9/16/10
9/14/10
9/10/10
Part 3 - tuesday
Everyday didn't seem like reality and maybe that's because I have taken so long to write the rest of this. How many times we were hung over is a different story, or not actually. No it is this story. I wasn't hung over that over but when the next train home is at half 4 in the morning you know you are enjoying yourself.
Monday.
After the exhibition we left and got some food. That was always on the agenda and after traveling for 5000 days, or so it seemed we needed food. Of course we didn't get anything to eat until we arrived at Yaam. Pete and Martin met up with a man who wanted business. Martin was acting casual and wanted to be in on this and communicate with the people here. Martin always wanted to understand. We each put some money in and made the deal for some special. I ate my food. When buying the plate of rice,sauce and chicken I didn't know what to get so I asked what he recommended. In this situation I would always offer what I liked the best working in the food are etc too, although it was always on the back of my mind that this chef was giving me the worst shit from a bucket that he could think of. At least it was tasty shit. We rolled up a nice one and enjoyed it as the other gents drank a few beers and discussed the badges they were given. When you buy a beer you have to give an extra euro, this is returned to you when you give back the bottle and badge, in other terms you can buy these badges for a euro, or that was our outlook on it. I dont know if the barman was too happy with us keeping the badges, maybe he thought we were lazy fucking tourists who lost anything they we responsible with? I was facing Martin with Pete to my right the others were in deep discussion and Lee just went to get some of the food I had wolfed down. There were a few business men around, a few idiots and plenty of Germans. It was a monday so nothing was really going on. These business men seemed to have some sort of system though, with shifty moves and stern glances they communicated to each other, obviously wanting to sell more of the product. Martin was not happy now as behind me two business men were discussing something while getting a lot of eye contact from another. He seemed to be freaking out on the inside but now trying to ruin our vibe. I was oblivious to it all. We got the dart and travelled home. We slept and prepared for the next day. The pub crawl. The Mayhem.
Tuesday.
Everyday we would promise ourselves that we would get up in time to go and see enough of the city, to see the sites and follow a group of friendly people that would tell us what we would like and be entertained by. We never made it to the tour. Alan was the man with the plan. With his quick phrases he would wind us up and spring us in the direction of 'fun' and somewhere to have a laugh... have the laughs like. Pete and Joel drooled at sites and scenes painted by Blu. Huge pieces fitted onto walls. The artwork you could tell was manmade. It wasn't perfect but the imperfections just made it all the more impressive. He tried and didn't fail. It was one man speaking for countless thousands. Countless by man but not machine? We were merging with the place and wanted to leave pieces of ourselves behind, either leave something back in Ireland or Berlin. Joel left his signature and we were happy for him, I was impressed and this only pushed Martin into giving it all a try, I promised him my spray paint, I still havn't delivered. The large buildings did not seem industrial like. We sat by the river and smoked and discussed the plans for the evening. A group of locals were having a BBQ in the run down area surrounded by grass and street art. The sun was slowly setting, we had only been awake for 5 hours. We sang songs on the way back and shouted out for SHOTS. The Irish would drink the feckers under the table, any table, even a table tennis table. Table table. We arrived late to the meeting point but met at the second pub. 'You guys here for the pubcrawl?' a chubby rugged Australian asked us. Yeah show us to the troughs and fill my bucket with whiskey I'm paying you to lose my mind. The seven Irish were banded together under the umbrella of Piss Off and we met other Irish people there. I felt a need to talk to her, why I dont know, I dont want to talk to a lot of Irish people and I'm not even that proud of being Irish so why bring it up? Four French girls were not that impressed with me at all. I insisted in trying to talk French to them even though their level of English was above my French, I felt like I was insulting them. I probably was. Then we met Emma and her sister. I should have known straight away when she said that it was her second pubcrawl in a row that she was going to be a boring shallow person. Alcohol gives me a strut and a swagger and in a new place where I can reinvent my place just doesn't go down too well. Three of us already had girls and they would have been proud of the lads if they were with us the whole time, apart from the one night when we all got into an orgy. What? Emma and her sister are from England and their friend Emma is also from there. They met up in a hostel straight away we were jealous of as our Hostel friends seemed like ghosts that were up at 8 and away forever. We hit a gothic bar and the other pubcrawlers were making a mess out of all of it. Plenty Americans to be had, I don't know how they put up with carrying such a reputation everywhere, but not all Americans, only the non famous ones. Shots were had and drinks plunged into. We moved on and in hope of new and better sites. Catching the end of an experimental drone band we had a few more beers in the King Kong Klub. I sat with the americans and Emma's sister trying to understand it all. Glee is important over there too it seems. The table tennis club was next on the list where I drank a shot too little, I still remember it all. Alan invested in a paddle but lost and lost, the regulars seemed to put up with it all somehow. I swooned the second Emma and then with Alan as my wingman tried to talk a few Canadians into getting a few drinks, the locals had already grabbed their attention. Disappointment rose but I did not mind. Joel was on fire that night. Joel had a history with trouble and the law and had cleaned himself up a lot, but tonight he was on holidays. There was no grater meaning to it all, we were just getting fucked up. Really fucked up. After the absinthe I convinced the older sister Emma to have some fun. We spoke and she said things about friends and companions. I think I had something to prove to myself more than anything. I wanted to disregard all beliefs I had and try life the night of an asshole. I burned myself out too short leaving me be the underdog. I was flirting with another girl on the tram taking photos of her and filling her head with nonsense, it really is nonsense whenever anyone says something so shallow to you that they have to communicate it in words. Louis got in trouble for smoking on the tram but was sincerely sorry. When you know you shouldnt do something but you really want to even though you feel shit about it then you're caught? Damn guilt. We arrived in the dead of night in the bombed out train centre. Now having been with both the Emmas and feeling like all eyes glanced towards me were pure fucking hatred I just needed to sit down and have a beer, or throw up. Dancing was on and the tunes were pure bliss. Sigs ran free across any canvas and the night air was full of youth. The blurry slumber was a few hours away and Kris had disappeared with the younger sister. The devil. We cracked down on him for having a good time when we were ready for bed. From East to West it was early days.
Monday.
After the exhibition we left and got some food. That was always on the agenda and after traveling for 5000 days, or so it seemed we needed food. Of course we didn't get anything to eat until we arrived at Yaam. Pete and Martin met up with a man who wanted business. Martin was acting casual and wanted to be in on this and communicate with the people here. Martin always wanted to understand. We each put some money in and made the deal for some special. I ate my food. When buying the plate of rice,sauce and chicken I didn't know what to get so I asked what he recommended. In this situation I would always offer what I liked the best working in the food are etc too, although it was always on the back of my mind that this chef was giving me the worst shit from a bucket that he could think of. At least it was tasty shit. We rolled up a nice one and enjoyed it as the other gents drank a few beers and discussed the badges they were given. When you buy a beer you have to give an extra euro, this is returned to you when you give back the bottle and badge, in other terms you can buy these badges for a euro, or that was our outlook on it. I dont know if the barman was too happy with us keeping the badges, maybe he thought we were lazy fucking tourists who lost anything they we responsible with? I was facing Martin with Pete to my right the others were in deep discussion and Lee just went to get some of the food I had wolfed down. There were a few business men around, a few idiots and plenty of Germans. It was a monday so nothing was really going on. These business men seemed to have some sort of system though, with shifty moves and stern glances they communicated to each other, obviously wanting to sell more of the product. Martin was not happy now as behind me two business men were discussing something while getting a lot of eye contact from another. He seemed to be freaking out on the inside but now trying to ruin our vibe. I was oblivious to it all. We got the dart and travelled home. We slept and prepared for the next day. The pub crawl. The Mayhem.
Tuesday.
Everyday we would promise ourselves that we would get up in time to go and see enough of the city, to see the sites and follow a group of friendly people that would tell us what we would like and be entertained by. We never made it to the tour. Alan was the man with the plan. With his quick phrases he would wind us up and spring us in the direction of 'fun' and somewhere to have a laugh... have the laughs like. Pete and Joel drooled at sites and scenes painted by Blu. Huge pieces fitted onto walls. The artwork you could tell was manmade. It wasn't perfect but the imperfections just made it all the more impressive. He tried and didn't fail. It was one man speaking for countless thousands. Countless by man but not machine? We were merging with the place and wanted to leave pieces of ourselves behind, either leave something back in Ireland or Berlin. Joel left his signature and we were happy for him, I was impressed and this only pushed Martin into giving it all a try, I promised him my spray paint, I still havn't delivered. The large buildings did not seem industrial like. We sat by the river and smoked and discussed the plans for the evening. A group of locals were having a BBQ in the run down area surrounded by grass and street art. The sun was slowly setting, we had only been awake for 5 hours. We sang songs on the way back and shouted out for SHOTS. The Irish would drink the feckers under the table, any table, even a table tennis table. Table table. We arrived late to the meeting point but met at the second pub. 'You guys here for the pubcrawl?' a chubby rugged Australian asked us. Yeah show us to the troughs and fill my bucket with whiskey I'm paying you to lose my mind. The seven Irish were banded together under the umbrella of Piss Off and we met other Irish people there. I felt a need to talk to her, why I dont know, I dont want to talk to a lot of Irish people and I'm not even that proud of being Irish so why bring it up? Four French girls were not that impressed with me at all. I insisted in trying to talk French to them even though their level of English was above my French, I felt like I was insulting them. I probably was. Then we met Emma and her sister. I should have known straight away when she said that it was her second pubcrawl in a row that she was going to be a boring shallow person. Alcohol gives me a strut and a swagger and in a new place where I can reinvent my place just doesn't go down too well. Three of us already had girls and they would have been proud of the lads if they were with us the whole time, apart from the one night when we all got into an orgy. What? Emma and her sister are from England and their friend Emma is also from there. They met up in a hostel straight away we were jealous of as our Hostel friends seemed like ghosts that were up at 8 and away forever. We hit a gothic bar and the other pubcrawlers were making a mess out of all of it. Plenty Americans to be had, I don't know how they put up with carrying such a reputation everywhere, but not all Americans, only the non famous ones. Shots were had and drinks plunged into. We moved on and in hope of new and better sites. Catching the end of an experimental drone band we had a few more beers in the King Kong Klub. I sat with the americans and Emma's sister trying to understand it all. Glee is important over there too it seems. The table tennis club was next on the list where I drank a shot too little, I still remember it all. Alan invested in a paddle but lost and lost, the regulars seemed to put up with it all somehow. I swooned the second Emma and then with Alan as my wingman tried to talk a few Canadians into getting a few drinks, the locals had already grabbed their attention. Disappointment rose but I did not mind. Joel was on fire that night. Joel had a history with trouble and the law and had cleaned himself up a lot, but tonight he was on holidays. There was no grater meaning to it all, we were just getting fucked up. Really fucked up. After the absinthe I convinced the older sister Emma to have some fun. We spoke and she said things about friends and companions. I think I had something to prove to myself more than anything. I wanted to disregard all beliefs I had and try life the night of an asshole. I burned myself out too short leaving me be the underdog. I was flirting with another girl on the tram taking photos of her and filling her head with nonsense, it really is nonsense whenever anyone says something so shallow to you that they have to communicate it in words. Louis got in trouble for smoking on the tram but was sincerely sorry. When you know you shouldnt do something but you really want to even though you feel shit about it then you're caught? Damn guilt. We arrived in the dead of night in the bombed out train centre. Now having been with both the Emmas and feeling like all eyes glanced towards me were pure fucking hatred I just needed to sit down and have a beer, or throw up. Dancing was on and the tunes were pure bliss. Sigs ran free across any canvas and the night air was full of youth. The blurry slumber was a few hours away and Kris had disappeared with the younger sister. The devil. We cracked down on him for having a good time when we were ready for bed. From East to West it was early days.
9/8/10
9/6/10
The last night
A Shisha tent about half 2 in the morning. Surrounded by colours and low vibrations. Local strangers and masked mad men everywhere, it was all slowly dying. Here I defeated the wolf of Stradbally.
9/2/10
9/1/10
Part 2 - Maps
The plane journey consisted of cries and sighs far too many for a one way flight to Berlin. The Ryanair flight was delayed by two hours due to a small child being trapped in a door and the pilot not noticing. We paused for a while in London.
We were greeted by men in suits with guns. I am always amazed by the fact that the people that are meant to protect us, the police, carry guns. Guns, bang you are dead. The city seemed scare so far. It was big and blocky. Buildings were only in XL yet everyone was wearing a medium. I was tired and hungry and I was being told that we had a 2 hour journey to our beloved Hostel. Alan was comfortable with taking control and we very comfortable with him doing so. I was only here for the journey, I hadn't even looked up what to do in Berlin. My expectations were low.
Everything worked on time. Trains came and went swiftly. If you didn't know what you were doing you shouldn't be there. We marveled at the street art on the tracks, Pete and Joel being very much so in the scene back in the Dublin, as a warm orange glow hovered above the city skyline in the distance. On top of the double decker train I was trying to grasp onto the fact that I was away from serving people drinks and now, yes, I could have few myself. The 7 of us cried out for adventure and a bit of special...
The underground is huge, mass amounts of concrete and rock with large piles of metal flying around bringing us, the magnificent human race, to our all important destinations. We looked foreign and I felt it too with my big back pack and english falling out of my mouth, I needed to integrate. Above ground the city is bright and filled with white buildings. The west and east seemed to be divided still and with us staying on the west but longing for the east we experienced much. Lou noticed sentinel-like rabbits in the middle of a roundabout watch the blurry cars drive and stop and drive and then we arrived to the hostel.
With money replaced by keys we left for the city and found diversity in the heart of Europe. America has far too much of an influence on Ireland I think. Or maybe its just that humans have too much of a influence on each other but there did seem to be a different level of respect within this city and we respected this respect.
Where to go and what to see was the never ending question, but an art exhibition was first on our list. Louis had been over a few months before working on a project for some company and he was determined for us to see this. The giant mirrors, the hundreds miniature paper sculptures, the strobe lights and falling water, the lights and fog and madness at the hands of one man. Beauty.
We were greeted by men in suits with guns. I am always amazed by the fact that the people that are meant to protect us, the police, carry guns. Guns, bang you are dead. The city seemed scare so far. It was big and blocky. Buildings were only in XL yet everyone was wearing a medium. I was tired and hungry and I was being told that we had a 2 hour journey to our beloved Hostel. Alan was comfortable with taking control and we very comfortable with him doing so. I was only here for the journey, I hadn't even looked up what to do in Berlin. My expectations were low.
Everything worked on time. Trains came and went swiftly. If you didn't know what you were doing you shouldn't be there. We marveled at the street art on the tracks, Pete and Joel being very much so in the scene back in the Dublin, as a warm orange glow hovered above the city skyline in the distance. On top of the double decker train I was trying to grasp onto the fact that I was away from serving people drinks and now, yes, I could have few myself. The 7 of us cried out for adventure and a bit of special...
The underground is huge, mass amounts of concrete and rock with large piles of metal flying around bringing us, the magnificent human race, to our all important destinations. We looked foreign and I felt it too with my big back pack and english falling out of my mouth, I needed to integrate. Above ground the city is bright and filled with white buildings. The west and east seemed to be divided still and with us staying on the west but longing for the east we experienced much. Lou noticed sentinel-like rabbits in the middle of a roundabout watch the blurry cars drive and stop and drive and then we arrived to the hostel.
With money replaced by keys we left for the city and found diversity in the heart of Europe. America has far too much of an influence on Ireland I think. Or maybe its just that humans have too much of a influence on each other but there did seem to be a different level of respect within this city and we respected this respect.
Where to go and what to see was the never ending question, but an art exhibition was first on our list. Louis had been over a few months before working on a project for some company and he was determined for us to see this. The giant mirrors, the hundreds miniature paper sculptures, the strobe lights and falling water, the lights and fog and madness at the hands of one man. Beauty.
8/25/10
8/24/10
part 1 - No sleep
I woke up at four in the morning, I had only managed to get two hours sleep after reading a magazine about how bottled water was killing the planet. I knew I wasn't ready and foraged for missing items in my room. A shower, shit and a shave later I found myself waiting for my uncle with my bags. I had two with me and not enough of what I needed and too many of things unwanted. Uncle arrived within a few minutes, he owned the local taxi rank so he was used to normal people traveling to normal places. We struck up a quick conversation about what was waiting for us all in Berlin and if I had enough money, he was a caring man. The bus was pulling away as I got to the corner shop, I told him that he was early, he told me that the internet was wrong. How could the internet be wrong? I sat on the loud Bus Eireann and tried to catch a bit more sleep as my head hit off the window and sunlight slowly ripped through the cold grey morning sky. Others were driving to other places and the road went loose for anyone wanting a bit of slack. It was so very early.
I stood around the airport with my new clothes on. The jeans were killing me, it was my first time wearing them and they weren't for my legs yet. I was waiting on Alan, Peter, Joel and Louis. It was my first time meeting Pete but we had talked before online about the tragic events that had happened recently in Toronto with the G20 and I think I respected him before I really knew him. I only knew Lou, Al and Joe through Martin who was a good friend of mine since our trip to the Big Apple. Martin arrived with Kris shortly after, they were the mates, they were the duo. Al, Joe, Lou, Martin and Kris had all been friends with each other for years as they shared their school days together and the history was strong. We joked and smoked outside. We left our bags and got some terrible food, what is the 'right' food to eat at 6 in the morning? We found a place to have another smoke and discussed the various places to go and see on our cultural trip. We longed to be away from Ireland and its country of hopeless optimistics. I needed a story to tell, I needed a reason to leave and maybe, a reason to come back.
I stood around the airport with my new clothes on. The jeans were killing me, it was my first time wearing them and they weren't for my legs yet. I was waiting on Alan, Peter, Joel and Louis. It was my first time meeting Pete but we had talked before online about the tragic events that had happened recently in Toronto with the G20 and I think I respected him before I really knew him. I only knew Lou, Al and Joe through Martin who was a good friend of mine since our trip to the Big Apple. Martin arrived with Kris shortly after, they were the mates, they were the duo. Al, Joe, Lou, Martin and Kris had all been friends with each other for years as they shared their school days together and the history was strong. We joked and smoked outside. We left our bags and got some terrible food, what is the 'right' food to eat at 6 in the morning? We found a place to have another smoke and discussed the various places to go and see on our cultural trip. We longed to be away from Ireland and its country of hopeless optimistics. I needed a story to tell, I needed a reason to leave and maybe, a reason to come back.
8/1/10
7/30/10
Folded Waves - A Music Collective
A new music collective. Really I'm just sick of playing certain music with certain people because there's too many people and too much music to play, so why not do it all together? I think Folded Waves will be a collective group of musicians and artists creating things for others. Our first gig is this Wednesday in Paddy Blues in Gorey, Co. Wexford. Joe Smith, James Wright and I are playing 6 songs, all our own material. We are using many instruments between the three of us... Guitars, Bass, Percussion, Keyboards and effected Mics etc. We are also playing visuals that we have made for the individual songs expressing the music in a secondary manner.
I hope to carry this on when I get to Dublin as I have promised that I would play (jam) music with some good friends and I think that they are all open minded. Of course this idealistic group idea of everyone getting along and producing good music together in harmony without any problems is ridiculous, but that is the whole idea behind it. The concept of a folded wave is the moment that the water crashes on top of itself folding over. Waves are soothing to certain people and fatal reminders of tragic accidents and mass deaths to others. The relationship to lunar activities is also there along with outer-space. I live myself on an island surrounded by waves (no shit) so this can go on and on. What I'm saying is Folded Waves will not be fun all the time.
Am I getting ahead of myself? Am I putting too much on myself and expecting too much out of my own musical or artistic abilities? Fuck it, time will tell.
7/29/10
7/27/10
Photo
I found this in my home, there are now only 6 shots left and unfortunately you cannot buy film for it anymore in Ireland. In the camera exchange the shop owner said that you can get it from Amsterdam maybe but the whole polaroid business went bust 4 years ago. I think this is terrible as there is an outcry for polaroids I feel these days. I don't like digital cameras, I don't like the 'freedom' of being able to take as many photos as you want then only choose the 'good' ones. It shouldn't be that easy I think. More thought and not so much planning, but emotion almost should be given to photos. Plus seeing a photo in the REAL WORLD and not through a lcd screen on on a computer or digital frame is so much...nicer.
I put in a bid for one of these. A USSR Zenit ET Camera with a Helios 44M-4, 2/58 The photos you can produce are gorgeous.     |
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