Sunday, July 26, 2009
South Africa's Celebration of Light Over English Bay
God or mother nature or Earth, however you want to think of it, responded tonight to our meager Celebration of Light with her own show of mighty power.
I think this is a fairly decent video of some of tonights fireworks over English Bay in this years Celebration of Light... Shot from a bit far away, but you can hear the music and see how the fireworks work with it. There will probably be better one's posted tomorrow, but I wanted to get this post off now. The show was competing with lightning and thunder. An extremely rare phenomenon here in Vancouver. Nobody expected a freak storm tonight. There was nothing in the forecast. The thing is, it's been scorching hot in Vancouver lately.
SOUTH AFRICA
Next night is the UK and after that China.
I really liked Canada's show and the Wizard of Oz theme, but this was special because it's almost like it brought a response from the skies... I weathered the rain to go out and see them and I intend to see the remaining two nights. Afterall, who can resist this sunset...
I think this is a fairly decent video of some of tonights fireworks over English Bay in this years Celebration of Light... Shot from a bit far away, but you can hear the music and see how the fireworks work with it. There will probably be better one's posted tomorrow, but I wanted to get this post off now. The show was competing with lightning and thunder. An extremely rare phenomenon here in Vancouver. Nobody expected a freak storm tonight. There was nothing in the forecast. The thing is, it's been scorching hot in Vancouver lately.
SOUTH AFRICA
Next night is the UK and after that China.
I really liked Canada's show and the Wizard of Oz theme, but this was special because it's almost like it brought a response from the skies... I weathered the rain to go out and see them and I intend to see the remaining two nights. Afterall, who can resist this sunset...
That was a shot off some news site about the freak storm tonight, but this is a view from my condo... Iphone camera quality... Sorry, that's all I had on me...
Monday, July 13, 2009
*Repost* God Will Give You Happiness When You Realize You Already Have It
***Repost from Sailing. This didn't show up before because of an HTML error in my Michael Jackson Post. I deleted the problem... Now you can read my deep thoughts that I was having about 8 days in to the trip on the deck of the boat...
So, I’m sitting on the boat on the second last night of sailing. We’re docked in Makarska and there is a party going on in the distance somewhere. Hvar and Makarska turned out to be big spring break type party towns. Kind of Ibiza-like I guess. Things have cooled off a bit so I’m just sitting and relaxing and taking some time to reflect on what I have seen so far of this beautiful country.
I said I was going to take some time to reflect on my path in life while I was travelling. I’m only a quarter of the way in, but I have been doing a lot of reflecting. So what have I learned?
I’ve learned that I am not alone in my confusion. I’ve learned that I am among a billion other people who go travelling each year to find a little bit more of themselves. In fact there is a whole industry based around it. It’s called the travel industry… Lol.
So why am I special? Because I AM learning something. Everyone learns something I suppose, but what I am learning is special to me.
I have learned that the world is pretty much the same wherever you go when it comes right down to it. People are all basically striving for the same things and having the same frustrations. On different levels and in their own way, of course. But I have found it very easy to relate to all the people I have met so far on a very basic level. No matter the language or culture. This is something which I knew, I guess, but it took this trip to bring this to the forefront of my thought process. So what does this little gem of knowledge do for me? It tells me I can live anywhere. I’m not just stuck in my little Canadian, socialist, english box anymore. That’s a big deal when one is planning one’s future.
Another thing I have learned is that I need to enjoy myself along the way and be patient as things happen in my life. There is always betterment on the horizon, but that will come. For now I am what I am and I should enjoy it. They don’t do “take away” coffee here. You have to sit and drink it in the “caffe-bar”. So if I want to enjoy something good (and I definitely do want to enjoy the coffee here), I have to stop and really enjoy it. I guess I should do the same in my life. Sometimes it’s all about perspective and how can I have perspective if I’m on the go all the time. How can I give something the attention it needs if I don’t stop and enjoy it. Also, Croatia is a developing tourist attraction. It is up and coming. They are not Italy yet. They know this here. But they don’t try to be something they are not. They just enjoy it as it happens. They do their job and do it well. They know they will get there. But they enjoy what they have and let life happen. I suppose I should have a plan. But I’m learning to just let life happen and enjoy it as it does.
Back to Split tomorrow. Looking forward to it. I really enjoyed the Diocletian palace. I’ll try and find an internet café. Upload these last 6 blog entries and then hit the beach. Vienna, Paris, Dublin, and Amsterdam are next. And they are not beach destinations.
*Sigh*… Croatia… I am seriously scouring real estate prices and Slavic universities online when I get home. I wonder if I’ll say that about every country on this trip…
So, I’m sitting on the boat on the second last night of sailing. We’re docked in Makarska and there is a party going on in the distance somewhere. Hvar and Makarska turned out to be big spring break type party towns. Kind of Ibiza-like I guess. Things have cooled off a bit so I’m just sitting and relaxing and taking some time to reflect on what I have seen so far of this beautiful country.
I said I was going to take some time to reflect on my path in life while I was travelling. I’m only a quarter of the way in, but I have been doing a lot of reflecting. So what have I learned?I’ve learned that I am not alone in my confusion. I’ve learned that I am among a billion other people who go travelling each year to find a little bit more of themselves. In fact there is a whole industry based around it. It’s called the travel industry… Lol.
So why am I special? Because I AM learning something. Everyone learns something I suppose, but what I am learning is special to me.
I have learned that the world is pretty much the same wherever you go when it comes right down to it. People are all basically striving for the same things and having the same frustrations. On different levels and in their own way, of course. But I have found it very easy to relate to all the people I have met so far on a very basic level. No matter the language or culture. This is something which I knew, I guess, but it took this trip to bring this to the forefront of my thought process. So what does this little gem of knowledge do for me? It tells me I can live anywhere. I’m not just stuck in my little Canadian, socialist, english box anymore. That’s a big deal when one is planning one’s future.
Another thing I have learned is that I need to enjoy myself along the way and be patient as things happen in my life. There is always betterment on the horizon, but that will come. For now I am what I am and I should enjoy it. They don’t do “take away” coffee here. You have to sit and drink it in the “caffe-bar”. So if I want to enjoy something good (and I definitely do want to enjoy the coffee here), I have to stop and really enjoy it. I guess I should do the same in my life. Sometimes it’s all about perspective and how can I have perspective if I’m on the go all the time. How can I give something the attention it needs if I don’t stop and enjoy it. Also, Croatia is a developing tourist attraction. It is up and coming. They are not Italy yet. They know this here. But they don’t try to be something they are not. They just enjoy it as it happens. They do their job and do it well. They know they will get there. But they enjoy what they have and let life happen. I suppose I should have a plan. But I’m learning to just let life happen and enjoy it as it does.
Back to Split tomorrow. Looking forward to it. I really enjoyed the Diocletian palace. I’ll try and find an internet café. Upload these last 6 blog entries and then hit the beach. Vienna, Paris, Dublin, and Amsterdam are next. And they are not beach destinations.
*Sigh*… Croatia… I am seriously scouring real estate prices and Slavic universities online when I get home. I wonder if I’ll say that about every country on this trip…
*Repost* Baby`s First Handshake
***Repost from Dubrovnik. This didn't show up before because of an HTML error in my Michael Jackson Post. I deleted the problem... Now you can read my lovely little commentaryt on the pretty flowers in Croatia. :)
So the vegetation here has very unexpectedly caught my attention. It’s different, of course. Maybe that’s why. I have made up my own names for some of the flowers here. This one I’ve dubbed Baby’s First Handshake. Bonus points if you know where I got that from...
The Amazing Hedge Maze Race
Ok... so I didn't actually win... But if I post these video's in this order, it looks like I did... :P
Orchestral Concert in Vienna, Mozart and Strauss works... Then... Alex's Feet Moving to the Music
Alex's feet moving to the music... Lol?....
The Flying Pig
This is the party place I stayed at in Amsterdam. Notice the pot smoking/ chill room to the right of the DJ. This place was fun... But it stunk and was dirty and noisy. Not a comfortable place to stay if yuo intend on sleeping...
Videos
This site is totally slow when uploading videos so I have devised the solution of uploading to my YouTube account and the embedding them here. Waaaay faster... Now I can share my video's. Yay!
I'll start posting with the video's from the end of my trip and work through to the ones at the beginning because people usually read top down and that way you'll see them in order :P
I also found out what has been going on with the formatting issues in Safari and Internet explorer (missing content etc...), and I'll try and fix those ASAP...
I'll start posting with the video's from the end of my trip and work through to the ones at the beginning because people usually read top down and that way you'll see them in order :P
I also found out what has been going on with the formatting issues in Safari and Internet explorer (missing content etc...), and I'll try and fix those ASAP...
Friday, July 10, 2009
I AMsterdam
Amsterdam is the home of cool stuff...
I toured some design houses in the arts district on the way to the one mile market...
I want this truck....
And I'll park my wee little truck by my house.... on the water...
I almost got arrested for taking this picture... I didn't realize I was in the Red Light District... It's only a vibrator store...
What did I do here? I met a few people in the dirtiest but funnest hostel ever. I toured the sites a little bit. Westerkerk Bell Tower, Ann Frank’s house, the Mile Long Market, and the Van Gogh Museum. Apparently, Amsterdam is the city with the most museums in the world. There is a museum for everything. A sex museum even… Lol...
The Van Gogh Museum...
They’re really easy going here. Everyone speaks English, but when just speaking with each other, they speak Dutch. I know absolutely no Dutch. It sounds kinda silly to me. I’m sure I would get used to it and if people who are Dutch are reading this I mean no offense, but you sound like the noises I would make when I talked to my dogs… jk ...
Forget the red light district. It’s a little morally disgusting and depressing, even for me. This is also kinda a party city. People come here because they are allowed to smoke weed. At least they’re not all drunk. I didn’t do any of that, but it was fun to be in a really free atmosphere.
***I had yet another video to put here which I couldn't upload... This site sucks foor uploading video's... So slow.. I'm gonna try to upload toi my youtube account and then embed them here. Stay tuned...
The westerkerk bell tower...
Amsterdam is the museum capital of the world...
Canals and architecture...
As far as being the winner of the cities contest… This one doesn’t beat Paris either. The canals are really cool, the people are great, there is really good shopping, etc… etc…, but the weather isn’t that great.
Mostly I just walked around the canals and thought a lot. Nothing like a totally different environment to stimulate thought. This is also my vacation, I remembered, so I should do some vacationing.
So what did I think about??
I toured some design houses in the arts district on the way to the one mile market...
I want this truck....
And I'll park my wee little truck by my house.... on the water...
I almost got arrested for taking this picture... I didn't realize I was in the Red Light District... It's only a vibrator store...
What did I do here? I met a few people in the dirtiest but funnest hostel ever. I toured the sites a little bit. Westerkerk Bell Tower, Ann Frank’s house, the Mile Long Market, and the Van Gogh Museum. Apparently, Amsterdam is the city with the most museums in the world. There is a museum for everything. A sex museum even… Lol...
The Van Gogh Museum...
They’re really easy going here. Everyone speaks English, but when just speaking with each other, they speak Dutch. I know absolutely no Dutch. It sounds kinda silly to me. I’m sure I would get used to it and if people who are Dutch are reading this I mean no offense, but you sound like the noises I would make when I talked to my dogs… jk ...
Forget the red light district. It’s a little morally disgusting and depressing, even for me. This is also kinda a party city. People come here because they are allowed to smoke weed. At least they’re not all drunk. I didn’t do any of that, but it was fun to be in a really free atmosphere.
***I had yet another video to put here which I couldn't upload... This site sucks foor uploading video's... So slow.. I'm gonna try to upload toi my youtube account and then embed them here. Stay tuned...
The westerkerk bell tower...
Amsterdam is the museum capital of the world...
Canals and architecture...
As far as being the winner of the cities contest… This one doesn’t beat Paris either. The canals are really cool, the people are great, there is really good shopping, etc… etc…, but the weather isn’t that great.
Mostly I just walked around the canals and thought a lot. Nothing like a totally different environment to stimulate thought. This is also my vacation, I remembered, so I should do some vacationing.
So what did I think about??
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Top 10 Things about Amsterdam
So I continued on alone to Amsterdam. It’s here that my journey ends. But not yet… I’m enjoying this city so far. I feel like I’m walking around in a Dahli painting. I’m staying at a hostel that a bit dingy, but super-cool (The flying Pig). This city is so surreal… And I’m not even smoking the weed
For now… This...
10) Every segment of society rides a bicycle. Young, old, rich, poor, black, white. I love beautiful people on bicycles. Get on this America.
9) I couldn’t make out what was so different, then I realized, no advertisements anywhere. At the occasional bus stop. Otherwise completely clean. Very refreshing and calming.
8) In 2008, a tobacco smoking ban was introduced in Dutch cafes and restaurants, but you are still allowed to smoke marihuana and hash in Dutch coffee shops - if only you don't mix it with regular tobacco… That's bad for you, you see...
7) There are bars and ‘coffee shops’ on every block… without exception!
6) Anne Frank house hysterically overrated and bad. I can see why she spent so much time complaining... Bo-Ring... She would have had a better time if she would have hidden at the Rembrandt house, who as far as I know made it through WWII unscathed...
5) Fast food places have vending machines where you can just put in coins and take out pre-made hot food.
4) Paprika flavored Lays potato chips.
3) Very high British people are kind of adorable, but a Dutch person talking to himself while riding through the red light district on his bicycle is a bit weird…
2) This city is comprised of twisting interlocked concentric circles. It’s like walking in a gyroscope where every step forward you take, the sun moves to a random far flung part of the sky. Also, on an unrelated note… You’re high...
….. drumroll…….....
1) I didn’t get a blowjob from a prostitute even though no one would have ever known. Look who’s all grown up!.. Lol...
For now… This...
10) Every segment of society rides a bicycle. Young, old, rich, poor, black, white. I love beautiful people on bicycles. Get on this America.
9) I couldn’t make out what was so different, then I realized, no advertisements anywhere. At the occasional bus stop. Otherwise completely clean. Very refreshing and calming.
8) In 2008, a tobacco smoking ban was introduced in Dutch cafes and restaurants, but you are still allowed to smoke marihuana and hash in Dutch coffee shops - if only you don't mix it with regular tobacco… That's bad for you, you see...
7) There are bars and ‘coffee shops’ on every block… without exception!
6) Anne Frank house hysterically overrated and bad. I can see why she spent so much time complaining... Bo-Ring... She would have had a better time if she would have hidden at the Rembrandt house, who as far as I know made it through WWII unscathed...
5) Fast food places have vending machines where you can just put in coins and take out pre-made hot food.
4) Paprika flavored Lays potato chips.
3) Very high British people are kind of adorable, but a Dutch person talking to himself while riding through the red light district on his bicycle is a bit weird…
2) This city is comprised of twisting interlocked concentric circles. It’s like walking in a gyroscope where every step forward you take, the sun moves to a random far flung part of the sky. Also, on an unrelated note… You’re high...
….. drumroll…….....
1) I didn’t get a blowjob from a prostitute even though no one would have ever known. Look who’s all grown up!.. Lol...
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