Monday 29 April 2013

Thermal Underwear, Smog, a Vivldi Concerto, and Glorious Humming

I am back in Vancouver. I have said enough about Vancouver already, but I have to say this:  It is friggin COLD here!

First thing I notice when checking into my hotel for the night:  I can see a US warship right outside my window.  Enough now! Stop following me!  I don't get off on killing machines! 

This morning, my friend and foremost ferry consultant Alan informed me of an error in this blog:  The fog noticed on my first day in HK (the fog that hid the aircraft carrier ;-) occured on the day with this year's worst air pollution in Hong Kong, so one probably should not consider it to consist of 100% water vapour. I stand corrected: The aircraft carrier was hiding in Smog!    Now can we blame the air pollution on the aircraft carrier? ;-)

To happier news:  I must have been promoted to Fleet Admiral in absentia, because when I wake up the meat grinder that was floating in the harbour in front of my window is cruising its missiles somewhere else!
Here are some pictures WITHOUT war ship (well; actually there is one; but that Canadian Navy vessel doesn't really qualify as a war ship, does it?)



More  happy news: Alan also sent me a link to a video of his son Gabriel and another young man performing the Vivaldi Concerto for 2 violins in A minor at a local Berkeley (San Fran?) library.   Very much worth LISTENing to!  Not being a child of blogging or YouTubeing parents myself (or the non-digital equivalents of last century), I can't even remember what I was doing when I was 12, which is Gabriel's age. One of the reasons I like this performance so much might become apparent in the next paragraph.

Personally I have to confess that classical music for me lost importance, mostly because the coiffed and affected divas of both genders who are performing it. Fortunately I did not have to abandon all classical music, and that probably has to do with the nature of Bach's creations, sometimes referred to as almost mathematical:  Glen Gould I can deal with. While other puffed-up finger magicians like to be seen as Arteeeests, Glen Gould for me is just another humming crazy scientist like yours truly (and be quiet all you strange people who can experience utmost pleasure in eating or where-ever and stay utterly silent and noise-less). Being an odd hummer myself:  this I can relate to; this I can understand.!  And how could anyone's lips not move at 5 minutes and 30 seconds into the Goldberg Variations? Or at 7:20?  Oh come on!  I envy my father (who I really started missing even more during the last year, since I am doing what he never could or knew how to) was a huge Gould&Bach fan even before Gould recorded this.







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