... as far as I can tell, that "tres" is one of the worst words in French. It's phlegmy... sounds kind of like someone coughing up something nasty. And the unfortunate part is that it's also one of the most common.
And, as I watch the Euro Cup final, I realize that they are incapable of only saying it once. Nothing is "tres" whatever; it's always "tres, tres" whatever. Double the phlegm: gotta love that. And, while in English we have a whole range of words used to denote emphasis (very, extremely, notably, markedly, really, unbelievably, undoubtedly...), the French either only have one, or they don't let sportscasters use the other ones on-air. In fact, I've heard "tres" five times while writing the previous sentence.
The other problem is that Spain is winning. When the passed through the semi-finals, they drove around town (or, at least, my block) honking for 4 hours. Tonight... no one sleeps.
[EDIT] - Well, it's over. There were 11 second between when the game ended and when I heard the first horn. That's got to take some serious planning.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Saturday, June 28, 2008
My Lucky Day
I am pretty hesitant to give up time with the little chick. I figure it's pretty important, because she's pretty important. I guess I could do more - probably have people come to look after her after she's in bed, but if she wakes up, I want to be the one here to give her a cuddle to get back to sleep.
So when I heard Gotthard was doing a free show in Geneva tonight (there were two nights of concerts planned as part of the Euro Cup celebration), I was disappointed that it lined up with when TLC would be with me. They're kind of like the Swiss equivalent of Aerosmith, or Bon Jovi (before he cut his hair), but not nearly as terrible as that sounds the first time you read it.
In fact, they're quite good.
I've wanted to see them for ages, but either they've been playing too far away at times I didn't want to travel, or the tickets were too much, or... well, something always came up. And for them to be doing a free show in Geneva was almost too good to pass up, but I was traveling last week, and was ready for a little daddy-daughter time.
So last night I had a bbq (or, I guess, it would be more correct to say I went to a bbq - I contributed nothing other than a bottle of wine and some witty repartee) with a few friends, and we planned to head down for the concerts after. To add insult to injury, there were a whole bunch of people walking around with Gotthard tee shirts on. Given my unique grasp of the space-time continuum, it registered that the concert was not on the night that I was free to go, but my brain didn't bother with any of the usual before/after kinds of questions that your brain might. I almost stopped one of them to ask how the show was.
Well, turns out that they didn't know yet, not because it was still a day away, but because it was happening later that night.
It also turns out that it was a lot of fun. They have some good tunes... most I hadn't heard, but a few were familiar, and other than a few drunks and a tall guy beside me who couldn't seem to keep track of his elbows, a thoroughly pleasurable experience.
And I don't know if it was just for this, or if it's for the whole Euro Cup time, but the show ended about 1, and there were still trams running! Bravo, Genève!
The only kind of sour part is that I've once again had it confirmed that concert security people are, mostly idiots. There were people trying to start a mosh pit. Did they do anything? No. There were drunks tearing through a crowd full of women and kids. Did they do anything? No (or, not until it got to the point of an altercation).
But every time somebody pointed a pocket camera at the stage? The security people were jumping up and down... waving their arms, crawling over the barriers to get to the offenders. I don't think they could have been drunk, which is a shame, since that's the only conceivable excuse they had, other than just being stupid.
Oh well. Rock on!
So when I heard Gotthard was doing a free show in Geneva tonight (there were two nights of concerts planned as part of the Euro Cup celebration), I was disappointed that it lined up with when TLC would be with me. They're kind of like the Swiss equivalent of Aerosmith, or Bon Jovi (before he cut his hair), but not nearly as terrible as that sounds the first time you read it.
In fact, they're quite good.
I've wanted to see them for ages, but either they've been playing too far away at times I didn't want to travel, or the tickets were too much, or... well, something always came up. And for them to be doing a free show in Geneva was almost too good to pass up, but I was traveling last week, and was ready for a little daddy-daughter time.
So last night I had a bbq (or, I guess, it would be more correct to say I went to a bbq - I contributed nothing other than a bottle of wine and some witty repartee) with a few friends, and we planned to head down for the concerts after. To add insult to injury, there were a whole bunch of people walking around with Gotthard tee shirts on. Given my unique grasp of the space-time continuum, it registered that the concert was not on the night that I was free to go, but my brain didn't bother with any of the usual before/after kinds of questions that your brain might. I almost stopped one of them to ask how the show was.
Well, turns out that they didn't know yet, not because it was still a day away, but because it was happening later that night.
It also turns out that it was a lot of fun. They have some good tunes... most I hadn't heard, but a few were familiar, and other than a few drunks and a tall guy beside me who couldn't seem to keep track of his elbows, a thoroughly pleasurable experience.
And I don't know if it was just for this, or if it's for the whole Euro Cup time, but the show ended about 1, and there were still trams running! Bravo, Genève!
The only kind of sour part is that I've once again had it confirmed that concert security people are, mostly idiots. There were people trying to start a mosh pit. Did they do anything? No. There were drunks tearing through a crowd full of women and kids. Did they do anything? No (or, not until it got to the point of an altercation).
But every time somebody pointed a pocket camera at the stage? The security people were jumping up and down... waving their arms, crawling over the barriers to get to the offenders. I don't think they could have been drunk, which is a shame, since that's the only conceivable excuse they had, other than just being stupid.
Oh well. Rock on!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Rolex
The Rolex golf ads feature shots of all the players who endorse them, golfing... and not wearing watches.
Now THAT's subtle.
Now THAT's subtle.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Yes, That's Me
Every once in a while I take a look at some of the search terms that were used when people did searches that led them to TYC. Sometimes they seem rather intentional ("the yellow couch") and sometimes a little less so ("yellow couch church" is one I see often from the UK).
In any case, there was an interesting one this week:
"champagne delamont"
I wonder if they found what they were looking for?
In any case, there was an interesting one this week:
"champagne delamont"
I wonder if they found what they were looking for?
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Ca Marche Pas
I was going to start by saying that France isn't like a third-world country.
But I've never really traveled in a third-world country. So maybe I should just say it isn't much like Switzerland, Canada, Germany, the US, or the UK, in terms of it's technological prowess.
It all started when I had arrived in the Lyon train station - I was going to meet Korey and Jenny there, and since I arrived a little before they did (train vs. traffic), I wanted to sync up my mails. I had seen signs for the wifi (or, as I learned that the English call it, whif-ee) availability in the station. So I booted up, searched, and, sure enough, there was the login page. It gave me the option to log on with an existing account... as long as it's with a French provider. My Swisscom credit works in other countries, but, I guess, not in France.
That kind of became a sort of theme.
Anyways, they had another link to buy time if you didn't already have an account with one of four French phone services. So I clicked on the link, and this is what I got back:
Okay, no whif-ee.
I eventually did meet up with Korey and Jenny - we found the campground and decided to grab some groceries. We hit the nearby Champion (a French grocery chain), and when we got to pay, I pulled out my Visa card. The card reader was one of the ones that seems to use the chip instead of the strip, and mine has never worked that way. Still, most cashiers feel much better if they've tried the chip first, no matter what assurances I give them.
So, she tried the chip.
Oddly enough, it didn't work. Choking back the instinct to try to remember the translation for "I told you so", I suggested that perhaps the strip may yield a better result. She shook her head, and hit the card reader with her hand... and tried the chip again. And this continued for several minutes - the cashier swearing under her breath, hitting the machine, yanking my card out and shoving it back in.
Well, I guess the good news was that, by the time she got around to trying the strip, it didn't work, either. I ended up trying four other cashiers over the course of our visit, and my card, it seems, doesn't work anywhere in their store.
When I was looking at train schedules to get back to Lyon, to get back to Geneva (more on that in a forthcoming post), I managed to find my way through the French national train site to identify the ticket I wanted to buy, the date, the class, the seat, my address, name, phone number. credit card info, favorite flavor of ice cream (chocolate), turn-ons (long walks on the beach), first pet (a fish... pretty sure he had a name, but I don't remember it)... and hit "process"...
To get a message telling me that, due to a technical problem, my transaction had been canceled. No indication of what the problem may be, what role I may have played in it, or how it could be resolved. I tried several more times, always with the same error, and just gave up. I could buy a ticket at the station before I left... on a much earlier train in case there wasn't room on the one I wanted.
Oh well. They do make lovely wine.
But I've never really traveled in a third-world country. So maybe I should just say it isn't much like Switzerland, Canada, Germany, the US, or the UK, in terms of it's technological prowess.
It all started when I had arrived in the Lyon train station - I was going to meet Korey and Jenny there, and since I arrived a little before they did (train vs. traffic), I wanted to sync up my mails. I had seen signs for the wifi (or, as I learned that the English call it, whif-ee) availability in the station. So I booted up, searched, and, sure enough, there was the login page. It gave me the option to log on with an existing account... as long as it's with a French provider. My Swisscom credit works in other countries, but, I guess, not in France.
That kind of became a sort of theme.
Anyways, they had another link to buy time if you didn't already have an account with one of four French phone services. So I clicked on the link, and this is what I got back:
Le serveur n'a rien trouvé à l'adresse spécifiée.A rough translation is "did you make that up? we don't have that web page - better luck next time". Well, I thought, it's probably just because I had tried to access it from the English start page; the English versions generally receive a little less in terms of testing than the French pages. So I navigated through in French, and got the same error.
Veuillez nous excuser pour la gène occasionnée.
Okay, no whif-ee.
I eventually did meet up with Korey and Jenny - we found the campground and decided to grab some groceries. We hit the nearby Champion (a French grocery chain), and when we got to pay, I pulled out my Visa card. The card reader was one of the ones that seems to use the chip instead of the strip, and mine has never worked that way. Still, most cashiers feel much better if they've tried the chip first, no matter what assurances I give them.
So, she tried the chip.
Oddly enough, it didn't work. Choking back the instinct to try to remember the translation for "I told you so", I suggested that perhaps the strip may yield a better result. She shook her head, and hit the card reader with her hand... and tried the chip again. And this continued for several minutes - the cashier swearing under her breath, hitting the machine, yanking my card out and shoving it back in.
Well, I guess the good news was that, by the time she got around to trying the strip, it didn't work, either. I ended up trying four other cashiers over the course of our visit, and my card, it seems, doesn't work anywhere in their store.
When I was looking at train schedules to get back to Lyon, to get back to Geneva (more on that in a forthcoming post), I managed to find my way through the French national train site to identify the ticket I wanted to buy, the date, the class, the seat, my address, name, phone number. credit card info, favorite flavor of ice cream (chocolate), turn-ons (long walks on the beach), first pet (a fish... pretty sure he had a name, but I don't remember it)... and hit "process"...
To get a message telling me that, due to a technical problem, my transaction had been canceled. No indication of what the problem may be, what role I may have played in it, or how it could be resolved. I tried several more times, always with the same error, and just gave up. I could buy a ticket at the station before I left... on a much earlier train in case there wasn't room on the one I wanted.
Oh well. They do make lovely wine.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Hey There
Well, I'm in France with friends,and have been internetless; which is why it's been a while since an update.
The French also use a crazy keyboard. It's taken me 18 minutes to type this much correctly, so this will be short. But when I get home, I'll fill you in.
Interesting points so far:
The French also use a crazy keyboard. It's taken me 18 minutes to type this much correctly, so this will be short. But when I get home, I'll fill you in.
Interesting points so far:
- Another slight timing/date confusion
- Some magnificent cigars
- My first... uh, exposure... to topless beaches
- Sleeping in a tent again - it's been a while
- Being in the French Riviera and feeling vaguely like it's actually Holland
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Hockey Vs Soccer
Reasons that hockey is better than "football":
Yet... I can't stop watching.
Rats.
- Better snacks - you can get Wendy's in the Saddledome. No such luck at a football match. Who wants another sausage?
- Football is sooooo..... slooooooowwwwww..... in comparison. It's not as bad as baseball, but it's really, really slow. Anyone remember the Simpsons episode? They were (as usual) right.
- Diving. Or, you could say, Italians.
- Long, greasy hair. What is it with that hair? Maybe hockey players have it, but at least we don't have to look at it all game long. Can one of you P&G people please get these boys a bottle of Pert Plus or something?
- "Highlights". Since the Euro Cup started, I've been watching "highlights" of... well, shots on goal. Sure, most of them are kind of slow, and go straight to the goal-keeper. But they warrant a spot on the highlight film, and that's a pretty big red flag. Once again, confer with baseball: "he hit it and.... somebody caught it. Let's see that again in super slo-mo, Rob".
- Fighting, or a complete lack thereof. See also: Diving.
Yet... I can't stop watching.
Rats.
Wow
Well, this is easily the worst thing I've seen in a long, long time.
Some background: "Nouvelle Star" is like a reality pop star training camp, in French. They have churned out some true trash over the last few years, but I think this one should be worth a nomination for some kind of award or something. Just wait until you hear the choral backup vocals on the chorus....
And yes, they are playing this on music video channels here. When you hear people talking about the fantastic, hot European music scene, I suggest you direct them to this; then tell them you'll never question anything they ever say again if they can keep it in their iPod's top 10 for a month.
Some background: "Nouvelle Star" is like a reality pop star training camp, in French. They have churned out some true trash over the last few years, but I think this one should be worth a nomination for some kind of award or something. Just wait until you hear the choral backup vocals on the chorus....
And yes, they are playing this on music video channels here. When you hear people talking about the fantastic, hot European music scene, I suggest you direct them to this; then tell them you'll never question anything they ever say again if they can keep it in their iPod's top 10 for a month.
10,000
Well, it appears that last night we hit 5 digits for TYC visitors. Thanks for reading - I wish that as a kind of thank-you I could make some popcorn and you could sit in the tent and watch a movie with the little chick and I. Of course, she has fairly particular taste, so this would only feel rewarding if you like Veggie Tales or if you are really, really hungry for popcorn. Still, might be nice.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Oh, THAT Thursday
A chat I had with Korey this evening:
Rats.
6:45 PM Korey: YOu there?
6:46 PM We are picking you up in Lyon on Thursday morning, correct? Jenny was a little unsure when she heard your message!
| 6 minutes |
6:52 PM me: Yeah - I think we had said 10, which is just when I get in... let me check the ticket again to confirm...
Arrival is scheduled for 10
6:53 PM I was just wondering about electricity... do you know if there are plug-ins at the camp site?
Korey: I don't remember their being plug-ins. One sec and I'll check their web site
6:54 PM me: [tapping foot]
;-)
Korey: Ha!
It says that there is electricity on every plot.
To that sounds positive.
...
Apparently, the oxygenated water is going to take a little while to kick in....
7:03 PM Korey: Do we have your mobile?
+41 2131 XXXX?
7:04 PM me: Yeah, in one fo the emails... that number is my office in Lausanne, that I called from today
Mobile is +41 79 506-XXXX
Korey: Right, got it. Just in case, you know?
:)
Okay get packing!
7:05 PM me: Yeah, probably a good idea. Also, what's your car like? Besides having the steering wheel on the wonky side?
Korey: Blue Honda Civic. 2000. Very bland. Beige interior. Small brown moose hanging from the rear-view that goes by the name of Guillaume
7:06 PM 5-door
Sedan, though, not the hatch back.
me: Okay, when I'm outside of the station, I'll just ask for Guillaume
Korey: Like yours was.
Yeah, that'll work awesome.
me: Sorted.
See you tomorrow
Korey: No!
Thursday!
7:07 PM me: Wait... I missed that part... I thought it was tomorrow.
That could be an issue... okay - I'm going to see if the ticket office is open...!
Korey: Tomorrow is Wednesday!
7:08 PM me: Crap, I do this all the time
Korey: We leave here tomorrow morning, take the ferry to Calais, overnight in Dijon and then to Lyon on Thursday!
me: The ticket is correct - for the 19th
I just put it in outlook wrong
Korey: LOL
Rats.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Look Out
We have oxygenated water available in our Lausanne office, now. If possible, it will make me even smarter.
I predict that, within a week, I will be able to remember which direction I was going when I went into the store.
I predict that, within a week, I will be able to remember which direction I was going when I went into the store.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Honking in Three Langauges
Finally, the Swiss have a reason to honk. They beat Portugal tonight, and even though they're still eliminated from the tournament, it's a good way to finish it off.
Way to go, boys - play hard to the end.
Way to go, boys - play hard to the end.
Friday, June 13, 2008
The Dublin Pictures - Part II
More from the city that Bono's from. Unfortunately, he's not in any of these, but still...
You can see the rest here. Some fun colors here, I think.
You can see the rest here. Some fun colors here, I think.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
The Dublin Pictures - Part I
Okay, I haven't been able to edit them all, yet. But I've done some, and you can see them here.
These are some of my favorites so far.
These are some of my favorites so far.
I'd Like To Thank My Agent, God, and the Guy Who Planted Me
It is the year of the potato. And we have little creams in our coffee room to prove it.
Now, I like potatoes. I would doubt, actually, that you can find many people who like potatoes more than I do, and my family will back me up on this one. But the year of the potato? Seems a bit much, really. And it leaves me with a few questions:
1. Who decides this? It seems to be the UN, but beyond that, who knows? I mean, is it a committee? One guy in a little room somewhere? Was there a vote, and I just missed it? How do we know that the process has been fair - has there been any international oversight? At least a conference? If there's one organization who should understand a request to have the process monitored, it's the UN.
Oh, and if it's one guy in a little room somewhere, is he the one in Nashville who writes all the country music? Because that seems like he would have enough on his plate already without being responsible for things like this.
2. What's the competition based on? Potatoes are filling, and they are tasty and nourishing when prepared in a variety of ways, and if you spread one out over a plate it provides plenty of surface to hold cheese and bacon bits and whatever else you may want to toss on, but I'm not sure any of those warrant an award like this. Is it just running with other tubers? In that case, I can see it - frankly, between potatoes, carrots, and turnips I don't think you're going to get much argument.
But what if it's all foods? How do you put potatoes up against crême brulée? Or even steak? Have you noticed that it's never "potatoes and steak"? Yeah, well... there's a reason. And it could even go beyond that... can you imagine the panel sitting down, and the chairman saying, "okay, it looks like this year it's going to be a tough call: it's between potatoes, the Toyota Prius, global warming, and puppies." How do you vote on that?
3. A whole year?!? Even if the process is fair and the title is well-deserved, a year still seems like a little much. It's not as if potatoes are that new... we don't have a whole lot of educating to do here - I think that the market is already pretty well-developed. I would think Potato Month would be generous enough (though that would bring up the whole sticky issue of which one to choose) and maybe Potato Week would even do the trick. I would celebrate Potato Week, but the thought of dedicating a whole year to it leaves me just a little overwhelmed.
I don't know. But it is making me hungry.
For steak.
Now, I like potatoes. I would doubt, actually, that you can find many people who like potatoes more than I do, and my family will back me up on this one. But the year of the potato? Seems a bit much, really. And it leaves me with a few questions:
1. Who decides this? It seems to be the UN, but beyond that, who knows? I mean, is it a committee? One guy in a little room somewhere? Was there a vote, and I just missed it? How do we know that the process has been fair - has there been any international oversight? At least a conference? If there's one organization who should understand a request to have the process monitored, it's the UN.
Oh, and if it's one guy in a little room somewhere, is he the one in Nashville who writes all the country music? Because that seems like he would have enough on his plate already without being responsible for things like this.
2. What's the competition based on? Potatoes are filling, and they are tasty and nourishing when prepared in a variety of ways, and if you spread one out over a plate it provides plenty of surface to hold cheese and bacon bits and whatever else you may want to toss on, but I'm not sure any of those warrant an award like this. Is it just running with other tubers? In that case, I can see it - frankly, between potatoes, carrots, and turnips I don't think you're going to get much argument.
But what if it's all foods? How do you put potatoes up against crême brulée? Or even steak? Have you noticed that it's never "potatoes and steak"? Yeah, well... there's a reason. And it could even go beyond that... can you imagine the panel sitting down, and the chairman saying, "okay, it looks like this year it's going to be a tough call: it's between potatoes, the Toyota Prius, global warming, and puppies." How do you vote on that?
3. A whole year?!? Even if the process is fair and the title is well-deserved, a year still seems like a little much. It's not as if potatoes are that new... we don't have a whole lot of educating to do here - I think that the market is already pretty well-developed. I would think Potato Month would be generous enough (though that would bring up the whole sticky issue of which one to choose) and maybe Potato Week would even do the trick. I would celebrate Potato Week, but the thought of dedicating a whole year to it leaves me just a little overwhelmed.
I don't know. But it is making me hungry.
For steak.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Football Makes Me Sad
Portugal won.
They are very, very noisy.
Switzerland lost.
The one team I was hoping would be able to make some noise.
Go, Sweden. Rah, rah, rah.
They are very, very noisy.
Switzerland lost.
The one team I was hoping would be able to make some noise.
Go, Sweden. Rah, rah, rah.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Givenchy To The Rescue
Well, it's not the first time I've had to dig through the bathroom cabinet to find some perfume to take something off the yellow couch. Last time it was "Indecent".
This time it's Oblique.
So, two things:
1. If you have the choice, Indecent is spicy, sexy, and smells great on a couch. Oblique could have used a little more time in the old R&D.
2. I think next time I'll use my Gaultier "Le Male". At least I know I like it.
This time it's Oblique.
So, two things:
1. If you have the choice, Indecent is spicy, sexy, and smells great on a couch. Oblique could have used a little more time in the old R&D.
2. I think next time I'll use my Gaultier "Le Male". At least I know I like it.
Compliment of the Week
Actual compliment: "You wear pants well"
Likely translation: "thanks, despite your infrequent but ominous threats, for not streaking".
Likely translation: "thanks, despite your infrequent but ominous threats, for not streaking".
Monday, June 9, 2008
Rubbish
Well, it's been an interesting week for flying.
I was in Munich for a couple of days last week before heading to Dublin for holidays. There are three flights from Munich to Geneva each evening... at 5 PM, 7 PM, and 9 PM. I booked myself on the 9 to be sure I could put in a full day at the office, first. But it looks like things haven't changed much since I worked there regularly a few years ago. At that point, I would usually book the 7 PM, but the 5 would be delayed enough that I could get on it by changing my ticket at the airport. The 7 would then be very late, and the 9... well, they were lucky if they actually made it.
So it occurred to me as I looked at my 7 AM flight to go to Dublin that, perhaps, booking myself on the 9 PM back to Geneva the night before was not a great move. And it was late... very late. The Geneva airport closes at midnight, and I've had a flight actually drop us off in Lyon, France, and then we had to take buses back because we were too late. Well, we got in at about 12:15, but they kept it open for us.
Going to Dublin (via London) was a worry because my flights were with two different companies, so if Geneva/London was delayed, the London/Dublin people really, really wouldn't care. Or compensate me. Or make sure I get there later. So I was pretty happy when that went okay. And getting from Dublin back to London was smooth and easy, too.
The problem came when Science Nathan and I were sitting down for a burger before our London/Geneva flight. We had checked in, but decided to eat before security. As Nathan was waiting for his food, I sat down and was a bit surprised at the sound coming from the arcade across the concourse... it sounded suspiciously like a fire bell. Curious that they would allow that in a public place like this, I thought - it could be a problem if people heard it and actually thought it was an alarm.
Well, turns out it was an alarm. Before long, we could hear the classic British announcement... in a calm, polite tone: "Please be aware that a fire alarm has been sounded in this area, and you are advised to evacuate immediately".
But there didn't seem to be any fire... and it was upstairs (and we were downstairs - just by the escalators so we could hear it), and there was, after a while, a security guy there who didn't look very concerned. So we waited, and watched.
And waited, and waited, and waited.
The check-in/security areas were evacuated and closed off for some time. And we ended up getting home late... once again, after the airport actually closed. But we did make it, and I'm pretty sure there was no fire. The highlight, though, was the guy sitting just behind us while we waited, talking to a couple of young American tourists.
"Well, it's simply rubbish," he said, "there's no reason why they shouldn't be able to identify the location of the alarm, to determine the nature of the threat, and then to make an appropriate response and announcement in 15 minutes flat". And he carried on in a similar, knowing kind of vein for a good ten minutes or so.
He was, of course, a meteorologist.
I hesitate to even put this in, because it was so, so good, and I am failing so miserably at capturing it. But he was just so... English. It was wonderful. I mean, he was utterly ridiculous, but in a really transporting kind of way. It made the whole delay worthwhile.
But now it's good to be at home... for the first time in a few weeks, I will have a while week here, and I'm really looking forward to it.
Oh, and in other news - I just looked out my window because it sounded like there was a fight on the street. But it's actually my neighbours, who, I gather, are watching soccer. The Euro cup is on again.
Hooray.
Go, Finland.
I was in Munich for a couple of days last week before heading to Dublin for holidays. There are three flights from Munich to Geneva each evening... at 5 PM, 7 PM, and 9 PM. I booked myself on the 9 to be sure I could put in a full day at the office, first. But it looks like things haven't changed much since I worked there regularly a few years ago. At that point, I would usually book the 7 PM, but the 5 would be delayed enough that I could get on it by changing my ticket at the airport. The 7 would then be very late, and the 9... well, they were lucky if they actually made it.
So it occurred to me as I looked at my 7 AM flight to go to Dublin that, perhaps, booking myself on the 9 PM back to Geneva the night before was not a great move. And it was late... very late. The Geneva airport closes at midnight, and I've had a flight actually drop us off in Lyon, France, and then we had to take buses back because we were too late. Well, we got in at about 12:15, but they kept it open for us.
Going to Dublin (via London) was a worry because my flights were with two different companies, so if Geneva/London was delayed, the London/Dublin people really, really wouldn't care. Or compensate me. Or make sure I get there later. So I was pretty happy when that went okay. And getting from Dublin back to London was smooth and easy, too.
The problem came when Science Nathan and I were sitting down for a burger before our London/Geneva flight. We had checked in, but decided to eat before security. As Nathan was waiting for his food, I sat down and was a bit surprised at the sound coming from the arcade across the concourse... it sounded suspiciously like a fire bell. Curious that they would allow that in a public place like this, I thought - it could be a problem if people heard it and actually thought it was an alarm.
Well, turns out it was an alarm. Before long, we could hear the classic British announcement... in a calm, polite tone: "Please be aware that a fire alarm has been sounded in this area, and you are advised to evacuate immediately".
But there didn't seem to be any fire... and it was upstairs (and we were downstairs - just by the escalators so we could hear it), and there was, after a while, a security guy there who didn't look very concerned. So we waited, and watched.
And waited, and waited, and waited.
The check-in/security areas were evacuated and closed off for some time. And we ended up getting home late... once again, after the airport actually closed. But we did make it, and I'm pretty sure there was no fire. The highlight, though, was the guy sitting just behind us while we waited, talking to a couple of young American tourists.
"Well, it's simply rubbish," he said, "there's no reason why they shouldn't be able to identify the location of the alarm, to determine the nature of the threat, and then to make an appropriate response and announcement in 15 minutes flat". And he carried on in a similar, knowing kind of vein for a good ten minutes or so.
He was, of course, a meteorologist.
I hesitate to even put this in, because it was so, so good, and I am failing so miserably at capturing it. But he was just so... English. It was wonderful. I mean, he was utterly ridiculous, but in a really transporting kind of way. It made the whole delay worthwhile.
But now it's good to be at home... for the first time in a few weeks, I will have a while week here, and I'm really looking forward to it.
Oh, and in other news - I just looked out my window because it sounded like there was a fight on the street. But it's actually my neighbours, who, I gather, are watching soccer. The Euro cup is on again.
Hooray.
Go, Finland.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Hi - My Name Is Darryl and I'm From the Plane
So, I like it here. And by here, I mean Ireland; Dublin, actually.
We just arrived yesterday and, as the myth goes, the Guinness really does taste better here... not as bitter, and yes, I am sure it is not just my imagination. I was expecting that to be a real hoax, but it's true.
But besides that, the people are so, so friendly. Everyone I've talked to (and, when you get lost as much as I do, you get the chance to talk to a lot of people) has been incredibly helpful and cheery. No one has given me wrong directions just for the fun of it. And a lot of them even smile when we're talking. Plus, they have the coolest accent. And really, really good beer.
And not just the Irish are friendly - as I was shooting today, I had a couple of Italian men (one with a very, very small dog) come up to me to ask about my gear. They knew by site the lens I was using (nerds!) and we chatted for a while about pictures, about gear, and about why everything costs twice as much here as it does in the US. And, on that note, one of them offered to buy the lens from me for as much as I had paid for it (well, it and a few other little accesories). It was pretty funny - I thought he was joking, but he kept offering. I didn't go for it, and thankfully they didn't sic the little dog on me. That could have been a problem.
We did have another little dog who caused a bit of trouble later in the day, though. As we were looking around at a church, Katie and Robyn decided (naturally) that they would like to roll down a grassy hill. Which, given the options you may have when faced with the question of what to do with a grassy hill, in general, is not a bad choice. Anyways, they did, much to the consternation of a small and rather aggressive dog across the lawn. He came tearing over, threatening to nip at the heels of the poor girls, until I stepped on him and killed him.
Actually, I didn't - his owners came over and collected him. But it would have made for a better story. Oh well.
Before that, I was in Munich, again. I worked there for quite a while, a few years ago. And you know what? I never thought I would say it, but it was good to be back. I like the Germans... their food, the way they look, their architecture, the language. Yeah... it's been a good week.
Hmmmm.... we have dinner plans and I need to go. But I'll try to update you a little more on the trip tomorrow. Happy weekend, all!
We just arrived yesterday and, as the myth goes, the Guinness really does taste better here... not as bitter, and yes, I am sure it is not just my imagination. I was expecting that to be a real hoax, but it's true.
But besides that, the people are so, so friendly. Everyone I've talked to (and, when you get lost as much as I do, you get the chance to talk to a lot of people) has been incredibly helpful and cheery. No one has given me wrong directions just for the fun of it. And a lot of them even smile when we're talking. Plus, they have the coolest accent. And really, really good beer.
And not just the Irish are friendly - as I was shooting today, I had a couple of Italian men (one with a very, very small dog) come up to me to ask about my gear. They knew by site the lens I was using (nerds!) and we chatted for a while about pictures, about gear, and about why everything costs twice as much here as it does in the US. And, on that note, one of them offered to buy the lens from me for as much as I had paid for it (well, it and a few other little accesories). It was pretty funny - I thought he was joking, but he kept offering. I didn't go for it, and thankfully they didn't sic the little dog on me. That could have been a problem.
We did have another little dog who caused a bit of trouble later in the day, though. As we were looking around at a church, Katie and Robyn decided (naturally) that they would like to roll down a grassy hill. Which, given the options you may have when faced with the question of what to do with a grassy hill, in general, is not a bad choice. Anyways, they did, much to the consternation of a small and rather aggressive dog across the lawn. He came tearing over, threatening to nip at the heels of the poor girls, until I stepped on him and killed him.
Actually, I didn't - his owners came over and collected him. But it would have made for a better story. Oh well.
Before that, I was in Munich, again. I worked there for quite a while, a few years ago. And you know what? I never thought I would say it, but it was good to be back. I like the Germans... their food, the way they look, their architecture, the language. Yeah... it's been a good week.
Hmmmm.... we have dinner plans and I need to go. But I'll try to update you a little more on the trip tomorrow. Happy weekend, all!
Monday, June 2, 2008
Parallel Universe
At dinner tonight, it occurred to me that something was wrong. And it was this: I was using broccoli to try and encourage the little chick to eat her pizza.
Yes, as in "I want you to eat this bit of pizza, and then I will give you more broccoli."
I think it was probably the ranch dressing. I guess if I would have just put that on the pizza I wouldn't have had any trouble at all....
Yes, as in "I want you to eat this bit of pizza, and then I will give you more broccoli."
I think it was probably the ranch dressing. I guess if I would have just put that on the pizza I wouldn't have had any trouble at all....
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Are You Engaged?
I'm not sure what it is, but the last two times I've been out shooting, I've had people come up to me and want to talk. Now, I'm not opposed to that - not exactly used to it in Geneva (though there were a lot of people who wanted to know more about what I was doing in Stockholm), but it's kind of fun.
I'm starting to think that it could be a good way to make new friends, should I ever find myself in short supply. There have been a couple of guys who have come up, despite my headphones being in and game face on, and talked for a while and then offered to get me a drink at a cafe if I was up for it. In both cases I wasn't - I had some specific shooting I wanted to do with limited time - but it was pretty friendly, I thought.
Now before someone makes a reference to my fellow concert-goers for the Kylie show, let me just say that I'm pretty sure these guys were not Kylie fans. They were in different cities, but both said more or less the same thing - that they really liked meeting new people from different places, and made a habit of just going out to see who they could find, having a drink with them, and just making new friends.
It occurred to me that it's not that different from what I do with my pictures, in some ways. And there are probably some people (like me) who wouldn't feel strange about taking pictures of total strangers, but would be a bit freaked out by just going and starting conversations with random interesting-looking people in the street. There are others who would probably feel the opposite.
Curious.
Anyways, I guess I'm happy to be counted among those who look interesting enough for people to stop and talk to in a language that's not their own. I always feel like I should give them candy or something after, but I'm not sure that's a healthy instinct.
Anyways, what I was shooting for in Geneva (and where I got the title for this post... for those following along at home, I am not, in fact, that kind of engaged) is a local community outreach program called engaGE (since, "GE" is the abbreviation for the canton of Geneva). It encourages people to get involved in helping the homeless, the lonely, and others who need a hand in their city. You can keep an eye on their site, and eventually you may see a few of my shots popping up.
I'm starting to think that it could be a good way to make new friends, should I ever find myself in short supply. There have been a couple of guys who have come up, despite my headphones being in and game face on, and talked for a while and then offered to get me a drink at a cafe if I was up for it. In both cases I wasn't - I had some specific shooting I wanted to do with limited time - but it was pretty friendly, I thought.
Now before someone makes a reference to my fellow concert-goers for the Kylie show, let me just say that I'm pretty sure these guys were not Kylie fans. They were in different cities, but both said more or less the same thing - that they really liked meeting new people from different places, and made a habit of just going out to see who they could find, having a drink with them, and just making new friends.
It occurred to me that it's not that different from what I do with my pictures, in some ways. And there are probably some people (like me) who wouldn't feel strange about taking pictures of total strangers, but would be a bit freaked out by just going and starting conversations with random interesting-looking people in the street. There are others who would probably feel the opposite.
Curious.
Anyways, I guess I'm happy to be counted among those who look interesting enough for people to stop and talk to in a language that's not their own. I always feel like I should give them candy or something after, but I'm not sure that's a healthy instinct.
Anyways, what I was shooting for in Geneva (and where I got the title for this post... for those following along at home, I am not, in fact, that kind of engaged) is a local community outreach program called engaGE (since, "GE" is the abbreviation for the canton of Geneva). It encourages people to get involved in helping the homeless, the lonely, and others who need a hand in their city. You can keep an eye on their site, and eventually you may see a few of my shots popping up.
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