Probably it is a bit late, but I am just realizing it is he 21st century. Not that it really matters or that it was anything easier before 2001 – but I still love those days.
In memory of Allan who I was thinking of when making this post, without knowing he has just left while I was drinking alone and singing ‘those were the days…’
I know a guy – he’s not Finish though -who went all the way from Germany to Jordan with a donkey-cart. He was refused entry to Israel because of the donkey, so he took the ferry to Egypt and got stuck there in a small town. He built a house and lives happily. I will try to find his website and post it here, he makes amazing photos. Let there be free spirit.
This is a new millennium and everything is possible. In the USA the president is of Afro-American origin – in France the president is the son of an Eastern-European emigrant. Welcome both. But their approach and agenda seems to be somewhat different…
Located right above some of the main sights in Rome, such as the Spanish Steps and Piazza del Popolo, it offers a quiet alternative to the busy streets below. Worth even only for the view from the terraces, either you go up from the Spanish Steps or Piazza del Popolo. A short and nice walk would be to go up at one of these locations, and come down at the other. The park can be approached from the top of the Monti area as well, and you could take shorter or longer walks in the tranquil gardens. Apart from the shady trees, ponds, fountains, monuments and sculptures, there are several museums and galleries, including of course the Borghese Gallery. There is also a zoological museum and an animal friendly and educational biopark – it’s not even called a zoo to make a point. You can get around on foot, on hired pedal-powered cars, segway (electronic two-wheeler) or a little train. There are carousels, a toddlers playhouse (maybe closed in winter), kiosks and cafes so you can easily spend a whole day up in the Villa Borghese gardens – with kids of any age, or even without.
“It’s never too late to have a happy childhood” Tom Robbins
Monuments and sculptures
Tempietto di Minerva
Monuments and sculptures
Two-wheeler gadget: segway
Pedal-powered car
Little train and carousel
View on center with the Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II.
The vertical garden at Musee du quai Branly, Paris
Just a short walk from the Eiffel Tower along the foot path there is a building covered with green vegetation. This is the vertical garden at the Musée du Quai Branly. Behind the sound-proofed glass wall that follows there is a secluded garden. The garden houses the Musée du quai Branly which displays indigenous art, cultures and civilizations from Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas. The Cafe Branly, open air in the summer, is a good way to relax after a visit to the museum in the garden, overlooking the Eiffel Tower.
The vertical garden at Musee du quai Branly, Paris
These images of graffiti in Sydney were shot over a decade ago – I wonder how many of these are still left. Although bit overlapping, you can clearly see different styles – the classical murals of the 70s carrying a political message, the Aboriginal motifs, the jazzy, the hip hop, the trendy and the decorative ones. Art is not a crime – bad art is.
Maybe a couple of months ago I saw a post on a forum, someone worring about the Marais area in Paris. She had a look on GoogleEarth Street View – a very useful tool – and saw there was graffiti in the Marais. There is graffiti everywhere, I can assure you, in every big city – but the thing is, some are inappropriate scribble on the wall, others are a form of urban street art. Although not considered as a true art form, Banksy is an important mile-stone in the evolution of graffiti and he has put it on the table of serious art critics. Following are a few shots of graffiti in Paris, obviously influenced by the work of Banksy, taken around the Bastille and Rue Mouffetard in the Latin Quarter.
Picasso once said “I am the greatest collector of Picassos in the world” – but surely there are other keen collectors, including Mr. Pierre Le Guennec. How he got the treasure trove of 271 artwork still remains a mystery, but now in a new twist it came to light he is the heir to another Picasso collection which was due to go for sale at auction house Drouot. Now the auction has been postponed, giving those who can afford it some time to plan a trip to Paris and attend it. With so many Picassos around, maybe you can get a very good price. Anyhow, whoever the greatest collector of Picassos is, you can see a good selection at both Musée Picasso (Picasso museum in Paris) or Museu Picasso (Picasso museum in Barcelona).
The Konarak sun temple is one of the main sights in Orissa, and its erotic sculptures are often mentioned along with the sculptures of the Kajuraho temples. From Puri, where most visitors to the area stay, there are a number of ways to getting to Konarak, including on a rented bicycle. Most part the road leads along the coast, where fishermen live. They are not from here; they are sea-faring nomads, migrating over a thousand miles along the coast from Kerala according to fishing seasons and living in temporary villages. They sell the fish right on the spot, with local buyers coming to their village markets. Doing a dangerous job with style, they remain free and happy.
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“Style is the answer to everything. Fresh way to approach a dull or dangerous day. To do a dull thing with style is preferable to doing a dangerous thing without style. To do a dangerous thing with style, is what I call art.”
Charles Bukowski
When in Paris, I always visit Montmartre. Touristy as every major sight in the city, but the view from the hill is amazing and I don’t mind this busy action at all. If you want to get away, all it takes is to wander off the little streets behind Sacre Coeur – this is the hidden, charming Montmartre many do not see. I understand that safety is a concern for many visitors, but any time of the day or night you are safe here just as any place in Paris.
Following are images I made on my last trip.
The Sacre Coeur on Montmartre at night
The area is popular with locals and visitors even at night
The view of the Eiffel Tower through a fence
The little streets around Sacre Coeur are always busy
An Australian musician in Montmartre
The Museum of Montmartre
Small street leading down from the hill, with the top of the Sacre Coeur in the distance
The cafes in the small back-streets of Montmartre are open till late
Bioparco (Biopark) official website: 
