Those who are also on the road.

Fashionable traveler Liberty improvised when she gave her borrowed backpack back with garbage bags.

How to have Unity in Art.

FOAM Film Museum Amsterdam was hosting 250 Richard Avedon pictures. Famous Celebrity and Fashion Photographer. I am inspired by the unity of all his work! He has a list of No's. "No to explicit light; No to apparent compositions; No to the seduction of poses or narrative." All these No's he said force me to the Yes. "Yes to a white background. I have the person I'm interested in and the thing that happens between us."

A day with the Dutch.

Always the best way to 'know' a country; I was invited to visit friends of my Fathers today. Hennie and Joep lived in Port Lincoln for 15 years starting from the purchase of a block of land at the Marina in 1972 (the same price as a caravan in Holland at the time!!). They spent the winters in their beautiful ocean viewed villa in South Australia. Hennie said the builders were surprised at the floor to ceiling tile designs! She thinks they did the hugh panpacific flight at least 18 times!
I was entertained by Hennie's & Joep's Son (Joep) & Daughter-in-law (Diandra) and her Grand niece Leila's family. Leila has just been awarded an exchange to Adelaide from July to December so we had a lot to talk about. Her Mother and Father will visit in December too. I am prompted to start a blog to show my Intenational friends my life in Adelaide.
Beautiful Dutch hospitality after a wonderful train ride to Southern Holland.

Red Light district

Ode to my beautiful Dutch bike.

She makes me burst into sweet humming as I glide along Prinsengacht watching endless processions of tourists stumble in and out of the souvenir shops.
Oh what ease,
Oh what mobility,
Oh my beautiful Dutch bike!
I tested three 'Amsterdam bike shops', some wanted to sell me bright orange dragsters singing praises such as 'the most comfortable seat in the Dam', others promised a 'Dutch Granny' bike but a price that wasn't elderly!
Finally in the distance I found 'Bike City' in beautiful and quiet Jordaan. A lovely young dutch man taught me how to use the two locks; one was a BIG heavy chain and the other enclosed in the bike. He showed me how to adjust the height and I drifted off with the BEST AMSTERDAM SOUVINER!
Last night I rode home at great speed between heavy downpoars singing at top voice 'I HAVE MUDGUARDS!' into the night scaring the unsuspecting Dutch night stroller.
Oh what ease,
Oh what mobility,
Oh my beautiful Dutch bike!

'Never Again'

Homomonument.
Designed by Karin Daa and consists of three equilateral triangles made of pink granite that are connected by an inlaid band. The bustle of daily life goes on as usual between the three triangles symbolising the past, present and future. Triangles were the symbols forced on those who didn't fit the Nazi Aryan nation.
This point of the triangle suspended above the canal is the National War Memorial commemorating the persecution of those who were deemed different during WW2 (and continue to be) in a desire for 'Never Again'.

'Happy Generation'

'Dark Eyes'

'Dynasty'

'Amethyst'

'Flair'

'Dutch Master'

'Golden Eleanor'

'Mistress'

'Golden Dawn'

'Purissima'

'Ocean Magic'

'Attraction'

The blooming of millions of tulip, daffodil & hyacinth bulbs at Kuekenof Gardens.

Forgot my camera so painted all day...

Vote for your favourite City.

A blast of dope pervades my nostrils as I step off the tram in crowded Leidseplein square,
Two men kiss,
Watch out for that bike! and that one!
Pigeons burst and flutter filling the spaces,
Pretty painted boats all in a row line the canal,
A group of African men in a fit of giggles,
Beautifully detailed corridors of canal apartments with wrought iron hooks and swirls and bright blue shutters.
A blend of all the best cities in the world I ask?
Amsterdam!

I'm sleeping in the east tonight.

Now part of the new capital of Germany I am staying with my friends Sabine and Nina in Alexanderplatz. FANTASTIC location emphasied by Sabine's bike tour tonight (she is in the red helmet on her new bike) and the girl's suggestion to see the monuments at night. Check it out!
Fabulous women with warm hearts and a lovely apartment!

Brecht in Berlin!

Not just any Brecht... his 'Mutter Courage und ihre Kinder'. Mother Courage, written in a month in 1939 (some say in a fit of white rage) is considered by some to be the greatest play of the 20th century, and perhaps also the greatest anti-war play of all time. Mother Courage is one of nine plays that Brecht wrote in an attempt to counter the rise of Facism and particularily in reaction to the spread of Nazism into Poland. It is a piece of Epic theatre with symbolism references only to a Swiss army and set in an earlier century around a opportunist Mother thinking she is prospering from the war.
It is such an appropriate catharsis for my exploration of war ravaged Berlin.
It was a magnificent production with very clever special effects depicting rain and snow and the cold winds of war and by the Berliner Ensemble.
The theatre itself was a visit! My 10 Euro ticket got me into the red velvet chaired and grandiosely gold encrusted box overlooking the stage and lower seating. It did block some of the action on Stage left too.
An all too wonderful thing to do in Berlin! The home and centre of theatrical innovation. Bring it ON!

Underground Berlin Scene.

Museum of the triumph of the human spirit!

I couldn't get enough of a Museum dedicated to the uprisings, escapes and peoples revolutions of the many instances of oppression and war in Germany AND to be stationed on the old sight of the wall separating East and West Berlin. I could FEEL to energy of years of action, reaction and revolt as I passed from one side to the other.
People curled up in the boot of Volkwagons, concealed in suitcases, dropped from buildings and covered in dirt from crawling through tunnels. I am stunned at the astounding nature of humanity both in the actions of leaders and the creativity of survival. My life seems so small and lacking in trauma. I am grateful as I well up with tears at the sight of little children reunited with their family after secret missions in the middle of the night to float hot air balloons and cut barbed wire.

Niccy & Ollie do Berlin.

After a little museum fatigue Niccy & Ollie got Turkish at the Schokogenuss fur frauen! This involved a Turkish bath experience. Great relaxation was followed with Kreuzberg cosy resteraunt bio food and ring-bahn speedy train ride home. A decent way to do Berlin for two Adelaideians I say! Supported by third Adelaidian Dean.

The future.

Have to say one of the joys of travelling solo is the people you meet. Shared a room with these three gorgeous older teens from Uruguay(pop. 3 mill). Twin sisters Micaela & Julia and cousin Ana Clara They were on the European trip of a lifetime. Here they are heading for Italy on an all day train from Barcelona. With the well wishes of their much travelled Mother and doting German Grandparents they were following in the footsteps of their big brother.
And I thought it was expensive - it is 30 pasos to 1 Euro! They were so polite and kind it was a real blessing to have them around.
The twins were taking a break from first year University and Ana Clara was in her gap year. They said opportunities were much more scare for their people and that teenagers had to choose their path in Yr 10 so they could specialise. Choices? Economics, Humanities & Science. How do you think our teens would cope?

Berlin Doorways

It comes to me that Art is born of circumstance. I’m ‘doing’ Berlin differently. Today I just wandered the streets. Art feels a bit like an approach, a way of living. It certainly feels like it is seeping up though the payment and in every doorway in Berlin!