Yesterday I spent all day in the outside Cafe opposite the apartment. I like it because the staff there know me as I pop up 2-3 times a year for a few weeks for the last however many years.
Last Easter it got "scary" as I stopped having to order and they just always brought me what I wanted... So this time I have been varying my order to keep them guessing. I got there for an early breakfast capuccino and started a new book, Fiction!, called Merde Actually - 6 hours, 1 coffee, 1 sandwich and 2 beers later I had finished it. Its pretty amusing, a nice break from Stalin.
On the way back in to the flat I noticed in the mirrors in the lift that I seemed paler than I had been before... Too many days of eschewing the beach... So today I made damn sure I spent a healthy 4 hours lying on the beach/splashing around.
Monday, July 31, 2006
Friday, July 28, 2006
Croatian Lakes
Below is just a brief glimpse at Lake Plitsvice (i think thats how the english spelling goes... I called it Lake Blitskreig and Spit Vice and lots of other things...)]
This trip ended up streatching the bank a little... Aside from the 4am wake up to make the 6am bus which cost about 15 there was also the entrance fee of about the same and then the way back which is NOT direct but via some other town.. Karl's town is the translation... can't remember what the croatian is... not Karlstadt or Karlsburg or Karlsgrad... something else...
This trip ended up streatching the bank a little... Aside from the 4am wake up to make the 6am bus which cost about 15 there was also the entrance fee of about the same and then the way back which is NOT direct but via some other town.. Karl's town is the translation... can't remember what the croatian is... not Karlstadt or Karlsburg or Karlsgrad... something else...
International Firework Competition
At this time of year in Monaco there is an International Firework Competition and entries are spread every few days over a few weeks or so.
Last night was another display, I took about 200 photos and some are below, they are by no-means the "best" but I couldn't face hours wading through them all for focus etc.
I find fireworks pretty challenging to photograph as the contrast is so great and often confuses the camera between a really quick exposure (if it locks onto a flash) and a really long one (if you set the photo up when its dark awaiting the next flash). I found it easier just to turn the camera onto a manual mode and crank up the ISO setting to 1600.
A few examples below, maybe when i get home and can see them on a bigger screen i can pull out some good 'uns
Last night was another display, I took about 200 photos and some are below, they are by no-means the "best" but I couldn't face hours wading through them all for focus etc.
I find fireworks pretty challenging to photograph as the contrast is so great and often confuses the camera between a really quick exposure (if it locks onto a flash) and a really long one (if you set the photo up when its dark awaiting the next flash). I found it easier just to turn the camera onto a manual mode and crank up the ISO setting to 1600.
A few examples below, maybe when i get home and can see them on a bigger screen i can pull out some good 'uns
Thursday, July 27, 2006
No Money
Ive managed to (and had to) increase my AMEX limit by 400, various other cards are buggered already...
Then i got an email telling me my phone bill... 160GBP... thats probably the largest one ive ever had, brilliant.
So im broke...
Currently reading: The prison letters of Wei Jingsheng (almost finished) and The Stalinist Legacy by Tariq Ali (just started/halfway through). The latter is a Marxist analysis and makes good beach reading, I love reading fantasy books on the beach.
Need a Job.
Then i got an email telling me my phone bill... 160GBP... thats probably the largest one ive ever had, brilliant.
So im broke...
Currently reading: The prison letters of Wei Jingsheng (almost finished) and The Stalinist Legacy by Tariq Ali (just started/halfway through). The latter is a Marxist analysis and makes good beach reading, I love reading fantasy books on the beach.
Need a Job.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
And then I saw a cloud...
Saw a large cloud today whilst lying on the beach - left in disgust.
Deafness now cured, it was tremporary after all...
Last 2 days i've been having a large lunch sized salad for breakfast, its actually really good...
Been lying on the beach alot, slightly red nose. But I'm now the brownest I've ever been.
Feeling most chillaxed...
Deafness now cured, it was tremporary after all...
Last 2 days i've been having a large lunch sized salad for breakfast, its actually really good...
Been lying on the beach alot, slightly red nose. But I'm now the brownest I've ever been.
Feeling most chillaxed...
Friday, July 21, 2006
Game over
I'm in Monaco to stay until the 2nd August.
Travels are over.
Its a hard life, there is a beach and healthy food and not alot more. I'm fairly brown at the moment - I hope immigration let me in. (Post-racist humour steeped in irony - get off my back).
Remember you can read other occasional pieces I write here.
If everyone is particularly lucky I might publish my travel Diary at some point, only 12.99 + VAT (price subject to changes in line with inflation in Zimbabwe).
Also I have gone partially deaf in my right ear, I hope this is a temporary state of affairs... fairly sure it is water or something... i'm not a doctor.
Travels are over.
Its a hard life, there is a beach and healthy food and not alot more. I'm fairly brown at the moment - I hope immigration let me in. (Post-racist humour steeped in irony - get off my back).
Remember you can read other occasional pieces I write here.
If everyone is particularly lucky I might publish my travel Diary at some point, only 12.99 + VAT (price subject to changes in line with inflation in Zimbabwe).
Also I have gone partially deaf in my right ear, I hope this is a temporary state of affairs... fairly sure it is water or something... i'm not a doctor.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Rijeka Exodus
Today, in 2 hours or so i'll be leaving Rijeka and Croatia aswell, heading initially for Trieste by coach i will change onto a train and head to... towards the west...
I have photos but can't do anything about that here, when i arrive in Moaco hopefully i'll put some good ones up.
I have photos but can't do anything about that here, when i arrive in Moaco hopefully i'll put some good ones up.
Friday, July 14, 2006
Passed exams
Monday, July 10, 2006
Ok, plans! Coming home.
Passengers: MR ALEXANDER STEPHENSON
British Airways booking reference: (deleted)
Flight number: BA8136
From: Nice Terminal 1
To: Gatwick (London) Terminal N
Depart: 02 Aug 2006 22:35
Arrive: 02 Aug 2006 23:30
Class: Euro Traveller
Operated by: British Airways
Booking status: Confirmed
British Airways booking reference: (deleted)
Flight number: BA8136
From: Nice Terminal 1
To: Gatwick (London) Terminal N
Depart: 02 Aug 2006 22:35
Arrive: 02 Aug 2006 23:30
Class: Euro Traveller
Operated by: British Airways
Booking status: Confirmed
Sunday, July 09, 2006
Rijeka
Seems nice, I am here for mazbe as much as 2 weeks before I come home. At least 1 week.
Im near a castle looking out over the sea.
Sunday everything is closed...
I cant find an internet cafe with a USB port so my ipod remains uncharged and no photos on here, i cant find one that does apostrophes either. lots of these ČĆŠĐćčšđŽ crummy things though.
got to go!
Im near a castle looking out over the sea.
Sunday everything is closed...
I cant find an internet cafe with a USB port so my ipod remains uncharged and no photos on here, i cant find one that does apostrophes either. lots of these ČĆŠĐćčšđŽ crummy things though.
got to go!
Saturday, July 08, 2006
Xander breaks the Hungarian music photography scene
While I was in Hungary I went to a music festival.
I took some photographs.
And here they are in some Hungarian music article for the magazine "Underground".
Im international I tells ya!
I took some photographs.
And here they are in some Hungarian music article for the magazine "Underground".
Im international I tells ya!
Zagreb Night
Left the Dorm i was staying in because there was a freaky Belgium guy. Wandered around the corner and went into a tiny bar, the tiny ones are the best because there are no tourists. Higher chance of social interraction with the locals... even if they just rob you.
On the TV was a comedy, a man was in hospital being resucitated with one of those electric thingies but the Nurse, dressed only in her underwear, was so hot that he kept having heart attacks so the Doctor had to drag the Nurse into the cupboard... It was highbrow stuff.
Got talking to the locals, One of them fought in the Croatia - Yugoslav war, he got 2 medals. He has a son who is 25. He buys me beers, then we go somewhere else and get more beers then we go somewhere else and get more beers... there is a pattern (and i dont get robbed - i thought that was inevitable but no), then i go to the Dorm and say hello to the Belgium guy, hes freaky. It poured hard with rain.
In an hour my train leaves for Rijeka.
On the TV was a comedy, a man was in hospital being resucitated with one of those electric thingies but the Nurse, dressed only in her underwear, was so hot that he kept having heart attacks so the Doctor had to drag the Nurse into the cupboard... It was highbrow stuff.
Got talking to the locals, One of them fought in the Croatia - Yugoslav war, he got 2 medals. He has a son who is 25. He buys me beers, then we go somewhere else and get more beers then we go somewhere else and get more beers... there is a pattern (and i dont get robbed - i thought that was inevitable but no), then i go to the Dorm and say hello to the Belgium guy, hes freaky. It poured hard with rain.
In an hour my train leaves for Rijeka.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Lake Bled
Following advice I woke early and pootled off to Lake Bled. About an hour and a half by bus.In the middle of the lake there is an Island with a church on it, I hired a rowing boat and set off. I looked around the church - Its most impressive aspect is its age and location. I then swam around in the lake a little before rowing the boat back to the owner. I was complimented on my rowing technique and the man bitched about tourists who didn't know what they were doing... Its nice to be told you're great. Then I lay in the sun to dry off.
This here picture is a Swan with Cygnets... now that is a silly looking word. Looking towards the Church on the Island.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Beyond Austria
From Vienna i went to Klagenfurt in the south and spent 2 nights with a friend from university, then i got a lift with his father and brother to Ljubljana in Slovenia, where i am now.
It seems nice but i havent as yet had a good chance to look around, tonight and tomorrow i shall try.
No photos as i left my camera in the room and not alot has happened... more social stuff than cultural stuff... I also bought my first piece of artwork from local artist in Klagenfurt, it is currently in the mail to England, so to my family: look out for a larger than A4 brown paper parcel.
I need to get some food and maybe a drink...
It seems nice but i havent as yet had a good chance to look around, tonight and tomorrow i shall try.
No photos as i left my camera in the room and not alot has happened... more social stuff than cultural stuff... I also bought my first piece of artwork from local artist in Klagenfurt, it is currently in the mail to England, so to my family: look out for a larger than A4 brown paper parcel.
I need to get some food and maybe a drink...
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Vienna!
And now a little culture to detract from the sleaze below (click on the photo for a close up its breathtaking)... scroll down!
Another photo from the slovakian club mentioned below...
Alas a man´s arm blocked the flash, but those who care to stare... Here the ´lucky´man is nuzzling the hooker´s crotch...
Last night in Slovakia
Watched England lose to Portugal met some English girls, watched Brazil match with them, went to a bar and then a club.
Where this picture was taken.... the woman (not a random person, but i suppose hired by the club - which was on a boat) then lapdanced the volunteer from the crowd (think childrens party clown and then cry) who in this picture i think is being whipped a little...
Long stong short she ends up naked and he is standing there with his trousers and pants around his ankles for about 5 minutes - displaying proudly what might have been the world`s smallest nob and a sizeable pot belly while she wobbled herself around... i don´t have photos luckily of the later stagers as one of her minders suggested i might die if i didnt put the camera away.
Where this picture was taken.... the woman (not a random person, but i suppose hired by the club - which was on a boat) then lapdanced the volunteer from the crowd (think childrens party clown and then cry) who in this picture i think is being whipped a little...Long stong short she ends up naked and he is standing there with his trousers and pants around his ankles for about 5 minutes - displaying proudly what might have been the world`s smallest nob and a sizeable pot belly while she wobbled herself around... i don´t have photos luckily of the later stagers as one of her minders suggested i might die if i didnt put the camera away.
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Travels...
From Debrecin i went to Tchop and from Tchop to Skole, these places are in the Ukraine.
I found the Jewish cemetary in Skole, 30 years ago the communists levelled it and placed on that area a petrol station, In the field next to it and mostly covered by undergrowth are the uprooted and abandoned tomb stones. There is also a recent monument placed by one of the families commemorating the 2500 people shot by fascist in 1941-1944. I photograph all this.
Coincidentally when i left Skole back for Tchop i managed to procure the help of a father and son to get over the language barrier with the retarded ticket lady who said i couldn't use the train because her computer was broken, i explained i didnt want to ride her fucking computer to Tchop and was going to get on the fucking train anyway. I don't wake up at 5am to have some retarded bureacratic bitch tell me to watch a train stop and then leave because she cant print my ticket.... lucky she doesn't understand my string of early morning expletives. But the father and son arrive a little later and are also going that way so i go with them... long story short he is the Cultural minister of Skole and on the long train journey we discuss alot of things in bad english. HE is trying to place a monument near the petrol station to commemorate all the graves not just the one small one done by a family but Lviv the regional capital isnt so interested.
The train rolls slowly towards Tchop - 4 hours, only 2 by car. At Tchop i get a train to Cierna which is in Slovakia, getting a train from Tchop to Bratislava is very expensive from Cierna rather cheaper. From Cierna i get a train to Kosice and from Kosice i get one to Bratislava. At Cierna i make friends with some girls who find it hilarious an English person is in this part of the world, but they do not speak English. In Kosice i make friends with some tramps and a group of students from a bilingual college who are going camping, i have a 2 hour wait here. When i arrive in Bratislava at 22:45 i make friends outside the station with "Mike" or Mischa and i end up staying at his friend's house - Jana and another Mischa. This is lucky as couchsurfing has come to a tragic end...
I found the Jewish cemetary in Skole, 30 years ago the communists levelled it and placed on that area a petrol station, In the field next to it and mostly covered by undergrowth are the uprooted and abandoned tomb stones. There is also a recent monument placed by one of the families commemorating the 2500 people shot by fascist in 1941-1944. I photograph all this.
Coincidentally when i left Skole back for Tchop i managed to procure the help of a father and son to get over the language barrier with the retarded ticket lady who said i couldn't use the train because her computer was broken, i explained i didnt want to ride her fucking computer to Tchop and was going to get on the fucking train anyway. I don't wake up at 5am to have some retarded bureacratic bitch tell me to watch a train stop and then leave because she cant print my ticket.... lucky she doesn't understand my string of early morning expletives. But the father and son arrive a little later and are also going that way so i go with them... long story short he is the Cultural minister of Skole and on the long train journey we discuss alot of things in bad english. HE is trying to place a monument near the petrol station to commemorate all the graves not just the one small one done by a family but Lviv the regional capital isnt so interested.
The train rolls slowly towards Tchop - 4 hours, only 2 by car. At Tchop i get a train to Cierna which is in Slovakia, getting a train from Tchop to Bratislava is very expensive from Cierna rather cheaper. From Cierna i get a train to Kosice and from Kosice i get one to Bratislava. At Cierna i make friends with some girls who find it hilarious an English person is in this part of the world, but they do not speak English. In Kosice i make friends with some tramps and a group of students from a bilingual college who are going camping, i have a 2 hour wait here. When i arrive in Bratislava at 22:45 i make friends outside the station with "Mike" or Mischa and i end up staying at his friend's house - Jana and another Mischa. This is lucky as couchsurfing has come to a tragic end...
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