Leaving Brittany

Halloween in Brittany

And more photots here and here.

Halloween is near

Lately, I have had some anxious dreams.

For example, I dreamt that I forgot to pick up my Halloween costume before flying off to the murder party. My heart was racing like mad when I woke up.

Just the day before, I had this dream where I am running like mad to return to shelter because the person I was somehow following did a U-turn and started running after me. And for some reason I know that he was going to explode. Again I was panting like I had run for real a 60m sprint.

For the costume, I understand my impatience to get to the party. For the other one...

Tartiflettes and Génépi

About 1h30 by bus from Geneva, we got to Annecy, a pretty small clean old city with a pleasant paved old town area and canals that lead to the purestand cleanest lake in Europe: lake Annecy.

The idea of the trip was to window shop and eat. So we wandered about the Sunday market, making a mental note of the different cheese stands and the million types of saucissons. It was quite painful to walk past all the food and not being able to make a decision on what to buy. We were quite reasonable though and didn't even taste a single sample!!

Getting lost along the small streets, we were really looking for a place to sample the local fare: tartiflette. To those unaccustomed to the dish, it is not something you would eat if you were on a diet. Made of potatoes, and usually bacon and cheese (Reblochon) it is quite easy to make. I have made it a few times myself, because trust me, my pants size didn't increase by itself.

1-cook the potatoes and bacon a bit
2-put in a baking pan
3-put the cheese on top
4-cook in the oven until its melted and all gooyey
5-serve hot

We eventually found one restaurant calle the 'Munich' that served tomatoe tartiflette and goat cheese tartiflette. As you may guess, those were just additional ingredients....Imagine eating potaoes and bacon and 500g of melted cheese....feels good and heavy. We had to sit for an additional 30min chatting to digest and be able to move.

About 15minutes alter though, we stumbled on an ice cream shop that had yummy sorbet: I had a scoop of grapefruit and another one of passion fruit. We kept on walking in order to discover more shops, and so I discovered Génépi in one of those tourist trap shop. It was the perfect digestif after 800g of good food.

By 4pm we were by the lake and embarked on a 30min cruise. The weather was nice (about 16C) and no wind, so we sat outside, which was a mistake because once the boat picked up speed, the wind froze my face and the sight of the beautiful autumn leaves became secondary to protecting my eyes and nose from icy winds.

After that less than warm experience, nature blessed us with a beautiful sunset reflected on the white rocks and cliffs surrounding the lake. The setting sun reminded us of the time and so we hurried back in the shopping area for a crepe and cider before heading back to Geneva. We weren't really hungry, but it would have been a crime not to have one.

Annecy will definetely see a bit of me in the future.

Geneva wins in shootout

Hockey

Before shoot out . Bern vs. Geneva, score is at 3-3 after the 5min overtime...

Jazz a Geneve

I was surfing for concert venue when I stumbled on AMR. Got to the concert page and saw a trio playing Thursday night. I tried to talk some of my colleagues into joining me in an evening of jazz, when one of my colleague pointed out he was going because his brother was playing there on that night.

I guess Geneva is such a small town that it was worth it after all to ask if he knew the saxophonist who bear his name...LOL

It was a night of magic, in a cute non smoking (*) venue. The saxophone was at times whispering, then exhilarating in a fugue, Bach style, with unimaginable sound. The bass was consistently melodic, with classical guitar and Segovia inspired touches, and the drums were just as punctual and supportive as ever, with its own melody and breathing sounds.

They played all kinds of atmospheres: from children's sounds, to melancholic views of a traffic packed bridge on a sunset, a beautifully sad remembrance to an old friend...

I also found some known tunes among the improvisations: oscar peterson's night train, Satie's gymnopedie's tones played as a bass line.

It made me travel through time and through my emotions, and mad eme relax from an uneventful day, bringing me home smiling with a peaceful satisfaction, and 2 CDs.
Soundbites here.

Steve Swallow – www.wattxtrawatt.com
Ohad Talmor – www.ohadtalmor.com
Adam Nussbaum – www.adamnussbaum.net


(*)Geneva once voted to ban smoking inside public places. But then the referendum was apparently unconstitutional or toor esticting, so the result of the vote was cancelled. This weekend, they will vote again for all sorts of things. As a results, some venues are smoke free by putting a sticker at the door advertising so, and some are just smokey, by putting a sticker outside claiming prohibiting smoking is limiting liberty...so much propaganda everywhere...that will be topic of another post!

New dig

A brand new kitchen


The bed/living room and terrace

Japan inspired corner.

Polyglot

• adjective knowing, using, or written in several languages.

• noun a person who knows or uses several languages.

— ORIGIN Greek poluglottos ‘many-tongued’.
From the online Oxford English dictionary

Last Friday I realized how mixed up my brain connections were when I hopped into the shuttle and found my Italian and Spanish colleagues. Because they were aware I understood Spanish, they went on chatting away and making plans for the evening. I enjoyed the fluidity and running sound of the language, and was trying to switch my brain slowly to it.

Then syddenly I was even included in the conversation.
S:'Angie, vienes?'

Me:'うん, Si, たぶん (tabun)...'
My brain:'what the.., how do you say maybe again?'

N:'We will have dinner first and the others will join us for drinks or something'

Me:'OK. どこで？I mean, dónde?'
My brain:'just pick one and stick with it damnit, it's been a long day and am seriously cansada'

S:'no lo se. buscaremos para un lugar y le diremos.'

Me:'OK, see ya later then. じゃ　ね.'
My Brain:'Get away now, hear the silence'

S, N:'Ciao bella'

Driver:'Bonne soiree'

Me:'Merci, a vous aussi'
My brain:'Don't look back or you'll have to say bye again and who knows in which language it will be.'

I suppose I need to get used to it soon. I will be loosing more hair and my tongue will be tied, and my brain will have many short-circuits and lots of fumbling about. Having TVE, Italian TV, CNN, BBC and French channels at home does not help as I flip channel when my J-drama are not accessible online. Imagine if I also understood Swiss-German!!!

Listening and understanding fills me with joy and brings a certain satisfaction and wonder to the everyday chores and encounters. However speaking is an excrutiating exercise of the brain that hopefully will keep it fit in the long run.

4 ladies before the run

We did about 32-33min for 5km

First lady for 10km run Carouge

She did 10km in about 30minutes!

Run with me

Just got my number and waiting for my jogging partner to arrive, and the race to start. I have discovered that the soles of my shoes are flapping. i'm just hoping it will last the 5km and won't trip me.
The clock has struck 2pm and am desperately fighting a nap urge!

pouet pouet pom pom

Clocks

Something they have kept under short leash:time. Ther might be 5 clocks per block and they are all on time. Maybe that's why public transportation is always on time.

Views from the window

When work is stressful, a glance at the window brings my tension up!

Get a Swiss knife!!

And so I have settled slowly in my life in Geneva and really enjoying the walking distance to naywhere around town. My colleagues are not far, but far enough to enjoy some privacy. We got to do walk tot he sunday market at Plain Palais, tan at the lake, anf jog in the morning in thesun.

I even got the startled look of my colleagues when I told them I was missing a can opener: get a Swiss knife, they all said in chorus...

Since all shops close at 7:00pm, except your persistent newsagaent, I will have to wait until Saturday to find a Swiss knife that suits my taste...I also received 2 tablets of chocolate at work as a welcome gift, as well as a red and white mug. The chocolate re-appeared quickly around my waistline, and the mug is being used as my cereal bowl when I am waiting to find an apartment and receive my boxes from London.

I could get used to being drunk at 8:00pm and stumble back home 15min later by foot, on heels and paved roads..hehehe

Quality of life

These past 3 days, I have been doing work I am not usually doing, such as testing tools for the new office, preparing materials, and also geting my paperworks done for the new job. it might be the heat, or the fact that I actually have to use my brains, but I have been very exhausted everyday around 4-5pm. It is not the fact that I wake up at 6:30am everyday to catch the bus at 7:40 and to start at 8:00. I actually enjoy waking at that time and have my 15min walk in a fresh crisp morning along the lake.

After work, it has been a countless visit of flats, with other homeless people. I am also discovering different areas of Geneva, as well as cute little restaurants.

Having my colleagues from London with me helped ajusting to the environment. I am among the priviledged ones who can communicate with the locals as most of them do not speak French, so they are also using me as guide. It will take time for all of us to adapt to the new life here, especially the 'no shopping after 7pm' rule: By Friday evening we had nothing to eat at home so it was the perfect excuse to try out a restaurant in town, and even an ice cream joint.

I suppose it is a pretty town. But I am sure there are prettier towns around, with the same al fresco atmosphere. What is suprising is the fact that it is a landlocked place with the atmosphere of a mediterranean city and rythm.

For now, my main concern is getting my apartment, as although I am smack right in the middle of town, across the 'Jardin Anglais' it would be good to have all my 35boxes with me so that I can fill up 2 wardobes and get my own kitchen ustensils...not to mention all my adapters...

First impressions

This morning I awoke feeling out of place, staring at the big window, though the stores and on to the balcony and rooftops. After enjoying the fresh morning air, I ventured out, in the quiet empty streets. Across the river Rhine (le Rhone), I walked into the Paquis area, across the Cornavin station, looking out for restaurants and the look of buildings. From 10 till 11 I wandered through small streets, with the sound of morning mass fromthe nearby churches. I met loads of tourists but also small furry dogs and their masters...and they keep the streets clean of poo.

Then along the promenade, I then saw the water jet. After finding a public toilet, I decided to cross over again and explore the Eaux-vives area, on the south banks.
Going through the Jardin Anglais, I got to see a small fountain and gazebo.

Walking along rue des Eaux-vives and to the park, I stopped for a snack at a bakery. It is good to know which places are open on weekends.
In the park, I came across many toddlers and their parents, at the jungle gym or just roaming the green grass. I got lost for a bit but soon ended up near the tennis club. The it was time to get back to the flat, along the lake, past baby plage, and using the many drinkable water fountains around town.

Before going home for a nap, I took a detour towards the cathedral on the hill behind the flat, and found the recommended restaurant 'chez ma cousine' and a plaza with lots of restaurants. I got sushi to go and rolled down the hill happy, noticing the pharmacy and post office on the way.
Tomorrow, I have to get a deodorant before going to the bank...

Doing groceries in Migros

This is all chocolate. The ther ailes are as big except one aile like this will display pasta, sauce and tinned cams, so really litle choice. Similarly meat is limited...sniff
I am missing my local Sainsbury's where I can pick among at least 3 brands of each item...but I have stocked up for the weekend and located a pub brasserie nearby.

Balcony gnome!

Hello

Arriving in Geneva

I almost missed the flight from T5 as they didnt show the gate number. I had to ask the desk agents for it and make a mad dash for A21.
The flight was uneventful and I forgot my maroon cardigan upon unboarding. I had to buy a CHF2 token with my credit card, to be able to get a trolley and put my 4 suitcases on it.
Hopped into a cab adter picking up the keys, and was dropped 100m away from the flat because it is in a pedestrian shopping area. the driver very kindly dragged 2 of my suitcases, then I took the lift to the 6th floor, to end up climbing the stairs to the 7th floor.
I am in Geneva, and all I want now is a cold shower!

Bye bye Parliament

2hours after the movers tornadoed my things away

Amazing how much space I filled up. Tomorrow is leaving day...

Indian voices in the park

Kensington gardens

The Tower of London

Yup, as a soon to be ex resident of Tower Hamlets borough I saved £16.
The tours were nice and jewels dazzling, but even at 10:30 there were crowds.
Did you know that it was William the conqueror who first built it?

Proms from loggia 20

A visit from the East

Last week, before my escapade to South of Francce to glare at the warm sun, F came to visit, from Japan. She was in England for her 9 days summer holidays and made a point to visit all her friends in the country. I was very honoured and happy to see her.
I first and last met her in Tokyo in May, around some seriously yummy monja...mmmmm.
With her friend and colleague R, she enthusiastically followed my guided tour of my area in east London, along Whitechapel road, passing the mosque, Brick lane, the small streets where Jack the Ripper operated, and curry at Dawat. Of course they did the touristy places the days before, and F even went to Hartfields, where Winnie the pooh played.
I hope they enjoyed their unexpected experience in east London...

A new beginning?

As the days are quickly trickling by, i realize I haven't had a chance to stop and look back at what and who I am leaving behind. Now that the laptop is formatting at a snailpace, I have no excuse not to look inwards. The blue screen of death is not that captivating.
So I am wondering: what will I bring with me unto the new life awaiting for me on the continent?
...
-A sense of loss, from separating from familiar faces, habits and places
-A greater awareness of myself and what I can do and don't want to do
-An understanding of what my ronatic heart desires, after being broken no less than 4 times in 4 years
-Somehow long nails
-My never ending will to learn new things, even if some people have warned me it would be difficult or even impossible
-My willingness to survive, despite changes around me

London was the first stage of my workforce experience. I have made good friends who will hopefully visit me in Geneva. I've learned so many things with them, especially how impulsive I can be.

I am hoping next month I will find a new home for this soon to be 'not so fairy' godmother, still looking for her wand amidst her boxes...

Branding

Very poor picture though

Ouch !!!

Today was painful. Not the usual monday pain though. I lost my left arm to inoculation shots, and I got so ripped off my wallet and bank account has turned into an optical illusion.

Why? How?

Because in order to stay healthy in this world, one has to get shot with all sorts of vaccine ! I sure hope the price I had paid will make me invincible! Apart from the left arm, of course.

Typhoid+Hepatitis+Yellow fever = £130
Malaria tablets = £35
Nurse professional fee = £45

I wish I just shot myself. That nurse deserves to be kicked. All she did was plant the syringe in me, without even cleaning my arm or her hands, or wear gloves or anything after typing on the computer all my medical history details. That is a travel clinic in the city of London, near all those lawyers offices and Royal court of Justice. Next time I will go get shot in my usual place, far away, at the hospital of tropical disease in Tottenham Court Road. At least they don't charge a bloody nurse fee...

I am facing it: I am weak, and always react too late. The late reaction tends to be quite violent and contained within me...my dark side is a lot of contained hatred and late reactions....

BBC proms at Royal Albert House

View from choir west

Look up

JP Morgan corporate challenge

Time: 37min 37sec.
Distance: 3.5miles (5.6km)
Rank: 4214 out of 6160 female runners

'Strict machine' by Goldfrapp

I think I enjoy the sound of the whip...

Vacuum packing, eyes on Wimbledon men's final

Dresses:17
Skirts:9
Trousers:17
Shirts:9
T-Shirts:16
Heavy woolen sweaters:5
Jackets:6
Winter coats:3
Raincoats:2
Corsets:3
And I am not even finished...
Next are the bed and bathroom linens.

Theory test PASSED

And so after much stressing and cramming the rules of the road, and having a record of 50% on the practice exams,I have managed to pass the UK theory test for car drivers...yup, I know what ABS is for and why it is important or adv ertized on all thos car commercials, what the speed limits are, what to do with a horse on the road, bla bla...Now I just have to find a car to do the practice test with in August. Hopefully my driver instructor will lend the car, otherwise I am in a 'pinch'. The next stressful test is next week, and work-related, and I haven't really reviewed anything...

For now, it is time to empty my head of all those multiple choices answers and save my energy in the heat that is baking London. Tomorrow it is going to rain so I will be able to sleep comfortably in my duvet again...

Japan trip soundtrack

遥か (Greeeen)


Probably because of all the Rookies trailers broadcasting non stop on TV and everywhere in town. Advertizing can obnoxiously impose its sounds on the non listeners...

Naked cyclists in London

Just now, on Regents street

Briefing

I have been back for a week and it has been stressful, and I am not just writing about work. The first shock was in public transportation where my frustration level reached the top in a record time due to the small space and rudeness of people.

Somehow the pace of the crowd was quicker, the bad smell stronger, the air thicker. I started to miss the fresh air of air conditioners in trains, the elegance and simplicity of people I meet.

The most important thing I am missing though is the delicious and healthy food. And the clean public areas, not smelling of smoke or other body odors...

Back to the west

This morning I had a mild scare as my credit card was rejected by the Narita Express ticket machine. Fortunately, the guy at the gate convinced me to walk for 3min to the human ticket officer and pay there. I still had time but got really worried (for monetary reason only) to be stuck in Japan.
At the airport, I had 13kg extra, and they gave me the 3kg gratis. I am sure I am bringing back useless souvenirs but it felt good getting them. Most importantly it will be fun to jog my memory and figure out from where each trinket was from, and for whom.
Compared to the outgoing aircraft (airbus or boeing 777) the incoming flight was in an old airbus 390 where the entertainment was basic.
The first shock in Paris was the fact noone knew how to queue properly, and I already miss Japan. LOL.
The second shock is the lack of people. The density is like this morning 6h15am in Shibuya. It seems so far now...a dream, if not for the 2 suitcases I will have to drag in the tube and back home!

Mandom

Just a sample of billboard ads in town since I cannot buy any posters at all. I suppose posters are too simple when you can have origami or design robots and anime characters with paperpipes. In any case, I finally managed to watch a live tv show on a random TBS show yesterday, as the cast of upcoming movie 'Rookies' were doing ther promotion campaign. Among screaming fans including boys, I managed to catch a few words, here and there. The cast have been on every tbs show since last week, but I cannot remember their full name still (shirota, yutaro, ryusuke, etc...).
Tomorrow, I will try to catch sight of the Kimutaku drama.
Today, I am loosing money in Shibuya since the weather is crap. I raided ichimarukyu (109 shibuya) for a belt too small for me (it will fit in august), and arings that will shine so brightly it will eclipse my whole face...hmmm
Then in Harajuku I walked along Takeshita street, tossing and twirling among young fashionistas, boyz and girls, amazed at the variety of things to buy. Walking to Shibuya, I came across the Forever21 shop, outside of which a huge line of people were waiting to enter. Next dorr, H&M had barely a line. Walking further I ended up and Meiji- jingumae station, next to a stadium where Koda Kumi would perform later on. In all that I had no odea where I was going but just followed the hordes of shoppers and event goers.
Eventually, along the yamanote line, I passed by TowerRecords, and found myself at the hachico crossing...a very nice walk to digest the nabe eaten at M. House....yummy.

Suntory hall and the Japan Philharmonic orchestra

I was looking for Chiaki sempai :) But as I was seated in the choir, behind the cellos section, I could enjoy the view of the public and the orchestra.
I discovered instruments like timpan and how he plays, and things like the wind machine, which is fabric around a cylindre that the player turns fast to make high pitch wind, and as it slows down, it is sounding like a gust of wind. They also used cow bells in the strauss piece.
It was a piece with diverse sounds and atmosphere. The orchestra had some glitches though and sometimes not synchronized, but it seemed to be a difficult piece with various entrypoints.
Lastly, my neighbour was a man dressed in kimono and wearing geta, the wooden shoes. He was very elegant, and had many secret pockets in his sleeves. Shame I didnt take pictures.

Mamonaku, mamonaku,Akihabara desu

So says the announcemer inher sweet lady voice as the train pulls on Akihabara. the electric town is clearly indicated and despite the torrential rain making my white dress transparent, I braved the elements to experience the madness. All sorts of things in the area, anything remotely related to electric gadgets, and adult anime videos, toys, maid cafes.
I browsed the shops but had nothing in mind in particular, so the noise of anime music and ab48 voices became really annoying after 3hours...
I got back to the hotel to nap...will continue napping more as my holiday ends soon. Matter of fact, my railpass expires today so I will have to travel like locals from now on, paying for each trip on the train.

Ginza for window shopping only

Walking down from Chuo-dori from Kanda station, I passed by Mitsukoshi, then Nihombashi, then flashy Ginza. At one crossroad were flagship stores for Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Channel and Gucci, holding territory on each corner.
In the eveving, hordes of slightly drunk workers invaded the streets, bar-hopping or going home.
I had another monja dinner but shared among CSers. One like the one on monday (fish egg, cheese and mochi), then seafood and mushrooms, and finally pork and curry. It is something like okonomiyaki but with no egg.

Happy birthday dear Daddy

I will eat thinking of you.

Rootops

I probably won't have time to get back to Shinjuku and see the Marui Honkan rooftop, so the Mitsukoshi 8th floor rooftop will do.
The inside is pretty much any department store, with all sorts of luxury goods. There is even a luxury hawaian goods section, smelling of pina colada sunscreen and monoi.
Up here in the not so blazing afternoon sun, it's tea time and bonsai garden viewing. Down there it's rushing salarymen and traffic, up here it's windy and buzzing with birds. I spent 10min watching a toddler walking up and down a ramp a countless times, under the amused eyes of her granparents. Eventually the got tired of watching out for her fall, so dragged her away to the garden shop (full of pet clothes).