1000 forms of fear

Let it go
Have you ever been so mesmerized by a song that you played it all day long in an endless loop? I have, many times, and yesterday was such a day, that I spent walking around Seattle in a bubble created by Sia’s new album 1000 forms of fear. I first heard of Sia when, on […] Read More

Lake Washington

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Summer is in full swing, so this weekend was a really lazy one. After the match Rubgy vs. Sisters, I went on a beer bust for the rest of the day and ended up bar hopping with my friend Daniel until very, very late. Sunday I tried to sleep in, and then headed down to […] Read More

Piknic Electronik

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It’s an institution on Sundays, on Île Ste. Helene in the middle of the St. Laurent river. Piknic Electronik, a Montreal outdoor party tradition with DJs playing house, techno music and other genres. It is held in Park Jean Drapeau from May through to September, right underneath a massive modern art metal sculpture, with a view […] Read More

Les tam-tam du Mont-Royal

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I spent Sunday afternoon in the park on Mont Royal, at the Tam Tam festival… Hundreds of people gather there every Sunday during the summer months, to listen and dance to tam tam players, hang out on the greens, drink, smoke, or dance to the electronic DJ close to the gazebo. It is a pretty […] Read More

Like a Rolling Stone

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There are some things in life that are just on everyone’s bucket list – or should be. And attending a concert by the Rolling Stones would be one of those things, at least for me. I have already missed out on Michael Jackson, and those guys aren’t getting younger, so you better go while you […] Read More

Imperial

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Today being the first fully sunny day, we nonetheless visited Topkapi, the Imperial Palace at the heart of Istanbul’s old town. As the palace is surrounded by a huge park, and spread over many buildings, we enjoyed a good mix of visits of buildings and exhibitions and strolls through the park, sitting in the sun. […] Read More

Tremendous Tokyo

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Here’s my best-of-Japan, a mix of Tokyo and Osaka: Best part/scene/place: It is hard to decide, as Tokyo has so many different scenes, from the Hanami at the Meguro Kanal, to the bars of Shinjuku, to the Harajuku in the Park. Whatever you are looking for, you will find it in Tokyo. Best drink (alcoholic): Sake. What […] Read More

Rainbow week

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My last Sunday in Tokyo, but in time for their Rainbow Pride week. I went with Paul and his friends John and Ole, drinking Champagne on the streets, seeing the parade (weirdly interrupted by cars and traffic!) and just strolling through Yoyogi Park along the stands. I am sure I saw some Harajuku boys and […] Read More

Kyoto (again)

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I went back to Kyoto today, to see more of the Kyotographie exhibitions, especially the photographic exploration of Mars, as well as some interesting images of Japanese landscapes and homes, called ‘Where we belong‘.   However, it was a bright sunny day with blue skies, so I went to see one more temple, Kinkaku-ji, the Golden […] Read More

Temple overload

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The old (and first) capital of Japan, Nara, is only 50 minutes away on a JR line that I can ride free with my rail pass, so it’s ideal for a day trip. I arrived around 11 and walked up to the main park, following the tracks of my Lonely Planet guide, with so many […] Read More

Osaka Castle

Let it go
Osaka’s castle is right around the corner, so it was an easy first target. The castle grounds are massive, several huge moats, immense defense walls, a huge garden… and in the middle this gem of a castle. It played a major role in Japanese history, notably in uniting the island, and in the fierce fight […] Read More