week 12

This weeks images a double dose: details of a communist era apartment block in Sturovo (could be anywhere in Slovakia) and details of a painting by Joli, a marginalised kid from across the road. Who would you like to be your next architect/designer/town planner? Why do adults make the world such a depresssing place? When mayor (architect) Jamie Lehrner took office in Curitiba, Brazil, he replaced many of his bureaucratic staff with creative minds and started each day with a 'think tank' rather than meetings. This city is now an amazing place with excellent public transport, recycling, a glass opera house in a disused quarry, wetlands were returned to the river to flood, creating a green belt for the city dwellers to enjoy and where a food-for-rubbish initiative cleared a lot of junk from the slums... there is a lot more to that city yet no other city in the world has been able to match.





8/1 Monday
All is well, bridge still standing
-I ended the self-imposed quarantine as my flu was improving and had the kids back into the studio. They bring so much joy and life into the studio, such a contrast to the bleak outside world created by serious adults, or adults that take themselves too serious, and let's not forget the political systems that they created and took very seriously. The housing block pictured here is a stock one, reproduced everywhere, in the same dull colour scheme, including all the white lines created by the gap fillers.





9/1 Tuesday
All is well, bridge still standing
-a day of breakdowns: my juicer broke, my mobile phone lost it's credit (I probably sat on it without the lock applied and probably dialed New Zealand with my bum.), the tap water turned a scary brown, but worse of all, I lost my internet connection again. On the other hand, it was beautiful spring weather and my Ozzy friend Danny and his work mate Greame came over from Budapest.






10/1 Wednesday
All is NOT so well, but bridge still standing
-Danny and Greame woke up early and went for a walk along the river, but did not get far. They stumbled on a man hanging from a tree, dead! When they came back they asked me if there were often dead people hanging around. I assured them that I was not aware of it. Greame was quite shaken by the sight. The police had just arrived and cut the body loose as they passed, not a pretty sight. Later I heard it was a suicide. I am glad I slept in. Later that day I could still sense the bad (spiritual) energy that the event left hanging around. Oh, where are the Maori elders when you need them. They are well versed in clearing negative energy. Tapu lifting ceremonies (Tapu: Maori word meaning something like taboo) are still carried out in New Zealand by the native people in such circumstances.





12/1 Thursday
All is well, bridge still standing
-the bad energy had cleared overnight. An uneventful day, but that is not necessarily bad at all. There are many days like that here, great days to get work done. I am quite happy with the quiet life to be honest. I really enjoy being here, specially knowing that I won't be stuck here for ever like some locals are, who do not have much to be optimistic about in life at the moment.





13/1 Friday
All is well, bridge still standing
-went to the local cinema (kino) for the first time. They were screening Casino Royale in its original version with Slovak subtitles. I normally do not go to James Bond movies, but for SK65 (NZ$3,50, almost 2 Euro's) I could not resist. Sk65 is very expensive for the locals (an average hourly rate is SK40 I was told). For me it was cheap as in New Zealand you pay at least $15. With only 20 people the cinema was rather empty for a Friday night. Locals kept on chatting throughout the movie as they were not dependent on the audio to get the plot (not there is much of a plot in 007 movies, but you might as well follow it if you pay to see a movie). Not sure if talking your way through movies is a normal habit here.





13/1 Saturday
All is well, bridge still standing
-had two (older) visitors from Germany stopping by for a cuppa. I met them on the train coming back from Vienna on 2 January. They were very interesting people. I bought dressing shoes for the annual Sturovo-Esztergom Ball to which I was invited. Tomi kindly lend me a jacket and a tie. I had black pants and a shirt that passed the dress code. Some 130 people attended, dressed in their finest. There was entertainment (ballroom dancing and excellent belly dancing), a tombola--I missed out on the larger than life toy dog (if I had won I would have taken it daily for walks down the mall, true!!), a band called "Acoustic" playing only electronic instruments, and a supper, oh and last but not least alcohol. It would not be an event that I would normally attend, but I had a ball! I danced a lot and had fun and enjoyed watching everyone having a good time for a change.






14/1 Sunday
All is well, bridge still standing.
-After such a great night of dancing I was reminded again of my disappointment about the lack of traditional music and dance in this town/region. I have decided to do something about it and will try to get the music I need and organise a (folk dance) night here in the Bridge Guard Residence for the locals and an afternoon for the kids across the road. The room is big enough. Time to put some umpf into this sleepy town. I left all my music in storage in New Zealand, but I hope friends in Holland will help out with some copies.