Anyone who has followed Serie A this year will be able to tell you that there are some very bright young stars… and some very, very bad haircuts. There has simply been an influx of promising youngsters in the Italian game this year, many of whose barbers should probably be taken out behind their shops and shot. I’m talking about players like Stevan Jovetic, Stefano Okaka Chuka, Philippe Mexès. Perhaps the perfect storm of incredible talent + douchey haircut this year has been Napoli’s Marek Hamšík. The young Slovakian has been key to i Partenopei’s revival under Walter Mazzarri, and is among Serie A’s top scorers with 7 goals so far. However, he also looks like this:

It's not even like I chose a particularly bad picture on purpose - this is from his Wikipedia page.

That is, he did until today. As you can plainly see here, Hamšík has shaved his head today. In case you don’t speak Slovakian (a minority of you might not, I guess) he is saying that he has shaved his head to celebrate Slovakia’s qualification for the World Cup. Normally I wouldn’t pay this much attention to the hairstyles of footballers, but a) That was a pretty bad haircut, and b) there’s nothing happening in the world of football today. In other news, Gennaro Gattuso’s recently stolen Range Rover has been found in Tirana, the capital of Albania! The SUV has been returned to its owner, and we can only guess how happy Rino will be to have it… oh, we have a picture? Perfect.

]]> http://sibiuaner.de/2009/11/12/filmfestival-cottbus-resume-mittwoch/ Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:52:45 +0000 sibiuaner http://sibiuaner.de/2009/11/12/filmfestival-cottbus-resume-mittwoch/ http://religiousarchitecture.wordpress.com/2009/11/11/etham-bey-mosque-tirana-albania-2/ Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:05:06 +0000 camilo9015 http://religiousarchitecture.wordpress.com/2009/11/11/etham-bey-mosque-tirana-albania-2/

 

Etham bey mosque (Tirana, Albania)

Cargado originalmente por sana banana nana

The Et’hem Bey mosque is located in the center of the Albanian capital Tirana. Construction was started in 1789 by Molla Bey and it was finished in 1823 by his son Haxhi Et`hem Bey, great-grandson of Sulejman Pasha.

During communist rule in Albania the mosque was closed until January 18, 1991, when, despite opposition among communist authorities, ten thousand people entered carrying flags. This was at the onset of the fall of communism in Albania.

The frescoes of the mosque depict trees, waterfalls and bridges; still life paintings, a rarity in Islamic art.

Tours of the mosque are given daily, though not during prayer service.

As noted in the last post, there is a page for each country in the CIA World Factbook. All have maps and and cover the same categories of facts. Additionally, there are a handful of photographs on some nations’ pages.

What is good about these is this statement that you find accompanying each thumbnail photo you click on:

Factbook photos – obtained from a wide variety of sources – are in the public domain and are copyright free.

But there are several odd things about these photos. The first is the absence of any reason why some countries have them and some don’t. For example, there are 15 photos of Jordan, and none of Iran or Iraq, 10 of Libya and none of Ethiopia, 11 each of Albania and Croatia, and none of Ukraine, Romania, or Bulgaria. The other is that by and large, these are tourist brochure shots: pyramids in Egypt, lions in Kenya.

But they are in the public domain, and it can be hard to find public domain photos of places outside the US since the understanding that photos taken by Federal employees on the job belong to the public is not an opinion globally shared.

So let’s start our world tour by meandering through Central Europe and the Balkans.

GREECE

Santorini, an island 120 miles southeast of mainland Greece.

14th century Rousanou Monastery, Meteora region, Greece

Poros, Greece

Parthenon, Athens, Greece

ALBANIA, CROATIA, SLOVENIA, HUNGARY, SLOVAKIA

The central tower of Petrela Castle outside Tirana, Albania, was erected around 500 A.D.

Tirana, Albania, and Mount Dajti, Dinaric Range

Looking down on Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovnik, a walled port city on the Adriatic Sea.

Predjama Castle, Slovenia, is built into a huge cave

Slovenia: Church of the Assumption and Bled Castle on Bled Island, and the Julian Alps.

The Danube River as seen from Buda; across the river in Pest is the Parliament Building. Buda and Pest united together are Budapest, Hungary.

Fortress outside Eger, Hungary

Bratislava Castle, Bratislava, Slovakia

Tatra mountains seen from rural Slovakia

Slovakia

Slovenia

A rail line across the mountains near Krrabë, would dramatically shorten the route between Tirana (Tiranë) and Elbasan, and extend the proposed high-speed rail line Tiranë – Shkodër. It could form the start of a new high-speed line south-east to Athinai (Athens) and Thessaloniki.

Click to enlarge…

Elbasan is inland from the coastal plains, where Albania’s population is concentrated, but the broad Shkumbin valley makes it relatively accessible. There is, however, no lowland route from Tirana. To reach Elbasan by train, you first travel in the opposite direction, north-west on the line to Durrës. From there, the rail line runs south along the coast, and finally eastwards along the Shkumbin. There is a direct road route over the mountains, about 50 km. East of Elbasan, the Shkumbin valley is Albania’s main route inland, with the only inland railway. Although it was always planned to connect it eastwards, the line only got as far as Pogradec, on the shore of Lake Ohrid. The political and social instability of the last 20 years has delayed any extension (to Kicevo and/or Kastoria). The rail / road routes along the Shkumbin valley, are officially part of Pan-European Corridor VIII.

The broad valley of the Shkumbin near Elbasan, with part of the steelworks. Image by Albinfo under Creative Commons 2.5 licence.

Population estimates for Tirana vary widely, but it probably has about 600 000 to 800 000 inhabitants. Elbasan lies 33 km to the south-east: it has about 125 000 inhabitants, with another 100 000 in the surrounding District (Rreth). The massive Communist-era steelworks was once the largest employer (and Albania’s largest polluter). Its collapse left all 12 000 workers unemployed, and deprived the city of its economic base.

Tirana looking south-east along the tectonic valley alignment, heights exaggerated: the red line is the main street of Elbasan, 33 km away.

Between the two cities are mountains, with a maximum elevation of 930 m. Tirana lies in a broad valley extending south-east. In this valley are lower foothills, which begin at the edge of the city centre. The Erzen river flows between these hills, passing south of Tirana. The main Elbasan road follows this river up the broad valley, for about 10 km. After the village of Ibë, the valley is narrower, and the slopes steeper: the road begins its climb to the ridge here. After the pass, the road follows the flank of the ridge, and then descends into the Shkumbin valley on a series of closely-spaced hairpin bends. This is impossible for a rail line, but there is a parallel valley (river Kusha), at right angles to the Shkumbin valley.

This (tectonic) corridor allows the construction of a direct rail link between the two cities. However, a tunnel of about 10 km is unavoidable, between the valley sections. The exact alignment of such a project can only be determined by geological studies. The line has four elements: an exit from Tirana, a line rising to the north portal, the tunnel, and a descent from the south portal.

Assuming a new central station in Tirana, as proposed for the HSL from Shkodër, the new line would begin in tunnel, in central Tirana. Depending on the orientation of the central station, the line would run south under the broad boulevard Dëshmorët e Kombit, or parallel to it. Behind the university building, at the end of this street, the ground rises. The new rail line would go under this hill (central Tirana is at 110 m elevation, the hill about 145 m). On the other side the line would run parallel to the higher ridge between Tirana and the river Erzen. To reach the river, the line must pass under part of this ridge, in another tunnel (red dotted line): it is then at about 150 m.

The line would then climb alongside the river Erzen for 7 km, possibly crossing it three times, to use level ground. It would follow a smaller tributary for a short distance, climbing to the tunnel portal at about 225 m. The level ground along the Erzen is intensively farmed, and some demolition will be inevitable.

The approximate location of the tunnel portals is shown in red. This is a ‘best-case’ assumption, with a tunnel of about 9 km. Geological conditions could require a longer tunnel, and more difficult approach lines. The tunnel would pass just south of the village of Krrabë, which also gives its name to the pass between Tirana and Elbasan. The southern portal of the tunnel would be in the Kusha valley, again at about 225 m.

From there, the line would run 8 km down the Kusha valley, and another 3 km into Elbasan station. For the first 5 km the valley floor is narrow: in places, the only level ground is the river bedding. Some short tunnels would be required to avoid curves: the line would drop about 100 m. Further down, the valley floor is broad enough ( (200-500 m). At the end of the valley, it suddenly opens up, and the rail line from Durrës is only 500 m further. The level ground here is at about 100 m elevation (heights are not exaggerated on this image).

The line would follow the existing straight alignment into Elbasan station, about 1 km from the city centre. The alignment is adequate for expansion, the station itself needs an upgrade.

The line would be 35-40 km long, station to station, depending on how favourable the geology is. The existing line from Durrës would be upgraded – from Durrës to the Shkumbin it is also the route to the south. The new Tirana – Elbasan line would carry passenger trains only. Even after the construction of new links to the east, most freight traffic through Elbasan will be to/from Durrës, not Tirana. (Alignments and services east of Elbasan are not considered further here). The new Tirana – Elbasan line will not allow very high speeds, because of the climb to the tunnel. A journey time of 20 minutes would be reasonable for the route: a journey time of 15 minutes would be very good.

This proposed high-speed line (HSL) would link Tiranë (Tirana) and Shkodër, parallel to the existing line. It would be complementary to other new lines: a HSL from Shkodër to Podgorica, and a HSL south-east from Tiranë to Athina (Athens) and Thessaloniki, starting with a new line to Elbasan. A HSL north from Podgorica, parallel to the Lim valley line, would be very difficult to build, but could link these lines to a European HSL network. (All proposals here ignore current borders, and are made from a European perspective).

Click to enlarge…

The population of Albania is increasingly concentrated on the coastal plains. The plain between the three cities of Tiranë, Durrës and Shkodër, has a population of about 1.5 million. There are widely varying estimates of the population of Tiranë itself (400 000 up to 900 000). The city has been expanding north-west into the plain, by unregulated sprawl, with ribbon development along main roads. The sprawl has now reached the airport at Rinas. By western European standards this is a small regional airport, with 1,3 million passengers annually, but as numbers increase and the area becomes residential, it might have to be relocated.

The coastal plain between Tiranë and Shkodër, about 85 km apart. The vertical axis (height) is exaggerated on the images. Even at this scale, the sprawl and ribbon development around Tiranë is visible.

The existing rail line to Shkodër does not start in Tiranë itself, and its alignment is at first indirect. It diverges from the 1949 line to Durrës at Vorë, and it was slowly extended to Shkodër in the 1960’s and 1970’s. North of Mamurras, the alignment itself is reasonable – at the edge of the mountains (where the larger villages are located), with stations roughly 10 apart. However, the line was built for very low speeds, and it has been neglected for 20 years. The one daily service has an average speed of 29 km/h.

The proposed new line can be considered in four sections. The first is a new central station and Tiranë exit line. The present station is a dilapidated single platform. Tiranë has an obvious location for a new central station: under the huge central Skënderbej square (mainly asphalt). The station could be reached by a 1200m tunnel, from the existing approach tracks beside the Tirana river. More ambitiously, through a 5-km tunnel under the main Durrës road, which starts at the square, and extends in an almost straight line north-westwards. Further out, the tunnel could join the existing rail alignment toward Vorë, which is parallel to the road. All or part of the new alignment, could be used for an urban-regional metro line, to Durrës and the airport. Most of the Durrës road is very broad, and would allow construction of a 4-track tunnel, but the section nearest the square is narrower. Both central alignments could connect to a future south-western line, across the mountains to Elbasan. (The exact location of the central station it is not considered further here).

The second section of the new line would start from the existing alignment near Bërxull, and run almost due north to the airport. This would avoid the worst of the sprawl, but some demolition is inevitable. At the airport, the line could run on viaduct along the access road, with a station directly connected to the terminal. From there, the new line would again run north, to a new station on the west side of Fushë-Krujë. The growing town has a population of 24 000, the District of Krujë 78 000. (Fushë-Krujë means ‘Lower Krujë’, the historical town of Krujë is in the foothills to the east). Fushë-Krujë station would logically be situated on the western road out of the town. It is a logical terminal for an urban-regional metro (S-Bahn) from Tiranë. A short link from the old line to the airport would allow a similar service to/from Durrës, via Vorë.

From Fushë-Krujë, the third section of new line would run north to Lezhë. Near Mamurras, it would cross the existing line, which serves Mamurras itself, the district capital Laç (population 25 000), and Milot. In combination with the link Durrës – Vorë – airport, it would make sense to route all passenger trains over the new alignment, north of Fushë-Krujë. Regional trains would use a connection to the existing line at Mamurras (10-km joint section shown in red).

This would allow a better combination of services: a regional service Durrës – Vorë – - Fushë-Krujë – Shkodër, with interchange with fast inter-regional trains at Fushë-Krujë and Lezhë. (Two existing stations would be closed, but they don’t serve any large villages).

North of Mamurras, the new line would cross the plain and the river Mat, in a straight line to Lezhë station. Lezhë has a a population of about 17 000, the District of Lezhë about 68 000. The station is well located, but (besides reconstruction) the short tunnel just north of it needs to be replaced. The tunnel is needed to pass under a ridge here. At Lezhë the Drin flows through a gap in the hills, and there is barely enough room for the river and the road. The station must also allow for non-stopping trains, and for freight and regional trains on the existing line.

The fourth section of the new line would run from Lezhë to Shkodër. The existing line keeps to the eastern side of the plain – partly because it crosses the Drin again at the Vau-Deja dam (south-east of Shkodër), and partly to avoid several low hills in the middle of the plain. With a new Drin crossing more to the south of Shkodër, the new line can cut through the plain. Only one short tunnel would be needed, for an almost straight alignment. The new line would be faster, but not however much shorter than the existing 35-km section.

Shkodër is the only city between Tiranë and Podgorica. It has a population of about 85 000 (over 100 000 according to some sources), with about 185 000 in the District of Shkodër. The new line from the south would cross the river Kir into the station, which is just north of the river, and east of the centre. There is no sprawl on this side of the city, as yet, since the river is a barrier.

….

The new line would be about 90 km long. Until there are connecting high-speed lines a fast inter-regional service is sufficient. With three intermediate stations, on a completely new line, a Tiranë – Shkodër journey time of under 40 minutes is feasible.

Traian Basescu are insomnii ,este tot mai tensionat ,iar tremurul mainilor ,abia daca il mai atenueaza cu cateva sticle de alcool ,care ii inunda creierii zilnic.

E drept ca ne-a demonstrat ca a citit si altceva ,decat etichetele sticlelor de bauturi, atunci cand ,preocupat de starea jalnica a poporului ,caruia i-a facut urari de bine, s-a infiintat intr-o emisiune de divertisment ,unde a facut dovada calitatilor sale de bufon ,recitind o compozitie in versuri, precum cele scrise in oracolele scolare sau pe peretii toaletelor, care se sfarsea cu o floare pe mormantul maica-sii.Basescu ,bufonul ,a hahait ,a bocit,a uitat versurile ca mai apoi, in mod surprinzator ,sa si le aduca aminte si sa le redea cursiv ,in acest timp cand Basescu era bufonul micului ecran,mama acestuia ,care nu se afla nici pe departe in mormant, se afla internata la un spital iar a doua zi urma sa sufere o operatie ,deosebit de grea.Oare cui i se potriveste mai bine zicala :”Tara arde si baba se piaptana”?

Traian Basescu agonizeaza ,galopant,ca o furie nebuna.Este furia sfarsitului ,a sfarsitului total, al omului politic, Traian Basescu !

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Dupa o noapte alba ,mahmur a navalit la un post national de radio preocupat mai mult decat de soarta maica-sii ,de soarta Elenei Udrea, in idiotenia sa, a capatat

un lapsus ,referitor la separatia puterilor in stat:cum sa soliciti tu ,presedinte de stat, ca o ticaloasa care a furat, sa nu fie pedepsita?Apropo:Udrea i-o fi scris, poezia?

Traficantul international, de armament ,Traian Basescu ,disperat, a aruncat in campania electorala ,paralela,pe care o desfasura ,asa ca o nada,un fel de „atentia la mine”, o gaselnita ,nu cea din urma,legalizarea prostitutiei si a consumului de droguri usoare.

Asta dupa ce ,ani in sir ,ca o mironosita,a pingarit biserici ,slujbele sale diavolesti au inlocuit pe cele crestinesti, tinute de preoti,asta dupa ce, in vazul presei ,a primit icoane care au aterizat, claie peste gramada ,in portbagajul prezidential…eu cred ca acolo au ramas:ce sa faca diavolul din Basescu cu ele ?

Ca si cand biserica, ar incuviinta ,aceste naravuri ,incurajate de tartorul Basescu,acesta s-a protapit la Targoviste , spre oroarea mea,la poze cu inaltele fete bisericesti…Deh,Dumnezeu vede,sfintite fete bisericesti !Asa i-am spus unui popa, caruia ii dadusem bani ,pentru biserica, si el isi schimbase limuzina.Dumnezeu sa-l ierte si sa-l odihneasca,a murit de tanar….

Diavolul are un nume:Basescu !

Oare traficantul international de arme ,are ceva droguri, din barter, in „stoc” si nu are piata de desfacere ,acum cand Viktor Bout e la racoare?Da,intr-adevar, Romania ar fi o piata foarte sigura…dar mai ales ,usor de controlat...,

Naravit ,sa apara la televizor,in aburii alcoolului ,in timp ce rememora maretul episod cu „322” ,a ticluit un alt rahat :referendumul pentru parlamentul unicameral.Basescu,proxenetul national ,avea reteta ,de fraudare a voturilor, de la acel referendum ,e drept ca mai apoi, ca si in privinta demisiei a intors-o „ca la Ploiesti”…

A fost oare ,o replica la cutezanta acelei comisii parlamentare, care i-a necinstit ibovnica, facand-o „hoata” ?…a fost o incercare de  deviere a atentiei publice, de genul diversiunii George Becali ,atunci cand Mircea Basescu gafase magistral ,pe posturile de televiziune ,cand acestea dezvaluiau matraplazlacurile:Mircea a furat si Traian a acoperit?Cam asa ,bine zice ,domnul Sorin Rosca Stanescu…

A fost un gest cavaleresc?…Bestia asta cu chip de om, chiar o fi indragostit nebuneste ?…Bine,bine ,dar „actele” nu se consuma in Notre Dame ,ci in Palatul Cotroceni?! Ah,e versiunea romaneasca?O.K!

Dupa inca o noapte alba, a aparut pe post si a incercat sa insufle curaj guzganilor portocalii ,tot mai agitati ,pe fiecare zi ce trece ,de certa scufundare a barcazului ,parca ar fi prima,mai sunt cel putin 50 de nave scufundate de Diavolul care (sac) ,a infruntat valuri de 16 metri si nu oriunde ci in…Atlantic (sarade de pirat).

A bantuit blogosfera ,preocupat ,bineinteles,de starea natiunii,de unde a ciupit un cuvant pe care l-a lansat, tot ca pe o sarada,a tinut sa gratuleze cu acest cuvant ,pe super ziaristul Sorin Rosca Stanescu(baiat de baiat),pe curajosul pilot si parlamentar Valentin Vasilescu si bineinteles ,…”tonomatele” lui Voiculescu,”mogulii” ,care nu mai contenesc cu dezvaluirile afacerilor murdare in care Basescu si membrii familiei sale ,amantele, sunt implicati pina la gat…pe linga cei gratulati cu acel cuvant,ma aflu si eu…soricelul care scrie,un ticalos care atenteaza la „onoarea de familist” ,a proxenetului national . Am facut pe mine,m-a luat tremuriciul ,am murit de frica,cand mi-am revenit am scris mazgaleala asta ,ca printre randurile ei ,sa cer:

Doamna Procuror General a Romaniei-Laura Codruta Kovesi,va rog din suflet ,scapati acest popor rabdator, de diavolul cu chip de om , Traian Basescu:

Declansati actiunea penala ,si implicit, urmarirea penala impotriva numitului Traian Basescu, in baza plangerilor mele , in special, in baza plangerii penale numita „Baltagul” cu numarul 922 ,a plangerii numita “Mafia-Traian Basescu traficant international” cu numarul 926,a plangerii “Betivan-Hitler-Basescu”  cu numarul 920,incetati va rog, cu musamalizarea dosarelor lui Traian Basescu si a tiitoarei sale Elena Udrea (poftiti numarul plangerilor scanat,in caz ca s-au pierdut pe acolo…)

plangere penala contra lui basescu nr.920 -betivan hitler basescu-(golden blitz-becali,tiganca imputita,gaozarule,etc)

plangere penala balatagul contra lui basescu

Ca un raspuns, pentru participarea partenerilor de coalitie ,la comisia parlamentara Vanghelie-Orban ,dupa ce s-a intalnit ,tete-a tete, cu Elena Udrea,Traian Basescu s-a napustit la Palatul Victoria pe inserat unde, Emil Boc, era cocotat pe scaunul de prim ministru al Romaniei ,sa il vada  maica-sa ,la Rachitele ,in televizor , se caznea ,din rasputeri, sa coboare, de pe scaunul atat de inalt.Emil Boc, ajutat de Basescu ,sa coboare,doar pentru moment,a avut o replica geniala :”Da Traiane,asta gandeam eu cand ai venit!”.Boc, se bucura in sinea lui, ca va fi inca un prilej ,ca  mama sa de la Rachitele, sa scuipe ecranul televizorului, de deochi.

Si-a luat incaltarile cu toc dublu, a tras de microfon in jos ,si a anuntat remanierea lui Dan Nica .A sunat,apoi, la Cotroceni si a intrebat:”A fost bine?”,i-a raspuns Basescu, fredonand:”Ce bine ne intelegem noi doiiiii!”

In fapt Dan Nica il speriase, de moarte ,pe Basescu si era exact cum bine a spus „calcase pe un musuroi de furnici” ,afacerile familiei Basescu,contrabanda cu produse petroliere ,a  unor lideri PDL de la Ploiesti ,dar mai ales cheia invincibilitatii basesciene: furtul electoral,votul cu autocarul si toleranta, interesata, a politiei, inregimentata politic.

Basescu radia,impiedicase cercetarea penala a Camilei Elena Udrea ,cea detinatoare de provizii electorale si erat tot timpul pe ecran ,a fugit la Cluj unde s-a prins in hora ,in timp ce tara pe care el insusi o incendiase,ardea dar nu foarte mocnit,beat a sunat manuitorii de sondaje si le-a cerut o facatura fulger:ii reusise !

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Pasul la ofsaid facut ,de intreaga clasa politica, l-a intristat,in zadar a incercat sa dezbine si sa stapaneasca :toate partidele erau fripte,in zadar a incercat sa-l zugraveasca pe primarul Sibiului ca pe un naiv pacalit de opozitie:Johanis vazut de Basescu ca un posibil contracandidat in cursa electorala ,stie mai bine ca noi ,cine i-a plasmuit dosarele penale,oare de unde a tras Basescu concluzia ca nemtii,sasii,germanii sunt popoare sentimentale si naive?

 Sau el cunoaste alta istorie decat cea stiuta de Crin Antonescu, dupa cum devine si expert in vestimentatie capabil sa umileasca un reprezentant al minoritatii armene,unul din acei parlamentari neimbuibati care  alaturi de alti reprezentanti i-au dat „craci,” cum se spune pe maidan la fotbal, lui Basescu si nu au pus botul la cadoul din cocoasa Camilei Elena Udrea de 100000 de euro.

In timpul motiunii de cenzura,cinstitii parlamentari portocalii ii transmiteau live capcaunului „totul e ok”,in fapt asta este sfarsitul oricarui dictator: cand supusii il informeaza mincinos de teama represaliilor, ori bate un vant de Fronda in PDL?

Jos tiranul ,vivat  Patria!

Haideti !E timpul pentru „reconciliere nationala”,citat din Ion Ilici Iliescu.Nu stiti cum e cu dictatorii?Dictatorul si metresa si atat!

Apropo: imi place foarte mult numele dat de eruditul istoric,Corneliu Vadim Tudor,impotriva caruia am formulat si o plangere,impotriva omului politic si nu impotriva istoricului pe care il ascult cu placere chiar cand o ia razna,pentru ca ma distreaza,doamnei Roberta Anastase:”Girafa Muista”… Arata bine in timpul votului motiunii de cenzura…nu, nu a plans.Cred ca au plecat sa sarbatoreasca, doar Paleologu a fost atat de naucit incat a ramas pironit, gandindu-se la cariera sa politica ,care a inceput atat de bine si s-a curmat atat de brusc.Deh,daca te-a mincat in cur,vorba lui Dinescu:sa-l lingi in cur pe Basescu.Te-ai gandit vreodata fraierica, ca numele ,Paleologu este un blazon?

Oare cum o fi castigat asta titlul de Miss in dauna unor femei ca Andreea Marin sau Simona Patruleasa?Suspina saraca, pentru Basescu :cine o mai marita,acum?

„Prostanacul”-Mircea Geoana, este singurul parlamentar roman care a elogiat  ,in aula Parlamentului ,avand si ocazia sa aiba un discurs in calitate de presedinte a PSD,decernarea premiului Nobel ,presedintelui american Barack Obama.

Presedintele Basescu era preocupat de tiitoarea Elena Udrea, de modificarea constitutiei si nicidecum de elogierea presedintelui american Barack Obama ,de  revitalizarea economiei,iesirea din criza sau de creearea de noi locuri de munca.

Deh!Nimeni nu-i ca …Bush!

Placinta Constantin zis Titi,procuror din Ploiesti,celebru prin cazul Viorica Visan trimisa dupa gratii nevinovata 10 ani ,prin cazul Dinu Patriciu unde a facut presiuni asupra procurorilor care instrumentau dosarul in calitate de inspector CSM si sluga a lui Traian Basescu,precum si cazul meu, unde din partea vatamata si petent m-a transformat in infractor ,refuzand sa solutioneze in mod legal o plangere formulata pentru inselaciune pe file CEC in valoare de, aproximativ, 29 miliarde lei vechi ,la nivelul anului 2001-2002 ,doldora de bani,cu conturile pline si zeci de proprietati s-a pensionat.

Este acum un avocat care conduce ,alaturi de fosta procuroare Buliga Georgeta ,morisca spagilor din justitia prahoveana,daca vreti: un centralizator al spagilor.

Pe site-ul avocatului Placinta Constantin se regasesc, in portofoliul de clienti, foarte multi din cei care au primit NUP-uri in anii sai de glorie.Desi nu stapaneste nici o limba de circulatie ,clientii sai sunt din USA,ISRAEL,cel putin asa se lauda ,poate si dl Haysam.

Se pare ca  in urma anchetelor declansate impotriva acestuia,Placinta Constantin  s-ar fi mutat din satul Paulestii Noi in Ploiesti in locuinta care figureaza pe numele ginerelui sau Andrei Volosevici,primar al Ploiestiului.De asemenea se pare ca Placinta Constantin si-a distrus prin incendiere una din vile situata ,parca,in localitatea Varbila sau Varbilau, pentru a incasa polita de asigurare ,ca alternativa la scaderea dramatica a preturilor investitiilor imobiliare.

Constantin Placinta si Andrei Volosevici –primar al Ploiestiului ,au intrat in mod fraudulos ,prin interpusi in posesia stadionului „Ilie OANA” respectiv clubul „FC Petrolul”,in realitate stadionul si echipa a intrat in posesia unor vecini din Paulestii Noi ,cu care Placinta si Volosevici deruleaza diferite afaceri,sau asociati ai acestora.Prin aceasta manopera primarul Andrei Volosevici urmeaza sa finanteze constructia stadionului Ilie OANA,bani care ajung tot in administrarea lui Constantin Placinta si Andrei Volosevici prin interpusii protapiti in conducerea clubului ,care fac parte din anturajul procurorului Placinta si al fostului avocat Andrei Volosevici.

In aceasta vila locuieste, actualmente, primarul PDL al Ploiestiului ,Andrei Volosevici,urmatoarea vila este a antrenorului Valeriu Rachita,ambele filmate din elicopter,ambele in comuna Paulesti.Pina ca Volosevici sa devina primar ,in aceasta casa a locuit procurorul Placinta Constantin,in urma scandalurilor acestia au facut rocada:Placinta locuieste acum in Ploiesti in casa lui Volosevici.Printre vecinii lui Volosevici,proprietarul hotelului”Turist”,un anume Tilimpea…

Sumele de bani virate de la primarie ,de catre Andrei Volosevici, urmeaza sa fie folosite in campania electorala a lui Traian Basescu

Linia de tramvai din cartierul Democratiei nu a fost scoasa conform promisiunilor electorale facute cetatenilor din acest cartier.Iar stadionul „Ilie OANA” arata la fel desi a trecut mai bine de un an.

Tot ce a facut acest betivan de primar, numit Andrei Volosevici,client fidel al restaurantului frecventat in majoritate de drojdieri „Dealu MARE” ,unde bea ca un cretin alaturi de Dragos Patraru,a fost sa puna niste ghivece cu flori si sa apara la TVR 1 sa lalaiasca despre transportul in comun din Bucuresti,plin de o prosteasca ingamfare,despre Ploiesti,mai nimic,parca incerca sa zica:”M-ai vazut Basescule,am vorbit la Tvr,flutura drapelul porcaliu!”

Se pare ca la TVR intr-o anumita functie de conducere exista o fosta absolventa a liceului CD GHEREA Ploiesti,liceu absolvit de altfel si de Dragos Patraru,care in epoca era renumita prin harul de a scrie dar si prin bolile venerice pe care le raspandea,potrivit unuia din scriitorii prahoveni contemporani.

Andrei Volosevici a ajuns primar prin mita electorala.Mai exact,prin intermediul lui Iulian Badescu director la Republicanul a cumparat tacerea ,presei locale,cel putin trei persoane au fost cumparate in campanie din care amintesc doua:Dragos Patraru,Iulian Badescu,al treilea se stie si nu merita.

Privilegiile cu care au fost mituiti cei doi sunt:

• Iulian Badescu,consilier al primarului Andrei Volosevici,senator PDL,director televiziune locala,
• Dragos Patraru,consilier al primarului Andrei Volosevici,director televiziune locala,

 Dragos Patraru ,care are in permanenta chifla in gat ,stie sa rada de bietul C. Anghelescu de la Alfa Tv ,ca sperie platourile la conferintele de presa organizate de cluburile de fotbal.L-ai vazut tu?Patrarule nu toata lumea maninca pe la restaurante santajind ca  va scrie de rau.

               La cata mita iei, trebuia sa denunti la televizor medicul care te-a operat?Asta n-o face nici ultimul jeg,esti un rahat!

               In schimb ,ii dau dreptate lui Rachita Valeriu, si il cred ca e posibil ceea ce reclama ,el stie bine ce spune pentru ca acelasi lucru il faceau, Cristi Colonelu,Bogdan Cont,apropiatii sai, cand invatau galeria sa scandeze:JOS EUGENIU GOICEA!…se intampla acum…

               Ei dar alea sunt alte vremuri ,vremea cand jucatorii Petrolului isi permiteau sa vanda meciurile, fara stiinta presedintelui de club,sau vremea cand presedintii de club vindeau meciuri fara stiinta echipei sau cumparau arbitrii cu sau fara stiinta echipei.

 De ce imi miroase mie ca: Volosevici si Placinta au pus umarul la santajarea lui Penescu intocmai ca Elena Udrea in cazul Becali si ca eliberarea acestuia s-a facut in urma platii efectuate catre Traian Basescu prin intermediarii Placinta Constantin si Andrei Volosevici?

               Penescu a fost pus in libertate la Ploiesti, imposibil ca Placinta Constantin sa nu fi pus botul:o nora judecatoare,alti zeci de procurori si judecatori prieteni…..

 Primarul PDL al Ploiestiului,Andrei Volosevici,fost avocat,socrul sau Placinta Constantin,procuror la acea data,Buliga Georgeta prietena intima a lui Placinta sau “tiitoare”,procuror la acea data,dansand vals,french can-can,in aplauzele unei asistente dar mai ales ale lui…Volosevici,este daca vreti..”mercurialul spagilor din justitia prahoveana”..

 Aici il avem pe procurorul general adjunct al Romaniei Nita Tiberiu Mihail,inlantuit de procuroarea Buliga Georgeta intr-un sirtaki al spagilor ,pardon intr-un mercurial al spagilor la nivel national.O fi incasat Basescu bani de la Becali si Penescu?Sigur ca da ,altfel de ce i-ar fi arestat matrozul chior?Alaturi de Buliga se afla finii acesteia care se ocupa de cumpararea imobilelor la pret de nimic scoase la vanzare de judecatorie si bineinteles clanul Placinta,care nu apare in video,acum.SECIU-PRAHOVA.

Apropo de lins in cur la Basescu:Andrea Pora ,Alina Mungiu Pipidi,Radu Morar sunt lideri.Andreea Pora sau „de ce ai dintii atat de albi,domnule castor?” dupa ce arunca tone de scuipati ,dupa ce indruga verzi si uscate despre servicii si agenti reactivati sa-i curme lui Basescu zborul, mai nou a devenit si bufon al emisiunilor in care nu e lasata sa debiteze ineptiile si sa practice linsul in cur de Basescu.Ma scuzati ca folosesc acest termen neacademic ,il folosesc cu placere fiind imprumutat de la Mircea Dinescu, care intr-adevar a inceput sa mai recite si cate o poezie :”cat o ai?”

Dintr-un butoi de mari dimensiuni mai razbate ,din cand in cand,un panseu al voluminoasei Pipidi,luptatoarea impotriva interzicerii avortului,nimfomana saraca.

La Radu Moraru,la „Nasul” intra si ies cand vor si cum vor alde Basescu,alde Udrea ,alde Talpes,alde Boc,mai ceva ca TVR –ul pe timpul lui Ceausescu.Nu ti-e rusine,mai Radule,esti un baiat de treaba ce te prostituezi atat?Lingi in cur la Basescu?Mingi ridicate la fileu,osanale…ma uitam cu placere la tine…

La „televiziunea poporului”, OTV se simte din plin infuzia de capital portocaliu de la Locic si Emanoil Savin-primarul Busteniului,sunt vreo doua trei personaje pe acolo care de dimineata pina seara il ling pe Basescu in cur,una stiu sigur ca e finantata de Locic si Savin si in mod probabil si ceilalti.Murfatlarul apartinea unuia Samson cununat de Ioana Basescu si prieten cu Emanoil Savin?Si Virgil e pe acolo zici?Basescu,chiar?Tot pe acolo isi face veacul si unul  numit Sima, care se da drept discipol al lui Ovidiu Ioanitoaia,acum zice-se la o fituica „Ziarul”despre care un bun prieten al acestuia,din Ploiesti ,povestea ca-i cam place sa fie sechestrat si plimbat in portbagajul autoturismelor, atunci cand mai ticlueste cate o escrocherie.

Oricum il felicit pe Dan Diaconescu pentru ca a reusit sa-si indeplineasca visul si a scapat de „garsoniera” si am observat,asa,prin decor ca i-a priit colaborarea noastra.Sa fie intr-un ceas bun!

Suparati ca antrenorul nationalei Mircea Lucescu ,absenteaza in mod nemotivat de la serviciu, dand instructiuni prin telefon ,unuia care se pare ca ar fi de profesie „bucatar”, deci nepriceput la fotbal dar care „bucatar” e fiul sau…Adrian Mutu,Chivu si Mircea Sandu ,in mod gratuit sau nu, au hotarat ca trebuie sa ajute prietenii ,francezi sau sarbi, oferind :libera trecere.Merci,Monsieur Platini!

Gheorghe Hagi a declinat oferta de Presedinte al FRF in favoarea cumnatului sau Gheorghe Popescu.Nu-i acelasi lucru:Hagi e Hagi!

Nu, nu am fantezii erotice cu doamna procuror general a Romaniei, Laura Codruta Kovesi,nu sunt Irinel Columbeanu si nici dansa nu e Monica,desi daca ar fi sa aleg intre Roxana Ciuhulescu si Laura Codruta Kovesi ,as alege-o pe Laura.Si-a schimbat look-ul,hainele ii vin mai bine…de ce o aleg pe dansa?Suntem doi practicanti al aceluiasi sport de echipa:baschetul,mama, mama ce criscrosuri….bineinteles unul fara performante notabile, iar celalalt de lot national…acum imi dau seama de ce nu m-a impresionat fostul procuror Botos…ce am eu in comun cu un karatist?!

Nu cred ca a avut o legatura intima cu Johanis ,si daca a avut care-i problema?La inaltimea dansei poate sa aleaga mai greu.

Felicitari pentru reinvestire:ii luam si noi piuitul traficantului international Traian Basescu sau ne tinem de scaun?Dumneavoastra ,spre deosebire de Emil Boc, puteti ajunge la orice scaun… 

Pentru cei care il slavesc pe Basescu ,redau urmatoarele,ca un raspuns la afirmatia fostului Ministru de Interne ,Dan Nica  ,ca Basescu pregateste fraudarea alegerilor.

BASESCU A CASTIGAT REFERENDUMUL PRIN FRAUDA ELECTORALA, PRIN VOT CU AUTOCARUL!

Ma aflam intr-un sat inaintea referendumului de demitere al lui Basescu.Pentru a dezlega limbile satenilor crispati in fata camerei de luat vederi,am impartit cateva pahare la birtul satului si ca un preludiu ,fara nici o legatura cu ceea ce aveam ca obiectiv,le-am propus o tema la care toti „morometii” stiam ca vor percuta:

„Pe cine vreti presedinte!”

Memorabila a ramas replica unui satean care in timp ce isi sampona si lustruia limuzina de culoare albastra,spunea:

„Eu sunt comunist,il votez pe Mircea Geoana!Adicaaa,nu ca Mircea Geoana e comunist dar eu asa simt: il votez pe Mircea Geoana!”

Morometii mei insa il injurau de mama focului pe Basescu si nu atat de mult pe Basescu cat pe Elena Udrea.Am cenzurat cat am putut:cum sa-i stric imaginea luptatorului cu balaurii coruptiei?In sinea mea le dadeam dreptate satenilor si eu eram scarbit ,cate unul care ma stia ma intreba :mai crezi in Basescu?De unde sa stiu eu ca Basescu era in realitate protectorul coruptiei?

Aparitia lui Cosmin Gusa,pardon a generalului Iulian Vlad,in piata Universitatii unde Traian Basescu si ficele sale schelancaiau m-a convins sa ii dau votul.Am uitat de injuraturile taranilor ,m-am gandit:ce stiu taranii despre jocurile la varf .Am fost printre primii care i-am dat votul pina atunci nu avusesem lipici la urna,nu mai votasem niciodata.Lumea nu se inghesuia.

Mi-am pavazat magazinul cu mecla lui Basescu,am impartit fluturasi portocalii,am organizat promotii,i-am facut publicitate electorala in presa locala.

In ziua referendumului cineva de la unul din ziare mi-a adus factura la plata.

Dupa ce i-am achitat mi-a lansat o invitatie care m-a pus pe ganduri :

„-Mergeti cu noi?””   -Unde?”am intrebat,   „-Domnul Emanoil Savin a organizat?”

„-Ce?”   „ Mergem cu autocarele prin tara sa votam!”   „A,nu,nu pot sa las magazinul!”

Am ramas muncit de ganduri,impingand la frigidere si in urechi imi razabateau franturi din discutiile trecatorilor care se postau in fata magazinului si spuneau:”Ne-am pacalit cu asta,nu-l mai votam,numai rau face!”.

Erau multi, iar eu cam singurul fraier care imi pavazasem magazinul cu mecla lui Basescu.Eu care am fost la vot, nu mi-am explicat niciodata de unde capatase atatea voturi …

Cum lupta asta impotriva coruptiei ,cand el insusi fura voturi cu autocarul ?

In tot acest timp, Romania a fost izolata pe plan international,Asta dupa ce Adrian Nastase,Mircea Geoana,Emil Constantinescu au construit ani la rand in politica externa, ca  matrozul necioplit,Basescu ,sa culeaga roadele la inceputul mandatului.

Azi, Traian Basescu nu e primit la nici o masa din vreo capitala civilizata ,poate doar in Siria unde s-a ocupat personal de soarta lui Omar Haysam.

.L-am vazut alergand, buimac ,dupa presedintele american,Barack Obama, atunci cand trebuia sa se comporte altcumva,( asa abordezi un lider influent ?)ca mai apoi sa fie imbrancit de presedintele italian Silvio Berlusconi, cand l-a calcat, ca un mojic ,pe bombeu.

”Sa traiti bine!” a insemnat binele lui ,al familiei sale si al amantelor protapite in pozitii cheie ale statului si falimentul a sute de mii de firme ,niciodata nu a existat o nemultumire sociala mai  mare in Romania si un nivel de trai mai scazut!

A trecut referendumul.Basescu a uitat sa vina in Piata Universitatii la raport asa cum promisese,a fost cel mai prost presedinte pe care l-a avut Romania!

O cacealma de presedinte: o pata pe obrazul Romaniei!

Pravalia mea cea, cu mecla lui Basescu pavazata , am inchis-o,intreaga Romanie este in faliment!

Nu trebuie sa ii mai permitem lui Basescu sa ajunga presedinte prin frauda electorala!

E timpul sa-i inchidem definitiv pravalia lui Traian Basescu !

 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart  REQUIEM

WIENER SYMPHONIKER-conductor KARL BOHM

user sergiobrumano

adding to the varda film where colour resounds – how might the Roads to … the common? transform

damni i colori

Le maire d’une ville européenne encourage ses concitoyens à mettre un peu de couleur dans leur vie… et voilà ce que ça donne !

Savez-vous où nous sommes ?

Before getting on the bus last night, I nipped to the restaurant I’d gone to the night before. I then filled myself up with penne arrabiata and left. Just the trick.

I also had time to do a bit of research for getting to Thessaloniki, there are many different options with different complication, price and duration levels. The most promising is the train from Skopje to Thessaloniki on Saturday at 17:15 getting in at 22:34. Though this would mean going back on myself and I refuse to do that, so what I want to try and do is pick the same train up at Gevgelija on the Macedonian/Greek border at 19:55. This morning I need to look at how to get to Gevgelija from Ohrid and also somehow confirm with the Macedonian railways that the train details on the German Rail site are correct. This also means that I’ll stay another night in Ohrid.

While on the bus I entertained myself in a multitude of ways; I read some more of ‘Don Quixote’ which I’m now 60.40% into, I messed about with the simply brilliant Bebot iPhone app which I’d bought for a quid that day, I listened to loads of music in Itunes and Spotify (mainly to keep from hearing the truly terrible usual pap that comes with the buses in these parts, I don’t mind going on record as saying that the Balkans has produced some of the worst music to ever grace this planet) and lastly I came up with the below.

Fri 16 – Ohrid
Sat 17 – Night train
Sun 18 – Athens
Mon 19 – Athens
Tues 20 – Night ferry
Wed 21 – Taormina
Thurs 22 – Taormina
Fri 23 – Siracusa
Sat 24 – Palermo
Sun 24 – Night ferry
Mon 26 – Naples
Tues 27 – Naples
Wed 28 – Rome
Thurs 29 – Rome
Fri 30 – Rome
Sat 31 – Florence
Sun 1 – San Marino
Mon 2 – Venice
Tues 3 – Venice
Wed 4 – Milan
Thurs 5 – Vaduz
Fri 6 – Munich
Sat 7 – Munich
Sun 8 – Zurich
Mon 9 – Bern
Tues 10- Geneva
Wed 11 – Monaco
Thurs 12 – Andorra
Fri 13 – Madrid
Sat 14 – Madrid
Sun 15 – Madrid
Mon 16 – Lisbon
Tues 17 – Lisbon
Wed 18 – Seville
Thurs 19 – Seville
Fri 20 – Valenicia
Sat 21 – Valenicia
Sun 22 – St Jean D’ Angely
Mon 23 – St Jean D’ Angely
Tues 24 – St Jean D’ Angely
Wed 25 – St Jean D’ Angely
Thurs 26 – Normandy (town/city TBC)
Fri 27 – Normandy (town/city TBC)
Sat 28 – Normandy (town/city TBC)
Sun 29 – Paris
Mon 30 – Paris

Now this is anything but set in stone and probably unachievable really, a lot of it is based on guestimates on travel times but it’s a rough plan at least. I’m already missing plenty off that I’d like to fit in and another month would be perfect, the way I see it though I’ve a lifetime to comeback and fill in all the gaps.

I got a cool stamp when leaving Albania, whoo! That was the good bit of customs.

On the Macedonian side was the bad bit. Things took ages, my bus that was due in Struga at 23:30 didn’t actually get in until 02:00 because they kept us sitting there on it for hours and then we were standing outside for another 45 minutes or so in weather on par with a Mancunian January. Finally for some reason we then went on a different bus, I’ve no idea what it was all about and I didn’t even get a stamp for all my troubles. I rang the hostel at about 1 in the morning and the bloke said he’d wait up luckily. I’m now not a fan of Macedonian customs, though maybe it was the bus company’s fault, who knows.

It was even hard work after that. I knew Struga should be about 15 minutes from the border and when I saw a sign saying it was 2KM away I kept alert. Then the bus pulled over and it was clearly not a bus station or in any way what could be considered a town, I was worried. Of course no one spoke English so I was in a bit of a pickle. I gathered just about from the driver that this was indeed deemed as the Struga stop but there was no taxi rank. An old woman and a young lad had got off the bus and a taxi pulled up from nowhere for them, the driver was gesturing and I took it that he was advising me to get involved with that taxi before it scarpered. It was pretty much my only choice after all and if that was a no go I would have been stranded 15KM from where I needed to be in the cold and rain with no plan B.

The taxi driver didn’t speak a word of Blighty talk but I showed him the address and asked how much and after a little bit of confusion (all the while with my foot in a big puddle) I finally got that he’d take me there for €5. So he dropped the other people off in Struga (where the bus had stopped was on the outskirts then) and then proceeded to go to Ohrid. But he didn’t know the guesthouse, so then he stopped and asked another driver and we ended up following him, at this point I think he was trying to say it was €5 to here and more beyond. As none of this was in English though I wasn’t sure and certainly wasn’t going to help him out in that respect.

We ended up on some street in the pitch black and the other driver assured us this was it, though the place they were pointing at didn’t look right to me. While checking the address on my phone he then inadvertently deleted the email which had the address and directions from the centre (which I was going to use to try and find it on foot), so rather miffed and dejected I paid him and set out on a bit of a hopless task to find the place.

Within seconds I’d walked past it, whoo! So he had dropped me on the right street after all just not at the right house. Phew.

A bit of a nightmare journey all round really. But just after 3 I was finally in bed and enjoying the fact that there were 2 large blankets to keep me warm.

Though it transpired that they weren’t enough and I had to dig my sleeping bag out at 6 in the morning. I got a solid 4 hours after that.

One thing I’ve forgot to mention is that since I’ve been in Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania, power cut are very regular. I suggest if you’re a gamer to save very often or have a back-up generator?

The place (Antonio Guesthouse) I’m staying is alright, not much fun but I’ve privacy and it’s clean, cheap and secure. It’s advertised as having WiFi everywhere but the router is in the adjacent building and the signal is that weak that I lose it every minute and have to manually reconnect, is driving me mad!

When I got out and about today the first thing I went to do was have a look at the actual lake which is lovely, but I have to say I think there are better in Cumbria.

Then I was just mooching around the old cobbled streets and came across a few historical landmarks, first up was the Church of St. Sophia, next was Czar Samuel’s Fortress (which offers the best views available of the town) and lastly the Plaosnik Monastery (I found it to be a serenely peaceful place, though it helped that I was the only person in it).

I’d never had roasted chestnuts before and you see plenty of street sellers flogging them round this side of Europe so I finally gave them a try. I shall be having them again in the not so distant future.

Just an afternoon was long to see the sights of Ohrid really as they’re all very close together, though I imagine that in the summer you could happily spend a few days here. It’s a nice place.

After that I walked to the bus station so I know where I’ll be going tomorrow and also to get times and prices. My plan to get to Gevgelija and pick up the train to Thessaloniki is in tatters as even though it’s closer, it involves 2 or 3 changes which could be complicated or lengthy for all I know. There is another quicker option but it involves crossing the border between bus stations in a taxi and it could work out to be pretty expensive. So, even though I don’t like it, I’ll have to go back to Skopje in the morning which will take around 3.5 hours and then wait round a few hours there before getting the train I mentioned earlier. Boo.

By this time I was well in need of a substantial meal and I was getting a bit bored of pasta, pizza or lasagna all the time. I was full of the cold, tired and weak and wanted a meat feast God damn it.

I found a nice little restaurant doing a mixed grill but they had no room at the inn, man. Then eventually I came across a large but completely dead (I was the only one in it, not a good sign eh) called B.A.D Restaurant, what a terrible name.

I ordered ‘Alexander’s Sword’ (pork, veal and chicken on a large skewer with salad and fries). It certainly met the substantial requirement and the meat was all very tasty, so a good selection. The obligatory local beer I had was in Cyrillic so I don’t know the name.

I figured out why the place was empty though, when I came in they put on and turned up that music I have had to face on the buses a lot recently. I’m honestly really looking forward to getting out of the Balkans to escape it as it’s everywhere, they all seem to love it as well.

3 of Cobra Killer’s first 4 albums (Cobra Killer, 76/77 and Das Mandolinenorchester) are what I’ve listened to today. There is a bit of hype around the German outfit at the moment apparently and I think it very unjustified, all 3 of the albums are boring and juvenile. They should take a look at Crystal Castles to see how that sort of thing should be executed. Avoid them like the bubonic plague (which incidentally around 3000 people a year are still diagnosed with, I discovered last night on the National Geographic channel). One thing I should say to be fair, the hype is about their 5th and latest album which I haven’t heard, the predecessors have left me with absolutely no desire to though.

I spent the next few hours in an internet cafe and it’s here that I discovered that all my planning for Thessaloniki was a waste of time. There’s no hostels there and I’m not paying for 2 nights in a hotel, bugger. So I will go straight to Athens. I still need to go to Skopje and in fact I’ll need to get the same train to Thessaloniki, but then change there to get in Athens at about half 5 in the morning. On the plus side it frees up a few extra days. I’ve amended my rough plan above already, it didn’t even survive a day!

So tomorrow day and night (and well into the next day) will be a complete day of transit, I can’t say I’m relishing it.

I went out at half 11 last night in search of a late tea, crikey it was freezing out. Seriously proper teeth chattering stuff. I needed a hot meal and found one at a little restaurant, roast chicken with rice and a pint of Korca (rich but nice). All for the bargain price of 400 lek (£2.70).

I’m not very I’ll equipped for these sort of meteorological conditions, my hoody isn’t cutting it. One option is to make a hole in the bottom of my sleeping bag and use it as a sort of thermal dress, that could potentially look a tad daft though. Luckily it’s not a huge issue as Greece and Italy are my next 2 destinations after Ohrid.

I can’t get a hostel pickup from Struga tonight but the owner said a taxi should be less than 5 Euros so even if it ends up being double that it’s not too bad.

When I got back I had a long chat with my roomy, Ben from Brighton. He certainly knows his football. He’s a massive Brighton & Hove Albion and is even the official club photographer which is pretty cool, the photos used in this book are his.

It looks like my mates Topi, Pekka, Jimbo and Coopa (and maybe a few others) are going to meet me in Madrid for a weekend in mid November. That should be a good ‘n, I’m looking forward to having a cerveza or 19 with people I actually know properly.

The next leg of my journey after Ohrid will take me to Thessaloniki on the Greece mainland, as is the standard of late, there’s nothing direct which means lots of messing about on my part trying to figure out how to get there.

Albania is well known for high levels of OC, so I’ve amused myself today by weighing people I pass up and guessing if they might be involved. There’s a bit of business in this though too, if I decide to make a move on the scene I have to know who the major players are to take them out don’t I. He’s definitely one, got your card marked now son. Those 3 blokes talking and smoking in the bus ticket office are certs, you’re going down as well fellas, down to Chinatown.

I’ve just danced through a load of high speed traffic like Kinkladze through the Southampton defense, enjoy. Here’s me thinking the green man meant walk for the pedestrian and the red light stop for the Mercedes.

I’m just trying to find a gaff for a spot of lunch now. The strange thing about Albanians is when I ask them if they speak English they say yes, but then when I follow that up with “Do you serve food?” in the clearest most pronounced fashion I can muster, they look at me like I’ve actually asked “How many cyan marbles did the rabid parrot pass to the lazy sea-lion last August in Bolivia?”. I’m starving.

I was trying to avoid fast food but my hunger is not in a mood to be fussy anymore. So egg calzone, fries and a coke are now in front of me in a place that is more like a restaurant than a cafe. At what amounts to £1.40 for the lot it’d be rude not to. Albania is the cheapest country I’ve been to so far without question.

There isn’t really much to see in Tirana, it was a good decision to switch to just the 1 night. I’m glad I’ve come though because it is a city worth visiting for a short while if only to take in the crazy hecticness of it all.

Now while I compose this I’m just having a large bottle of Tirana premium pils nicely presented with a perfectly chilled glass. Well dome Tiranians.

To drown out the omnipresent sound of traffic and Benz horns I’ve been listening to ‘Why There Are Mountains’ by Staten Island’s (I’ve been there I have) Cymbals Eat Guitars today. They're somewhere between Broken Social Scene and Bright Eyes and pay little regard to traditional song structure with the tempo and mood changing at every turn. It’s a very solid debut but there’s no outright stand out tracks really. The important thing is there’s loads of potential and I’ll be keeping an ear out for this lot in the future.

So I’m just about to set out to catch the bus to Ohrid now. I wonder what the homicide levels are like there? I do hope it’s not a case of, now brace yourself, no really … ‘Murder most Ohrid’. And on that note I shall bid you adieu for the night.

I had my 2nd encounter with a cockerel on this odyssey last night/this morning, the 1st being in Chisinau if you remember. They don’t half make a right racket.

That together with this room being absolutely freezing didn’t a good night’s sleep make. The room is that drafty I reckon It might be haunted. Maybe the cockerel was an audio apparition if there is such a thing.

I’ve not used my sleeping bag once yet on this trip but it may well have been worth bringing after all as I’ve a feeling it’s going to get a bit nippy in some hostels yet to come.

Yum, meat burek for breakfast. I’m a fan.

The fridge magnets situation is getting quite daft again, my bag is considerably heavier than when I set out on July 27th. I should really post the spoils so far back but I can’t be arsed is the reality. Here is a list of magnets I need to get hold of retrospectively:

Washington DC, Philladelphia New Orleans, Tucson, Flagstaff, Yosemite National Park, Denver, Rocky Mountain National Park, Luxembourg, Bonn, Hamburg, Riga, Vilnius, Warsaw, Krakow, Timisoara, Sibiu, Chisinau, Tiraspol, Bucharest, Pristina, Podgorica.

It looks a lot but when you consider the amount of towns and cities I’ve been to over the past 6 months or so it’s a pretty small percentage where I’ve been unable to find one or just forgot. By the time I eventually hang up my backpack I’m going to have to buy one of those big f*ck off American fridges to accommodate them all. One thing’s for sure though, it’s going to be the only fridge in town that’s cooler on the outside than on the in.

I’m on the bus to Shkoder now (for €6) and should be crossing over to Albania shortly I’d have thought. Hopefully another passport stamp will be forthcoming.

Off the top of my head (my rough guide is in the luggage hold with my bag) I’ve just been trying to figure out what’s left for the 6 weeks or so before I return to England. What I’ve come up with is probably too ambitious in that amount of time but is potentially achievable dependent on how long it will take to travel between them. It’s a very rough list and the order is only an indicative outline too. Anyway, here goes:

Tirana, Ohrid, Thessaloniki, Athens, Palermo, Naples, Rome, Vatican City, San Marino, Florence, Venice, Milan, Geneva, Zurich, Bern, Vaduz, Munich, Monaco, Andorra, Valencia, Madrid, Seville, Lisbon, Saint-Jean-d’Angély (to see Nimrod), Normandy (not sure where exactly yet) Paris.

If you’re lucky readers I might throw another list in later just to complete the hat-trick.

Okay, this time there really was no customs at the border (on the Albanian side). Very odd. So obviously another lost stamp.

Shkoder seems a bit of a crazy place. Lots of hustle and bustle with a mix of new Mercedes and old horse and carts. We just went past a tall skinny man in a suit with short wavy hair and driving a tractor, it was impossible not to think Borat.

No sooner had I got off the bus than I’d spotted one across a busy roundabout that was heading to Tirana. It cost 3 Euros which seems about right as I spotted the locals giving 500 lek notes and getting 200 back, €3 is about 400 lek so one of the currency converter apps on my phone tells me anyway. I’m not entirely sure how long the bus takes but I think it’s more than 2 and less than 4 hours, 3 might be a good estimate to go with based on that I reckon.

When I get there I need to try and figure out the best way to get to Lake Ohrid. If I can I want to only stay tonight in Tirana and use tomorrow to see it before heading off to Ohrid in the evening. I’ve booked 2 nights in Tirana but I’m hoping to be able to cancel one. The pace must be quickened considering the destinations outlined above.

We’ve just gone past a pretty baron area where there were literally around 20 decent sized independent furniture shops in a row, flogging some horrifically garish gear too. These tricky Albis must love their sofas.

Now going through some town close to Tirana within 500 metres there is a Barcelona Cafe, a Bayern Munich Cafe and an AC Milan Cafe. Not sure what that’s all about though I expect the City one to follow shortly, or maybe it’s already at a more affluent area of town.

Okey dokey I’m there now and the hostel where I’m staying tonight is not bad at all. Freddy’s Hostel is it’s moniker and I have indeed me Freddy, a lively chap at that. I’m in a 2 single bed room and another Englisman checked in a few hours after me so I’ve not got it to myself like I have in most of the places I’ve stayed at of late, he is a photographer from Brighton and seems like a nice fella.

I was listening to the ‘The Flying Clup Cup’ by Beirut earlier on the bus, it’s the only one of their three so far that I hadn’t yet heard and it’s another winner. Haunting stuff as ever.

I’ve found out that I can get a bus at 19:00 tomorrow that gets to Struga at about 23:30, Struga is 15KMs from Ohrid. The hostel that I’ve booked does a pickup so hopefully they still do it at that time, otherwise a likely expensive taxi ride will be my only option.

Today’s photo is of Skopje and not Tirana, for the usual reasons readers.

Over.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUAwy5TdiEE

Albanian intellectuals attacked the leader of Macedonia’s DPA party in last night’s political debate on Tirana’s, popular TV channel Klan.
While speaking about the Encyclopćdia, Thaci unexpectedly received a major slap for the behavior of Albanians and ethnic Albanian parties in Macedonia.

”Hatred towards their own contry, extreme Islamism, extremely low culture”. These were the qualifications which several Albanian intellectuals used in attacking Thaci, who had come to expect certain political benefits by the Albanian media during his visit.

Thaci’s assessment that the Encyclopćdia was a political provocation by the Macedonian Government was met with dismay by the participants in the debate, who sharply attacked Thaci and the Albanians in Macedonia as “ungrateful towards the state in which they live”.
- Macedonia is the only state in the Balkans where there is internal denial. Albanians always deny the state even fought against it. You made war in the middle of Europe and took up arms against your own country. To this day you ambush Macedonian policemen – said Maks Velo, Albanian writer – critic.

According to Mr Velo, there is a frightening, extreme Islamism among the Albanian parties in Macedonia and it is not a coincidence that DPA’s leader Mendux Thaci is on the U.S. blacklist for years.
- The mosques in the villages in Macedonia seem like Iranian missiles. If the Albanians there can not climb to a higher cultural level of social life, not to discriminate against women, to build civil society, you will never be able to go up against the Macedonians in any way, especially not intellectually. With minarets you are not going in Europe. We must achieve greater cultural and economic level,- said Velo to Thaci who clearly wished he wasn’t there.

Fatos Lubonja, a critic, however, pointed out that there are two visions of Albanians in the Balkans. The first is for a Greater Albania, which is a vision shared by ethnic Albanian Parties in Macedonia who believe Albania would feed the other territories as Serbia fed Kosovo.
- Europe says Kosovo is a country with six stars, and Macedonia will not be divided. This is where the opposition is born. When will we learn our lesson that divisions do not lead anywhere, but only to war and discontent – said Lubonja. So I think it is good for you to identify yoursellf as Macedonian. To live in Yugoslavia and then in Macedonia and to speak and work against the state in which you live, it is a cultural disadvantage, it is wrong.

The vision of the Balkans must be a European one. We won’t enter EU as Albanians rather with Serbia and Macedonia. – concluded Fatos Lubonja.

DPA’s leader Thaci appeared flabbergasted wearing a sour smile on his face. He had hoped to gain political points by visiting Tirana. On his last visit to the Albanian capital, Mr. Thaci had lobbied Albanian politicians to be against Macedonia’s admission to NATO.

Sprinter is notorious furgon (minibus) commuting between Skopje in Macedonia to Tirana in Albania. Pretty much the only option if you need to connect between these two points and car is not an option. Sprinter is very appropriate name for 9 hours it takes to make the 200km journey, that is an astonishing 22 km/h. It is beyond miserable and after 5th hour actually becomes fun.
Besides treacherous mountain roads, the people and things they carry makes it particularly fun. All passengers as a rule carry two over sized bags, the things that stood out were full size ironing board, big bag of red peppers that smelled funny and attracted flies, full set of king size duvet etc. I honestly do not understand the logic of carrying these things, but it seemed totally normal. It also seemed normal to stop every 45 minutes for 15 min coffee and cigarette break, my favorite one was full 30min at 1am in the night, when drivers and all passengers cheerfully went for a midnight coffee re-charge at roadside cafe in the middle of nowhere. I guess in Albania its about the journey not the destination.
The journey was made even more interesting when furgon picked up three blond Swedish girls somewhere in the middle of the night, they also headed to Tirana, so I was not the only foreigner enjoying this ride, all with the soothing sounds of local Turbo-folk in the background.

Dammi i Colori

“… the most burning issue to do with art today: is it possible to generate relationships with the world, in a practical field art-history traditionally earmarked for their ‘representation’” (Bourriaud, 1998/2002, p9)

Tirana, capital of Albania, the poorest country in Europe. The mayor, Edi Rama, who is also an artist, gives us a guided tour of his collaborative art work; a patchwork of colours, painted on low-rise blocks of apartments that seem to sit uniformly throughout the tiny town. His commentary gives us a high level exploration of many current questions in art, often at odds with striking, tightly composed film footage of a war-torn city in deep crisis provided by Anri Sala, who conceived this project of a film about the piece.

Tirana’s art work is constantly changing, growing, decaying and being reborn, through the choices made by it’s residents. Sala’s film seeks to capture a moment in that process, as seen by the artist Rama: one that often contrasts his words with the realities of the everyday life of the environment, portrayed through Sala’s footage, and perhaps seen through his childhood eyes (Sala now lives and works in Paris)[1].

Sala’s film encourages us to hear (read, in my case) a philosophical, academic assessment of the potential of art; while visually striking us with the physical realities of the city and it’s inhabitants.

In the 1993 exhibition Common Wealth, curator Jessica Morgan suggests relational art fulfils the function of an exploration of “the shared and communal ” and the “private and restricted”. Albania, undergoing an economic transition from “Communism” to Capitalism, is perfectly (sic) placed in an economic, ideological, and social interstice, in which to be open to exploring other ways of existing together, in themselves “symbolic of a larger system of relations”. Talking about the various exchanges that take place, for example between the mayor and the townspeople, and between “them” and “us”, she notes “[T]heir interaction evokes associations with social, material and economic systems of everyday life” (Morgan, 1993 p16)

As Rama says, “I think that the ambition to make this city a city of choice and not of destiny is a utopia in itself”. An ambition we hope, understand, is shared by both the mayor and the townspeople, a relationship he compares to “an artist and the spectator”. Sala seems to suggest that the townspeople are both artists and spectators, and Rama seems to have this hope at the core of the conception of the piece. One of the features of relational art, apparent in both pieces is of a “utopia … being lived on a subjective, everyday basis, in the real time of concrete and intentionally fragmentary experiments.” (Bourriaud, 1998/2002 p45) He seems successful, since he tells us, “the hottest discussion in coffee bars, in the homes, in the streets, was what were the colours doing to us”?

This idea means that it’s not surreal to then hear Rama say “”it does not mean … that other cities should envy this city…” Wouldn’t we like to have the hottest discussions in town be about art? As Bourriaud says “Relational art … arises from an observation of the present and from a line of thinking about the fate of artistic activity.” This seems to be what the mayor is giving us, both in his piece and his interview, which we experience vicariously through the not-seen but very–obviously-present Sala.

The methods and techniques Sala utilises strengthen the feeling of the piece. It’s simple narrative structure, quiet, night-time panning shots cut with extreme close-ups in bright sunshine – abstracts created by the viewfinder – keep us un-distracted from the subject of the film, and makes us feel more connected to the “simple” life of the town. At the same time, we are seduced by the play of light and colour, in both the day and night (for example, the play of headlights across some scaffolding is highly cinematic and evocative.) Through the use of low tech camera work and post-production, Sala also gives us a feeling of intimacy with the mayor. This type of filming has only recently been possible, with the availability of DV, and Sala makes good use of the possibilities provided by such a small camera.

For example, we can look Edi Rama in the eyes and see the sincerity and conviction with which he speaks, clearly so at odds with the material state of the town. At odds with the slick production values of much post-modern video, and using conventional construction in the editing process, the film also seems suited to the style of Tirana’s own piece. Rama describes “his” piece as “avant-garde”. Bourriaud brings it up to date, with his description of relational art: “Through little services rendered, artists fill in the gaps”. Rama offers the townspeople the choice of being artists, and Sala confirms Rama’s piece in his film.

By shooting at night, Sala encourages us to focus on only the mayor’s vision for and of the town, rather than the harsh realities of the daytime. Although the mayor makes only passing mention of the social problems facing the town, Sala concretises them with a few daytime shots: a homeless man changing his trousers at the roadside, the rest of his clothes hanging on the bars of a window balcony; a teenage boy in trainers obviously too big for him, walking aimlessly over rubble.

There has been criticism of Dammi I Colori because of it’s ”naïve” subject matter, interpreted as reflecting an apparent hope for the town’s future: as emblematic of it’s collective hopes for democracy. Rama does acknowledge the material circumstances of the people who live there, but he quite clearly attaches equal importance to his complete belief in the power of art. In the opening monologue he sets this out, “… This is a question of finding out how this city can become habitable, and how to transform it from a city where you are doomed to live by fate into a city where you choose to live.” As Stallabrass (2004/2006, p120) says “ … [A]rt that encourages social interaction among its viewers reacts directly against a general trend to increasing fragmentation, … the tendency for people to lock themselves away in their homes in the company of media rather than other people.” While the people of Tirana weren’t sitting at home watching TV, the social process and outcome of the piece fulfils the same function.

Rama is no stranger to publicity or controversy. One of his first acts as major was to build a cinema showing Hollywood and other foreign films, to decrease the feeling of isolation Albanians had from the rest of the world. Critics complained he should be addressing the fundamental problems of the city such as electricity and water. He has however, simultaneously undertaken radical environmental developments in the city. He is also surely one of the few people to have survived assassination attempts from both the communists, who he criticised while they were in power, and the democrats, who he accused of corruption after they came to power. He stood as an Independent when he ran for, and was elected as mayor, although he subsequently joined the Socialist Party. In 2004 he was elected world mayor by City Mayors in an internet poll.

The relational and collaborative nature of the film necessarily raises questions about authorship. Indeed, although the film is copyrighted to Sala and Rama, the Tate Modern display only credits Sala, perhaps because he more readily meets the criteria of the author function (Foucault quoted in Art in Theory, pp 949-953). This sits somewhat at odds with what I perceive to be Sala’s intention or the role he envisioned in making the film i.e. that of facilitator; conduit.

Despite the sometimes harrowing and depressing visuals in parts of this film, we return to the constructed naivety of this piece at the end of the film. After a thoroughly developed academic polemic about the value and purpose of the project throughout the 15 minute film, we are left with the mayor’s ultimate confirmation of his feelings about art, in his instruction to Sala, who is filming outside the taxi. “Take some red colour from the car’s break light and throw it out in the dark. It looks nice”.

Bibliography

Bourriaud, N. (1998/2002) Relational Aesthetics: Les Presses du Reel

Hall, D and Fifer S  ed (1990) Illuminating Video: an Essential guide to video art: Aperture

Harrison C and Wood P ed (1992, 2003) Art in Theory 1900-2000: Blackwell

Morgan, J (1993) Common Wealth exhibition catalogue: Tate publishing

Stallabrass, J (2004/2006) Contemporary Art: A Very Short Introduction, first published as Art Incorporated: Oxford University Press

Wikipedia.org, [accessed 4 January 2007]

Citymayors.com [accessed 4 January 2007]

 Transcript of film Dammi I Colori conducted with permission of the Tate on 18 November 2006

 [1] Sala has made other work in Tirana, his place of birth, including “Intervista – Finding the Words”, (using found footage of his mother) and “Mixed behaviour”(made in the same year as Dammi I Colori).