ELLIOT goes to Europe 2.0

Popcorn in London cinemas is (usually) vegan, as if i needed another reason to spend all my time in dark rooms.

Last time I visited Paris it was February, which meant rain + cold, which equaled irritable me. It was exciting and French, but ultimately I didn’t ache to return.

However, for some reason, after a 12hr bus ride (in which the driver took all 40 passenger’s passports into customs and then took about 30mins to return them to the correct owner, “you all need to update your photos!”) I have ended up back in Paris.

A continued excitement of being a NZ architecture student is finally seeing the buildings from your textbooks in real life. They become so hyped up in our lecture theatres that it seems odd to finally see them irl and not be surrounded by similarly excited people.

One such example is the Centre Georges Pompidou, designed by Renzo Piano + Richard Rogers. Renzo was one of the biggest inspirations in my thesis so I was justifiably excited to touch something he (probably) touched.

Things about the building:

- It is far too big and I couldn’t capture a good photo of it on my terrible iphone.

- It was v exciting in the archi world as it exposed all of it’s structure to the world, to allow for expansive space inside. 

- That red part is actually an escalator, not a slide (massive design flaw imo)

- It has a huge courtyard in front of it, which i expect is so that people can sit an admire it all day because one visit is not at all enough to take it all in (and that’s before you even go inside)

Here are more pics of me trying to capture it all 10/10 talent

Update time. I am living on what can best be described as a field, in Eckington, Derbyshire. Living the hippy ‘off the grid’ lifestyle with no running water, solar power and no wifi (halp). Local library is my place of worship as it provides free wifi (as well as surly kids who want me to buy them lager (no)).

AN AVERAGE DAY

-Wake up in bunkhouse. Building that looks like a strong breath of wind would knock it over, but is in fact very sturdy and surprisingly warm.

-Stop in at the compost toilet. Will spare details, but due to careful construction it does not smell, but is dark and inhabited by spiders.

-Breakfast in the roundhouse. Roundhouse is a type of building technique favoured by eco nuts and hippies. Is v cosy. Breakfast is usually oats with (fresh) blackberry compote.

-To the polytunnel for the day’s plans. Polytunnel is kinda like a huge plastic greenhouse. This ones grows hella tomatoes and giant courgettes (side note, got mercilessly mocked for calling them zucchinis).

-Water plants and top up water barrels from water tanks.

-Typical daily activities are usually pretty physical work: trimming trees, clearing ditches, fixing fences, collecting firewood.

-Sometimes is more detailed: Building bookcases, building a tortoise enclosure, washing potatoes to be sold.

-Lunchtime is usually soup, tomato salad, sometimes freshly made bread.

-~Leisure time~ read, collect blackberries, go for a walk, go to library for wifi, chess, nap, climb trees, etc.

-Dinner made by one of the Workawayers, sometimes done around a campfire.

-Perhaps a few beersies or a cup of tea. Star gaze. Pulp Fiction on a laptop

-A lot of self discovery according to the owner, Androo. Trying to keep away from that by filling the void with blackberries.

18.       Take a break to see if your hearing comes back.

19.       Drill holes or something (delegate and take a tea break) 

20.       Line up all concrete blocks and insert steel rods in drilled holes. Pour concrete everywhere

21.       Including on yourself. 

22.       Your oven should now look like this. Improvise where needed. You may also chose to insert Styrofoam as a temporary support if the structure is threatening to implode. This is the base btw.

23.       Collect your mould for the oven part, modelled here is half an oil drum. Cover it in Gladwrap, because reasons.

24.   Explain to Europeans why you call it Gladwrap.

25.   Carry your now dried slab to the base. If you have to keep it in the mould due to the slab cracking, that’s fine! 

26.    Place your oil drum semi centrally on the slab with firebricks in place. Ensure that your pizza pan is gonna fit (this is important) (duh) 

27.    Actually you don’t need the Gladwrap

28.    Model a Styrofoam mould for the entrance to the oven. Use lots of string and your last nerve.

29.       Put it altogether in place, ready to be cemented in place for eternity.

30.       Mix up some more insulating concrete, improvise ratios.

31.       Now cover the oil drum and most of yourself in the concrete, it may start actually looking like a pizza oven. Wait to dry.

32.       Attempt to remove the Styrofoam.

33.       Fail 

34.       Add more concrete and probably go have a beer.

35.       Run out of time on your stay and cook your pizza in a regular oven

36.   Photoshop yourself into a photo of the finished pizza oven

The mother of the pack, Elsa

This angel was rescued from an alleged breeding program, where she was being neglected and abused. Elsa is the clingiest of the pack and enjoys lying on top of you while you attempt to eat breakfast. Does NOT like being left behind when others go for a walk, will loudly let you know her displeasure,

Is the sweetest doggo, but is also the smelliest. Hobbies include eating poos and farting.

10/10 good dog

Today we have the most special of the pack, Aniche. 

Aniche came from a ‘One Man, One Dog’ family and when the one man got terminal cancer, the one dog had no place to go. Lucky for him, he was brought home to the pack at Au Cler. Unlucky for him, he had never lived in a pack before. Aniche decided, upon arrival, that he was top dog. He was brought harshly back to reality by being attacked twice by the other dogs. He has now calmly (mostly) accepted his place at the bottom.

Similar to me, he has a special diet. Also similar to me, he is trusted to be walked without a lead.

Sweetheart who is not quite sure how to dog.

BONUS CELEB LOOKALIKE: the dragon from The Neverending Story

Dog Blog No.3! 

Calin is short for callan, which is apparently French for hug, suitable for the pup who invades personal space the most.

Calin is one of the fanciest of the dogs, he is a pedigree and cost the original owners a lot of dollarz (euros) to be used as a prime hunting dog. Unfortunately, Calin is afraid of guns (same). Therefore he was of no use to the owner and so was essentially tied to a fence and left. Enter the angelic Keith and Debs, he now spends his days trying to eat people breakfasts and getting hugs.

One of those dogs who may seem invasive at first, but is really a pure angel.

Even angels have trouble with chairs sometimes.

I am living in this paradise of dogs for only 6 days for and so I really need to catch up on the dog blog. Am now very accomplished at walking casually through the sea of dogs and saying good morning to each. I can semi identify them by their barks. I have not yet reached Master Level where you can identify them by their poo.

Next in the dog blog is this small angel, Gypsy

Gypsy is one of the friendliest dogs here and also has one of the most heartbreaking stories.

During her daily tasks Debs (my host) would drive past an area where passing gypsies can set up camp and stay for a few days. On a day when they had all left Debs noticed a dog sitting patiently by the gate, not tied up, just waiting. The next day the dog was still there. Debs stopped and tried to approach the dog who scarpered into the bushes and could not be found. Debs spent about an hour trying to coax the dog out.

The next day she returned with a tin of meat. After two hours, she eventually gained the dog’s trust and brought her back to the farm, where she was named Gypsy. That night Gypsy escaped her kennel and could not be found. However, during the morning walk of the other dogs, they spotted Gypsy trailing along behind and finally returned with them to the farm.

This is the happiest dog in the whole world who wags her entire body when her name is called. 10/10 gonna try bring this one back with me.

Every morning we have the task of feeding 12 dogs at once. Today I attempted a wee time lapse to try communicate this, unfortunately angles are hard so you can only really see 3 dogs, but perhaps you get the gist of things.

Our host, Keith, is a professional chef. My initial email included that I was vegan, which apparently almost got me an automatic denial. HOWEVER, Keith decided he was up for the ‘challenge’ and has been surpassing himself ever since. 

I should obvs take more photos of the food, but am generally busy putting it in my face. Will add more foodie pics in the future.