Saturday, December 30, 2006

Miami Vice by Michael Mann

Miami Vice is a beautifully directed piece based on the two detective characters Crockett and Tubbs from the 1980's action drama.

The music is skilfully blended with the artistic portray of the two undercover agents in the midst of Miami's drug business.

It's dangerous. It's beautiful. It's another exceptional delivery from Michael Mann, mastermind behind movies like Heat and Collateral.

Friday, December 29, 2006

Car patching

I like the first picture even though the quality is not that good and you have absolutely no idea what's going on; it was dark and I used a mobile phone. Looks like Jenny is trashing the car...

Well, she's not - just patching the car, replacing the windshield wipers. You haven't seen the manual by the way?!

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Babel by Alejandro González Iñárritu

Babel is a thought-provoking creation based on three distinctly separate stories taking place in different parts of the world, on three individual continents.

Between the stories leap thin lines of cause and action, brought into being by human events at a certain time in space.

It's a beautiful package, masterly pieced together by Alejandro González Iñárritu.

Sunday, December 17, 2006

A city full of nude ballerinas

I have seen them dancing on rough brick walls, in dark gloomy concrete tunnels, on facades, on all sorts of ordinary everyday objects. Sometimes alone, sometimes dancing in a small group.

Is it art? Well, I file it under art...

More about the dancing queens can be found here; an interview in Sydsvenskan covering Mr Ballerina and his creations.

Saturday, December 16, 2006

Traditional Christmas shopping

This year's finding during me and my sister's traditional Christmas shopping is a 'three in one' offer; it's due to a misspelled price marker. In English it would be something like "some cotton, a chemist, and a reindeer, you get it all for only 20 SEK".

For some reason the tradition is to shop in Malmö. Don't know why, it's just tradition. However, instead of the traditional Chinese cuisine we decided to go for Thai food at Möllevångstorget after a tip from Per. The tip was Krua-Thai, a Thai restaurant that's definitely worth a visit since they do dishes Thai-style upon request; a little bit spicier...

Lemon ice cream at Krua-Thai. Served in a lemon of course. Mm...

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Future megatrends

Erik, visionary colleague, researcher and collector of future trends and ideas, has written a report on future megatrends.

Much of the information in the report is, according to the author himself, based on his own thoughts around the subject taking shape in various blog posts at Framtidstanken.

Emanuel Sidea at Ekonominyheterna has written an article about the report.

Monday, December 11, 2006

Dumplings by Fruit Chan

The temptation of rejuvenation is brilliantly and provocatively portrayed in Fruit Chan's colorful and horrific tale Dumplings, a ninety-minute masterpiece based on an initial shorter version part of Three...Extremes.

The movie's stylish and beautifully composed shootings are mixed with the most exquisite piano music.

It's true visual art from Fruit Chan, combined with the most atrocious dough bundles you could ever imagine.

Sunday, December 10, 2006

Going Postal by Terry Pratchett

Last page.

Finished Terry Pratchett's Going Postal that I got myself during a trip to Thailand a few weeks ago. Didn't find time to reach the last page on one of those sunny Thai beaches for some reason.

Rating: It's good fiction. Is it great? Not sure - I guess it takes time to get to into the Discworld. Need to read a few more books in the series to be able to tell. But it's good writing. Definitely.

It's actually the first Pratchett book I have read all through to the last page. Tor once tried to get me hooked on Pratchett by lending me Only You Can Save Mankind, but it just wasn't the right moment back then - never finished that one.

Please, money, please

"Shoppingresa i världens verkstad", Po Tidholm, DN Kultur:
"Barnen stirrar mig i ögonen, sträcker fram sina små slitna emaljkoppar och viskar "please, money, please". Som om vi behövde ytter­ligare en påminnelse om obalansen."
Po's article portrays western consumerism as it's right now showing it's face in China's backyard markets. Westerns going to Beijing on 72 hour shopping quests for cheap pirated goods. Bargaining over fake Gucci and Ralph Lauren shirts in trading districts becoming more and more organized and structured.
Culture?! No, not interested. I'm here to shop. Only got seventy-two hours. No, I don't have any money to spare. Have a nice day.
Read it.

Saturday, December 9, 2006

Jazz brunch with Kullrusk

This year's (2006) last jazz brunch at Mejeriet in Lund featured Kullrusk and their experimental jazz music. It was Great. It was Electrical. It was Magical.

This was Jenny's first Kullrusk session. She immediately took control over the musical analysis part, identifying beats, etc. I think that's just normal behavior if you're part musician, part physicist (well, she's more than just "a part" in the latter case, but you get the picture).

A happy face of a beautiful beat counter. Makes me happy...

I got the band's latest released audio CDs. Since they were running out of discs to sell at the brunch session they told the audience to fix it themselves - i.e. copy the music from each other...

Anyway, I suspect ("fear" is too negative for this sentence) I'm starting to get addicted to the electrical Kullrusk sound. This is the second post on that band in just a few days.

http://www.kullrusk.com/

Thursday, December 7, 2006

Electrifying Kullrusk session at Jeriko

Never heard of Kullrusk? Make sure you experience them live at least once. It's magical. It's music on... on something. Hard to define. But great, really great music, great jazz music.

Per "Ruskträsk" Johansson and Jonas Kullhammar; action shot.

The music is perfectly balanced and served - electrically mixed and blended - with effects.

This was my first live encounter with the band; arranged by Jazz i Malmö at Jeriko. It won't be the last though. Their experimental jazz is very well suited for live performances.

http://www.kullrusk.com/

Sunday, December 3, 2006

Dead art finally coming to life

Olle Bonniér's installation "Healing the Earth" has for as long as I can recall been an extremely silent piece of dead art. It's placed on top of LTH's E-house in Lund. Always silent and sad, looking down at busy students, not moving an inch. Not moving an inch even in a windy day.

At least, that's has been my reflection of that particular piece of art up until now. But this evening something had changed for the better. It was actually spinning around when I walked by on my way home.

It's finally "speaking" again.

More on art at LTH in Lund...

Thursday, November 30, 2006

Jalle Lorensson playing at S:t Gertrud

Thursday evenings around 20.00 there are various bands, made-up-bands, constellations and other formations (seems like some, might be most, musicians belong to more than one band) performing live music at S:t Gertrud in Malmö.

This evening was a lucky strike since Jalle Lorensson, known as Rektor Rock, joined in for a blues / rock session. Jalle is a living legend in Malmö, being the harmonica player in Wilmer X.

The entrance fee is normally low at S:t Getrud. I think it was around 50 SEK this evening - for up to two hours of live music that's nothing. Could be the reason why Erik is so relaxed and happy...

Bond in Casino Royale

Movie: Casino Royale [SF Royale theater, Malmö, Sweden]

So, why the SF Royale theater and not a comfy sofa? I actually (quite boring some say) prefer movies on DVD since I then can get numerous popcorn refills, an espresso, stretch my legs, yet another espresso, and all the other things you just got to do and have if it's a long movie.

Truth to be told, I was invited to a Sony Ericsson sponsored show of the movie at SF Royale in Malmö, Sweden. The company had invested in the movie, promoting its brand displaying gadgets on the white screen. I like those promotion movie nights - you get everything for free and it's all framed in with a movie. Nice.

After the movie Sony Ericsson arranged a short interview / quiz on stage with Mads Mikkelsen, one of the villain characters. It was very appreciated - Mads is well known to us that consume Danish movies; the Pusher trilogy, etc.

Rating: The action scenes were nicely done. Some twists in the plot which is mandatory - just got to have them in a standard Hollywood production nowadays since it's no longer enough with a number of explosions (has it ever been?). It lost speed in the middle part - some love story mixed with "I'm quitting my agent job" lines - but luckily regained it again for the grand finale. All in all, it's a worth-to-watch 2.5 hour movie.

Friday, November 17, 2006

Time to go home


Leaving Thailand. From Phuket on a domestic flight to the new airport just outside Bangkok to swap to the flight home to Sweden.

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Bar girl's beer

Bar girl and Per chatting...

Bar beer waiting to be used in the heat.

Thai massage for 200 Thai Bath

It's impossible to avoid hearing phrases like "Massaaage!", "Massaaage! Miiisteeer!", and "Miiisteeer! Massaaage you liiike!" (one of my personal favorites) if you're strolling around in Phuket's tourist traps.

So, what's Thai massage really like? Is it rough? A handful of violence mixed with two cups of pure rage? Is it true that the massage girl / woman is walking and climbing all over your body making it look more like an expedition to Everest than traditional massage? I had to find out. Since no one - except Per who had done this a number of times already - volunteered, I had to use my own body, roughly 2m of prime Swedish male, for the experiment.

"Ok. I'll go for a one hour Thai Massage. 200 Thai Bath."
"I have one condition though. Must be able to sit upright afterwards."
"Haven't had lunch yet you know. Yes. No. Never tried it before."
"Will like it? Yeah, I really hope so."
"Must be able to sit upright afterwards - Oh, yeah, sorry. You already know. Yeah."

It was dark inside the massage institute. Reminds me of the phrase "It's always darkest just before it goes pitch black"...

Me to the left, Per to the right. No oil, just one tough Thai woman kneading my body like dough.

Aouch. What's this move called? Was it even in their massage instructions?

Almost done. Putting the pieces together again.

Done. One hour. It felt great. At least afterwards. Per told me that this was one of the toughest he'd experienced so far - and it was my first encounter with Thai massage. But I'll definitely do it again. Maybe a two hour session next time...

For reference: This took place at "Hakone Thai Style Massage", one of the massage institutes in Patong Beach, Phuket.

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Frog market

Me trying to deal on the local frog market:

Pusher: "150 Bath, special price for you miiiister..."
Pusher: "Special frog you see..."
Me: "Na... You get it for like 10 Bath at your distributor..."
Pusher: "Noooo miiiiister... Not possibleee..."
Me: "Ok, say 15 Bath. I'll give you 30 Bath for a frog. Happy?"
Pusher: "Nooo can doo. Nooo can doo... Not possibleee..."
Me: "The problem is that the market is flooded with frogs."
Pusher: "Eh?"
Me: "They're jumping all over the place..."
Pusher: "80 Bath... Ok?"
Me: "Nooo can doo... I'll give you like 40 Bath for a jumper. Max."
Pusher: "60 Bath? Ok?"
Me: "50, and it's a deal."
Pusher: "Deal!"

Not every frog is worth the initial claimed 150 Bath. I'm not interested in frogs, it's the action dealing with the frog pusher that I'm after, that's what's worth 60 Bath to me.

50 Bath.

I could go on dealing the whole night here...

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

The Famous Old Dutch in Patong

Anonymously located at Soi Patong Tower, one of the quieter and not-so-crowded side streets in Patong, just off the beach, you'll find The Famous Old Dutch, a small Thai bar and restaurant.

The Thai food at the Dutch is superb, spicy, and perfectly balanced - exactly how Thai food should be prepared and served. Try it!

Introducing Sor Fee, aquaintance from the Similan dive trip, to the delicious food at the Dutch.

Per is trying out one of the hats sold by a local fake-frog-hat-bracelet-dealer. Fake since it's wooden frogs they're selling, not real ones. The dealers (they're all dressed in the same way) circulate around bars and restaurants, trying to make you buy something you have absolutely no need for at all - but since it's so cheap, and you get "special price for you my friend" it's sometimes hard not to... Next time maybe.

An article mentioning The Famous Old Dutch and its restructuring after the tsunami can be found here.

McThai's in Patong

Ronald and one of his Thai-dealer-friends hanging out at the local McDonald's restaurant in Patong. Dealer to the right.

Didn't try it in Patong; McDonald's burgers taste the same all over the world. Almost.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonald's

Diving Similan sites with Similan Diving Safaris

Every morning starts early to get the most out of the day. Four dives are planned each day, including one night dive. Around 06.30 wake-up calls can be heard in the corridor.

The dive crew at the table, planning todays dives for the different groups.

Since there's eat-what-you-ordered breakfast right after the morning dive a few toasts and a coffee is more than enough before the first dive in the morning.

Into the blue; giant strides from dive deck into the Similan ecosystem. The water was clear, blue, warm, ...

Lunch time. Mm... Always lots of food, lots of great Thai food. Delicious.

A visit to one of the Similan islands. I have climbed up on the rocks to get the view - fantastic... A few dive boats can be seen anchored in the sea.

Night dive. Had to watch out for the barracudas.

Time to go to bed. More diving tomorrow...

Dive log; Thailand, Similan, Boon Sung

Fun dive; Similan Diving Safaris, M/V Dolphin Queen.

18.1m, 47 minutes; Suunto D9 dive log.

http://www.similan-diving-safaris.com

Dive log; Thailand, Similan, Koh Tachai

Fun dive; guide #624813 (Matthew Norman), Similan Diving Safaris, M/V Dolphin Queen.

21.2m, 48 minutes; Suunto D9 dive log.

http://www.asiadivesite.com
http://www.similan-diving-safaris.com

Monday, November 13, 2006

Dive log; Thailand, Similan, Richelieu Rock

Fun dive; guide #624813 (Matthew Norman), Similan Diving Safaris, M/V Dolphin Queen.

Night dive; Per didn't join since he had problems with an ear.

16.0m, 39 minutes; Suunto D9 dive log.

http://www.similan-diving-safaris.com

Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho

Eleven Minutes is a fascinating story about Maria, a young woman from a small Brazilian village that gets heartbroken at a tender age. She becomes convinced that true love doesn't exist, that "love is a terrible thing that will make you suffer . . .".

After a chance meeting in Rio with a mysterious European man she decides to leave Brazil for Geneva, for what she hopes will be a fresh start with new possibilities in life. But life is sometimes like a big maze, it's difficult to find what you're looking for - and maybe you don't know exactly what it is that you're hoping to find...

I had a hard time to stop reading it once I had started. Finished it on the Similan liveaboard boat just before the trip was over. It's definitely one of Coelho's better stories.

Dive log; Thailand, Similan, Richelieu Rock

Fun dive; guide #624813 (Matthew Norman), Similan Diving Safaris, M/V Dolphin Queen.

26.4m, 53 minutes; Suunto D9 dive log.

http://www.asiadivesite.com
http://www.similan-diving-safaris.com

Dive log; Thailand, Similan, Richelieu Rock

Fun dive; guide #624813 (Matthew Norman), Similan Diving Safaris, M/V Dolphin Queen.

29.6m, 52 minutes; Suunto D9 dive log.

http://www.asiadivesite.com
http://www.similan-diving-safaris.com

Dive log; Thailand, Similan, Koh Tachai

Fun dive; guide #624813 (Matthew Norman), Similan Diving Safaris, M/V Dolphin Queen.

30.4m, 52 minutes; Suunto D9 dive log.

http://www.asiadivesite.com
http://www.similan-diving-safaris.com

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Dive log; Thailand, Similan, Koh Bon

Fun dive; guide #624813 (Matthew Norman), Similan Diving Safaris, M/V Dolphin Queen.

13.2m, 39 minutes; Suunto D9 dive log.

http://www.asiadivesite.com
http://www.similan-diving-safaris.com

Dive log; Thailand, Similan, North Point

Fun dive; guide #624813 (Matthew Norman), Similan Diving Safaris, M/V Dolphin Queen.

22.7m, 45 minutes; Suunto D9 dive log.

http://www.asiadivesite.com
http://www.similan-diving-safaris.com

Dive log; Thailand, Similan, Breakfast Bend

Fun dive; guide #624813 (Matthew Norman), Similan Diving Safaris, M/V Dolphin Queen.

24.6m, 57 minutes; Suunto D9 dive log.

http://www.asiadivesite.com
http://www.similan-diving-safaris.com

Dive log; Thailand, Similan, Elephant Head Rock


Fun dive; guide #624813 (Matthew Norman), Similan Diving Safaris, M/V Dolphin Queen.

30.4m, 40 minutes; Suunto D9 dive log.

http://www.asiadivesite.com
http://www.similan-diving-safaris.com