Tags: war

1160

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Monday, September 25th, 2023

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Checked in at Taberna La Concha. Vermut! — with Jessica

Sunday, September 24th, 2023

Checked in at Puerta de Mérida. Dining al fresco — with Jessica map

Checked in at Puerta de Mérida. Dining al fresco — with Jessica

Thursday, September 21st, 2023

Checked in at Asador Carlos V. Lunch on the square — with Jessica map

Checked in at Asador Carlos V. Lunch on the square — with Jessica

Wednesday, September 20th, 2023

Checked in at Taberna El Rincón. Croquetas y vino — with Jessica map

Checked in at Taberna El Rincón. Croquetas y vino — with Jessica

Checked in at La Minerva. Pulpo! — with Jessica map

Checked in at La Minerva. Pulpo! — with Jessica

Tuesday, September 19th, 2023

Checked in at almagesto. Lunch on the square—mogote de cerdo Ibérico — with Jessica map

Checked in at almagesto. Lunch on the square—mogote de cerdo Ibérico — with Jessica

Sunday, September 17th, 2023

Checked in at Mercado de San Fernando. Vermut! — with Jessica map

Checked in at Mercado de San Fernando. Vermut! — with Jessica

Tuesday, September 12th, 2023

Checked in at Dover Castle. Tuesday night session — with Jessica map

Checked in at Dover Castle. Tuesday night session — with Jessica

Friday, September 8th, 2023

Lovers in a dangerous time

Being in Croatia last week got me thinking about the country’s history.

I remember the break-up of Yugoslavia, but I was quite out of touch with the news for a while back in 1991. That’s because I was hitch-hiking and busking around Europe with my musical partner Polly from Cornwall. I had my mandolin, she had her fiddle.

We went from Ireland to England to France to Germany to Czechoslovakia (still a single country back then), to Austria to Italy, back to France, and back to England. A loop around Europe.

We set off on August 21st, 1991. The only reason I know the date is because I remember we had been to a gig in Cork the night before.

Sonic Youth were playing in Sir Henry’s (a great venue that no longer exists). The support band was a group from Seattle called Nirvana. I remember that some of my friends decided to skip the support band to stay in the pub next door until Sonic Youth came on because the pints were cheaper there.

By the time Polly and I got back from our travels, Nirvana were the biggest band on the planet. It all happened very quickly.

The same could be said for the situation in Yugoslavia.

I remember when we were stuck for a day at a petrol station in the alps trying to get from Austria to Italy. There was a bureau de change listing currency exchange rates. This was before the euro came in so there were lots of different currencies; pounds, francs, lira, deutsche marks. Then there was the listing for the Yugoslav dinar. It read:

  • We buy: 00.00
  • We sell: 00.00

That really struck me, seeing the situation summarised so clinically.

But what really got to me was an encounter in Vienna.

Polly and I did well in that city. On our first evening of busking, not only did we make some good money, but we also met a local folk singer. This young man very generously took us in and put us up in his flat.

At some point during our stay, we were on one of the city’s trams. That’s when we met another young couple who were on the road. Somehow there was always a connection between fellow travellers. I can’t remember who spoke to who first, but we bonded straight away.

It soon became clear that our situations were only superfically similar. This was a young couple deeply in love. One of them was Serbian. The other was Croatian. It wasn’t safe for either of them back where they used to call home.

I could return home at any point. I always knew that when I was sleeping rough, or struggling to make enough money to eat.

They couldn’t return. All they wanted was to be together somewhere safe. They started asking us about Ireland and England. “Do you think they’d give us asylum?” they asked with so much hope. It broke my heart to see their desperation, the pleading look in their eyes.

I felt so useless. I wished there was something I could’ve done for them.

I think about them a lot.

Thursday, September 7th, 2023

Checked in at The Ancient Mariner. First Thursday of the month session — with Jessica map

Checked in at The Ancient Mariner. First Thursday of the month session — with Jessica

Friday, September 1st, 2023

Checked in at Mili. Seafood feast! — with Jessica map

Checked in at Mili. Seafood feast! — with Jessica

Sunday, August 20th, 2023

Checked in at Russ & Daughters Café. Herrings, pickles, and devilled eggs — with Jessica map

Checked in at Russ & Daughters Café. Herrings, pickles, and devilled eggs — with Jessica

Monday, August 7th, 2023

35mm scans — writer/editor/reporter

Clicking through these cold war slides gives an uncomfortable mixture of nostalgic appreciation for the retro aesthetic combined with serious heebie-jeebies for the content.

The slides appear to be 1970s/1980s informational or training images from the United States Air Force, NORAD, Navy, and beyond.

Thursday, August 3rd, 2023

Checked in at The Ancient Mariner. Great turnout for tonight’s session 🎶🎻🎶 — with Jessica map

Checked in at The Ancient Mariner. Great turnout for tonight’s session 🎶🎻🎶 — with Jessica

Wednesday, August 2nd, 2023

Checked in at Jolly Brewer. Wednesday night session 🎶🎻🎻🎶 — with Jessica map

Checked in at Jolly Brewer. Wednesday night session 🎶🎻🎻🎶 — with Jessica

Sunday, July 30th, 2023

Checked in at The Bugle Inn. Sunday afternoon session 🎶🎻🎻🎶 map

Checked in at The Bugle Inn. Sunday afternoon session 🎶🎻🎻🎶

Friday, July 28th, 2023

Checked in at The Garrick. Last session of the festival map

Checked in at The Garrick. Last session of the festival

Thursday, July 27th, 2023

Checked in at Kelly's Cellars. First session of the day! map

Checked in at Kelly’s Cellars. First session of the day!

Wednesday, July 26th, 2023

Checked in at Kelly's Cellars. A session with John Doyle — with Jessica map

Checked in at Kelly’s Cellars. A session with John Doyle — with Jessica

Tuesday, July 25th, 2023

Checked in at Maddens Bar. Playing in a massive session led by Angelina Carberry — with Jessica map

Checked in at Maddens Bar. Playing in a massive session led by Angelina Carberry — with Jessica