| | Worldtuner's blog | | | A long life's road A journal of everyday events and journeys well travelled. Displaying 11 entries, posted between 09/10/08 and 29/07/08
This blog has 16 entries, of which you can view 16 |
|
[ earlier posts ]| Keeping ion tune with the World 18 | 09/10/08 @ 15:52 GMT | Arriving back in the good old UK I now take the motor back to Oxford, stopping just short of town centre in the service area for a well deserved coffee, purchasing an internet card I'm thinking just relax for a while and go over my emails, first time on the computer for 2 months, my mail box is full some 3,000 messages, after wittering down the rubbish, spams and begging letters, there are 2 interesting mails one from a Dorothy Brown offering me cheap viagra tablets, the other from a nice looking, well educated lady from Veggie romance, not the run of the mill weekly list of girls saying "members who viewed you recently" this was an actual message someone asking me a question, interested in the arts, well, well life does have it's good points, just when I thought I was going to turn gay (only joking), I continue with sorting the messages, I'm being asked to the Far East and another to go to Middle East, but first I must sort my return life out, then disaster struck before I get a quarter of the way through the list the messages go blue and all is deleted, not one left all gone, oh ****, I pack up and head home it's just after lunch when I arrive, I have the weekend to myself before going back to work, it's now late September and it's a wet weekend, first job on the computer is to view veggie romance, care2, huffingham, greenpeace and animal rights, I read through the forum to find how dull and wet it's got, the only one to give it's some intelligent inspiration is karencarpenter4ever, all the young girls should be swooning over this guy how often do you come across an intelligent veggie with wit as sharp as a razor, may he stay for ever young.
Now there's me thinking I'm going to have a lovely rest this weekend at home when the telephone rings, now no one knows I'm back I haven't spoke with anyone in England for over a month, it's a ...... should I or shouldn't I answer it? oh damn I do and people thinking I should be here ask me out for Sunday lunch, I agree.
Now if you ever want to go out for lunch the best place in the whole World is the vault I don't know if thats it's real name, but it looks like a vault's, it semi basement to St Mary's church, High st, Oxford, just at the rear with a small garden, the food is not totally veggie, it caters for everyone, he does have however 3 to 4 veggie dishes all home made no ready made meals, the staff are all young happy people, not formal but cosy, prices very reasonable, well worth the effort and just a little about the church, the restaurant is not connected in a way that some of you's may be thinking, well the history of the church it was built before 1086 it as the most beautiful spires in Oxford, you can go to the top and see the whole city, it was designed by Nicholas Stone, with a wonderful porch, I've spent some very quite times (a bit of QT) inside the halls, anyway the restaurant is a must, in fact for a lunch time meal all I can say is you have not been anywhere until you've eaten here, ps don't tell them I sent you and it's atheist friendly.
Going through the forum I come across a new threader asking for lesbian veggies, while one or two girls replied whether bi-curious or not I don't know, but there was a rush of old guys eyes popping brushing away the cobwebs from their computers to get involved with a blog, dribbling at the mouth no doubt thinking they may get involved with the lesbian community, I'm afraid I poured cold water on that idea, just how can you declare to be open and free when you hide your face, goesn't make sense, talking about the site....I do wonder if such sites work, there must be 2,000 members and only 2% get involved with the forum although quite a few read the threads most either don't have an opinion or worried if it will spoil their image when sending their emails to those lovely veggie girls, I believe in being honest and open, however this hurts some people and maybe that is what's wrong with our society, we bottle our feelings up, remember if you do this it's like champagne, if you get angry inside you will have a break down, you can't expect everyone to like you, but isn't better to be true to yourself also people will think we are all veggie wimps, look at achtland a young law student she as an answer for everyone, she's even knock me sideways a few time and demeter, she's a sharp girl her fathers a dairy farmer, but there's no flies on her, then meerkat front line material that girl loves her animals I think a good leader and then the cool girl from Norwich,what's her name, forgot sorry!. Melanie 19, well she's not quite 19 however she's from Oxford and she ventures into the Vault same place as me, but......never met her sigh...........
Anyway that's enough must get on, wondering say's he does anyone read this or is it going into outer space? have to have a word with Stephen Hawkings |
| | [ add comment ] |  | | Keeping in tune with the World 17 | 08/10/08 @ 09:30 GMT | After my last fuel stop just before 7 PM I decided to remain off the motorways with about 4 hours left to drive I thought I could make my next stop just South of Paris before midnight, the time past slowly and the journey was uneventful.
I arrived just after midnight in the town of Fontainebleau, I stopped outside the Chateau in the centre of town to study the map for a hotel, most were full in the town centre so I drove to the next village, the first hotel I come across was well lite but the large metal gates were closed, parking outside and venturing through the gates to the hotel door, which were locked, I rang the bell and a voice on the intercom bellowed out to me, I asked if they had any vacancies,"do I have a reservation", no, "wait" after a few minutes a large bearded man appeared at the entrance door, his tone much softer as he open the main door and guided me through to the reception, he found me a room on the third floor and opened the great metal gate to the drive for parking the car, no food was available so I took a shower and hit the sack.
At 7.30 the next morning I trundle down for breakfast afterwhich I made the return journey to Fontainebleau, I found a good parking space at the rear of the chateau and walked through the rear entrance into the gardens, it was a little after 9.15 and there was nobody about except for builders carrying out restoration work on the quarters of Henry 111 apartments, reaching the main entrance and courtyard where Napoleon said good-bye to his troops before being carted off for his island vacation, it was empty, so I wandered over to the English garden and sat awhile by the fountain, thinking it must open at 10.
10.15 Arrived so I walked back to the main entrance to find more people walking around, but the door to the chateau was still locked, that's it can't wait any longer so I head towards the town centre, very pretty layout of shops, street cafe and market, I see a sign for tourist information, which I followed then nothing no more signs, no info centre, typical French they give you one sign and that's it, I head back to the chateau and there on the corner opposite is the info centre, first I enquired about the chateau only to find it's closed on Wednesdays, however the musee de Napoleon is open, OK where? she gives me a map and points me in the direction, right then right again, what! this is not it? I'm in an empty residential area, no musee, OK I study the map follow the streeta to almost back to the market, I ask a shop keeper who points to the way I've just come, so I walk back and there is a sign pointing to a small side street and there in the middle is this large red brick house with a small plaque saying musee de Napoleon ring bell to enter.
My first feeling was to turn and walk away, but I thought I'm here now so let's finish, the door opens and in I walk to find I'm the only one, the woman calls on the intercom for the guide, no reply 3 more times she tries again no reply, so nervously she hushes me into a down stair room filled with pictures and military costumes and tells me to busy myself, while she finds the guide, again this feeling to leave come over me, like a fool I ignored it and waited, I wandered the lower rooms not really interested in war or military uniforms at all then she approaches me to tell me to go up stairs where the guide is waiting, climbing the large oak stair case to the first floor where this gross gross man was waiting, he smelt to high heaven, to the atheist this is somewhere between the Earths surface and outer space, anyway for one hour he rants on to me about the swords, the guns, the uniforms, thats it, no period furniture, no period ceremics, glass, paintings or life other than war, what a waste of my time, I scurry out into the fresh air, along the streets to the main centre road for an outside coffee.
Now I ponder over my drink, should I stay one more night to visit the chateau tomorrow or what, it's 5 now I've decided to drive the 3 to 4 hours to port, my only worry is getting through Paris at this time of the evening.
Paris was easy just one mistake a quick U turn and I was back on track, I reach the port by 9.45 Pm the next ferry was at 7 in the morning, so dinner at a nearby restaurant and bed down for the night. |
| | [ add comment ] | | | Keeping in tune with the World 16 | 07/10/08 @ 09:14 GMT | My time as now come to journey Northwards, I inform mdm Taille I will be leaving tomorrow, she replies "arh then you must come for tea at 5 o clock", so off I go to the village and buy some English and French papers to take to my watering hole for a relaxing drink and catch-up on all the news and views from both sides of the channel, I take a table under the tree outside the cafe overlooking the river, I order an ice cool pression from the young smiling waitress the sun is beating down and as I raise my glass M.Maire passes with the glass blower they both wave and smile, after aknowledging them I get down to the business of reading the news, the papers exhibit doom and gloom from front to back.
As time passes the cafe starts to fill and the waitresses dash about serving lunch, voices raise with each chink of glass, I decide to venture for the perigordine salad, pichet rouge and frites, after lunch I drive to the next town for a plant pot for Mdm Taille tea party, I arrive back at chez Taille just before 5, the greeting over we sit down to a glass of white wine and talk about Lebanon and her days working for the French Government, she leaves me for 15 mins to wander into the garden and returns with a plate of fresh honey with comb and strawberries, she serves, sandwiches, biscuits, rice pudding and her garden treats, 3 hours past before we finish the tea, I'm enough now, I'll just rest by the pool till sunset and retire to the house.
The next morning I arise late as I have no rush and really want to drive slowly Northwards, I hand Mdm Taille the key and thank her for putting up with me, she gives me 5 kissesn and ask if I will be returning in October as Gille will be here on the 26th, I can not promise but will email Gille later this month, after loading the little DAF I drive to the village to say good-bye to Chris the Dutch lady from the jewelery shop, after coffee together we say our good-byes another 5 kisses, I'm doing well today, then hit the road, it's mid afternoon with a full tank of fuel I follow the river road North, remembering that I must fill with fuel before 7 tonight as all the stations will be closed except on the motorways. |
| | [ add comment ] | | | Keeping in tune with the World 15 | 03/10/08 @ 09:15 GMT | I awoke the following morning to find Gille and family long gone, they departed early hours back to Paris, I have the next few days already planned, I'm to scour the brocantes, vide greniers and marches aux puces to see what I can find, my first stop is the village market of Le Bugue, where I purchase some fine vintage linen of table covers, bed and pillow cases, the next day I visit the bastide town of Sarlat, not a good start as it's raining, I had to park the car on the out skirts of town and walk back, I take a short cut following the narrow medieval streets to the market place, which is absolutely choker, then some fool pushes through the crowd shouting cuckoo, cuckoo which means wake up, wake up, as if he's the only one there to buy.
Midday quickly approaches and the crowds die down as they go for lunch, feeling rather peckish I wander the narrow street leading off the main square which are filled with bistro's and cafe's, the rain as now stopped and the sun quickly re-appears, all the outside tables are taken, by the Gothic church I see a sign saying eco and green, Mmmm sounds like a veggie restaurant, but all the tables and chairs outside are stacked together, walking into the shop I see a young man on the computer, a brief conversation reveals they are a veggie restaurant and I'm the only guest today, no problems, the interior walls are painted yellow and green with wavy lines and sunflowers matching the plastic table covers, it's clean and tidy, viewing the chalked board menu on the wall they serve different salads and hot dishes from around the World, lower down the board they list a vast number of coffees and teas from unknown producers, I ordered a salad and a vegetable dishes from Vietnam with organic grapefruit juice, about a hour past before the meal was served, I finished off with home made choco cake and coffee, super, wonderful meal, that's me finished for the day I don't feel like pushing my way through the crowds again so the yellow DAF and me trundle back to my local watering hole to see the topless bathers, swans and flowing river, arh peace.
Tomorrow my last market day I'm going to La roque Gageac and yes it's exactly that, protruding over the winding road and river, I load my booty up into the little yellow DAF and head home with a good three days of bargain hunting complete. |
| | [ add comment ] | | | Keeping in tune with the World 14 | 01/10/08 @ 11:43 GMT | What an evening, They must have been talking about me after the last meal, they were not sure of the reason why I left the meat dish, so they made a test, salad or cow's foreskin, what a choice, therefore I think they must of made two style of dinners that night, salad, OK if he eats then we do veggie, if the cow parts then it's meat.
The day soon come for me to meet the Dutch lady Chris, 8 AM Sunday and it's market day by the river, which was in the village car park, I sat in the car for a while by the car park entrance wondering where to park, when a nice man come across and told me I only had a small one???? so I can squeeze inbetween the cheese stall and the butcher's van, well now I have to buy something from the market.
I start with the fruit stall, fresh organic local produce, not the crap Tesco sells, next the bread stall, it turns out the girl at the stall is English she's married to a Greek baker living in France, she invites me to a soiree 2 villages away next week, I must go everyone will be there, OK OK, that enough, I'm not a big eater and it's no problem going without food for a day or two, so I retire to my cafe, for a coffee, just as I sit down chris the Dutch woman come's a very well rounded sort, always happy and can not stop talking, everybody knows and greet her, in turn she introduces me to each one, then come the man who found me a parking space it turns out he's the maire, what a jolly man full of life, the coffee soon turned to wine and we talked and talked all afternoon, she turned to me and said you must come to one of my soiree's I make my own drink you know, it's called a herring night, a herring night I repeat, yes you know those little fish, you have them in England yar, no well, err yes, but, oh nonsense you must come, we pick the little thing up by it's tail open our mouth's like this and drop it in, I'm a vegetarian, there was a silence at the table, it seem to go on for ever, I watched her face as she slowly closed her lips and a rumble of Mmmmmmmmm come out, then with a wave of her hand she said "then your no good you can't come", I said yes I can, she looked at me and frowned, I'm no problem if you got a drink there then that's fine, she said you mean you will do your own thing in the corner, well yes, OK that's settled, well another invite, this little car sure get's me into places, from her hand bag she pulls some small plastic bags and lay's them on the table, those auto zip type probably from her jewellery shop, lay her hands flat on the table she say's well I want you to do me a favour, yes, next time you go to the Far East you must buy me a hundred of each one of these, I pick up the bags to find little pieces of silver hooks, eyes and springs etc standard parts for the trade, I believe, do you know these, yes, yes I do, they must be cheaper in China, yes I know an all night market specialising in silver jewellery, Ok she said I must have them for Christmas (for the atheist that's a holiday for christians, for I know you good atheists carry on working during this period like the muslims because you don't believe in God, I thought I'll just get that one in), I said is that near Christmas or really BEFORE, no no a few days before will do, so I've got to come back here at Christmas time, well yes you have no family and all those girls at veggieromance are not going to invite you, so what will you do, that's settle you come here and I will arrange dinner with the Maire Ok, well I'll email you, I'm very busy you never know the bosses at veggieromance may throw a party???possible.
Well the day soon passed and what fun we had, I joined Gille and family under the tree by the pool, Gille tell's me he must go back to Paris tomorrow as the month holiday is over and the girls must get back to Uni, I can stay on for another two weeks no problem and mother will help me with anything, it's OK I'm free I will stay longer, he ask will I come back in October he will be here on the 26th, I said I don't know that's a little to far away to plan, if not anytime come to Paris.......to be continued |
| | [ add comment ] | | | Keeping in tune with the World 12 | 30/09/08 @ 11:24 GMT | On my return from the Manoir I called into Julien Sauvignon the wine merchant, to find the most expensive wine I could afford, my belief is that if you are invited to dinner by a French person choose the best you can afford, they always think the British know nothing about wine, they can't understand that the Romans brought the vines to France, they think wine was born in France, anyway, I had a hard job choosing from the vast cellars of this connoisseur, also I didn't know what we were eating, I haven't told them I am a veggie and with 6 people one bottle is not enough, so I chose a St Emilion grand cru 1978 and for the white a Sauvignon Blanc, my next stop was flowers for the ladies.
On arrival the warm welcome I received was over whelming, after the exchanges of kisses (how do they do it, imagine every morning entering work, by the time you've kissed everybody it's time to go to lunch, then start the whole process again after lunch), I saw Gille looking at the bottles in my arms lips watering with eagerness to taste my delights, I'll make him wait a while, first I presented the flowers to the girls, starting with madam Taille, then finally to Gille, he held the St Emilion in both hands tears coming to his eyes and from his open mouth he whispered you shouldn't have, you shouldn't have, the wine was placed in the centre of the main long tabling in the dinning room, first we sat around a small table where his wife Kim poured different kinds of aperitifs Mdm Taille enjoyed the samples her cheeks of 87 years become rosy and her smile broader, we got to the main table with the beginning of the 5 courses, Gille started with the white wine, within a tour of the table the bottle was empty, we started with a salad perigordine, no problem there, then to a soup, knowing French country soup it's normally bits of left overs of all the meals, so with a smile I said this looks delicious what in it, arh Kim explained it's vegetables fresh from the garden this afternoon, eyes closed I raise the spoon first to my nose Mmm no smell there of meat, then a spec of a taste, good just veg, the next was the end for me chicken legs and stringy red stuff, this was all placed on a centre plate for us to chose ourselves, great the steamed vegetables were perfect, then the rice, cheese and coffee, through out the meal bottles of wine were consumed but never my St Emilion grand cru, after the meal we all wandered into the garden chatting about life in every form, I then quitely asked Gille, you don't like my red? oh I want to ask you would you mind if I took it to Paris when I return, Mmmm what is wrong, nothing nothing wrong it's the best, it's your's Gille do with it as you please, after retiring for the night I hit the pillow and the light in my head were out to be continued |
| | [ add comment ] | | | Keeping in tune with the World 11 | 30/09/08 @ 08:23 GMT | Our work took us to St Maximin and St marie de la Mer, plus many more sights, after 6 weeks I drop the assistant off at Nice airport for her journey back to organise the work, I shall miss the pretty little thing always looking in the mirror at herself front and back.
For me I was free for the next 3 + weeks or so, I'm to travel a little North of Provence to visit Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie new French home or should I say the 2 houses, as they now live in France, well I suppose with all those children you'll need two.
I was invited to stay in a little house next to the main house of a Parisian business man and his family which was some 6 hours to the South West just about 3 hours from spain in the little town of Le Bugue, I must admit the car so far as not let me down and 23 euros fills the tank and I can drive all day only problem it as to be super or you buy a lead replacement product from the Bricomarche.
Arriving in the little town of Le Bugue such a wonder place, with clear river running through the centre, street cafe's and more, just out of town I found myself a nice quite little cafe/restaurant which over looks the joining of the towns two rivers, just in front was an area made into a beach which was full of holiday makers (why do they call them holiday makers?is it like making whoopie how do you make holidays?), I decided for the next few weeks this would be my watering hole, I arrived at the Parisian house late afternoon, they showed me to a small house which over looks the swimming pool, then they left me to it, I took an early rest so I was fresh for the following days of sight seeing (I hate being a tourist, I like the adventure side, but here I can't grumble as a guest), the next day I peer from my window to the pool which sits at the top of the garden, the garden runs down to the valley, the views are unbelievable, in the pool this figure of an elderly woman swimming backwards and forwards in the cool blue water, I dress and make one of those unforgetable French morning coffee's then out into the later August sunshine, my man Gille and his family are having breakfast in the main house so I watch the swimmer as she pulls herself from the pool, she introduces herself as Madam Taille, Gille mother 87 years old, but warns me not to tell anyone, we sit and talk by the pool, her husband been died for 10 years and they bought the property 35 years ago, after returning from Lebanon where her husband and her were stationed for the French Government, can say no more, such a jolly woman always smiling and laughing never before have I seen such happiness in an elderly woman, I ask why does she think she lives so long in such good health, she tells me she swims every day, there is no pollution here, the food is fresh no chemicals and she keeps moving, well my my a stress free life, after Gille finished his breakfast I was introduced to the family, the son Jacque I've met before in Paris, the daughter Juliette and her friend Sermone, I was invited to dinner that evening, well off I go not to waste the day, I drove down the hill and around the bend at the bottom just before the town was a large area for disposing of the waste, I pulled the DAF in and started to seperate the waste I have into the various bins, I noticed this roundish woman pulling a little bag carrier of cardboard boxes, we exchanged greets of the morning then just before I got into the car she called to me in excellent English, a little DAF how did you get that here, explaining it was a long story to tell just now, she explained she was Dutch and use to be married to an Irishman, with laughter of a joke about Irish and the caribbean islands we parted, I was making my way to the village of St Astier to meet with one of the last remaining ancestors on Napoleon Bonaparte. |
| | [ add comment ] | | | Keeping in tune with the World 10 | 30/09/08 @ 06:15 GMT | Some two hours later I arrive at the port for an over night ferry to France, I was amazed the looks I got along the way, at the port people pouring over the car, maybe thinking how's this idiot going to get this through?
I have no care it's just a car if it breaks it breaks such is the adventure, the crossing was uneventful we arrived in the French port at 6 am now I had a whole 24 hours to reach the Paris airport of CDG where I was due to collect an assistant for the journey down South, so I decided to travel slow (slow! top speed on the straight is 60 MPH) and visit the villages.
After lunch I stopped in one of those wonderful picnic areas they have on the continent for the drivers, I climb into the passenger side for a little shut eyed, a hour or two later I awoke to see a Gendarme car at the side of me with it's two occupants staring into the little yellow DAF, I glanced back they just started up and drove away, oh the other good thing there is no road tax to pay, I started my journey again and reached Giverny the home to Monet, I spent several hours wandering the gardens and house sneeking many photos of the interior (camera ban), my next stop would be the last for the day, the car done a fantastic job some rattles and the engine missing a few beats here and there but important we arrived near the first destination.
Next morning bright and early I made my way to CDG, a busy mass of road junctions to get in or near the airport, but typical French they have good signage and stopping points to check the plans to re-arrange your direction if lost, thinking the flight arrives at 6 + 45 mins to past control I think 7 will be good, on arrival at terminal 1A the temporary parting is a simple cheap option where you go through a barrier and wait and wait for your pick up, once they arrive you pay a small fee at the machine and then through a double barrier to your road, not like the rip off at British airports, my young thing of an assistant staggered out of the terminal with a trolley of bags, she stopped in amazement at the little yellow car then at her bags and yelled sure we not travelling in that to the South, not to worry it's a fun car, what a fun car, no nonononono, anyway we managed to put the the bags and boxes into various holes in the car then pointing it in the right direction and zoom, well putter puff, the jounrney was great, the stops fun and the people fantastic, everywhere we stopped people would stop look and ask questions, I think it was the girl really.
Some 14 hours later we arrived at our first port of call to do our work at St Baume. |
| | [ add comment ] | | | Keeping in tune with the World 8 | 30/09/08 @ 04:25 GMT | Finally arrived from China to Heathrow at 9.30 PM, the air was cold a big difference from the sticky heat of Asia, I waited for 30 mins to be collected by the parking attendant to be carted off to the parking bays in search of my car, covered in months of dust, I load up and then ready to go, now 10.45 in the evening out onto the M4 to join with the M25, music on and thoughts of the journey and what I got to do over the next few days pass through my mind, I hit the M40 now 11.15, I dis-like going home on a first arrival this time of night to a cold house, so I decided to call at the first hotel and rest for the night, arriving at the hotel with only one room available at £80 a night, disgusting it's the first thing you notice when entering England how the prices always seem to rise so quickly, fuel the most expensive in the World, standard hotels most expensive, food prices so expensive etc etc, anyway to tied to fight it now, I grab a cappuccino internet card, sort out the mail and send info, arrive in room at 2ish hit the sack and away to the land of nod.
Rising at 5 in the morning another coffee trundling to the car to find the flasher lights didn't come on with the remote key? funny doors not lock? throw the over night bag in the back, sit in the drivers seat, but no windowscreen holder for the navsat, no cable, hand under seat to feel for navsat, nothing empty, side pocket of door where I left my travel wallet gone! along with 800 euros, camera gone, international bank cards etc, jumping out of the car, looking around to find out how they got in, I found a small hole pierced just right of the passenger door lock peering inside I could make out the bar which overrides the auto door locks, great returning to the reception desk I'm told the car park doesn't have security cameras, she lets me phone the police, do you want me to come to the station I asked, no, will you send a patrol, no, I'll just take some details over the phone???? this happens every 2 days you know, no I don't know, but if it does why no patrols or cameras?, arh the service area can't afford to install them, WHAT at £80 a night, coffee at £3 internet at £10, can't afford it what rubbish.
On the road it's Saturday morning and I've things to do, cursing the country for opening the flood gates and lowering the standard of education and parents not teaching the right and wrongs of life, all my travelling in this World I've never found this problem anywhere else, the Far East with all it's faults I can leave my car with all things displayed in the window, never do they think of stealing from you.
I arrival at my first port of call it's just a little past 8 in the morning, it's an antique auction, where ever I go I always stop off at auctions to search for interesting items and antiquities, Saturday is a dangerous time as the general public crowd the rooms looking for what seems like a bargain to them, parking the car having to wait as I'm early, I notice from the corner of my eye a yellow car, a strange looking car, jumping out of my car and wandering over to take a closer look there's a sign in the window LOT No 429 it's for sale, an old vintage or more classic car, a strange car that I never knew existed, a DAF 33 1965 variomatic? what is this I ask myself.
8.30 the auction staff arrive I'm greeted by those who know me the younger one's eager to know about my adventures in the Far East and did I bring back any electronic stuff or clothes, I dig into the back of the car and find 6 Polo shirts handing them to chris the young attendant, a broad smile cuts across his face, great lad always helpful and just got married.
We all have about 2 hours to search the rooms for items we may require, several pieces catch my eye mainly 19th century works, no antiquities, now a awaiting game until my time comes, I wait with the traders in the cafeteria some I've known for many years, who dash between numbers to bid on their finds, the banter is always good, my own finds are approaching so I go into the first room to warm up and feel the mood watch and wait I know the traders will only bid to a certain limit because of costs, general public haven't got a clue what to pay, my number comes and the auctioneer knocks it down to me, then the next 2 fine examples of 19th Century items.
I return to the caferteria for juice and home made cake, there's a call that the first room is finished and now the yard items are being auctioned, the car! let's see how much this goes for, the numbers pass rapidly until it's the car's turn, bidding is slow the auctioneer pushes the top numbers but no response, as he settles to the lower numbers I join the bidding, finally just two of us, bang I got it, it's mine a new owner to a DAF 33 wow!
as I walk away I heard a group of old men talking one called out my lawn mowers goes faster than that, I carried on walking thinking I know nothing of this car, as I reached the coffee shop a man and his son approach, he explains he was the under bidder and that he use to own one many years ago, for the next hour he tells me all about the car etc etc, to take the keys from the reception and try to start it, again and again, no go, the man leaves me to my yellow pile of metal, I collect the paper work to find it only had one owner, a dear old man who passed away in his bath at the age of 80, before leaving the auction I arrange with the attendants to deliver the car to Oxford within the next few days as I have to go to France soon. |
| | [ add comment ] | | | Keeping in tune with the World7 | 01/08/08 @ 01:11 GMT | Having difficulty in up loading some photos to make the blog more interesting, of places and people, Simon is sending some info, so hopfully should start arranging the blog later next week,
We have a living blog in Asia on naver.com it's designed for the Asians mainly in local language with add-on English, filled with photos, the Japanese and Koreans have an big interest in cute little things, like English country villages, most Japanese know Burford in the Cotswolds, Tasha Tudor they love her 19th century life style (very big), so if we work these into our program and blog they take a better interest in our subjects of life, they always say yes they understand about such things as animals and don't like meat or cruelty, but tradition over rides the reason every time, it's difficult to explain their thinking or comprehension of things around them, for example the family would spend 50,000 pound on a new car, but live in a small rented undecorated apartment and sleep on the floor? then the man would wake up every morning at 4 to polish the car, some times sleep all night in it, yet never shows any emotion to his wife? never hold hands, kissing is a nono, but low and behold if you touch his car, out he'll jump not speaking or looking at you he will inspect the car first if any damage, telephone a garage for a price then ask you for the money, insurance forget it, humans are 3nd, first is material things, next is money then us.
This mind set is very difficult for those developing countries, they have come forward so fast that it's a case of making money easily but no education to go with it, then arrogance sets in. I was asked once by a very rich woman stall holder if I could get her son into Eton college has she was talking to me with a mouth full of food I told her the college was full for the next 5 years as I dodged the torpedo's of food coming from her mouth. Japan has change alot since my early years when I was guided by professor Kanasawa of Tokyo on life, language and body, the World of fakes and reproduction have now moved to China and Korea as Japan has developed into a thriving country with the 2nd biggest economy in the World. Along with Japan's wealth as come the education, the people are extremely polite, well dressed but stead fast in their traditions, having problems understanding the West irritation with them killing whales and dolphins eating fish eggs.
China on the other hand is now the capital for fake goods, going to the industrial cities you will find back street shops from basement level to top floor little rooms where they can make anything you want, give them a picture or sample of a table (whatever)and they will copy it including all the dents and marks, the cost small small money, the smell of chemicals and paint fills the air, no stopping for tea breaks working day and night, sleeping on the shop floor. No stopping this country, it's a country to fear, fear for our future and way of life, the power and determination is a driven unstoppable force, while we idiol by worrying about our next holiday or getting home for 5, all these Asian countries have a group structure of 5 to 6 men the same for women one will be the leader and the rest will follow similar to chickens, working you don't ask for a pay rise you must do want ever the boss wants, he wants to pay golf on Sunday you have to go, to drive the car open the door eat dinner with him, he wants to go drinking you must go, loyalty it's the only way to get the promotion then a rise, the wives understand the rules and so make a life with other groups of women.
Now the Chinese Government is clearing the areas around the olympic grounds of the lower people, the dirt, tin hut restaurants pushing them out of the shanty homes to the outskirts of town with no place to live or work, it's a type of ethnic cleansing to show the West that China as no social problems like the West, though internet is policed emails are read. |
| | [ add comment ] | | | Keeping in tune with the World 6 | 29/07/08 @ 07:05 GMT | Arrived in Hong Kong yesterday under high temperatures and damp air, I now take a trian to Macau for 1 night then the overnight train North in to Wuhan and Nanjing.
Looking forward to meeting an old friend a French professor specialising in global warming from the UN office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs we can settle down for a relaxing drink or two.
I found the camera that I was looking for in Hong Kong Cheaper than Korea, after I bought it I was told it's even cheaper in the Philippines, arh well it's always the same, I've yet to try it I hope to start posting some travel pictures of interesting events along the way, if I can figure out how the posting system works on this blog.
Once I get back to Oxford next week I should be able to spend an evening or two putting together a better blog.
Looking more forward to France about mid August researching the apparent trail of Mary after the crucifixion with Judas, that should rattle the atheist a bit, more later........... |
| | [ add comment ] | |
|
| |
