Dreaming of Freedom

I have arrived in Sweden and am now amid blue and yellow flags and red wooden houses. Gothenburg airport is very tiny and sweet. It’s a bit of a backwards time warp when you step off the plane for the first time. I could see red houses and fields of horses right next to the airport. The airport used to owned by the military and most of the control buildings were underground - you can see a tower next to a arch cave like entrance as you fly in.

The coastline of Sweden is very interesting. It’s a bit of a wiggly line and there are lots of rocky looking islands dotted with red houses along the coast. These tiny fishing villages look like children’s toys from the air so I’m looking forward to getting a proper look soon. According to the gentleman behind me on the plane there is an inlet/canal/river that starts at the coastline here and cuts straight through Sweden. You can sail through it on a ship apparently.

It’s not too far from the airport if you are picked up by hospitable friends and ferried back to their house - as indeed I was. Keyvan has spent the last two days cycling around the area and has fallen in love with Sweden - more later!

No Comments »

It’s so nice to be back in Norwich. It’s unbelievably peaceful and calm and the pace of life is so gentle and slow. The pavements are relatively uncrowded and I haven’t had to squash myself onto any form of public transport because I can cycle everywhere in the city. I wouldn’t leave but I hear that Gothenburg is nice this time of year!

Tonight I’m going to spend with Will, Ella and probably Rich for an early dinner and then tomorrow I’m off to Sweden. It’s against my environmental ideals but yes I am flying there. Primarily because it’s so complicated, expensive and time consuming to go any other way. Hopefully on the way back we’ll figure out a nice meandering and greener route to get back and do a bit of Europe sightseeing on the way. There is a convenient train from Norwich to Stansted and some lovely people to pick me up from Gothenburg airport so the rest of the journey is all set.

We’re going to spend the next month staying in Gothenburg and checking out the city. Keyvan is out there already and tells me it’s lovely. I hear the beaches around the area are beautiful and I’m looking forward to seeing how Swedish society is run. I don’t expect it to be widely different from Norway and Denmark but because I’ve never been before it’s quite exciting to be on a voyage of discovery.

We’ve both got ourselves new mobiles with skype inbuilt so we can contact everyone and everyone can reach us for free while we’re out there. Of course you’ll get regular blog updates because I hear that Sweden is endowed with high speed, reliable internet that I will make sure I have access to.

Right I’m off to do the million and one things I have to do before I leave - not least of which is the haircut - it’s all coming off so if you don’t recognize me it’s because I’ve divested myself of all the fluff and curls and am going for a simple man cut!!

No Comments »

It’s my last day in London. I’m getting a train to Norwich this morning and then next week I’m heading over to Sweden for a long holiday. I was so sad to leave my lovely job yesterday. I’m going to miss all the art galleries and museums so much but it will be nice to get into the country and breathe some nice fresh air!! Must dash to station - but one last thing - well done to all those teacher who where on strike on Thursday - go teachers go!!

No Comments »

I have just got back from a wee holiday in Dublin. We nipped over there for Keyvan’s graduation - an exciting event held in The Helix at Dublin City University. The only slightly odd thing about the ceremony was the lack of motarboards but we all pulled through. There was a good speech from Olivia O’Leary who was receiving an honorary degree. I felt quite stirred up after she talked about the principles the OU was founded on - accessible education for all and feasible distance learning.

After a brief sojourn at the Helix with the chocolate dipped strawberries, bucks fizz and medieval costumes we headed back into Dublin centre and wandered around for the rest of the weekend. I managed to check out Trinity College and the National Gallery of Ireland. I saw the outside of Dublin Castle, the National Museum of Ireland, The National Library of Ireland the Guinness factory and the Gallery of Photography. I saw the inside the National Photographic Archive which is near the Gallery of Photography, while Keyvan and his family munched on delicious food at Zaytoon - a Persian fast food style restaurant nearby. I also popped into a display about organic cotton in one of the many side streets in that area, which was on because of the Ethical Fashion week.

I spent time on O’Connell Street admiring the digital art by Julian Opie. His work is worth a look if you get a chance. I know his work from portraits of Blur he did for an album cover.

I also spent some quality time in the cinema on O’Connell Street just because I haven’t been to the cinema for what is getting on for years now. We saw In Bruges - an odd black comedy that is actually amusing in parts. As the main character came from Dublin that added to my cinematic experience.

It did rain - as I gather is to be expected in Ireland but Monday was pleasant enough with a warming amount of sunshine. I didn’t see as much of Dublin as I would have liked so I can’t really tell you much about the place. The best thing about the city was the good transport infrastructure. They had an amazing number of buses that actually ran on time and were easy to use. The tram was also good. I’m a big fan of trams - I like Sheffield for almost solely that reason and I’m looking forward to see another tram system in action in Gothenburg. There should be trams in every city and I’m hoping that Norwich get their act into gear and put one in soon. A city with a good public transport infrastructure can’t be all bad but I didn’t really get enough time to get a good look around Dublin so I’ve been left with a slightly dreary impression of a run down city with sooty buildings that the rain doesn’t clean.

No Comments »

I went to see The Collective 08 exhibition on Friday night. If you’re in the Islington area then check it out. Keyvan’s work is always good but the three pieces he has chosen to exhibit are thought provoking because they highlight the sadness and emptiness of the life of the average professional in London. Each photograph is accompanied by a quote from Jeff Schmidt’s Disciplined Minds, which if you haven’t read is definitely worth reading.

No Comments »

I walked around St James after work today. It’s quite nice but it’s bizarre wandering past the shops seeing priceless antiques on sale, of the sort that I’ve only ever seen in galleries and museums. It was odd seeing things in Christies advertised at more than the cost of an ordinary person’s house and it struck me again what a city of extremes London is - the very poor and the very rich living side by side. It must be odd to own a surviving piece of C15th statue or Elizabethan painting and keep it just in your house for only you and your friends to see. What a good thing that someone thought to set up galleries and museums for all of us.

St James is of course very affluent and full of exclusive tailors, wine shops, large houses, and of course St James Palace. I’ve discovered that you can just wander into Christies and look at the stuff so I’m going back to do that. I saw the London Library which unfortunately costs to join and had a good look through the railings into St James park. I also saw the Spencer House which is where Princess Diana lived while in London - just round the corner from her ex-husband and mother-in-law. That have been cosy! I was using Andrew Duncan’s Walking London to navigate my way around and I have to say that I love the book. If you’re planning to spend anytime in London I highly recommend that you get hold of one of his books because you really feel that you are seeing different parts of London and lots of little nooks and crannies that you wouldn’t be brave enough to venture into.

No Comments »

K and I met up with Rojin yesterday and nipped round the National Gallery for a whistle-stop tour. We then wandered down the south bank towards the Tate Modern and I got to see the Globe Theatre for the first time. I can’t believe that it’s round the corner from the Tate Modern. We stopped in the Swan for tea and lemon drizzle cake and then walked further past Drakes’ Galleon and towards Southwark cathedral. We nipped into the closing market before heading back to Covent Garden and The Real Greek were we munched down some food and watched the road being dug up on Long Acre. Apart from having a lovely day it was sad seeing all the people sitting at the side of the streets out on the streets looking homeless and sad. I’ve found a site that looks kind of interesting and may help people who find themselves homeless.

No Comments »