Archive for June, 2009
Away We Go
Had the chance over the weekend to actually go to a movie theatre and see a movie. Sounds very old school but it is still an activity that can be fun. And I never really intended this site to become movie reviews but what the heck. I see I lot of movies.
I saw the new movie Away We Go. It is about a young couple — she a medical illustrator and he sells insurance futures — as they search for the perfect city to raise their unborn child. This movie has some of the best characters I have had the pleasure and discomfort of meeting in a long time. They go to Phoenix and meet her old boss. OMG - what a total motor mouth of the most embarrassing statements the screen has seen in a long time. And what fun. I squirmed in my seat at times. I laughed out loud at times and at other times I was screaming laughter on the inside at jokes that were on the mark but maybe not ones you want everyone to know you think they are funny. The opening scene of the movie was one I could not believe you could start a movie with. Embarrassing beyond belief and oh so funny.
The couple travel around the US and Canada meeting a wacky cast of characters before settling on a place to raise their child. I think you will enjoy their travels and the people they meet as the the director and writers seemed to do a good job of creating characters that for the most part felt complete. Only the brother in Miami felt like he was less than real. You get to visit Madison, Tucson, Montreal, Miami and Phoenix. And you learn new things about strollers! Never have any idea exactly where they start from or exactly where they end. Cold where they start and somewhere in the south where they end.
And Away We Go. And away you go to the theatre. Enjoy.
The International
Just caught up with the movie The International. What made it fun was a couple of locations the film was set in. NYC and the Guggenheim Museum. Have yet to set foot in the place after two trips to NYC in less than a year. But it is good to leave something for the next time.
The other location was Istanbul. The opening scene into the city has you flying over the Galata Bridge with the ferries on the right as you look up the hill on the left toward the Topkapi Palace and the Hagia Sophia. Part of the movie takes place in the courtyard in front of the Blue Mosque. After spending time in that very place it was fun to see it from the point of view of a movie. Of course Hollywood takes liberties with where things are in a city and after stepping into the courtyard you are suddenly deep under the mosque in the Roman Cistern—which is actually across the road and down the square from the mosque. Next you find yourself in the Grand Bazzar. Under this system the actors in the film are magicians and can magically transport themselves instantly from place to place. Ahhhhhh the magic of film. But the next time I find myself in Istanbul I do want to find the roof top walkways shown in the film - that is if they are real.
A film that has some suspense and action to it. Not the best but I have certainly seen worse.
Leaving and arriving
What is it that is difficult about leaving a city and country you have been living in for only short time? Why are airplanes and airports time machines? Do you really arrive home or do you just suddenly appear? Why does everything look so large, open and expansive? Walmarts are absolutely massive and why is this?
Over the past few days since leaving Greece and returning to the midwest (or really the mid as it is really the middle of nowhere and everywhere at the same time) these and hundreds of other questions have been flooding my thoughts. Although I was ready to return home and complete the abroad experience it was still difficult to leave. It feels like I have just barely gotten below the surface of what Turkey and Greece are as countries, locations, and people. I find there is so much more to know. I feel like I have left a great deal to see, experience and learn on future travels.
I have found the idea of sitting in essentially a long tube flinging itself through the sky a very strange way to spend time. I did not enjoy the man behind me who thought of my seat back as his personal punching bag nor did I enjoy the man across the aisle who seemed to spend countless minutes going through his stuff, standing in the aisle with his backside in my face. Then after he finally found all his stuff he promptly opened his can of soda and thoroughly doused me with sticky water. But I did completely enjoy the British Airways professionalism and the use of the English language. Bravo and brilliant.
It is so strange to suddenly find yourself home again. The airlines and airplanes did their job of compressing time and making it seem as if by magic you are home. Coming home and seeing the family has been great. The other part of coming home that has been great can be summed up in two words- two wheels. Over the past few days I have had a chance to finally ride my bikes - motorcycle and bicycle. I had forgotten just how green this place is and how sweet late spring is and a couple of rides reminded me of this. The scent in the air is beautiful.
It is fun to make comparisons with places you have been and places at home. Shopping last night in a Walmart reminded me of just how big and spread out everything is in the states. The Walmart in Jerseyville could hold every single food market and store that I visited in all the time I was in Greece and Turkey and have room left over. Just one aisle is larger than most stores in Greece.
What I will take away or at least what strikes me as what has changed in me is the fact that I can be and need to be a better listener, to the world and people around me. When I take the time to silence my noisy mind and really listen I am constantly amazed at the richness and diversity of this world. I think the same is true of looking and seeing. Always making an attempt to “see with new eyes” and to leave behind my preconceived ideas of what I should be seeing.
I guess in life we are always leaving and arriving. This takes place daily in our lives. Leaving old ideas behind, arriving at new places in our thinking and seeing the changes that are taking place. Travel just makes this an even more deeply felt experience.
Special thanks to my 23 fellow travelers—companions and friends forever. This experience would never have been as rich and exciting without each one of you. Let’s do it again!
Last day in Athens
This is the last day in Athens and it is hot. Started the abroad in Istanbul and was freezing and now it is hot, really hot. Athens is a city of contrasts. You have the tourist areas tucked in and around the Acropolis. Away and out from there you find the real city. A city of millions of motorcycles, scooters, trucks, cars and taxis. All going a million miles an hour, shooting up and down the streets and somethings joining you on the sidewalk. Just this afternoon as I started to cross a street and at the last second realized the light was about to turn I looked right and saw a gaggle of cycles poised at the light to go. In a second the light changed, I jumped back on the sidewalk and watched as the race to win the intersection was on. I think a guy on a noisy little scooter won. Just glad I was not standing in the street as I would have been run over by at least 20 cycles all before any of the cars would have run me over.
Just before the cycle races we, Brook and Hillary, we walked through a more than block long open air meat market - open air meaning it had a roof but everything under the roof seemed to be all open. It was warmer in there than you might think is healthy. Meat everywhere. Butchers everywhere. And if you not careful you might get to close to someone swinging a large meat cleaver and get blood splattered up on you. A strange place. A vegetarians nightmare.
The streets are a funny mix of stores. Next to a dress shop you will find a small shop that just sells power tools. Next is the shoe store and then a store selling suits. Next a store selling power tools and fishing gear. This goes on for block after block after block. The best store to stand out in front of is the spice store. What a scent.
We stopped into an upscale and very large department store for the cool air. The entire store is organized by brand with each brand having its own area and one person that works only in that area. Well worth the cool air and well worth the stop. Consumerism Greek-style.
All for now. Time to climb a hill and look over the entirety of Athens from up on high.
