HedgedIn

Back In Black - part 1

Hello all,

Shazzy and I are back on Canadian soil and looking forward to seeing all of you! Here's the update of our honeymoon adventures (keep it clean, people, keep it clean) so we don't tell the same stories over and over and we can get down to some serious drinking with you.

I'll break it down into 5 stages so it doesn't end up being a stream of consciousness mess: Spain by myself, Spain with Sharon, Ireland, Switzerland, and Israel.

Spain without Sharon is like a bleaker version of purgatory than any theologan, poet, or priest could ever imagine. Oh o.k., it wasn't that bad. But my original plan of landing in Valencia and hitch-hiking around the south died a quick death. I woke up the first morning I was there and heard the sound of water hitting the ground. I assumed that it must actually be someone in a neighbouring room taking a shower but no, it was in fact raining and 3 C. It stayed like that for a few days so I gave up on the hitching plan, got an apt. with a couple of Italian waiters and a job (one student) and made Valencia my base.

During those 3 weeks I met a lot of good people, half Spanish, half anglo, at language exchanges and my local, The Lounge, and also went on a few days trips to nearby villages. The highlight of these was a trip to a village that I got stuck in through a serious of Spanish styled mishaps (e.g.- the last bus is at 9pm, it shows up at 9:30 and the driver tells me that he's not going all the way to Valencia because this is the last bus....) So I spent a couple of hours looking for a place to sleep before finally hiking up a little mountain on the edge of the bay at around midnight. I slept on a rock without a sleeping bag on kind of a cold night so it wasn't the best sleep of my life, but the sunrise on the Mediterranean and hike more than made up for it. It was probably the most spectacular sunrise I've ever seen.

When Sharon arrived in Barcelona we were given a grand tour of the city by Berta's brother Octavi and his girlfriend Meri and then the following day we were treated to a home cooked meal at Berta's parents house. It was a feast

Cuba again

Back to reality now for a week or so and finally getting my stuff in order. Early this year, feeling a need for immediate sceneic change, me and Jho decided to go to Cuba. It was a last minute all inclusive deal for a week. It was just what we needed and it fit our tight time frame. We both have been to Cuba on seperate ocassions before, but never to Santa Lucia. This part of Cuba is more desolate than Varadero (where I'd gone prior), and a little more relaxed. The beach was spectacular and the snorkeling great. It was a week of eating, drinking, and soaking up the rays.
We did get off the resort a few times. We rode bikes out to Coco beach (a small sea side village) about 8k away where we ate a delicious seafood lunch at a Cuban family's house. Also we toured Camaguey, the main city closest to Santa Lucia which is an hour and a half inland by bus. Camaguey is a beautiful colonial city with narrow streets and Spanish style architecture. It reminded me a lot of Granada, Nicaragua. There was a small river running through it as well, which was decscribed by one of the locals this way: "It's like the Nile, but ugly". Unfortunately this is a very accurate description. Thankfully it doesn't run through the older part of the city. And finally on our last day, Allan a Dairy farmer from Forest, Ontario who we befriended, took us out on a great Catamaran ride. He and his family have been coming to Cuba, to this particular resort for 10 years, and he has mastered the sailing of all the crafts they had for use there. He dropped Jho off at the reef 3 k out for a snorkel and then the rest of us went for a sail and picked him up on the way back. This proved to be very difficult due to unpredictable winds and lets just say that Jho had quite the swimming workout.
All in all, it was a short trip, but a great one. The only small snag was that SkyService lost our luggage for about 4 days. At least we had our bathing suits, so tragedy was averted. But it was also this situtaion, which we shared with about 10 other people on our flight, that brought us together with people throughout the resort. I have to say there was great generosity and good will amongst everyone.
A la proxima vez Cuba!

Hello Kitty saves the day

So it's FREEZING and it's close to the holiday season and the TTC can't function for some reason when it's cold out, and it's packed. blah blah blah rant...and then I stumbled on this picture I took two summers ago of a man and his beloved Hello Kitty back pack and suddenly everything was right and good again in the world. Thank you hello kitty.

Santa of Montreal

This lovable, cudabble, inflatable Santa was only one of the many highlights of my weekend in Montreal 2 weeks ago. I haven't been in Montreal for a year or so and being there once again made me realize how much more fun people have in Montreal. They certainly seem to have a more European mentality when it comes to quality of life. Montreal feel less like the working town Toronto has become and more like a stylish, slower paced town where people actually take the time to speak to you like a human being. The main event of this weekend was Jho's hockey tournament where he shown like a diamond.... a diamond on an old blind man's ring sporting a walking cane. I'm not being harsh, dem are close to his own words describing his talents. Also, we had a great time going out and about town, meeting with friends and eating really well. We managed to see some music too. The first night in Montreal we caught a blues band playing in smokey little bar, and were drunk enough to dance to a Johnny Cash tune. It was great. Everyone was up dancing and having a good time. We ended our night there by accidentally and very stylishly cracking a bottle of red wine on the floor. We left before anyone noticed - TO style. Our tipsy nature also marked our last night in town. We were going back to the hostel from a crazy bar talking about  the inflatable santa we saw earlier in the day. The argument was about which santa was gayer - the inflatable one or the dancing one??? Laughing loudly, doing impressions of both santas while stumbling everywhere, we disturbed our neighbours. We figured this out only the next day when we overheard them complaining about the noise we made, and their mattress being too hard, it's cold in their room, and blah blah blah..., a very uptight couple who should have checked into the Ritz Carlton, but somehow took a wrong turn and ended up in a hostel?   
It was a great fun filled weekend and ended with Jho, buying his Norman. Never seen anyone pace so much while bargaining for his now most prized possession. It's a beautiful blond guitar and I think he should name her Norma. My hats off to Douglas's driving skills and sense of humor.

Algonquin 2005 - Better late than never

So finally, I blog again. It’s been just over a month... or so. This entry pays homage to a trip that’s become a pilgrimage of sorts for me. It’s been 3 years now that I’ve been invited to join a crazy bunch of nature loving, condo comfort outdoor freaks who make the trek to North Tea Lake each August long weekend for 3 days of raisin’ hell, discovering nature and surviving against all odds. It’s a weekend of getting to know thy neighbours, getting along with thy neighbours and sometimes getting some time the hell away from thy neighbours. All in all a great, fun weekend and I thank them for including me!
And remember... “there’s nothing worse than a cranky Irish fuck behind the wheel that doesn’t stop to let you take a piss or have a smoke.” Till next year! See album of Algonquian tranquility on the side nav.

Sol y Nubes

Thursday evening ended up being one of the most spectacular sun set photo session I've had in my short sun set/sky photo taking career that began earlier this June. Yes, I've gone off the deep end and seem to be quiet addicted to taking photos of sun sets and the sky in general from my stoop here on the 22nd floor, also known as condor passage. It's beyond trying to stop. I think I've taken close to 120 photos so far in just 2 weeks. Crazy hermit like behavior or maybe I was a sun worshiping Inca in a past life. Yes, that's the one I'm going with,it's more romantic. Needless to say I'm enjoying this photo taking and have lots more to share. I'll sift through some of the 80 photos I like and see if there can be another nubes entry without causing people to commit me. See album on the side bar under "Sol y Nubes".

Live 8 or Evil Infinite?

Alright finally a topic worth ranting about. Live 8 in Barrie. Hmmmm... Looking at the line up of acts I can't help but feel disappointed; not because they aren't worthy musicians, but because I feel that they don't represent what is really happening in Canada musically. Most if not all the artists are well known Canadian icons (although, no Neil Young) with too much old notoriety and big fat record labels behind them. With a few... very few exceptions it's a stagnant line up that puts Canada 20 years back. I feel that because this is the smallest of all the live 8 events, they should have opened the door to growing Indie bands and try to boost newer Canadian talent. I understand the "big name" draw to some extent, but they could have picked some livelier acts. More and more bands leave the country and succeed elsewhere because the radio stations, and other media seem only to focus on the successful (money making) talent in Canada. Canadian content has become a pariah. Pretty sad, but true. But the public is also to blame for this. Few people actually go see live music in this city and listen mostly to crappy popular music that being pumped mindlessly into their brains. They have been brainwashed to listen  and come to love shitty music, Canadian or not. But now I've gone off topic. Live 8 as a tool for awareness to the problems in Africa is a Good idea, Live 8 in Barrie, is just boring. On a lighter note, a TT thought de jour: Bryan Adams is like the male equivalent of Belinda Carlyle, so run on down to see her act!

Sunsets 22

It's June and the sunsets have been spectacular as of late. Being on the 22nd floor helps me capture some pretty cool shots  without too many obstructions. Also my balcony is located in North York – Yodeling grounds for some. So, until of course they build some mammoth eye sore within close proximity I'll be taking photos. Too much thoughtless construction is going on in North York. I understand and agree with the idea of trying to maximize space by concentrating people in smaller areas and avoiding massive sprawl, but it would be nice if there was some kind of plan and cohesiveness to the whole thing. A sense of community and not just boring glass towers of all styles (most of which don't look right in the area) and wind tunnel streets that look like mini highways (referring to Yonge street here). The area as it stands is pretty sterile. It's in desperate need of a sense of style. Until then, I'll be taking pictures of the sky. See sidebar for album.

Chasing Cheese

First flaming light sabers and now chasing cheese down a hill.But seriously a good log of cheese is worth life altering injuries. See following article from ic Solihull.uk

Three hurt in cheese chasing race
May 30 2005
Dozens of daredevils risked life and limb as they chased a giant cheese down a steep slope as part of a bizarre traditional contest.The cheese rolling competition held every year on Cooper's Hill in Brockworth, Gloucestershire, involves competitors hurling themselves 200 metres down a 1 in 2 hill in pursuit of the cheese.The winner of the chase gets to keep the prize of a seven to eight pound Double Gloucester cheese.More than 4,000 spectators flocked to the odd event which has been celebrated for centuries and is thought to have its roots in a heathen festival to celebrate the return of spring.Organisers praised the event as one of the safest ever with St John Ambulance reporting three people taken to hospital with suspected fractured limbs.Teenager Chris Anderson, a window fitter from Brockworth, suffered a sprained ankle as he claimed first prize in one of the four races.
Chris, 17, was taken to hospital with his prize cheese clasped to his chest.Kiwi Dione Carter, 25, won the woman's event for the second year running. She tumbled headfirst over the finishing line to claim her prize.Jason Crowther, 23, from Pembrokeshire and Aaron Walden, 18, from Gloucester won the other two races.Organiser Richard Jefferies said: "It was a very good day and went very smoothly. There were a lot less casualties than normal. It is a good part of the local heritage and a tradition we would like to keep going."

A ray of light

aaaaaaaaaah hahahaha... I point and laugh at this which brings light into my gloomy gray day. Thank you oh great Obi-Wan Kenobrains for bringing a ray of stupidity into my life. The following is an article I found on CNN. Sad, but true. Another trophy for the hall of Darwin Awards.

'Lightsaber duel': two critical
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
LONDON, England -- Two Star Wars fans are in critical condition after apparently trying to make "lightsabers" by filling fluorescent light tubes with petrol, British media reports say.
Mark Webb, 20, and an unnamed 17-year-old girl are believed to have been filming the mock duel as they poured fuel into two glass tubes and lit it.The pair were taken to hospital after one of the devices exploded in woodland at Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, on Sunday evening. A spokeswoman for Hertfordshire Police told the UK's Press Association Tuesday that a third person present at the incident had been questioned. A videotape was found nearby. The spokeswoman told PA: "A 17-year-old girl and a 20-year-old man from Hemel Hempstead suffered serious injuries. They have been transferred to a specialist burns unit in Chelmsford, Essex, and are still critically ill in hospital. "At this stage we are unable to confirm the exact circumstances, but glass tubes and traces of accelerant (flammable substance) were found at the scene."  The final film in the Star Wars series, Revenge Of The Sith, arrived at UK cinemas last week. One of the crucial scenes features a lightsabre battle between Ewan McGregor's Obi-Wan Kenobi and Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker.