about twenty years and to be honest I can’t remember much about it
apart from the parliament looks like the UK parliament in London. Last time I was there, my
friends and I were tempted to join an American religious cult – they were
recruiting young people in the street, and were talking about free food,
accommodation and easy girls – sounds on hindsight like a ‘hostel’ prototype. It as pretty tempting for broke hungry horny Scotsmen but then one of the girls turned up and she was a fat moose so we wisely turned it
down…how different life could have turned out!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030293194031575755.post-88221129424202701912013-09-19T19:23:00.000+03:002013-09-19T19:23:03.280+03:00The Wanderlust...London, Paris and Princess Douchesses<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<o:p> </o:p>The other day I woke up and realized it’s high time for an
adventure. One of those adventures where you just walk out the door and don’t
really know quite where you’ll end up, but that’s part of the fun, kind of
adventure.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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So, like Bilbo Baggins, I packed a small hand luggage bag,
yesterday morning and walked out the door. First stop was the 4.5 hour train
ride to London, where I stayed last night. Train (75 pounds first class Glasgow
- London with Virgin) takes about the same time as the flight all in, is
comfortable, has free wifi, coffee, cheese, dinner, free booze, and you are
able to avoid the humiliating hell of places like Luton Airport (far and away
the worst airport I’ve ever had the misfortune to visit I’m sure you will
agree.) <o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s always nice to pass through London – It’s the city I
really spent the most mis-spent part of my younger days, and I had many happy
memories there (mostly because I barely did any work) But, beware of London, dear
friends – it’s all an illusion. It’s amazing how someone somewhere managed to
convince millions of people that living in a cramped room in a shared flat,
overpaying for absolutely everything, commuting, shoved up like cattle
for 90minutes a day, and working like a slave with little or no free time or
money is in some way ‘living the dream.’ Mass hypnosis, perhaps?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ask anyone who lives
here, do they love living in London and of course they say <i>yes</i>. Yes, of course,
there’s nowhere else in the world to live, nowhere so alive, so happening.
London is the centre of the universe….and in many ways it is. But like a
spiders web, it traps its residents, and in time it becomes harder and harder
to leave, and you wake up one morning, and you’re 48, living in a shared flat
in Bethnal Green, having worked yourself into a semi-coma and have nothing at
all to show for it. Shit! You think. You came here 25 years ago, ready to set
the world alight, but for some reason, like 99% of the other people who come to
London to ‘make it’, you didn’t, you just plodded along like a normal person,
and while all your mates back in Leeds have detached houses and Volvos, you
have a mild coke habit, cynical nature, and lots of regrets. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An even if you ‘make it’ its not much better –
wow, you managed to save up 100,000 pounds. Your lovely wife is pregnant. So
you have a deposit for a tiny 3 bedroom terraced house in a pretty mixed area
like Hackney, and a million dollar mortgage round your neck for the next 20 years (and a house that would costs 50,000 pounds if it were in Leeds) Well
done, Sir. You are indeed a success in life. 100,000 pounds incidentally, will
buy you a self-sufficient dream in somewhere like Ecuador, or an income for
life of about $25,000 a year if you buy 5 houses in Buffalo. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It is always interesting though to check out the modern day <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwTzPnWsz20">Nathan Barleys</a> round the east end – I ended up out in a pub in Mile End, near
where I used to live, and right in the middle of a roughish council estate.
When I lived there it was full of cockney football hooligans, but now it was
all 12 pounds for an organic hamburger and a ping pong table full of bearded
freelance social media nodes cheering a bit too loudly, in order to draw attention
to themselves. Imagine Russell Brands' little brother who never managed to get famous. I
wonder when the crossover was made? Were these braying fools beaten to a pulp a
few times by the West Ham guys before sheer numbers of fixy-bike riding twats
annoyed the regular jims until they gave up and moved down the road to an even
rougher drinking hovel? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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What I wonder though, is why London has a pervasive aura of
deep sadness about the people here – did you ever meet anyone in London who was
truly happy? I mean truly content with their lives? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I haven’t. Maybe they’re all too busy. Or it’s
too competitive to be truly happy. Any semblance of a kind, bubbly personality,
or gentle spirit, is soon bled dry with cynicism, as the reality of having to
make a living (or, if you’re Russian) hitch a rich husband, hits. And as a
result, here I am, on the Eurostar to Paris, glad to leave the denizens of the
soul sucking vampire squid to their 8am sandwiches at their desks and their 3
pints in the Bricklayers Arms bitching about their boss after work on a
Thursday. Leave, you fools, before it’s too late! Ditch your job and go to the
beach and go and be happy somewhere!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Of course, due to my innate laziness I missed my booked
Eurostar train. Actually the bus took 45 mins instead of 21, but hats off to
Eurostar, I explained the bus was late and they put me on the next train for
free. Bravo!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No free wi-fi on the train
but that may be connected to the international nature of my journey….next stop,
in 2 hours…Paris.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted to go here
again for ages, after watching Midnight in Paris. What a great film! I liked
particularly how the very decent Owen Wilson characters’ nasty all American
ignoramus wife runs off with the uber-douchebag. Made me think how often when
you do meet douches, its kind of satisfying that decent girls also will be
mentally noting their douchishness and so, as sure as the sun sets on the
empire, they end up with neurotic prescription drug addicted princess
douchesses.<o:p></o:p></div>
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When I was there 10 years ago, I remember Paris being a
smelly dirty place with overpriced food, scabby cafes, pigs trotters for sale
in butchers shops, and rude as hell brown people everywhere. And is it just me,
or do all French men look like pimps? Lets hope it’s all changed, and my dream
of this kind of inspiring, meandering city of beauty and romance isn’t
shattered this time. There’s a decent 500 euro entry poker tournament on in the
famous <a href="http://www.aviationclubdefrance.com/en/">Aviation Club de France</a>, on Wednesday so I’ll go there, and I suppose the Louvre, and spend the rest of the time wandering around randomly. I’ll avoid
that nightclub that was in ‘<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irr%C3%A9versible">Irréversible</a>’ I think. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Today out of the blue, in London, I bought an ‘inter-rail
pass’ – 240 pounds odd for 10 days of travel all over Europe – so a meandering
10 days across Europe ending up in Odessa is the next loose plan…then in October ill be back in the land of the warmonger. </div>
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I can safely say nothing
really beats looking out the window on some exotic new city, not knowing what
insanity awaits out there…except now i'm sitting on Eurostar looking at fields.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030293194031575755.post-66551864321737393292013-08-01T11:48:00.002+03:002013-08-01T11:48:26.681+03:00Molvania vs Moldova<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
For the benefit of my doubting American friends, Moldova IS a real country. It isn't the country i said i would make up and tell people i'm from because they have never seen a map.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molvan%C3%AEa">Molvanîa</a> is not though. If people are tricking you because of your scant geographical knowledge, then this is probably the country they're talking about ;o)</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030293194031575755.post-86730850878999195622013-07-29T21:15:00.002+03:002013-07-29T22:16:22.250+03:00The Real Moldova<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So firstly, forgive me for putting 'sex' in all my title headings. I only do it because when i look at the most popular search items, it seems to be all porn/sex related. Any regular posts just don't get a look in. So i can write a load of drivel and put 'sex tourist porno' as the heading and it gets 10,000 hits a day, and write a really interesting piece about the Soul of Moldova, and get 24 hits.<br />
<br />
This of course does beg such questions as to what kind of society do we live in, and will I get banned when David Cameron puts in his porn ban...<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW05MHhdU9_zLxsTlmkZFzVPYJZCgM0XGK227C951la1nhbRQ6Czgr-UAPczXuLzFaoXyrlSkBSccdBr7Op45w7DNIY9DS5jmwZulUOlXvMMlydXjIdLlk7avkPgmasgOpc-VD6YFK-Tc/s1600/000036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW05MHhdU9_zLxsTlmkZFzVPYJZCgM0XGK227C951la1nhbRQ6Czgr-UAPczXuLzFaoXyrlSkBSccdBr7Op45w7DNIY9DS5jmwZulUOlXvMMlydXjIdLlk7avkPgmasgOpc-VD6YFK-Tc/s400/000036.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The railway station was clean and had no beggars or hustlers...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
That being said, I will now write a little bit more of the real things about Moldova, since the country doesn't have any information on it elsewhere, and because it is actually quite a nice place (to visit).<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA2TR-KyeVAkerrvh0HmyewlMIr0GOLIUpss7BBT8dJ10q-Sb4Uzp-Oil7I87J6Ymgo-ftulqE_-cVX_1OmgVe97iu52a8JfKMRVpaC_fBfrbTLVzJFJcwMJNZF-z-zznbz2qZtCnlkhs/s1600/000037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA2TR-KyeVAkerrvh0HmyewlMIr0GOLIUpss7BBT8dJ10q-Sb4Uzp-Oil7I87J6Ymgo-ftulqE_-cVX_1OmgVe97iu52a8JfKMRVpaC_fBfrbTLVzJFJcwMJNZF-z-zznbz2qZtCnlkhs/s640/000037.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...Because they were all outside in the flea market!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
After writing about there being nothing to do, my trusty soup making Moldovan friend decided to show me some real things about the city. We went to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chi%C8%99in%C4%83u_Botanical_Garden">Chișinău Botanical Garden</a> where you can hire bikes and explore strange little places, see the 'gates of the city' (which are two big gatelike apartment complexes.) We walked back to the centre, along the main boulevard into town, and there do seem to be plenty cafes, bars and restaurants around there (just west of the city centre, along the road where the railways station is, if you want to explore) - if the tourist places are $1 a beer, then God knows about these places. Maybe they pay you to drink! There are also dozens of slot machine/money laundering places, if throwing money into a bottomless pit in a dark room is what you're into.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis7hRIyJL04HbKNOV_587cPcpZ5cHr6MgA_0j4uTfiP3Qs3zNTu5PakjQL3qiIIiTHLescRMZaJrq7dWOceVPto6-FvzK_lkBwURCtHe-1SlhyLBsZM8dorySAMxmGBceIgRaBVyy3Do0/s1600/000039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis7hRIyJL04HbKNOV_587cPcpZ5cHr6MgA_0j4uTfiP3Qs3zNTu5PakjQL3qiIIiTHLescRMZaJrq7dWOceVPto6-FvzK_lkBwURCtHe-1SlhyLBsZM8dorySAMxmGBceIgRaBVyy3Do0/s640/000039.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is plainly a very important monument, but I have no idea what it actually is.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
What hit me though was how small the city is. Like Tallinn, you can basically walk to the airport. In fact since there is no proper parking there (yes, crazy but true) walking may well be a good idea.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNiyILERzCxoCP1ACxDebm8QbRudLjaKd1dKxXskXV756mPWqW5SMDLky1okF-H5jhaL6fotteyBRrl9Pde7fYpPWqlhXl2n1h6U2Pg0LXZH9ql6Lzg16mM1xREtxpHrPwrrp46C_tsdQ/s1600/000040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNiyILERzCxoCP1ACxDebm8QbRudLjaKd1dKxXskXV756mPWqW5SMDLky1okF-H5jhaL6fotteyBRrl9Pde7fYpPWqlhXl2n1h6U2Pg0LXZH9ql6Lzg16mM1xREtxpHrPwrrp46C_tsdQ/s400/000040.JPG" width="393" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Texans will not be familiar with this, but guys with guns in Eastern Europe are not usually the good guys.</td></tr>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNwpjN9xzFOGuvr25gcQMkCMcIQbBJr3bekG10Cd14NOVofQXnMgEzdyUxju_l4hLGcnvJHCIofs_TWY9U6xBaWuhTXtC3Al-On-s8Lxay_MZbdZmotfkawlZBRh8-6YcRvsklu-pRwzk/s1600/000041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNwpjN9xzFOGuvr25gcQMkCMcIQbBJr3bekG10Cd14NOVofQXnMgEzdyUxju_l4hLGcnvJHCIofs_TWY9U6xBaWuhTXtC3Al-On-s8Lxay_MZbdZmotfkawlZBRh8-6YcRvsklu-pRwzk/s640/000041.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the view outside the parliament building, and probably the nicest part of town to walk around in (because its leafy and flat)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Just outside the city, there are plenty of wineries to visit. I went to Orthei (home a cave monastery, which I didn't have time to go to) but also the home of <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g777884-d2551776-Reviews-Hotel_Chateau_Vartely_Wine_Culture_and_Leisure_Resort-Orhei_Orhei_District.html">Chateau Vartely</a> which is pretty amazing if you like your $5 bottle of wine to taste like a $100 bottle.<br />
<br />
The general vibe of the city is what, to me was important. Unlike a summers day in Tallinn, the streets were not lined with drunk people (despite amazing alcohol prices) the taxi drivers didn't try to rip me off, and even the casinos were full of quite nice gun-free people (my ATM card that got stuck there, was returned to me two days later, with no money stolen!) At night, things are more about Kareoke than anything else though. God help them.<br />
<br />
While there isn't an organised tourist industry as such, I found loads of lovely people on Couchsurfing who were taking people to Trans-Nestria, and all the other tourist sites on a regular basis, for no other reason than they are very nice people, and justly rather proud of their homely little country.<br />
<br />
There you go, maybe i'll get a free dinner from the King of Moldova next time....<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030293194031575755.post-14835987778502716492013-07-17T01:26:00.000+03:002013-07-17T01:27:52.147+03:00Chisinau...The City that Italian Sex Tourists Forgot (thank God)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I would love to tell you all about the tourist sites of Chisinau, Moldova, but to be honest, there are more tourist sites in Scunthorpe.<br />
<br />
However, Chisinau has really grown on me. It's pretty old school, but that also means 1 euro coffees, safe streets, taxi drivers who don't rob you, and no fat people.<br />
<br />
I'm staying in the '<a href="http://www.hotel-cosmos.com/">hotel cosmos</a>' which, as you can see from the website just arrived out of 1982, and could be describe as 'retro soviet'. I just noticed the 3 old ladies who sit downstairs every night and say hello to me are actually the 'house prostitutes', who while being very pleasant, have plainly have been there since the hotel opened. I wonder if they are the only people alive to have been in every single room?<br />
<br />
I've had a pretty interesting time here nevertheless, mainly due to the very nice local people i met here. It's not easy to get lost, as the centre is basically one long street with a macdonalds in the middle. haven't seen anything costing more than $10 in the whole city. I have a suite for $30 here (although to be fair thats the going rate for rooms) and i'll put in here later some of the restaurants i've been to.<br />
<br />
The first thing to do when you get here is walk up the main drag. Watch out as you will probably bump into lamposts checking out the most beautiful array of local girls, rather than the nothing special architecture (with some interesting exceptions like the presidents palace and some other cool sovietsky style stuff) There are a couple of lovely parks with free wifi and a street back is the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_History_Museum_of_Moldova">National History Museum of Moldova</a> which is quite a bizzare little place which has a large furniture shop in the middle of it, which you initially think 'wait a minute what kind of exhibit is this?' Babushkas follow you round switching on the lights and off again when you go in and out of rooms, and there is a pretty amazing wrap round montage of some war or other.<br />
<br />
I rather stupidly got my ATM card stuck in the cash machine today in a casino where i was having lunch. Moldovan Casinos are probably not the best places to lose your atm card, but i'll have to make do with the winnings for the rest of the trip. I'm not quite sure how I will pay the hotel though on top but some kind of solution may well present itself. Between a final Moldovan wine fuelled night out on thursday, sneaking out of the hotel without paying, and visiting Soviet breakway republic Trans Nestria on Friday, there are sure to be some kind of adventures ahead...<br />
<br />
If you don't hear from me again, you know roughly which prison i'll be in then....<br />
<br />
ps photos WILL follow!!!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030293194031575755.post-83321481899263069512013-07-13T18:54:00.000+03:002013-07-14T17:34:20.994+03:00Onward to the Heart of Darkness...Trannyvania-Bucharest-Moldova-Trans Nestria<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p>I’m going to leave a full, comprehensive guide to Brasov to
a guest post from my local friend there, so from me, I’ll just tell you a bit
of background from a ludrious Scottish perspective…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The first thing to consider in Romania is that the gypsies
and hustlers you’ll see, especially when you’re travelling anywhere, are small
timers and a bit of threatening aggression will usually see them off (swearing
helps.) Just be aware of the ‘going rate’ for things – don’t accept the taxi
driver at the railway station who offers ‘VIP’ for 20 Leis when the normal rate
is 5 (that’s what just happened to me in Brasov station.) The gyppos, unlike in
UK are generally (between rummaging in bins) are usually selling something like
raspberries, i.e. they are actually earning their keep and not dangerous – just
be careful what you agree and haggle, then you’re all good.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK68Hv4GCs953ZkiWBCJNzivgwxCtxgjfBIW5kOGskuwuYKsYaArgEMTuSgEzCc1cCzmPVsT2tvmq9MrQ1AXGWAbCFHX-HYX1tD8_mHdFstCetuaeO0TXbCsT8M8oUNYRGw3t52RBogHU/s1600/Brasov,_Piata_Sfatului.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK68Hv4GCs953ZkiWBCJNzivgwxCtxgjfBIW5kOGskuwuYKsYaArgEMTuSgEzCc1cCzmPVsT2tvmq9MrQ1AXGWAbCFHX-HYX1tD8_mHdFstCetuaeO0TXbCsT8M8oUNYRGw3t52RBogHU/s400/Brasov,_Piata_Sfatului.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The very Tallinesque Brasov Town Square, here in Transylvania</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I begin my journey further into the heart of (socialist)
darkness, it’ll be interesting to see how things change. Here in Romania, sure,
the police/officials have those oversize hats which usually means you’re in a
dodgy country and that they’re crooks, but so far I haven’t had any hassle at
all. I’m expecting that to change as my train trundles onwards towards the
Moldovan border. Will the police/guards hats be double size by the time I get
to the North Korea of Europe – Trans Nestria? Maybe the hats are big to hide all the
bribes, who knows. But I do know, that when a guy with a dodgy uniform and a
big hat barks something at you in some bizzare language, and puts his hand out,
you know it's not looking good. At least Siberia is warm in summer.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg09EGzB1AmfwkUB-OwLPyaEOlbuxDm3pIlF-aduhqPdwEL3CPlIU1heNgHluAuOdYw3ztLwg16gXm6gZgAF0NlAEbaA72VEPeOIlYrY_B3ZjLyXQMWu8TpZRQfTQuLgOYM6He4AWxTzCg/s1600/Peles-2007-bgiu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg09EGzB1AmfwkUB-OwLPyaEOlbuxDm3pIlF-aduhqPdwEL3CPlIU1heNgHluAuOdYw3ztLwg16gXm6gZgAF0NlAEbaA72VEPeOIlYrY_B3ZjLyXQMWu8TpZRQfTQuLgOYM6He4AWxTzCg/s640/Peles-2007-bgiu.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The very hidden but pretty, Peles Castle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Transylvania, despite being surprisingly beautiful, still
has a long way to go with organizing its tourism industry. One of the most
amazing castles in the region<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(or in the
world) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pele%C8%99_Castle">Peleș Castle</a> Castle in Sinaia, just south of Transylvania, kept secret by an intricate network of
streets and hills, and of course a complete lack of any signposts, keeping it
safe from all those vulgar tourists who may possibly have come to the town to
try to find it. Well, maybe this idiotic lack of common sense has some soviet
charm, and of course it could put off the more annoyingly stupid tourists, but
all in all, I haven’t seen anything as daft since the Latvian Airport
misdirection scam (there is a sign 10km from the airport pointing the wrong direction and saying 'airport 70km'!)<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
I missed out 'Draculas' castle, the alleged home of 'Vlad Draco', <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bran_Castle">Bran Castle</a> in the assumption that someone else would tell me all about it and i can write about it at a later date...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQ3ygL_0meaRI_qAYcyGHzN_ZPp1XkcEtEHjN31U0aH7l_xoUSXMDWFydH0UYQOAS4w1JFbveU5KB7YzYkWjkHa40j-5R4lMzFKGjMKyYd_zM6uAPgewRS6w0fKFIDj7QUcFlQ_8cWDs/s1600/Castelul_Bran.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQ3ygL_0meaRI_qAYcyGHzN_ZPp1XkcEtEHjN31U0aH7l_xoUSXMDWFydH0UYQOAS4w1JFbveU5KB7YzYkWjkHa40j-5R4lMzFKGjMKyYd_zM6uAPgewRS6w0fKFIDj7QUcFlQ_8cWDs/s400/Castelul_Bran.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I can just imagine Bats flying out of here though (Bran 'Dracula'' Castle)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The food outside Bucharest tourist traps, is generally cheap
($3-10 for a dinner depending on where you go) and beer is especially cheap
(about $1 a pint) The breaded cow brains I decided in wisdom to wolf down with
potatoes and veg cost $2.50 but perhaps there was a reason for that. It was
either that or pig testicles, and I’m not quite ready to go there yet…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tonight, assuming I get to Bucharest and get a ticket ok,
I’ll be on an overnight train to Chisinau, Moldova. I have an old guide book to
‘Molvania’ which is a loose piss-take of this wonderful nation, but who knows
what the poorest country in Europe will look like. Perhaps my lack of bribing
will land me in jail, perhaps my soviet era hotel will collapse under me. Maybe i'll like it so much i wont come back. The
unknown is part of the adventure…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With Romania, I’m at least partly
aclimatised to the vagaries of ex-soviet states. Moldova may well be a little
bit of culture shock, but the most interesting goat trafficking adventure will
my onward trip to Tirasapol (the ‘capital’ of unrecognized breakaway soviet
republic of ‘Trans Nestria) <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Perhaps I’ll decide to stay and never come back, or perhaps
I’ll rot in a prison there. And maybe, just maybe I’ll have a great time.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment--></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030293194031575755.post-18258958303658846192013-07-11T01:03:00.003+03:002013-07-19T03:34:14.709+03:00Eating Brains in Transylvania<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The strangest of days creep up on a man from time to time.<br />
<br />
One minute i'm in London, surrounded by uninspiring zombies pretending they're part of the next big thing. It must be subliminally piped into the tube to forget the fact that they share a house with 5 other people because they can't afford to rent a place of their own, never mind buy something or get a car, and can only afford to go out once a month, or have any time to themselves to actually think or do anything interesting for a change except drink wine and moan.<br />
<br />
Next morning i'm in Luton Airport, (a horrible refugee camp of a shed- the very antithesis of the idea that flying is in any way glamorous), surrounded by blabbering gyppos, en route to Bucharest, Romania...<br />
<br />
Now, Romania, in most people's minds eye, is full of scraggly little brown kids with no shoes trying to pick your pockets, and these head-scarf clad women with babies begging, as their other children try to pick your pockets. On the bus from the airport, a dodgy geezer tried to sell me a 3 Lei bus ticket for 10 Lei. I think every other taxi driver I got tried it on, but you quickly get used to these quirks as you find that most Romanians are actually<br />
<br />
a. Not brown at all - the brown ones are gypsies, who are a hated minority, due to their lack of bothering with such small trifles as the law of the land.<br />
<br />
b. Pretty decent and honest and not really looking to rip you off (unless, of course they are politicians/biznismen, lawyers or anything in between - this is Eastern Europe after all and you, dear friend are a foreigner/human ATM)<br />
<br />
Bucharest, isn't a particularly pretty or interesting city. It seems like an average hotch potch of pick-n-mix East European Capital city, which of course, it is. You can see a couple of great churches, some grand boulevards, and of course their beloved Dictator Ceaușescu's palace (interesting to read about his ignoble downfall, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolae_Ceau%C8%99escu">here</a>. There is a good looking Old town, which is choc-full of bars, cafe's and restaurants and pretty much the only place to go at night (but its not bad at least) There's even a bar called 'Glasgow Pub' (which 'welcomes heavy drinkers' - what a great image my home city has)<br />
<br />
Anyway, I got a train up to Brasov, which is a beautiful city in the mountains, and near to the home of Dracula- it feels more like an Austrian mountain getaway, full of ornate hanseatic style buildings and a pretty old square or two, full of those quaint cafe's that you see if every beautiful medieval city (although unlike Tallinn old town, the coffee is less than 2 Euros a pop)<br />
<br />
Which leads me on to this evenings dinner, which was Cow Brain, and potatoes...more of which I'll tell you later...<br />
<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030293194031575755.post-29671346544583227192013-06-05T17:06:00.003+03:002013-06-05T17:12:49.942+03:00The Age of Aquarius<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So finally my first novel is out in the open...<br />
<br />
You can buy it <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D5CQTSM">here</a> in USA, and <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Age-of-Aquarius-ebook/dp/B00D5CQTSM">here</a> for the UK - But most importantly, check out the website and competition which will launch today in <a href="http://www.awfindlaywriter.com/">here</a> (see <i>competition</i>)<br />
<br />
And thanks for everyone who bought it already, whoever you are (mum)</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030293194031575755.post-38868061170839579442013-06-03T05:22:00.000+03:002013-06-03T05:22:33.856+03:00Panamania<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
What I love about Panama (i'm here playing poker, really badly) is the warmth of the latino race.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1QVujX1wtPA6lrz37DkdVf3EbajaeRCHYv-gMB6Rdwe-apaMtfI-HbYRrYcxR1GvPAMqFwzrg6xEysq_8gj8nRp0hvtPScPO-TkkaNpGQcLHr17dkleDu_KprgfRHfVAwRSSkqKPJ6nk/s1600/IMGP0352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1QVujX1wtPA6lrz37DkdVf3EbajaeRCHYv-gMB6Rdwe-apaMtfI-HbYRrYcxR1GvPAMqFwzrg6xEysq_8gj8nRp0hvtPScPO-TkkaNpGQcLHr17dkleDu_KprgfRHfVAwRSSkqKPJ6nk/s320/IMGP0352.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Personally I hate cats, but I understand they increase blog hits, so here is a cat, from Panama</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The whole region, probably thanks to the much maligned but actually not so bad catholic church, completely lacks political correctness, and is much better for it - black guys are just like black guys in the west, except without the white liberals patronising them all the time and making them victims, so they're free to be themselves. Women, (who seem to all have photoshopped backsides here) seem quite happy being women, feeling not much need for screeching harpies demanding that 50% of all coal miners and racing drivers should be girls. Even fat asian people, at least in the poker room here, seem quite ok with being called 'El Chino Gordo'.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNMSi3_muDEeRs82HnXEf1_OYtIoUBVxZ7XZUuY-T9h3h3Dq4d9vxKmHTuGuqWuXSRmfDUUmecgA79_DDWdbif0-ld0d3WorZ67CF7fpbcONtErCU8vf_w1Y1EhYaCfmYypUW63WsjtOQ/s1600/IMGP0351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNMSi3_muDEeRs82HnXEf1_OYtIoUBVxZ7XZUuY-T9h3h3Dq4d9vxKmHTuGuqWuXSRmfDUUmecgA79_DDWdbif0-ld0d3WorZ67CF7fpbcONtErCU8vf_w1Y1EhYaCfmYypUW63WsjtOQ/s640/IMGP0351.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As you can see, Cocaine trafficers also need banks, lawyers, hotels and apartments...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
As a result of course, society actually <i>works</i>. People have functional nuclear families who love and support each other. Divorce rates are low. Fetuses are neither eaten nor aborted. The burden on the taxpayer is minimum and of course although efficiency probably isn't that high thanks to the lovely weather, business are free to make profits without having to subsidise irresponsible idiots and the left wing parasites of the job-for-life public sector, who seem to be the only ones who's interest is served by the state.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR0nK3Y6Al2G93K0uPwNmp-dE062ZKgXrAitEjUdNowCcVVPB8QvJlekal71BmPr4m0HaP0xRb2kKmyopafiCMGdU5oM3_dwwYwBZNuuZyIuwjzpyTNhylrt9Mfto-bJed-IXzKpsebyU/s1600/IMGP0355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR0nK3Y6Al2G93K0uPwNmp-dE062ZKgXrAitEjUdNowCcVVPB8QvJlekal71BmPr4m0HaP0xRb2kKmyopafiCMGdU5oM3_dwwYwBZNuuZyIuwjzpyTNhylrt9Mfto-bJed-IXzKpsebyU/s640/IMGP0355.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Much of the old town is still sketchy, but it's getting there. Strange to see a lovely Art Deco building sitting there though. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Panama' wealth though wouldn't have been possible without the help of the USA. The panama canal of course, is a world monopoly, as is the cocaine money laundering business, and both can be traced back to Uncle Sam without much digging.<br />
<br />
<br />
I've yet to explore the rest of the country - something I really want to do soon, but what i'm beginning to like about Panama City is that it's beginning to form itself as THE hub of southern central america - i.e. its the only city of any decent size/interest in the region so it's emerging as a base for Europeans fleeing Spain and Italy, as well as Americans fleeing their own warmongering, tottering nation.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSrphyphenhyphenkb8k1zhzpq2MxHXc5CA5jP-R9Pnh7czf8b3zrQl-gN-Is75UT4d0RzdyrWrPignduFQ47lN5N51jDnJjbGlM_mCM2882LYt3jYTiXTOpmvBraUcXpjIYTTLhVmntE0JO17TDyuM/s1600/IMGP0348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSrphyphenhyphenkb8k1zhzpq2MxHXc5CA5jP-R9Pnh7czf8b3zrQl-gN-Is75UT4d0RzdyrWrPignduFQ47lN5N51jDnJjbGlM_mCM2882LYt3jYTiXTOpmvBraUcXpjIYTTLhVmntE0JO17TDyuM/s320/IMGP0348.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Training for the Guernsey Graniteman and looking increasingly like the one man wolfpack, yesterday. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Anyway i'll leave you all to get back to your dinner. I just wanted to make the latest post on this blog a little less scary than the last...</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030293194031575755.post-39877660904582029452013-05-05T16:31:00.001+03:002013-05-06T01:00:43.379+03:00Cannibalism - The Last Taboo? (warning, dodgy photos!)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I’ve always been interested in things and subjects where
people say ‘Alan, you CANT say that!’ Anything you can’t say or do must, by
default, be interesting surely? So, heroin, crack and crystal meths aside, I’ve thus always had a weird
fascination with ‘outsider’ subjects, hence the themes in my forthcoming novel.
I’ll start today by looking a bit more at cannibalism…</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyZYb1iUlFl2czxj2fafh2Nj8fVtYBUThTTRwaN7J3iuDaU-vHmeNH9TqoVBTBZoUAQTp-INXJGthI7iCJBzheRLmGB1Mo4MGpezp4jhhwbi10qt5SgJNdGVB9XTZDs6bEAVh0jwwM4sk/s1600/hanniballecter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyZYb1iUlFl2czxj2fafh2Nj8fVtYBUThTTRwaN7J3iuDaU-vHmeNH9TqoVBTBZoUAQTp-INXJGthI7iCJBzheRLmGB1Mo4MGpezp4jhhwbi10qt5SgJNdGVB9XTZDs6bEAVh0jwwM4sk/s320/hanniballecter.jpg" width="277" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We're all Cannibals, really</td></tr>
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There’s a big difference between the classic idea of
cannibals, black native guys with bones through their noses, putting khaki clad
explorers in big black cooking pots on the fire, and the real, scary idea of
people who are basically messed up enough to meet you in a bar, invite you back
to their house, and kill and eat you.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP5UQ5m42eYaVv9pLEEIKK5Z_Ayq3vgg3a4-cYU8_Z_e7bNvRSLbak4wjbKbbR9f-bfpA5My7A63cbVJz-PvWeVdBp4woTvg-FJgvxV8lFGv8-vpEgyaSDjCRBfbwDA31vka4WyG046Yk/s1600/gallery_298_17_11906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP5UQ5m42eYaVv9pLEEIKK5Z_Ayq3vgg3a4-cYU8_Z_e7bNvRSLbak4wjbKbbR9f-bfpA5My7A63cbVJz-PvWeVdBp4woTvg-FJgvxV8lFGv8-vpEgyaSDjCRBfbwDA31vka4WyG046Yk/s320/gallery_298_17_11906.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Classic C'bals at Work</td></tr>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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I think I first became interested in the subject when I got
my hands on a copy of ‘<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078935/">Cannibal Holocaust</a>’ on a street in St Petersburg.
Actually it was totally accidental, I bought about 20 random dvd’s for about
$10 but when I googled it I realized how it had been banned everywhere. It’s
not a film for the faint hearted, but I am glad to say, ‘Hostel’ director is
Eli Roth is also on my wavelength here with his forthcoming film<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘T<a href="http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/eli-roths-the-green-inferno-gets-an-official-synopsis-and-first-bloody-image">he Green Inferno</a>’ (which looks amazing I
must say) – set in Peru, about a bunch of not particularly likeable American
deforestation activists, who end up as dinner. Which is basically the same
story as cannibal holocaust.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
But eating another human being. Even the thought of it makes
most people queasy. Why? There is of course the why factor. What would go
through a rational mans mind to consciously do such a thing?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9luPjL81xz-MHu5is5O5jKAr2W_fq835T5uhXUc5rtrm_-shfruSmuNdaGKqDTDwuQVKQOmP-6BrePskjq8gDpgUtFb3y28ynQkAbtg45a6hCnd5ZsH0QAUGxFMb-se8Svu9r4PeEMCw/s1600/cannibalism-n.korea_-290x224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9luPjL81xz-MHu5is5O5jKAr2W_fq835T5uhXUc5rtrm_-shfruSmuNdaGKqDTDwuQVKQOmP-6BrePskjq8gDpgUtFb3y28ynQkAbtg45a6hCnd5ZsH0QAUGxFMb-se8Svu9r4PeEMCw/s400/cannibalism-n.korea_-290x224.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm not actually sure this is real but...what the hell???</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
In ‘The Age of Aquarius’, cannibalism takes a number of
basic forms (I wont tell you about them all here, just some examples.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqkYUbL0roWz2ePIrbq0gNk2r1FVrtkxmOvhdbwr2OgoSI4NqoMG6-6RWfviu67IiKeHh1vH6cRerHStieWIkjXQmUGlZWvl9G8kGkFrLeI4D0MGW_hyphenhyphenbc2lWizzsVJGchcT5YU9tuhSA/s1600/cannibal-holocaust-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="443" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqkYUbL0roWz2ePIrbq0gNk2r1FVrtkxmOvhdbwr2OgoSI4NqoMG6-6RWfviu67IiKeHh1vH6cRerHStieWIkjXQmUGlZWvl9G8kGkFrLeI4D0MGW_hyphenhyphenbc2lWizzsVJGchcT5YU9tuhSA/s640/cannibal-holocaust-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful romantic scene from Cannibal holocaust, which basically got it banned all round the world.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
Firstly, slaves are eaten, simply as a show of complete
subjugation over another human being. ‘I’m so rich, I can afford to buy this
persons whole existence’ is the message. So, to fill market demand, slaves are
bred from birth, to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">want </i>to be eaten.
This is the pinnacle of their very lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Powerful (and sociopathic) people, want to invite
their friends to dinner parties, and show off how rich they are, by feeding
them corn fed humans, who are eager and willing to be eaten alive.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The second form is of course through ignorance. This isn’t
rocket science. Do you actually know what is in your ‘all beef hot dog?’ Does
that look like<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> beef</i> to you? It’s
basically the same with all ‘reformed’ meat. It could be anything. Including
your cousin. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMwj8J2anQdIm80ZWtvr5jUvwbjPzDOSDFF_hJYZDKR_5tA0e90kTJmNuDLRUNiKt1k0Et3XNf78ATDEjNrHxy1v-z3S19BIvqx62fdcha3uv0ZtYXAUx0k4wdzKYOfVnBn3NofjvH5aU/s1600/mechanically_separated_chicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMwj8J2anQdIm80ZWtvr5jUvwbjPzDOSDFF_hJYZDKR_5tA0e90kTJmNuDLRUNiKt1k0Et3XNf78ATDEjNrHxy1v-z3S19BIvqx62fdcha3uv0ZtYXAUx0k4wdzKYOfVnBn3NofjvH5aU/s400/mechanically_separated_chicken.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aye right, of course it's 'chicken'</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Later on in the book, as civilization breaks down, the weak
are hunted like dogs. As in the movie ‘alive’ where the plan crash survivors eat
their dead because they’d die otherwise, this is merely survival and, unlike
veganism, quite possibly within the bounds of rational human behavior. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
In short, cannibalism is most probably a potentially natural thing to do. It's the murder that precludes it thats weird.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment--></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030293194031575755.post-28733546872815658832013-04-27T18:00:00.000+03:002013-04-27T18:00:25.978+03:00Baby Sacrifice in Chile, Ayahuasca, and The Black Awakening<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Thought I should share this S<a href="http://www.santiagotimes.cl/chile/other/26071-chilean-cult-members-arrested-and-detained-for-sacrifice-of-baby">antiago Times</a> article about a cult who took Ayahuasca, and sacrificed a baby. Strange, I'm seeing more and more crazy things these days...is this the <a href="http://www.theblackawakening.com/page30.html">black awakening</a> ? Or is it just that the internet is everywhere these days...<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030293194031575755.post-32641134371538129562013-04-22T01:09:00.000+03:002013-04-22T01:10:12.534+03:00Conspiracy Theories - Ignoramuses vs Weedheads <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
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It’s the Masonic Reptile Jewish Chinese British Royal Family
Rothchilds, of course! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The world seems awash with conspiracies these days, some
zany, some so blatantly obvious that my great auntie Edna can see them (if I
had a great auntie Edna, that is) </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But what the weed-smoking Ron Paul quoting paranoid bloggers
seem to miss out on is that, this has always been the case. There has always
been ‘the man’ to stick it to, who controls it all behind the scenes – the world wouldn't be the world if it didn't. If it
wasn’t our dear old Jesus Christ exposing the corruption behind the scenes back in the day, it was Robin Hood, or the East India Company, the Spanish
Inquisition, and so on and so on before you can say Rothschild Controlled Central Bank we're right up to Kennedy's death and Boston bombings...</div>
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<br /></div>
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Ok, you say but why?</div>
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<br /></div>
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Lets look at this rationally, and ideally without needing to quote David Ike books – Firstly what about the various strange things happening this last year in USA - why would we be surprised
about false flag attacks?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If I...</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Was very powerful.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Was a Sociopath. </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Wanted to push public opinion in one way or
another…i.e. I wanted to attack a vulnerable muslim country that, although no
Americans knew where it was, had a lot of oil which I could benefit from greatly by getting it out the ground.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Didn’t <i>really</i> have a moral reason to do this,
i.e. it wasn’t a very nice thing to do but it would make me and my pals a lot
of money.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Well, what would I do? </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->On the longer term, I’d corral extremists into
groups that my friends had controlled and infiltrated, and call them names that
seemed very Jihadist, like Al Qeda or We Hate Whitey or something like
that (yes I just made that one up)</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->I’d have an ex CIA operative lead them, and
covertly help spread the message, so that the whole movement ‘against’ my gang/country,
would be covertly controlled, so that no really important targets were ever
hit.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->I’d let them get the odd ‘success’ so there
would be no suspicion about the fact that I control them. Since we can control
these groups, we can also encourage them to do things that are not exactly in
their interest. Most members of these groups are not geniuses, which helps a lot.
For example, there could be an event that would give them lots of publicity,
and would make them happy – maybe bombing a big building or something like
that. While they generally love this attention, actually this would very much
work against them from a PR perspective. </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->These events would push the (disappointingly
ignorant) public into thinking that a. these brown/right wing/muslim/gun
owning/(whoever I have a reason to take something from) people are ‘evil’
(doh!) and b. It’s ok to occupy and destabilize their countries/regions and
take their oil/guns/whatever to protect ourselves from any other ‘terrorist threats’.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
Voila! So basically I’ve <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
a. Got my 'evil' enemies to become enemies of the
people, therefor I have the moral higher ground.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
b. Got a carte blanche to take what I want
from this 'axis of evil' (hehe i always laugh at this phrase)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
c. Am able to use taxpayers money to make
my military spending off the scale in order to make a private security force
for my cronies, and/or scare the public senseless with Hollywood style OTT SWAT
team lockdowns of whole neighbourhoods looking for people who are, in theory
innocent until proven guilty (or just killed so no questions can be asked) <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
d. Completely isolated and destroyed these poor brown peoples hopes and dreams, turning them into embittered husks who spend their whole
lives hating USA, but they are too miserable/poor to do anything about it. Ever.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
e. So basically I win. And my croneys win. We make lots of money. Ok the taxpayer loses out since he/she pays for the wars, sure. And of course we get to control those taxpayers a lot more because of our 'war on terror' just in case they get wise to it, sure. No bad things huh? And a few thousand soldiers get killed defending our oil. And a lot of innocent people get killed - mostly brown and poor in countries Americans don't know nor care about and so who don't count in their eyes, but sometimes whiteys too. But its fine, all for the greater cause.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
I mean this isn’t rocket science surely? I
don’t have any particular opinion pro or against this action, I’m just pointing
out the obvious…but believe you me (and I don't think most WSCT (weed smoking conspiracy theorists) think much about the fact that US isn't the only country doing this - thankfully its a worldwide phenomenon, and always has been, and always will be with us. So stop wasting your time trolling everyone with conspiracy theories, you can't do anything about them, I'm afraid. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment--></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030293194031575755.post-89582055511357534342013-04-21T17:40:00.000+03:002013-04-21T17:41:13.700+03:00The Age of Aquarius - Characters<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Introducing the main characters of the story - take a bow please....<br />
<br />
<br />
Billy Stark - The main protaganist enters our world on a bad note. An opportunistic gun for hire, he collects debts on quiet days, and has been hired to infiltrate the 'Freelanders' with the aim of destroying the group. The story is his story.<br />
<br />
Lily 'Lilith' Merideth' - Billy Starks first contact with the ruling cabal which gives him all his work. She runs the media businesses owned by Lord Michael Morgan and has high aspirations for herself.<br />
<br />
Dick Goldstein - The spin doctor and right hand man of the Maitreya. An unrepentant sociopath.<br />
<br />
Lord Michael Morgan - The charming urbane old fox in control of the world of international media and business.<br />
<br />
Seth Morgan - His irresponsible whisky drinking son.<br />
<br />
The Maitreya (World Teacher) - The 'antichrist'. The messiah of the New World Church, which is a manufactured religion run by the world government, in order to control the population. His teachings sound superficially attractive but ultimately enslave humanity.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Ahh...'so many bad guys!' I hear you say...but don't worry, they are not alone....</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
David French - The British leader of the 'Freelanders' - the tiny group who stands against the oppression.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Markus Thorsten - A german slaver and businessman, based in Iquitos, who's interests are aligned with the Freelanders.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Enoch Petersen - The 'Freelanders' leader and prophet, based in a remote location, who Stark must find at the start of the story. A truly enlightened human being.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Yuki Fukoka - A clean cut 'freelander' member who befriends Stark.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Ok, now you have an idea of who's who, and perhaps even picked out a favourite (lets hope he/she won't suffer a gruesome death someway through!) </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Next i'll go through a few of the themes in the story, including Cannibalism, Conspiracy Theories, media Control and Post future dystopias, Ayahausca and its use, Religion and the Antichrist in modern times, Slavery and Voluntary Indenture....wow a lot of fun to cover...</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030293194031575755.post-75804500651656144902013-04-20T16:22:00.000+03:002013-04-26T15:59:41.792+03:00Introduction to 'The Age of Aquarius' <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hello all – since I’m about to unleash a world of fetus crunching cannibal slaves to an unsuspecting public (I’ll up the link up here soon!), I
thought I’d tell you a bit about my forthcoming novel, and the main themes in
there…</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9b_h7FTluyBQTjeIJE-kLDCRM-UdN1hmM46Z0cJSbMm9pKHtWcbIPTA9HXFAaOuueuK77e5gBdYds7Dl1em8xYsjzUxVAgKDBPJWDy2o2TYGMmlUzbIxiNXlNsF-eUg0lEvCszKL6e4/s1600/large-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9b_h7FTluyBQTjeIJE-kLDCRM-UdN1hmM46Z0cJSbMm9pKHtWcbIPTA9HXFAaOuueuK77e5gBdYds7Dl1em8xYsjzUxVAgKDBPJWDy2o2TYGMmlUzbIxiNXlNsF-eUg0lEvCszKL6e4/s320/large-1.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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First of all let me tell you a little bit about the general background setting of the novel...<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
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The some other time, some other
place world where we find ourselves at the beginning of the book, from where
our protagonist Billy Stark emerges, is a world full of contradictions. The populace is increasingly ‘chipped’ for ‘security purposes’, ostensibly for ease of living, and voluntary indenture is becoming a popular solution for debt repayment. The
world economy is tightly controlled by a small number of people and, although
widespread debauchery is encouraged, real freedom is an illusion. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Rather like
the world of today, if you think hard enough about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The spiritual vacuum left by the
declining monolithic religions has been replaced by one ‘mega-religion’, which
has many attractions for the put-upon populace. It encourages ‘living in the
moment’ and escaping responsibility for one’s actions, in order to help the
ruling cartel fully control the people. The implicit aim, unbeknown to the
ignorant masses is to crush the spirit, not nurture it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The last thorn in the side of the
tiny international cabal who controls the system, are the ‘Freelanders’ who are
a remnant of the old ways, believing in integrity, personal morality, and who
actively fight against the enslavement of the human race. The media ridicules
them as eccentric losers and outsiders and the group becomes increasingly
marginalized as existence out in the open becomes impossible. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ok, some more on this later… now perhaps lets explore the
main characters…<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment--></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030293194031575755.post-53552530241254559392013-04-13T15:12:00.001+03:002013-04-26T15:32:26.987+03:00Ayahuasca Revisited<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So here I am on the
overnight flight from Chicago to London, with a free upgrade to first class,
and my own bed, pyjamas, and facecream. I’m finally watching a movie called
‘Silver Linings Playbook’ recommended to me by a knowing friend, which is about
an eccentric bi-polar writer about my age, who likes to run, lives and home with
his parents, can’t have a normal relationship and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘says more inappropriate things than
appropriate things.’ Hoho, dear shallow ex girlfriends, ring a bell? As I land at my
mum and dads tomorrow afternoon the irony is not lost…(although the hot girl
from the hunger games is in it as the love interest, so things don’t look so
bad)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One thing about movies though that is annoying though, is
that the weird guy ends up getting the beautiful crazy but really deeply
sensitive and shy lonely girl, but In real life, when I hang outside their
house for nights on end and write them poetry every day, they usually stop
taking my calls, block me on facebook and they end up moving in with bald used
car salesmen with shit for brains. Ho-hum who said the movies were true eh, a
man can only dream…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Anyway, I did say I’d write about taking Ayahuasca again,
and the aftermath of going straight to Las Vegas from there, so I’ll tell you
about it now…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Ayahuasca…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This time was a very different experience from the first
week, 2 or 3 years ago. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first night
was great. A whole bunch of ugly bad negative spirits who had been hanging
around inside of me, waddled off to the exit. Big ugly monsters who I wouldn’t miss.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And I took up smoking. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And I’m pretty sure I met God. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, how do you explain to someone about that exactly?
Well, you don’t. Just take Ayahuasca and you will meet him/her too. I suppose
it’s nice to know that </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
a. he exists (although this is obvious to anyone but the
most wooden shallow person, feel free to take me up on this issue, as I would
love to hear a credible argument for atheism) </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
b. He’s omnipotent, if you let
him be, and is a lot like you.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSFsreeHziSiqRbO1e16KsGi_Vs_2OmXODgHDWNbj1LFmID-erFVD7-tQ8vlSxioGq0boI438TFMww8oZC8U4ZaRRizEHSVFwAJxH7HNSO4Kb3vjNP6AMoEbuMSAck7bmSWEilJaW_Qn4/s1600/God.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSFsreeHziSiqRbO1e16KsGi_Vs_2OmXODgHDWNbj1LFmID-erFVD7-tQ8vlSxioGq0boI438TFMww8oZC8U4ZaRRizEHSVFwAJxH7HNSO4Kb3vjNP6AMoEbuMSAck7bmSWEilJaW_Qn4/s640/God.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A hairy little old man drawing out a demon, and two monkeys, yesterday...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The second night I had a relaxed night of consolidation.
Then a guy, strangely the only guy in the group who I hadn’t spoken to before,
decided to hang himself in his room. People were distraught, especially the
organisers. Having someone die in the middle of a week of Ayahausca had quite
an effect on the ‘juju’ in the camp. But we soldiered on.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The strange thing is, after that, for me at least, nothing much happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One night a weird little being came to me. I
was sitting there minding my own business, and I looked down, and standing
there, a brown misshapen dwarf with a pot-belly stood there and asked me if he
could help. I have absolutely no idea who this was, to this day.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A whole bunch of bad spirits would float about, giant
crustacean insects with long floating tendrils, quivering in the ether,
checking me out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A giant mosquito
hovered over me, telling me he’d given me malaria, and I could feel the virus
inside me, multiplying…uuh, but of course then I realized he was lying, so I
managed to get rid of him and…voila, a relatively pain free Ayahuasca week- a week in heaven if you will, and…straight to Sin City, Las Vegas, for ten days
of ‘hell’…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-7EdFiP6Lwst87kTnz1JxHD0JqC2PKscsjdGoN4hNi9-RdxXFnOHZhVl7fF_B4QCI74vB19vbRMzr2IroEoZSnkGyCwjf6DP8pFza2snh1cYr3DCwUwd5Fn4HrZ-szPrG61JMP-1fUow/s1600/IMGP0250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-7EdFiP6Lwst87kTnz1JxHD0JqC2PKscsjdGoN4hNi9-RdxXFnOHZhVl7fF_B4QCI74vB19vbRMzr2IroEoZSnkGyCwjf6DP8pFza2snh1cYr3DCwUwd5Fn4HrZ-szPrG61JMP-1fUow/s640/IMGP0250.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Buffet, Wynn Las Vegas...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj7UtnDWBzs94sGbnDxm2ZJolBjHIcrC8A718T9vTAaCbqz7DuLurWfexY84wBoxX15jIygeGNXSwMFaCAMTUCiaTMb0DqGjzo1W1m2B4AMyUuVCOnk4JZupYI5YiO3mIeqRm_9jHcZH0/s1600/IMGP0245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj7UtnDWBzs94sGbnDxm2ZJolBjHIcrC8A718T9vTAaCbqz7DuLurWfexY84wBoxX15jIygeGNXSwMFaCAMTUCiaTMb0DqGjzo1W1m2B4AMyUuVCOnk4JZupYI5YiO3mIeqRm_9jHcZH0/s640/IMGP0245.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The charcoal market, down at the port, erm Las Vegas. Or was that Iquitos.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
…But actually I really enjoyed it. A couple of strange
things happened. A guy’s card came near me and I told him it was the 3 of
diamonds, and he looked at it and it was the 3 of diamonds. Which was strange
since I didn’t see the card, but it did disrupt the game since he obviously
thought I was cheating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Feeling peoples
auras? Yes, that is true, although not to the extent that I could ‘break’
Poker. I did however become a much better and more disciplined poker player, I
kept my money, I cashed in 3 tournaments, I went running, emailed my family,
bought some presents for nieces and nephews, and all was well with the world.
And poker, you dear old devil of statistic risk analysis, bluffing, blustering
bullshitting, and pushing all-in at completely inappropriate moments, I’m glad
to stay I still love you…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Damn that hunger games girl is hot. I definitely recommend
the film…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http:/"><br /></a>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://www.onetravel.com/travel/airlines/vision-v2.html">Vision Airlines</a></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment--></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7030293194031575755.post-45398296542763083082013-03-30T20:13:00.003+02:002013-03-31T01:46:29.031+02:00Spring in the North<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's days like this in Buffalo that I love being a northerner - those early spring days where you know that the dark cold hell of winter has finally been purged out, and the sun is shining, the grass is beginning to grow again, and everyone is out in shorts and t shirt despite it being only just above freezing...<br />
<br />
However, I have more important things to do, I'm reluctantly leaving on a plane to Las Vegas today, to conduct my important post ayahuasca experiment on the poker rooms of Vegas. The interesting first thing I feel is, thanks to Ayahuasca, that I have no particular wish to play poker again, ever. Which is great for any girl i finally marry, but certainly a weird feeling for me. It's the same with coffee. I had one this morning and couldn't finish it. Any wish for caffeine seems to be out of my system. Ahh the wonders of Ayahuasca.<br />
<br />
The Ayahuasca trip I was on this time, was the usual rollercoaster ride. I'll write about it this week, as i see how it affects my day to day life. I don't feel the need to change the world right now, so just defeating the world of poker is enough for me.<br />
<br />
I've booked a suite in the Trump Tower, (thanks to a big win in Lima, Peru) which is unusual in Vegas because it has no casino. The bad energy in casino's, especially in Vegas, i thought could well make me nauseous so soon after the Ayahuasca, so i erred on the side of caution. If i end up just lounging at the pool all week and finishing up some writing, then its not going to be the end of the world...<br />
<br />
Til then, friends, adios...</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2