concept42

The ARE NOT the droids you are looking for

2011-08-03T14:39:00.001-07:00

Galway

2011-06-20T20:00:00.000-07:00

On Monday Night we arrive in Galway and use the guide book to locate a hotel. We choose the Meyrick downtown and are pleasantly upgraded to a suite. 600 sq'ft of space

Inoshowen Peninsula

2011-06-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

Monday Morning after tyre repair we are on the road to inoshowen. Northwest Ireland. First stop abandoned castle #1. Culdaff wollen shop for a sweater purchase - Many Many Many sheep and stone fences and a turnabout and long drive to Galway on the east. It is all a blur of winding roads.

Trye Repair

2011-06-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

At 7:00 AM Monday morning I awake in search of a timely tyre repair. Having scouted out two candidate garages I am off. Northwest Tyre is a premium facility, I arrive early, before they open. A retiring looking man is moving the service trucks and advises me that they should be opening soon. When The garage doors finally open at 8:15 I ask about the service.He is anxious to help. It seems as though we had retyred(!) in his 60's and wasn't what I expected of a strapping lad with tats who would be ready. He nod that I drive the car in to the ramp and without much fuss - minutes later my tyre was off and the younger service man found a new one. All installed at 8:35 - Five minutes after they really opened. Hats off to old tyre man at Northwest Tyre in Derry. On the road and ready tot travel

Three Times a Charm

2011-06-19T16:23:00.000-07:00

Navigating the Derry city we try to settle on a Hotel, B&B's have been nixed and we are hotel bound. Settling on the 'City Hotel' (Good Name!) I wheel the car around the roundabout towards the hotel. As I try to park at the hotel I am diverted to a underground parking garage. As the car nudges through the parking lot entrance, my right brain is still too much left and the car front tire hits the curb (Note: reference other two times). We now have a flat and a rental and problem. The tire is cooked - split beyond repair. Fortunately we are meters from the Hotel - Aisha goes to check in and I review the tyre situation (tyre not tire).

I have pulled into the taxi roundabout, underground and away the rain - something is working. I nab the jack, tyre from the trunk and begin the Indy 500 jack-and-go. The lugs are off but the tire will not move. I enlist the support of the venerable parkign security cop and he lends me a hammer from the security office to 'nudge' the whee into submission. I start with a few gentle taps and nothing - he take the hammer and gives it the 'English' - it is starting to move. I see the method and take over, with a series of rotating taps getting harder and harder. Wheel is free, spare on, hands greasy, I thank my enlisted hammer mechanic and wheel the car back into the hotel garage.

Being Saturday night it will be unlikely to find a replacement in the morning, Sunday. We resolve to stay in Derry until Monday morning when we can source new rubber. Sunday (Happy Fathers Day) we will risk the spare to brave the Northern Ireland coast and explore

Giant's Causeway

2011-06-19T10:00:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning we brave the hotel breakfast and mount our 80km max spare to the North to Giant's Causeway - A natural oceanside wonder - google it - this is not Geography class. The spare holds fine despite the rolling hill and 80km+ driving. With only the threat of rain we walk below to the rocks and admire the geometrics marvels of nature. Returning by shuttle to the visitor center we head further up the coast to explore the other ruins and sights along the way. Retuning back to Derry for a dinner and a Guinness

Day 2 - Arrive Dublin - Drive to Derry

2011-06-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

The 6+ hour hour red-eye flight has allowed me to par-sleep and I am ready to brave the 'right-hand' to drive 3 hours to Derry. Finding my bags promptly and car hire counter as the farrrrrrrr back of the terminal, I am keyed and pumped to endure the drive in the rain/hail/sun changing weather of Ireland. I am ok to drive on the right hand side - I mean left - of the road and had done so several years earlier in the UK. Entering the car I re-tuned my brain and kept repeating left, left, left. All good,all going well traveling North along the M(insert number here) towards Derry. Minor bumps twice as the left wheel hits the curb - more right - bear hard to starboard!! Arriving finally in Derry to the UoU -Easy to find the campus hard to find the residence. As I stop at the fourth locked parking gate, a car stops behind. Thinking I am blocking another visitor I leave the car and excuse myself as I am lost. The drivers are equally lost Parisian parents, who are also picking up a daughter as the residence. At the end of my broken French and their better English we jointly decide that we are still lost despite the some of our dual-continent knowledge and combined information and agree to go it on our own. Minutes later after the 17th route around the city, I spot the sign and residence entrance. The French have arrived before me, only minutes. I meet (squeeze,kiss,hug) Aisha in Cell Block 5 Cell 7. Marginally better than what I imagine would be a minimum security prison. Being the last convict to be let out she has gathered all the remaining prison traded food, including scrumptous cheeses a yogurts and crackers. Prison life can't be all bad.

Day 1 - To Derry

2011-06-17T23:00:00.000-07:00

I leave Toronto to Dublin but have a few hours to kill before the possibly cramped flight. I opt to use my has $35 CAD in the 'Executive Lounge' while i wait for the flight. I figure a beer and a meal = $35 or two beers and snack at the lounge on comfortable chairs would be the same. The lounge at T3 Toronto is not up to par. Small no windows, sketch food... I get by $35 worth to be sure. The positive is that I meet a nice couple returning from Kingston to Manchester, he is Irish and she is a Brit and they allow me to close my travel guide while he explains some better options for the Ireland excursion. As we all still have hours to go before our respective flights our conversation ranges from socialism to computers to rural economic development mixed with stories of children by a music and betting on a fast nag at the Sligo Races. We are given last call at the lounge as out 11:LATE ish flights are now starting the board. My fears of a cramp flight as alayed as by requested bulk head seat has plenty of room and by 2 seat mates and found other digs. I hope for the same return blessing.

Trip to Ireland

2011-06-17T15:50:00.000-07:00

I have fortunately decided to join Aisha in Ireland. She was there for 1 week at the University of Ulster taking a course in Derry/LondonDerry/Derry and I have jetted over (Transat) not on a whim, but planned to connect with her in Derry for our next 5 day excursion across Ireland - Just like Pakistan but greener. I need to catch up on blog posting so the next few are all post-experience.

Regular Posts??

2009-06-25T06:31:00.001-07:00

A blog is designed to allow rapid and/or frequent update to allow the followers timely information about the author. Oh well I am way behind blogging. What's new??
We have purchased, after much debate and research and planning - Read's Books Shop - Carleton Place, An established community bookstore with growing sales and an established client base. Do I read? Never? But I can run the book store machine, while competent family and staff run the 'Can you recommend a book model'.

Check us out at www.readsbookshop.com. Come in for a coffee,scone, wifi and some great books.

Validation - Excellent 16m Video Short

2009-02-25T17:21:00.000-08:00

US Presidential Poster - The Best

2008-11-20T06:23:00.000-08:00

The picture says it all

Smart Car

2008-10-18T14:15:00.000-07:00

So it's not the coffee blog, but the Smart Car blog. Bought the '06 Smart Car. 4L/100km - nice commuter. The van is in the shop. What you traded your van for a smart Car? Khalil says its the Apple of cars!

So what is next...

2008-06-30T03:43:00.000-07:00

So is this the point in the blog were you say, "It's been along time since I blogged and I have been doing blaa blaa and blaa blaaa, boring , whatever, who cares"? Or do I start saying something interesting or asking questions or using the blog for either telling a story or relaying information. Today I still want to do neither, but rather enjoy the morning and just drink my coffee. Still deciding , however if the purchase of a Sirena Starbucks Espresso machine is in our near future purchase cycle. Ah.. the Americano.. A lush compromise of flavor and simplicity in the coffee arena.

Maybe I should start a coffee blog .. What does that mean anyway? Anyway - excellent shout out to http://www.equator.ca/ Equator Coffee Roasters Inc. I Almonte as I am drinking the Brazilian Colonial.

Later..

This is a test. 1234...

2008-05-16T06:29:00.001-07:00

This is a test. 1234. listen

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Pakistan'06 Mashup form Animotto

2008-05-01T19:20:00.001-07:00

Animotto

2008-05-01T19:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I heard about a site animotto.com that does picture/music mashups. Rather than descibe it visit the site and try it out.

The next blogging wave

2008-05-01T19:11:00.000-07:00

So in the past I have been 'blogging' ie writing safe rambling about what I am doing, where I am going. However I think blogs are supposed to do something more profound. like ask questions - give answers - information.

So maybe I'll start to provide, create, invent, makeup some content - maybe it might be useful and or meaning full..
Or maybe it will just be more ramblings....

Anyway it will certainly give me a forum to play with a manners of Web 2.0 toys, blogs, twits, video, chat, content management, video.
Later...

Travel to MIA

2008-04-07T19:50:00.000-07:00

After many years I am returning to MIA (Miami, FLA) to visit my father for a weekend plus 2 days. it has been several years since I have been and I am looking forward to the connection to the wisen old man.

Still here....

2008-02-21T19:20:00.000-08:00

Hey. hello. Still here. I have not blogged in a long time. Arguably I amnot blogging now, just filling up some space on some server so some software can determine that I have written something (anything) and report an update on some other link so that people (1 or 2) can read this rant.

Maybe I will actually write something meaningful one day. Rather then wait for the next big trip, which , would be quite welcome

Vanity Domain

2007-10-21T17:12:00.000-07:00

Today I purchased anthonyvanalphen.com . Why, just because this is me and it was available - never know when it might in useful - at present it just point to by blogspot link concept42.blogspot.com.

Too much time maybe..

Home

2007-09-10T07:26:00.000-07:00

After 24+ hours and four flights and some Sitar management I have arrived home - Hey 15minutes early - What an effective transport system. The Sitar arrived in perfect condition - know I need my decade to go forward.

Announcing the boarding of flight...

2007-09-07T17:19:00.000-07:00

Started the Journey Friday night at 11:30 PM - My routing home is as follows: Chennai- Kuala Lumpur- Shanghai- Vancouver- Ottawa I checked in the Sitar despite some reservations. I think it will eventually be OK and arrive some time. I am in Kuala Lumpur - still the best airport I've ever been in - and free Wifi. I am so looking forward to seat 40K. If you ever wanted all the info on any seat in the global fleet check out 'seatguru.com' It will tell you how cramped your ass will be.

Sitar in Motion

2007-09-06T10:11:00.000-07:00

After a long day at work until 6:30 + the 1 hour busy drive(r) back to the hotel, I call the music store to confirm Sitar pickup and time at they close - 9:00pm.
Downstairs an the concierge I ask about getting a cab - but they are only interested in the 3 hour minimum car+driver package for 1000 ruppees - and in 15min. Too much and late for me so I escape the luxury compound across the street and negotiate the rick-shaw driver for the trip north to the shop. I estimate 20min but after getting 80% there and having him ask his comrades where the road was - despite my map from google earth. We arrive 8:30. The sitar is prepacked and ready to go. An accounting slip up on their side saves me an additional 1000 rupees (which I discover later - yippee) and I am back to the curb with a crate of sitar and a small rickshaw. After a few brief laughs from passers by I sit in the rickshaw with the crate on my lap - 4 inches of sitar crate hang out each side of the rickshaw - The size of the rickshaw has grown by about 10% - a necessary factor in Chennai's traffic dance. So I remind the drive that is vehicle is now larger. - Anyway 45min more back home(hotel) we arrive. 30 before arrival at the hotel it starts to pour and my precious 8" are getting wet - so the drive offers to breach the fortress and enter the hotel entrance. The security flags him down - but waves him further seeing the white guy. A quick unload and payment given - still too damn much for a rickshaw - he is off with an additional chide by the hotel staff for touring a richshaw through the hotel drive up. A trolley up the room. The baby sits in box with only a brief escape to play. I call the airports to debate the checkin vs carryon dilemma but in the end will probably opt for additional pack up and checkin.
That was half the fun - the other half will be making a decent sound.

Owner of Lonely Sitar

2007-09-04T04:03:00.000-07:00

In the AM in called my two music shops to get a price on the Sitar. Hired a car and scouted them both. After some minor negotiations (at the second shop) I put down my deposit on the Sitar. They will fix some minor cosmetic issues and pack it for suitable air transport for tomorrow. After exchange its about $140 CDN. It's not an Indian heirloom but is an Indian Sitar with too many string to deal with. I bought a 'How to Play Sitar' book at the mall for $2 - I will be a master within a decade - to be sure.

Laundry Service

2007-09-03T21:36:00.000-07:00

Lacking clean 'undergarments' I opted for the laundry service - you got to be clean.
I know why I don't get this kind of service at home.

Road to Work

2007-09-03T21:22:00.000-07:00

Short (bad) phone video of road to work. Honking is mandatory

Sunday Walk

2007-09-02T02:31:00.000-07:00

I awoke at about 6:30 and lounge until about 9:00 when I prepared to go forth on the explore. From my past visit I did have some lay of the land. I fired up my GPS a located the hotel so that if I got lost I could navigate back home. I walked the ATM - out of service - so I walked further to the other ATM - Cash in hand I hired an auto-rickshaw to a trip to Spencers Plaza - the 36000sq' largest mall in India. A 3 story combination of the A modern mall and a street market. Some large shops but mostly small shops. As I was there before 10:00 many had not opened and the ones that had say a good opportunity to get the early shopper. After too much walking and seeing no deals I decided to walk on foot the the instrument store I had previously scoped in Mylapore. After the 33 deg walk I arrived at the closed store - I took the risk and - well I will try again Tues - Vowing not to be deterred by the heat and dirt and traffic and misdirection I followed my primitive GPS back to the hotel. The 6km walk had beat me and I headed for the shower and a cooler - bad - lunch in at the hotel. It is mid afternoon and I feel more like sleeping than touring.
Typical westerners would certainly describe Chennai as a dirty city, but as you look around at the people, houses, cars you see that they are trying. The ladies and boys sweep their shops and homes every day but you just can expect the sanitized NA picture. This is the real world. What we have in NA is the Saran Wrap view of reality. I am too tired to make up some significant culture essay so I'll just have some more water and lie down.

Chennai

2007-09-01T09:41:00.000-07:00

Arrived in Chennai from Kuala Lumpur in 3 1/2 hours. No problem with airport - It is looking nicer since I was last here. So now begins the expected rally car drive to the hotel. It is still so amazing how the traffic skirms in and out with accidents being avoided every second. Just trust the driver - he knows the skinny.
Of course the Park Sheraton is one of the best in the city and the Executive rooms are well appointed with mahogany and marble, king size bed, a crap load of bathroom sundries (including fine pen and note pad by the toilet in case I get an ephiphany of the next great invention while on the lieu), Flat screen TV with DVD player, wireless internet and phone........ Funny that it is 3x the price as in Shanghai. Since I am not here with Hendrik, my Antwerp colleague I will have no one to dance with in the disco - so I will pass and get a light snack at the stoggie old man's bar. Tommorrow I sleep in - a little - and do some shopping - or walking - or both - I will try to escape the perimeter of the hotel and feel the street.

Video Blogging

2007-09-01T02:12:00.000-07:00

Hey - So lets use this expense phone and try a video blog. Look - it's really the bagpiper from last post. I'm certain my blog quality will improve with care

Kuala Lumpur

2007-09-01T01:47:00.000-07:00

On Sat morning I am off to Chennai via Kuala Lumpur. Arrival via the 5:00hr flight is pleasant. The KLIA is beautiful and has won many awards. I have a 3+ hour stop - enough time to catch up on blog and grab some NA food - I mean a tall vanilla latte at SB. Nothing to buy here that I want to afford - it is all just high end fashion names. I 0only have some local money for Amir. As I am writing this I am serenaded by bagpipe music from the local tatoo - quite unexpected.

Friday Night Lights

2007-09-01T01:20:00.000-07:00

After squeezing all relevant discussion and meeting into Friday morning, my host and I are finally able to get away off to more official downtown Shanghai for 'serious' shopping and minor sight seeing. We take a cab to the subway station near the Science and Tech Museaum. This is where the new 'faek' market has moved. An underground, but well appointed mini mall maze of about 100+ shops selling all the not real good. As it is still mid afternoon the bussle has not picked up and the tall lone white man with two local guides is ripe for the solicitation - "watch", "bag", "dvd" from all corners - We get nabbed by a 'boss' a guy whp overseas several shops and we generally let him guide use to some of his selected family owned business. The bargaining start always high and ends up about 6-8 times lower in the end, especially with the help of my local hosts who push the price down just a bit more. Having been to Pakistan I am keen to go it alone but my host is doing a good job. After a Brazilian BBQ meal of mostly meat - 'to much for me' after the 6 course lunch - we grab the subway across the river.

The Shanghai subway is clean, fast and efficient, but crowded. In the Friday night shuffle home we are crammed into the subway - groin to hip to waist to knee to whatever. I see over the sea of heads as the 6'3" dude has a good view.

Across the river in Pu Shi we walk from the high end shops all the way to more traditional shops near Yu Yuan garden were I see 'some' of the more local architecture and shops.

The bottom line is the Shanghia is a world class modern city and you need to drive some way, I'm sure, to see the 'real' China'

No late nights just a long cab ride home and a gracious thank-you to my host.

The Lunch

2007-08-29T03:32:00.000-07:00

There was going to be a point when my most hospitable colleague would take me the upscale restaurant and order various local dish. Lunch today was that experience - Several items are order from the menu with 0% knowledge from me as too their potential pending epicurean delights. As I can remember I had the following: 1) Some green 2 pad peas in which you were really not supposes to read the pod. This I only discovered after a few and watch my colleagues eject the hull. 2) Lotus root stuffed with rice
3) Eggplant - a la king 4) A green leafy and mussel-like dish 5) Beef and peppers - safe 6) A sweet and sour soup with out the sweet - many bowls consumed. and 7) The ' the big one' Chairman Mao dish consisting of eel and tripe - I went full into it - with no regrets - The whole meal was great and I feel I could go deeper in the experimental realm of Shanghai delicacies.

Street DVDs

2007-08-28T13:57:00.000-07:00

So suppose someone wanted to buy some DVDs, perhaps these DVD would not necessarily be original, maybe it would be possible to, say get the whole StarTrek and Friends 10 Seasons for about 100RMB ($14). Not that I am condoning this type of purchase - I likely could be done and still you would think that you were ripped off. I have heard that the base price for the DVD is 5 RMB ($0.70). Not that it would be so likely that both box sets might be sitting next to each other in the cart on the side of the street, I still think that 100RMB each is still too much, but anyway maybe someone would buy them...

Day 1 Walk to the Bund

2007-08-27T02:31:00.001-07:00

After arrival I walked to the Bund - an historic British influenced string on the west side of the river. The river front has some stunning views of Western Pudong modern tech and the riverside. The riverside walkway is littered with mostly local tourists taking dozens of pictures of the riverside.

"No Thanks - I do not want to buy a Rolex" - yet

On the way to the Bund I stopped by the Hyatt Hotel in the heart of the Pudong. I has about 80+ floors of which the lobby starts at 54th and the bar is at 87th. The view from this hotel is the best in Shanghai for the water front view.

A Bund Wedding

Arrival in Shanghai

2007-08-26T16:18:00.000-07:00

I arrived in Shanghai with little issue and less entry fuss - fill in the three forms and state that you do not have terrible diseases and your - not a word or question - just a stamp and follow the line out. Getting a taxi I was told to avoid the immediate taxi drivers asking you at the door and proceed to the proper taxi stand. Flashing my hotel 'take me to the ... hotel card' I am off down the new highways of the Pudong District toward my hotel. The Pudong District is a newer part of Shanghai in which large companies and multinationals have setup offices. I looks no different from any NA large commercial area.

China - India

2007-08-23T15:30:00.000-07:00

Getting ready to go to China (Shanghai) and India (Chennai) for business. Planning (loose wording) to buy a sitar in India. I have already pegged out a store in Chennai with overpriced musical instruments...

In the beginning...

2007-07-19T18:34:00.000-07:00

Is this the beginning of another blog. I wish I had something meaty to write about. No major trip pending. No life altering activities planned.

Ho yum...lets see what happens