Intercourse for 4?

Champor Champor described on its website as "Creative Malay-Asian food served in a unique and welcoming environment.", has to be the most unusually decorated restaurant I have been too for a while. It reminded me of the Yellow Heaven Soup Kitchen in Kingston upon Thames back in the early 90’s. Every space was filled with some odd sculpture or decoration, even the ceiling. Champor Champor is a great place for romantic dinners as they have a raised private seating box above the other dinners. Lighting is subdued which can mean you might not realize what you are looking at until your eyes become accustomed to the light. So don’t be frightened by the tribal masks or the porno paintings in the toilet. Oh and the Stephen King doll at the bar!

The bread order was a mix of fruit loaf and pitta style bread that looked like toasted peeled skin. That sounds awful but it tasted as bad as it looked. Yes of course I had to try it! We made E order frogs legs to start and stir fried kangaroo which were both very good. An hour to wait for the main course resulted in us being served complimentary plum wine as compensation. Strange though as I could have sworn it tasted of watered down cherry wine. As we wondered where to pour the drink our extremely polite androgynous waiter/ess asked us if we wanted intercourse. Covering our faces with the menu with embarrassment we realized it was a dish between courses – well what else could you call it?

62 Weston Street London SE1 3QJ Tel: 020 7403 4600

November 2006

Darfur at the Angel

Kalabash

Salmon and Compass - Islington London

16 November 2006

Another fantastic live set from Emmanuel Jal and his crew at the Salmon and Compass last night. The venue is quite intimate with performers being on the dance floor rather than a stage. Prior to the gig Kalabash had organised an evening of African awareness focusing in particular on the Darfur region. Freestyle drumming intermingled with the talks and live music. A truly rhythmic evening.

Darfur Diaries: Message From Home
www.darfurdiaries.org

ALL ABOUT DARFUR
a film by Taghreed Elsanhouri
www.allaboutdarfur.com

Kalabash Movement is an organisation that seeks to promote African Awareness.Each event is designed to encourage recognition of the differences between the African Nations and celebrate the rich yet distinct cultural heritage and socio-political situations.We hope to give a platform to Musicians and Independent film makers and encourage a wider audience to appreciate their works.
Pics are of EJ and DJ Silvastone and Roachie

Indoor Water Feature

Our last day on Crete and we were woken by water pouring through the ceiling of our apartment. On closer inspection it had happened before. However the moody staff at the Pyrgos Apartments did not seem bothered when I told them. In fact they were unsympathetic when our room did not get cleaned or that we had an army of ants walking through. I realize that it was the end of the season but you have to keep smiling until the last guest leaves if you want to give good customer service.

No Day

Today is Oxi Day. Before you ask we did not spend the whole day saying no to everything! Celebrated throughout Greece on October 28 each year, Okhi Day (also spelled Ohi Day, Oxi Day, or Ochi Day, Greek: Επέτειος του «'Οχι», Anniversary of the "No") commemorates Greek dictator Ioannis Metaxas's (in power from August 4, 1936 until January 29, 1941) refusal of the ultimatum made by Italian dictator Mussolini on October 28, 1940. Metaxas's reply marked the beginning of Greece's participation in World War II. It’s a public holiday and it is commemorated with military, student and union parades. Just about every building has a Greek flag hanging from it. The TV stations broadcast military parades similar to the ones held in Russia which gives the impression that Greece is somehow still stuck in a cold war.

Loukoumades

We went to one of my favourite eateries in town today, located at the beginning of Dikeosinis Street. It’s not your usual restaurant as the place has no name, not that I could see as I had my eyes fixed on the food. I have to warn you that there is a limited choice of what to eat, well that’s an understatement as they only sell one dish, loukoumades - which are deep-fried puffs of dough, drizzled with honey. They are so sweet which means, thank god, you can only eat half a dozen in one sitting. Sorry for the poor food photography - hey I was on holiday and I did not have a home economist with me!

Luna Parks

We took a family trip to Katerina Luna Park by the harbour in Heraklion. In Greece permanent funfairs are called Luna Parks – I have no idea why. The whole trip was very nostalgic because as a child I used to beg my parents to take me to the Luna park in Athens when we lived there. Katerina Luna park is something from another era with retro rides and amusements like this punch ball machine.

Goldfish

Our first eagerly awaited meal of the trip was in a taverna/ouzeri on Mitsotaki Street in Heraklion. When I say it’s on this street the kitchen is but the seating area is across the busiest roads in Crete – Sofokli Venizelou. The waiters dance in and out of the traffic with the plates over to the tables along the sea wall. But don’t let this health and safety at work performance put you off from going as it is a great place for a traditional Greek meze.

I don’t have a name unfortunately but it is the last eatery on the corner. If you are a foreigner (xeno) you will get the tourist menu which is the ubiquitous plastic flick book with garish pictures of food. However if you are Greek the waiter will bring your own order to fill in. A tick box list of about 40 different dishes ranging from melenzanasalata (pureed aubergine and garlic dip), sagnaki a deep fried cheese. Meat and fish (psari) dishes can also be ordered. J was craving some calcium for the baby so we ordered deep fried whitebait and these what can only be described as goldfish!

We are still looking through the reference books trying to work out what they were.

Heraklion October 2006

A whirlwind visit to Crete this time and this was not just time related as the islands was experiencing freak weather conditions. The week before J and I were supposed to leave the BBC were reporting that Chania in the west of Crete was under a state of emergency. Flights were not operating from the airport and boats were kept in port due to Force 10 winds. However we kept reassuring each other that it would pass by the time we got there!

J nearly had her baby early trying to make the flight because of the roadworks on the M25. We were then delayed 6 hours (or was it 8, seemed more like 24) because the airplane had engine trouble. We finally arrive the next morning only to discover that D was not at the airport to collect us. Ever had that feeling that you should never have left home?

Much of the street rerouting has been completed since my last trip to Heraklion. This means that walking around has become easier so I explored the old part of the town though I’m not sure how much longer these buildings will remain.

DAM fine

Arabic rap at the Barbican 20 October 2006

More musical delights last night. I meet BT at the Barbican and we were drawn towards the freestyle stage by the sound of rappers singing in Arabic. It was DAM doing their sound check for a free performance as part of the Ramadan Nights festival. I first heard about this group on BBC Radio 1 Extra, on the award winning documentary Hip Hop in the Holy Land.

DAM are possibly one of the biggest Arab rap groups in the Middle East. Mahmoud, Tamer and his brother Suhell are Israeli-Palestinian’s living in Lod. According to Tamer, Lod is the major drug market of the region and being located just 20 minutes from Tel Aviv and they are living with the daily reality of being an oppressed community.

I asked Mahmoud a very direct question but one I felt he was confident he could answer. I wanted to know what has stopped him from being one of those kids that walks into a crowded Israeli bar and blow himself up. For him, ‘his music and lyrics are more deadly’.

DAM also speak out about social issues including the treatment of women within their community and one of my favourite tracks is Freedom For My Sisters.

Guys - thanks for signing the new CD 'Dedication'. Mahmoud keep the non violent communication going – you will be heard and one day I hope you will see flowers from your window.

Official DAM website
www.dampalestine.com

Hip Hop in the Holy Land. http://www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra/tx/documentaries/hiphopintheholyland.shtml

The Shaky Leg Crew

Emmanuel Jal and support at The Spitz, London 18 October 2006

Nearly a year ago my sister gave me a copy of Ceasefire, Jal’s first international album. Since then I have been listening to it nearly every week. So when I spotted a flyer at The Spitz in London tickets I had to get tickets.

I tried to book them through the box office but I gave up. I called them twice. The first time I got an answer phone and the second time I was told someone would call me back – they never did. If it was not for the website WeGotTickets we would never have gone.

Surprisingly not many people know about Jal, including R and G who had no idea what event I was dragging them to. ‘He’s a former child soldier of Sudan who found music and is now a rapper’ I told them as we met for pre gig drinks in the new ‘retail and leisure experience’ in Spitalfields. Jal was conscripted into the rebel Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) at the age of eight to fight in the civil war. He spent four years fighting in Sudan, with an AK-47 by his side. Despite a tragic childhood including losing his adoptive mother, the British aid worker Emma McCune Jal remains a strong yet humble person.

First on stage were support act Glide:a'scope’s, trip hop chill out music. A mesmerising performance by the female flutist. On one of Glide’s websites http://www.audiocinematography.com/flash.htm you can listen to previews of his debut album Audio Cinematography. However I would not recommend watching the video pieces. The storylines to the video really distract from the music as they are over complicated, too many different locations and people and themes. Sorry Glide and whoever produced/directed this for you but it really does not do your work justice. Ok I can hear you saying ‘no budget’ but you need a much simpler look to your videos as the music is so rich and woven with so many influences. If you need someone to produce/direct your next video give me a shout I have a few ideas…

Within moments of bounding onto stage, Jal had the audience, dancing, laughing and crying. The lyrics, which Jal raps in English and a Sudanese dialect, are a plea for an end to a conflict in Sudan. A truly passionate performance of tracks from Ceasefire and new songs from his third album War Child. Turntable maestro was the very talented producer writer etc etc Davidson Lynch-Shyllon ;)

As we left the venue Jal and his crew harmonised a unique and unforgettable version of happy birthday to R. As we staggered home on a high of music and friendship we sang we don’t want no hoes, no bitches no bling… Peace and love to you guys.

(JC if you find that cable I’ll upload the phone-video of this live performance onto moblog www.moblog.com)

Set list: Taxi, Hai, Force, WarChild, Baai, Backiwara, No Bling, Gua, Elengwen and Tung.

Emmanuel Jal Official Website

http://www.emmanueljalonline.net/

MySpace

http://www.myspace.com/emmanueljal

more about KASH

The NUJ have created a message board page on their site where people can post comments of support for the release of Kash freelance photojournalist http://www.kashgt.co.uk/
http://www.nujphoto.org/

This is the latest press release from Reporters Without Borders and a correction to the exact date he was captured - 12 October 2006.

Reporters Without Borders

Press releases

15 October 2006

AFGHANISTAN

Italian freelance photographer seized by armed men


Reporters Without Borders said today it was "very concerned" about the
kidnapping of an Italian photographer, Gabriele Torsello, in southern
Afghanistan and called for his immediate release.


"He is not a spy or a bargaining chip, but a courageous journalist who has
lived among the Afghan people for several months," the worldwide press
freedom organisation said, calling on the authorities and the country's
religious leaders to make every effort to obtain his release.


Torsello, a freelance, was seized by five armed men from a bus on his way
from Lashkar Gah to Kandahar on 12 October. The online news website Peace
Reporter, which disclosed the kidnapping, said he had managed the same day
to phone the head of security at a hospital in Lashkar Gah run by the
Italian NGO Emergency to ask him to assure the kidnappers of his "good
intentions" and that he had converted to Islam.


The independent Afghan news agency Pajhwok quoted an Afghan journalist who
had been travelling with him as saying he had called Torsello's mobile phone
and that a man had answered and said "We are the Taliban and we have
kidnapped the foreign spy." The Italian foreign ministry said today it was
treating the incident as a kidnapping.


Mullah Dadullah, a Taliban military chieftain, threatened on 4 September to
kill journalists who published news put out by the NATO forces in
Afghanistan. "We have an Islamic right to kill such reporters," he said.


Torsello, who has worked as a photojournalist around the world for the past
decade, has been in Afghanistan for several months, wearing a black beard
and Afghan clothes. He is married with one child, has converted to Islam and
is based in London.

KASH GT - Gabriele Torsello

My thoughts and hopes for a positive outcome are with Kash and for his family in London and Italy.
It has been reported that Kash was kidnapped yesterday by Taliban gunmen in Helmand province of Afghanistan.
On numerous occasions Kash has offered his advice and support to me a fellow photographer. I first came across Kash on the discussion forums on EPUK. We recently exchanged ideas about book publishing an area we both have experience of.
KASH wherever you are being held there are many people thinking about you and trying to do whatever they can to get you out safely.
For more details please click this link to the UK Editorial Photographers group.
http://www.epuk.org/News/389/photojournalist-torsello-kidnapped-by-afghan-gunmen

Cherry Tinkers

Braving the wilds of East Kent and the traveller community I went to photograph cherry harvest.
Kent is normally associated with hops and apples and many apples orchards are being lost to development. Even scarcer are cherry orchards. It's hard to miss them as the bright shiny red berries look like rubies.
Faversham cherries are exported all over the world and are much better than the imported varieties that we get in the UK. When you eat seasonal fruit and in particular local produce it's hard to go back to eating strawberries in December and not something that I can say I miss.

Gordon Ramsey recently visited Kent to sample the fruit. He has some classic recipes for cherries click on this link:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,4382-2297447,00.html

Much of the fruit collection is undertaken by young Polish immigrants but the orchard I visited in Faversham is occupied by a small family of travellers who stay just for the cherry season.
One of the varieties that they pick is Stella.
As the cherry season passes I am watching the plum trees with anticipation for the next crop of fruit for my jam making.

CaCo3

Chalk to those that have forgotten their chemistry lessons!
I'm a bit slow getting this post up due to a huge backlog of images I've shot this summer but better late than never.
My chums Fern Alder and Heidi Harvey won silver for their show garden at the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show.
Congratulations girls and to all those that helped make a rather dusty field in Surrey whiter than white. They can now officially say 'as seen on TV' as the BBC did a special feature about how and where they got their inspiration from -the Kent countryside of course.
Lots more info on Fern's website www.spacefx.net and on the BBC site for a 360 view
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/flower_shows/hampton_court_2006/hc06gardens_showkent.shtml

But no one got this shot as it meant waiting until dusk, despite having been there since 6am to get the morning light. Thanks to digital capture I managed to get the projection and chalk backdrop. Something that film could never do and most people at the show never saw because the sun bleached everything.

Matchstick visitors

If you are visiting the north west try and go to The Lowry in Manchester's Salford Quays.
Some huge and impressive architecture all round this area.
The Lowry is an emporium of art and entertainment. In addition to the permanent display of LS Lowry's work they also have temporary exhibitions. Currently showing is the Folk Archive: Contemporary Popular Art from the UK
http://www.thelowry.com/WhatsOn/EventDetail.aspx?EventId=2359

'Highlight' of the show are the Blackpool Illuminations which were in the process of being installed when I visited. Out of context they are quite bizarre.













I'm currently doing some consultancy work for a new company that will be staging a major exhibition at The Lowry next summer. Details of which will of course be posted here.

Burning and drinking oil

Taking full advantage of the hire car that had no mileage limit and the fact that petrol is cheaper than in the UK (is there anywhere more expensive than the UK?), I decided to drive to Xania. There are many different ways to spell Crete’s second capital Chania, Hania or as I prefer Xania. It is pronounced from the back of the throat and takes a little practice to sound authentic. Taking the National Road west from Heraklion, the scenery changes to become more Italian with cypress trees and pine forests. Vast swathes of oleander are also a sign that the west is more fertile than the south and east.

The Industrial Harbour

The city curls around a Venetian harbour like Rethymnon. As you enter by road you drive down wide boulevards flanked by large villas built in the thirties when the town was booming. Xania seems to be going through a period of regeneration as several of these large houses have been refurbished but there are many left untouched and it creates such an eerie scene especially when you arrive on a Sunday and no one is around. Motorists be warned this town operates a pay and display system. This is the first I have seen in Greece and I can imagine the opposition there was when it was introduced.

There is a limited choice of good hotels in the centre of Xania. I stayed at the Irida which has nice views of the bay but it is a little far from the town centre unless you have a car. There is a small beach within walking distance. It is infront of several tavernas but I never like to swim near major conurbations as you can never be sure how far out the sewage pipe goes! The best beach I found was in Souda Bay approached from Kaleves. Just a small strip of sand with a few people is perfect for an afternoon.

Souda Bay, Xania

Xania harbour is the classic crescent shape lined with tavernas and cafes with resident customer hawkers boasting about how fresh their food is and made by their mother.

The best time to visit this area is at night. This is when the Mosque of Kioutsouk Hasan (ironically now the Greek tourist police HQ) is lit up and the dome is accentuated by the spotlights. The scene at night reminded me of Kyrínia (Greek) or Girne(Turkish) city on the northern side of Cyprus. Walking away from the main harbour you reach the shipyard area. One of huge renovated buildings houses the Centre for Mediterranean Architecture http://www.kam-arsenali.gr/ Using the original walls as a skin a modern building has been designed inside to house exhibition spaces and conference facilities. The other buildings are still being used for industrial use.

I picked up a free magazine called Frappe named after the iced coffee. Written in German and English there are some good articles and images. It was interesting to read about Cretan olive oil production. The Mihelakis who produce over half a million litres per year, consume as a family 200 litres! The average Cretan consumes 30 litres per year which is excessive but many Greeks live everyday as if it were their last. Considering the way they drive for many it is. In 2000 there were 20.1% of road fatalities per 100,000 of the population of Greece.

Frappe magazine ISSN 1109-8090

More images as part of my Greek Identity project are on my website http://emmapeios.spotfolio.com/greece.html

Sabotage and Cheese Salads

It was too windy to swim today so I decided to visit the Historical Museum. They had a special exhibition called Sabotage, whilst I’m not a huge fan of memorabilia, this has been done very sympathetically. Documents and items connected with the event during the Second World War, tell of the heroic attempts made by a small group of French, Greek and British special soldiers to save lives. Throughout Europe people were saved but it was very moving to read the last written letters from Cretan people executed by the Germans as revenge for the sabotage.

The second exhibition sent me into map heaven. This is an extensive and very well presented display of cartography of Crete during the 16^th and 18^th century. Unfortunately all of the exhibition text is in Greek but the maps are certainly works of art worth seeing.

The exhibition finishes on 31 October 2006.

The mini shop in the museum has some elegant books and printed material for sale. I bought a collection of postcards entitled Crete in 1900. These cards were first published at the end of the 19^th century. Mikros Nautilos Editions in Heraklion have reproduced as four collections; Xania, Everyday Life, Cities and History.

The period from the end of the 19^th century and the beginning of the 20^th was a time when the island passed from Turkish domination to self-government and subsequently to its long hoped union with Greece. During this crucial time in Cretean history photographers toured the island and recorded aspects of the cities, the costumes of the inhabitants and the way of life. This created an important archive of photographic documents.

These two postcards are from the Everyday Life series (kathimerini zoe).

The first is a group of Turkish whirling dervishes and the second is another posed image, of a woman reclining after smoking from a hookah. One hundred years later and us girls still like the hubbly bubbly!

Historical Museum of Crete
Venizelou 27
Heraklion

Across the road from the museum is a restaurant called Elies, Greek for olives. No matter how ultra modern the interior, Elies along with many other restaurants and bars in Crete’s cities, always has the ubiquitous man in a corner flicking beads and smoking a cigarette. The house salad with a local cheese comes highly recommended. I just wish we could get tomatoes to taste the same in the UK as they do in the Mediterranean. I always buy the most expensive ones and still they taste of water. Does water have a taste?!

Wednesday 14 June Heraklion

Currently the town resembles one big building site as the major implements his plan to stop the citizens of Heraklion looking inwards and outwards to the sea. Pedestrian areas and re routing roads mean that if you decide to visit bring steel capped boots and a hard hat - the UK health and safety would have a field day here.
No pictures till next week so please check back again.

Death and Taxes

I was beginning to think the grim reaper was following me this week.
First I thought I was seeing things when I saw I side car in the shape of a coffin racing up the motorway but it turned out to be Motorcycle Funerals. Fantastic idea. Motorcycle driver and I exchanged thumbs up - I'm sure he was a vicar.
www.motorcyclefunerals.com

Then I met someone who makes eco friendly coffins and has just been awarded Fair Trade status. Check out www.ecoffins.co.uk
The guy that owns this company also makes contemporary furniture from bamboo for people that are still living.

If none of these options are how you want to be sent off then go to my friends website www.thefinalcurtain.com it's what you would have wanted!

Chelsea Flower Show 2006

Rain rain go away...
This year has been rain wind cold more rain and gusts off wind and a tiny bit of sun. No sooner have you but your umbrella away and got a camera out spots of rain appear again.
I'm voting in the BBC's People's Choice Award for the Africa garden this year. I love the red colour of the soil and the concept behind the garden and the charity Garden Africa. Their aim is to reduce poverty and malnutrition in Africa by creating 1001 training and resource gardens across Southern Africa. They have a really good website with links to the Chelsea garden www.gardenafrica.org.uk
I like seeing unusual plants from different parts of the globe - far more interesting than a new variety of pelargonium. Whilst I'm not a fan of show gardens that recreate a scene like an olde worlde cottage this little piece of Africa is sympathetic and authentic as parts of it have been created by Garden Africa's training partner, Zimbabwean John Nzira.
Whatever medals are awarded tomorrow I think all the gardeners deserve a prize for 'Achievement in adverse weather conditions'.
Special thanks to my assistant Nikki today for chasing after me around the show and for putting up with the bad weather.

BBC presenter Carol Klein and crew interview specialist daffodil grower.














Cut and blow dry for irises

Asia Exhibition and Persian Food

Last night I was invited to the private view for photographer Michael Freeman's exhibition - Asia 30 years of documentary photography.
I arrived for the talk a little late, thanks to a London cabbie with a hatred for women drivers.
It was impossible to see or hear Michael talk about his work properly as everyone else was talking and the projector screen was too low. It was a real shame because bits that I did hear were to do with the stories behind the pictures in particular about the political situation and subsequent changes. In Cambodia he photographed Dith Pran, whose story was told in the film The Killing Fields.
The show runs until 21 May.
Light Contemporary 5a Porchester Place London w2 2BS

After the talk someone tapped me on the shoulder and it was LW which was a bit spooky as I had been thinking about her and the book we are working on together about South Korea. It is impossible to go anywhere in London and not bump into someone you know. The nibbles and wine had run out so I suggested we sample some Persian cuisine as we were in Little Arabia aka The Edgware Road. We were joined by two of her friends one of whom is Linda Barker's agent.
In the same street as the gallery is Colbeh a Persian restaurant. It was a little daunting at first going into a place full of men, but the staff were welcoming and the smell from the kitchen was enough to persuade us to stay.
The seating area is quite small and this is not helped by a whacking great tandoor oven right by the door. Perhaps it was not the best place to go on an exceptionally hot spring day!
Persian food is a combination of Middle Eastern, Indian, Greek and Turkish. Two huge but light naan breads were made for us before I eyes. To accompany them we chose kashk-e-bademjan (grilled aubergine, walnuts, mint and khask (whey) dip. This looked a bit like melenzanes salades but without the garlic. We also had the obligatory houmos and mast-o-mousir, a yoghurt dip with wild garlic. FL popped out to get some alcohol as the restaurant does not have a license and while we waiting for her to return we ordered mint tea which came in a fabulously kitsch red and gold teapot with a sultan motif. The best mint tea I've had since Egypt. Sometime later FL returned from her impossible mission to find a bottle of booze on the Edgware Road and we ordered our main course. I chose chelo khoresh fesenjan or king of stews. The menu described it as shredded chicken but it was actually three large chunks. with a walnut, pomegranate and pumpkin sauce. The thick sauce was not the coloured that I had expected and I have to admit it did not look apppestising. Anything the colour of cooked liver and pureed will not win any awards for presentation. But restaurants like this are about fresh, honest food. The stew was wonderful, slightly sweet tasting and served with a light nutty pilau rice. The bill was just over £60 for 4 without wine. Vegetarian dishes are also served but if you have a walnut allergy probably a dangerous place to visit.
Colbeh - 6 Porchester Place London W2 2BS

Dahab bomb attacks

Awful news this morning about the bombings in Dahab, Egypt. Dahab is in the Sinai area of Egypt and has been a meeting point for three religions, at the crossroads of Africa and Asia. 80,000 years at the heart of history. Recent history has scared it by bombs.
I visited Dahab last December and my thoughts are with those that were caught up it the attacks. Egypt and in particular Sinai are amazing places to experience and the stupidity of a few should not stop people from visiting and supporting Egypt and its people.
Let non violent communication prevail.

Image of a restaurant on Dahab beach with dove cote on roof.

China Town London 22 April 2006

During a dim sum lunch in London's China Town J and I witnessed a small demonstration by Falun Gong supporters. I first heard about this group last week. Protester Wenyi Wang, a devotee of the Falun Gong movement, heckled President Bush and Chinese President Hu Jintaothe. The U.S. attorney's office charged her with harassing, intimidating and threatening a foreign official for yelling at Hu that his "days are numbered." This federal charge can lead to six months in prison. Leaders of the Falun Gong movement claim that Hu's government has persecuted and harvested the organs of followers.

Falun Gong is a quasi-religious group originated in China about 1992. A few years after the organization started, it quickly grew to become one of the largest cults in China. It has been the focus of international controversy since the government of the People's Republic Of China began a nationwide suppression of Falun Gong on July 20, 1999 for its illegal activities. The number of Falun Gong practitioners in China was estimated by the government at 2.1 million in 1999. The membership claimed by the Falun Gong was much larger; it claimed to have 100 million followers worldwide with 70 million in China.

Dublin 5 April 2006

R our '‘tour guide' has spent years convincing American tourists that his job is to talk to visitors in pubs and promote Ireland. I was fascinated by his anti car theft device. No steering wheel Stop Lock for R but a length of heavy duty chain connected to his car seat and padlock to the steering wheel.

Deciding not to spend all day in the city R took us on a mini tour of County Wicklow also known as The Garden of Ireland. Both of us being fond of Kent The Garden of England it was an appropriate destination.

First stop was IMMA: Irish Museum of Modern Art Royal Hospital, Military Road, Kilmainham. Unfortunately the Magnum Ireland show had not started but it is on now until 18 June. There is a great shop at the museum and R had to drag us out of there before we bought any more books.

Next stop was Mount Usher Gardens Ashford Co. Wicklow (take the N11 south from Dublin). The garden runs along the bank of the River Vartry. Mount Usher has been designed in the Robinsonian style - after William Robinson (fl. c 1890) the influential Irish garden designer. Robinson believed in natural gardens, as opposed to the formal approach of those who preceded him.

Spring sunshine followed by hailstones found us diving for the car and we headed up into the mountains to the Sally Gap and the source of the River Liffey. Fantastic views on all sides and there was even snow along the edge of the road. As we headed towards Blessington we came across this amusing house. It had no name so I'’ve called it the Good Luck House despite all those horseshoes and clovers not having much effect.

We headed back to Dublin and had a quick look at Helen Dillon'’s front garden 45 Sandford Road, Ranelagh, Dublin www.dillongarden.com

A good place to have something to eat/drink and watch a decent film is the Irish Film Institute or IFI! The 17th Century Quaker Meeting House was converted through by architects OÂ'Donnell and Tuomey. Arranged around a glass-roofed courtyard, the complex includes two cinemas, a popular bar and restaurant. The IFI has some special screenings as part of this year's Beckett Centenary Festival.

Pick up a free copy of Totally Dublin for some good photography features and listings of what'’s on and where. Below is a piece of Dublin tagging and anti religious wall art.

Lanzarote 4 April 2006

Sad news on the BBC TV news channel about more people trying to reach the Canaries by boat from Africa. Four vessels carrying 164 people between them. The Canary Islands are the new ‘favourite’ destination for thousands of Africans hoping to make a new life in Europe. This year there has been a 200 per cent rise in the number of immigrants trying their luck in small boats from Mauritania. More than 3,500 have been detained, but who knows how many have perished at sea. Puts my sea sickness troubles in perspective.

Smooth sailing, thank goodness to Arrecife. F and I bolted off the ship and negotiated a taxi. The taxi driver insisted that he would take us on a 3 hour tour of the north of the island for 80 euros but I was able to explain in made up Spanish that we only had 2 hours before we had to be back on board for F’s next lecture on the history of garden design. We only wanted to go to El Jardin Cactus so he had to make do with 20 euro. Being a man of limited height he slide his car seat so close that he could just about turn the steering wheel. What he lacked in height he made up for with speed so that we got to the cactus garden 45 minutes before it opened. Please note fellow travellers it opens at 10am! There is a bus service but we did not see a single bus and the timetable was bleached by the sun. So all I can tell you is that there maybe a bus once an hour, once a day or month!

This panoramic image is of a field surrounding the cactus garden. Prickly pears are grown in vast quantitites on Lanzarote primarily for the encouragement of cochineal beetles which feast on the plant and produce red dye from their crushed bodies – yum.

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 3 April

The area north of Parque Santa Catalina is a seedy version of Tottenham Court Road. The only reason we headed there was to find an internet cafe. In our search we came across a huge shop with everything careful laid out in highly polished chrome and glass cabinets like Selfridges. F had lost the battery for her obscure Aldi purchased digital camera and bizarrely they had a replacement battery. They ripped her off quite literally by tearing off the price ticket before handing it over to her and asking 30 euros. Guess they had to pay back the loan on the expensive display cabinets.

We headed west or it could have been south as the map supplied by El Corte Ingles did not have a compass printed on it. A neon light flashed from the outside of noisy amusement arcade to indicate Internet. We dived in to find the place full of kids playing pool. This was slot machine internet and it was a race against time to check our emails whilst avoiding the cockroaches that were running across the computer screen.
God we must have been desperate to check our mail.

As we walked towards the main shopping area we came across an interior shop called La Oca, Galicia 35. They had the obligatory Philippe Stark products but a few Spanish designers also. In the shop I picked up a free copy of a magazine called Via. It's a bilingual publication with articles about Canarian artists, architects and musicians. It also has a great listings section in the back for all art events primarily in Tenerife. There was also an interesting article about Europa Ciudades y musica / Europe Cities and Music. It talked about the Greek Rebetiko music and of course Fado sung by the fantastic Mariza.

Returning to the port we took a taxi to the old part of the town called Vegueta. (10 euro).















I'm still puzzling over this piece of graffiti . It says Islam vencera. The wall is for the cathedral which had lots of early Islamic decorative influences. Not sure if the writing was positive or negative. I'll have to ask my Spanish teacher.
















Strolling towards Triana you will find lot's of lovely independent boutiques selling jewellery and designer clothes. Cano Peregrina had the best shops. There are also several tabenas similar to tapas bars around here that looked rather good. Just wish my stomach had been up for it. It takes too long to get back to the main shopping street Avenida de Jose Mesa y Lopez, where El Corte Ingles is. So take the number 2 bus from Avenida Primero de Mayo and get off at the mercado/ market stop.

If you have not maxed out your credit cards after all that you can really go crazy in the Spanish version of Bluewater El Muelle. Situated on Muelle de Sta. Catalina this huge building houses, Zara, C&A, WomensSecret and lot's of other chain stores. There is a tapas bar on the ground floor outside one of the entrances if you'd rather not have Burger King.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2 April

This is the view from our cabin. I’ve decided to take one image every morning when we dock in a new port.

Being a Sunday and a Catholic country all of the shops were closed. In some ways this was quite nice as it meant that you had to find other things to distract you but I can’t go home without visiting a Spanish Zara.
From the port F and I walked down the Avienda de Jose Antonio Primo de Riveria, the walk was as long as the name, to the mercado/market off Calle de San Sebastian.
F and R went to find the only artificial beach on Tenerife. I took a stroll around the rest of the town. I really wanted to go to Parque Garcia Sanabria but like the shops that was also shut or rather completely closed off by 10 ft high corrugated metal fence.
The area around Plaza del Principe is surrounded by lots of historical buildings including the Museo Municipal de Bellas Artes which currently has an exhibition of graffiti. This might explain why there was some nice pieces around the town. There is a program of rebuilding and restoring some of these buildings involving lots of RSJ’s like in this picture.

I’m looking forward to hearing R playing her harp on board. R is a professional Welsh harpist and produces the most amazing sounds from 47 strings!
I don’t know how she manages to keep playing when the boat hits the waves. Shame that the other guests would rather listen to Jim Bowen and his days on Bullseye than to R and her harp.

Santa Cruz de La Palma 1 April 2006

Sorry no pics of this tiny island as I was feeling rather fragile after another force 9 night sailing from Madeira. Here is a link to a good website for some pictures: www.islalapalma.com

Santa Cruz de La Palma is the capital. This seems to be the only place I have visited to date that has no McDonald's, Burger King or Kentucky Fried Chicken -– hurrah. Please nobody tell them. The city’ had a really nice family atmosphere with lots of Spanish children dressed up for festival. Many of the old buildings have wooden balconies a bit like the houses in Northern Greece. The main boulevard that runs along the sea front is the best place to see some traditional houses.

A walk down Calle O' Daly will bring you to an outdoor tapas bar (the only one along this road) which serves some yummy tuna croquettes.

Manolo Blahnik was born on the island in 1942. He studied law, literature and art in Paris but it was in London where he designed his first shoes. 'Being terribly frivolous is the only possible solution before such a horrible world.'’ Well I guess you have to justify the ridiculous cost of your shoes somehow darling ;)

Funchal, Madeira 31 March 2006

Well just like the Pope I kissed the ground in Funchal port. In the excitement of being on land and in such a beautiful place we managed to get ripped off by the taxi driver who whisked us up into the mountains to Monte Palace. www.montepalace.com

For a birds eye view of Funchal take the cable car (9.50 euro)

I was met by AS who lives in the garden and is the curator of the museum. How lucky he is to live in such a fantastic place.

I was asked to photograph the garden for a UK horticulture magazine but due to the bad weather delaying the ship I only had three hours at Monte Palace. This tropical botanical garden clings to the side of the mountain and has fantastic views of Funchal. The paths wind around and under huge tree ferns and cycads. Cycads are living fossils an endangered plant species that have existed since before the Jurassic Period, over 280 million years ago.

The owner of the garden Mr Berardo in addition to a huge collection of artworks has bought the right to use a colour of blue created by the artist Yves Klein. It is known as IKB International Klein Blue. www.tate.org.uk

A giant panel of IKB casts a deep hue across the garden when the sun hits it.

Many thanks to A for the quick version of the guided tour and for helping me with all my equipment. I shall be back to see the museum and to eat some more Portuguese custard tarts!

3 days at Sea

Second day into the journey and the captain announces that we are expecting some bad weather down to Madeira. Several hours later it escalates into Force 9. 12 is a hurricane.
Sick bags have become the latest fashion accessory on board. The tablets don’t work so I’m seeing how long I can survive without food and water before I succumb to an injection.
Lying horizontal in the cabin seems to be the only way to stop me from feeling very ill.
The doctor and his needle have visited but it only lasts 12 hours. I’m counting the hours until we arrive in Madeira.
Image below titled After Martin Parr - Hot Socks

Liverpool 27 March 2006

We set sail from Liverpool Docks – the real Liverpool Docks not the sanitised version you use to see on ITV This Morning. It takes us all of 5 minutes to completely explore the boat and the first thing I noticed was the carpets.
So if the sea does not make us sick the pattern on the carpets will!