The Journey of a thousand miles begins with
a broken fan belt and a leaky tire...
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Saturday, August 30, 2014
The Parade
The official opening, of course, is a parade, headed by Bleiburg's mayor and other dignitaries, followed by brass bands, and Groups featuring national costumes of times gone by.
The Market of the Meadow
I wrote about this annual festival last year, but it bears repeating.
This year, 2014, is the 621st "Bleiburg Wiesenmarkt" ( Market of the Meadow ).
Fully 99 years before Columbus set sail and discovered America ( or so they say ) Duke Albrecht gave the town of Bleiburg the right to conduct a farmers' market. From far and wide they came and brought their oxen, their cows, horses and pigs to exhibit the best of the best and to sell some of them to willing buyers.
The farmers came with their wives and children and there was need for entertainment. The ladies wanted to shop for items they would need all the coming year: Kitchen wear, spinning wheels, clothing for themselves and their children. Soon this farmers market expanded from a simple animal show, to a market place for all manner of things. Then, of course, came the Merry Go Round and other amusements, until today the amusement area by far exceeds in size the business side of things.
The "Wiesenmarkt" is inaugurated by a parade, lead by the Mayor and other dignitaries of the town.
For the past few years there has been a musical presentation:
"Jazz in da Hittn", a dialect title, loosely translated as : "Jazz in the barn".
and what fabulous musicians they are.
Led by Stefan Thaler on Bass and Tonc Feinig at the keyboards: I regret that I cannot add sound to this Blog. Here's the band:
This year, 2014, is the 621st "Bleiburg Wiesenmarkt" ( Market of the Meadow ).
Fully 99 years before Columbus set sail and discovered America ( or so they say ) Duke Albrecht gave the town of Bleiburg the right to conduct a farmers' market. From far and wide they came and brought their oxen, their cows, horses and pigs to exhibit the best of the best and to sell some of them to willing buyers.
The farmers came with their wives and children and there was need for entertainment. The ladies wanted to shop for items they would need all the coming year: Kitchen wear, spinning wheels, clothing for themselves and their children. Soon this farmers market expanded from a simple animal show, to a market place for all manner of things. Then, of course, came the Merry Go Round and other amusements, until today the amusement area by far exceeds in size the business side of things.
The "Wiesenmarkt" is inaugurated by a parade, lead by the Mayor and other dignitaries of the town.
For the past few years there has been a musical presentation:
"Jazz in da Hittn", a dialect title, loosely translated as : "Jazz in the barn".
and what fabulous musicians they are.
Led by Stefan Thaler on Bass and Tonc Feinig at the keyboards: I regret that I cannot add sound to this Blog. Here's the band:
Michael Erian - Tenor Sax, Thomas Käfel - Drums,
Stefan Thaler - Bass, Tonc Feinig - Keyboard,
Ana Bezjak - vocals
Jazz, the way it ought to be played and sung.
Thursday, August 28, 2014
HOTEL & BAR
It is only a viscious rumour that we stayed overnight in this hotel.
In fact, we travelled by land rover
and spent our nights in "mosy tents".
This "HOTEL" was in a small village just North of Nakuru, in Kenya, and actually was more like a pub.
.
We did, however, have a locally brewed beer
in this CORNER BAR:
Unfortunately we did not listen to the advice of our guide, to stay away from the local brew.
The milky coloured liquid they called "beer" gave us all a case of "Montezuma's Revenge"
You just have to get used to this stuff.
Paintings of local wild life, such as Zebras and Elephant
decorate the side of this abode.
"Welcome to Super Butchery"
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
RED versus GREEN
Wu Shaoxiang and Jiang Shuo are a husband and wife team of Chinese artists.
After the massacre in the Tiananmen Square in 1989, they immigrated to Austria, where they settled in Klagenfurt, Carinthia and established there a thriving art gallery.
Their latest exhibition in 2014 at the Werner Berg Museum in Bleiburg, Carinthia, called "Red versus Green" concentrates upon the juxtaposition of these colours in the realm of painting as well as philosophy.
Since the beginning of the communist dictatorship under Mao Zedong, Red has stood for Mao's ideology and "Mao's Red Book" was in evidence everywhere.
In modern China western, capitalistic ideas, with the demand for the American Dollar, also called "Greenback" ( but without its essential ideology of freedom and democracy ) have dictated Chinese Life in general, and artistic expression specifically.
Wu Shaoxiang and Jiang Shuo have taken a critical, but also humerous look at the Chinese Red and the American Green. Their work may still be viewed in the Werner Berg Museum in Bleiburg Carinthia.
Please come to Bleiburg and see this and other wonderful art exhibits in the Werner Berg Museum.
so asks
Bertstravels.
After the massacre in the Tiananmen Square in 1989, they immigrated to Austria, where they settled in Klagenfurt, Carinthia and established there a thriving art gallery.
Their latest exhibition in 2014 at the Werner Berg Museum in Bleiburg, Carinthia, called "Red versus Green" concentrates upon the juxtaposition of these colours in the realm of painting as well as philosophy.
Since the beginning of the communist dictatorship under Mao Zedong, Red has stood for Mao's ideology and "Mao's Red Book" was in evidence everywhere.
In modern China western, capitalistic ideas, with the demand for the American Dollar, also called "Greenback" ( but without its essential ideology of freedom and democracy ) have dictated Chinese Life in general, and artistic expression specifically.
Wu Shaoxiang and Jiang Shuo have taken a critical, but also humerous look at the Chinese Red and the American Green. Their work may still be viewed in the Werner Berg Museum in Bleiburg Carinthia.
The artist pair, Wu Shaoxiang and Jiang Shuo
during the opening ceremony of their show in Bleiburg, Carinthia.
This bust of Mao Zedong is fashioned of bronze impressions of the American Dollar.
It stands on a pedestal with the inscription:
I love M
Whereby the 'M' may stand for Mao,
but, more likely it represents the golden arches of McDonald's.
Once again showing the inevitable transition
from Mao's Communism to Western Capitalism.
Here, Mao sits with a broad smile.
His red tie features
the Sickle and Hammer
and the Dollar sign.
The "Great Leap Forward"
shows a member of "the Red Guards"
leaping over a red apple.
One wonders if the apple refers to New York
which, in America is often called "the Big apple"
Two "Red Guards" lifting Mao's "Red Book"
in the sculpture called "Big Stride"
A Chinese mother, holding Mao's Red Book in her right hand,
seems desperately to struggle with her three children
who are more interested in a "cell phone", a can of "Coca Cola"
and a set of ear phones, probably listening to Rock and Roll.
*************************
so asks
Bertstravels.
Sunday, August 24, 2014
A bit more about Prayer
Somewhere, in this Blog, not so long ago, I expressed some thoughts about prayer and came to the conclusion that prayer is either "useless" or "unnecessary"..
Actually I think it is both!
In the New Testament, St.Mathew, Chapter 6, Verse 7, Jesus speaks about prayer and he is reported to have said this:
"But when you pray, use not vain repetition as the heathen do, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking."
Well, not so long ago I attended a funeral in a Roman Catholic Church and they prayed and they prayed.
You never heard such repetition. The same prayer verses were repeated over and over and over again.
So I had to come to the conclusion that all those who attended this church service either were Catholics who had never read the Bible (certainly not St. Mathew 6:7) or they were Heathen.
Do you agree with
Bertstravels ?
Actually I think it is both!
In the New Testament, St.Mathew, Chapter 6, Verse 7, Jesus speaks about prayer and he is reported to have said this:
"But when you pray, use not vain repetition as the heathen do, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking."
Well, not so long ago I attended a funeral in a Roman Catholic Church and they prayed and they prayed.
You never heard such repetition. The same prayer verses were repeated over and over and over again.
So I had to come to the conclusion that all those who attended this church service either were Catholics who had never read the Bible (certainly not St. Mathew 6:7) or they were Heathen.
Do you agree with
Bertstravels ?
The Black Panther
It sneaked into our garden and confronted me with a snarl.
What is it ? A Black Peruvian Panther ? Ready to pounce and make a meal of me ?
Noooo...
Just a tiny black kitten, yawning mightily, stretching its lithe body and then carelessly walking away.
It didn't even say "thank you" for the delicious meal I provided for its breakfast.
What is it ? A Black Peruvian Panther ? Ready to pounce and make a meal of me ?
Noooo...
Just a tiny black kitten, yawning mightily, stretching its lithe body and then carelessly walking away.
It didn't even say "thank you" for the delicious meal I provided for its breakfast.
Saturday, August 23, 2014
Close-ups of flowers in our garden
I don't know their names ;
and I don't think it matters.
Beauty without a name is still beautiful.
anyway, that's what
Bertstravels thinks.
Friday, August 22, 2014
Sales Ladies of Kariba
High above the Kariba Dam, on one of the seven hills of Kariba, local women display their handy-work.
Beautiful, large table cloths right down to small doilies are vociferously offered for sale.
Beautiful, large table cloths right down to small doilies are vociferously offered for sale.
atop the 7th hill, with Lake Kariba visible in the back ground,
all manner and sizes of table cloths are offered for sale.
Here, Gladys, assisted by Christopher Wear,
finds it difficult to decide and impossible to resist.
Maasai Veterinary & Assistant
Just outside the Amboseli National Park we met two Maasai.
One introduced himself as a Veterinary doctor and the other as his assistant.
Beside their native tongue, they spoke Swahili and the Vet spoke English quite well.
He explained to us that they had just come from one of the herds which suffered from a bovine infection and that they had spent the last two days inoculating over 500 heads of cattle.
Unfortunately I forgot their names, but I still have their pictures.
One introduced himself as a Veterinary doctor and the other as his assistant.
Beside their native tongue, they spoke Swahili and the Vet spoke English quite well.
He explained to us that they had just come from one of the herds which suffered from a bovine infection and that they had spent the last two days inoculating over 500 heads of cattle.
Unfortunately I forgot their names, but I still have their pictures.
The Veterinary ( left ) and his Assistant
His hair braided and kept in place by a decorative hair clamp
ear rings and necklaces of great variety,
this vet-assistance makes a great photogenic model.
The Maasai veterinary doctor,
having studied Veterinary Medicine in London, England
now again dresses in the native garb,
in order to instill confidence in his
compatriot herdsmen.
I found it particularly interesting to note
where he kept the money he had earned.
Bertstravels
likes to put his money in his wallet.
Thursday, August 21, 2014
By DHOW to the Island of LAMU
Should you ever get tired of the Safari life, there is the ideal place for a little rest:
The Island of Lamu, in the Indian Ocean, just off the coast of Kenya.
The Island of Lamu, in the Indian Ocean, just off the coast of Kenya.
The Captain, Moamed, of his Dhow and his "First Mate"
will bring you safely accross the open water to the Island of Lamu.
This is Mohab, First Mate of this primitive, but safe vessel.
Right on the shore is the "Hotel Peponi"...
...and immediately behind "Peponi's" there begins the Village of "Shellah"
On the Island of Lamu
The Red Sandals of Lamu !
In the heat of the midday sun, these men rest in the shade of their homes.
The Village of Lamu on the island of the same name.
It's noon! School has recessed and this kid runs home as fast as he can.
Three colour conscious young Moslem ladies stroll by a clothing/fashion store.
A shy lass.