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Meet up with Greg...
...and lock him out!
)
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Photo Gallery 1: Madrid
The following are the best/most interesting photographs from my 2000+ shots of my travels through Portugal, Spain and New York.
Click on any photo to enlarge it for a better view! Enjoy!
Part 1: Madrid (see the accompanying written post here)
Natural History Museum under renovation. Poor gazelle...
Life-size model of the Giant Octopus
Click on any photo to enlarge it for a better view! Enjoy!
Part 1: Madrid (see the accompanying written post here)
Natural History Museum under renovation. Poor gazelle...
Life-size model of the Giant Octopus
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
New York City: 5 days in the Big Apple
NEW YORK:
My friend Greg and I parted ways after three weeks of traveling (Portugal, Spain, London) on the London Underground, carrying our heavy bags, at the Earl's Court stop. He was off to Gatwick Airport back home to Vancouver, and I was off to Heathrow Airport on my way to New York City. Greg's point of view of our Spain and Portugal trip can be found on his blog.
Now I was on my own, to fend for myself amongst the gangsters, pimps, druggies, criminal, and ill-tempered cabbies of New York. I couldn't wait.
With a reputation as tall as the Empire State Building preceding the city, I wasn't sure what to expect. Many movies are set there: Ghostbusters, Gangs of New York, Sex and the City, Friends, Big, Seinfeld, Men in Black, and King Kong! I arrived into JFK Airport at 4:30pm and took a coach through Brooklyn to my hostel in Midtown Manhattan. After locking my valuables in the tiny locker, I venture out into a New York night...
Three blocks north is Times Square, lit up like Vegas on Independence Day. Signs, billboards, posters, TV screens, ticker-tapes, all moving and vying for your attention. One feels dizzy as your eyes and brain try to take in the over-stimulating stimulus. A crowd surrounded the entrance of the Hard Rock Cafe, trying to catch a glimpse of some celebrity. I asked the crowd who was there. They didn't know. New York: City of Unknown Celebrities.
It is also the City of Museums: The Guggenheim (didn't see), the Metropolitan Museum of Art (amazing, but disappointed by the construction and renovations), and the new Museum of Modern Art (fantastic - free on Friday nights! - contained amazing Picassos and Monets and Van Gogh's Starry Night!).
But the Masterpiece of New York's Museums was the American Museum of Natural History - the home of the first Tyrannosaurus rex ever found, a life-size Blue Whale model, and a 563 carat Star of India (the largest and most famous star sapphire). I recommend the film Night at the Museum for a glimpse at some of the treasures within!
As someone who loves palaeontology, this is a mecca to prehistory. Their collections include: the aforementioned T-Rex, the nesting Oviraptor fossil and embryo, Canadian Sternburg's Alberta dinos, Roy Chapman Andrew's Mongolian dinos, Leonardo (the mummified Edmontosaurus), Styracosaurus, Deinonychus, Tylosaurus, and a rearing Barasaurus protecting it's baby. Photos upcoming!
Through the magic of Facebook, I was able to meet up with my friend Bree who went to elementary school with me. She is living in Brooklyn and working in Manhattan, so we decided to meet up and take the (free) Staten Island Ferry. The trip was great, catching up with Bree while catching the views of New York and the Statue of Liberty from the water.
We also went to see an off-Broadway play and meet up with her husband and friends for a night out in the Big Apple. One bar was unique in that it cantained many old 80's arcade games - each costing only 25 cents a play - in the bar! It was called (best name ever) Barcade.
While exploreing the city, I crossed the Brooklyn Bridge, had lunch in Harlem, and spent a lazy afternoon in Central Park. The citizens of New York sure do use their park. I wish we used Stanley Park to the same extent. I also tried to find the locations of where Ghostbusters (one of my favorite movies was filmed) - the fire hall, Dana Barret's apartment, the New York Public Library, and Columbia University!
One trip up the Empire State Building finished the grand tour of a grand city. Goodbye New York, I'll be back. Bree and I had one last (amazing!) dinner, and I was off to Newark Airport to catch my 5:30pm flight to Montreal, and on to Vancouver. What an amazing bunch of cities and towns I've been to in the last month... The good moments stick out and the bad ones are forgotten. But I'm not finished yet...
Back home for one month, and then the adventure continues in Korea, where I will be teaching English for about a year!
Ask me which part of Korea I'm going to...
My friend Greg and I parted ways after three weeks of traveling (Portugal, Spain, London) on the London Underground, carrying our heavy bags, at the Earl's Court stop. He was off to Gatwick Airport back home to Vancouver, and I was off to Heathrow Airport on my way to New York City. Greg's point of view of our Spain and Portugal trip can be found on his blog.
Now I was on my own, to fend for myself amongst the gangsters, pimps, druggies, criminal, and ill-tempered cabbies of New York. I couldn't wait.
With a reputation as tall as the Empire State Building preceding the city, I wasn't sure what to expect. Many movies are set there: Ghostbusters, Gangs of New York, Sex and the City, Friends, Big, Seinfeld, Men in Black, and King Kong! I arrived into JFK Airport at 4:30pm and took a coach through Brooklyn to my hostel in Midtown Manhattan. After locking my valuables in the tiny locker, I venture out into a New York night...
Three blocks north is Times Square, lit up like Vegas on Independence Day. Signs, billboards, posters, TV screens, ticker-tapes, all moving and vying for your attention. One feels dizzy as your eyes and brain try to take in the over-stimulating stimulus. A crowd surrounded the entrance of the Hard Rock Cafe, trying to catch a glimpse of some celebrity. I asked the crowd who was there. They didn't know. New York: City of Unknown Celebrities.
It is also the City of Museums: The Guggenheim (didn't see), the Metropolitan Museum of Art (amazing, but disappointed by the construction and renovations), and the new Museum of Modern Art (fantastic - free on Friday nights! - contained amazing Picassos and Monets and Van Gogh's Starry Night!).
But the Masterpiece of New York's Museums was the American Museum of Natural History - the home of the first Tyrannosaurus rex ever found, a life-size Blue Whale model, and a 563 carat Star of India (the largest and most famous star sapphire). I recommend the film Night at the Museum for a glimpse at some of the treasures within!
As someone who loves palaeontology, this is a mecca to prehistory. Their collections include: the aforementioned T-Rex, the nesting Oviraptor fossil and embryo, Canadian Sternburg's Alberta dinos, Roy Chapman Andrew's Mongolian dinos, Leonardo (the mummified Edmontosaurus), Styracosaurus, Deinonychus, Tylosaurus, and a rearing Barasaurus protecting it's baby. Photos upcoming!
Through the magic of Facebook, I was able to meet up with my friend Bree who went to elementary school with me. She is living in Brooklyn and working in Manhattan, so we decided to meet up and take the (free) Staten Island Ferry. The trip was great, catching up with Bree while catching the views of New York and the Statue of Liberty from the water.
We also went to see an off-Broadway play and meet up with her husband and friends for a night out in the Big Apple. One bar was unique in that it cantained many old 80's arcade games - each costing only 25 cents a play - in the bar! It was called (best name ever) Barcade.
While exploreing the city, I crossed the Brooklyn Bridge, had lunch in Harlem, and spent a lazy afternoon in Central Park. The citizens of New York sure do use their park. I wish we used Stanley Park to the same extent. I also tried to find the locations of where Ghostbusters (one of my favorite movies was filmed) - the fire hall, Dana Barret's apartment, the New York Public Library, and Columbia University!
One trip up the Empire State Building finished the grand tour of a grand city. Goodbye New York, I'll be back. Bree and I had one last (amazing!) dinner, and I was off to Newark Airport to catch my 5:30pm flight to Montreal, and on to Vancouver. What an amazing bunch of cities and towns I've been to in the last month... The good moments stick out and the bad ones are forgotten. But I'm not finished yet...
Back home for one month, and then the adventure continues in Korea, where I will be teaching English for about a year!
Ask me which part of Korea I'm going to...
(Quick note about Tarantino)
I forgot to mention last post:
What made the screening of Death Proof so unique, was that Quentin Tarantino himself watched the film with us. As the lights went down and the curtain raised, the film's director walked up the isle, shuffled down the middle row, and sat down in the center seat - right in the middle of the theater and in the middle of his fans. I was able (from my seat at the back) to watch the movie and watch Tarantino view his own film. As I said, what a unique experience!
What made the screening of Death Proof so unique, was that Quentin Tarantino himself watched the film with us. As the lights went down and the curtain raised, the film's director walked up the isle, shuffled down the middle row, and sat down in the center seat - right in the middle of the theater and in the middle of his fans. I was able (from my seat at the back) to watch the movie and watch Tarantino view his own film. As I said, what a unique experience!
Thursday, September 13, 2007
London, yeah!
I am currently in the Montreal Airport on the way home, waiting for my plane. Thank you Montreal for having free wireless. Apologies for being behind in the posts, but I figured I'd better live the adventure and blog about it in the gaps between. I hope you agree.
Last I left off, Greg and I had just arrived in London - city of history and expense. We were wonderfully able to stay with my Aunt and Uncle (thank you!) in London, allowing us to exist in the expensive big city world.
London was a "coming home" of sorts for me - having lived there (England) for the past year. Goodbye euros and hello pounds! London was the last stop for Greg who had never been to England before. My only regret was that I didn't see my cousin Nicky (and Rav) and my newborn niece Mia in those four days. Next time...
We began by diving right into the Thames. We walked the entire length of the river from Westminster Abby, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben to Tower Bridge and back. South and North sides. It was a wonderfully exhausting walk that gave us great views of St. Paul's Cathedral, Tate Modern, London Tower, Shakespeare's Theater and the London Eye (which is so expensive, you had to sell your soul for the high view. We opted to keep our soul and steal a view from the top of the Tate Modern - for free!)
What tour of London isn't complete without a trip to one of my fav places on Earth - the Natural History Museum. Greg was impressed by the dinosaur skeletons and I was impressed by the lack of crushing crowds. Everyone wins! The robotic T-Rex was exceptionally good this time round. Scaring kids...hehe...
After introducing Greg to the 'Pub Life' in England ("Can anyone murder a Guinness?"), we explored Leicester Square and picked up half-price tickets to two "Broadway" shows: Avenue Q and Spamalot. Both beyond spectacular and a very nice change from the norm Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables.
Avenue Q is a small show about life in on a run-down street on the edges of New York, where 20 and 30-somethings search for their purpose while dealing with adult situations. Also, most of the characters are puppets. Imagine Sesame Street all grown up and having lost all it's money. Princeton (puppet) moves into a tenement run by Gary Coleman, falls in love (and other stuff) with Kate Monster (puppet), and lives with other puppets and humans. Trekkie Monster (Cookie Monster without ANY morals) stole the show. Left humming the songs. Highly hilarious!
The next night, we had back row of the top top back balcony nosebleed seats for Monty Python's Spamalot. With the last tickets available, we entered the theater only to be told to talk to this woman. Confused, we go and see her. We are then suddenly upgraded to floor seats with fantastic views! A few minutes later, the curtain rises and the laughs never stop. In fact, I'd have to say that Spamalot (The Search for the Holy Grail movie put to musical) was one of the funniest things I had ever seen, ever. If it comes to Vancouver, SEE IT. Your muscle spasmed face and sore sides will thank you!
And we had one more treat for us before we left. Cousin Dave had alerted me to a special film opening we all attended our last night in London. Death Proof, Quentin Tarantino's new film, was premiere-ing at the theater Dave works at - The Ritzy in Brixton. Not only would we see the film, but Tarantino himself (master of Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill) was there for a question period! One of my film mentors passed me going into the cinema, looked at me and said, "Hey there!"
The film was actually better than I expected (sexy girls getting stalked and killed by Kurt Russel and his killer car) and Tarantino was great. He did not fail to show off his arrogance, child-like giggles and general happy director guy. Very cool!
Goodbye to Greg...
And on to New York for me!
Last I left off, Greg and I had just arrived in London - city of history and expense. We were wonderfully able to stay with my Aunt and Uncle (thank you!) in London, allowing us to exist in the expensive big city world.
London was a "coming home" of sorts for me - having lived there (England) for the past year. Goodbye euros and hello pounds! London was the last stop for Greg who had never been to England before. My only regret was that I didn't see my cousin Nicky (and Rav) and my newborn niece Mia in those four days. Next time...
We began by diving right into the Thames. We walked the entire length of the river from Westminster Abby, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben to Tower Bridge and back. South and North sides. It was a wonderfully exhausting walk that gave us great views of St. Paul's Cathedral, Tate Modern, London Tower, Shakespeare's Theater and the London Eye (which is so expensive, you had to sell your soul for the high view. We opted to keep our soul and steal a view from the top of the Tate Modern - for free!)
What tour of London isn't complete without a trip to one of my fav places on Earth - the Natural History Museum. Greg was impressed by the dinosaur skeletons and I was impressed by the lack of crushing crowds. Everyone wins! The robotic T-Rex was exceptionally good this time round. Scaring kids...hehe...
After introducing Greg to the 'Pub Life' in England ("Can anyone murder a Guinness?"), we explored Leicester Square and picked up half-price tickets to two "Broadway" shows: Avenue Q and Spamalot. Both beyond spectacular and a very nice change from the norm Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables.
Avenue Q is a small show about life in on a run-down street on the edges of New York, where 20 and 30-somethings search for their purpose while dealing with adult situations. Also, most of the characters are puppets. Imagine Sesame Street all grown up and having lost all it's money. Princeton (puppet) moves into a tenement run by Gary Coleman, falls in love (and other stuff) with Kate Monster (puppet), and lives with other puppets and humans. Trekkie Monster (Cookie Monster without ANY morals) stole the show. Left humming the songs. Highly hilarious!
The next night, we had back row of the top top back balcony nosebleed seats for Monty Python's Spamalot. With the last tickets available, we entered the theater only to be told to talk to this woman. Confused, we go and see her. We are then suddenly upgraded to floor seats with fantastic views! A few minutes later, the curtain rises and the laughs never stop. In fact, I'd have to say that Spamalot (The Search for the Holy Grail movie put to musical) was one of the funniest things I had ever seen, ever. If it comes to Vancouver, SEE IT. Your muscle spasmed face and sore sides will thank you!
And we had one more treat for us before we left. Cousin Dave had alerted me to a special film opening we all attended our last night in London. Death Proof, Quentin Tarantino's new film, was premiere-ing at the theater Dave works at - The Ritzy in Brixton. Not only would we see the film, but Tarantino himself (master of Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill) was there for a question period! One of my film mentors passed me going into the cinema, looked at me and said, "Hey there!"
The film was actually better than I expected (sexy girls getting stalked and killed by Kurt Russel and his killer car) and Tarantino was great. He did not fail to show off his arrogance, child-like giggles and general happy director guy. Very cool!
Goodbye to Greg...
And on to New York for me!
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Greg vs. the Pigeons
Every great character in every story has a nemesis. Luke has Vader, Ripley has the Aliens, Batman has Joker, King Arthur has the Killer Rabbit...
This summer, a new conflict was born. One that spans the test of time and reaches beyond the stars...
Greg versus the Pigeons!
For three whole weeks, Greg and these flying rodents have been fighting it out. Bitter hatred spills from Greg, as he tries to kick them, and the birds take pleasure in hunting him and crapping on him. Not once but thrice. They dive bomb him, they get too close, and that stare! They generally terrify him.
But what has our Hero done to deserve this pointed abuse? It all started one sunny day in Lisbon, when climbing a steep street, Greg stepped on a dead pigeon. Stepped right in it! Well, we think the pigeon was dead. It certainly is now!
Anyway, this one indiscriminate act lead to the aggression and hatred we see today.
The Battle goes on. Just ask Greg...
This summer, a new conflict was born. One that spans the test of time and reaches beyond the stars...
Greg versus the Pigeons!
For three whole weeks, Greg and these flying rodents have been fighting it out. Bitter hatred spills from Greg, as he tries to kick them, and the birds take pleasure in hunting him and crapping on him. Not once but thrice. They dive bomb him, they get too close, and that stare! They generally terrify him.
But what has our Hero done to deserve this pointed abuse? It all started one sunny day in Lisbon, when climbing a steep street, Greg stepped on a dead pigeon. Stepped right in it! Well, we think the pigeon was dead. It certainly is now!
Anyway, this one indiscriminate act lead to the aggression and hatred we see today.
The Battle goes on. Just ask Greg...
Valencia to Barcelona to London
With the taste of tomatoes slowly leaving my mouth, Greg and I explored Valencia, survived Barcelona, and cooled down in London...
VALENCIA
After the tomatoes, Valencia was a clean and wonderful change. I really enjoyed the city with it's beaches and art galleries and ring of gardens around the city. We found an incredible food market where I took artistic and colourful photos while Greg bought Valencian Oranges. I also took photos of him buying the oranges.
A new and otherworldly place was the Center of Sciences, a collection of huge white futuristic looking buildings sitting in beautiful turquoise water. It housed the IMAX and some other museums, but it is the architecture that stunned me. I'll post pictures of them once I get home as it is the only way to appreciate them.
BARCELONA
Leaving Valencia by train, we arrived in Barcelona - our last stop in Spain. We see a bit of rain while the temperature soars. Because of a complication with the hostel bookings and the fact that we decided not to visit Ibiza, we had two extra nights in Barcelona. Luckily, we were sent to our hostel's sister hostel on the beach. On the beach. Nice. Good things come from mistakes.
So we end up with two nights on the beach and 3 in the city. Barcelona has a beautiful beach with dirty sand and water. We arrive in the morning to a clean beach, but leave in the afternoon to a beach littered with trash. It is the tourists and locals at fault here. Announcements about jellyfish fill the air in muffled tones.
Once in the city, it is all about Gaudi and his amazing architecture - la Pedrea (his apartment building with no right angles), Gaudi's Park (a rambling park on a hill with dripping caves and curvy walls), and la Sagrada Familla (his huge incomplete cathedral.) I had never seen his building before and loved the rooftop sculptures.
After some cheap and spectacular museums (esp. the Museum of Catalynian Art - WOW!), we made our way up Las Ramblas - the pedestrian street lined with living statues, gift shops, and animal stores (anyone wanna buy a chicken?) The idea of a Las Ramblas TV show seeded itself in my mind... Watch this space.
We caught the 10:30pm (which became the 12am) easyJet flight to London Gatwick, which arrived at 1am. It being after midnight, the underground trains were no longer working. Thus we resigned ourselves to sleeping on the cold hard floor of Gatwick's departures check-in area (beside the Virgin Atlantic stall).
Hours (two) later, we were awoke by the Virgin Stewardesses to a crowd of staring passengers, who needed our place to form a queue. Strange overtiredness sets in and somehow we arrive at my Uncle and Aunt's by 8am. We say hi and then crash.
LONDON to come...
VALENCIA
After the tomatoes, Valencia was a clean and wonderful change. I really enjoyed the city with it's beaches and art galleries and ring of gardens around the city. We found an incredible food market where I took artistic and colourful photos while Greg bought Valencian Oranges. I also took photos of him buying the oranges.
A new and otherworldly place was the Center of Sciences, a collection of huge white futuristic looking buildings sitting in beautiful turquoise water. It housed the IMAX and some other museums, but it is the architecture that stunned me. I'll post pictures of them once I get home as it is the only way to appreciate them.
BARCELONA
Leaving Valencia by train, we arrived in Barcelona - our last stop in Spain. We see a bit of rain while the temperature soars. Because of a complication with the hostel bookings and the fact that we decided not to visit Ibiza, we had two extra nights in Barcelona. Luckily, we were sent to our hostel's sister hostel on the beach. On the beach. Nice. Good things come from mistakes.
So we end up with two nights on the beach and 3 in the city. Barcelona has a beautiful beach with dirty sand and water. We arrive in the morning to a clean beach, but leave in the afternoon to a beach littered with trash. It is the tourists and locals at fault here. Announcements about jellyfish fill the air in muffled tones.
Once in the city, it is all about Gaudi and his amazing architecture - la Pedrea (his apartment building with no right angles), Gaudi's Park (a rambling park on a hill with dripping caves and curvy walls), and la Sagrada Familla (his huge incomplete cathedral.) I had never seen his building before and loved the rooftop sculptures.
After some cheap and spectacular museums (esp. the Museum of Catalynian Art - WOW!), we made our way up Las Ramblas - the pedestrian street lined with living statues, gift shops, and animal stores (anyone wanna buy a chicken?) The idea of a Las Ramblas TV show seeded itself in my mind... Watch this space.
We caught the 10:30pm (which became the 12am) easyJet flight to London Gatwick, which arrived at 1am. It being after midnight, the underground trains were no longer working. Thus we resigned ourselves to sleeping on the cold hard floor of Gatwick's departures check-in area (beside the Virgin Atlantic stall).
Hours (two) later, we were awoke by the Virgin Stewardesses to a crowd of staring passengers, who needed our place to form a queue. Strange overtiredness sets in and somehow we arrive at my Uncle and Aunt's by 8am. We say hi and then crash.
LONDON to come...
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