A good 2014!

Hello everybody!
 

Dec 21, 2013: Flagstaff

I ended up not going to Window Rock/Gallup yesterday.
Thursday night it snowed. When I opened the door at 06.15 there was about 15 centimeter on the ground.
My snow shovel is next to the door. First from standing inside, I cleared the snow from the steps. Then, standing on the steps, I cleared a place to stand on the ground. And then I started shoveling. Started at 06.30, was done at 08.00.

The sun came out.
Why did I not go?

• Although highway 40 would be plowed, the road to Window Rock would not be cleared. More snow was expecting, with the storm moving East, towards Gallup. 
• The fleamarket in Gallup would probably be closed.
• I might find my trailer snowed in driving back on Saturday.

I managed to cancel the motel reservation. I am going to try for next week friday......

Dec 19, 2013: Flagstaff

The snow from Dec 04, has mostly melted, except in shaded areas. Blue skies today. Tomorrow probable snow. Of course tomorrow is the day I'm driving to the Navajo reservation and stay overnight in a motel in Gallup, I'm visiting friends. I bought an emergency radio that has AM/FM radio, weather alert stations, walky talky channels. 5 power sources. AC/DC/rechargable batteries/batteries and a crank.

Here a video that I produced and broadcasted of the Red Rock Rock balloon rally that takes place every first weekend in December in Gallup.


and here a video from my "life from the Rez" documentary.
 

Merry Christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS 

TO YOU ALL

JOSÉ

Dec 13, 2913: Flagstaff

I don't like the month of December.
Short days, and the month never seems to end.
On December 4 it snowed 10 centimeters. A week of severe cold (-10 Celsius) followed.
While it snowes and after the snowfalls ends

I have do this: Shovel around the trailer in a 10 meter circle and shovel a path to the chicken coop, car wide, about 30 meters)

 Behind the trailer as well.

Snow melts from below but only if the dark ground is close to the surface. Yesterday I sat in the easy chair, in the sun, reading.
I managed to finalize my Obamacare application. It seems I qualify for Medicaid. We'll see, Arizona state has to determine whether that is true.

Dec 06, 2013: Flagstaff

Some snow came down on Dec 04, same as last year! Sunny most of the week, but last night severe cold. It was -9 Celsius inside my trailer this morning. Blue skies now, but Saturday evening  through Sunday morning, snow, about 4-6 inches....
Hopefully not like this (blizzard in 2009)



Went to the health clinic Tuesday, had my blood tested, It was good (1.9), but could be a little better (2.5) 1mg higher dosis until the next test on Monday.
I managed to create an account for the Obamacare. The site says that my application is in progress....I have no idea what that means, logging back into my account was impossible yesterday and today.

Nov 30, 2013: Flagstaff

A ton of fog outside.
I checked all the fuses. One looked dodgy, I switched that one with another one, the furnace came on!
I have to get some more fuses. Went to Bookman's for internet and skype. on the way back home I will stop at a car supply store for fuses. My leg feels good, I will go out for a run this afternoon. Monday I have to resign with the clinic where I had my blood tested, I also have to try to sign up for Obamacare....

Nov 29, 2013: Phoenix - Flagstaff

I woke up at 05.00am. Clear skies. I'm using the free hotel shuttle to go back to the airport where I will get on the 09.00am shuttle to Flagstaff.
Sunrise at the EconoLodge

No snow on the way to Flagstaff,about 2 inches around my trailer.

It is not freezing, I unrolled the waterlines and refilled my watertank. After 10 minutes the pilot light of the propane gas furnace came on. Rehooked my car batteries and recharged them, and my car started! Went to Sam's club for groceries.
On the way back, close to the house this:

About 20 female elk, grazing

It's about 15 degrees Celsius outside. Good, because my heater system is not kicking in. Went to bed early. Tomorrow I have to see what the furnace problem is.

Nov 28, 2013: Amsterdam - Washington - Phoenix

My brother brought me to the airport his morning. The flight is at noon, changing planes in Washington.
Lucky me, to Washington the plane is 3/4 full, I've got 3 seats for myself. Stretched out and my legs up. No sleeping though.
Customs in Washington was fast. The plane from Washington to Phoenix is full.
After arriving in Phoenix, called the Econolodge for the shuttle. In bed by 10.00pm.

Diary Athens: Nov 05-25, 2013

Nov 25: Athens - Amsterdam - The Hague
One flight, one train and 2 subway rides today. 3 days in The Hague and then a flight to Phoenix.

Nov 24
Finished packing my suitcase, flying tomorrow for Amsterdam. Grey sky and rain. Snow storm in Flagstaff....

Nov 23
Nice weather today. Didn't go out today, got up around 6am, had a siesta at 1pm. Need that because I'm going to a birthday party which will run way past my normal bedtime...

Nov 21
Warmer again, but cloudy. Took the subway from Omonia to Akropoli. Walked around the backside of the Akropolis.

I don't know if it was because it was lunch time, but there were lots of people everywhere.

Walking, sitting at the taverna's around Monastiraki.

Nov 20
Ran in the rain this morning. Reading time today....

Nov 19
The weather is nice, so I took the subway to Piraeus.

 Around the harbor are very ugly shipping office buildings, but there are 2 very impressive Byzantine churches. Here is one of them.

After a couple of hours took the subway back to Monastiraki. Shopped in the Agora and went back to the hotel.

Nov 17
It is Sunday today, and, for the time in a couple of days, sunny.
I went back to the Polytechnion. I have mentioned that in 1973 I was in Athens when the Colonels regime was overthrown. I was working as drawing model at the Polytechnion.

Lots of police and military on Septemvriou and Oktovriou. Nothing bad happened though today.

Walked to Omonia and bought a week pass (14 euro) for the Subway. Walked around Plaka and Monastiraki,

Nov 16
Stll cloudy, but dry.  Went for a walk to Aeros park
Statue lane

Nov 15
Walked past the Polytechnion building, where tables were set up to remember the student uprising on Nov 14-17, 1973.

The communist party (still alive in Greece), capturing the imagination of young, middle class students.
On Nov 14, 1973 I was in Athens, was living on Anafiotika.

 Nov 14, 1973

Students at the Athens Polytechnic (Polytechneion) went on strike and started protesting against the military regime (Regime of the Colonels). As the authorities stood by, the students barricaded themselves in and constructed a radio station (using laboratory equipment) that repeatedly broadcast across Athens.

In the early hours of November 17, 1973, the transitional government sent a tank crashing through the gates of the Athens Polytechnic. Prior to the crackdown, the city lights had been shut down, and the area was only lit by the campus lights, powered by the university generators.

A Tank crashed the rail gate of the Athens Polytechnic at around 03:00 am. In unclear footage clandestinely filmed by a Dutch journalist, the tank is shown bringing down the main steel entrance to the campus to which people were clinging. Documentary evidence also survives, in recordings of the "Athens Polytechnic" radio transmissions from the occupied premises.

In these a young man's voice is heard desperately asking the soldiers (whom he calls 'brothers in arms') surrounding the building complex to disobey the military orders and not to fight 'brothers protesting'. The voice carries on to an emotional outbreak, reciting the lyrics of the Greek National Anthem, until the tank enters the yard, at which time transmission ceases.

Nov 14
Yesterday it started raining around 6 in the evening, rained all night. But this morning it was dry. Ran to and through Aeros Park, over Akademias to Syntagma.
The building on the corner is now a Greek National Bank office, but in 1993 it was the American Express office.

In 1973
A small coffe bar off Ermou Street.
 The coffee bar is where I spent time. One of the regulars was Liam, an Irish man. He had fantastic stories (about the IRA) and even in those days I did not believe most of it. Liam drank a lot.
1979
My first tourisme job was in in 1979 for Hotelplan Escolette, Club Kalypso in Greece.
1993
I was working as an animator for a club in Kos.
I was paid in drachmes. Hotel management had promised that at the end of the season I could exchange surplus drachmes back into dollars. (Drachmes were worthless outside Greece). At the end of the season that promise was not kept. I ended up in Athens, standing in front of the American Express office, asking anyone going in, if they wanted to dollars into drachmes, at a better rate than inside. It worked.

From there I walked to Monastiraki and after buying groceries at the Agora Market, I went home. Laundry day, again.

Nov 13

The sun is out. I think I am going to finish my book, sitting on the balcony.

Nov 12
Ran in the morning. The streets are drying up, after all the rain last night.
Back in the hotel, showered, and started to read a book on my e-reader: Robert B. Parker's "A Savage Place".

1972

I was living in the Plaka, on Anafiotika.
Most nights I went out to the same taverna. Sitting outside you could see the Akropolis. It would be lit up.

Most of my friends would show up.

One of them was studing to be a doctor, he would bring his guitar and most of the time he would play some classical spanish. In his twenties he was a gigolo.

My friends were a mix of greek, dutch, british and american.

 Later in the evening I would walk back home. Going uphil, slightly drunk and pass Greek and Roman columns and buidlings.

Sobering up before I got home, I felt in place, and at home. History repeating itself, endless.

One time I walked by a basement, music and singing came out of it.

I went down the stairs and in. Inside nothing but wine barrels along the ceiling and old men sitting at tables.  I stayed there for 3 hours. 

A lot of the "feeling" has gone. Athens is fast, like other big cities I know.

But tonight I went for a souvlaki on a square near the Polytechnion, on the way back to the hotel, on Stournari street, I heard music coming from a basement.  I went down the stairs and in.
Inside were 3 customers, 1 owner and 3 musicians.

I stayed for 2 hours drinking ouzo..

Nov 11
Clouds and wind today. Walked from the hotel to the Plaka.
On Venizelou the Academy of Athens

A view of the Akropolis from Plaka

View of Lykabettou from my old house in the Plaka (Anafiotika)

Back on Ermou Street, not just lots of cars in Athens, but also scooters and mopeds.

Christmas display at a 99 cent store

Nov 10
I found another route today for running.
Athens run2
From Vathi Square over Odos 28th Oktovriou and Amalias through Aeros Park. Back to Vathi Square over 28th Oktovriou, Ipirou and Archanon.

Both I can do in about 30-32 minutes.

Nov 09
I watched the sunrise from the balcony and also sunset. In between. I went to the Agora Market to get groceries. I am reading Tim Powers-Hide me among the graves and worked on some videos.
Oh, and perfect weather today.

When I lived in the Plaka in 1973 I went to the Herodus Atticus Theatre. I saw a classic Greek tragedy there with actors in masks.

On the pedestrian walkways there are stones with grooves lined up. This is to guide blind people who are walking with a cane.

Buying song birds and putting lots of plants and trees on balconies is a way for Athenians to feel like they are living on an island in a small village.

 Nov 08
Blue skies and no wind today, around 25 degrees....I went out for a run at 07.10am. Less people out, and faster than 2 days ago. Walked back home from Monastiraki.

I have only 1 electrical outlet in my room , so I bought an outlet multiplier. Back in the hotel, laundry day.

Nov 07
Partly cloudy, but dry today. Went for a walk, camera in my pocket. I want to make pictures of old apartment buildings from the 1920's.

Most are in bad condition.

Modern apartment buildings are like this

 and were built between 1955-1965, after the Greek population of Turkey was forced to leave in 1955. Mass produced and built fast.

In September 1955, in Istanbul, an organised mob was turned against the ethnic Greek community in an orchestrated riot, destroying 1,004 residences, 5,000  businesses, two cemeteries, 73 churches, 23 schools and 5 athletic centres. The number of ethnic Greeks who were forced to leave Turkey by 1960, as a result of these events, is estimated at around 9,000.

In March 1964, Turkey reneged on the 1930 Greek-Turkish Ankara Convention. Within two years, more than 12,000 ethnic Greeks residing in Turkey were expelled from the country and deprived of all access to their real estate, goods and cattle. This was subsequently followed by the exodus of 40,000 ethnic Greeks of Turkish citizenship (along with their relatives). However, it should be noted that Greek citizens residing in Istanbul had the right to stay in the city their entire lives pursuant to the 1923 Agreement on the exchange of populations, and were in no way affected by the bilateral Convention of 1930.

Went to see my fiend Hara today. She mentioned that there are 2 small apartments for rent in her building. Rent is about 250 euro per month. With utilities comes to about 350 euro's. That price opens up some possibilties....
The 2 cleaning ladies and one of the managers of the hotel are still the same as last january.

Nov 06: Athens
I woke up because of lightning and heavy rain, closed the balcony door. Internet access from my room is good. Should be able to skype.

At 09.am I ran from the hotel to Syntagma, Adrian's Arch and Monastiraki.I walked from Monastiraki to the hotel.I saw this building last year. Amazing, garden growing vertical.

On the way back I stopped at the Agora market.

Olives, bread, and cheese.
Close to the hotel is a small supermarket, where I bought yoghurt, honey laundry soap and a plastic tub. It is cloudy, but about 22 degrees celsius.

Nov 05: Amsterdam-Athens
Well, I'm back at Schiphol airport, flying to Athens in 2 hours.
3 weeks I'll be there. Same hotel as last january, the Aristoteles hotel.

This time it was night. At the airport there is a metro station. A special metro ticket into town is 8 euro.

 I got on the blue metro train at 20.33hr. Changed train at Syntagma square at 21.13hr, took the red train to Omonia Square. Walked from there in 10 minutes to the hotel. I'm on the 6th floor, facing the street.

Oct 27, 2013: The Hague

Greetings from The Hague. Stormy winds today, but not cold. Went running around the lake.
View from my brother's balcony.

Made chickensoup today and watched Dutch speed skating championship on the television.

Oct 24, 2013: The Netherlands

Video impression of the Netherlands with:

Groningen

Zuidlaardermarkt

Fort Bourtange

Leiden

The Hague

Amsterdam

Gouda

Oct 20, 2013: Autumn

A walk in the forest in Drente

Oct 15, 2013: Zuidlaaren

De Zuidlaardermarkt is vanouds een paardenmarkt maar tegenwoordig vooral een dieren- en warenmarkt die jaarlijks op de derde dinsdag in okotber wordt gehouden in het Noord-Drentse dorp Zuidlaren,
De markt staat bekend als Europa's grootste najaarsmarkt voor paarden en wordt door rond de 150.000 mensen bezocht, vooral Nederlanders, maar vanwege de paardenhandel zijn er ook vele Duitsers, Belgen, Denen, Polen en Italianen op de markt te vinden.
Naast de paardenmarkt wordt een warenmarkt georganiseerd met kramen verspreid over 4,2 kilometer.

Oct 13, 2013: Groningen

The cycling here is great, there is a nature preserve nearby: "Kardinge".
Last week was the last week of summer.
 

Oct 06, 2013: Groningen

I'm staying with Ina, in her house. The frist night I slept for 12 hours. Good, rid of my jet lag in one night.
Running through the wetlands. Today went cycling with Ina