Photos and Things

Berlin Protest for Peace in Ukraine

Sunday, 27th March 2022.

My own little bit of self-love today, is not calling you.

Not hearing about your day, your ex-wife, your kids, your life.

My little bit of freedom, tries to focus on me.

The Captain of St Pauli

For the first time in my life, I went to a football match!

I really like the egalitarian principles that are at the forefront of the supporters of the St Pauli football team ethos. In a nutshell, as far as I can gather, it’s outspokenly anti-fascist and pro the equal treatment of men, women, migrants, hetero and non-heteronormative folk, all races… everyone, basically. That’s not something you often see promoted in football culture. And those are values I am totally down with. So I figured, if I was going to see a football match, I would like to see these guys play. And, you know, it helps that I know someone involved.

And I didn’t just spectate! I helped unfurl a ridiculously large banner of Hamburg that spanned the bottom to the top rows of seats. Sadly, being under the banner means you can’t take pictures of how it looks to the rest of the stadium. But it got a positive reaction from the crowd and when I saw pictures afterwards it looked great. At the same time, at the beginning of the match, there was also a guy who had made a cardboard ship with a steering wheel and several accompanying birds and seamen hats, shouting through a loudspeaker. Him I got some pictures of! Though having been told St Pauli fans don’t take kindly to having their faces publicised, I made sure to pick an image where no-one can be identified.

I am also happy to say, that St Pauli won against Bielefeld 1-0. So maybe our efforts helped :)

There are a whole ton of churches in Greece. They may not be big, but they are EVERYWHERE!

There are a whole ton of churches in Greece. They may not be big, but they are EVERYWHERE! From the tiny, almost cubicle like, to the majestic ancient churches placed seemingly haphazardly in the middle of Athens’ shopping centre, to the striking cathedrals, you’re never far from a temple in this country. Interestingly, for me at least, is the fact that the national religion is Greek orthodox,…

I went to Greece... and it was bright.

Bernatek Footbridge, otherwise known as Kładka Ojca Bernatka, is located in the former jewish ghetto of Krakow. It opened in 2010, connecting the districts of Kazimierz and Podgorze, replacing a previous bridge which was dismantled in 1925.

Since September 2016 it features an installation by Jerzy Kędziora called “Between The Water And The Sky”. The installation is comprised of 10 iron acrobatic figures, who balance themselves on wires crisscrossing the 130m long bridge. As the wind blows the figures sway to and forth in the wind, giving the impression that they are consciously balancing themselves on the precariously thin wires as trapeze artists made of flesh and blood do. These balancing acts are a recurring theme in Kędziora’s work, he says “I feel these balancing sculptures have a very deep meaning and are not merely decorative pieces. I believe they stimulate people to think. I believe that society needs free thinkers.“

Personally, I feel that the sculptures look beautiful here. The setting of them in amongst the wires of the footbridge, looking out across the river which separates the formerly jewish districts, is perfect. It makes me think of the frailty of human existence, as well as the beauty of art in its many forms. The way it connects us and symbolises how we as people, whether jewish, muslim, atheist or more, have so much more to unite us than separate us.

Split Tone Transport in Sri Lanka

So, my favourite form of transport in Sri Lanka has to be the train. Not just there, to be honest, anywhere. I love train rides. To me they are the most romantic form of transport. I love this slow, languid type of travel, it has this quality that you just don’t get with aeroplanes or cars, it’s almost like stepping into a book. I love how you get to see the world rushing by, people going about…