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Borat
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Malmo, Sweden
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This place was Great
visited Dec 2006
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Christmas time is not only a time for spending time with your family, spending money, eating good food, exchanging gifts, watch classic movies on television. It is also a time for travel. For most people, this means traveling “home”. Also for myself this was the reason for making a short stop at Malmö central station; in transit between Amsterdam and my hometown in Sweden. Screening the main board for my connecting train, I feel a tap on my shoulder and hear someone speaking English with a strong eastern European accent. “Which train do I need to take to Landskrona?”. I’m not the least surprised, usually being the target for strangers’ craving for tourist/travel/map information. It’s rather late though, and you never know what kind of dodgy people hang out at public places at night, so I politely ask him to find the information desk. Turns out that he tried that already, and it was closed. Since it’s Christmas and all, and he seems genuinely lost, I decide to try to help him find his train. After a bit of search on the boards we finally manage to find his train. He is very happy that someone took the time to help him. “Sweden is the greatest country in the world” he says. Curious where this person is from who thinks that Sweden is heaven on earth, I ask him. “Kazakhstan”. With the recent hype of Borat and his film about the cultural learnings of various things, my immediate reaction is to look around for cameras and a film crew. Seriously, how often do you meet someone from Kazakhstan? His name is actually not Borat, but Alexij. It’s not clear why he is in Sweden and wants to go to Landskrona, a small town about as exciting as a pile of laundry. Being a bit suspicious towards strangers approaching me at train stations, I don’t ask for too many details. “You travel Russia?” he asks. “No, unfortunately not, but would like to. Maybe St. Petersburg some day” I reply. “Oh, then you have to come live with my aunt there. No problem.”. “Eh, well, I’m probably not going within the next few weeks...”. “No problem, when you go you contact me. My name is on website for DJ in Germany”. “Ok, I’ll do that”. The conversation is getting a bit too personal, so I excuse myself to go find my train. “No problem. Nice talking to you. Maybe see you again” he says. Here a handshake would be ok, if not a bit personal with a stranger you talked to for a couple of minutes. Alexij wants to take it a step further. He hugs. “This is how we do it in my country”. Holding on tight to my belongings, just waiting for a group of Kazakh thugs to jump me while this guy is distracting me, I try to break free. Nothing happens though. Alexij was just happy to talk to someone. I guess that was my cultural learning about Kazakhstan, much more tangible than the Borat movie...
posted Jan 7, 2007
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Shaken, Not Stirred
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Alton, United Kingdom
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This place was Average
visited Nov 2006
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There are good movies, there are bad movies, and there are James Bond movies. James Bond movies tend to be compared to other Bond movies – not to other Hollywood action/adventure/drama flicks. Therefore, whenever a new Bond film is released on the big screen, even the least level of interest in the character James Bond generates a certain level of anticipation and excitement. So, for a Bond fan like myself, what better way to combine a weekend in England with catching the newest Bond on the opening weekend?
The setting is ideal – small local theater, and in the company of an enthusiastic English crowd. No previews, no commercials, no nonsense. Straight to the point. Enter Daniel Craig as 007 in Casino Royale. For a couple of minutes at least...White lines across the screen, blurry picture. If something appears too good to be true, it probably is. In a desperate attempt to save the situation, the movie is turned off by the management. The audience, under the assumption that Bond will return momentarily, is chatting away in amusement. When the light is turned on after a few minutes, the chatter turns into a uniform laugh. The last laugh is however on the poor man walking up in front making the announcement that the projector is broken, and that the show is cancelled. Takes a few seconds to sink in, but where in many places this scenario could cause a minor riot, the local audience politely raise hands to ask questions to the manager regarding the possibilities to rebook. So, an evening in the theater with 007 is turned into a cozy evening in the living room couch with a documentary on James Bond theme songs.
The good thing about modern movies is that they are issued in very many copies. If one fails, there is a good chance that someone else will satisfy your needs. One perfectly well functioning showing is to be found the next day in a multiplex theater in the nearest mid-size town. Different price, different atmosphere, different audience, but nevertheless – Bond, James Bond.
posted Nov 21, 2006
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Cracking The Code
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Amsterdam, Netherlands
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This place was Great
visited Sep 2006
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Pretty much every single song ever written has a meaning. Some songs have deeper meanings than other songs. Actually, considering the massive output of songs throughout the years, most songs ever written probably mean very little to the vast majority. Personally, I’ve only taken the time to analyze no more than a dozen or so songs to find the true meaning and apply to my own situation. Most of them in association with romantic situations. In fact, all but one. But it took two. By coincidence on a Saturday night out, Mr. M and me started singing on one of the most brilliant rock songs ever written – Proud Mary. After having sung it numerous times in various versions, was started to actually listen to it. After having listening to it, we started to translating the lyrics to our native language Swedish. After having translated the lyrics, this song with seemingly little depth gained a whole new perspective. So, what have we got...? A character, probably a man, who left a good job in the city and hitched a ride on a river boat queen. Never lost a minute of sleep worrying about the way things might have been. Going up and down Mississippi, making some stops in Memphis and New Orleans. No financial worries, people on the river happy to give. So, this brilliant masterpiece that in the eyes and the ears of the big mass is merely a tune for karaoke bars or live pub evenings, is hereby been proven to have a much deeper significance, one that most will never comprehend. Repeating: a guy (or a girl) in the riverboat era, cruises the mighty Mississippi, leaves all the worries ashore. The code is cracked, the content of the song revealed – so simple but yet so complex. At least to two slightly intoxicated Swedish guys on a Saturday evening in Amsterdam. Big wheels keep on turning. Tina Turner said it well. The greatest diva of all – Proud Mary keeps on burning.
posted Nov 29, 2006
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The Hangar
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Berlin, Germany
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This place was Great
visited Sep 2006
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Probably very few tourists who visited Berlin left the city disappointed. The city offers more sights and activities than most other cities in Europe. Its history, culture, size, affordability, accessibility, and atmosphere make it a great destination for anyone who wants a little bit of everything in a short amount of time. A short weekend with the family is my reason to visit. After having seen the main sights, the family takes off for Sweden, and I’m left to explore the city for a day before the flight back to Amsterdam. Fortunately, an old friend lives there and knows the ins and outs of the city. Shows me the quarters off the beaten tourist tracks, places I would not have ended up at on my own random strollings. After the little historical review of that part of town, a visit to a flea market, and a nice chat catching up on old stories at a random café, she suggests something quite alternative. “I’m taking you to a club. It’s not a regular club, it’s the underground type of club. Under-underground”. Sure, why not. If that’s what people do on a Sunday in Berlin, why not. We’re close to the East Side Gallery – the only remains of the Berlin Wall, now transformed to a stretch of stylish or less stylish graffiti on this wall that was once a divider between East and West. Seen it the day before, so let’s go clubbing. The club is located in a rather dodgy neighborhood, houses are worn down, lots of empty lots. The entrance is literally a hole in the wall. Not the famous Berlin wall, but a regular concrete wall on a regular street. No signs, just a curtain covering the hole. We enter The Hangar. The first scen after having entered through the wall is an outdoor space with worn-down bar, a few trees, a ping-pong table that hasn’t been used lately if ever. Also a few people hang out outside. Mainly people who are too stoned, drugged, or drunk to enjoy the dancefloor inside. It’s not a place one should go who’s scared of germs, drugs, a wide variety of people, rabies, or techno music. The place is very, let’s say, liberal. No prejudice, everyone is welcome. My friend D seems to know most of the people there. She explains that although it is indeed an under-underground club, it’s well known of its kind. You see every kind of people here, from junkies to yuppies. On a good night people queue to get in. The interior, the actual club, is not as dodgy as the exterior. A dancefloor, a DJ booth, a bar, a few chairs and tables. It’s not very crowded, but for a Sunday afternoon it’s quite impressive how many people are out partying. The audience consist mainly of people who want to extend the fun from Saturday night. Some have passed out, some are dancing, some are chatting. One guy who just woke up from his nap lost his glasses. There’s a Swedish girl who likes the place and the city. An English guy tells his story how he ended up there after many years abroad. The beer is cheap and good, although not very cold. Eventually I have to leave to catch my flight. D shows me the way back. It’s actually not that complicated, I might even be able to find my way back next time in Berlin. Not sure if I will, but it was an enjoyable experience. A contrast to the busy and packed bars and clubs in Amsterdam, and with nice and openminded people. I literally left Berlin with a smile. And with a desire to come back.
posted Feb 11, 2007
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Alkmaarder
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Copenhagen, Denmark
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This place was Great
visited Jul 2006
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When you’re traveling alone and check in for a flight you never know who you’re going to end up next to. That’s why I always check in early and choose the window seat. If nothing else, you can look out the window, admire the view. Sometimes you get lucky and end up to someone who can keep you nice company during the flight, making the time goes faster. However, the short – one hour – flight between Amsterdam and Copenhagen isn’t exactly the ideal trip to make long term friends with strangers, so a lot of people try to use the time to make up some sleep and take a nap. Exactly what the young girl next to me decided to do. Will never know her name, but found out she’s from Alkmaar north of Amsterdam, going to see her boyfriend in Denmark. A warm smile towards her neighbor for the next hour – me – and she’s off to dreamland. She tries to lean against the rest, but she’s too short. So, next she tries to hold her head straight up and nap. No good, it keeps on falling to the side. Head to the right, snap and straighten it up. Head to the left, snap and straighten it up. Maybe she subconsciously realizes her head is entering unknown territory, and pulls out. Maybe this is how she always sleeps. Cute in an awkward way, but seemingly very uncomfortable. Being the gentleman I am, offer her to switch seats, so that she can lean against the window. Politely she turns down with the motivation that looking out over the wing would make her even more uncomfortable. So the twitching and swaying continues throughout the trip. I could never have imagined that watching someone trying to sleep could be this entertaining, but it sure as hell beat reading the in-flight magazine...
posted Nov 29, 2006
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