Emma Peios

4 Star Toilets

2008-03-25T11:47:00.019Z

I traveled like a local today by bus, to the Beijing Botanic Garden and Summer Palace complex. I wanted to mix with the average Beijinger. It’s hard to describe what the people look in Beijing. I guess like most cities there are people from many different countries and also the various regions of China. I caught an early morning bus so there was a good cross section of migrant workers. The largest group really stood out for me because despite looking Asian they did not look Chinese. Very dark skin, hazel coloured eyes, pointed noses and flicking worry beads. We spent much of the bus journey curiously at each other. In fact most of the bus passengers just stared at me. I guess they don’t get many tourists taking the local bus. Tourists, like the ex-pats travel by taxi as they are cheap, however not always easy to catch. I learnt from watching that the only place you can hail a cab is from a minor road. On any of the boulevards it seems that it is illegal to catch a cab.

All of the buses have a conductor or conductress in my case. There is a Chinese version of Celine Dion's (or Jennifer Rush?) The Power of Love playing from somewhere. Over the top of this the conductress is what I can only describe as MC’ing over the top of the music. I don’t speak Chinese so can only guess that she is telling people to move down or what stop we are coming to. After I have paid my fare she asks one of the migrant workers to give me his seat. Do all tourists get this treatment or is because I look more knackered than the guy who has probably worked a double shift?

Lots of the passengers are carrying clear flasks of green tea. No tea bags just leaves in hot water. The leaves sit at the bottom of the container and eventually unfurl and float. Apparently the best leaves float vertically. I got to enjoy some myself when I met the vice director of the Beijing Botanic Garden for an unplanned meeting in the garden's botanical conservatory. At the time, 1999, the conservatory was one of the biggest construction projects in Beijing, covering an area of 6,500 square meters with over 3000 different plants. This building is a mere egg when compared to the nearly finished Birds Nest stadium.

Statues inside the conservatory

Beijing Institute of Architecture www.biad.com.cn/Products/Detail_06_05.htm

The botanical gardens are set at the foot of the West Hill (Xi Shan) in the suburbs of Beijing and seem to be the only place to escape the smog and bustle of the urban areas. Being China though you are never alone for long and despite being set in 200 hectares and being a weekday the garden was busy. I could have easily spent the whole day here but my next location was a much older garden.

More info about the Beijing Botanic Garden www.beijingbg.com/English/index.asp

Originally called 'Qingyi Garden' (Garden of Clear Ripples) the Summer Palace was constructed in the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234). During the succeeding reign of feudal emperors it continued to be extended. By the time of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), it had become a luxurious royal garden providing royal families with rest and entertainment. Sadly as was the case with Yuyan Gardens, plundering by foreign troops in 1860 destroyed most of the buildings. In 1888 they were renovated by Empress Dowager Cixi using embezzled navy funds to reconstruct it for her own benefit. It was then that it became known as the Summer Palace (Yiheyuan). Subsequent foreign destruction occured again in 1900 but happily in 1998 it was listed as one of the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.

The Summer Palace is an archetypal Chinese garden with water playing a dominant feature namely a giant lake. Dotted around the shoreline and amongst the hills are magnificent palaces and temples. From the Tower of Buddhist Incense you get a panoramic view of Beijing.

This was another place that I could have spent all day as there are over 200 hectares to explore. However the light started to fade quickly and I had no idea what time the garden shut so before it got too dark I looked for any signs that looked like EXIT but I just kept coming across 4 star toilets!

Fears of dying of hyperthermia in the garden overnight began to set in, aided by not knowing the words for 'How to I get out of here?' Luckily I remembered that there was a McDonalds near the entrance. Having on first sight cursed whoever allowed the American golden arches to be built near a world heritage site I was actually glad for this landmark. Using the universal language of fastfood I just had to ask one person 'McDonalds?' and I was shown the way out.

Moving Forward Good Orderly Citizen

2008-03-24T15:37:00.004Z

I am taking the 10 hour train to Beijing. It could be worse Urumqi takes 44hrs and no I have no idea where that is either it was on the China train travel website which has lots of useful info http://www.seat61.com/China.htm

Having suffered the occasional mild panic attack from people surges I braced myself for Shanghai train station. I had nightmares about the scenes from Christmas time where 2 million people got stranded at stations around China. Thankfully the process was very smooth. The porter did try to charge me 50Y for bumping my bags no more than 2 metres. The taxi to the station only cost 19Y. All bags go through an X-ray machine. Well unless you are carrying what looks like a gift then they don’t seem to bother. So if you see anyone suspicious carrying a big box with a colourful bow – run! Joking aside JC told me that last week some Chinese nationals had threatened to blow themselves up on a internal flight. It seems terrorism has also come to China.

I asked JC to get me a soft class ticket (1st class 439Y) I peered into the hard class expecting wooden benches but the seats were just a little narrower than 1st class. The advantage of traveling by train is that you can use an MP3 player at all times. This is my effective sound blocker from the male phlegm throat chorus. Unlike the long distance trains in the UK there are no quiet zone carriages and as the coach was full of (male) businessmen phones were constantly going off.

From my window seat I had a good opportunity to see the Chinese landscape, another reason to travel by train. We passed lots of new dual carriageways that looked eerily quiet much like the black and white films from the 1960’s showing new motorways in England. Car ownership is clearly confined to the large cities. Housing is a complete mix. High rise blocks some 16 floors tower over shacks and 2 storey townhouses. I was please to see that many had solar panel water heaters. The 2 storey houses had black roof tiles which reminded me of Michael Palin’s leap across a train track to bring back a Chinese roof tile for Terry Gilliam in the BBC programme Around the World in 80 Days.

I joked about the airplane safety video in an earlier post on the Shanghai flight about no remote control cars. In between the mobile phones and throat clearing I could hear a whirring and whining noise. In the aisle behind me were two grown men in suits playing with a remote control Porsche.

The train magazine features an article about an usual barber who has a scary alternative to scissors.

Arriving in Beijing the taxi queue was worse than Paddington station on a train strike day. There did not seem to be a system of dropping off and collecting passengers. I was tired and the wind was blowing Gobi desert sand everywhere. There was no way of getting across the boulevard avenues to hail a cab from the other side of the road. I got into what I thought was a taxi and agreed a price I knew was triple what I should be paying. At the first set of traffic lights the driver jumped out and changed his number plates when he saw a police car around the corner. Despite saying he knew where my guesthouse was and having the map and address in Chinese, he did not seem to know where it was 10 minutes into the journey. He started making calls on his mobile and I had visions of him arranging for me to stay somewhere else, permanently.

I was convinced of his alternative motives even more when he refused to call the owner of where I was staying. He also refused to ask directions when we were roughly in the right district. Perhaps this was due to not showing bad face or men never asking for help with directions. We arrived at the dark alleyway entrance to the Hutong where I was staying and began to demand his fare. I assured him I would pay him when we had reached the front door of the hostel. Did he think I was going to run off with 40kg of my luggage and not pay him? Before I could give him all of the money he grabbed what I had in my hand and ran off into the dark.

The situation quickly changed though when the elaborate antique door of the Hutong was opened by a tired but smiling Mr Yang. Zheng Yang is the husband of the owner to Kelly’s Courtyard, a traditional hutong house now run as a guesthouse. Hutongs are narrow streets or even smaller just alleyways that are characteristic of Beijing. Along the hutongs are siheyuan (courtyard) traditional houses. For many years since the founding of The People’s Republic of China the number of Beijing hutongs has dropped dramatically as they are demolished to make way for new roads and buildings. More recently, some hutongs have been designated as protected areas in an attempt to preserve this aspect of Chinese cultural history.

Lots of beautiful decorative Chinese furniture at Kelly’s Courtyard

Mediterranean lifestyle for the rich and poor

2008-03-23T15:23:00.000Z

It’s my last full day in Shanghai. The hotel breakfast is becoming monotonous. Noodles and dim sum at 8am are no longer a novelty and I would pay many Yen for a bowl of Coco Pops. I’m on an enforced egg diet. For breakfast the options are eggs boiled, fried or baked. At lunch most soups seem to have either a preserved, picked or boiled egg. For supper any rice dish that is not just plain boiled has an egg thrown in for good measure.

Today has been the first day of rain since I’ve been in Asia. The temperature has been an unseasonably high at around 14C. The metro station Shanxi Road on Metro Line 1 is a few yards from my hotel yet I still get asked 5 times if I want to buy ‘Rolex, Gucci, Lady? Just look?. The aggressive street hawkers might be because the infamous Xlanggyang Market near Central Huaihai Road has been demolished. On my hunt for North Fakes, the Chinese equivalent of North Face clothing, I asked where the market was. A passerby pointed at a huge vacant building plot.

The Shanghai Metro carries 1.9 million people everyday, yes that figure is correct as of 2006! A policy of no food and drink certainly seems to help keep the system clean and a rather German/Swiss feel to the stations. Trains seem to be frequent and single metro tickets get recycled which is a fantastic idea. The issuing machine charges them with you chosen fare/destination and then the barrier machine keeps them on exit. It makes me wonder what happens to the thousands of pink paper tickets that get issued on the London Underground system everyday. How green is our transport system? Something for the new or existing major to consider.

As I crossed over the Wusong River today’s daily bizarre bike was a man carrying a big basket of racing pigeons which he released across the Creek.

Creek Art an art centre and (expensive) restaurant sits on the banks of Suzhou Creek. Their website is not shy to describe the location set amongst the slums and abandoned factories of downtown Shanghai. Inside this former flour factory can be found uber contemporary installations and art. The current exhibition is Deep Breath: Explore the Female Strength in Chinese Contemporary Art. 19 participating artists born between 1950’s and 70’s use various materials and media. The staff are very protective about any pictures being taken which I can understand regarding the art work but not the building. Check out their website for official pictures www.creekart.org

To try to show the contrast between rich and poor yet how closely they rub next to each other I photographed this al fresco kitchen for one of the slum houses. This was within yards of the entrance to Creek Art with its elegant top floor restaurant were diners sip imported wines to accompany their Italian cuisine.

As I was still in the north of the city I thought I would head to Duolun Road also known as Cultural Street. In the early 20th century many of the buildings were home to famous Chinese writers and political figure heads. Today the street has reemrged from a major restoration project and is a popular tourist attraction. Duolun MOMA stands as a large contemporary black building at the beginning of the road. There are numerous antique shops and teahouses along the pedestrian area. At #123 is The Old Film Café. From the outside it looks like a haunted house and the interior has the same feeling not helped by the creeking staircase and dimly lit rooms. Sitting having a cup of tea you feel like you are in your grandma’s best room on your best behaviour. Movie buffs will enjoy the photos of the vintage Chinese movie stars and the screenings of classic films from the '30s.

Champs Elysee de Chine

2008-03-22T12:44:00.001Z

Spring is great time to visit as the camellia and magnolias are in full bloom. Do be warned that the gardens get big waves of groups but if you are traveling alone try to hang back and you will catch a quiet moment in between each gaggle of tourists. The 5 acre gardens originated in 14^th century. They’ve had a peppered past during the Opium Wars and during the Taiping Rebellion. The high walls provide a secluded area of tranquility not just from the city but also the hectic modern day bazaar and food emporiums that cater of the masses. Vendors within the bazaar sell anything that once had a pulse, deep-fried, including chicken embryos on skewers. I stuck to dumplings or rather the dumplings did to my inside, very gluttonous!

A side road leading away from the gardens has some more interesting places to buy gifts including some good shops selling loose tea. One of my favourites is the flowering teas. These pretty hand-tied ‘flowers’ are made with green tea buds and beautiful aromatic flowers. When you pop them into boiling water they unfurl. I also came across a guy wearing a cowboy hat and doing his rendition of an Elvis song on a guitar. Buy one of the old small comic books that he sells and he might sing you a song.

If anyone knows anything about these books please get in touch.

Having been out in the open all day I got a slight tan. I had wondered why so many Asian women had been hiding under umbrellas. It’s considered unfashionable to have dark skin. In the west we have a huge tan culture. Self tan, tan booths, holidays that have to provide a suntan. The tan industry in the west is big and equal to that must be the opposite in Asia. I went to buy a moisturiser in their equivalent of Boots. Nearly every product had a whitening additive. I did some quick research and found that the main problem with some of these creams is that many of them contain a substance called hydroquinone, which a variety of studies have linked to:

Increased risk of cancer
Increased risk of adrenal gland problems
Increased risk of all health conditions associated with mercury poisoning
Increased risk of developing a rare metabolic disorder called ochronosis, which can cause physical changes to the skin and tissues surrounding the eyes, ears, and joints

Hydroquinone has already been banned for sale in the European Union,

Australia

, and

Japan

. Western brands such as Olay have the whitening selling point and Sephora sells whitening kits. I’m not so sure I want to continue to buy products from companies that promote the idea that whiter is better.

Standing patiently for the go ahead to cross the boulevard back to the hotel a guy on a motorbike pulled up to the crossing. On the back he had balanced a TV powered by a car battery showing DVD’s he had for sale. It was just like being at Brick Lane Market on Sunday morning. In London highly fidgety teams of Chinese migrant workers, mainly females wave illegal hard core porn DVD’s in your face. ‘DVD you want DVD?’

Dive into Shanghai

2008-03-21T11:34:00.012Z

Deciding against any more complicated taxi journeys I decided to hit the streets on foot.
I would have preferred to have done this on bicycle but I could not find anywhere that would hire one. I asked the hotel and they looked and me puzzled and pointed at the taxi rank.

Heading north I wanted to find a few shops that are mentioned in the Lonely Planet Guide to Shanghai. Madame Mao's Dowry (70 Fuxing Road West) was my chance to find some authentic Chinese antiques or at the very least bric a brac. Hoping to nab a few bargain retro items I should have gone to the bank first for a loan. Beautiful handpainted Mao inspired painted vintage mirrors were around £150. Large framed communist posters were a similar price. Having the ability to pick the most expensive items in shops I decided to leave before I got really tempted as there were some really nice pieces of furniture.

Behind Fuxing Road West using a combination of spotting the occasionally sign and detective work, I found Shanghai's Hand-printed Blue Nankeen (batik) Museum and Shop (No. 24, Lane 637 Changle Road). The collection includes a display of dying tools, wooden printing blocks and wax paper cutouts. The small museum shows how the production process has remained unchanged for many years and historic patterns are still reproduced. The technique looks similar to batik. I don’t have much more information about his place as the only leaflet left was in Japanese (I think the owner might be from there also) and the owners speak limited English. The prints echo the blue-glazed porcelain of the Song Dynasty (420-479 AD). I bought some lengths of the more wacky designs. Some of them remind me of African fabric.

Nankeen fabric to add to my small collection of textiles.

This is what wikipedia says about Nankeen.

The term blue nankeen' describes hand-printed fabric of artistic refinement and primitive simplicity, which originated on the Silk Road over three thousand years ago.

Hand-carved stencils, originally made from wood but now from heavy paper, are prepared and a mix of soya bean flour and slaked lime is applied through the openings of the stencil onto the 100% cotton fabric. When dry, the fabric is then dipped numerous times into the large tubs containing the indigo dye. After the right color is achieved and the fabric has dried, the paste is scraped off, revealing the white patterns on the blue cloth. The fabric is then washed, dried, and ironed before fabrication into the Nankeen collection. Such fabric represents a fast-disappearing historic art form which embodies ancient Chinese culture and traditions.

In the courtyard garden lengths of freshly printed fabric are hung over the Camellia bushes.

Even if you are not interesting in textiles the route to find the museum takes you right into the heart of urban residential life in Shanghai. This is a chance to see communal style living which within a short period of time will be replaced by skyscraping apartment blocks. The previous night I had seen a short documentary about life in these communal houses. Residents were asked what was good and bad about living in this way, a concept alien to western cities where most people don't even speak to their neighbour. Here kitchens and bathroom are shared. Each family has their own food but household chores are shared. There is of course no privacy but there is also no isolation. People are not dying alone and undiscovered for weeks.

Will the last person to bed please turn the light off?

2008-03-20T17:41:00.004Z

I spent the night in a cold, smelly insect ridden sex hotel or as described on their website ‘comfortable boutique hotel’. It is situated on the outskirts of the city. I am surrounded by B&Q and IKEA stores and then rows of tiny shops that seem to recycling rubbish. Where are the French restaurants and Zara’s that I was expecting? The one and only good thing about the sextel is there is free internet. I Google (yes it was working) luxury hotels Shanghai and book into the first hotel that comes up.

Alarming room service offerings

My taxi driver does not seem to know where the hotel is which is worrying as we are in the centre of the French Concession and surely it can’t be that hard to find a major hotel. He leaves me outside an office building insisting that is where I am staying. The security guards look at me bemused and a small crowd of office workers on their lunch break gather around me. Everyone seems to be pointing in different directions to show where the hotel is. I point to where I need to go but no one seems to recognise the map I have. I hail another cab and get taken 5 minutes around the corner to the correct hotel. It would have been 2 minutes but the traffic was bad.

I decided to spend the afternoon at Shanghai Botanic Garden to try and escape the mass of people and traffic. The magnolia trees were just starting to loose their petals.

This garden is currently undergoing refurbishment and will be replaced by another botanic garden so I am told by one of the guides. There are lots of preparations for the Olympic themed displays such as this one with the Chinese mascots.

My art director at Corbis had asked me to get some shots of the famous tourist area the Bund and the Pudong. The Bund is a section of Shanghai that runs along the along the western bank of the Huangpu river. Facing it is the financial district, the Pudong. In just 18 years a symbolic skyline of skyscrapers has been created in defiant contrast to the historic colonial buildings along the Bund. Pudong's gross domestic product reached an estimated RMB270 billion (US$38.5 billion) in 2008, an enviable achievement considering that before1990 the Pudong was mainly farmland.

I had to work quickly to get the shots because I was told that after 8pm the lights on the buildings get switched off to conserve power. Sure enough one by one the bling buildings disappeared into the dark night sky.

Upon returning to find my room has been prepared for sleep with my bed sheets turned out and room lighting set to dim. In fact dim is the brightest the room can get with artificial lights probably part of the energy saving directive. There is however a complex light system control from the centre of the twin beds. There is a night light, a lobby light, room light, three lights in the bath and a do not disturb light for outside the room. It’s still too dark to read my book though.

Don’t mention the T (ibet) word

2008-03-19T17:31:00.000Z

I am on plane to Shanghai, number 2 of 6 flights in total, reminding myself not to mention words such as Dalai, Lama, free, demo and protest. I also decided against buying the Dalai Lama’s biography from Hong Kong airport as I was ultra paranoid that I would be refused entry to mainland China. Riots in Tibet have been reported by the western press. I expect that once I enter China I will not hear anything more about it.

The onboard safety video shows in Cantonese and Mandarin that the use of remote control cars is not allowed onboard. So no mp3 players, mobile phones and remote control cars. How will we amuse ourselves? More about remote control cars later in this China Special.

My fellow passengers are preparing me for the spitting that I have been told is as common as blinking. The whole plane seems to be burping or drawing snot up their nose including the D&G clad lady next to me. I need my mp3 player to block out the noise. Ahh but I can't use it.

The driver AT kindly arranged for me when I was in HK greets me with a sign saying Miss Ema. Hoping for a bit of female conversation I soon discovered that she spoke no English and was determined to drive me to my hotel as fast as possible and with no distractions from a chatty passenger. I wonder if she has stolen the car or left the iron on at home. I kept checking behind to see if we were being chased. Just like the Greeks foot to the floor and no signals. I found it strange that as a nation with a one child policy all the cars on the road are large family saloons. I also found it odd that none of the cars had Sat Nav. Perhaps this is against Chinese State policy and only satellites are used for military purposes in China.

Blogger is playing up and not letting me edit properly. Am I being watched?

Insomnia on an Island

2008-03-18T17:10:00.015Z

I’m spending a couple of days in Hong Kong shaking off the jet lag and preparing myself for the expected culture shock that is China. I’m waking at random twilight times and having become bored of BBC News 24 I’ve begun taking pictures of and from my hotel room. Past times such as choosing which of the 5 different bottles of water to drink have become popular.

After meeting my art director at Corbis I went to look at the Hong Kong Flower Show. I’m a regular photographer at the RHS Flower Shows in England so I wanted to compare this major Asian show. With an attendance of over 500,000 it was just as hectic as the Chelsea Flower Show. Their seemed to be more emphasis on flower arranging rather than landscaping but considering where most of the visitors live, in high rise buildings perched on rocks, this seemed suitable for the audience.

Average age of visitors was 70+

Ready Steady...Shop Local

2008-01-09T15:57:00.000Z

Having given up four wheels or rather the four wheels gave up on me, I've become creative with my shopping.
Gone are the days when I just use to jump into the car and get to my big supermarket in 10 minutes. So I have forced myself to try the local shops. It is also the new trend in shopping.

However I still carry the financial scar of my last trip to the local grocery store when I was robbed of nearly £2 for one aubergine at The Grocery. I have re-named this shop Harrods East London Food Hall for its over pricing.

The vastly different alternative to the HELFH is Iceland. Fresh fruit and veg is minimal, well I guess the clue is in the name. Huge sacks of either potatoes or apples and very little else.

Fearing rickets and scurvy might set in due the lack of fresh food I decided to chance it at one of the '24hr(ish) we sell everything' Turkish shops.
Disguised as one of these stores is possibly one of the best greengrocers I have have found. Herbs, salad leaves, seasonal and non-seasonal fresh and cheap. I have no idea of the name, something Oluk.
For less than the price of one aubergine round the corner I bought all of this:

Note the empty sweet wrapper. I think I might need to buy shares in Cypressa as this chocolate covered halva bar is delicious. Halva is a sweet type of confectionery. In Greece they base it on tahini (sesame paste).

So it is possible to find cheap fresh fruit and veg in central London if you just go out of your comfort zone. You might just find such a place around your corner, disguised as something else!

Landscape Photographer of the Year

2007-11-06T23:09:00.000Z

While I waited for S to arrive at the National Film Theatre I had a wander around our rival competition to Garden Photographer of the Year www.gpoty.org

Charlie Waite a good friend of members of the GPOTY team is behind this inaugural year.

It’s a shame that the competition did not allow locations outside the UK. Yes the British Isles are beautiful but I like to see places from other parts of the world. Like Earth from the Air.

The printing and display were fantastic. However I felt that some of the images were all little over Photoshoped and a bit dated in style.

This image is a collage of all of the winning entries.

‘I’m an actor and a tree’.

2007-11-06T23:01:00.000Z

October 07

‘I’m an actor and a tree’.

Steve Buscemi

With thanks to S who works at The Times we got tickets to a National Film and Television School Masterclass as part of The Times BFI 51^st London Film Festival.

Host Briony Hanson was interviewing Indiewood’s most well respected character actors, Steve Buscemi. You say boosemi I say boo-SHEM-ē. Actually he does not mind how you pronounce it which only goes to emphasize Steve’s non-egotistical attitude.

What came across in this interview was his modesty about his acting and directing talent. He has a rare quality unknown in many Hollywood stars as having the ability to laugh at himself. Perhaps this comes from his background as a stand up comic. He described himself as an actor and a tree causing the audience to chuckle.

When asked about why he still takes roles in the high profile blockbusters such asMr. Pink in Reservoir Dogs, he said that he uses them to fund his indi work. However he was quick to point out that he is still selective about which scripts he accepts.

The obvious question was asked about being type cast as s dysfunctional character.. His response was that it is inevitable however does not consider his characters to be losers. He talks about them with some affection and naively refers to them as ‘just people with problems’.

It was encouraging to hear that even Buscemi has the dreaded writers block. He too finds it difficult to write and it frustrates him that this delays his creative process however ‘anything you write is worthwhile and it’s ok to tear it up’, sounding a bit like a life coach.

Buscemi openly admitted, again showing he is not afraid to share his insecurities, that he finds directing on series such as Homicide, his first series as director as ‘terrifying’ and ‘petrified’ that he has no time to prepare. Tree’s Lounge was his first feature film as writer and director and he described the experience as a learning curve. A process that he is still riding.

The audience had a chance to ask questions and it was interesting to hear about the production/technical side of his work. On his series work he has limited editing control particularly on Sopranos. Unless he is in LA tapes have to be sent back and forth hence the limited amount of input he can put in. He agreed that advances in technology are making it easier for people to make films however distribution has become much harder. Other questions from the floor were cringeable with one bizarre fan gleefully telling Buscemi that she found one of his films on DVD in a charity shop.

Sadly I never got the chance to ask him what kind of tree he sees himself as.

Steve Buscemi’s latest release is Interview

The City Within a City Η Πόλη μέσα στην Πόλη

2007-11-06T22:38:00.000Z

Sept –Oct 07

A walking exhibition tour of Heraklion Crete

One of the best ways to get around many cities is by foot. Heraklion is no exception especially as many of the streets are more like village alleyways, too narrow for even cars to pass although somehow they do.

By chance I was invited to the opening ceremony and walking tour of The City Within a City Project. The only information I had was to be at an ice cream parlour on Democratias Avenue for 1pm on Sunday.

It took me sometime time to find the right one as there were several and despite being late so were the other participants. This is the typical laid back attitude to any event organised by Greeks. In England weeks of planning would have been undertaken with press releases and personal invites sent out.

The project is part of the Comprehensive Urban Development Plan for Heraklion old town. Thanks to some European funding the project includes an exhibition, book and DVD with music composed by Crete based, Irish musician Ros Daly.

Maria Houlaki project co-ordinator began the event with a short speech and introduced some of the photographers that would talk about their work.

There was a mix of pro photographers (male) and amateurs as well as their families which made it a really nice informal event.

The exhibition of 30 images is unusual in that it does not have one specific venue. All of the images are displayed on single sheet advertising panels. Dotted throughout the city the tour took us through smart residential suburbs, around the main squares, along the Venetian ramparts and down to the new and old port.

Photographer Atalanta talking about her work

For several years Heraklion has been and still is a building site as it undergoes a makeover. Thankfully consideration has been taken to also preserve the old. A similar process was implemented with the extension of the underground system in Athens where brand new stations were blended with ancient discoveries. Some of the Athenian stations are like mini museums with glass panels showcasing sections of temple walls. In Heraklion ancient sites are being restored with European grants, to refresh a tired and well worn city.

The purpose of the exhibition is a’ project aimed at breaking down the barriers between the old and new town.’ Personally I don’t see any barriers. The two are merged and that’s what makes the city an interesting place to visit.

As a visitor I can see beauty and pathos amongst the derelict buildings. It was good to see that some of the other photographers had captured this. One photographer had carefully framed an image from cheese shop showing sheep grazing on grass and juxtaposed it with the reflection of a Venetian archway. Admittedly when I first saw the image I thought it had been created in Photoshop. Thanks to the artist describing how he took the image it was then clear to see the different elements.

The organisers’ objective is to use photography as a lever and a communication tool to bring about social debate. This is certainly a valid objective but surely the images must first be noticed? We are in world where we are bombarded by imagery. Billboards are one just one of these forms of mass communication. How does this exhibition get the citizens attention? Unfortunately it does not. We rarely stop to look at an advertisement and many of these images just blend into their surrounding environment.

When the images are seen by the citizens how do they have their dialogue heard? Images on a wall in a gallery or where ever they are displayed and where the objective is a dialogue should be about a two way dialogue. Don’t ask people to engage but then not give them a vehicle for their response.

Life is pants

2007-04-23T22:50:00.000+01:00

Friday 23 March
Finally some time off to play. I met up with an old friend who came over from Singapore.
I first met Ella while doing star jumps in a fitness class at the gym in the City of London. She moved to HK with her then boyfriend, they broke up and she wrote Life is Pants. We spent the evening having a typical 'chick' conversation in the spirit of her book. A fellow entrepaneur she set up an Asian version of Anne Summers www.oohtique.com

We hit the bar zone aka LKF (Lan Kwai Fong). Many of the bars had a really seedy atmosphere with pissed up ex-pats feeling up scantily clad Asian women young enough to be their daughters.
Thankfully the HK pioneers found a great bar in the LKF hotel, with a 5 star interior but prices to match.
In the early hours we hit the clubs which can often be found inside office buildings. We ended up at Club No 9. The dance area is circular and at the very top of a 30+ floor building with a V-DJ plying mainly MTV hits.
It took a while for the crowd to warm up, it seems that HK-ers are self conscious about dancing.

bare foot in Hong Kong

2007-04-23T22:14:00.000+01:00

Friday 23 March

The key part of the Digital Pioneer Programme is the mentor scheme. We have been eagerly waiting to meet and get to know our assigned people. I'm working with the MD for Ion Global in HK. IG are an international interactive web development and online marketing firm with many of their HK clients in the hotel industry. One of them being The Peninsula the epitome of the HK high life, with its fleet of Rolls Royce limos. We spent the whole day reviewing all my business areas and I've had lots of questions answered but also lots of new ideas to explore. At lunchtime we went to Victoria Park to expereince the walk of pain. On every street there are salons offering so called reflexology actually they just hammer your feet until they are numb. Although walking on these pebble paths are just as sadistic.

In contrast to the millionaires that cruise the highways of HK in their Ferraris there are signs of poverty if you care to look. According to a report by Cap Gemini & Merrill Lynch & Co the number of millionaires in Hong Kong they rose by 18.8 percent to 67,500 for 2004. ''China is generating wealth for a lot of people in Asia,'' said Stephen Corry, Merrill Lynch's vice president for regional equity strategy.

Frozen Tea

2007-04-22T21:49:00.000+01:00

We've spent several days with the HK pioneers and today we got a chance to see where they work.
This is VIP's office at Many Many. Not only can he produce high end animation he has a great interior design eye.

Next stop Jidou (in Japanese Jidou means automation and in Chinese self-empowerment) where Amy works for CEO Alexander Wong, an eccentric boyish looking creative entrepreneur who originally trained as an architect.
He has amazing amounts of energy fulled by a strictly controlled diet of only one small portion of carbs per day and no alcohol.
He has a truly unique approach to marketing and brand concepts.

Alexander recommended that we visit Dragon-I to eat. Thankfully they do serve carbs and booze in fact I had a fantastic sashimi. The interior has had no expense spared with hand stitched leather seating giant birdcages and mirror tiled bathrooms. David Beckham was a guest during his visit to HK. Desert was green tea ice cream.

I would like to thank...

2007-04-15T18:54:00.000+01:00

Wednesday 21^st March

Today was award day – lots of photos, smiling and cringing when they played my video piece in the huge presentation area at Cyberport. It was bad enough having a banner with my face looming at me while I ate my lunch but I had to listen to myself over loud speakers. I should have brought my ear plugs from the airplane.
During the rest if the day we attended the Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum (DELF). We got to listen and mingle with some very distinguished speakers here are some of them;

Scott Ross CEO of AWOL Pictures, Founder and Former Chairman and CEO of Digital Domain (Apollo 13, I Robot).

Warren Franklin CEO of Rainmaker (De Vinci Code, Garfield).

Paul Wang Imagi (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)

Edward Jones The Light Exchange (Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Witches of Eastwick, Happy Feet etc etc)

Michael Stephens who is a leading film and entertainment lawyer from NZ - WingNut.

Stef and Scott Ross:

I agree with Stef's comment , 'The Digital Pioneers programme is all about challenging our preconceptions and our business models.' Read his blog for a much more in depth viewpoint of the Digital Leadership Forum.

Cyberport arranged for a behind the scenes tour of Happy Valley racetrack.

A surreal experience because the race track was floodlit with a backdrop of the HK skyscrapers.

Multicoloured race pages are frantically studied by a strange mix of ex-pats drinking Pimms and locals eating noodles. This man told me to put a bet on number 10...it came first. If you know who this man contact me we have some race tracks to visit!

A stinging of a starter

2007-04-14T17:29:00.000+01:00

Tuesday 20^th March
Another United Nations breakfast and possibly yet another 12 course lunch means I force myself to the gym. However it is located in another block to the hotel and the walk seems a workout in itself! The pool and health suite are on the 11^th floor. I am beginning to forget what ground level looks like.
The morning was spent at the very nice building for the British Council in HK. They have free internet access – hoorah I miss my email. There has been no time to check it as the schedule has been so packed. It has been strange having your day planned and being taxied around.

We were given a talk and advice by 3 of the people that were on the interviewing panel for the HK pioneers.

Prof Desmond Hui with whom I share a gardening interest , he told me I must visit a place called Miaoli in Taiwain where he has a holiday home.

Bee-Leng Chua director of the Centre for Entreprenuership at the Chinese University of HK

Dr Gino Yu is Head of the Digital Entertainment Association of HK and a man who knows everyone. I am to seek out a man called Bobsee who owns the Life Café in HK and likes to plant trees,

More interviews on video are given – I really prefer being behind the camera especially when there is no hair and makeup artist on hand.

A lavish lunch was given at The Meridian and Vernie Yueng joins us but sadly I didn’t get a chance to ask him about what it was like working with Kylie Minogue.
Adventurous dish of the day is jelly fish. I‘m use to beating them with stones and burying them in the sand in

Greece

. They look just like noodles and if I had not been told what they were I would never had known that they were actually a stinging sea creature.

Tonight we visited the Asian Film Awards.

It’s a bit like the Oscars for Asian cinema. Lots of screaming fans (female) with illuminated boards saying I luv u! and waving them at the male actors up for nomination.

The event was held in the conference centre next to our hotel with amazing views of the harbour. They previewed lots of films I can’t wait to see. Hope I can get them back in the

. Best Film was The Host from

South Korea

Do fish have balls?

2007-04-14T17:20:00.000+01:00

Monday 18 March

In the evening we headed for MongKok Kowloon for something to eat and a chance to see street life in HK. MongKok means flourishing or busy corner in Chinese. Well every district we have been to fits this name.

There are so many places to eat that you can become overwhelmed with what to choose. Many of them are curb-side food stalls. Most of them sell traditional snacks such as fish balls, fried tofu and various dim sum

Following my own rule of a colour co-ordinated interior design must mean a clean kitchen I dragged the guys into Aberdeen Fish Ball Noodles. I only found it was called this from Amy the next day as there were hardly any signs in English. But if you are trying to find it yourself look out for the black and white décor.

Stafford and Stef looking very apprehensive about where I have dragged them into.

I must admit I am a little nervous when I see what is on the menu.

Don’t worry guys they serve beer...

San Miguel and according to the waiter it is local beer!

There is supposed to be a flower market in this district but we did not find it – one for the next visit.

Hello Kitty Love

2007-04-14T17:16:00.000+01:00

Monday 18 March
The final company visit today was to Outback and Outblaze based in Cyperport. They produce webdesign and multimedia content for one of my favourite asian characters Hello Kitty. One of the highest consumers of the Hello Kitty product are OL’s, office ladies. Not children, as the content and colour scheme appears to be aimed at. Proof of this adult interest is and I kid you not a Hello Kitty wedding in HK: MTR Love

Green eggs

2007-04-14T16:42:00.000+01:00

Monday 19th March
Today we had a whirlwind tour organised by the British Council of some of the top CGI and broadcasting companies in HK.
Menfond Electronic Art and Computer Design was our first destination. Entering the labyrinth of shopping malls that is underneath Menfond offices, we meet up with a delegation from

Canada

who are going to join us on our tour. Ken Bautista from Rocket Fuel, Tom Dodd of Fision Media Group and a delegation from the BANFF Centre.

MEA is owned by Victor and Eddy Wong. Victor studied computer art in the

and Eddy fineBeijing. Their company has produced the SFX for Pirates of the Caribbean 3, Die Hard IV, Ultra Violet and lots of battle scenes for Chinese films. Due to the shortage of skilled animator in the APAC region the company set up their own training course.

It is the first time that I have seen behind the scenes of an animation/CGI SFX studio. I was reminded of my days as a photographic printer. Where you spent all day in subdued light not knowing what time of day it was. These guys (yes hardly any women) sit in near darkness all day looking at a computer screen. Painstakingly adding for example 1000’s of arrows into a battle scene when the original footage shows half a dozen. Each VDU has been customized by the operator with asian style toys and mascots. I really wanted to take a photo but we were forbidden as much of the work is highly confidential and I would get shot – in a CGI kind of way with arrows, ‘Flying Daggers’ style!

Next stop was the Hong Kong Design Centre. The asian equivilant of the Design Council in the UK. Therer current display was for the Design Awards for Asia.

For lunch we are taken to the famous and oldest restaurant in HK Yung Kee.
It is only when the first of about 12 courses (I lost count) arrives that we discover what it is famous for; a very tasty roasted goose but not so edible are the 1000 year old eggs.

Various suggestions are given for what is used to age the eggs and we conclude either urine or a man made chemical. The revolving table comes in very useful when I spot them heading towards me.

Next stop on our tour is to a cable TV company owned by a couple of guys in the 60’s.

More exchanging of business cards, will I have enough to last the whole trip?
Robert Chua pioneered Hong Kong's first terrestrial TV station in 1967 as one of the first executive producers at Television Broadcasts (TVB,) now HK's dominant TV station and a powerhouse in Southern China. In 1979 his company became the first media business to sell foreign TV advertising directly into

China

. In 2004 he founded Asia first 24 hours interactive channel (TIC) and test broadcast over Hong Kong CableTV with 680,000 households.

When we arrive they are in the middle of a live broadcast called Home Away From Home for Philipino viewers. Stef pretends to be a viewer and posts an sms comment to the show

Ken the wannabe presenter sits in the hotseat.

Altitude Sickness

2007-04-02T09:55:00.000+01:00

Sunday 18 March

Hotel Renaissance – Harbour View

Woke up to vertigo. This is my view:

I have renamed the first meal of the day The United Nations Breakfast Buffet. Pancakes and waffles for the Americans and dumplings for the Asians. Somewhere in between was a continental breakfast. Naturally I had to try dumplings.

Thought I’d check out the spa facilities. Wow the ladies sauna has a floor to ceiling window. I sat looking over the harbour, trying to sweat off the dumplings yet hoping that the window really did have mirror glass as there was a building site 10 floors below the sauna window.

Café Deco Peak Galleria

To get to The Peak you can take a taxi or the venicular train. There is also a bus but you might not fancy a trip up a mountain round hair pin bends in a double decker.

There are fantastic views from The Peak – if the pollution is not being blown from mainland China. Despite the name of the restaurant I could not see any art deco influence, more like a 5 star TGI Friday’s.

We met the HK pioneers and had our first introduction to networking Asian style. Business cards are passed with two hands with the card facing the recipient. You must reciprocate the exchange of cards. It is the equivalent of a handshake and the formality is different from western networking.

Amy Tsang is the Assistant General Manger of Jidou Limited. Amy joined Jidou Limited, a digital entertainment powerhouse in Hong Kong in 2001, and has played a major role in creating Jidousports, the first international sports animation brand from Hong Kong.

Kwai Bun started his adventure as a flight attendant and world traveller. Inspired by his journeys, he continued his enthusiasm in computer graphics, and founded ManyMany Creations Ltd. His short film, "A Robot's Worth" has won several animation awards globally. His name means a V.I.P but he does not have the arogance of some of the so called VIP's I have met. This might be because he started his company from humble beginnings , with 2 PCs in a village house. ManyMany has grown rapidly and Kwai Bun has transformed himself from an artist into a business leader.

Wallis Wong is actively involved in the IT and wireless industry in Hong Kong and the Asia-Pacific region. He has successfully developed and launched more than 20 mobile games and services including two award winning games, 3G Mopas and Hong Kong War. His company is 3G Dynamics.

Perhaps it is the altitude of the restaurant thats has made me go a little spaced out, but I sense that we will become not just business associates but good friends. We share many things in common. Not just a desire to succeed in business but a curiosity for life.

McFoot

2007-04-02T00:16:00.000+01:00

Saturday 16^{th March}

Nathan Road, Kowloon

Our first night in Hong Kong and despite the 12+hour flight we head straight to the Star Ferry which is just by our hotel.

We end up eating in what we affectionately term Chinese McDonalds, Fairwood.
I have a set meal of satay pork, steamed spinach and rice, green tea and a soup with large unidentifiable floating objects – apart from the chickens foot. Hurrah we have arrived!

At midnight Nathan Road is as bright as day thanks to the huge amount of neon and florescent lighting. The huge illuminated advertising signs hang over the street just above our heads and they seem to be bigger than the building they are attached to. This all adds to the sense of claustrophobia and seedyness - not helped by shops called Wanko.

Tonight is St Patrick’s Day, reluctantly we find an Irish themed pub. The place is packed with people wearing plastic green hats. We are greeted by the owner, a Malaysian lady wearing an oversized Guinness pint glass shaped hat. The Irish band keep asking the audience ‘Who is from Ireland?’ – silence… Well my great-great grandmother was. Does that count?

Digital Pioneers

2007-04-02T00:11:00.000+01:00

I’m about fly to Hong Kong as part of a project called Digital Pioneers with the British Council.

Last year there was a call for ‘entrepreneurs’ working in Digital Media interested in establishing links with Hong Kong. I was shortlisted, interviewed by a panel of high profile judges and then picked as one of the three people from the UK to be ‘digital pioneers’. We are going to HK for networking, research, mentoring, business development, company visits, exhibition visits and if there is time, shopping. Three people from Hong Kong are doing the exact same thing in reverse. Hopefully we will become an international network of digital creative professionals around the world.

The two other people from the UK are Stef Lewandowski and Stafford Sumner. The HK pioneers are Amy Tsang, Kwai Bun VIP (I’ll explain later) and Wallis Wong.

White Russian and Red Princess

2007-04-01T23:16:00.000+01:00

Sadly not a new cocktail but a book launch by the writer Sofka Zinovieff. however there was planty of vodka on ice but I was officially working. Several of the people portrayed in the book were at the launch at The Arts Club London. Including Kyril Zinovief pictured here with SZ.

Also present was the colourful Carlolinda Tolstoy and Zinovy Zinik novelist and broadcaster.

I am still reading my copy of the book but here is good review by Sara Wheeler in The Guardian

The Joe and Whitney Circus Tour

2007-03-28T09:14:00.000+01:00

I was invited to the first major show in Paris by the Amercian artists Joe Coleman at the Palais de Tokyo.
Aged 6 Joe was placed into a special 1st Grade class for emotionally disturbed, disabled and retarded children. Two years later he drew his first pictures of bleeding saints, death by fire and stabbing. He paints using a magnifying glass because he works in minute detail.
The content is influenced by the darkside of American culture mixed with the freakiness of sideshow oddities. His narrative is easy to follow but for many, the nightmares might be difficult to forget.

Joe is not just a figurative artists but a showman, a ring master with his statuesque wife Whitney Ward by his side, all that was missing was a top hat (and whip - WW is a fetish queen).

Mash 2006

2007-02-06T21:26:00.000Z

http://www.magnuminmotion.com/essay_mash/

Try it with the sound off first time.

Flair Competition Entry

2007-01-24T18:29:00.000Z

Click here for my entry to the Flair competition.
Classic Chaos - a photojourno style image of my mechanics workshop.
John WHERE is my carburetor?
www.creativematch.com

I am Taki!

2007-01-05T17:26:00.000Z

Admired for your style and fresh approach to life, you are the Japanese femme fatale! Deceivingly innocent, you are actually a devil in disguise. You love to show off, but behind that flamboyant and sometimes carefree personality, you definately care for and stand up for your friends. Just one flaw, you can be annoyingly hyper and bouncy!! However this can be just what a friend needs after a boring day.

Which Soul Calibur character are you?

this quiz was made by david park

Intercourse for 4?

2006-12-05T23:17:00.000Z

Champor Champor described on its website as "Creative Malay-Asian food served in a unique and welcoming environment.", has to be the most unusually decorated restaurant I have been too for a while. It reminded me of the Yellow Heaven Soup Kitchen in Kingston upon Thames back in the early 90’s. Every space was filled with some odd sculpture or decoration, even the ceiling. Champor Champor is a great place for romantic dinners as they have a raised private seating box above the other dinners. Lighting is subdued which can mean you might not realize what you are looking at until your eyes become accustomed to the light. So don’t be frightened by the tribal masks or the porno paintings in the toilet. Oh and the Stephen King doll at the bar!

The bread order was a mix of fruit loaf and pitta style bread that looked like toasted peeled skin. That sounds awful but it tasted as bad as it looked. Yes of course I had to try it! We made E order frogs legs to start and stir fried kangaroo which were both very good. An hour to wait for the main course resulted in us being served complimentary plum wine as compensation. Strange though as I could have sworn it tasted of watered down cherry wine. As we wondered where to pour the drink our extremely polite androgynous waiter/ess asked us if we wanted intercourse. Covering our faces with the menu with embarrassment we realized it was a dish between courses – well what else could you call it?

62 Weston Street London SE1 3QJ Tel: 020 7403 4600

November 2006

Darfur at the Angel

2006-12-05T23:03:00.000Z

Kalabash

Salmon and Compass - Islington London

16 November 2006

Another fantastic live set from Emmanuel Jal and his crew at the Salmon and Compass last night. The venue is quite intimate with performers being on the dance floor rather than a stage. Prior to the gig Kalabash had organised an evening of African awareness focusing in particular on the Darfur region. Freestyle drumming intermingled with the talks and live music. A truly rhythmic evening.

Darfur Diaries: Message From Home
www.darfurdiaries.org

ALL ABOUT DARFUR
a film by Taghreed Elsanhouri
www.allaboutdarfur.com

Kalabash Movement is an organisation that seeks to promote African Awareness.Each event is designed to encourage recognition of the differences between the African Nations and celebrate the rich yet distinct cultural heritage and socio-political situations.We hope to give a platform to Musicians and Independent film makers and encourage a wider audience to appreciate their works.
Pics are of EJ and DJ Silvastone and Roachie

Indoor Water Feature

2006-11-25T17:47:00.000Z

Our last day on Crete and we were woken by water pouring through the ceiling of our apartment. On closer inspection it had happened before. However the moody staff at the Pyrgos Apartments did not seem bothered when I told them. In fact they were unsympathetic when our room did not get cleaned or that we had an army of ants walking through. I realize that it was the end of the season but you have to keep smiling until the last guest leaves if you want to give good customer service.

No Day

2006-11-25T17:43:00.000Z

Today is Oxi Day. Before you ask we did not spend the whole day saying no to everything! Celebrated throughout Greece on October 28 each year, Okhi Day (also spelled Ohi Day, Oxi Day, or Ochi Day, Greek: Επέτειος του «'Οχι», Anniversary of the "No") commemorates Greek dictator Ioannis Metaxas's (in power from August 4, 1936 until January 29, 1941) refusal of the ultimatum made by Italian dictator Mussolini on October 28, 1940. Metaxas's reply marked the beginning of Greece's participation in World War II. It’s a public holiday and it is commemorated with military, student and union parades. Just about every building has a Greek flag hanging from it. The TV stations broadcast military parades similar to the ones held in Russia which gives the impression that Greece is somehow still stuck in a cold war.

Loukoumades

2006-11-25T17:41:00.000Z

We went to one of my favourite eateries in town today, located at the beginning of Dikeosinis Street. It’s not your usual restaurant as the place has no name, not that I could see as I had my eyes fixed on the food. I have to warn you that there is a limited choice of what to eat, well that’s an understatement as they only sell one dish, loukoumades - which are deep-fried puffs of dough, drizzled with honey. They are so sweet which means, thank god, you can only eat half a dozen in one sitting. Sorry for the poor food photography - hey I was on holiday and I did not have a home economist with me!

Luna Parks

2006-11-25T17:37:00.000Z

We took a family trip to Katerina Luna Park by the harbour in Heraklion. In Greece permanent funfairs are called Luna Parks – I have no idea why. The whole trip was very nostalgic because as a child I used to beg my parents to take me to the Luna park in Athens when we lived there. Katerina Luna park is something from another era with retro rides and amusements like this punch ball machine.

Goldfish

2006-11-25T17:36:00.000Z

Our first eagerly awaited meal of the trip was in a taverna/ouzeri on Mitsotaki Street in Heraklion. When I say it’s on this street the kitchen is but the seating area is across the busiest roads in Crete – Sofokli Venizelou. The waiters dance in and out of the traffic with the plates over to the tables along the sea wall. But don’t let this health and safety at work performance put you off from going as it is a great place for a traditional Greek meze.

I don’t have a name unfortunately but it is the last eatery on the corner. If you are a foreigner (xeno) you will get the tourist menu which is the ubiquitous plastic flick book with garish pictures of food. However if you are Greek the waiter will bring your own order to fill in. A tick box list of about 40 different dishes ranging from melenzanasalata (pureed aubergine and garlic dip), sagnaki a deep fried cheese. Meat and fish (psari) dishes can also be ordered. J was craving some calcium for the baby so we ordered deep fried whitebait and these what can only be described as goldfish!

We are still looking through the reference books trying to work out what they were.

Heraklion October 2006

2006-11-25T17:32:00.000Z

A whirlwind visit to Crete this time and this was not just time related as the islands was experiencing freak weather conditions. The week before J and I were supposed to leave the BBC were reporting that Chania in the west of Crete was under a state of emergency. Flights were not operating from the airport and boats were kept in port due to Force 10 winds. However we kept reassuring each other that it would pass by the time we got there!

J nearly had her baby early trying to make the flight because of the roadworks on the M25. We were then delayed 6 hours (or was it 8, seemed more like 24) because the airplane had engine trouble. We finally arrive the next morning only to discover that D was not at the airport to collect us. Ever had that feeling that you should never have left home?

Much of the street rerouting has been completed since my last trip to Heraklion. This means that walking around has become easier so I explored the old part of the town though I’m not sure how much longer these buildings will remain.

DAM fine

2006-10-21T14:04:00.000+01:00

Arabic rap at the Barbican 20 October 2006

More musical delights last night. I meet BT at the Barbican and we were drawn towards the freestyle stage by the sound of rappers singing in Arabic. It was DAM doing their sound check for a free performance as part of the Ramadan Nights festival. I first heard about this group on BBC Radio 1 Extra, on the award winning documentary Hip Hop in the Holy Land.

DAM are possibly one of the biggest Arab rap groups in the Middle East. Mahmoud, Tamer and his brother Suhell are Israeli-Palestinian’s living in Lod. According to Tamer, Lod is the major drug market of the region and being located just 20 minutes from Tel Aviv and they are living with the daily reality of being an oppressed community.

I asked Mahmoud a very direct question but one I felt he was confident he could answer. I wanted to know what has stopped him from being one of those kids that walks into a crowded Israeli bar and blow himself up. For him, ‘his music and lyrics are more deadly’.

DAM also speak out about social issues including the treatment of women within their community and one of my favourite tracks is Freedom For My Sisters.

Guys - thanks for signing the new CD 'Dedication'. Mahmoud keep the non violent communication going – you will be heard and one day I hope you will see flowers from your window.

Official DAM website
www.dampalestine.com

Hip Hop in the Holy Land. http://www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra/tx/documentaries/hiphopintheholyland.shtml

The Shaky Leg Crew

2006-10-21T14:02:00.000+01:00

Emmanuel Jal and support at The Spitz, London 18 October 2006

Nearly a year ago my sister gave me a copy of Ceasefire, Jal’s first international album. Since then I have been listening to it nearly every week. So when I spotted a flyer at The Spitz in London tickets I had to get tickets.

I tried to book them through the box office but I gave up. I called them twice. The first time I got an answer phone and the second time I was told someone would call me back – they never did. If it was not for the website WeGotTickets we would never have gone.

Surprisingly not many people know about Jal, including R and G who had no idea what event I was dragging them to. ‘He’s a former child soldier of Sudan who found music and is now a rapper’ I told them as we met for pre gig drinks in the new ‘retail and leisure experience’ in Spitalfields. Jal was conscripted into the rebel Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) at the age of eight to fight in the civil war. He spent four years fighting in Sudan, with an AK-47 by his side. Despite a tragic childhood including losing his adoptive mother, the British aid worker Emma McCune Jal remains a strong yet humble person.

First on stage were support act Glide:a'scope’s, trip hop chill out music. A mesmerising performance by the female flutist. On one of Glide’s websites http://www.audiocinematography.com/flash.htm you can listen to previews of his debut album Audio Cinematography. However I would not recommend watching the video pieces. The storylines to the video really distract from the music as they are over complicated, too many different locations and people and themes. Sorry Glide and whoever produced/directed this for you but it really does not do your work justice. Ok I can hear you saying ‘no budget’ but you need a much simpler look to your videos as the music is so rich and woven with so many influences. If you need someone to produce/direct your next video give me a shout I have a few ideas…

Within moments of bounding onto stage, Jal had the audience, dancing, laughing and crying. The lyrics, which Jal raps in English and a Sudanese dialect, are a plea for an end to a conflict in Sudan. A truly passionate performance of tracks from Ceasefire and new songs from his third album War Child. Turntable maestro was the very talented producer writer etc etc Davidson Lynch-Shyllon ;)

As we left the venue Jal and his crew harmonised a unique and unforgettable version of happy birthday to R. As we staggered home on a high of music and friendship we sang we don’t want no hoes, no bitches no bling… Peace and love to you guys.

(JC if you find that cable I’ll upload the phone-video of this live performance onto moblog www.moblog.com)

Set list: Taxi, Hai, Force, WarChild, Baai, Backiwara, No Bling, Gua, Elengwen and Tung.

Emmanuel Jal Official Website

http://www.emmanueljalonline.net/

MySpace

http://www.myspace.com/emmanueljal

more about KASH

2006-10-17T15:21:00.000+01:00

The NUJ have created a message board page on their site where people can post comments of support for the release of Kash freelance photojournalist http://www.kashgt.co.uk/
http://www.nujphoto.org/

This is the latest press release from Reporters Without Borders and a correction to the exact date he was captured - 12 October 2006.

Reporters Without Borders

Press releases

15 October 2006

AFGHANISTAN

Italian freelance photographer seized by armed men


Reporters Without Borders said today it was "very concerned" about the
kidnapping of an Italian photographer, Gabriele Torsello, in southern
Afghanistan and called for his immediate release.


"He is not a spy or a bargaining chip, but a courageous journalist who has
lived among the Afghan people for several months," the worldwide press
freedom organisation said, calling on the authorities and the country's
religious leaders to make every effort to obtain his release.


Torsello, a freelance, was seized by five armed men from a bus on his way
from Lashkar Gah to Kandahar on 12 October. The online news website Peace
Reporter, which disclosed the kidnapping, said he had managed the same day
to phone the head of security at a hospital in Lashkar Gah run by the
Italian NGO Emergency to ask him to assure the kidnappers of his "good
intentions" and that he had converted to Islam.


The independent Afghan news agency Pajhwok quoted an Afghan journalist who
had been travelling with him as saying he had called Torsello's mobile phone
and that a man had answered and said "We are the Taliban and we have
kidnapped the foreign spy." The Italian foreign ministry said today it was
treating the incident as a kidnapping.


Mullah Dadullah, a Taliban military chieftain, threatened on 4 September to
kill journalists who published news put out by the NATO forces in
Afghanistan. "We have an Islamic right to kill such reporters," he said.


Torsello, who has worked as a photojournalist around the world for the past
decade, has been in Afghanistan for several months, wearing a black beard
and Afghan clothes. He is married with one child, has converted to Islam and
is based in London.

KASH GT - Gabriele Torsello

2006-10-16T19:40:00.000+01:00

My thoughts and hopes for a positive outcome are with Kash and for his family in London and Italy.
It has been reported that Kash was kidnapped yesterday by Taliban gunmen in Helmand province of Afghanistan.
On numerous occasions Kash has offered his advice and support to me a fellow photographer. I first came across Kash on the discussion forums on EPUK. We recently exchanged ideas about book publishing an area we both have experience of.
KASH wherever you are being held there are many people thinking about you and trying to do whatever they can to get you out safely.
For more details please click this link to the UK Editorial Photographers group.
http://www.epuk.org/News/389/photojournalist-torsello-kidnapped-by-afghan-gunmen

Cherry Tinkers

2006-08-11T10:45:00.000+01:00

Braving the wilds of East Kent and the traveller community I went to photograph cherry harvest.
Kent is normally associated with hops and apples and many apples orchards are being lost to development. Even scarcer are cherry orchards. It's hard to miss them as the bright shiny red berries look like rubies.
Faversham cherries are exported all over the world and are much better than the imported varieties that we get in the UK. When you eat seasonal fruit and in particular local produce it's hard to go back to eating strawberries in December and not something that I can say I miss.

Gordon Ramsey recently visited Kent to sample the fruit. He has some classic recipes for cherries click on this link:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,4382-2297447,00.html

Much of the fruit collection is undertaken by young Polish immigrants but the orchard I visited in Faversham is occupied by a small family of travellers who stay just for the cherry season.
One of the varieties that they pick is Stella.
As the cherry season passes I am watching the plum trees with anticipation for the next crop of fruit for my jam making.

CaCo3

2006-07-27T23:55:00.000+01:00

Chalk to those that have forgotten their chemistry lessons!
I'm a bit slow getting this post up due to a huge backlog of images I've shot this summer but better late than never.
My chums Fern Alder and Heidi Harvey won silver for their show garden at the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show.
Congratulations girls and to all those that helped make a rather dusty field in Surrey whiter than white. They can now officially say 'as seen on TV' as the BBC did a special feature about how and where they got their inspiration from -the Kent countryside of course.
Lots more info on Fern's website www.spacefx.net and on the BBC site for a 360 view
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/flower_shows/hampton_court_2006/hc06gardens_showkent.shtml

But no one got this shot as it meant waiting until dusk, despite having been there since 6am to get the morning light. Thanks to digital capture I managed to get the projection and chalk backdrop. Something that film could never do and most people at the show never saw because the sun bleached everything.

Matchstick visitors

2006-07-27T23:27:00.000+01:00

If you are visiting the north west try and go to The Lowry in Manchester's Salford Quays.
Some huge and impressive architecture all round this area.
The Lowry is an emporium of art and entertainment. In addition to the permanent display of LS Lowry's work they also have temporary exhibitions. Currently showing is the Folk Archive: Contemporary Popular Art from the UK
http://www.thelowry.com/WhatsOn/EventDetail.aspx?EventId=2359

'Highlight' of the show are the Blackpool Illuminations which were in the process of being installed when I visited. Out of context they are quite bizarre.

I'm currently doing some consultancy work for a new company that will be staging a major exhibition at The Lowry next summer. Details of which will of course be posted here.

Burning and drinking oil

2006-07-17T15:12:00.000+01:00

Taking full advantage of the hire car that had no mileage limit and the fact that petrol is cheaper than in the

(is there anywhere more expensive than the

?), I decided to drive to Xania. There are many different ways to spell Crete’s second capital Chania, Hania or as I prefer Xania. It is pronounced from the back of the throat and takes a little practice to sound authentic. Taking the National Road west from Heraklion, the scenery changes to become more Italian with cypress trees and pine forests. Vast swathes of oleander are also a sign that the west is more fertile than the south and east.

The Industrial Harbour

The city curls around a Venetian harbour like Rethymnon. As you enter by road you drive down wide boulevards flanked by large villas built in the thirties when the town was booming. Xania seems to be going through a period of regeneration as several of these large houses have been refurbished but there are many left untouched and it creates such an eerie scene especially when you arrive on a Sunday and no one is around. Motorists be warned this town operates a pay and display system. This is the first I have seen in Greece and I can imagine the opposition there was when it was introduced.

There is a limited choice of good hotels in the centre of Xania. I stayed at the Irida which has nice views of the bay but it is a little far from the town centre unless you have a car. There is a small beach within walking distance. It is infront of several tavernas but I never like to swim near major conurbations as you can never be sure how far out the sewage pipe goes! The best beach I found was in Souda Bay approached from Kaleves. Just a small strip of sand with a few people is perfect for an afternoon.

Souda Bay, Xania

Xania harbour is the classic crescent shape lined with tavernas and cafes with resident customer hawkers boasting about how fresh their food is and made by their mother.

The best time to visit this area is at night. This is when the Mosque of Kioutsouk Hasan (ironically now the Greek tourist police HQ) is lit up and the dome is accentuated by the spotlights. The scene at night reminded me of Kyrínia (Greek) or Girne(Turkish) city on the northern side of Cyprus. Walking away from the main harbour you reach the shipyard area. One of huge renovated buildings houses the Centre for Mediterranean Architecture http://www.kam-arsenali.gr/ Using the original walls as a skin a modern building has been designed inside to house exhibition spaces and conference facilities. The other buildings are still being used for industrial use.

I picked up a free magazine called Frappe named after the iced coffee. Written in German and English there are some good articles and images. It was interesting to read about Cretan olive oil production. The Mihelakis who produce over half a million litres per year, consume as a family 200 litres! The average Cretan consumes 30 litres per year which is excessive but many Greeks live everyday as if it were their last. Considering the way they drive for many it is. In 2000 there were 20.1% of road fatalities per 100,000 of the population of Greece.

Frappe magazine ISSN 1109-8090

More images as part of my Greek Identity project are on my website http://emmapeios.spotfolio.com/greece.html

Sabotage and Cheese Salads

2006-07-17T15:02:00.000+01:00

It was too windy to swim today so I decided to visit the Historical Museum. They had a special exhibition called Sabotage, whilst I’m not a huge fan of memorabilia, this has been done very sympathetically. Documents and items connected with the event during the Second World War, tell of the heroic attempts made by a small group of French, Greek and British special soldiers to save lives. Throughout Europe people were saved but it was very moving to read the last written letters from Cretan people executed by the Germans as revenge for the sabotage.

The second exhibition sent me into map heaven. This is an extensive and very well presented display of cartography of Crete during the 16^th and 18^th century. Unfortunately all of the exhibition text is in Greek but the maps are certainly works of art worth seeing.

The exhibition finishes on 31 October 2006.

The mini shop in the museum has some elegant books and printed material for sale. I bought a collection of postcards entitled Crete in 1900. These cards were first published at the end of the 19^th century. Mikros Nautilos Editions in Heraklion have reproduced as four collections; Xania, Everyday Life, Cities and History.

The period from the end of the 19^th century and the beginning of the 20^th was a time when the island passed from Turkish domination to self-government and subsequently to its long hoped union with Greece. During this crucial time in Cretean history photographers toured the island and recorded aspects of the cities, the costumes of the inhabitants and the way of life. This created an important archive of photographic documents.

These two postcards are from the Everyday Life series (kathimerini zoe).

The first is a group of Turkish whirling dervishes and the second is another posed image, of a woman reclining after smoking from a hookah. One hundred years later and us girls still like the hubbly bubbly!

Historical Museum of Crete
Venizelou 27
Heraklion

Across the road from the museum is a restaurant called Elies, Greek for olives. No matter how ultra modern the interior, Elies along with many other restaurants and bars in Crete’s cities, always has the ubiquitous man in a corner flicking beads and smoking a cigarette. The house salad with a local cheese comes highly recommended. I just wish we could get tomatoes to taste the same in the UK as they do in the Mediterranean. I always buy the most expensive ones and still they taste of water. Does water have a taste?!

Wednesday 14 June Heraklion

2006-06-16T19:48:00.000+01:00

Currently the town resembles one big building site as the major implements his plan to stop the citizens of Heraklion looking inwards and outwards to the sea. Pedestrian areas and re routing roads mean that if you decide to visit bring steel capped boots and a hard hat - the UK health and safety would have a field day here.
No pictures till next week so please check back again.

Death and Taxes

2006-06-10T00:14:00.000+01:00

I was beginning to think the grim reaper was following me this week.
First I thought I was seeing things when I saw I side car in the shape of a coffin racing up the motorway but it turned out to be Motorcycle Funerals. Fantastic idea. Motorcycle driver and I exchanged thumbs up - I'm sure he was a vicar.
www.motorcyclefunerals.com

Then I met someone who makes eco friendly coffins and has just been awarded Fair Trade status. Check out www.ecoffins.co.uk
The guy that owns this company also makes contemporary furniture from bamboo for people that are still living.

If none of these options are how you want to be sent off then go to my friends website www.thefinalcurtain.com it's what you would have wanted!

Chelsea Flower Show 2006

2006-05-22T19:05:00.000+01:00

Rain rain go away...
This year has been rain wind cold more rain and gusts off wind and a tiny bit of sun. No sooner have you but your umbrella away and got a camera out spots of rain appear again.
I'm voting in the BBC's People's Choice Award for the Africa garden this year. I love the red colour of the soil and the concept behind the garden and the charity Garden Africa. Their aim is to reduce poverty and malnutrition in Africa by creating 1001 training and resource gardens across Southern Africa. They have a really good website with links to the Chelsea garden www.gardenafrica.org.uk
I like seeing unusual plants from different parts of the globe - far more interesting than a new variety of pelargonium. Whilst I'm not a fan of show gardens that recreate a scene like an olde worlde cottage this little piece of Africa is sympathetic and authentic as parts of it have been created by Garden Africa's training partner, Zimbabwean John Nzira.
Whatever medals are awarded tomorrow I think all the gardeners deserve a prize for 'Achievement in adverse weather conditions'.
Special thanks to my assistant Nikki today for chasing after me around the show and for putting up with the bad weather.

BBC presenter Carol Klein and crew interview specialist daffodil grower.

Cut and blow dry for irises

Asia Exhibition and Persian Food

2006-05-12T18:49:00.000+01:00

Last night I was invited to the private view for photographer Michael Freeman's exhibition - Asia 30 years of documentary photography.
I arrived for the talk a little late, thanks to a London cabbie with a hatred for women drivers.
It was impossible to see or hear Michael talk about his work properly as everyone else was talking and the projector screen was too low. It was a real shame because bits that I did hear were to do with the stories behind the pictures in particular about the political situation and subsequent changes. In Cambodia he photographed Dith Pran, whose story was told in the film The Killing Fields.
The show runs until 21 May.
Light Contemporary 5a Porchester Place London w2 2BS

After the talk someone tapped me on the shoulder and it was LW which was a bit spooky as I had been thinking about her and the book we are working on together about South Korea. It is impossible to go anywhere in London and not bump into someone you know. The nibbles and wine had run out so I suggested we sample some Persian cuisine as we were in Little Arabia aka The Edgware Road. We were joined by two of her friends one of whom is Linda Barker's agent.
In the same street as the gallery is Colbeh a Persian restaurant. It was a little daunting at first going into a place full of men, but the staff were welcoming and the smell from the kitchen was enough to persuade us to stay.
The seating area is quite small and this is not helped by a whacking great tandoor oven right by the door. Perhaps it was not the best place to go on an exceptionally hot spring day!
Persian food is a combination of Middle Eastern, Indian, Greek and Turkish. Two huge but light naan breads were made for us before I eyes. To accompany them we chose kashk-e-bademjan (grilled aubergine, walnuts, mint and khask (whey) dip. This looked a bit like melenzanes salades but without the garlic. We also had the obligatory houmos and mast-o-mousir, a yoghurt dip with wild garlic. FL popped out to get some alcohol as the restaurant does not have a license and while we waiting for her to return we ordered mint tea which came in a fabulously kitsch red and gold teapot with a sultan motif. The best mint tea I've had since Egypt. Sometime later FL returned from her impossible mission to find a bottle of booze on the Edgware Road and we ordered our main course. I chose chelo khoresh fesenjan or king of stews. The menu described it as shredded chicken but it was actually three large chunks. with a walnut, pomegranate and pumpkin sauce. The thick sauce was not the coloured that I had expected and I have to admit it did not look apppestising. Anything the colour of cooked liver and pureed will not win any awards for presentation. But restaurants like this are about fresh, honest food. The stew was wonderful, slightly sweet tasting and served with a light nutty pilau rice. The bill was just over £60 for 4 without wine. Vegetarian dishes are also served but if you have a walnut allergy probably a dangerous place to visit.
Colbeh - 6 Porchester Place London W2 2BS

Dahab bomb attacks

2006-04-25T13:07:00.000+01:00

Awful news this morning about the bombings in Dahab, Egypt. Dahab is in the Sinai area of Egypt and has been a meeting point for three religions, at the crossroads of Africa and Asia. 80,000 years at the heart of history. Recent history has scared it by bombs.
I visited Dahab last December and my thoughts are with those that were caught up it the attacks. Egypt and in particular Sinai are amazing places to experience and the stupidity of a few should not stop people from visiting and supporting Egypt and its people.
Let non violent communication prevail.

Image of a restaurant on Dahab beach with dove cote on roof.

China Town London 22 April 2006

2006-04-24T00:13:00.003+01:00

During a dim sum lunch in London's China Town J and I witnessed a small demonstration by Falun Gong supporters. I first heard about this group last week. Protester Wenyi Wang, a devotee of the Falun Gong movement, heckled President Bush and Chinese President Hu Jintaothe. The U.S. attorney's office charged her with harassing, intimidating and threatening a foreign official for yelling at Hu that his "days are numbered." This federal charge can lead to six months in prison. Leaders of the Falun Gong movement claim that Hu's government has persecuted and harvested the organs of followers.

Falun Gong is a quasi-religious group originated in China about 1992. A few years after the organization started, it quickly grew to become one of the largest cults in China. It has been the focus of international controversy since the government of the People's Republic Of China began a nationwide suppression of Falun Gong on July 20, 1999 for its illegal activities. The number of Falun Gong practitioners in China was estimated by the government at 2.1 million in 1999. The membership claimed by the Falun Gong was much larger; it claimed to have 100 million followers worldwide with 70 million in China.

Dublin 5 April 2006

2006-04-19T00:47:00.000+01:00

R our 'tour guide' has spent years convincing American tourists that his job is to talk to visitors in pubs and promote

Ireland

. I was fascinated by his anti car theft device. No steering wheel Stop Lock for R but a length of heavy duty chain connected to his car seat and padlock to the steering wheel.

Deciding not to spend all day in the city R took us on a mini tour of County Wicklow also known as The Garden of Ireland. Both of us being fond of Kent The Garden of England it was an appropriate destination.

First stop was IMMA: Irish Museum of Modern Art Royal Hospital, Military Road, Kilmainham. Unfortunately the Magnum Ireland show had not started but it is on now until 18 June. There is a great shop at the museum and R had to drag us out of there before we bought any more books.

Next stop was Mount Usher Gardens Ashford Co. Wicklow (take the N11 south from Dublin). The garden runs along the bank of the River Vartry. Mount Usher has been designed in the Robinsonian style - after William Robinson (fl. c 1890) the influential Irish garden designer. Robinson believed in natural gardens, as opposed to the formal approach of those who preceded him.

Spring sunshine followed by hailstones found us diving for the car and we headed up into the mountains to the Sally Gap and the source of the River Liffey. Fantastic views on all sides and there was even snow along the edge of the road. As we headed towards Blessington we came across this amusing house. It had no name so I've called it the Good Luck House despite all those horseshoes and clovers not having much effect.

We headed back to Dublin and had a quick look at Helen Dillon's front garden 45 Sandford Road, Ranelagh, Dublin www.dillongarden.com

A good place to have something to eat/drink and watch a decent film is the Irish Film Institute or IFI! The 17th Century Quaker Meeting House was converted through by architects OÂ'Donnell and Tuomey. Arranged around a glass-roofed courtyard, the complex includes two cinemas, a popular bar and restaurant. The IFI has some special screenings as part of this year's Beckett Centenary Festival.

Pick up a free copy of Totally Dublin for some good photography features and listings of what's on and where. Below is a piece of Dublin tagging and anti religious wall art.

Lanzarote 4 April 2006

2006-04-19T00:33:00.000+01:00

Sad news on the BBC TV news channel about more people trying to reach the Canaries by boat from Africa. Four vessels carrying 164 people between them. The Canary Islands are the new ‘favourite’ destination for thousands of Africans hoping to make a new life in Europe. This year there has been a 200 per cent rise in the number of immigrants trying their luck in small boats from

Mauritania

. More than 3,500 have been detained, but who knows how many have perished at sea. Puts my sea sickness troubles in perspective.

Smooth sailing, thank goodness to Arrecife. F and I bolted off the ship and negotiated a taxi. The taxi driver insisted that he would take us on a 3 hour tour of the north of the island for 80 euros but I was able to explain in made up Spanish that we only had 2 hours before we had to be back on board for F’s next lecture on the history of garden design. We only wanted to go to El Jardin Cactus so he had to make do with 20 euro. Being a man of limited height he slide his car seat so close that he could just about turn the steering wheel. What he lacked in height he made up for with speed so that we got to the cactus garden 45 minutes before it opened. Please note fellow travellers it opens at 10am! There is a bus service but we did not see a single bus and the timetable was bleached by the sun. So all I can tell you is that there maybe a bus once an hour, once a day or month!

This panoramic image is of a field surrounding the cactus garden. Prickly pears are grown in vast quantitites on Lanzarote primarily for the encouragement of cochineal beetles which feast on the plant and produce red dye from their crushed bodies – yum.

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 3 April

2006-04-16T20:03:00.000+01:00

The area north of Parque Santa Catalina is a seedy version of Tottenham Court Road. The only reason we headed there was to find an internet cafe. In our search we came across a huge shop with everything careful laid out in highly polished chrome and glass cabinets like Selfridges. F had lost the battery for her obscure Aldi purchased digital camera and bizarrely they had a replacement battery. They ripped her off quite literally by tearing off the price ticket before handing it over to her and asking 30 euros. Guess they had to pay back the loan on the expensive display cabinets.

We headed west or it could have been south as the map supplied by El Corte Ingles did not have a compass printed on it. A neon light flashed from the outside of noisy amusement arcade to indicate Internet. We dived in to find the place full of kids playing pool. This was slot machine internet and it was a race against time to check our emails whilst avoiding the cockroaches that were running across the computer screen.
God we must have been desperate to check our mail.

As we walked towards the main shopping area we came across an interior shop called La Oca, Galicia 35. They had the obligatory Philippe Stark products but a few Spanish designers also. In the shop I picked up a free copy of a magazine called Via. It's a bilingual publication with articles about Canarian artists, architects and musicians. It also has a great listings section in the back for all art events primarily in Tenerife. There was also an interesting article about Europa Ciudades y musica / Europe Cities and Music. It talked about the Greek Rebetiko music and of course Fado sung by the fantastic Mariza.

Returning to the port we took a taxi to the old part of the town called Vegueta. (10 euro).

I'm still puzzling over this piece of graffiti . It says Islam vencera. The wall is for the cathedral which had lots of early Islamic decorative influences. Not sure if the writing was positive or negative. I'll have to ask my Spanish teacher.

Strolling towards Triana you will find lot's of lovely independent boutiques selling jewellery and designer clothes. Cano Peregrina had the best shops. There are also several tabenas similar to tapas bars around here that looked rather good. Just wish my stomach had been up for it. It takes too long to get back to the main shopping street Avenida de Jose Mesa y Lopez, where El Corte Ingles is. So take the number 2 bus from Avenida Primero de Mayo and get off at the mercado/ market stop.

If you have not maxed out your credit cards after all that you can really go crazy in the Spanish version of Bluewater El Muelle. Situated on Muelle de Sta. Catalina this huge building houses, Zara, C&A, WomensSecret and lot's of other chain stores. There is a tapas bar on the ground floor outside one of the entrances if you'd rather not have Burger King.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2 April

2006-04-16T18:42:00.000+01:00

This is the view from our cabin. I’ve decided to take one image every morning when we dock in a new port.

Being a Sunday and a Catholic country all of the shops were closed. In some ways this was quite nice as it meant that you had to find other things to distract you but I can’t go home without visiting a Spanish Zara.
From the port F and I walked down the Avienda de Jose Antonio Primo de Riveria, the walk was as long as the name, to the mercado/market off Calle de San Sebastian.
F and R went to find the only artificial beach on Tenerife. I took a stroll around the rest of the town. I really wanted to go to Parque Garcia Sanabria but like the shops that was also shut or rather completely closed off by 10 ft high corrugated metal fence.
The area around Plaza del Principe is surrounded by lots of historical buildings including the Museo Municipal de Bellas Artes which currently has an exhibition of graffiti. This might explain why there was some nice pieces around the town. There is a program of rebuilding and restoring some of these buildings involving lots of RSJ’s like in this picture.

I’m looking forward to hearing R playing her harp on board. R is a professional Welsh harpist and produces the most amazing sounds from 47 strings!
I don’t know how she manages to keep playing when the boat hits the waves. Shame that the other guests would rather listen to Jim Bowen and his days on Bullseye than to R and her harp.

Santa Cruz de La Palma 1 April 2006

2006-04-14T13:19:00.000+01:00

Sorry no pics of this tiny island as I was feeling rather fragile after another force 9 night sailing from Madeira. Here is a link to a good website for some pictures: www.islalapalma.com

Santa Cruz de La Palma is the capital. This seems to be the only place I have visited to date that has no McDonald's, Burger King or Kentucky Fried Chicken - hurrah. Please nobody tell them. The city had a really nice family atmosphere with lots of Spanish children dressed up for festival. Many of the old buildings have wooden balconies a bit like the houses in Northern Greece. The main boulevard that runs along the sea front is the best place to see some traditional houses.

A walk down Calle O' Daly will bring you to an outdoor tapas bar (the only one along this road) which serves some yummy tuna croquettes.

Manolo Blahnik was born on the island in 1942. He studied law, literature and art in Paris but it was in London where he designed his first shoes. 'Being terribly frivolous is the only possible solution before such a horrible world.' Well I guess you have to justify the ridiculous cost of your shoes somehow darling ;)

Funchal, Madeira 31 March 2006

2006-04-14T12:55:00.000+01:00

Well just like the Pope I kissed the ground in Funchal port. In the excitement of being on land and in such a beautiful place we managed to get ripped off by the taxi driver who whisked us up into the mountains to Monte Palace. www.montepalace.com

For a birds eye view of Funchal take the cable car (9.50 euro)

I was met by AS who lives in the garden and is the curator of the museum. How lucky he is to live in such a fantastic place.

I was asked to photograph the garden for a UK horticulture magazine but due to the bad weather delaying the ship I only had three hours at Monte Palace. This tropical botanical garden clings to the side of the mountain and has fantastic views of Funchal. The paths wind around and under huge tree ferns and cycads. Cycads are living fossils an endangered plant species that have existed since before the Jurassic Period, over 280 million years ago.

The owner of the garden Mr Berardo in addition to a huge collection of artworks has bought the right to use a colour of blue created by the artist Yves Klein. It is known as IKB International Klein Blue. www.tate.org.uk

A giant panel of IKB casts a deep hue across the garden when the sun hits it.

Many thanks to A for the quick version of the guided tour and for helping me with all my equipment. I shall be back to see the museum and to eat some more Portuguese custard tarts!

3 days at Sea

2006-04-13T18:36:00.000+01:00

Second day into the journey and the captain announces that we are expecting some bad weather down to Madeira. Several hours later it escalates into Force 9. 12 is a hurricane.
Sick bags have become the latest fashion accessory on board. The tablets don’t work so I’m seeing how long I can survive without food and water before I succumb to an injection.
Lying horizontal in the cabin seems to be the only way to stop me from feeling very ill.
The doctor and his needle have visited but it only lasts 12 hours. I’m counting the hours until we arrive in Madeira.
Image below titled After Martin Parr - Hot Socks

Liverpool 27 March 2006

2006-04-13T18:33:00.000+01:00

We set sail from Liverpool Docks – the real Liverpool Docks not the sanitised version you use to see on ITV This Morning. It takes us all of 5 minutes to completely explore the boat and the first thing I noticed was the carpets.
So if the sea does not make us sick the pattern on the carpets will!

Diary of an Atlantic Island Cruise

2006-04-13T17:18:00.000+01:00

I prefer to call it the Wurther’s Original Cruise as 98% of the guests on board are retired.
This diary blog will be about where to shop and eat and places in particular gardens, to visit. There will also be some images of Spanish graffiti and random observations of Canarian and British society.

M&S Mothers Day

2006-03-25T22:46:00.000Z

Sunday is Mothers Day - did you remember?

Here are some cut out shots I was asked to produce for Marks and Spencer. I have been providing images for M&S for over five years. In addition to cut outs for PR I shoot lots of in-store decor.

The team at M&S are always thinking up new spaces to display striking imagery. My photographs have been seen hanging from the ceiling, wrapped around point of display, swinging from bouquets and worn on uniforms.

Welcome to my blog!

2006-03-25T19:38:00.000Z

Hello all,
Instead of my monthly news page I have replaced it with this new blog.
I hope this will be a place where I can let you know what new things I have been working on and also a place to share the odd randomness that goes into creating the images I make.
If you like looking at other peoples pets and family on their blog you won't find it here.
So here's hoping this blog will inspire!
regards,
Emma