A few days ago I was in the countryside in Burgundy not too far from Paris with my family. Now I'm back in California, Los Angeles. Physically I know where I'm but my body still needs to adapt.
The landing over LA at sunset was beautiful. End of afternoon, still some natural light, a Nicole picks me up, I jump in her car and the insane traffic, definitively back in LA.
This second evening of my trip I'm having a drink - actually drinks - on another hotel roof top bar in Hollywood before aiming for the cinema. Until 4pm I'm fine but after the struggle can start. We enter the cinema and... I do remember we got tickets for Rogue One, I do remember battles in space and light sabres each times I open my eyes or when my head failed on my neighbor shoulder... and the rest is blurry. But the most important is to be able to stay awake for new year's evening until midnight. I still have a few hours to adapt.
30/12/2016
25/12/2016
La bourgogne avant la neige
Toute la famille ou presque en Bourgogne près de la cheminée ou autour de la table ou à jouer au scrabble ou à marcher dehors sur la colline. Il fait frais mais pas trop froid et en tout cas moins chaud que Noel dernier où trinquions dehors au même moment.
Une arrivée étalée en milieu de semaine et des départs également étalés après Noel où chacun se dirige vers ses autres familles ou autre continent. Ce fût court mais intense.
Une arrivée étalée en milieu de semaine et des départs également étalés après Noel où chacun se dirige vers ses autres familles ou autre continent. Ce fût court mais intense.
19/12/2016
Panic routine
Winter is coming, winter is here, Christmas time as well and time to fly to Paris and get close to the family and other friends. Arriving at your friend place, hearing rumours of another suicidal attack, in Berlin this time, spending the whole evening to find out everybody I know I safe. The shot of panic is passed, time to relax a bit and to continue to live and to sleep actually as it's getting late. Still 2016, in Paris.
17/12/2016
Studious Saturday
It all started with a cool workshop organised by the people behind wefactory where we had to build our own lamp made of concrete. My first concrete experience with concrete.
And it did continue with the - finally - uploading of the catalogue of my first solo exhibition of little planets. Exhibition that took place in Morlaix in Brittany June to August 2015. Ten of my images have been presented and the link below is re-showing them.
If you are interested by seeing more of my images, you can as well have a look to the catalogue of my latest exhibition that took place in Berlin September 2016.
And it did continue with the - finally - uploading of the catalogue of my first solo exhibition of little planets. Exhibition that took place in Morlaix in Brittany June to August 2015. Ten of my images have been presented and the link below is re-showing them.
If you are interested by seeing more of my images, you can as well have a look to the catalogue of my latest exhibition that took place in Berlin September 2016.
17/11/2016
Road trip on the cost
in approximative English below
Je descends, objectif Los Angeles demain vendredi. Sur ma droite la mer, au loin l'Asie, sur ma gauche le continent qui se jète dans l'eau. Première pause á Big Sur et le mémorial Henri Miller avec une ambiance très True Detective en entrant dans le jardin. Un café, un livre et je continue ma route. Mes nouvelles rencontres de la semaine dernière avaient raison, la route est belle.
Les navy seals sur la plage et au loin sur la montagne le fameux Hearst Castle qui se dévoile.
Je m'arrête, prends mon billet pour le tour guidé et saute dans le bus. Au loin il me semble voir des zèbres dans les champs, je n'ai pas rêvé m'apprendra-t-on. Au chateau le guide se présente, un sosie de Tom Jones, sympathique. La visite est agréable, le lieu improbable, welcome to the States.
Un café à la cafeteria, j'envois un message à LA, je serai en ville dès ce jeudi soir. Mon hôte me prévient seulement, nous ne serons pas seul, the beast is here too. Je prends le risque.
La dernière partie est un peu longuet, bifurcation vers les terres, je retrouve Lost Hills où je l'avais laissé lundi dernier en bus. Je galère pour faire le plein comme à chaque fois que je loue une voiture mais ca passe.
Jeudi soir, sur l'autoroute à LA, de retour.
and now the awaited English version
Leaving Campbell for Big Sur
I'm going down, aiming for Los Angeles tomorrow Friday. On my right side the sea, far away Asia, on my left the North American continent pouring itself into the salty water. First real break at the Henri Miller memorial in Big Sur. A truly True Detective moment entering the dedicated space. A coffee, a book and I continue my path. My latest new encounters from last week were right, the road 1 is beautiful.
Towards Hearst Castle
The seals are sunbathing on the beach, far away on the top of the closest hill the outline of the famous Hearst Castle is revealing itself.
I park my car, buy a ticket for the guided tour and jump into the bus that brings you to the castle. I may see zebra in the fields around the road, later I will learn I wasn't dreaming. At the castle the guide is introducing himself, a true doppelgänger of Tom Jones, nice. The tour is pleasant, the place improbable, welcome to America.
A coffee at the cafeteria, I'm sending a message to LA, I will be there this Thursday evening already. My host warns me about the presence of the beast at her place. I'm taking the risk.
Getting closer to LA
Last part of the path is a bit long, leaving the cost, I end up again at Lost Hills which I passed last week during my megabus trip. As usual with rental car I have trouble to fill the reservoir... Eventually I made it.
Thursday evening, on the highway toward Los Angeles, I'm back.
Je descends, objectif Los Angeles demain vendredi. Sur ma droite la mer, au loin l'Asie, sur ma gauche le continent qui se jète dans l'eau. Première pause á Big Sur et le mémorial Henri Miller avec une ambiance très True Detective en entrant dans le jardin. Un café, un livre et je continue ma route. Mes nouvelles rencontres de la semaine dernière avaient raison, la route est belle.
Les navy seals sur la plage et au loin sur la montagne le fameux Hearst Castle qui se dévoile.
Je m'arrête, prends mon billet pour le tour guidé et saute dans le bus. Au loin il me semble voir des zèbres dans les champs, je n'ai pas rêvé m'apprendra-t-on. Au chateau le guide se présente, un sosie de Tom Jones, sympathique. La visite est agréable, le lieu improbable, welcome to the States.
Un café à la cafeteria, j'envois un message à LA, je serai en ville dès ce jeudi soir. Mon hôte me prévient seulement, nous ne serons pas seul, the beast is here too. Je prends le risque.
La dernière partie est un peu longuet, bifurcation vers les terres, je retrouve Lost Hills où je l'avais laissé lundi dernier en bus. Je galère pour faire le plein comme à chaque fois que je loue une voiture mais ca passe.
Jeudi soir, sur l'autoroute à LA, de retour.
and now the awaited English version
Leaving Campbell for Big Sur
I'm going down, aiming for Los Angeles tomorrow Friday. On my right side the sea, far away Asia, on my left the North American continent pouring itself into the salty water. First real break at the Henri Miller memorial in Big Sur. A truly True Detective moment entering the dedicated space. A coffee, a book and I continue my path. My latest new encounters from last week were right, the road 1 is beautiful.
Towards Hearst Castle
The seals are sunbathing on the beach, far away on the top of the closest hill the outline of the famous Hearst Castle is revealing itself.
I park my car, buy a ticket for the guided tour and jump into the bus that brings you to the castle. I may see zebra in the fields around the road, later I will learn I wasn't dreaming. At the castle the guide is introducing himself, a true doppelgänger of Tom Jones, nice. The tour is pleasant, the place improbable, welcome to America.
A coffee at the cafeteria, I'm sending a message to LA, I will be there this Thursday evening already. My host warns me about the presence of the beast at her place. I'm taking the risk.
Getting closer to LA
Last part of the path is a bit long, leaving the cost, I end up again at Lost Hills which I passed last week during my megabus trip. As usual with rental car I have trouble to fill the reservoir... Eventually I made it.
Thursday evening, on the highway toward Los Angeles, I'm back.
16/11/2016
Legion of Honor
in beginner English below
Les concerts de musique électroniques et performances de danse mènent à tout. Rencontrer l'été précédent à Berlin après une performance donc, je retrouve un Jorge, qui en plus d'être un musicien est aussi photographe pour le musée Legion of Honor à SF. J'ai donc la chance de le re-rencontrer et de visiter les coulisses du musée. Un très bon moment.
Uber est mon ami, il me retrouve à la sortie du musée et je file vers The Mission District. Là je reprends mon sac et saute dans le métro. La veille j'ai réservé une voiture pour redescendre vers LA. A l'aéroport où je choppe la voiture on me propose du SUV XXXXL mais je serai fort et ne louerai qu'une voiture prête à transporter un équipe de basket.
Première étape Campbell et le canapé de l'ami Nicolas quitté quelques jours plus tôt à l'occasion de la conférence couleur annuelle. Bien décalqué je compte à mes hôtes du soir mon périple depuis San Diego. Demain je prends la direction de la côte, Santa Cruz puis le sud.
and now the international version
Lunch at the Legion of Honor
Electronic music concerts and danse performances lead to everything. Met last summer after a danse performance in Berlin I'm meeting Jorge again, this time he is not playing music but working as a photographer (meaning he is taking pictures of art pieces for their archives) for the museum Legion of Honor in SF. Thanks to him I have the chance to visit the museum backstage area, as in every museum there is much more in the basement than in the space the regular visitor can access. A very good moment.
Leaving SF
Uber is my friend, he found me at the museum exit, then direction The Mission District. I take back my bag and jump into the subway. Yesterday I booked a car to go back to LA. Once at the airport car rental place they propose me some XXXXXXL SUV, I'm strong and decline, only took a car that can carry a basketball team.
Another stop in Campbell
First stop of my trip, my friend Nicolas which I left a few days ago for the yearly color conference is letting me crashing on his sofa. Kind of tired I'm telling to my hosts the story of my last four days (San Diego, Los Angeles , SF and now Campbell). Tomorrow I'm aiming for the Road 1, first Santa Cruz then South along the coast.
Les concerts de musique électroniques et performances de danse mènent à tout. Rencontrer l'été précédent à Berlin après une performance donc, je retrouve un Jorge, qui en plus d'être un musicien est aussi photographe pour le musée Legion of Honor à SF. J'ai donc la chance de le re-rencontrer et de visiter les coulisses du musée. Un très bon moment.
Uber est mon ami, il me retrouve à la sortie du musée et je file vers The Mission District. Là je reprends mon sac et saute dans le métro. La veille j'ai réservé une voiture pour redescendre vers LA. A l'aéroport où je choppe la voiture on me propose du SUV XXXXL mais je serai fort et ne louerai qu'une voiture prête à transporter un équipe de basket.
Première étape Campbell et le canapé de l'ami Nicolas quitté quelques jours plus tôt à l'occasion de la conférence couleur annuelle. Bien décalqué je compte à mes hôtes du soir mon périple depuis San Diego. Demain je prends la direction de la côte, Santa Cruz puis le sud.
and now the international version
Lunch at the Legion of Honor
Electronic music concerts and danse performances lead to everything. Met last summer after a danse performance in Berlin I'm meeting Jorge again, this time he is not playing music but working as a photographer (meaning he is taking pictures of art pieces for their archives) for the museum Legion of Honor in SF. Thanks to him I have the chance to visit the museum backstage area, as in every museum there is much more in the basement than in the space the regular visitor can access. A very good moment.
Leaving SF
Uber is my friend, he found me at the museum exit, then direction The Mission District. I take back my bag and jump into the subway. Yesterday I booked a car to go back to LA. Once at the airport car rental place they propose me some XXXXXXL SUV, I'm strong and decline, only took a car that can carry a basketball team.
Another stop in Campbell
First stop of my trip, my friend Nicolas which I left a few days ago for the yearly color conference is letting me crashing on his sofa. Kind of tired I'm telling to my hosts the story of my last four days (San Diego, Los Angeles , SF and now Campbell). Tomorrow I'm aiming for the Road 1, first Santa Cruz then South along the coast.
15/11/2016
Another Tuesday in SF
Un peu plus tôt cette année, en mars pour être précis je n'avais pas réussi à courir jusqu'au sommet de Twin Peaks au dessus de Noe Valley, il pleuvait comme jamais. Ce matin j'en ai décidé autrement, le temps aussi. Short, chaussures de jogging aux pieds et c'est parti pour la montée!
J'ai aussi décidé de changer mon billet d'avion, retour le même jour mais de LA cette fois. Changer mes plans comme ca, ca ne m'arrive pas souvent, mais surfant sur cette vague de on ne vit qu'une fois je tiens en équilibre.
Après le petit jogging c'est la visite traditionnelle chez Amoeba à SF et la pointe de pizza en sortant du magasin. Pèlerinage.
Le soir je retrouve Laura dans une micro-brasserie puis nous allons explorer les bas-fonds non encore totalement gentrifiés de The Mission District. Une autre vue de la ville différent de LA à coup sûr.
J'ai aussi décidé de changer mon billet d'avion, retour le même jour mais de LA cette fois. Changer mes plans comme ca, ca ne m'arrive pas souvent, mais surfant sur cette vague de on ne vit qu'une fois je tiens en équilibre.
Après le petit jogging c'est la visite traditionnelle chez Amoeba à SF et la pointe de pizza en sortant du magasin. Pèlerinage.
Le soir je retrouve Laura dans une micro-brasserie puis nous allons explorer les bas-fonds non encore totalement gentrifiés de The Mission District. Une autre vue de la ville différent de LA à coup sûr.
14/11/2016
Megabus LA to SF
Lundi matin, Los Angeles, California. Autant que je me souvienne je ne me réveille pas avec de la musique dans la tête. Lever donc, café et Nicole me dépose à la gare de bus. Impression étrange de déjà vu, un adieu non tragique, belle rencontre.
Un peu en avance je réussi à prendre un bus plus tôt. En route pour SF et ce sans prendre longer la côte comme tout le monde me disait de faire ce weekend. La route n'est pas pas si longue mais relativement monotone. Rien pendant un bout de temps puis la civilisation à nouveau. Traversant le dernier pont venant de Auckland j'échange quelques messages avec Los Angeles.
A SF c'est le chaos habituelle, je saute un bus ou un tramway et me dirige vers The Mission. Je retrouve avec plaisir une Laura, amie espagnole d'un ami breton rencontrée quelques années plus tôt à Berlin qui m'héberge cette fois ci.
Lundi soir à SF. Le temps de ressortir de retrouver un Michel en feu sur le dance floor. Bienvenue à SF. Les échanges de messages avec LA continue, je ne rentre en Europe que la semaine prochaine en réalité, techniquement je pourrais encore repasser là bas avant de rentrer. Techniquement.
Weekend de fou pense-je en me couchant.
Un peu en avance je réussi à prendre un bus plus tôt. En route pour SF et ce sans prendre longer la côte comme tout le monde me disait de faire ce weekend. La route n'est pas pas si longue mais relativement monotone. Rien pendant un bout de temps puis la civilisation à nouveau. Traversant le dernier pont venant de Auckland j'échange quelques messages avec Los Angeles.
A SF c'est le chaos habituelle, je saute un bus ou un tramway et me dirige vers The Mission. Je retrouve avec plaisir une Laura, amie espagnole d'un ami breton rencontrée quelques années plus tôt à Berlin qui m'héberge cette fois ci.
Lundi soir à SF. Le temps de ressortir de retrouver un Michel en feu sur le dance floor. Bienvenue à SF. Les échanges de messages avec LA continue, je ne rentre en Europe que la semaine prochaine en réalité, techniquement je pourrais encore repasser là bas avant de rentrer. Techniquement.
Weekend de fou pense-je en me couchant.
13/11/2016
Taco party with locals
First in French and below in self-translated English
Foule sympathique, des architectes partout, une scénariste ici, un espagnol là et des bières pour un régiment. Il est 10:42pm. Le contact est facile, les gens sont cools et n’attendant rien de spécial - sauf de rencontrer des gens biens - je passe un vrai bon moment. Voir une ville, cette ville, par et avec des locaux changent tout sur la perception première que j’en avais - je rappelle que j'ai un PhD en ouverture de portes ouvertes.
Puis il est 3:00am et il est temps de rentrer. Le groupe d’invités s’est réduit, on est rentré dans le salon, baie vitrée sur le jardin, feu dans la cheminée, chats qui veulent sortir, cartes aux murs, bonne musique. Un Diego embarque dans sa décapotable une Sarah en fin de droit, une Nicole et un Jérémie direction l’inconnue pour moi.
Il s’en suit un trajet épique à 4 puis à 3 puis 2. Traversant un Downtown vide et relativement silencieux - le bruit de fond en journée rappelle celui d'un réfrigérateur mal réglé - ce qui ne doit arriver que 2h maxi par jour. Une impression d’être dans Lost Highway ou un autre monde parallèle, sur un bateau avec des roues avec un espagnol fantasque au volant et une passagère avec des jambes magnifiques. Nous arrivons entier à bon port. Second appartement, décor californien sobre mais stylé, les gens ne sont pas architectes pour rien. Des quatre fantastiques nous ne somme plus que deux, dernier whisky pour la forme, belles formes, dehors le soleil se lève.
broken English now!
Cool crowd, architects everywhere, scriptwriter here, colorful Spanish there and beers for football stadium. 10:42pm, talking to new faces is easy, nice people and without waiting anything special - except meeting cool people - I do have a really nice evening. Seeing a city, this city, with and by locals did change the perception I had of it - and I remind that I have PhD in opening opened doors.
Then it's 3:30am and time to go home. The number of guests has shrank, we are now indoor, bay window toward the garden, fire in the hearth, cats waiting to escape, city maps on the walls, good music. A Diego offers his car and to drive us, a Sarah, a Nicole and a Jérémie to our places.
What follows is an epic journey at 4, then 3 then 2. Crossing LA downtown empty and relatively quiet - only the background noise reminds the one of an old broken refrigerator - which should happen only 2h a day. The feeling to be trapped into a live version of Lost Highway or another parallel universe, on a boat with wheels, a fanciful Spanish driver and back passenger with beautiful legs. We arrive safe and sound. Second apartment of local, the interior design is sober and classy, people are not architects for nothing, from the four fantastics only two remain, last whisky for the form, nice forms, outside the sunrise starts.
Foule sympathique, des architectes partout, une scénariste ici, un espagnol là et des bières pour un régiment. Il est 10:42pm. Le contact est facile, les gens sont cools et n’attendant rien de spécial - sauf de rencontrer des gens biens - je passe un vrai bon moment. Voir une ville, cette ville, par et avec des locaux changent tout sur la perception première que j’en avais - je rappelle que j'ai un PhD en ouverture de portes ouvertes.
Puis il est 3:00am et il est temps de rentrer. Le groupe d’invités s’est réduit, on est rentré dans le salon, baie vitrée sur le jardin, feu dans la cheminée, chats qui veulent sortir, cartes aux murs, bonne musique. Un Diego embarque dans sa décapotable une Sarah en fin de droit, une Nicole et un Jérémie direction l’inconnue pour moi.
Il s’en suit un trajet épique à 4 puis à 3 puis 2. Traversant un Downtown vide et relativement silencieux - le bruit de fond en journée rappelle celui d'un réfrigérateur mal réglé - ce qui ne doit arriver que 2h maxi par jour. Une impression d’être dans Lost Highway ou un autre monde parallèle, sur un bateau avec des roues avec un espagnol fantasque au volant et une passagère avec des jambes magnifiques. Nous arrivons entier à bon port. Second appartement, décor californien sobre mais stylé, les gens ne sont pas architectes pour rien. Des quatre fantastiques nous ne somme plus que deux, dernier whisky pour la forme, belles formes, dehors le soleil se lève.
broken English now!
Cool crowd, architects everywhere, scriptwriter here, colorful Spanish there and beers for football stadium. 10:42pm, talking to new faces is easy, nice people and without waiting anything special - except meeting cool people - I do have a really nice evening. Seeing a city, this city, with and by locals did change the perception I had of it - and I remind that I have PhD in opening opened doors.
Then it's 3:30am and time to go home. The number of guests has shrank, we are now indoor, bay window toward the garden, fire in the hearth, cats waiting to escape, city maps on the walls, good music. A Diego offers his car and to drive us, a Sarah, a Nicole and a Jérémie to our places.
What follows is an epic journey at 4, then 3 then 2. Crossing LA downtown empty and relatively quiet - only the background noise reminds the one of an old broken refrigerator - which should happen only 2h a day. The feeling to be trapped into a live version of Lost Highway or another parallel universe, on a boat with wheels, a fanciful Spanish driver and back passenger with beautiful legs. We arrive safe and sound. Second apartment of local, the interior design is sober and classy, people are not architects for nothing, from the four fantastics only two remain, last whisky for the form, nice forms, outside the sunrise starts.
12/11/2016
Saturday is tourist day
English notes below
C’est le jour du touriste, la mission du jour est de comprendre un peu comment cette ville fonctionne, comment on s’y déplace parce qu'à vue de nez ca à l'air d'être un gros bordel sans nom, ou alors un gros bordel hollywoodien.
Premier trajet à mon airbnd dans South Central pour y déposer mes affaires, puis direction Griffin Observatory. De là j’y observe la ville, grande et étalée avec HOLLYWOOD en grosse lettre dans mon dos. Belle vue - impression d'être au Montmarte locale.
Je redescends, direction HVW8 pour visiter l’adresse locale de la galerie du même nom à Berlin. Je manque de peu le boss de la galerie et remonte Melrose Av., m’arrête manger une salade et continue jusqu’à Hollywood Bd. Il fait nuit, les lumières sont là, les étoiles sur le trottoir, les touristes et autres anges déchus aussi. Je change de rue, arrive sur Sunset Bd et rentre enfin dans Amoeba version LA, pas déçu je suis.
Retour à South Central, il fait nuit, me pose 30min et repars. Ce soir c’est taco party. Un trajet d'une quinzaine de km, cette fois dans une direction non embouteillée ce qui est un peu un pléonasme ici. J’arrive dans un quartier plus résidentiel, belle maison, derrière un jardin, des mexicains préparant des taco et un avocado centenaire. Classe.
En arrivant je tombe sur l’une des deux personnes dont c’est l’anniversaire - nous l’appellerons Nicole - qui comprend tout de suite que je suis le français invité par son amie Betsy rencontrée la veille, l'accent sans doute pourtant je le travaille.
I did promise an English version
It's the tourist day and the goal is to understand a bit how does this city work, how do you travel, how do you commute, how do you survive because at first glance it's an enormous chaos. Later I will learn about car-magedon expression to describe the insane traffic.
First journey to my airbnb in South Central to let my luggage then direction Griffin Observatory. From there I observe the city, wide and spread with HOLLYWOOD written in big behind me. Nice view - impression to be at the local Montmartre.
I go down, direction HVW8 to visit to local address after the one I know already in Berlin. I miss the gallery owner for just 2min and I continue my exploration, I go along Melrose Av., stop for a chicken salad recommended by spotted by locals and continue until Hollywood Bd. The night has fallen, the night lights are there, on the pavement the stars, tourists and others fallen angels. I change streets and arrive on the famous Sunset Bd and the not least famous music shop Amoeba, long story short I'm not disappointed.
Back to South Central, it's dark, lay down my bed 30min and go out again. Tonight it's taco party. For change no traffic on my trip to Culver City. Different neighborhood, more residential, nice house, in the back a garden with Mexican caterers preparing tacos and an one-hundred-year-old avocado tree. Classy.
While arriving at the party I met two persons, one of them has her birthday - we will call her Nicole - who understands straightaway that I'm the invited French person by her friend Betsy which I met yesterday, the accent probably and yet I'm working on it.
C’est le jour du touriste, la mission du jour est de comprendre un peu comment cette ville fonctionne, comment on s’y déplace parce qu'à vue de nez ca à l'air d'être un gros bordel sans nom, ou alors un gros bordel hollywoodien.
Premier trajet à mon airbnd dans South Central pour y déposer mes affaires, puis direction Griffin Observatory. De là j’y observe la ville, grande et étalée avec HOLLYWOOD en grosse lettre dans mon dos. Belle vue - impression d'être au Montmarte locale.
Je redescends, direction HVW8 pour visiter l’adresse locale de la galerie du même nom à Berlin. Je manque de peu le boss de la galerie et remonte Melrose Av., m’arrête manger une salade et continue jusqu’à Hollywood Bd. Il fait nuit, les lumières sont là, les étoiles sur le trottoir, les touristes et autres anges déchus aussi. Je change de rue, arrive sur Sunset Bd et rentre enfin dans Amoeba version LA, pas déçu je suis.
Retour à South Central, il fait nuit, me pose 30min et repars. Ce soir c’est taco party. Un trajet d'une quinzaine de km, cette fois dans une direction non embouteillée ce qui est un peu un pléonasme ici. J’arrive dans un quartier plus résidentiel, belle maison, derrière un jardin, des mexicains préparant des taco et un avocado centenaire. Classe.
En arrivant je tombe sur l’une des deux personnes dont c’est l’anniversaire - nous l’appellerons Nicole - qui comprend tout de suite que je suis le français invité par son amie Betsy rencontrée la veille, l'accent sans doute pourtant je le travaille.
I did promise an English version
It's the tourist day and the goal is to understand a bit how does this city work, how do you travel, how do you commute, how do you survive because at first glance it's an enormous chaos. Later I will learn about car-magedon expression to describe the insane traffic.
First journey to my airbnb in South Central to let my luggage then direction Griffin Observatory. From there I observe the city, wide and spread with HOLLYWOOD written in big behind me. Nice view - impression to be at the local Montmartre.
I go down, direction HVW8 to visit to local address after the one I know already in Berlin. I miss the gallery owner for just 2min and I continue my exploration, I go along Melrose Av., stop for a chicken salad recommended by spotted by locals and continue until Hollywood Bd. The night has fallen, the night lights are there, on the pavement the stars, tourists and others fallen angels. I change streets and arrive on the famous Sunset Bd and the not least famous music shop Amoeba, long story short I'm not disappointed.
Back to South Central, it's dark, lay down my bed 30min and go out again. Tonight it's taco party. For change no traffic on my trip to Culver City. Different neighborhood, more residential, nice house, in the back a garden with Mexican caterers preparing tacos and an one-hundred-year-old avocado tree. Classy.
While arriving at the party I met two persons, one of them has her birthday - we will call her Nicole - who understands straightaway that I'm the invited French person by her friend Betsy which I met yesterday, the accent probably and yet I'm working on it.
Friday evening in LA
in approximated English below
La conférence finissant en milieu d'après-midi et n'ayant pas de logement à San Diego ce soir je me décide spontanément de rallier LA quelques heures plus tôt que prévu. Valise fermée, sac sur l'épaule, au revoir aux collègues de la couleur, je file au terminal Greyhound de San Diego.
2h30 de bus en soirée après que le soleil se soit couché, un arrêt à Long Beach et j’arrive dans mon hotel Standard booké à l'arrache avant mon airbnb. Mon voisin de greyhound est méxicain et s’en va à SF parti de Tijuana en début de journée, on parle politique américaine - c’est rapide - et européenne mais surtout football. Ce qui confirme une chose, Merkel est connue jusqu'au Mexique, par contre Hollande c'est pas encore ca.
Cette arrivée plus tôt à LA me permet de rencontrer une locale - nous l'appellerons Betsy - amie d’un ami à Paris. On se retrouve vers 10:00pm sur le rooftop bar de mon hotel pour à priori un drink de bienvenue, il y en aura plusieurs. Dans le ciel les hélicoptères patrouillent, les manifestants manifestent et la police veille - pas une impression de fin du monde mais un peu quand même.
On redescend, direction un autre rooftop bar. Queue à l’entrée, nous bougeons parce que trop bougie, quelques mètres plus loin un autre bouge, pas de queue, des lumières rouges, bonne musique, un jardin en arrière. La musique se mêle aux sirènes ou le contraire, avant d'arriver ici on a du attendre que la fin d’un cortège passe suivi de voitures remplies de robocops, ambiance - pas l'impression d'être dans un film de zombis mais un peu quand même.
Ma guide n’est pas complètement fatiguée et moi non plus, ca tombe bien, autre endroit deux blocks plus loin au bar du Regent theatre The Love Song. Bar à l'atmosphère cosy old school - cocktail délicieux, bar woman à l'accent australien, tête rasée, robe couleur peau et énorme tatouage dans le dos elle se fond dans le décor - et discussion toujours intéressante sur LA qui dévie sur Bukowski et autres.
Pretty cool - l'impression que chaque phrase est ponctuée d'un it’s so bougie! ou quelque soit le propos d'un as a fuck mais toujours dans une tonalité charmante - pretty cool disais-je.
Le über de ma nouvelle amie arrive, je file vers mon hotel et ce sans me perdre, un miracle.
a google-ified translated English version
The conference ended up middle of the afternoon and having no place to stay in San Diego tonight I decided spontaneously to hit the road to LA. Suitcase ready, goodbye to the colleagues, direction the Greyhound bus terminal of San Diego.
2h30 of bus ride after the sunset, a long stop in Long Beach and I reach my Standard hotel booked in emergency a few hours ago, I only have an airbnb from tomorrow. My bus neighbor is Mexican and traveling from Tijuana to San Francisco. We talk about American politic - it's quick - and European but mostly about soccer. This confirms one thing, Merkel is known until Mexico, for Hollande it's another story.
This earlier arrival in LA allows me to meet a local - we will call her Betsy - friend of a friend in Paris. We meet at 10:00pm on the rooftop bar of my hotel for in theory one welcome drink, there will be many. In the sky the helicopters patrol, the demonstrators protest and the police monitors - not an impression of end of the world but not far from it.
We go down, aiming for another rooftop bar. Queue at the entrance, we don't wait because it's too bougie, a few meters away we dive into another dive, no queue, red lights, good music, garden in the back and beer in our hand. The music is mixing with the sound of the police, before reaching this place we let a cortege of policemen dressed like robocops following demonstrators passing before crossing the road, spooky - not the impression to be part of a zombie movie but not too far neither.
My local guide isn't totally tired and me neither, good for us, next stop is two blocks further away in another place, the bar of Regent theatre called The Love Song. Atmosphere is cosy old school, the cocktail delicious, the Australian bar woman fits with the scenery, shaved head, white dress skin color and a huge tattoo on her back. Ongoing discussion with my partner in crime still interesting about LA, Bukowski and many more.
Pretty cool - I have the impression that each sentence is punctuated with a it's so bougie! or whatever the topic is by as a fuck but always in a lovely key - pretty cool did I say.
The uber of my new friend arrives, I left to my hotel without loosing my way, a miracle.
La conférence finissant en milieu d'après-midi et n'ayant pas de logement à San Diego ce soir je me décide spontanément de rallier LA quelques heures plus tôt que prévu. Valise fermée, sac sur l'épaule, au revoir aux collègues de la couleur, je file au terminal Greyhound de San Diego.
2h30 de bus en soirée après que le soleil se soit couché, un arrêt à Long Beach et j’arrive dans mon hotel Standard booké à l'arrache avant mon airbnb. Mon voisin de greyhound est méxicain et s’en va à SF parti de Tijuana en début de journée, on parle politique américaine - c’est rapide - et européenne mais surtout football. Ce qui confirme une chose, Merkel est connue jusqu'au Mexique, par contre Hollande c'est pas encore ca.
Cette arrivée plus tôt à LA me permet de rencontrer une locale - nous l'appellerons Betsy - amie d’un ami à Paris. On se retrouve vers 10:00pm sur le rooftop bar de mon hotel pour à priori un drink de bienvenue, il y en aura plusieurs. Dans le ciel les hélicoptères patrouillent, les manifestants manifestent et la police veille - pas une impression de fin du monde mais un peu quand même.
On redescend, direction un autre rooftop bar. Queue à l’entrée, nous bougeons parce que trop bougie, quelques mètres plus loin un autre bouge, pas de queue, des lumières rouges, bonne musique, un jardin en arrière. La musique se mêle aux sirènes ou le contraire, avant d'arriver ici on a du attendre que la fin d’un cortège passe suivi de voitures remplies de robocops, ambiance - pas l'impression d'être dans un film de zombis mais un peu quand même.
Ma guide n’est pas complètement fatiguée et moi non plus, ca tombe bien, autre endroit deux blocks plus loin au bar du Regent theatre The Love Song. Bar à l'atmosphère cosy old school - cocktail délicieux, bar woman à l'accent australien, tête rasée, robe couleur peau et énorme tatouage dans le dos elle se fond dans le décor - et discussion toujours intéressante sur LA qui dévie sur Bukowski et autres.
Pretty cool - l'impression que chaque phrase est ponctuée d'un it’s so bougie! ou quelque soit le propos d'un as a fuck mais toujours dans une tonalité charmante - pretty cool disais-je.
Le über de ma nouvelle amie arrive, je file vers mon hotel et ce sans me perdre, un miracle.
a google-ified translated English version
The conference ended up middle of the afternoon and having no place to stay in San Diego tonight I decided spontaneously to hit the road to LA. Suitcase ready, goodbye to the colleagues, direction the Greyhound bus terminal of San Diego.
2h30 of bus ride after the sunset, a long stop in Long Beach and I reach my Standard hotel booked in emergency a few hours ago, I only have an airbnb from tomorrow. My bus neighbor is Mexican and traveling from Tijuana to San Francisco. We talk about American politic - it's quick - and European but mostly about soccer. This confirms one thing, Merkel is known until Mexico, for Hollande it's another story.
This earlier arrival in LA allows me to meet a local - we will call her Betsy - friend of a friend in Paris. We meet at 10:00pm on the rooftop bar of my hotel for in theory one welcome drink, there will be many. In the sky the helicopters patrol, the demonstrators protest and the police monitors - not an impression of end of the world but not far from it.
We go down, aiming for another rooftop bar. Queue at the entrance, we don't wait because it's too bougie, a few meters away we dive into another dive, no queue, red lights, good music, garden in the back and beer in our hand. The music is mixing with the sound of the police, before reaching this place we let a cortege of policemen dressed like robocops following demonstrators passing before crossing the road, spooky - not the impression to be part of a zombie movie but not too far neither.
My local guide isn't totally tired and me neither, good for us, next stop is two blocks further away in another place, the bar of Regent theatre called The Love Song. Atmosphere is cosy old school, the cocktail delicious, the Australian bar woman fits with the scenery, shaved head, white dress skin color and a huge tattoo on her back. Ongoing discussion with my partner in crime still interesting about LA, Bukowski and many more.
Pretty cool - I have the impression that each sentence is punctuated with a it's so bougie! or whatever the topic is by as a fuck but always in a lovely key - pretty cool did I say.
The uber of my new friend arrives, I left to my hotel without loosing my way, a miracle.
11/11/2016
Vision de San Diego
in lost English below
CIC se termine sur un rythme connu, éprouvant mais toujours réjouissant, discussions et présentations intéressantes entre autres à propos de display, l’arrivée d’outils d’optimisation, l’extension des CMFs [mes quelques notes sur la conférence CIC 2016 ici] et bien sûr la fatigue due à la distortion journalière du temps grace aux inévitables et indispensables bières d'après les sessions officielles.
16 ans après avoir suivi les élections américaines de Montréal - donc presque localement - je renouvelle l'expérience, cette fois ci de la Californie et dans le dernier fuseau horaire des résultats où l'issue fait peu de doutes. Chaque soirée à partir du mardi soir était animée de manifs anti nouveau président dans centre ville de San Diego - où se déroule ma conférence couleur cette année - avec l'impression depuis de se réveiller chaque matin dans la mauvaise time line de Retour vers le Futur.
and now in lost English
CIC is getting over soon under its usual rhythm, demanding but always gratifying, discussions and presentations were interesting on various topics such as display, new optimisation tools, the extension of CMFs [you can read here my few notes about the conference CIC 2016] and of course your body getting more tired every day because of the time distortion... time distortion mainly due to the inevitable and vital evening beer sessions after the official sessions.
16 years after having followed the US election from Montréal - so almost as a local - I renew the experience this time from California. The local time zone makes the doubts about the final results. Each evening from Tuesday demonstrations were happening in downtown San Diego - where my conference is taking place - with the sensitive impression to wake up each following morning in the wrong time line of Back to the Future.
CIC se termine sur un rythme connu, éprouvant mais toujours réjouissant, discussions et présentations intéressantes entre autres à propos de display, l’arrivée d’outils d’optimisation, l’extension des CMFs [mes quelques notes sur la conférence CIC 2016 ici] et bien sûr la fatigue due à la distortion journalière du temps grace aux inévitables et indispensables bières d'après les sessions officielles.
16 ans après avoir suivi les élections américaines de Montréal - donc presque localement - je renouvelle l'expérience, cette fois ci de la Californie et dans le dernier fuseau horaire des résultats où l'issue fait peu de doutes. Chaque soirée à partir du mardi soir était animée de manifs anti nouveau président dans centre ville de San Diego - où se déroule ma conférence couleur cette année - avec l'impression depuis de se réveiller chaque matin dans la mauvaise time line de Retour vers le Futur.
and now in lost English
CIC is getting over soon under its usual rhythm, demanding but always gratifying, discussions and presentations were interesting on various topics such as display, new optimisation tools, the extension of CMFs [you can read here my few notes about the conference CIC 2016] and of course your body getting more tired every day because of the time distortion... time distortion mainly due to the inevitable and vital evening beer sessions after the official sessions.
16 years after having followed the US election from Montréal - so almost as a local - I renew the experience this time from California. The local time zone makes the doubts about the final results. Each evening from Tuesday demonstrations were happening in downtown San Diego - where my conference is taking place - with the sensitive impression to wake up each following morning in the wrong time line of Back to the Future.
07/11/2016
Berlin Amsterdam New-York San-Diego
maybe in English below
Voyage un peu long mais ca va, de la place pour mes jambes donc je ne peux pas trop me plaindre et de plus tous mes avions ont réussi leur atterrissage. J'ai gagné pas mal de points sur Foursquare avec tous ces aéroports ainsi que quelques taches de sauce tomate sur mon t-shirt blanc... A retenir pour les futurs voyages: mettre un t-shirt noir et éviter les plats en sauce.
L'arrivée à San Diego ressemble à celle que j'ai eu à San Antonio ou Albuquerque. L'aéroport est vide, il fait chaud, il fait nuit, je ne sais plus dans quel fuseau horaire j'évolue. Mais rapidement je trouve mon bus, 2$ et 12min de trajet et j'arrive à mon hotel. Là je fais la connaissance de mon voisin de chambre, Alexandre prof brésilien comme moi venu écouter et aider sur place la conférence CIC. Il temps de s'effondrer, la session "short course" dont je suis un peu responsable débute dans 7h.
in live translated English
Journey a bit long but still ok, I had room to squeeze my legs so I can't really complain, besides my numerous airplanes did succeed in each of their landing. I won a few points in Foursquare with all these airports as well as a few tomato sauce stains on my white shirt... Notes for the future trips: wear a black shirt and avoid pasta with tomato sauce.
The arrival in San Diego reminds me those I had in San Antonio or Albuquerque. The airport is empty, it's dark, it's warm, I don't know in which time zone i'm evolving. But quickly I find my bus, 2$m and 12min later I'm in my hotel. I meet my room neighbor for the time of the conference, Alexander a Brazilian professor coming like me to help and listen this week at CIC. It's about time to collapse, the session "Short Course" I'm involved in is starting in 7h.
Voyage un peu long mais ca va, de la place pour mes jambes donc je ne peux pas trop me plaindre et de plus tous mes avions ont réussi leur atterrissage. J'ai gagné pas mal de points sur Foursquare avec tous ces aéroports ainsi que quelques taches de sauce tomate sur mon t-shirt blanc... A retenir pour les futurs voyages: mettre un t-shirt noir et éviter les plats en sauce.
L'arrivée à San Diego ressemble à celle que j'ai eu à San Antonio ou Albuquerque. L'aéroport est vide, il fait chaud, il fait nuit, je ne sais plus dans quel fuseau horaire j'évolue. Mais rapidement je trouve mon bus, 2$ et 12min de trajet et j'arrive à mon hotel. Là je fais la connaissance de mon voisin de chambre, Alexandre prof brésilien comme moi venu écouter et aider sur place la conférence CIC. Il temps de s'effondrer, la session "short course" dont je suis un peu responsable débute dans 7h.
in live translated English
Journey a bit long but still ok, I had room to squeeze my legs so I can't really complain, besides my numerous airplanes did succeed in each of their landing. I won a few points in Foursquare with all these airports as well as a few tomato sauce stains on my white shirt... Notes for the future trips: wear a black shirt and avoid pasta with tomato sauce.
The arrival in San Diego reminds me those I had in San Antonio or Albuquerque. The airport is empty, it's dark, it's warm, I don't know in which time zone i'm evolving. But quickly I find my bus, 2$m and 12min later I'm in my hotel. I meet my room neighbor for the time of the conference, Alexander a Brazilian professor coming like me to help and listen this week at CIC. It's about time to collapse, the session "Short Course" I'm involved in is starting in 7h.
06/11/2016
Dimanche à Athènes
in English below
passer une dernière journée à Athènes - rejouer 30sec avec le chat - se balader avec un local - visiter le tout neuf musée national d'art contemporain EMST - se perdre dans la ville à deux pas des touristes - observer un chien oracle qui n'aboie qu'uniquement envers les hommes âgés comme s'il annoncait leur fin imminente ou aboyait face à la mort, au choix - continuer à marcher, reconnaitre des lieux lors de mon premier passage avec ma famille il y a au moins 20ans - des impressions et des images qui remontent à la surface puis filer vers l'aéroport pour Berlin
arrivée tard le soir - perdre 20 degrés - prendre le s-bahn avec un facho qui ne supporte pas que des gens ne parlent pas allemand dans le wagon, décalage quand tu nous tiens - payer son kebad - déballer son sac et le refaire - départ dans 10h - impression d'être en mouvement permanent et d'évoluer dans un fuseau horaire parallèle
in google translated English
having a last day in Athens - playing again with the cat - walking in the city with a new local - getting lost a few meters away from the tourists - visiting the freshly opened national museum of contemporary art EMST - witnessing an oracle dog barking only at elderly men as if he could see the death behind their backs - keep walking, recognising places I have been with my family about 20 years ago - impressions and visions coming back to my head and slowly leaving for the airport
late arrival in Berlin - loosing 20 degrees - taking the S-Bahn with a neo-nazi who couldn't support hearing another language than German in the train, jet-lag... - buying a delicious kebab - unpacking and repacking - leaving again in 10h - impression of being in perpetual movement and evolving in a parallel time zone
passer une dernière journée à Athènes - rejouer 30sec avec le chat - se balader avec un local - visiter le tout neuf musée national d'art contemporain EMST - se perdre dans la ville à deux pas des touristes - observer un chien oracle qui n'aboie qu'uniquement envers les hommes âgés comme s'il annoncait leur fin imminente ou aboyait face à la mort, au choix - continuer à marcher, reconnaitre des lieux lors de mon premier passage avec ma famille il y a au moins 20ans - des impressions et des images qui remontent à la surface puis filer vers l'aéroport pour Berlin
arrivée tard le soir - perdre 20 degrés - prendre le s-bahn avec un facho qui ne supporte pas que des gens ne parlent pas allemand dans le wagon, décalage quand tu nous tiens - payer son kebad - déballer son sac et le refaire - départ dans 10h - impression d'être en mouvement permanent et d'évoluer dans un fuseau horaire parallèle
in google translated English
having a last day in Athens - playing again with the cat - walking in the city with a new local - getting lost a few meters away from the tourists - visiting the freshly opened national museum of contemporary art EMST - witnessing an oracle dog barking only at elderly men as if he could see the death behind their backs - keep walking, recognising places I have been with my family about 20 years ago - impressions and visions coming back to my head and slowly leaving for the airport
late arrival in Berlin - loosing 20 degrees - taking the S-Bahn with a neo-nazi who couldn't support hearing another language than German in the train, jet-lag... - buying a delicious kebab - unpacking and repacking - leaving again in 10h - impression of being in perpetual movement and evolving in a parallel time zone
Samedi à Athènes
in English below
courte nuit, trois cafés et la journée peut commencer - au programme déambulation en groupe dans la ville - suivre les jambes de Riga sur des km et des km, quasiment un marathon - coller des stickers - prendre des photos - être pris en photo - parler avec Rome, Paris, Munich, Tirana, Riga, Sofia, Cologne, Talinn, Vilnius, Athènes et j'en oublie, rater la photo de groupe à errer autour de la prison de Socrates - rentrer à l'hostel et boire une bière dans le dortoir avec ses nouveaux collègues - ressortir avec tout le monde - diner dans une taverne et manger comme douze - retourner à l'Art Tower Agora pour une grosse grosse grosse mais grosse grosse fête pour finir - marcher dans la nuit jusqu'à son lit - impression d'épuisement heureux
in broken English
short night, shit loads of coffee and the day can start - today's program is ramble in group in to the city - follow the legs of Riga on kms and kms, almost a marathon - sticking stickers where you can - taking pictures - being taken into pictures - talking to Roma, Paris, Munich, Tirana, Riga, Vilnius, Talinn, Sofia, Cologne, Athens and many more, missing the group picture while getting lost around Socrates's jail - going back to the hostel and sharing beers with your new colleagues - going out again with all the people - having diner in a tavern and eating like you never have eaten before - going back to the Art Agora Tower for a big big big but really big party in order to remember the weekend - walking alone in the city by night to your bed - an impression of happy exhaustion
courte nuit, trois cafés et la journée peut commencer - au programme déambulation en groupe dans la ville - suivre les jambes de Riga sur des km et des km, quasiment un marathon - coller des stickers - prendre des photos - être pris en photo - parler avec Rome, Paris, Munich, Tirana, Riga, Sofia, Cologne, Talinn, Vilnius, Athènes et j'en oublie, rater la photo de groupe à errer autour de la prison de Socrates - rentrer à l'hostel et boire une bière dans le dortoir avec ses nouveaux collègues - ressortir avec tout le monde - diner dans une taverne et manger comme douze - retourner à l'Art Tower Agora pour une grosse grosse grosse mais grosse grosse fête pour finir - marcher dans la nuit jusqu'à son lit - impression d'épuisement heureux
in broken English
short night, shit loads of coffee and the day can start - today's program is ramble in group in to the city - follow the legs of Riga on kms and kms, almost a marathon - sticking stickers where you can - taking pictures - being taken into pictures - talking to Roma, Paris, Munich, Tirana, Riga, Vilnius, Talinn, Sofia, Cologne, Athens and many more, missing the group picture while getting lost around Socrates's jail - going back to the hostel and sharing beers with your new colleagues - going out again with all the people - having diner in a tavern and eating like you never have eaten before - going back to the Art Agora Tower for a big big big but really big party in order to remember the weekend - walking alone in the city by night to your bed - an impression of happy exhaustion
04/11/2016
Vendredi à Athènes
In English below
9:09am
mettre ses chaussures de course, partir courir vers l'Acropole, monter vers la prison de Socrates, admirer la vue du monument Philoppapos avant le flow des touristes, redescendre par les petites rues, déjeuner des trucs super bons, prendre un café à l'ombre, c'est déjà pas mal cette ville.
5:05pm
retrouver les spotters à l'auberge de jeunesse, aller doucement vers le lieu de rdv, prendre une bière avec un petit nouveau, revoir des têtes connues, se présenter aux autres petits nouveaux, le weekend peut commencer - impression de réunion familiale
in broken English now
9:09am
putting his running shoes on, going toward the Acropolis, climbing toward Socrates jail, enjoying the view from the Philoppapos monument before the stream of tourists, going down by the small roads, having super delicious stuffs for lunch, having a coffee under the shadow, not a too bad feeling for this city after only a few hours there.
5:05pm
meeting the spotters at the youth hostel, moving slowly toward the meeting point, having a beer with a new spotter, seeing known faces, introducing yourself to more new faces, the weekend can start - impression of a large family gathering
9:09am
mettre ses chaussures de course, partir courir vers l'Acropole, monter vers la prison de Socrates, admirer la vue du monument Philoppapos avant le flow des touristes, redescendre par les petites rues, déjeuner des trucs super bons, prendre un café à l'ombre, c'est déjà pas mal cette ville.
5:05pm
retrouver les spotters à l'auberge de jeunesse, aller doucement vers le lieu de rdv, prendre une bière avec un petit nouveau, revoir des têtes connues, se présenter aux autres petits nouveaux, le weekend peut commencer - impression de réunion familiale
in broken English now
9:09am
putting his running shoes on, going toward the Acropolis, climbing toward Socrates jail, enjoying the view from the Philoppapos monument before the stream of tourists, going down by the small roads, having super delicious stuffs for lunch, having a coffee under the shadow, not a too bad feeling for this city after only a few hours there.
5:05pm
meeting the spotters at the youth hostel, moving slowly toward the meeting point, having a beer with a new spotter, seeing known faces, introducing yourself to more new faces, the weekend can start - impression of a large family gathering
03/11/2016
Jeudi soir à Athènes
in English below
Prendre le métro S9 près de chez soi - prendre l'avion un peu plus loin - atterrir à Athènes - prendre le bus X95 à l'aéroport - être bloqué dans les embouteillages comme prévu - retrouver Juan, déposer ses affaires et ressortir manger un bout - voir le stadium marbré de nuit - diner en terrasse des mets délicieux sans trois épaisseurs de vêtements, boire son premier raki - rentrer et jouer avec le chat - dernier raki et dernière clope sur le balcon - impression marseillaise et bienvenue à Athènes
in broken English now
Take the subway S9 near my place - take a flight a bit further - landing in Athens - jumping into the bus X95 - being stocked in the traffic as it was planed - meeting Juan, dropping off my luggage at his place and going out to eat something - seeing the stadium in marble under the darkness of the night - eating outside delicious dishes without three layers of clothes, drinking its first raki - going home and playing with the cat - last glass of raki and last cigarette on the balcony - impression of Marseille and welcome in Athens
Prendre le métro S9 près de chez soi - prendre l'avion un peu plus loin - atterrir à Athènes - prendre le bus X95 à l'aéroport - être bloqué dans les embouteillages comme prévu - retrouver Juan, déposer ses affaires et ressortir manger un bout - voir le stadium marbré de nuit - diner en terrasse des mets délicieux sans trois épaisseurs de vêtements, boire son premier raki - rentrer et jouer avec le chat - dernier raki et dernière clope sur le balcon - impression marseillaise et bienvenue à Athènes
in broken English now
Take the subway S9 near my place - take a flight a bit further - landing in Athens - jumping into the bus X95 - being stocked in the traffic as it was planed - meeting Juan, dropping off my luggage at his place and going out to eat something - seeing the stadium in marble under the darkness of the night - eating outside delicious dishes without three layers of clothes, drinking its first raki - going home and playing with the cat - last glass of raki and last cigarette on the balcony - impression of Marseille and welcome in Athens
20/10/2016
Vernissage marathon by night
The EMOP or European Month of Photography did start this October. The chance to catch several exhibitions all over Berlin. I only have seen three of them so far but there were each pretty interesting.
Going to Brazil
Being relatively free in my schedule I could join a guided tour of the exhibition called The professor's Journeys - Six Expeditions Through Brazil In The 1930s with the curator. We were only four people, I was the youngest one, the pictures were in black and white and despite the photographer not being a professional the images were very clean and well composed.
Going back in time
Scanning the EMOP website it was difficult to keep in mind something as there are so many installations. But here and there images were catching my eyes, in particularly one from the Landesarchiv in Berlin and their exhibition Architecture on Glass - Photographs by Otto Hagemann. I decided to join the vernissage of this exhibition and to reach the place it felt like going to on an expedition.
The Landesarchive are far far far away after the Tegel airport. I was basically cycling into the darkness for 12km. I arrived about 30min after the opening, just the time to listen to the last min of the opening speech. Opening speech declaimed in a lovely German administrative tone. It's not that it was in German, but you felt right away that you were not in a art gallery but in an official building, at the archive.
Once again I was the youngest, the open bar was open and the pictures really interesting. I skip the photo-geek part, it was medium format images printed on glass plates and more important the images were beautiful. Architecture photography have this formal aspect that highlights the beauty in building as only good architecture photographers can do. Sometimes they succeed to go away from their purely archive duty thanks as well to the exhibition curator.
After the In the Off
Each serious festival should have an Off program as well. So on my way back to civilization I stopped at the Wilmer Brauerei to attend another vernissage the same evening, this time the Monat Der Fotographie Off.
Different location, typical Berlin style, semi abandoned industrial building with images every where or different sizes and formats. Different population as well. I keep in my minds the images of the desert in New Mexico and those specifically from the Very Large Array radio telescope in the middle of nowhere, probably because I have been there a few years ago and it still feels like images from another planet.
Less than a week left and a lof of photo exhibitions to catch!
Going to Brazil
Being relatively free in my schedule I could join a guided tour of the exhibition called The professor's Journeys - Six Expeditions Through Brazil In The 1930s with the curator. We were only four people, I was the youngest one, the pictures were in black and white and despite the photographer not being a professional the images were very clean and well composed.
Going back in time
Scanning the EMOP website it was difficult to keep in mind something as there are so many installations. But here and there images were catching my eyes, in particularly one from the Landesarchiv in Berlin and their exhibition Architecture on Glass - Photographs by Otto Hagemann. I decided to join the vernissage of this exhibition and to reach the place it felt like going to on an expedition.
The Landesarchive are far far far away after the Tegel airport. I was basically cycling into the darkness for 12km. I arrived about 30min after the opening, just the time to listen to the last min of the opening speech. Opening speech declaimed in a lovely German administrative tone. It's not that it was in German, but you felt right away that you were not in a art gallery but in an official building, at the archive.
Once again I was the youngest, the open bar was open and the pictures really interesting. I skip the photo-geek part, it was medium format images printed on glass plates and more important the images were beautiful. Architecture photography have this formal aspect that highlights the beauty in building as only good architecture photographers can do. Sometimes they succeed to go away from their purely archive duty thanks as well to the exhibition curator.
After the In the Off
Each serious festival should have an Off program as well. So on my way back to civilization I stopped at the Wilmer Brauerei to attend another vernissage the same evening, this time the Monat Der Fotographie Off.
Different location, typical Berlin style, semi abandoned industrial building with images every where or different sizes and formats. Different population as well. I keep in my minds the images of the desert in New Mexico and those specifically from the Very Large Array radio telescope in the middle of nowhere, probably because I have been there a few years ago and it still feels like images from another planet.
Less than a week left and a lof of photo exhibitions to catch!
16/10/2016
Marathon under the sea
The location
Second marathon, in Amsterdam after Vilnius last year with many spotters for the TCS Amsterdam marathon 2016. I also met a spotter this year who was part of the team in Lithuania, we call him Martin because his name is Martin. Sadly he could not join me this time - which is also not a bad thing as he is much faster than me - but he could host me. I had the best pasta ever the night before so I can't complain :-)
The days before
I arrived in town Friday evening and the race was scheduled for Sunday morning. The perfect time for me to have a last drink two days before the run. I did plan to stay sober the week before, but I completely failed on that. This week before was a pretty cool one where I spend all my evenings almost going out and meeting with my friends which simply help you to feel good.
Saturday I did the way home to the run start and picked up my registration stuffs. People from everywhere, taking pictures, still smiling, a good atmosphere. After that I went on a small walk but not tool long.
The day of the run
Awake at 6:30am about three hours before the race. Just the time to have a big breakfast and to digest. About 45min before the official departure I'm in the stadium from where we start and will come back later. People are slowly warming up, the challenge is to stay warm without using too much energy and for that matter all plastic bags are transformed into poncho for runner. 9:29am we are all packed, the plastic bags and other capes are flying around and we start! I running with the group 3h00/4h00 this time.
The first 33km
They are fine actually, I'm in my pace, feeling good and should be under the 4hours. The weather is good, the energetic gel taken every 10km have some effect. The race is pretty compact even so there is some space when we pass the sign 25km and the first exhausted people are appearing. Passing the 33km I had have a small blister under my right foot and need to slow down, even walk a few meters...
Needless to say that until 41km it was a bit difficult, but then seing the sign "last 500," I gather my last source of energy and run over at least 100 people which is always a great pleasure for a final time of 4h1min30sec. A lot of people on the side encouraging us, sometimes you could hear your name - it's written on your bib - which gives you a mini kick or energy to keep going, pretty cool! Also funny to look at your tracking device after the race, the path you follow is sometimes below the see level.
Going home
Like last year the 12h to 24 hours following the event are a bit painful, you live in slow motion but you are happy. There is a great feeling in you body after all, to have accomplished something, I felt good for days :-) and I want to run another one!
Second marathon, in Amsterdam after Vilnius last year with many spotters for the TCS Amsterdam marathon 2016. I also met a spotter this year who was part of the team in Lithuania, we call him Martin because his name is Martin. Sadly he could not join me this time - which is also not a bad thing as he is much faster than me - but he could host me. I had the best pasta ever the night before so I can't complain :-)
The days before
I arrived in town Friday evening and the race was scheduled for Sunday morning. The perfect time for me to have a last drink two days before the run. I did plan to stay sober the week before, but I completely failed on that. This week before was a pretty cool one where I spend all my evenings almost going out and meeting with my friends which simply help you to feel good.
Saturday I did the way home to the run start and picked up my registration stuffs. People from everywhere, taking pictures, still smiling, a good atmosphere. After that I went on a small walk but not tool long.
The day of the run
Awake at 6:30am about three hours before the race. Just the time to have a big breakfast and to digest. About 45min before the official departure I'm in the stadium from where we start and will come back later. People are slowly warming up, the challenge is to stay warm without using too much energy and for that matter all plastic bags are transformed into poncho for runner. 9:29am we are all packed, the plastic bags and other capes are flying around and we start! I running with the group 3h00/4h00 this time.
The first 33km
They are fine actually, I'm in my pace, feeling good and should be under the 4hours. The weather is good, the energetic gel taken every 10km have some effect. The race is pretty compact even so there is some space when we pass the sign 25km and the first exhausted people are appearing. Passing the 33km I had have a small blister under my right foot and need to slow down, even walk a few meters...
Needless to say that until 41km it was a bit difficult, but then seing the sign "last 500," I gather my last source of energy and run over at least 100 people which is always a great pleasure for a final time of 4h1min30sec. A lot of people on the side encouraging us, sometimes you could hear your name - it's written on your bib - which gives you a mini kick or energy to keep going, pretty cool! Also funny to look at your tracking device after the race, the path you follow is sometimes below the see level.
Going home
Like last year the 12h to 24 hours following the event are a bit painful, you live in slow motion but you are happy. There is a great feeling in you body after all, to have accomplished something, I felt good for days :-) and I want to run another one!
09/10/2016
Tape Art Convention 2016
Yesterday evening I went shortly to the vernissage of the TAC2016, it took place at the neurotitan galerie, a pretty cool place. And this Sunday I went back to take part into a workshop about tape art. What is it you may ask? It's the art of producing arty stuffs with tapes of various colours and shapes.
My first Tape Art Convention came right at the good time. I always like to play with stickers and coloured tape, but I never spend half a day on a piece of work trying to do something. Last time it was just to put some marks on the floor to guide visitors. This time I used more color. Needless to say it was pretty fun.
Workshop
The workshop was conducted by the artist Jay Walker who is also exhibiting his work at the TAC2016, if you have seen the giant heart and skull then you know. It started by a good discussion about his work and was followed by almost 5 hours of works for 5 of us.
My first attempt was - not surprisingly - a big failure as I don't master the technic at all, and by choosing an image - which I thought was simple to reproduce - was way too complicated and a bit frustrating... So I did follow the advices from the instructors: take something a bit easier that you like and try to work on it. I choose the album cover of the Beastie Boys Hot Sauce Committee Part Two. Then it became more fun and absorbing. Once I finished this warm up I turn the board we had each participant to work on a bigger scale surface with a white background.
What can I say? It was pretty interesting, good music in the background, I always like to play with lines and geometry so I was served, I wonder how I can create more curved shapes now, but for sure I will continue to explore this thing.
My first Tape Art Convention came right at the good time. I always like to play with stickers and coloured tape, but I never spend half a day on a piece of work trying to do something. Last time it was just to put some marks on the floor to guide visitors. This time I used more color. Needless to say it was pretty fun.
Workshop
The workshop was conducted by the artist Jay Walker who is also exhibiting his work at the TAC2016, if you have seen the giant heart and skull then you know. It started by a good discussion about his work and was followed by almost 5 hours of works for 5 of us.
My first attempt was - not surprisingly - a big failure as I don't master the technic at all, and by choosing an image - which I thought was simple to reproduce - was way too complicated and a bit frustrating... So I did follow the advices from the instructors: take something a bit easier that you like and try to work on it. I choose the album cover of the Beastie Boys Hot Sauce Committee Part Two. Then it became more fun and absorbing. Once I finished this warm up I turn the board we had each participant to work on a bigger scale surface with a white background.
What can I say? It was pretty interesting, good music in the background, I always like to play with lines and geometry so I was served, I wonder how I can create more curved shapes now, but for sure I will continue to explore this thing.
Catalogue Little Planets 2 online!
It's about three weeks that my exhibition Little Planets 2 is over.
Right about the time I needed to learn scribus and to create my first catalogue - and not to mentiokn the help of a few friends to be sure that I wasn't written with too many mistake and that visually it was ok-ish.
About 3 hours now that catalogue is visible on issuu.
Right about the time I needed to learn scribus and to create my first catalogue - and not to mentiokn the help of a few friends to be sure that I wasn't written with too many mistake and that visually it was ok-ish.
About 3 hours now that catalogue is visible on issuu.
08/08/2016
Project Space Festival 2016 Week 1
Th3rd edition of the Project Spaced Festival, 31 days of organised ramble into the city to discover whatever you want to discover. Actually my approach is very naive when it is matter of art, at least as a first encounter I claim this approach for the pleasure to be surprised. I usually read the description of the event without too many expectation, wait and see. But after of course I like to get the feedback from connoisseurs in case I miss something.
day1
It's started at the ebullient space apartment project. Project space that I visited three years ago to interview Selda together with a friend Natalia. At this time Natalia had the idea to follow the festival program and to conduct interviews of each people behind the project spaces involved into the program, the result was pretty cool, all articles are here. Three years later the artists in residence at apartment-project have changed and the place is still full of energy.
day2
Sadly I couldn't join.
day3
This Wednesday it's the turn for insitu to be the art stage of the day. There is a tiny Tour de France spirit in this festival continuously traveling in the city. The event started at and in front of insitu and the people attending the event were shuttling between the space and the späti on the other side of the street. At some point the crowd slightly moved a few street numbers away to attend and be part of a group meditation. The weather was clement enough to not rain during the outdoor performance...
day4
In the program this year they are galleries, spaces from and outside Berlin. Tonight it's Köln and the people behind bruch und dallas. Having no physical place in town, their participation was the take over of a kind of no man's land located nearby the Gemäldergalerie.
The work presented reminds me signs left by aliens on the ground when they come to visit us, as many people I guess I almost walk onto the piece... The weather was so shitty that you couldn't distinguish really between the grey sky and the dark ground or the other way around.
day5
Arriving a bit in advance I used my time to get lost in the streets around the today's place Display. I usually don't stop around Yorckstrasse, just cross the area on my bike, now I know I should stop more often. That's also the pleasure for me with that festival, rediscovering Berlin by the mean of detours.
I enter the space, video installation in the first room and music instrument on the floor announcing later performance. People are slowly arriving. During the time I'm watching the video I can see people going to the back of the space, thinking they go to the bar, I also observe they are not coming back, so I went.
If the front room is full of natural light and toward the street the back is the complete opposite. One room with open door and people queuing to get in. A narrow room, lighted with candles, a bathtub and two women naked conversing while taking a bath and eating cheese, there is a big cheese wooden deck between them.
The spectators are watching the performance, there is something special with performances, it's not theatre, something between 3D cinema and live voyeurism and pure augmented reality or PAR not be confused with AR or VR... A down to the rabbit hole feeling, a visit into a parallel world for a short time, a strong contrast of atmosphere between the two rooms. Pretty cool.
day6
the shortest event ever. It started at 20:00 and finished at 20:05. I was one minute too late, could not get in but could see the people rushing to get in and out.
day7
a big part of my day was spent on my sofa reading. At some point I used the event of the day to leave early before meeting friends for a late Sunday drink in Kreuzberg. On the program a new place to visit for me called labor neunzehn. A slight touch of N.K. for the building and location of this project space, also music and before video projection. I only stayed for the video, pretty interesting even so almost nothing happen on screen, trucks working, glimpse of a people conversation, what I understood as a Californian environment judging the colors, like sitting on bench and watching, another PAR experience, qui a dit que le réel pouvait être ennuyeux?
day1
It's started at the ebullient space apartment project. Project space that I visited three years ago to interview Selda together with a friend Natalia. At this time Natalia had the idea to follow the festival program and to conduct interviews of each people behind the project spaces involved into the program, the result was pretty cool, all articles are here. Three years later the artists in residence at apartment-project have changed and the place is still full of energy.
day2
Sadly I couldn't join.
day3
This Wednesday it's the turn for insitu to be the art stage of the day. There is a tiny Tour de France spirit in this festival continuously traveling in the city. The event started at and in front of insitu and the people attending the event were shuttling between the space and the späti on the other side of the street. At some point the crowd slightly moved a few street numbers away to attend and be part of a group meditation. The weather was clement enough to not rain during the outdoor performance...
day4
In the program this year they are galleries, spaces from and outside Berlin. Tonight it's Köln and the people behind bruch und dallas. Having no physical place in town, their participation was the take over of a kind of no man's land located nearby the Gemäldergalerie.
The work presented reminds me signs left by aliens on the ground when they come to visit us, as many people I guess I almost walk onto the piece... The weather was so shitty that you couldn't distinguish really between the grey sky and the dark ground or the other way around.
Arriving a bit in advance I used my time to get lost in the streets around the today's place Display. I usually don't stop around Yorckstrasse, just cross the area on my bike, now I know I should stop more often. That's also the pleasure for me with that festival, rediscovering Berlin by the mean of detours.
I enter the space, video installation in the first room and music instrument on the floor announcing later performance. People are slowly arriving. During the time I'm watching the video I can see people going to the back of the space, thinking they go to the bar, I also observe they are not coming back, so I went.
If the front room is full of natural light and toward the street the back is the complete opposite. One room with open door and people queuing to get in. A narrow room, lighted with candles, a bathtub and two women naked conversing while taking a bath and eating cheese, there is a big cheese wooden deck between them.
The spectators are watching the performance, there is something special with performances, it's not theatre, something between 3D cinema and live voyeurism and pure augmented reality or PAR not be confused with AR or VR... A down to the rabbit hole feeling, a visit into a parallel world for a short time, a strong contrast of atmosphere between the two rooms. Pretty cool.
day6
the shortest event ever. It started at 20:00 and finished at 20:05. I was one minute too late, could not get in but could see the people rushing to get in and out.
day7
a big part of my day was spent on my sofa reading. At some point I used the event of the day to leave early before meeting friends for a late Sunday drink in Kreuzberg. On the program a new place to visit for me called labor neunzehn. A slight touch of N.K. for the building and location of this project space, also music and before video projection. I only stayed for the video, pretty interesting even so almost nothing happen on screen, trucks working, glimpse of a people conversation, what I understood as a Californian environment judging the colors, like sitting on bench and watching, another PAR experience, qui a dit que le réel pouvait être ennuyeux?
15/07/2016
Tech Open Air under the rain
What is good? I don't know, that was my first TOA, Wednesday wasn't a success to me. I got very annoyed when the Über word is given as exemple for business model. For me it's the sign of too much AI, to much denial of human being, too much optimisation, too much shit, too much individualism, too much profits.
The second day was a bit better and I didn't get a mousson rain shower as opposed to yesterday. The opening keynote by the former AI Facebook person was interesting, but if you are into science, CV, ML, DL for a few years there were nothing new. The conference is mostly marketing you could feel that only a few people got what the speaker intended to present, at least those same people got in their heads new buzz words.
The overall observation was a lot of queueing and not enough places in the various conference room. There are zillion of satellite events around but again mostly marketing events.
But you can still meet interesting people, I guess.
The second day was a bit better and I didn't get a mousson rain shower as opposed to yesterday. The opening keynote by the former AI Facebook person was interesting, but if you are into science, CV, ML, DL for a few years there were nothing new. The conference is mostly marketing you could feel that only a few people got what the speaker intended to present, at least those same people got in their heads new buzz words.
The overall observation was a lot of queueing and not enough places in the various conference room. There are zillion of satellite events around but again mostly marketing events.
But you can still meet interesting people, I guess.
06/07/2016
Back to the island
First swim into the Spree yesterday evening from the top of Stralau facing Treptower Park. A place I used to pass several time when living in this area, that was on my jogging path. I have seen often people jumping into the water but never dared to join, I was running I just wrote.
It's nice to be able to disconnect so fast in Berlin and switch from your office to a swim suit within a few minutes. It's close to 19h and I met a Steffen at a crossroad nearby my work place in Kreuzberg. Half an hour later we are at the extremity of Stralau in the water. Then it's just chilling with a beer and feeding the family duck watching the sunset.
Maybe the blue painted building in Waldemarstrasse was the subliminal message that pushed me to go the water later?
It's nice to be able to disconnect so fast in Berlin and switch from your office to a swim suit within a few minutes. It's close to 19h and I met a Steffen at a crossroad nearby my work place in Kreuzberg. Half an hour later we are at the extremity of Stralau in the water. Then it's just chilling with a beer and feeding the family duck watching the sunset.
Maybe the blue painted building in Waldemarstrasse was the subliminal message that pushed me to go the water later?
22/06/2016
Fête de la musique du vuvuzela
Une fête de la musique en semaine, l'assurance de vivre quelques heures étranges, avoir l'impression d'être en weekend, aller de scène en bar en club en terrasse et de se rappeler passé minuit "mais au fait je bosse demain moi".
7:28pm
le moment de quitter le bureau, l'endroit est toujours calme, de plus l'Allemagne joue depuis une demi-heure donc le pays est calme, juste quelques "ahhhhhh" et "ooohhh" viennent briser ce silence. Je retrouve un Olivier en terrasse du Eckbert Zwo sur le bord du Görlitzer Park. Un cordon rouge chacun au menu, en gros un cordon bleu. Du parc les jumbés résonnent.
9:33pm
diner fini je pars en vélo faire un petit tour vers Sanderstrasse où sur une partie de la rue une scène a été montée. Impossible de reconnaitre des têtes connues, trop de monde mais l'info vient de tomber: mini rave-openair au Schillerbrücke, je file. Sur place je retrouve une amicale franco-péruvo-italienne, la musique vibre, les gens dansent, ils sont beau - parfois un peu ailleurs - et il fait beau.
10:00pm
les autorisations de faire du bruit sont effectives jusqu'à 22h, il est 22h, le dj stoppe le son et invite tout le monde au club le plus proche pour une soirée entrée gratuite.
La foule se disperse. Je quitte l'amicale, retrouve un Jon prés de la Sanderstrasse pour un coca glacé en terrasse. Dans les rues chaque späti est transformé en salle de projection, après l'Allemagne plus tôt c'est la Turquie qui régale.
11:22pm
je re-retrouve l'amicale franco-péruvo-italienne, cette fois ci près de Schlechistertor, rentre par erreur dans le mauvais bar le Chalet, juste le temps de demander au staff qui peine à gérer l'afflux de visiteurs "c'est loin le Birgit and Bier?" et de marcher 50m de plus au dit Birgit. Le lieu est une ancienne écurie, l'étable est maintenant un bar et les différents box des dance-floor.
Dans la queue des touristes, derrière moi du suédois, devant moi de l'américaines mal habillées, la tenue je sors au lavomatic en flip-flop yoga pant polaire, qui se demandent si on va les laisser rentrer sans ID, c'est Berlin quand même... même si la fashion police devrait être plus présente. Je ne fais pas long feu, un apfelschörle des champions et je débute mon retour.
12:40am
la ville reprend doucement un rythme de semaine. Près de Eberwalderstrasse les bourrés se battent comme des bourrés, il faut slalomer entre eux, mission réussi. Mon royaume pour un lit, mon lit, sommeil.
7:28pm
le moment de quitter le bureau, l'endroit est toujours calme, de plus l'Allemagne joue depuis une demi-heure donc le pays est calme, juste quelques "ahhhhhh" et "ooohhh" viennent briser ce silence. Je retrouve un Olivier en terrasse du Eckbert Zwo sur le bord du Görlitzer Park. Un cordon rouge chacun au menu, en gros un cordon bleu. Du parc les jumbés résonnent.
9:33pm
diner fini je pars en vélo faire un petit tour vers Sanderstrasse où sur une partie de la rue une scène a été montée. Impossible de reconnaitre des têtes connues, trop de monde mais l'info vient de tomber: mini rave-openair au Schillerbrücke, je file. Sur place je retrouve une amicale franco-péruvo-italienne, la musique vibre, les gens dansent, ils sont beau - parfois un peu ailleurs - et il fait beau.
10:00pm
les autorisations de faire du bruit sont effectives jusqu'à 22h, il est 22h, le dj stoppe le son et invite tout le monde au club le plus proche pour une soirée entrée gratuite.
La foule se disperse. Je quitte l'amicale, retrouve un Jon prés de la Sanderstrasse pour un coca glacé en terrasse. Dans les rues chaque späti est transformé en salle de projection, après l'Allemagne plus tôt c'est la Turquie qui régale.
11:22pm
je re-retrouve l'amicale franco-péruvo-italienne, cette fois ci près de Schlechistertor, rentre par erreur dans le mauvais bar le Chalet, juste le temps de demander au staff qui peine à gérer l'afflux de visiteurs "c'est loin le Birgit and Bier?" et de marcher 50m de plus au dit Birgit. Le lieu est une ancienne écurie, l'étable est maintenant un bar et les différents box des dance-floor.
Dans la queue des touristes, derrière moi du suédois, devant moi de l'américaines mal habillées, la tenue je sors au lavomatic en flip-flop yoga pant polaire, qui se demandent si on va les laisser rentrer sans ID, c'est Berlin quand même... même si la fashion police devrait être plus présente. Je ne fais pas long feu, un apfelschörle des champions et je débute mon retour.
12:40am
la ville reprend doucement un rythme de semaine. Près de Eberwalderstrasse les bourrés se battent comme des bourrés, il faut slalomer entre eux, mission réussi. Mon royaume pour un lit, mon lit, sommeil.
04/06/2016
Toujours plus haut
Un départ au ralenti, le temps sur le lac Léman n'est pas clément. Mais vers la fin de la matinée nous embarquons tous dans deux voitures et direction l'altitude et la Dent d'Hoche.
Voitures garées nous débutons la rando dans la forêt, les nuages et un peu de pluie. Après quelques minutes nous rencontrons les premiers courageux quis sont partis a l'aube, ils sont tous trempés...
Nous sortons des bois où le chemin était relativement pentu, à découvert le paysage devenu montagneux, des rochers, du vert, un ruisseau et un dénivelé un peu plus cool que le mur de départ.
Première pause eau fraiche. La suite est au dessus de nos têtes dans le nuages. Et déjà deux bouquetins nous narguent, même pas cachés ils chillent au soleil ou au vent. On repart vers le sommet!
Dans les nuages et à un croisement la question se pose, va-t-on jusqu'en haut ou on redescend? En attendant c'est presque l'apéro et cacahuètes pour tout le monde. Autour de nous quelques oiseaux, on ne voit pas pas à 20m et soudain une dizaine de bouquetin paradent.
Première scission, deux marcheurs redescendent doucement et le reste continue. On est plus qu'a 400m ou 500m du sommet. Le chemin emprunte la voie rapide, c'est à dire tout droit vers le sommet, dans le rochers avec parfois une petite corde pour se tenir.
Arrivée au refuge de la Dent d'Hoche c'est la seconde scission. Un groupe d'aventurier germano-autrichien décide de gravir les derniers mètres. Il va sans dire qu'on ne voit strictement rien autour de nous. De plus la grêle arrive.
Les deux zozos arrivent, le vent souffle, la grêle est partie mais la pluie a pris le relais. La descente débute dans un chemin devenu ruisseau, ambiance. Heureusement on descend plus vite que l'on ne monte et la flotte s'arrête à un moment, même que les nuages daignent partir un peu permettant de voir le lac Léman de haut, ce qui jusqu'ici avait été un échec total.
Retraverser la forêt, retrouver les voitures et souffler. De retour à la Meillerie les plus braves d'entres nous sautent dans l'eau que l'on peut qualifier de froide. Tellement froide qu'on en sort presque plus rapidement qu'en plongant dedans... Une belle journée!
Voitures garées nous débutons la rando dans la forêt, les nuages et un peu de pluie. Après quelques minutes nous rencontrons les premiers courageux quis sont partis a l'aube, ils sont tous trempés...
Nous sortons des bois où le chemin était relativement pentu, à découvert le paysage devenu montagneux, des rochers, du vert, un ruisseau et un dénivelé un peu plus cool que le mur de départ.
Première pause eau fraiche. La suite est au dessus de nos têtes dans le nuages. Et déjà deux bouquetins nous narguent, même pas cachés ils chillent au soleil ou au vent. On repart vers le sommet!
Dans les nuages et à un croisement la question se pose, va-t-on jusqu'en haut ou on redescend? En attendant c'est presque l'apéro et cacahuètes pour tout le monde. Autour de nous quelques oiseaux, on ne voit pas pas à 20m et soudain une dizaine de bouquetin paradent.
Première scission, deux marcheurs redescendent doucement et le reste continue. On est plus qu'a 400m ou 500m du sommet. Le chemin emprunte la voie rapide, c'est à dire tout droit vers le sommet, dans le rochers avec parfois une petite corde pour se tenir.
Arrivée au refuge de la Dent d'Hoche c'est la seconde scission. Un groupe d'aventurier germano-autrichien décide de gravir les derniers mètres. Il va sans dire qu'on ne voit strictement rien autour de nous. De plus la grêle arrive.
Les deux zozos arrivent, le vent souffle, la grêle est partie mais la pluie a pris le relais. La descente débute dans un chemin devenu ruisseau, ambiance. Heureusement on descend plus vite que l'on ne monte et la flotte s'arrête à un moment, même que les nuages daignent partir un peu permettant de voir le lac Léman de haut, ce qui jusqu'ici avait été un échec total.
Retraverser la forêt, retrouver les voitures et souffler. De retour à la Meillerie les plus braves d'entres nous sautent dans l'eau que l'on peut qualifier de froide. Tellement froide qu'on en sort presque plus rapidement qu'en plongant dedans... Une belle journée!
03/06/2016
Transporter 5
4:30am Berlin
The transporter wakes up. He had a short night and he knows the day will be a long day. On his agenda a lot of packages to pick up. One first at Treptower Park with the mission to escort him - yes, this time the transporter is only taking car of dudes - to a remote and secure location on the side of Lake Geneva.
9:30am Geneva airport
The head, mind and body in the clouds we reach safely Switzerland. Next stop the rental car desk. Gps destination entered, we are on the road, fifth way of transportation for today after my feet, S-Bahn, airplane, bus and now a car.
We cross the city of Geneva, we soon cross the border, we are in France.
11:57am Evian
We are in France but there are German flags everywhere, a little Vichy touch I thought, but no, only the Mannschaft having of head quarter an hotel in Evian during the European Cup starting next week.
There is market in town, my German package is easily attracted by all the cheese producers offering to try everything. I almost have to drag Steffen - let's call this package Steffen for convenience - out of the market place or all of our € would have been spend in a few secondes in cheese and saucisson. But really who can blame him?
One jack-jack cable for the car, café and croissant, water from the source later and we are back on track. Next stop is the parking place of Intermarché in Lugrin to meet the local.
1:56pm Lugrin
We meet another big dude - let's call him JB for convenience - for another mission: to buy food for three days and seven people. Challenge accepted.
2:43pm Meilleirie
At home first before the rest of the group, the mission is to prepare the house. Our host JB uses all his electronic skills and fingers to bring light to the flat. Gipsy mission accomplished!
First beer, first cheese, first rondelle de saucisson and first jump into the water. It's fresh, so fresh but at least we know we are still alive. 10h before I was struggling to leave my bed in Berlin, now I'm struggling to not lose a finger toe in Lake Geneva but I'm definitively awake.
Then three more people arrive, only one is missing, that will be the last mission for the transporter today. For now people arrive from France and Germany, the last package will be picked up in Switzerland close to the French border arriving from Austria by train. For the first time I will have crossed three times a border.
10:00pm
I lost track on what are doing, mainly we talk - the people here almost all met in Norway about ten years ago - drink some stuffs, eat good stuffs, take pictures, watch Lausanne under the rain when we are not. We hope the weather will be fine for tomorrow as we plan to go higher in the mountain.
The transporter wakes up. He had a short night and he knows the day will be a long day. On his agenda a lot of packages to pick up. One first at Treptower Park with the mission to escort him - yes, this time the transporter is only taking car of dudes - to a remote and secure location on the side of Lake Geneva.
9:30am Geneva airport
The head, mind and body in the clouds we reach safely Switzerland. Next stop the rental car desk. Gps destination entered, we are on the road, fifth way of transportation for today after my feet, S-Bahn, airplane, bus and now a car.
We cross the city of Geneva, we soon cross the border, we are in France.
11:57am Evian
We are in France but there are German flags everywhere, a little Vichy touch I thought, but no, only the Mannschaft having of head quarter an hotel in Evian during the European Cup starting next week.
There is market in town, my German package is easily attracted by all the cheese producers offering to try everything. I almost have to drag Steffen - let's call this package Steffen for convenience - out of the market place or all of our € would have been spend in a few secondes in cheese and saucisson. But really who can blame him?
One jack-jack cable for the car, café and croissant, water from the source later and we are back on track. Next stop is the parking place of Intermarché in Lugrin to meet the local.
1:56pm Lugrin
We meet another big dude - let's call him JB for convenience - for another mission: to buy food for three days and seven people. Challenge accepted.
2:43pm Meilleirie
At home first before the rest of the group, the mission is to prepare the house. Our host JB uses all his electronic skills and fingers to bring light to the flat. Gipsy mission accomplished!
First beer, first cheese, first rondelle de saucisson and first jump into the water. It's fresh, so fresh but at least we know we are still alive. 10h before I was struggling to leave my bed in Berlin, now I'm struggling to not lose a finger toe in Lake Geneva but I'm definitively awake.
Then three more people arrive, only one is missing, that will be the last mission for the transporter today. For now people arrive from France and Germany, the last package will be picked up in Switzerland close to the French border arriving from Austria by train. For the first time I will have crossed three times a border.
10:00pm
I lost track on what are doing, mainly we talk - the people here almost all met in Norway about ten years ago - drink some stuffs, eat good stuffs, take pictures, watch Lausanne under the rain when we are not. We hope the weather will be fine for tomorrow as we plan to go higher in the mountain.
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