tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78082975439890310362024-02-06T19:29:13.251-08:00EUROPE-AND-IHOW I EXPERIENCE IT AND HOW IT LOOKSEUROPE AND Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12652273079378039970noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808297543989031036.post-44534148332259591002011-03-04T02:33:00.000-08:002011-03-04T02:35:44.106-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP3RoozjYxHmHAuATxkeTFDMvB3lbhUjG4aqmI1IwC_GuOnW7xZqHeNMzTNk8L1gwfjZYAaQ2mI336lqdScuG0NvJ56HRaxH-7OiPP1tlWK8a4YaQbWFmtMSS2JQ_ER3JjN0m4Ok-hafI/s1600/_DSC2842.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP3RoozjYxHmHAuATxkeTFDMvB3lbhUjG4aqmI1IwC_GuOnW7xZqHeNMzTNk8L1gwfjZYAaQ2mI336lqdScuG0NvJ56HRaxH-7OiPP1tlWK8a4YaQbWFmtMSS2JQ_ER3JjN0m4Ok-hafI/s400/_DSC2842.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580171198704568466" /></a>uhh. someone told me i have a blog to attend to. well, i'm back!EUROPE AND Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12652273079378039970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808297543989031036.post-4413074464768334632010-04-05T01:31:00.000-07:002010-04-05T01:34:58.060-07:00<div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCssv0FcirUGzRMQDkyXqpR82lOx_1TSrqdAoExXAz1MhZeiJIGUbEqxX24otrvlQd5smhT63E8dRfPJVKwqcj72v2LBzaoQOvVFATnVSdyNIVopRuuF5Or2e504HdMj7pUOucXLoq9MQ/s1600/_DSC9263.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 263px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCssv0FcirUGzRMQDkyXqpR82lOx_1TSrqdAoExXAz1MhZeiJIGUbEqxX24otrvlQd5smhT63E8dRfPJVKwqcj72v2LBzaoQOvVFATnVSdyNIVopRuuF5Or2e504HdMj7pUOucXLoq9MQ/s400/_DSC9263.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456568712263490642" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">what can i say. argentina was great.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div>EUROPE AND Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12652273079378039970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808297543989031036.post-87587334230358606502010-01-17T23:53:00.000-08:002010-01-18T00:27:51.859-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSSveSprDfhK8o-nNjziNwAjODNu5yj2kIuWJKru_yvSoE_XA4pSQWss5hAfRisa8jr-psWjFGCjkIg17fQhbi1Sv9KMx1ysUq4l8NMSDDYnsXICny0Zubl_aVIXVjAxyH_Lm4An8Bh5k/s1600-h/DSC05058.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSSveSprDfhK8o-nNjziNwAjODNu5yj2kIuWJKru_yvSoE_XA4pSQWss5hAfRisa8jr-psWjFGCjkIg17fQhbi1Sv9KMx1ysUq4l8NMSDDYnsXICny0Zubl_aVIXVjAxyH_Lm4An8Bh5k/s400/DSC05058.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427984858439839874" /></a>back in genève. this is my home, it's right next to rue de la servette. it's formerly owned by a russian jewelry business my family worked with in minsk and we bought it from them after the war. in the 70's it was used to house russian UN associates but in the 90's it was the americans who used the place. <div><br /></div><div>i have had the top 2 floors for many years now. i sublet the bottom floors to mostly family-related people and at the moment a french couple with a little boy, both are working at the theater, live here on a longer contract. i enjoy their company. it's nice to have people look after the building when i'm away. and i like the fact that there is a lot of living going on around me. in fact, there was a childrens party the other day, where kids from the international school all came over to celebrate a little claudes 9th. birthday. the house was buzzing and the indoorpool was an obvious hit.</div><div><div><br /></div><div>well, things are normal again after the holidays. in february i'll be going to argentina and chile. it will be my first trip to the southamerica mainland, i have actually sailed to the galapagos islands two times so i know the seas but... well, i'm getting the vaccine tomorrow. </div><div>oh yes, i bought a new car! an audi tt that my friend amanda recommended. i needed to get rid of the range rover anyhow. i was always too big and clumpsy for the streets of genève. </div><div><br /></div><div>okay, i'm off again. ciao from lukasz</div><div><br /></div></div>EUROPE AND Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12652273079378039970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808297543989031036.post-80214211898744244682010-01-06T02:15:00.000-08:002010-01-07T02:39:49.866-08:00<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ThPW5C_GItJtBSjZXDqsOUPtL_4eoPGKyU8A-E1Zaa6MedzvltixusGmtg9Tkk8hlRvPe6Qb40Lg7DK7b7mQuaIXAtozCXsoJ2JKjz43k8ucOafsgCRapDEKRoogsztfsFiJ_5BlcCE/s1600-h/81820014.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ThPW5C_GItJtBSjZXDqsOUPtL_4eoPGKyU8A-E1Zaa6MedzvltixusGmtg9Tkk8hlRvPe6Qb40Lg7DK7b7mQuaIXAtozCXsoJ2JKjz43k8ucOafsgCRapDEKRoogsztfsFiJ_5BlcCE/s400/81820014.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423576683042535314" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;">i get so moved. this is the besovec mountainridge that lead home east to skopje. it means i'm just one hour away from our family estate. this ridge always marks the end of a journey for me. and the beginning of my return to my homeland - the republic of macedonia. what is the saying? in order to return you have to go away. well, that's me.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">okay. next picture is our mainhouse, taken on the only sunny day in skopje in december, i think. luckily the indoor pool was done and ready.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGBBXzXB_fLvM9xpZstyKBf8vSU-OBaHO1VHX3Szjjadyj4vp_ej4yftoweW_HrKTr9qrKIJCSiVbjwOBK9Ya7xtU_PlNqIWLT_NOPdmWoG1MGG3cS06rNc2y5PYV7DI5yqx41cvCShI/s1600-h/DSC01372.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGBBXzXB_fLvM9xpZstyKBf8vSU-OBaHO1VHX3Szjjadyj4vp_ej4yftoweW_HrKTr9qrKIJCSiVbjwOBK9Ya7xtU_PlNqIWLT_NOPdmWoG1MGG3cS06rNc2y5PYV7DI5yqx41cvCShI/s400/DSC01372.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423597321015322034" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">next picture is nadime, amanda from trieste and also irina slutskaya a local friend not to be confused with the famous iceskating ballerina, of course. we are at the skylight lounge, the owner calls it that, because the roof will fold back at the push of a button. nadime is sending a big toast to amanda whose dealer called to say her paintings at the exibition in rome had all sold out! a fantastic achievement. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVZWadIjXgvHYGgZ8PRM4-bDIxS4jNQM4JuUeO7NRnVbbbm3V5n0-AoGy90X0BrWfM80RxihqAcgur1AdoaJedPYNHGj73NkhK19sDeH3D8DCUDHiYGIKrZxmdd9KeSp4Hk1nzUlT6Hm4/s1600-h/R001-014.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVZWadIjXgvHYGgZ8PRM4-bDIxS4jNQM4JuUeO7NRnVbbbm3V5n0-AoGy90X0BrWfM80RxihqAcgur1AdoaJedPYNHGj73NkhK19sDeH3D8DCUDHiYGIKrZxmdd9KeSp4Hk1nzUlT6Hm4/s400/R001-014.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423597315205770290" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 252px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">yes. the holiday went fine, it was great to hear stories from all corners of europe. the danes were here with their northern wits, morten and jakob had bought 'presents' in liege that we were fortunate to try out because uncle goran is head of a militarybase south of the city. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">the romanians were there also - anton, grigore and ionel - acting accordingly in their gypsy ways with their instruments. and the americans and russians, especially timmons and georgio, two old embassy lions - well, they got in on as always with cold war jokes to everyones amusements. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">now tomorrow, at the embassy back in geneve, i'll have 1.000 mails to roam through before catching a late flight to strasbourg for what's next for european culture in the 2010's.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">a happy new years to all!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">lukasz</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>EUROPE AND Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12652273079378039970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808297543989031036.post-76301074245511158862009-12-04T14:07:00.000-08:002009-12-04T15:38:41.074-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVietcCja3DSa4d3Lz65w0vWaYeowyWHr64ffMz79oarGRzWtj0FM0TYE8ON6_e9GNf3AUUOCdNHrU67FQmCnw0O4JHRlXh__RjcvdUc72dNyME1JGvoAT2ijJh8KS_n5xSEZeaFoiJqE/s1600-h/lukasz+guesthouse.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVietcCja3DSa4d3Lz65w0vWaYeowyWHr64ffMz79oarGRzWtj0FM0TYE8ON6_e9GNf3AUUOCdNHrU67FQmCnw0O4JHRlXh__RjcvdUc72dNyME1JGvoAT2ijJh8KS_n5xSEZeaFoiJqE/s400/lukasz+guesthouse.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411506730851510594" /></a><br />i just arrived at port vendres. or cóte vermeille as locals call it. it's located outside perpignon, close to the spanish border where i have come from this time, and i'm here to see claudio and veronica and stay at their beautiful guesthouse overlooking the litlle harbour. <div><br /></div><div>i met claudio and veronica on my travels on the great donau in 1997. we spent a week on the same yacht, all following in the footsteps of magris and became instant friends with many late nights on the deck. this couple, both have retired from universitylife in paris, have also a beautiful daughter suzanna isabella which i came to know a little later in munich. </div><div><br /></div><div>because in the beginning of 99 she moved in with me in my apartment. it was perhaps a hasty thing to do but we didn't care. she came to live there with me and to study the cello. it was wonderful to have her around because work was hard and agonizing at that time. the balkan war was still not over and many discussions, flights back and forth to haag and later to brussels took all my attention. i can see that today. </div><div>well, a wonderful thing happened one winter when an old familyfriend of ours - the great aldo simoes parisot - was generous enough to give her extensive krzysztof penderecki classes while he worked in munich. i remember her dancing up and down the stairs, running thru all the rooms and around out on the balcony shouting over the plaza. 'la rencontre d'une personne avec une autre est toujours spéciale!</div><div><br /></div><div>and yes. it really is. and was for a time. well. today suzanna lives in grenoble with tom. we see eachother when i occasionally pass thru town. </div><div><br /></div><div>ohh yes. my friend leslie vaughan. his father displays aldos paintings in boston. or new haven? i forget this. well. if you happen to go. and so here for two days in the south of france. cheers and salut from lukasz.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>EUROPE AND Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12652273079378039970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808297543989031036.post-62082051214489028212009-11-24T03:28:00.000-08:002009-11-24T08:00:46.752-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3JZDIpJnWyy_jb1Z1tzRP2RMbI68DHfzHSRhcDWmew1MhPPlYf1Rgp0sheR7p91XziCRrPEuGBcisU5W6KtGoKH2NU-GYSorP3i8puXo4M98wXBTysEXEWgf0bCs41N8j-lJ9nKRB0Y/s1600/DSC_0092_2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3JZDIpJnWyy_jb1Z1tzRP2RMbI68DHfzHSRhcDWmew1MhPPlYf1Rgp0sheR7p91XziCRrPEuGBcisU5W6KtGoKH2NU-GYSorP3i8puXo4M98wXBTysEXEWgf0bCs41N8j-lJ9nKRB0Y/s400/DSC_0092_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407642335800699970" /></a><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">alfonso manuel lejaretta</span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><div style="text-align: justify;">i like to travel across europe. in my car. so i do. and sometimes things happen and on the road from bilbao to skopje, where i'm going to spend a week in dec. at our family-estate together with friends, i stopped at a little roadside restaurant near vitoria-gasteiz. the owner was sitting outside. wife and grandchildren, too, and because i have diplomatic numberplates he came over to ask where i was from.</div></span></span><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">after some talking, i sat down at the table outside for tapas and local sherry, and then his old friend showed up. we talked some more and his friend and i began to come to the conclusion that his father and my grandfather had not only fought on the same side in the spanish civilwar but both had been captured by german troops and brought to a war-camp on the french side of the pyreenes. and not only that. both had also escaped and went to live in hiding in marseille that winter. the winter of 1938.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">we sat looking at eachother. the owner filled our glasses. noone could believe this was happening. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">after some years his father settled in santander and lived a quit life as a carpenter, raising four children away from the ww2, whereas my grandfather took a joint brigade through the balkan as a soviet cononel<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">, before he settled in skopje and did the same. well, he also raised four children, one being my father, but then got called to the moskovskij </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: italic; line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: normal; line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">kreml for some time before finally moving to split with me which is another story.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">but like i said. i like to travel by car across europe. </span></span></div></div></div>EUROPE AND Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12652273079378039970noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808297543989031036.post-37094940283041879032009-11-07T10:48:00.000-08:002009-11-07T12:18:38.375-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm3hgcgHpLLPb0mOQm9QbcwRBXqVY9FVVKZjAWDkVbDjpIHhhAWB2kiB7PsfMDXW8G9jokQ5zjD0eZlIWu5sPekIwBk0Qd07F3ca7_jBhb04U40hNs8Log_FgX79IPhxdpPdtfsWQxfwg/s1600-h/R001-013.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 271px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm3hgcgHpLLPb0mOQm9QbcwRBXqVY9FVVKZjAWDkVbDjpIHhhAWB2kiB7PsfMDXW8G9jokQ5zjD0eZlIWu5sPekIwBk0Qd07F3ca7_jBhb04U40hNs8Log_FgX79IPhxdpPdtfsWQxfwg/s400/R001-013.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401436179793010594" /></a>what else is news? a cultural associate from the english embassy invited me and a few others out for dinner in san sebastian. our third meeting this year. the discussions are progressing, somewhat fruitful, i could argue. yet, it's also very slow in some aspects but still. and the seafood in town? <i>forgettit<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; ">. </span></i><div><div><div>okay. here i'm waiting in the lobby. soft music coming from hidden speakers. charles aznavour, i believe and so i start contemplating: this is a good life, lukasz. people are friendly. and look at that painting. do i have milk? i need milk.</div><div>i looked around. why was noone greeting me? but but but. as usual i had been the last one to arrive so i was actually waiting for people who had already left the building!</div><div><br /></div><div>let me guess, said my greek colleague to everyones amusement when i finally got to the restaurant. it was the tie?</div></div></div>EUROPE AND Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12652273079378039970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808297543989031036.post-75568752154809784182009-10-15T03:27:00.000-07:002009-10-15T03:40:25.291-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVF22tcemulbet7z3Ac8s6JXbqjwoz0rDP-nzSMLIAfD0fye1LGPkHeNstBE9mMYHha6EJUquAmGZzQbJiTEmnPJWxN-ojmzalQiaD-zV7gvMgTaT_WKluFLJbkKyw8H0JoW-b0KLOmBE/s1600-h/DSC02897.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVF22tcemulbet7z3Ac8s6JXbqjwoz0rDP-nzSMLIAfD0fye1LGPkHeNstBE9mMYHha6EJUquAmGZzQbJiTEmnPJWxN-ojmzalQiaD-zV7gvMgTaT_WKluFLJbkKyw8H0JoW-b0KLOmBE/s400/DSC02897.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392771612958510722" /></a><br />some people have to live like this and they work until they get fired and they are all over the world and you see them all the time and their lives consist of problems and all kinds of trouble and police is always a constant and socialworkers come and go and men beat up their wives or kids and things get stolen or get lost and it's always somebody elses fault and they get aggresive over nothing because nothing is something they know and it's all they have so they protect it with a fierce you rarely get to meet outside a warzone and so you better look out you, you with the camera, fuck you!<div><br /></div><div>this is the outskirts of cordoba and a little kid threw a rock at my car</div>EUROPE AND Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12652273079378039970noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808297543989031036.post-77928804065601833892009-10-06T03:42:00.000-07:002009-10-06T04:08:59.999-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ynUgfaG_eU_gOenQyMMqOlcWdnh7uBDoYABZk5HvHKqVdYRGNhxeQapZWIUTSAoJLisEEBnbBMvrpLteqJ2YVBXaJ3PclU3EFU0rMzTS5LIJ8CqwQgpWcUl8LzDFF8M84YJY545lDMU/s1600-h/DSC01137.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ynUgfaG_eU_gOenQyMMqOlcWdnh7uBDoYABZk5HvHKqVdYRGNhxeQapZWIUTSAoJLisEEBnbBMvrpLteqJ2YVBXaJ3PclU3EFU0rMzTS5LIJ8CqwQgpWcUl8LzDFF8M84YJY545lDMU/s320/DSC01137.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389437973257900978" /></a>i love this game. pilota. or pilotaleku. or pelota. all depending on the region. well, it makes absolutely sense as a sport, i think.<div><div>a ball. and a wall. and they just use their hands because that's easier. </div><div>i sit hours and watch them crack it against the wall. young and old, doesn't matter to me. the sound is like a pistol being fired. i sit and jump all the time but everyone is use to it. it's just part of the noise in the city, like carhorns or shouting and so forth. </div><div><br /></div><div>the dogs or cats never even look up?</div></div>EUROPE AND Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12652273079378039970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808297543989031036.post-78580996256522355872009-10-02T12:23:00.000-07:002009-10-04T11:19:14.874-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWkpesDOPKChNqhWsdZ7PzSKoSFML6fAwYv5AQ6slWaY4Qlne5SaVBBkbVDxZKIJEdvl2y2fAzcI8b7VICcHscjeHDdnpWbaNhzFQAT_9haS1_fCB79XoAfJv71ONb323z7r9Nan4G64/s1600-h/DSC01211.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWkpesDOPKChNqhWsdZ7PzSKoSFML6fAwYv5AQ6slWaY4Qlne5SaVBBkbVDxZKIJEdvl2y2fAzcI8b7VICcHscjeHDdnpWbaNhzFQAT_9haS1_fCB79XoAfJv71ONb323z7r9Nan4G64/s320/DSC01211.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388085570411477698" /></a><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">this picture is. well, i'm on my way to the beautiful but rather dull city of san sebastian. once again i recieved a call and once again i mistakingly took it meaning that i'm suppose not to work but i mean. it's not always easy.</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">but yes. i went to a meeting between various independent groups, it was oddly enough a UN-funded gathering and i was there with belgium-representitives for an independent flandern and wallonien. there were also groups from euskadi, katalunia, wales(!), lombardia, a greek-kypros delegation and others. </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">and all of a sudden. around guernika i was back in liège! the stretch on the highway lasted about five minutes and it was filled with old cars and cranes, rubbish piles and broken signs and so forth. it was the outskirts of liège and it was in the north of spain and i took this photo with my cellphone doing 100 miles an hour because i was late and whatelse is news and maybe that why i need a break so come on lukasz!</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p>EUROPE AND Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12652273079378039970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808297543989031036.post-45635059489737678952009-10-01T02:33:00.000-07:002009-10-01T02:38:55.938-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-JqoWYL767H8f15xxradsELQFHRNX28Q8_cPgBso71EDo5OHCbZ2sHhlqVQAk6QUiAostt2tNO4swrW5Md1sxRBSg_f8TLBZfBSW7zFzxhenHX00u3gq7ycOxKgSCt5LKLFdMQz-hH-c/s1600-h/DSC01142.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-JqoWYL767H8f15xxradsELQFHRNX28Q8_cPgBso71EDo5OHCbZ2sHhlqVQAk6QUiAostt2tNO4swrW5Md1sxRBSg_f8TLBZfBSW7zFzxhenHX00u3gq7ycOxKgSCt5LKLFdMQz-hH-c/s400/DSC01142.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387562510109634322" /></a>bilbao this afternoon: humid. cloudy with chances of rain. i'll be in my room, reading klaus mann, smoking a cheap cigar and maybe having a tio pepe with it. tomorrow i'll visit friends in casco viejo.EUROPE AND Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12652273079378039970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808297543989031036.post-29456877340329547102009-09-30T16:58:00.000-07:002009-10-01T12:29:20.938-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZFjeHzHWaq_jImFXNcWqX_uZdQvzxBZqD5JX2FRZuteV09WVIKRZBsg4s2xqmDPqTg0f1H-dWQBzRv4RSzQpvCkgoXrEHCH-exxVDAP5Ynh8DGuIwsA2B3vaBDuM-5BYpdqIJDDjx58M/s1600-h/DSC01311.JPG"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZFjeHzHWaq_jImFXNcWqX_uZdQvzxBZqD5JX2FRZuteV09WVIKRZBsg4s2xqmDPqTg0f1H-dWQBzRv4RSzQpvCkgoXrEHCH-exxVDAP5Ynh8DGuIwsA2B3vaBDuM-5BYpdqIJDDjx58M/s400/DSC01311.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387414345669944818" /></a>sep 09.<br /><div>i was in town so they asked me and sure. today, i've been ghostwriting a speech for belgium diplomate xxx who is giving a small private lecture at guggenheim on european culture prior 1985. in the background, of course, is the museum. my family have endorsed substancial fundings over the years so it was an honour to finally meet juan ignacio vidarte and alicia martinez.</div><div><br /></div><div>in the kitchen in my home in genève i have a framed picture of my father and i together with antonio milososki when antonio and i were boys. antonio always talked about buildings and the great german architect mies van der rohe. today antonio is minister of foreign affairs in my home country the republic of macedonia and he has been in my thoughts today looking out at this spectacular building from the terrace of the hotel.</div>EUROPE AND Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12652273079378039970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808297543989031036.post-13907436309106289752009-09-29T08:31:00.000-07:002009-09-29T08:53:41.664-07:00<img style="text-decoration: underline;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 181px; height: 400px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvIB8IM8yPip6LDTfyFPkOoORwa7BL0VkMix6lqG11lpGUJc8492-DztK17YbCTnKw6y3biX4cBbEjMOEIC91Lh2LsngFW6xvAZEtDIdCUF5CAdBSK9-RSjQOR8iNYQE8zMzqsdmy7CQ0/s400/embassy+building.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386912681723565394" />embassies have apartments all over the world and sublet them to hvomever is on a contract. since it’s now owned by local businessmen i think i can reveal that i lived in this building in the late 90’s. neighbours was friendly, mostly other consulate people or foreign attachés. henry kissinger, former us-foreign minister, stayed here in the 80’s and in the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>reception, behind a glasswindow, there was gifts and memorabilias he had left or forgotten. it always impressed first-time visitors and i remember a watch/camel from ghadaffi with inscription. there was a handwritten note from ismelda marcos to kissingers wife, a sixfoot mirror from chief something of burkino faso and a painting from a former highranked soviet official my family also knew.<p class="MsoNormal">back then the building was guarded but today you can walk right in and when i’m in town – this is in south-eastern europe - i sometimes walk by. it was a nice place but i don’t miss it. the sound of gunfire is still with me from those days.</p> <!--EndFragment-->EUROPE AND Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12652273079378039970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808297543989031036.post-3599723608027619332009-09-24T05:00:00.000-07:002009-09-24T05:30:43.984-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSZe8_DUznsdLcQ2LLsUIQzvx1hxqlEpZ0k2a1MqJl6-iq7JcV6pH4dG040u0tWKI014wF25-IlJgZ0bTE7Oswj3fzQlNWuqpnxgpX035Khy4EgvzgJvrfCsLGz7S4PnW4HPKr1dtiApg/s1600-h/DSC_0061.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSZe8_DUznsdLcQ2LLsUIQzvx1hxqlEpZ0k2a1MqJl6-iq7JcV6pH4dG040u0tWKI014wF25-IlJgZ0bTE7Oswj3fzQlNWuqpnxgpX035Khy4EgvzgJvrfCsLGz7S4PnW4HPKr1dtiApg/s400/DSC_0061.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385003207375413234" /></a><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div>outside liège. a gasstation i always pass on my way to friends alicia and jack. they work at an embassy close by and are close friends today after we spent two weeks in a train thru europe as part of an international litterature festival. i remember the hungarian minister of transportation pal szabo reading - very load and in the morning in grenoble - his quite moderate - in fact - poetry. <div><br /></div><div>oh dear. people were enjoying themselves. </div></div>EUROPE AND Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12652273079378039970noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808297543989031036.post-91030725375623952562009-09-24T04:19:00.000-07:002009-09-24T05:19:34.934-07:00<div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8EY5s5Mp-VEBUdOctzE6NJn6umvsdgfok6-onJCpKg4Xfw6PkLDiQDGkSe4Sz9PADkq7N4TIR87VINIoh68szum9gJekXV2BgC3Rnua5GOcvvBSMDVfKd7XJsBeOQxrZfXDa_uDUEMOk/s1600-h/IMG_3754.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8EY5s5Mp-VEBUdOctzE6NJn6umvsdgfok6-onJCpKg4Xfw6PkLDiQDGkSe4Sz9PADkq7N4TIR87VINIoh68szum9gJekXV2BgC3Rnua5GOcvvBSMDVfKd7XJsBeOQxrZfXDa_uDUEMOk/s400/IMG_3754.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384993199820617954" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBeqB6I73KzebkX5hKZBmo4bCvc6vTy51G2ReWs3uW0G2ltnxN8hihtQn6rRF1ECgrQXtBhSIaN8HO-hVdBkrwLTGSGooEwNYKDdB4oCdAbIfKHgumDbcmhpVmRJW8SPkOPk2uCHMqMTs/s1600-h/IMG_3757.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBeqB6I73KzebkX5hKZBmo4bCvc6vTy51G2ReWs3uW0G2ltnxN8hihtQn6rRF1ECgrQXtBhSIaN8HO-hVdBkrwLTGSGooEwNYKDdB4oCdAbIfKHgumDbcmhpVmRJW8SPkOPk2uCHMqMTs/s400/IMG_3757.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384993206382322930" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;">DDR is watching. look at this tower in old estberlin. i was there giving a lecture on carcrashes in european film after 76 - think german - at the open university of berlin and i got lost in kreutzberg. all i could see was rails. rails on end. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">after some time i found the right train back. the same actually. it runs in a circle thru berlin but how could i have known? it's a speciality of mine - getting lost in european cities. ask anybody.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">diesen zug fahren durch die stadt! said the conductor out loud. weisen diesen toristen aber nichts!? </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">he was turkish and spoke deutch sehr schlecht but i didn't reply. why would i?</div>EUROPE AND Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12652273079378039970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808297543989031036.post-45143881323292380052009-09-24T03:57:00.000-07:002009-09-29T09:03:43.215-07:00<div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHPFqQe4XAltzpNR1Xer3WNS91X7SbyaQ3jugZ6h15h6JlponuNBUjlco9JlEATy8J6QwghEH3gN1buV3sBLrIouhlDyIG-qrIq_XbIHid795qiAsW93I2cgC7nSHNYFtooGJ5NMw_8uw/s1600-h/DSC02914.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHPFqQe4XAltzpNR1Xer3WNS91X7SbyaQ3jugZ6h15h6JlponuNBUjlco9JlEATy8J6QwghEH3gN1buV3sBLrIouhlDyIG-qrIq_XbIHid795qiAsW93I2cgC7nSHNYFtooGJ5NMw_8uw/s320/DSC02914.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384986641653411314" /></a><br />more spain. this is the courtyard where i eat my breakfast each morning. i read the papers, la meuse, le temps, herald tribune, el pais and the local el correo.<div>bilbao is full of life, it really is and the architecture is outstanding. especielly the minor finance-district on the banks of nervión. the few highrisers look so out of place that they fit right in. odd indeed.</div><div><br /></div><div>i'm not much of a swimmer. i didn't grow up around water. but who can refuse this pool? it's a bit of an international pool, really. many foreigners hang out here. from italy, england, denmark or greece.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcQ0TSGbuiWmm0lkNbkKrsO_4lwFRhA9eop6EZrBpGUaps4l2o_ER5kypAj-2sAYPoKaqQhnvsjbnRAubiTdN94Dpa-4ggJbLuPFKu09W9vX4mW4c97QZsyLw_k_bjqFZtMmn3NcuD5Ac/s1600-h/pool.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcQ0TSGbuiWmm0lkNbkKrsO_4lwFRhA9eop6EZrBpGUaps4l2o_ER5kypAj-2sAYPoKaqQhnvsjbnRAubiTdN94Dpa-4ggJbLuPFKu09W9vX4mW4c97QZsyLw_k_bjqFZtMmn3NcuD5Ac/s320/pool.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384990418838555090" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div></div>EUROPE AND Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12652273079378039970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7808297543989031036.post-50308202081111113162009-09-24T03:05:00.000-07:002009-09-24T05:28:48.925-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiW5M0DaL4UyAOlcTA4YbWQut2h4c1r8QmXtHbvAolJSNPmWxHJi67CzHx0iSL7QG7a3Gs2dw3_d479kV6lgcqyjDppdZzfyQUTuxjWjreUampnr0ELJ4j_c0uy01yZGdeiavORazr0kE/s1600-h/bull+on+hill,+bilbao.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiW5M0DaL4UyAOlcTA4YbWQut2h4c1r8QmXtHbvAolJSNPmWxHJi67CzHx0iSL7QG7a3Gs2dw3_d479kV6lgcqyjDppdZzfyQUTuxjWjreUampnr0ELJ4j_c0uy01yZGdeiavORazr0kE/s320/bull+on+hill,+bilbao.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384974031258409442" /></a>this bull in particular mark my arrivel at pais vasco. or euskadi as some like to refer it as. well. i'm originally from macedonia and so i call it north spain. it's a long train ride from genève, you change train in the pyrenees because spain has smaller rails than france (silly but very romantic) and i often think of hemingways green hills of kilimanjaro on this trip which takes a full day and its funny cause. the scenery looks like the ardennes - around verviers - where i often drive thru. hilly, very green and then theres the rain which comes and goes every 20 min. it sometimes seems. <div><br /></div><div>but the climate here. it's like a warm cloth around your body and i get to write on my little terrace on the northhills of bilbao, where i stay at a small pension run by an old woman. she lost her husband a long time ago and won't talk about it. his picture is on the wall behind the reception. the medals laid out and every morning the coffee is on a small tray outside my door.</div><div>i could just live here, i always think.</div>EUROPE AND Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12652273079378039970noreply@blogger.com0