Stop the Planet of the Apes... I want to get off!
Seeing as how I saw/meet about 90% of my reading public in the last couple of weeks, I didn't feel very motivated to keep the blog updated. I mean, if you guys wanted to know what was up, you probably had a good opportunity to ask me in person. At any rate, I do hope to keep updating this thing, at least sporadically, and before I left for vacation I actually started an update before things got too hectic and it got shelved and now seem like as good a time as any to get back to business.
Sometime ago (almost a month, I think), I headed off to beautiful Grenoble, France to visit my good friend Loren. Although Grenoble is always rocking, I chose this weekend in particular for two reasons: first, I heard that the most popular Romanian folkloric dance group in the city would be giving a performance; and second, the Fête des Lumières was taking place in nearby Lyon.
Many of you, dear readers, probably do not know about my interest in Romanian folkloric dancing. Admittedly, even I didn't know I was interested in it until I found out that the aforementioned Loren had joined a group in Grenoble. I can only speculate as to why Loren chose to join a Romanian dancing group, but the results have been pretty entertaining. Read about his adventures here.
Fig. 1: Dancer, in profile.
The performance took place at the Romanian community center in Grenoble as part of festivities to commemorate the anniversary of the 1989 Revolution. Although I had been warned that it would be an "intimate" venue, I was a little bit surprised to find out that the room was about the size of a large living room and that we would be the only non-Romanians in attendance. I was also a bit surprised when it turned out that there was a large "audience participation" part of the program, but as nearly everyone took part, it was actually plenty of fun. The dancers, of course, were spectacular. Here they are, showing off the hottest traditional dance moves.
Fig. 2: Romanian dancing in action.
Later that night, we headed off to Lyon to see the world-famous Fête des Lumières, or "Festival of Lights." I wasn't sure exactly what I was expecting -- maybe a bunch of candles or something -- but it turned out to be something entirely different. Basically, at about a dozen locations throughout the city, buildings were used as screens for elaborate light and music numbers. For the most part, the productions tended toward the avant-garde (lots of random noises, sounds and lights), but some of the displays were really cool as well. One of the churches used its carillon to provide the music, which was coordinated with a light show on its facade. Most impressive, though, was the music selection. I can't remember all of the songs we heard, but I did manage to take a couple of short videos here and here for those of you who want to play Name That Tune. All I can say is that I never really would have expeted to hear either of those songs from a church carillon.
In unrelated news, it finally started snowing here in Lausanne, about a month later than it did last year (take that Al Gore haters!). It was really coming down on Saturday, the day before I left for the US, which nearly destroyed my planned Christmas shopping. If it weren't for a fortuitous break in the snow late in the afternoon, most of my friends would have ended up with gifts bought at the Indian grocery story around the corner from my house (probably large bags of unusual spices).
Fig. 3: EPFL, under the snow. On a clear day, you would be able to see the lake and mountains in the background.
As I write, it is still cold (about 25) and still snowing, which although not ideal (let's face it, life is better in when it is warm and sunny) at least bodes well for future skiing trips, so it is not a total loss.
I recently read the classic sci-fi novel La Planète des Singes (Planet of the Apes). Although most famous for its movie (and theatrical) adaptations, it was originally a novel by French author Pierre Boulle (who also wrote Bridge on the River Kwai). It's not a bad book and I would definitely recommend it to fans of speculative fiction as it is fairly "forward-thinking" for being written in 1963. I picked up a copy while I was in Grenoble (books are about 50% cheaper in France than in Switzerland), manly because I found the cover so amusing.
Fig. 4: Worst. Cover. Ever.
First thing I noticed about the cover: is that the worst photoshopping job ever? I mean, look at the statue of liberty's arm! It's as if they just used the "select" tool to cut out the torch and then gave up on trying to make it look remotely realistic. Also, I think the artist spent about ten seconds "blending" the statue into the "sand", after which he/she spent another ten seconds or so throwing together the rest of the background. Honestly, it looks like something a 9th grader would do for a project in their "computer art" summer school class.
Which, wouldn't be too bad, if it weren't for the fact that the chosen cover image has nothing at all to do with the book! Yes, yes, yes, we all remember the shocking twist ending of the movie version, but the book has a totally different even more shocking twist ending! And, seeing as how the author is French, I'll give you a guess as to how likely it is that the Statue of Liberty has anything at all to do with the book. The artist probably can't be blamed for content of the image, but shouldn't the publisher have been at least passingly familiar with the book? And, even if the book did have the same ending as the movie, why would you possibly want to spoil the surprise ending with a photo on the cover of the book?
Finally, I would liked to have put some pictures here of my trip to California and of my trip to Valais last week, but that is not possible thanks to the lovely people at LAX. Although my four-year-old, crappy camera was at one time somewhere in my large. cheap suitcase when I left it with the baggage handlers in LA, it was nowhere to be found when I arrived in Lausanne. With a street value of about $50, I'm sure it was quite a score for the criminal/TSA employee who jacked it. Obviously, I should have kept it in my carry-on, but seeing as how it was so old, so worthless, and hidden in a sock deep in my suitcase, I didn't think it would be much of a target to thieves. Oh well.
Future updates: skiing madness! the much-promised Calvin et Hobbes post! probably some other things!
Sometime ago (almost a month, I think), I headed off to beautiful Grenoble, France to visit my good friend Loren. Although Grenoble is always rocking, I chose this weekend in particular for two reasons: first, I heard that the most popular Romanian folkloric dance group in the city would be giving a performance; and second, the Fête des Lumières was taking place in nearby Lyon.
Many of you, dear readers, probably do not know about my interest in Romanian folkloric dancing. Admittedly, even I didn't know I was interested in it until I found out that the aforementioned Loren had joined a group in Grenoble. I can only speculate as to why Loren chose to join a Romanian dancing group, but the results have been pretty entertaining. Read about his adventures here.
Fig. 1: Dancer, in profile.The performance took place at the Romanian community center in Grenoble as part of festivities to commemorate the anniversary of the 1989 Revolution. Although I had been warned that it would be an "intimate" venue, I was a little bit surprised to find out that the room was about the size of a large living room and that we would be the only non-Romanians in attendance. I was also a bit surprised when it turned out that there was a large "audience participation" part of the program, but as nearly everyone took part, it was actually plenty of fun. The dancers, of course, were spectacular. Here they are, showing off the hottest traditional dance moves.
Fig. 2: Romanian dancing in action.Later that night, we headed off to Lyon to see the world-famous Fête des Lumières, or "Festival of Lights." I wasn't sure exactly what I was expecting -- maybe a bunch of candles or something -- but it turned out to be something entirely different. Basically, at about a dozen locations throughout the city, buildings were used as screens for elaborate light and music numbers. For the most part, the productions tended toward the avant-garde (lots of random noises, sounds and lights), but some of the displays were really cool as well. One of the churches used its carillon to provide the music, which was coordinated with a light show on its facade. Most impressive, though, was the music selection. I can't remember all of the songs we heard, but I did manage to take a couple of short videos here and here for those of you who want to play Name That Tune. All I can say is that I never really would have expeted to hear either of those songs from a church carillon.
In unrelated news, it finally started snowing here in Lausanne, about a month later than it did last year (take that Al Gore haters!). It was really coming down on Saturday, the day before I left for the US, which nearly destroyed my planned Christmas shopping. If it weren't for a fortuitous break in the snow late in the afternoon, most of my friends would have ended up with gifts bought at the Indian grocery story around the corner from my house (probably large bags of unusual spices).
Fig. 3: EPFL, under the snow. On a clear day, you would be able to see the lake and mountains in the background.As I write, it is still cold (about 25) and still snowing, which although not ideal (let's face it, life is better in when it is warm and sunny) at least bodes well for future skiing trips, so it is not a total loss.
I recently read the classic sci-fi novel La Planète des Singes (Planet of the Apes). Although most famous for its movie (and theatrical) adaptations, it was originally a novel by French author Pierre Boulle (who also wrote Bridge on the River Kwai). It's not a bad book and I would definitely recommend it to fans of speculative fiction as it is fairly "forward-thinking" for being written in 1963. I picked up a copy while I was in Grenoble (books are about 50% cheaper in France than in Switzerland), manly because I found the cover so amusing.
Fig. 4: Worst. Cover. Ever.First thing I noticed about the cover: is that the worst photoshopping job ever? I mean, look at the statue of liberty's arm! It's as if they just used the "select" tool to cut out the torch and then gave up on trying to make it look remotely realistic. Also, I think the artist spent about ten seconds "blending" the statue into the "sand", after which he/she spent another ten seconds or so throwing together the rest of the background. Honestly, it looks like something a 9th grader would do for a project in their "computer art" summer school class.
Which, wouldn't be too bad, if it weren't for the fact that the chosen cover image has nothing at all to do with the book! Yes, yes, yes, we all remember the shocking twist ending of the movie version, but the book has a totally different even more shocking twist ending! And, seeing as how the author is French, I'll give you a guess as to how likely it is that the Statue of Liberty has anything at all to do with the book. The artist probably can't be blamed for content of the image, but shouldn't the publisher have been at least passingly familiar with the book? And, even if the book did have the same ending as the movie, why would you possibly want to spoil the surprise ending with a photo on the cover of the book?
Finally, I would liked to have put some pictures here of my trip to California and of my trip to Valais last week, but that is not possible thanks to the lovely people at LAX. Although my four-year-old, crappy camera was at one time somewhere in my large. cheap suitcase when I left it with the baggage handlers in LA, it was nowhere to be found when I arrived in Lausanne. With a street value of about $50, I'm sure it was quite a score for the criminal/TSA employee who jacked it. Obviously, I should have kept it in my carry-on, but seeing as how it was so old, so worthless, and hidden in a sock deep in my suitcase, I didn't think it would be much of a target to thieves. Oh well.
Future updates: skiing madness! the much-promised Calvin et Hobbes post! probably some other things!
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