I’m delayed in the airport by an hour… somehow I’m not surprised. After a couple of flight cancellations and snow ravaging all UK airports, an hour delay seems like the least of my problems.

With my short jaunt in Edinburgh, hotel stays in the Old and New Towns, loads of sightseeing and a day trip to the Highlands, I crammed a lot into five short days and there are some things I would have done differently, had I known before-hand. Don’t get me wrong – everything was amazing and Edinburgh really is a fantastic city, but cities this beautiful come with loads of tourist traps! Here are a few tid bits I’ve gained from my recent excursion:

Getting to Edinburgh

Ohhh… Lord. After so many flight cancellations and delays, I would now opt for taking the train from London! Obviously your plan of attack for getting to Edinburgh is going to vary based on your current location, but be aware that there are a number of ways to get to the city.

1. Fly. Something I’m not fond of anymore, but it’s quick if you’re going from London (1 hour, 20 minutes). With EasyJet, BMI and other discount airlines, you can get some seriously good deals, too!

2. Take the Train! Virgin Trains, East Coast… they’ll all get you there, and most for under £40 – £50 if you book in advance! Sometimes they have some really great deals! Expect it to take 4-1/2 to 6 hours depending on the number of stops, but you’ll get to take in some of the English countryside and some trains (East Coast) even have wi-fi!

3. Jump on the Coach. With National Express, you can get funfares for as low as £12 – £15 if you book at the right time… they’re definitely good for the budget traveler, but be ready to spend a loooonnng time on board. 7 – 10 hours is a good estimate depending on the weather.

New Town vs. Old Town

My first temporary home, the Royal British Hotel, was in the New Town on Princes Street directly across from Waverly Station. Looking down the road, the street was very reminiscent of Oxford Street in London: loads of shopping mixed with a bit of culture (Royal Scottish Academy, National Gallery, etc.). A few minutes walk into the New Town, you hit St. Andrew’s Square where you can catch a bus to Rosslyn Chapel and visit the likes of Louis Vuitton and Harvey Nichols. Definitely a modern shopper’s paradise! [The picture below is of me on Princes Street in front of the Christmas markets.]

My second stop was Jury’s Inn in the  Old Town of Edinburgh, right off of the Royal Mile. Like I had mentioned right after my jaunt over, there is a palpable difference between the Old and New Towns. Instead of Harvey Nichols and H&M, you’ll run into St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh Castle and loads of kilt makers and Celtic jewelry stores. The roads are less perfectly paved and have more of the cobblestone and narrow alleys that you would expect of the old world.

[This shot was taken from the St. Giles area, looking down the Royal Mile in Old Town.]

Although it’s a matter of preference, I found the Old Town a lot more charming. Keep in mind, the invisible line that separates New from Old in Edinburgh is the rail station, essentially. If you cross through Waverly Station or cross over North Bridge, you can move easily from one area to another. If you’re on Princes Street or the Royal Mile, you’re pretty central!

Hotel Recommendations

Our two-day, unplanned stay at the Royal British Hotel was actually a pleasant surprise. Due to its proximity to the rail station, I wasn’t expecting much, but was quite surprised by the size and comfort of the rooms, the free wi-fi (never to be underestimated!) and cute café downstairs (Princes Street Café) where you can get a morning coffee plus a morning treat for £1.75. The prices were more than reasonable considering the last-second booking and the holiday season. You’re looking at between £51 – £65 per night and a comfortable size for two people.

Jury's Inn Room

The Jury’s Inn in the Old Town is also great, but for different reasons. My room was huge and my view was incredible. With three massive windows peering out into the snow-capped city, I really felt like I ended up with someone’s suite! The bathroom was also huge, with a full-sized bathtub for actually taking a bath (something I haven’t done in months)! It’s proximity to Old Town (the Royal Mile is in the hotel’s backyard) make it a prime location, plus it’s around one-third of a mile from the train station! The downside? Wi-fi is far from free. I had to rely on the web on my iPhone and the free wi-fi from the pub down the way [The Mitre] for most of my online needs. I would recommend this place for its comfort and spaciousness, but be aware of the internet situation – that was almost disappointing enough to nullify my love for this place. I got a great deal when I booked with Expedia (£200 for R/T tickets + 3 nights at this hotel), but a room here normally goes for £99+ a night.

Also, if you’re super budgeting, there are loads of hostels along the Royal Mile that would be worth checking out… do a bit of homework though, sometimes the £10 per night saved isn’t worth sharing a bathroom with 8 strangers!

Tourist Attractions

There are loads of attractions nearby: Edinburgh Castle, Camera Obscura and world of illusions, Haunted Tours, Rosslyn Chapel, Christmas Markets, Lyceum Theatre, Highlands tours, the National Gallery… the list goes on and on. So, if you’re here for a few days, what was worth the money? Well, that’s a matter of preference of course, but let me give you the down low on where I spent my money and where I would take it back, if possible. Keep in mind, in the winter the days are incredibly short with the sun disappearing entirely by 4P or 430P. With only a few hours of sunlight, you probably want to make the most out of every minute!

Freebies to Note:

There were a few freebies that I wasn’t aware of before heading to Edinburgh. I wish I would have known about them before my adventures, but they’re worth noting:

1. A free tour of Edinburgh on foot! Although I didn’t partake in the tour, it leaves from the Starbucks in Old Town and it’s about 2 hours of sightseeing around Edinburgh. It’s definitely something that would be worth checking out early on in your excursion; good way to get acquainted with the area before undertaking your own adventures.
2. National Galleries of Scotland. If this is anything like the National Gallery in London, it’s worth checking out. Plus, it’s free so even if it’s not exactly what you’re expecting, your only loss is a few minutes of time.
3. Free ghost tour from Deacon Brodie’s Pub. Edinburgh is widely considered to be one of the most haunted cities in the world, so why not check out a ghost tour? There are tours like this that you can pay for (£5 – £10 depending on the company and length of tour), but there’s also this freebie! I probably would have checked it out if I were with someone… I didn’t want to scare myself silly while traveling alone.

Edinburgh Castle

£11 for entry with discounts for children & seniors but no discounts for students! If I had to go back and do it again, I probably would have saved the £11 and spent it elsewhere. You can walk up to the Castle and take some amazing pictures from the ticketing area without having to pay the entry fee. The views from the top are seriously gorgeous and worth the trek, but the money to get into the castle is only worth it if you’re with someone who loves the history that you’ll find within the castle. If I were with my dad, I would have been 100% more satisfied with the entirety of the situation. The pictures of the façade are what you want anyway, so only go in if you’re wanting to check out old chapels, museums, etc. See the amazing picture above? No entry fee required & it’s my favorite one of the bunch!

Camera Obscura

[If I were tall & had crazy cankles?]

If you have kids, this is a super fun little place! You’re looking at £8.50 for adults, £6.75 for students and seniors, £5.75 for kiddos (5 – 15) and under 5’s go in free! The building is comprised of five floors of illusions (holograms, crazy mirrors, optical illusions, etc.) with the top floor containing the ‘camera obscura’ where you can get a visual tour of Edinburgh in 15 minutes! It’s actually really cool and the views from top floor are superb! Some of the best pictures that I got of the city were from the rooftop. Check these out:

I mean seriously? How great are these pictures? I have a lot more where that came from — the views are really unsurpassed. I had more fun in this building & ended up with cooler pictures than I did at the Castle!

Highlands Tour

As your recall from my recent post, I undertook the longest day tour available in all of Britain a few days ago! From Edinburgh, we traveled all the way up to Loch Ness and Inverness, the capital of the Highlands. The tour was £34 (£36 for non-students) and comprised 400+ miles and 13 hours of tour time. The tour showed me a completely different side of Scotland, plus I got to do a Loch Ness cruise! How many people get to say that? I would say that the tour was definitely worth the money considering how much was covered and the quality of the tour guide. My only recommendation though would be taking Timberbush up on their 2 or 3-day Highlands tour, instead! I thought we covered a little too much in one short day — for a bit more money you can have a much more full experience.

Lyceum Theatre

I must say, just a few days ago I was so proud of myself for snagging my Peter Pan tickets for £11 with my student ID card! It seems like a great deal at the time considering adult tickets normally go for £22. Sadly, the play was not only a waste of £11, it was also a waste of three good hours that I could have spent elsewhere, taking in the sights. I don’t know if I had particularly high expectations or if the show was just a bit of a let down, but there are definitely better ways to spend your money. Some locally made Scotch, perhaps (Dalwhinnie)?

Christmas Markets

Who doesn’t love to feel like a kid during Christmastime? Ice skating, a German market, loads of fun Christmas goodies, a ferris wheel and mulled wine… Mmm… The whole area can be accessed from Princes Street (at The Mound) and it’s 100% free to meander! Bring some cash for mulled wine and Christmas treats, though!

Rosslyn Chapel

Ahhh… Rosslyn Chapel. Who has read the DaVinci Code and not wanted to visit this place? I had planned on visiting (you can easily access it by hopping on Bus 15/15A from St. Andrew’s Square in the New Town), but decided to save that for my next journey to Scotland. With my dad and Chris visiting within the next few months, Edinburgh Round II will definitely be in order and I would like to see something new! You’re looking at £7.50 for adult entry, £6 for students and seniors and free for under 16s! Not sure if it’s worth the money, but pictures of the outside at least are worth the £1 – 2 bus fee!

Hope some of that helps someone out there somewhere who’s interested in hitting up magnificent Edinburgh. It’s truly an amazing city…

Lots of love & Merry Christmas Eve!

Aag Alive 2009

13 December was the date when a large number of Pakistani artists gather in a concert named as “Peace Concert” in Sharjah, the city which experienced one of the worst rains ion its history the same day….

It took us 4 hours to reach the venue “Sharjah Shooting and Golf Club” within Sharjah. WHen we reached the venue there was a crowd of only 200 – 250 people and most of them were the youngsters. Atif Aslam, Ali Azmat, Laal, Fuzon, Roxen, Shafqat Amanat Ali, Amanat Ali, Hadiqa Kiani, Ainee and many other artists had to perfom. Atif Aslam and Laal Band gae very good performances and made the people dance with them. Atif was the hot cake and people appreciated the way he interacted with them. Laal band also got appreciation on their different type of message-filled songs. It was a good effort by the GEO TV network although they could not bring too many people at the venue due to the heavy rains.

I never thought I could walk to the Old Town from St. Andrew’s Square in 1°C temperature and not feel frozen to the bone, but after a day in the Highlands dealing with -13°C, anything above freezing didn’t feel quite so awful. After 13 hours of touring (mostly on bus) and 400+ miles covered, I can say that I have seen a good majority of Scotland, albeit briefly. The tour that I did today with Timberbush was the longest one day tour offered in the whole of Britain – from Edinburgh to Loch Ness/Inverness and back. Once you undertake the tour, you realize how far Loch Ness is from Edinburgh. The views of the Highlands make the journey worth it, but if you have the time, a two-day tour (also offered by the company) would probably be more fruitful.

I started the day bright and early, with a 7AM wake-up call and was at the Timberbush pick-up point in front of Edinburgh Castle by 745A. On the way to our first stop, we passed by Stirling Castle & the Wallace Monument, but the fog was a bit too thick to get a real glimpse of either site. The Wallace Monument was erected in the 1800s but is a testament to William Wallace (famously portrayed by Mel Gibson in ‘Braveheart’), Scotland’s most famous hero from the 13^th century. We also passed by Doune Castle, made famous by Monty Python & the Holy Grail. Funny enough, our guide mentioned that the gift shop sells coconut shells for people looking to re-create the famous clip-clopping of horseshoes along the nearby paths (if you’ve seen the movie, you understand)!

Our first stop at 10A was in a town called Kilmahog, where we grabbed coffee, morning nibbles and some scenic views of the passing lowlands. We also got to see Hamish, the famous Highland Cow that lives in the region. She was born in 1993, making her nearly 17. Apparently in ‘hairy coo’ years, that’s the equivalent of being a centenarian:

After our stop, the scenery noticed a dramatic change as we crossed the border of what is typically thought to be the lowland/highland turning point. One of the dead giveaways when leaving the lowlands and entering the Highlands? The signage. The road signs are written in two languages – Gaelic & English, with Gaelic taking precedence; it is spoken in the Highlands by some natives in order to keep the language alive.

The snow was a bit intense in the Highlands – it looked as if the earth was completely blanketed with cotton. At some points, there was only a sliver of blue sky separating the snow-covered grounds with the clouds in the sky. The views are pretty dramatic when the terrain begins getting rugged and the pictures were pretty incredible. The sunrise over the mountains made for some amazing shots as we traveled through Rob Roy Country and entered Glencoe. The Three Sisters (the three peaks which overlook Glen Coe) are absolutely stunning:

As we entered Glencoe, we got to hear the story of the MacDonald Clan massacre, something that I found particularly interesting considering my ties to the great Clan MacDonald. Interestingly enough, the mountains that we passed through was the area that the MacDonald Clan escaped into when they were attacked by the Campbell Clan in 1692. Apparently, the MacDonald Clan took in the Campbell Clan for a few weeks, feeding them and sheltering them before the Campbell Clan turned on the MacDonalds, intending to massacre all persons under 70. When the MacDonalds heard the ruckus and fled, they fled into these snowy mountains. Ironically, a visitor center was built just a few years back and the man put in charge was a Campbell. As you can probably imagine, that didn’t go over so well.

After Glencoe and a quick bite for lunch, we headed up to Loch Ness. Along the path that we followed there were a total of four lochs (lakes) that we were able to see (Loch Linnhe, Loch Ness, Loch Lochy, Loch Urr). The white snow, bright sunshine and lack of wind made for the most amazing views – the water was incredibly still. Some of the smaller lakes and ponds were actually frozen to the point that you could probably ice skate on them!

After hours of driving, we made it to Loch Ness at around 215P and jumped on a cruise boat for an hour cruise on the lake. I tried desperately to look for Nessie, but the peat-saturated water made it difficult to see below the surface (no doubt adding to the enigmatic nature of the loch and the monster). Aside from the tale of the Loch Ness monster (which apparently dates back to the 6^th century), the lake itself is pretty fascinating. It’s 24 miles long and 1 – 2 miles wide, but is better known for its depth: around 750 feet deep throughout with parts going down to 1000 feet. If you were to take all of the bodies of water in the rest of Britain (all bodies – lakes, rivers, ponds, etc, — from England + Wales) and added them together, they wouldn’t fill up Loch Ness.

The tour was gorgeous and totally worth the £34 (with student discount) day trip price. The downside to December is that the days are so incredibly short – the sun began setting during our 3P cruise and the skies were completely black by 430P. If you were to go in the summer, there would be a stark contrast – daylight that goes on forever and completely different (green) views. Either way, I would totally recommend Timberbush tours. Our tour guide, Billy, was awesome (his accent didn’t’ hurt – gotta love the Scottish accent!) and there were enough stops to take in some great photos. If you have the chance to do a 2 or 3 day trip, I would definitely opt for that though… 400+ miles in 13 hours is a bit intense!

Hope everyone’s holiday season is going well! I’m heading back home (to London) this evening and although I’m sad about leaving beautiful Scotland, I’m happy to be able to sleep in my own bed and celebrate Christmas with friends back in the capital.

Lots of love from the UK,

See more pictures here!

View of sunset from the roof top at Hamdallaye, Bamako

mamadou

According to the lady at the Camera Obscura centre, today is the shortest day of the year in good old Edinburgh. The sun starts setting around 230P or so and it’s dark by 4P. Despite that, I managed to sneak a lot of goodies into my relatively short day: a trip to Edinburgh Castle, a visit to Camera Obscura and I’m catching a play of Peter Pan tonight at 7P!

Despite scheduling my wake-up call for 830A, I was up and getting ready by 8A. I hit up the Castle first thing in the morning at 930A (when it opens) to beat the crowds. Unfortunately, Scotland is ridiculously cold at 930 in the morning… the sun doesn’t show it’s face until at least 1030A so I faced some serious snow. Although my ears were fighting frostbite, I got some of the prettiest pictures ever! Being that the Castle is quite the fortress on a hill top (an extinct volcano, actually), the views are absolutely breathtaking:

I didn’t spend that much time at the Castle because it was sooooo cold, but what I did see was amazing! I’m definitely planning on going back when my dad makes a trip over — this is something he would absolutely love! (I miss you, dad!)

I was a bit upset that they didn’t offer student discounts, but the views from the top of the Castle definitely made the 11 pounds worth it!

I also stopped in this cool store right outside of the castle that’s separated into three sections: tour bookings, a cafe and a weaver that creates tartans, kilts, etc. There was also a section dedicated to this Diablo-looking gear:

There’s an actual blacksmith that makes these swords (he lives about 10 miles from the Castle)… there were loads of these bad boys, plus rapiers, chain mail (which is ridiculously heavy, by the way), maces and axes!

After hitting up the castle, I stopped at Camera Obscura, a place full of optical illusions and amazing panoramic views of Scotland! The 15 minute Camera Obscura business on the 5th floor made the 7 pound ticket worth every penny (pence?)– so cool seeing the whole of the city in a warm teensy tiny room! Check out some of these cool tidbits:

If I were tall and had crazy cankles.

The hot points on my body … interesting.

There were loads of cool optical illusions and holograms, too. Definitely a fun place to take kiddos!

After all that fun, I found a bunch of fun Scottish stores to hit up to grab a few goodies for my loves back in California! Now I’m sitting in a super warm pub down the way from my hotel that has offered me free Wi-fi and delicious pear-flavored Magner’s cider (one of my most favorites). I booked a tour of the Highlands/Loch Ness tomorrow with Timberbush tours and I’m so excited to see a different side of the country! Getting ready to head out and see a live version of Peter Pan at the theatre <3.

Hope everyone’s holiday is fannn-tastic,

Wanna see more amazingness? Check out my album!

Alex finally managed to get out of Edinburgh this morning around 10A, which left me with my first day of solo sightseeing. I started by hitting up a few shops on Princes Street (H&M, TopShop, etc.) to pick up some warmer clothing for my trip seeing as how I only had clothing intended for the Mediterranean warmth. Afterwards, I grabbed my luggage from the Royal British Hotel, where Alex & I stayed for two nights and moved them over to a hotel in the Old Town, where I’ll be staying for the remainder of my journey. I was actually a bit sad to be moving out of my Royal British Hotel residence — the people were great and the rooms were super comf for the price! Though the New Town really isn’t that new, there is definitely a stark contrast between Old Town and New Town. After crossing the bridge, I felt like I’d fallen through a rabbit hole into old world Scotland: narrow streets, cobblestone roads and kilt makers galore. The architecture is absolutely stunning and the shops were entirely too cute.

My hotel in Old Town is way better than I expected (despite not having internet). The room is massive, the bathroom is practically as big as my room in London and the view is stellar! Check this out (this is just half of my room!):

The view:

After walking down the main thoroughfare, the Royal Mile, I stumbled across St. Giles Cathedral (and a statue of Adam Smith)! The Cathedral was absolutely gorgeous and admission was free so I was able to pop in and take a quick look around.

I grabbed some tour information and am working on planning out the next three days of my adventure. I think I’m going to hit up Rosslyn Chapel first thing in the morning (10A) and then check out Edinburgh Castle in the afternoon from 1 – 5P or so! After that, I’m heading to the Lyceum Theatre to check out Peter Pan around 7P! I’m so excited to see all the history in the town — it’s seriously amazing! Thus far, I would have to say that Edinburgh is the most inspiring city I have seen. Just stepping outside and looking around is breathtaking — the history is palpable and the buildings are incredible. Plus, the pride Scots take in their country is pretty exciting — so many fun Scottish stores and proud, haggis-eating Scotsmen.

I’m still hoping to do a trip to the Highlands & Loch Ness on Tuesday and I’m leaving Wednesday to figure out what tickles my fancy. Despite the fact that my bones are frozen, I’m loving this town! Hoping to catch the Ghost Tour tonight at 930P. Edinburgh is supposed to be the most haunted town in the world… hoping I don’t get too frightened

Lots of love,

Want to see more pics of snow-covered Scotland? Click here to see the album! Also, keep up with my tweets in the Play-by-Play section to the right. I’ve been tweeting loads of pictures as my adventures continue!

]]> http://nextleftnotes.wordpress.com/2009/12/20/heth-and-jed-live-at-the-staten-island-ferry-by-thomas-good/ Sun, 20 Dec 2009 02:44:42 +0000 Next Left Notes http://nextleftnotes.wordpress.com/2009/12/20/heth-and-jed-live-at-the-staten-island-ferry-by-thomas-good/

Heth Weinstein of Heth and Jed, performing at the Staten Island Ferry Terminal
(Photo: Thomas Good / NLN)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — One of the great things about New York City is the ubiquitous street music. In recent years a number of musicians have moved beneath the street — and have come to specialize in doing public performances on subway platforms. “Jambient” musical brothers Heth and Jed Weinstein, on guitar and bass, respectively, are members of this tradition. Their website indicates that they enjoy interacting with the public in this kind of setting — it’s exposure and they bring a smile to people who may not be entirely enthused about the MTA’s latest fare hike or service cut. On Sunday, December 13, the brothers set up shop in the Ferry Terminal in St. George, Staten Island. If you like the idea of brothers playing music, if you like the pop sensibilities — underscored by good singing and playing — of folk rockers America, if you like the spacy, prog rock feel of Syd Barrett, odds are you’ll like Heth and Jed. Their hooks are every bit as catchy as America’s best material — and their approach as fresh and quirky as early Pink Floyd. En route to cover a story I happened on to their performance and hastily powered up a small, handheld videocam. The unplanned shoot may not win any prizes for production values — I didn’t have a tripod handy — but the music makes it all okay. To see the video click HERE. You can also check out the band on Facebook.

View A Video Clip of Heth and Jed Live At The Ferry Terminal

Once again, I’m bundled up in my hotel room for the second night with warm porridge from Marks & Spencer, hot chocolate & Lily Allen singing in the background. Alex is staying for night number two after her second flight in a two-day span was cancelled. After she spent two hours waiting at the airport, Easy Jet announced her flight cancellation and she’s opting for the train back to London tomorrow morning instead. Outside the window to our room, there’s snow covering the nearby buildings and a Christmas market lighting up the dark Scottish sky. Despite the fact that the days are rather short, the town is really a gorgeous sight.

After running into Edinburgh Castle, snow and oddly gorgeous mausoleums, we did a bit of shopping for Scottish goodies followed by a mini whiskey tasting! Although snow is slippery and ridiculously cold, it does make for the most beautiful pictures of life! Normal roads are a thousand times prettier when they’re covered with snow.

Our whiskey tasting was super mini, but my three baby swigs comprised the most Scotch I’ve ever had in my life! The smell of it normally makes me sick, but since I’m in Scotland now, I feel obliged to live like the Scots do!

I’m now deciding what to do tomorrow in terms of sightseeing. Roslin Chapel and some other goodies are on my list of must-sees. I bought a ticket to see a live production of Peter Pan at the local theatre on Monday and am booking a Loch Ness/Highlands tour for Tuesday to get the most out of my Scottish excursion!

Any must-see sights in Scotland? I have tomorrow and Monday to fill with goodies!

Sending love and warm thoughts,

So, now that we’re finally settled, it’s time to re-cap days three and four in magnificent Malta. Wednesday was a visit to the beautiful Blue Grotto in the morning (a place that came highly recommended by my grandmother and my late grandfather), followed by an evening of family fun with Sylvana & Joe and a night out in Paceville (pronounced Pah-tchay-ville).  We spent Thursday exploring the capital city of Valletta, followed by our last supper, courtesy of Teddy & Angela.

Wednesday’s weather made for a perfect sight-seeing day. Though a ferry to the Blue Grotto wasn’t really on the agenda (it was too blustery), we had an amazing view and got some great shots of the water from above — the area was seriously fantastic; definitely a must-see for anyone in Malta!

After our Blue Grotto trip, we checked out some other old (3500 years-plus) temples and got a pretty sweet glimpse of the island of Filfla (you can see it in the background)! It’s super tiny and uninhabited — it looks like a big rock floating in the water <3.

Our dinner on Wednesday was super delish & entirely too much fun with two kiddos running around.

For one of the first times since my grandpa passed away, I was reminded of how much I miss seeing him and talking with him. I felt an urge around day two to call him and use my newly-acquired Maltese skills and suddenly remembered that he wasn’t there anymore… definitely made me a bit sad, but it was nice being able to see where he was born and where his family came from.

After our dinner and family time, we headed out for a far-too-late night in Paceville, courtesy of one Paul Sebastian (aka best tour guide ever). After getting home at around 230A and enjoying three qaghaq tal-ghasel, I felt I had done my work in annihilating my poor family’s kitchen.

—

We hit up Valletta on Day 4 and it definitely ties with Mdina for being the cutest city! There are so many fun shops there and loads of cute cafes & eateries (and gorgeous views)! We had a seriously delish lunch at Cafe Jubilee before departing. Paul had mentioned the Maltese chain earlier and it definitely lived up to expectations — good food and totally affordable!

Missing the sunshiney days and happy people of Malta already!

To see the whole Malta album, click here!

Here is another performance I strongly encourage you guys to see with your family in DC before Christmas – Radio City Christmas Spectacular

Rockettes direct from NYC in their one-weekend engagement at the Verizon Center. The show’s traditions of spectacular Christmas scenes, Santa, and those mile-long, high-swinging legs premier for the first time in Washington, D.C.

• Time:Fri 12/18 – Sun 12/20 (4PM)
• Location: Verizon Center
• Address: 601 F Street NW Washington, DC Map
• Cost: $53-$129
• Buy Ticket
• Their site

Radio City Christmas Spectacular -Rag Doll

Google is commemorating the discovery of Mexico’s colossal Aztec Calendar with an Aztec-style doodle. It was on December 17, 1790 that workers excavating in downtown Mexico City uncovered the 22-ton stone monolith belonging to the early Mexica culture.

Also known as the Piedra del Sol, or Sun Stone, the elaborately carved disc is believed to have served as a base for sacrificial offerings to the solar deity. While researchers are unsure of the exact date of its creation, a calendrical date that corresponds to the year 1479 is carved into its rim, marking the birth of the Fifth Sun of Teotihuacan and the reign of Mexica ruler Axayacatl.

Today the Sun Stone resides, upright, at Mexico City’s National Museum of Anthropology, where a newly unveiled interactive HD screen sheds light on the giant pre-Columbian relic’s inscriptions. It also tells the story of how the Sun Stone managed to survive over the years despite official colonial-era neglect and vandalism. It moved to its current home when the museum was inaugurated in 1964.

Image: A new interactive HD screen explores the mysteries of the Aztec Calendar at the National Anthropology Museum.

Sorry for covering this late. The performances started in Nov and will end Dec 31th. So, hurry up if interested.

I have been in the Kennedy Center many times, and I tell you, the holidays are the most wonderful time of the year in that place!.

The performance is the D.C. premiere of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™ as danced by Pennsylvania Ballet this year. Immerse yourself in the NSO’s performances of Handel’s epic Messiah. Get into the spirit with Marvin Hamlisch and the NSO Pops as they present their traditional Happy Holidays! concert. Ring in the New Year with A Jazz New Year’s Eve followed by festivities after the show.

• Time:Tue 11/24 – Thu 12/31 (7PM)
• Location: Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
• Address: 2700 F St. NW Washington, DC Map
• Cost: Buy Ticket

Pacific Northwest Ballet performs George Balanchine’s JEWELS

Easy

(after Afro Picks!)

That afro pick lean

lean forward

for extra cover,

Sunshine in dull

word placement

world placement,

Her neck, her back,

tight z patterns carry

all of that good stuff

(and some artificial

remembrance for them

to work out)

Meanwhile,

Sistergirl

won’t budge,

Won’t tilt

a degree further,

fear of a falling coif,

Combs too plenty,

too brown,

don’t worry.

Your fro can’t

hit the ground.

- Mel

The bill was passed yesterday 11-2. Congress now has 30 working days to act on the bill. You feel like thanking somebody, thank our Mayor Adrian Fenty who has promised to sign the bill and David Catania who introduced the bill and is one of two openly gay council members.

Of course, there are still a few homophobics who will try to get the bill overturned either in Congress or at the polls. But, according to our beloved district’s nonvoting delegate to Congress, Eleanor Holmes Norton, it doesn’t look like there will be any problem or opposition. The “no” votes included our former mayor and crackhead, Marion Barry, who said, “I don’t,” when it was his turn. I even didn’t now he was still involved with anything DC related.

Considering other four major States – California, New York, Maine, and New Jersey rejected such a law, I guess this is pretty symbolic for DC then. If the bill becomes law, the district will join Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts and Vermont in issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. They will be able to wed in New Hampshire starting in January.

So, I guess all these rallies worth it

The eldest amongst the living freedom fighters of Athgarh, Duryodhan Jena, 102, conferred “Gadjat Samman-2009” on the Vice-Chancellor of Utkal University, Prof. Binayak Rath and Representative-in-Chief of orissamatters.com, Subhas Chandra Pattanayak on December 13 on commencement of the 4th Athgarh Mahotsav organized by Gadjat Parikrama. Both Sri Rath and Sri Pattanayak belong by birth to Ex-Princely States of Narasinghpur and Tigiria respectively. The other two selected for the honor which would be conferred on them on the concluding day of the festival on December17, are the unique story teller Bhramarabara Moharana and Ms. Padmini Raut, winner of Gold Medal in the ‘World Under 14 Girls Chess Championship, 2008’. Both of them belong by birth to Athgarh and Baramba respectively.

The citation in honor of Prof. Rath expressed happiness of the peoples of the Gadjats (Ex-Princely States) over his worthy contribution to higher education and economy of industrialization vis-à-vis social benefit cost.

Sri Pattanayak was honored as a pioneer of next generation journalism in Orissa who in print and internet media has made splendid contribution to democracy as well as to culture and literature of Orissa.

Lalatendu Senapati, Secretary of Gadajat Parikrama and the chief executive of Athgarh Mahotsav welcomed the guests and gave an account of the event.

Ashoka Dash, a leading light of the organization proposed vote of thanks.

An exhibition of creative excellence participated by artisans and weavers of the Sub-Division of Athgarh along with products of self-help groups displayed in 52 stalls as well as entertainment through local musicians, singers and dancers added desired luster to the festival.

Looking through the 658 pictures that I’ve taken thus far, I realize I have to play a serious game of catch-up! I still have some fun pictures from Day 1 and 2 to upload, but I’m going to fast-forward to yesterday’s journey. We woke up to semi-warm Mediterranean sunshine and decided that it would be a good day to take a journey to the Maltese island of Gozo (Maltese: Għawdex, pronounced OW-desh). Gozo’s a quick 20-minute journey by ferry from the mainland and though it was windy, it was definitely a gorgeous view!

[The view of Mellieha on the way down to the ferry was pretty outstanding, too!]

We had a pretty great view of Gozo from the ferry. The island is so small that you can literally see the entire thing and capture it from a camera lens from a distance!

As you can tell, it was a pretty blustery day on the ferry but the views of Gozo were worth standing on the sun deck.

Gozo has been inhabited for around 5000 years and has a ridiculously long and amazing history, so our day was jam-packed. Lesson: If your journey is well-planned (and you’re with some Grade A tour guides who take care of you!), you can see all the major sites in a day. First stop on our agenda?

The Azure Window:

The natural arch is thought to have been created millions of years ago and is absolutely breath-taking! The water is insanely blue and the journey to see the arch close-up is a trek along fossilised rock. Probably one of the most beautiful things I have seen yet!

After our trip to the Window, we headed to the Citadella (didn’t really get any pics there) which is set on the hill of the capital city. It was built as a fortress of sorts to protect the island from attacks. We got to tour the inside and it was pretty awesome! After our mini tour (and a mini bout of rain), we headed to the Ggantija Temples which are a UNESCO Heritage site and date back to around 3500 BC.

By the end of the day, we were officially exhausted and napped on the ferry ride back home! Our tour guides had everything planned perfectly — we got sooo much in during a single day! Gozo’s definitely a nice trip for anyone visiting Malta. And the few Gozitans that populate the small island seemed friendly as well! Fun fact: Gozitans speak a slightly different version of Maltese… a little bit more Arabic-sounding. Just a fun fact to throw in your arsenal of goodies during Trivial Pursuit.

Love from Malta,

Wanna see all the pictures? Click here!

• The limitation of not having sounds accompanying visuals is sufficient to consider silent movies a separate art form from those with sound.
  When I talk to people about silent movies, most have never really gotten through one. Fewer still truly enjoyed the experience. I think this is because they really can’t be watched like a modern movie. It is an entirely different method of telling a story. When done properly, it can be amazingly beautiful.
• It is an art form that does not deserve to die.
  Not that I think they could ever become truly mainstream but modern filmmakers could tell such incredible stories this way if they chose. It is very hopeful to see modern filmmakers embracing the form in any way, such as in the beginning of Wall-E or the fairly recent animated short film, La Maison En Petit Cubes. Winner of an Oscar and a number of other accolades, it is a very moving example of the way a story can be told without dialogue (and also the power of digital distribution, as it is available for free on the web.)
• Old, grainy black-and-white movies have their own charm and effect.
  Even after the introduction of color, black and white movies were and still are made. But there is an authenticity to the grainy black-and-white style that are the domain of many of the old silent films. Maybe “authenticity” isn’t the correct word but there is an intangible quality to watching these old films that makes it hard to imagine Charlie Chaplin in either HD or color. And speaking of whom…
• Charlie Chaplin was a genius.
  As cliche as it seems, it is true. The reasons for this are many and varied but at the top of the list is that his “Little Tramp” character managed to be interesting and attention-grabbing based almost exclusively on his appearance and mannerisms. It doesn’t hurt that dialogue cards were used sparingly and the stories were often compelling on their own merits. I’m sure there are plenty of other reasons a scholar could find to defend his brilliance better than these but these are the obvious start to the list. Plus, I was shocked to learn that the classic Johnny-Depp-dancing-rolls scene from Benny and Joon had actually been written and performed (better) roughly 70 years earlier.

Return of a Black Shadow

Most mornings, I drive to work. But after a weekend of tree-trimming with babyboy, baking, and gift-wrapping, I was running a little low on energy and time. So, I took a walk to work so the sounds of the city could wake me. While walking down K Street near what used to be the Sursum Cordas Project (moment of silence…it’s all electric-wired fences and unkempt grass now), I happened to look down. Low and behold, I saw a soggy postcard:

"COOL" DISCO DAN

I remember how the mystery and persistence in the bold angles and curves of blackprint gave a sort of haunting feeling to all travels through the District in the 80s. Honestly, I was terrified that this Dan person seemed to be everywhere like a phantom. He had a haunting, constant, over-arching presence. I remember asking my mom, “Who is Cool Disco Dan?” She didn’t know. I never knew. After a while, I didn’t care. Figured he was locked up somewhere for all that damn tagging. But, I did know this dude was on a mission to imprint his character across the District as often, as prominently, and as boldly as he could. From what I can remember, he never used colors like other taggers. But then, he wasn’t your average tagger or graffiti artist. You could tell he was serious about this. I mean, his tag was under bridges at heights it seemed only Spiderman could reach. Always in black. His tags stood out the best in the rain, letters bursting at the hips like one of my uncles old girlfriends he had met at the go-go. His girlfriends always had Saartjie Baartman booties.

It’s funny, I wasn’t particularly a fan of Cool Disco Dan spraying himself all over town, on buildings, walls, trash cans, I mean, anywhere. But now, the little postcard with the familiar bold print makes me nostalgic for a totally different DC.

Of course, there were a lot of things about the 80s in DC that are worth forgetting, but there was a flavor and a heat about the city then that seems to be trickling away at an uncontrollable pace. The retail shops filling up old Chinatown. Humongous condos blocking the neighborhood’s perfect view of fireworks on the Mall from New York and New Jersey Avenue. No more midnight basketball at White & Colored (New York Avenue Court) because the parks close at dark. Strange, the neighborhood once affectionately known as simply New York Avenue is now ”Truxton Circle” and “Mt. Vernon” according to Historic Preservation. They’re preserving something, but nothing I remember. I miss the O Street Market. The numerous fireworks stands lining the major thoroughfares of DC at the crack of summer. The feelgood of the annual Black Family Reunion. It’s all different. Some change is good. Just some. But what can I say. Some of us are still here and will always remember that once upon a time in DC.

Thanks Cool Disco Dan for taking me back for a spell.

Based on the postcard, it seems Cool Disco Dan has grown up! Entrepreneur with a product to sell. Check him out at www.CoolDiscoDan.com.

–December 10, 2009

Organizations from across Los Angeles descended upon City Hall demanding that policy makers respect their human right to adequate housing.

In a gathering that was truly reflective of multi-cultural L.A. residents took to the streets on the International Day of Human Rights. Members from KIWA, SAN, LA CAN, Union de Vecinos, Comunidad Presente, CES, Esperanza Housing, SAJE, Coalition LA, and Homeless Healthcare took to the street to highlight domestic human rights violations.

The action comes on the heels of a recent United Nations mission investigating housing conditions in the United States. While in Los Angeles Raquel Rolnik, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing, stated that she indeed saw human rights violations in our city. The United Nations will release findings in March 2010 in their official report. Stay tuned because there will be many more activities in the months before the release.

And, no again! I am not gay It just happened I have a friend working there who shares similar passion for Washington, DC as mine. Frankly, I don’t know much about the industry. When I heard the story, I felt like sharing it with you all.

Ever since sh*t hit the fan (my way of referring to our down economy and financial crisis), the world of dance has also gone belly up – layoffs, shut down, etc. Even the New York City Ballet, the San Francisco Ballet, and the Miami City Ballet handed out a lot of pink slips. I didn’t know Miami even had a Ballet team.

Despite such crisis, not only the 22 member TWB (The Washington Ballet) sustained and did a seven percent budget decrease, but also they managed to pick up the cost of expensive visa process, mandatory trips home and living expense for their international dancers. How?

Their awesome skill of attracting and sustaining foreign dancers who get recruited from overseas. Many other U.S. based prominent companies had tried to get prima ballerinas like Cuban star, Viengsay Valdes onto their stages for years, but only TWB managed to take care of the paperwork relatively easily.

Man, you thought you have it hard. Listen to this – In order for the international dancers to perform in the U.S., they have to go through such a costly visa process. On top of that, they are required to return to their home countries once a year. TWB picks up the tab for all the costs by getting their board members to identify sponsors to pay living expenses and donate frequent fliers miles. My understanding is there is no other companies in the U.S. in this industry doing this. So, good for them, their dancers, and of course, great for us, the Washingtonians.

If you are still confuse how the human side of TWB helped them to sustain and survive in this economy compare to others, I am guessing people who truly enjoy dancing and love to go to Kennedy Center to watch it (as supposed to someone like me who loves to go to the night clubs) , they really expect to see prima ballerinas like Viengsay Valdes. It looks like The Washington Ballet is the only one who focuses on that as they have been using it for their branding. Therefore, it has made it easier for them to do fundraising.

Here is Viengsay Valdés

And, here is The Washington Ballet – 2009 National Cherry Blossom Festival Opening Ceremony

Troy left for the UK early Friday morning with the exciting mission of delivering a music robot to Aphex Twin–a well-known electronic musician.  He’ll be back late Monday night and hopefully will have an exciting post about his adventure, complete with pictures of the English countryside.  In the meantime, I’ve been alone but not lonely, thanks to a Christmas party with friends and some Skype sessions with friends and family.

I traveled to Leuven on Friday night for a Christmas party with some fellow Fulbrighters.  Leuven is a big university town located about an hour’s train ride from Gent.  I was struck immediately by the strong scent of beer being brewed.  Then I remembered that Leuven is home to Inbev, the world’s largest brewing company (which now owns Bud and Busch).  The beautiful Christmas decorations at the ornate city hall building were also striking.  I had to stop for a picture.

Leuven's decked out city hall

Gary (Fulbrighter who studies philosopy) and Ginger’s house happens to be located within a Beguinhof established in the 13th century.  The university owns this group of houses and reserves them mainly for international scholars.  Ginger and Gary really lucked out in getting into one of these very coveted homes.

They had a full house of neighbors and friends, a nice spread of snacks and drinks and lots of holiday cheer.  I met people from Holland and Australia, talked to a few fellow Americans, and even got to chat with a couple of locals–a Flemish couple that have been assigned by the university to be Gary and Ginger’s “buddies” this year.  Kind of a funny but neat concept, especially since Flemish people generally keep to themselves.  I had fun learning about some differences between the Belgians and the Dutch and about their funny sense of humor.  One example, they call Hagelslag, the real chocolate sprinkles that people here put on their sandwiches “muizenstrontjes” (mouse shit)!

On Sunday I walked around the town with Gary, Ginger and their sweet, 15 month old daughter Lizzie.  They gave me a nice tour, and we walked through the Christmas market where I found some yummy smoked gouda (haven’t seen the smoked kind anywhere here yet).  We also got to sample some local beer at the Domus brewery.  All in all it was a really fun trip–thanks to Gary and Ginger for being such wonderful hosts!

Gary and Ginger

Alex and I are currently cuddled up in our pajamas, getting ready for bed after an extraordinarily long day. I’ll probably go into further detail about this tomorrow, but let me explain the minor situation that took place at 4AM this morning. I woke up at 330A to get ready for my early morning flight and taxi pick up at 415A. I had called to book the cab on Saturday to make sure we’d have a ride to the airport. Shortly after 410A, a cab pulled up in front of my accommodation. When I went to get in the cab, I discovered that it wasn’t the cab that I had ordered. At that exact same moment, I received a  phone call from the cab company letting me know that they wouldn’t be sending a cab for us! As luck would have it, the cab parked in front of my complex hadn’t been booked (what are the chances at 4AM?!), so I was able to get him to take me to pick up Alex and drop us off at Victoria Station. Let me just say — NEVER book with London Black Cabs. I was so disappointed! If (by the grace of God), a cab hadn’t been lingering in front of my complex, I would have been in a bit of a bind considering the tube station doesn’t open until 530A! In any case, after that minor incident, we jumped on the Gatwick Express, made it through check-in and security in record time and got into Malta without a hitch!

We’ve now been in Malta for nine or so hours and have already seen loads of fun places in Qormi, including the house my mom grew up in and the bakery that her parents owned!

I had actually imagined the old bakery to be in decent working order and was a little sad to see the once-used building in a state of rubble. Still, the fact that my mom walked in same building when she was a child is pretty exciting!

We’re staying with family that I hadn’t really met  before this trip and they have been so incredibly amazing! Not only did the entire family come to the airport to greet us, but they spent the entire day escorting us to must-see sights, making us Maltese treats plus they took the week off to be our personal tour guides!

I’ll have to catch up tomorrow on some amazing sites that we’ve seen: St. George, San Sebastian, a ridiculous amount of nondescript churches, a Christmas market, a life-sized house made of chocolate and loads of other goodies! We’re planning on hitting up Valletta and Mellieha tomorrow, followed by a trip to Gozo on Wednesday via ferry!

Some fun facts that I’ve learned today:

1. There are 365 churches in Malta. One for every day of the year.
2. Malta is a mere 122 square miles with around 425,000 inhabitants. Despite the low population (in terms of absolute numbers), Malta is the third most densely populated nation in the world! I think that definitely speaks to how small the place is!
3. Gozo is called the Isle of Calypso — referred to by Homer in the Odyssey.
4. Gozo is home to Ġgantija megalithic temples, a UNESCO heritage site, and the world’s oldest free-standing structures.

I’ll post more pics and info tomorrow, but sleep is a must!

xoxo,

Mosque in Bolibana

Mosque in Bagadadji

Mosque at Centre Culturel Islamique, Hamdallaye

Mosque El-Ansar, Sokorodji

Mosque Cheikh Hassane Abdallah Al Cheikh, ACI 2000, Hamdallaye

Mosque of L’Association Mondial de L’Appel Islamique Bamako, ACI 2000

Grand Mosque of Bamako

mamadou