TRAVEL DIARY

A weblog regularly updated by Jodi Rose.

  

VIEWING ALL POSTS FOR: NOVEMBER 2005

Tuesday, November 29, 2005

10:58 PM
Posted by jodi rose

basilica night clouds

*** HAPPY BIRTHDAY LISA ****

back at the bridge although I never really left
icy wind tonight, illuminated clouds unfurl over basilica
maria valeria twinkles reflected in the river
the water cold and deep and brown and swift
currents of experience eddy and sweep through me
even here almost impossible to stay still
guess thats what a moving border implies
and the river as a border is always moving
never the same twice... reading philosophy
filtering one place and time through another

Monday, November 28, 2005

8:40 PM
Posted by jodi rose

bratislava winter market

wander to the winter market for hot punch and palachinky.
avoid the bread slathered in lard and onion - a speciality, and opt for chicken burger with pickles instead. despite warnings not to eat poultry in case of bird flu. living dangerously! find the most excellent chocolate shop with an international range of hot chocolate indulgences, flavoured with real oranges, brandy, raisin, chili, pepper....
staying at the hostel patio, excellent location on spitalska st, friendly staff and have only ever shared with one other girl, both also friendly. $24 a night - good deal.
back to sturovo and the bridge in the morning - have enjoyed trip away but missing my friends and quiet town.

Monday, November 28, 2005

8:36 PM
Posted by jodi rose

warsaw palace of culture. yours decimated... here have some of ours. the generosity of soviet realist architecture.

saturday decide culture is required and visit the warsaw rising museum. extraordinary. really powerful and very disturbing - in part due to the constant heartbeat and ocassional air raid sounds played in the space.
growing up in australia, studying 'modern history' the second world war seemed so far away and long ago. while here, realise how incredibly present the effects and memory of this war still are.
warsaw feels haunted, a very sad city.
the museum brings to life the daily struggle of living in an occupied country, from many different perspectives - the children who carried messages and ammunition through the networks of sewers (and later many also fight); the clandestine study groups keeping literature and culture alive; the underground press printing thousands of leaflets, newspapers, posters and books; of course the horrors of the ghetto and forced deportation to concentration camps; trying to get food; over 45,000 home army & partisans are killed and 180,000 civilians with the town itself almost completely destroyed by the end of the war.
walk around the old town briefly - lovely, but a slight theme park feeling as entirely rebuilt in 1950's after being razed by the germans on their retreat.
stumble across a memorial monument to the warsaw uprising in august 1944, where thousands of people fought and died.
retreat home to flake out and filter all this horror with bath and dvd. extreme juxtaposition, new hbo series entourage, very engaging about a young movie star and his posse in la. loosely based on exp of mark wahlberg.

Monday, November 28, 2005

8:24 PM
Posted by jodi rose

stodki... stony... truly the-best-cake-in-the-world

arrive warsaw two hours late friday morning, due to a problem with 'the icing on the aircraft'. cute. extreme weather still a novelty.
philippa takes me straight to the eccentric russian markets in the old stadium, fall in love with hot pink gloves but decide to buy them on way out - stand already closed so have to go back sunday for another browse. end up with two new scarves, gloves and hats - accessories sorted for winter. feeling very much more in tune with my environment.
then straight to the best-cake-in-the-world takeaway (it has dense wet chocolate cake layered with jam, cream and chocolate on top); and another shopping moment at h&m - try on most of stella's range - which sold out in a morning in london, but strangely still intact in warsaw h&m - even with her fabulously cut jacket - the girl does great back! - nothing fits or suits me, but philippa finds cool trousers & skirt.

Monday, November 28, 2005

8:20 PM
Posted by jodi rose

slovak muses - the song, pastorale, ballad - slovakia as a country of soul - loneliness, landscapes, solitude - drink boys, drink the slovak symposium - wanderer, world vagrant, tinker.

thursday/friday sturovo - bratislava

wake up early, manage to purchase local sim card - txt now only 2 sk each instead of 55p (ie AU$ 2/23 c vs $1.30)
brave the very smoky dingy yet strangely appealing coffee shop at sturovo stanica (railway station) blue plastic flowery table clothes and red painted tin walls with a dozen men drinking beer and cognac at 11am, coffee turkish strenght and very sweet but drinkable.
visit the slovak nation gallery, exhibition on slovak myth. excellent ordering into various categories - will update from notebook later. new favourite painters ludovit fulla and janko alexy.
re-find my old favourite haunt in bratislava from 2002 - 24 hour trip - cafe verne, plush velvet lounges, radical intellectual vibe, enjoy hanging out reading for a few hours.
meet elisabeth in bratislava for trip to winter market, which is just setting up but the hot wine shop already open - fine sense of priority!

Wednesday, November 23, 2005

12:11 AM
Posted by jodi rose

Hanneke in the blizzard

wednesday 00:03

mikey the head of vadas thermal baths drops off tickets for me as promised - on condition I promote them in australia - no problem!
they truly are worth the trip to sturovo if you're over this way :)

hanneke visits from budapest and we spend the day hanging out
she tells me wonderful stories in a day of talking about everything
how when the border was closed, people would get up early at 5am
go down to the river and whisper messages across the water
the sound carries very clearly - how are you, the baby has grown, sometimes codes and subversive contacts - others, general gossip

we walk down to the bridge in what i think is a blizzard
she laughs and tells me this is nothing, you australians!!
the snow today is much softer and bigger than yesterday
like feathers... cotton wool snagging on branches it dissolves

the night whispers to me

Monday, November 21, 2005

8:34 PM
Posted by jodi rose

there's snow on that there bridge...

monday 21st november 20:25
first snow today
well last night to be exact
started as robert, andrea and i left gyuri & sofie's after dinner
lovely evening, delicious food, excellent company
chatted on phone to karol, who told me the river froze in 1961
and he spent hours on the remaining arch of the bridge, listening to the ice - we hope it will freeze again this year

this morning all the trees, grass, lights were dusted with snow
the basilica and the bridge had a layer of white on their curved arches
men digging a ditch or tunnel, the river subdued a murky green grey

visited the primary school for a lunchtime concert, that turned out to be the birthday of the schools namesake, a hungarian poet - didn't ever catch his name, but think he would have been 101 years old today. very diverse program, zither and singing to start, then aerobic demonstration, lovely guitar playing with two poems set to original music, and a modern dance that involved some thigh slapping and foot stompin' - mooted my plan for dancers under the bridge, well received. treated as one of the honoured guests, which was lovely and incredibly generous as I had just turned up - although invited - along with various local dignitaries, policitician, head border guard, director of vadas baths, chief of the museum, and all the teachers. had a great lunchtime party after the show, toasted the school and the poet with cognac, chatted to the english teachers, who encourage me to come and talk with their classes - loved that I am a native speaker; well it's good to be valued for something that comes naturally - although sadly it is still my only language. really do need to get multi-lingual one of these days, most people here speak hungarian, slovakian, german or english and possibly one or two others.

indulged in a trip to the vadas pool this afternoon, enjoyed the snow falling while in the steaming hot outdoor bath. gorgeous.

Saturday, November 19, 2005

9:53 PM
Posted by jodi rose

dancers whirling skirt keep faith

saturday 21:41
wake to the first winter frost
tiny diamonds sparkling in the grass
visit the bridge, monitor vibrations
watch the river flow still and swift
impressionist hills merge green blue orange

there's something peculiarly lovely about guarding
the bridge between or over the borders
rather than the border itself
in an old roman garrison town
raise the flag, drink the wine

bridges are all about faith
not religious or even spiritual
although it can have a spiritual dimension
it is rigorous, empirical, non-denominational
faith in the bridge, it's engineering, materials, design
faith in the structure, stability, physical, political, cultural
faith that it will stay standing,
to let you pass, not hurl you to the waters below
that it will withstand the forces acting upon it
exerting pressure, gravity, conflict, daily use

bridges are not immortal
bridges are immortal

they live forever in the memory of people on either side

tonight i see the film cinderella man
and although blatantly tugging on the heartstrings
something about his perseverance, courage, and strength
gives me a sense of faith in the world, life, second chances
although if it was made about an australian boxer, he would have lost the championship - we always celebrate the underdog;
our national heroes are explorers who got lost and died,
bushrangers battlers the 'little people'
or in hungary the anti-hero of journey by moonlight

but the americans like their heroes to win.

Friday, November 18, 2005

9:57 PM
Posted by jodi rose

bridge still standing

friday 21:29
yep my favourite two trashy radio stations are battling it out tonight
during the day nex (or new) duna keeps me entertained with the latest top 40 eurotrash and classic 80's hits
but tonight feeling a little mellow, and slager has enticed me with it's weird mix of gypsy, folk, bananarama (manic monday) and the eurythmics. all part of my cultural acclimatisation.
and is it really so wrong to eat fried camembert for entree, mushroom and blue cheese main and finish with tiramisu icecream? I do have stewed apple from the pancakes yesterday, and strawberries so that is some fresh living food. had a great time at the supermarket, located soy milk, aforementioned pre-crumbed camembert, my fave mini ricotta and jam pastries, and various other delights.

today is good. I'm very happy with my bridge guarding, the bridge is still standing and doesn't appear to have been threatened. I think of it often and send love and white light when I'm not there to protect it.
Starting to collect myths and folktales and rituals for protection, so if you have any spells or strange saftey rituals please send them to me.
Thinking about buying one of the hideous witch dolls I've seen lurking in the hardware store and knick-knack shop windows - around 500 sk, they have straw brooms, hook noses, warts and an evil cackle. Not sure if this is a local custom, or leftover from halloween but I think one nestled under the bridge would be quite a deterrent to any wrong doers. Until I get my uniform sorted out and set up the winter room.

Had another early morning, sunny again - bliss. It's not the blue sky I miss so much, realised today, but the pink orange gold silver clouds. All grey all the time really isn't much fun. Gave my talk at the highschool this morning, part of the program for matriculation - another student mayhem day by the looks of it! Had eight or so of the brightest and smartest kids come along, three of the girls in red/white face paint (they just started or something, I can't work it out, but saw the whole class later parading down the hlavna stanica (main street) singing in their headscarves and painted faces) and two boys who are in a band called 'california'; one of whom philippa and I spotted having an intensive pink floyd lesson the other night but will forgive that as they are very keen to make some music with bridges. possibly avant jazz. And I'm planning to set a composition exercise to make a variety of alternative tunes we can blare back from the slovak side at 16:35 for a week.

Sad to miss their concert tonight at the school disco, but had already arranged with Gyuri to see a performance of traditional hungarian, slovak, rom and jewish dancing - it was absolutely gorgeous. the young girls in their white dresses were so beautifil it actually made me cry - some memory of 'the good master' hungarian story I had as a kid- the part with the special easter skirts, layer upon layer of coloured pleated fabric and the boys sprinkling water on her.

** quick kitchen dance break **
schlager just played natalie imbruglia 'torn' and for some reason I had to get up and dance. her new single not having the same effect though.

back to the traditional dancing; the shepherd one was hilarious, all the men in furry jackets on hands and knees being sheep, and then drunk shepherds; and lots of spinning twirling skirts; thigh and heel slapping and foot stompin' - now maybe I could invite a dance troupe to come and perform under the bridge and scare away any lurking demons.

introduced to the head of the border guards, who apparently is arranging a special bridge passport for me next week. we'll see.

this afternoon selected and put up lots of maps, pictures and fliers from stuff i brought with me to things collected in glasgow, budapest, ljubljana, sturovo and bratislava. lordy and I only left home a few weeks ago. crazy how the places stack up. but it's good to have images from all my homes on the walls, feels much more lively.

meeting people here too, which is lovely. starting to feel that I might make some friends - and getting used to the way people stare at me all the time; a few girls smiled today, friendly not ohmigod what does she look like?! ran into kristina from the very select film audience last night, who is waiting for a job and bored - her eyes look tired, I invited her to drop in for tea anytime. Chatted with Gabriel at the lavazza cafe - who warned me some of the other places advertise lavazza but use cheap slovak coffee - it's all about making money here, he said. We connected in our mutual loathing of london - he worked in a chocolate factory outside manchester for a while, but likes being back in sturovo, even if 'time passes slowly sometimes' and he always wanted to be a barman/waiter. Both were very curious about what it is exactly that I do, as bridge guard. Which seems to be the question everyone wants answered, from sydney to sturovo, bondi to bratislava! The short answer is, we make it up as we go :)
For the long answer, I am inspired to do some writing on a more philosophical poetic praxis over the next few months.

Thinking about turbulence for the sarai reader, which posed some really excellent questions (will add later) and realised that I am addicted to disorientation. really love the sensation of being in a new place where every street is completely unknown - they become familiar so quickly, and routine sets in. But there's really no danger of that here, going to warsaw for cake next weekend. Seriously. and only $60. the airfare, not the cake.

Thursday, November 17, 2005

9:33 PM
Posted by jodi rose

thursday 17th nov 21:23
woke up early this morning to blue sky
so extraordinary i had to get up and go for a walk
the bridge the basilica the river the town
all look gorgeous in the sunshine and coloured clouds
walked around the vadas thermal pool centre
and all the water had somehow returned
wether by accident or design am not sure
but the leave are in bags by the pools so maybe on purpose

i did some sweeping in the courtyard myself
as today is a public holiday for the school kids at least
read sunday's independent from london
via bratislava carlton hotel - also europress books in english
sorted out my sound software issues and uploaded all the sounds
i've been recording for monique and albert to include in their show
who have found anne, flute/electronics musician and composer
to play with the sounds on 24th november
www.annelaberge.com
i have two more files to send, think a dozen is the right amount
in the morning i go talk with the high school students
not sure how many will come as it is their open day
can choose to watch films, do sport, play chess - or visit me!

tonight saw the robert altman film 'the company'
all four of us in the audience had to buy two tickets each
or they couldn't screen it - surprise as not much else on
except the fireworks at 7 - almost distracted me from going in
but the dancing was lovely to watch, very gentle pace and story
reminded me of time place space experience directing dancers
although as a complete novice would have helped to see the movie before - but i will know now for the next extravaganza

time now for a bath and early night, to be coherent in the morning

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

10:37 PM
Posted by jodi rose

radio appearance with the very dedicated john blades now online:

Background Noise recently featured a conversation with Sydney sound artist Jodi Rose. She has been for some years now recording with contact microphones the sounds of cable vibrations of cable and suspension bridges all over the world. She is very passionate and articulate about her ongoing project. Having worked as a bridge engineer I have an abiding interest in her work and my engineering background combined with my deep interest in experimental music makes her project more special than ever. She is away overseas presently on another bridge project which she explains.

For a fascinating insight into the unique and beautiful recordings and work of Jodi Rose you can listen to her on Background Noise recently by visiting: http://www.anonradio.net

and I stumbled across this lovely border project when submitting work for a unique blog art site - http://no-org.net/

This is a global call to all artists, cultural producers and activists to contribute photographs for an image blog in conjunction with the exhibition "moving..on...: Handlungen an Grenzen - Strategien zum Antirassistischen Handeln" in the Neue Gesellschaft für Bildende Kunst (NGBK), Berlin, Germany, August 2005.
 
You are called upon to use various types of digital cameras (e.g. mobile phone cams, webcams, photo and video cameras) to document signs of containment and exclusion, of discrimination by the migration and border authorities. Please send new or existing image files via e-mail to images@borderblog.net.

http://www.borderblog.net/

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

10:32 PM
Posted by jodi rose

wednesday 22:15
just correcting the auto time-date stamp which is stuck in oz.
i however am stuck in sturovo. not really but had another trip to esztergom this afternoon with gyuri, who tried to persuade the border guards not to stamp my passport every time I cross - she is guarding your bridge and your jobs, he said. they remained unconvinced.
and really, one would imagine that in a small town in the slow winter that you could focus exclusively on work - but it's extraordinary how much there is to distract oneself with. and I still have mile long to do lists. crazy. did manage to tidy and clean the apartment today, unpack properly and find places for all my bits and pieces on the shelves. a lovely 60's armchair with bobbly cream cushions and warm red rug set up by the window looking out on the courtyard - which four men were raking the leaves from this morning - and I'm set. A winter of reading - started on the Danube book and it's intriguing.
Have learnt a lot about this area in the last two days - also visited the town's historic museum which is in the same building as my apartment. This place was first settled in roman times, called Avanum in around 1005. There was a (small) castle here which burned in the battles of 1598 against the Hungarian and Polish armies across the river in Esztergom. The Turks based here won that particular war even though the castle was lost. Beautiful line drawings of the battles, encampment of tents along the river making a city of soldiers, thousands of them skirmishing head on in the river - bridge straight across to the hill in those days. The basilica is built on a site where there has been a church for 1,000 years - but it was only built in the 1800's. I think from memory.
And the museum director confirmed the rumour I had heard of a secret tunnel under the danube, he said some of the older people in town had taken him to the site where it emerged and there are tiles from an ancient Turkish bridge there. But my history teacher says this tunnel is only a legend and never really existed, how would they have built it in medieval times, he asked me, with what technology?
I don't know but am sure it would have been muddy. Perhaps they had help in a time-warp from the aliens down the river :)
(see Novy Most www.groove.u-f-o.sk)
According to Magris, the danube is a river that sings, and is populated with gods and mythological creatures along its banks. Although even in Holderlin's time the modern age was crowding these out with fact and mundane rational everyday life. But I can still see those old gods and nyads, fauns and dryads in the mist.
Which is all pervading - the nights are the clearest when you can see alll the way to the stars, but during the day even when the sun attempts to shine straggling through the heavy haze, there is such lack of visibility that the sky seems to have closed in already.
Reports of snow this weekend may be greatly exaggerated. we'll see.
Maybe I can excavate the old tunnel now that would be a project.
Read stories from the townspeople in Sonja's installation, in communist times here you were searched every time you crossed the river, and in the 70's could only make two trips per year. But the remaining arch was one of the romance points for the young people.
Now it's the green pub - told it's the best in slovakia, possibly in all mitteleuropa. Which is quite a claim - but deserves investigation...

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

9:59 AM
Posted by jodi rose

Hidor Haza
Dom stra cu mosta
tuesday morning 9.47

three of the four workmen fixing the lights in my studio have just left - and yes we have light! now just the electrician with the luxriant moustache is left installing the second fluro range - philippa thinks I'm acclimatising to these parts way too quickly, already think tracksuits in public are a good idea, and appreciate the multitudinous variety of facial hair fashions.

the lights are on just in time, winter is definitely coming. not only the perma-haze, but distinct chill in the air, and it's dark already by 4.30pm. that's going to do my head in I know, will be dreaming of those sunny sydney winter days before long - but it's still exotic and strangely enjoyable.

today is really the start of my full-time residence, no more trips away, nothing else going on but guarding the bridge. oh and all the rest - keeping proposals in various stages afloat, following up contacts with all those wonderful people in glasgow - checking on the bangkok bridge construction schedule; lining up model making and picture viewers; applying for more residencies; but mostly i plan to be writing and composing right here. It's an incredible relief to be in one place.

coming home to see my basilica lit-up across the river last night, I felt instantly relaxed and calm. the fence of the biker pub has been mended - some drunks trashed it on friday night - lucky I wasn't here alone or would have freaked out, just thought they were being noisy but Philippa had looked out the window and seem them staggering into the fence. no more damage done and it's good as new. which is to say a wonky patchwork of different styles and wood hastily tacked together.

today I am going for a walk along the river, north I think, then coming home to arrange the studio and furniture and pictures.

the electrician just left, having finished installing the lights; and there are four women in a circle in the courtyard sweeping up the leaves.
maybe there is a special event today - i have to find out from the museum director.

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

9:47 AM
Posted by jodi rose

retrospectively, coming soon...

Sunday, November 13, 2005

8:15 AM
Posted by jodi rose

cooked breakfast - the cafes only serve coffee and cake, the pub beer and chips and the concept of eating out for breakfast is very foreign - scrambled eggs with mushrooms and tomato, and bes kaffeina in the filter percolator - there is a big fancy coffee machine but I definitely need lessons to drive it.
showed philippa the town, wandered along the pedestrian zone for about a minute then dragged her into a shoe shop (no unwillingly I might add) to check out the dr scholl pink tweed slippers I have been coveting. sadly not in my size but we found a magnificent pair of furry boots for her - and further down the road a fabulous green (fake) fur coat. I tried a full length black wool jacket with enormous fur cuffs and collar - very cruella de ville but will wait and see if its needed.
decided not to walk to hungary today - went and lay in the hot baths instead. bridge guard before me seems to not like the heated pools, and the groups of people chatting in them, she was glad to find a cold swimming pool in esztergom. but I'm fantastically happy to just float around, surrounded by groups of local people talking and playing.
the usual number of people were there when we arrived - 5 or 6 in the outside pool, a few more inside - but after our massages (based on meridian points, every single one of them hurt) around 4pm the place had filled up. really lovely mix of older people, kids with their parents, and by 4.30 the teenage boys and girls in separate groups, starting their saturday night courting early. really appreciate a culture where people are immersed in hot water on a saturday afternoon, not at the pokies or chasing a ball around a field (that comes later).
drifted home, baked vegetables and a strangely textured tarte swisse - the apples good pastry awful have to check my measurements - and then out to see a film at the cinema. only half a block away in the pesia zona. was a little worried as when i tried to see the wedding crashers, told they needed 8 people to run it, and only the three staff, myself and one other girl showed up. philippa offered to buy all 8 tickets, or indeed the cinema which wasn't necessary - there was assigned seating, and around twenty people there - the movie started right on 7, so we just made it. monster in law, jane fonda the fabulous psycho mother who doesn't want her son marrying a temp dogwalker, michael vartan didn't have much to do but look gorgeous and lovable which he managed to perfection, and jlo in her usual role as sweet but feisty girl from the wrong side of the tracks with a good heart - she was impossibly perky and happy and cute. but it was fun.
walked down by the river to visit my bridge and see the basilica at night - but the lights went off just as we got down there.
had a drink in the green pub - total culture shock, it was full of groovy kids wearing art school cord jackets and scarves, unruly teenagers out the back in black leather who left early (to smoke bongs and listen to nirvana records at someones house, we guessed), a young musician eagerly soaking up the wisdom of his older, ponytailed friend discussing the finer points of pink floyd's 'the wall' in great detail; and a big group of people there for the soccer (football in these parts) which started at 10. joined dani and his girlfriend uisha (sorry if I spell your name wrong) to watch the game - philippa went to a couple when she worked on the soap in bratislava, one against the celtics which slovakia won 5 nil, and another against serbia who threw flares onto the pitch. spain were in front 2 nil at half time when we left.

it's incredible what a difference it makes having a good friend here, especially someone who understands the area and can give me some useful advice, a few words (please and thank you which i forgot already), and enjoy the luxurious thermal baths and apartment with me. somehow it all feels quite normal, we could be back in hotham st but there's a basilica across the road and everyone speaks slovak and hungarian. I can't wait for the snow, but apparently it doesn't come until after christmas. Just need some pine needle cordial for my winter hibernation (see moomintroll midwinter) and a big furry coat.
I feel like it's possible to slip into the life here quite easily - especially from my privileged position as bridge guard, which carries a certain level of visibility - people say, ah you're the new bridge guard! - and responsibility with it, but have been told also not to be too strict.
It's a time for reflection, soaking in the place, seeing how things evolve, and making connections with people.
Feel that I really need to do some baking and cooking, like I have all these raw materials collected but need some recipes to really bring out the flavours. And knitting too - good practice for loose ends, creating something beautiful and warm out of disparate strands.
The last few years have been so focused outwards, constant travel, generating ideas and energy, this is a really perfect chance to let things settle a bit, filter through, consolidate and recharge.
Wshing I had brought shama's landscape and memory, really need to read the chapter on water, but have Claudio migris' treatise on the danube so that is a start on philosophy and culture.
Off to Hungary this morning, then train to bratislava where philippa has promised to introduce me to her friends and the giant tiramisu at cafe cafe. We also visit the bridge with a bar on top - which has sadly just been renovated, we'll check out the damage - the original kitsch was so wonderful.

Sunday, November 13, 2005

7:44 AM
Posted by jodi rose

sunday 13th november
7.35am
i know it's ridiculously early. still timed to another clock.
friday written off by train journey back from ljubljana - and woken at 7am by shadows in the window. luckily it was the people fixing my hot water, so could have a shower, but not until the one with a very luxurious moustache had spent 2 hours trying to make the studio lights work, and finally concluded that the electric wiring didn't quite add up so an electrician will call on monday.

went on a sortie to the big supermarket - billa - and spent 1600 sk on enough food for a week (about $50 au) including lots of fruit and veg, disko biscuits, delicious ricotta pastries, but avoided the smallgoods and absinthe. maybe in a mont or so. cooked 5 mushroom risotto with peas, then had lovely ichat with sophea while waiting for taxi to the station to pick up philippa, who arrived from bratislava at 22.40.
our taxi had to collect someone else but promised they'd be back in 10 minutes, and when they returned, the young boys next to us tried to hijack it - I was very stern and a big grumpy about this, because I never manage to convince any taxi I haven't booked to take me anywhere in these parts - but having the advantage of language and being a local, the two boys climbed in the back - luckily it was a minivan. dani turned out to be very friendly, asking what are you doing here at the end of nowhere? he knew the original bridgeguard, and is living in bratislava for 5 years but still comes home on weekends to see friends and family. he also recommended the green pub, which gyuri and thomi told me is the best in town.

Thursday, November 10, 2005

10:33 PM
Posted by jodi rose

thursday 10 nov 05
22:21
bridge guard residency, sturovo
a few quick words to connect with the world again
after ten longs hours on the train back from ljubljana
home in time to see the film at my local kino
which tonight was terry gilliam's brazil
brilliant, dystopian arcane/future all too real
a little unsettling and feeling paranoid about every noise
but always takes a while to adjust to new place aurally
seeing shapes in the shadows too - sleep best option
amused myself on the train inventing collective nouns for various art practices - googled to see what exists and found a jubilation of larks
which I love - had been thinking of a murder of owls
the only suggestion i found online was a corona of artists
mine are more medium specific:
a wave of sound artists
a lumen of vj's
a render of media artists
a tarn of environmental artists
a train of conceptual artists
a flicker of film-makers
a nonsense of dadaists
... like i said it was a long train journey

also thinking about the idea of *home*
and where home is at different times
in relation to where I might post stuff when I have to leave...
for me, right now, this bridge is home
although it involves constantly moving borders,
rigorously controlled crossings
and as heidegger said back in the day
homelessness is coming to be the condition of the world
or maybe our homes are everywhere, moving with us
three men sleeping on wooden benches in a large heated room at the sturovo train station, and another narrow room with card game
reminded me of the need to find out about the underworld here
metaphysical and actual

luka telling me about his norwegian friend who i reminded him of,
she is like a troll he said - adaptable, happy, friendly
trolls are the angels of the north
I love that.

Wednesday, November 9, 2005

12:39 PM
Posted by jodi rose

wednesday 9 november 2005
12.29pm
kiberpipa kersnikova 6, ljubljana slovenia
aka cyberpipe

a quick word of thanks to my sponsors
for getting me here, keeping me fed and warm and sheltered
without you I'm nowhere

the australia council for the arts new media arts board (rip)
the bridge guard art and science residential centre
emer diviney
dame elisabeth murdoch
break 2.3 festival
f6design dot com

a special thanks to the ever wonderful jonathon for vaporising those email bugs and all your support

thinking about protection as I lay in bed last night and this morning
moral protection - heard a story about models in milan, when if the agency knows they're not going to make it after a few months, instead of selling their bodies one way, decide to sell them in others.
spiritual protection - one of the artists talking about an old girlfriend from puerto rico teaching him spells - mis-used one to try and make a curator choose him for a show - of course it didn't work
spells for protection seem to involve knots and hair
lovely response too from peter about the nomads bed
going to make an invitation to the town in late december
and create a shelter under the bridge for warmth, soup, hot drinks, with stories told and collected.

enjoying my day as a flaneur in ljubljana, slowly getting the flavour of different parts of the city. branched out from the small castle and intestinal factory, to siska yesterday and the project apartment - very comfortable, garden, nice furnishings and afternoon sun; and today visited the museum of modern art - only one floor but some gorgeous paintings and bronze sculptures that reminded me of my grandmothers jewellry in the 70's (communist bronze!?) bought catalogues from old shows by irwin and one about the gallery as dream. lovely philosophical town - the city does have a monument to the national poet, after all - must find out the story again. going to the three bridges now, where NSK installed their border crossings a few years ago, see if I can find any echoes, and will also find the dragon bridge.

Tuesday, November 8, 2005

9:21 PM
Posted by jodi rose

tuesday 9.17pm
survived the opening night nerves
told luka he was right, we should have practised
spent all day watching our show as we dubbed video
installed in the castle now for all to see
went to bed imagining the worst but really it was fine
just strange having no-one talk to me afterwards
but freezing concrete and competing venues meant the party never quite got started - lots of art, artists and art lovers all there wanting to get it on...
looking around the city in the morning then back on the train - just too exhausted to stay longer
and my bridge needs me
had a lovely day hanging out with luka, drinking wine
while dubbing bridges - very decadent art life
he made gorgeous images and the sound is fine
even though i decided it's my retirement performance
still don't know why I do it, too stressful
from now on directing others to perform
work on conceptual framework and networks
write write write write write guard guard guard
being the troll patrol in my artists asylum

Monday, November 7, 2005

8:57 PM
Posted by jodi rose

monday 7th november 10:52am
writing in the basement cafe of a small slovenian castle
where the exhibition opens tonight at 8pm
information that i have only just acquired
walked into one of the rooms and the roof is still being installed
the artist from brooklyn told me he has been here three days already
in america you wouldn't be allowed near the exhibition this close to opening
but I enjoy this time scale, last-minute suits me ;)
hectic schedule for the day though -- from the program I thought it opened tomorrow and no-one advised me any different
ah well, adjusting to different cultures is all part of the fun
and hey there is wireless access in the castle... and coffee
so, this morning I go to find the metal or steel bridge marked on the map by the man working at the intenstinal factory on the show there
meet luka my fabulous slovenian vj for lunch at the restaurant close by
then work on our performance, add the local bridges to my set
5.15pm do some pr for the press and apparently a tv crew also
who would like a short performance !!??!
then at some stage install the interactive sound on a computer which is yet to materialise, put the dvd into the player and make an installation
then go on to perform at 9pm
hell I need this coffee
at least that means I will have finished all my work by 9.30 tonight and can then enjoy the party, go exploring tomorrow, really want to visit NSK
and find Tito's palace, as advised by Julianna, and meet some philosopher friends of justin's.

Sunday, November 6, 2005

6:35 PM
Posted by jodi rose

sunday 6.29pm

saturday night
wandered the streets of budapest with rachelle
she helped me make art on bridges
recorded the chain bridge and one that looks exactly like the first or second bosphorous bridge in instanbul - only had to do them blind as i had packed my headphones neatly in another bag. duh.
but the levels looked good and rhythmic so think there was something going on - now its a nice suprise to actually hear them.
part of my bridges on the danube series - id like to get all the way up to the baltic and down to whatever sea that is it goes into at the bottom.

in ljubljana tonight
preparing for performance tomorrow at break festival
http://www.break-festival.org/

first have to steam away the travel grime
dont know why it should be so tiring just to sit on a train but am absolutely shattered
some of the most spectacular scenery on the trip from zagreb to ljubljana, incredible steep hills and winding river reflecting clouds and tiny villages.
all i can manage now but more in the morning
mental protection continues from afar
actually reading about the rebuilding of the bridge on saturday morning, and the preface talks about how it existed in peoples hearts for all those years and this dream of a bridge is what brought it back to life in reality - one heading was riverbank and heart - or something have to check exactly. so am on the right track giving love as protection. :)

Saturday, November 5, 2005

6:23 AM
Posted by jodi rose

the lighting is from original 1895 design

sending files of my first audio recordings on the bridge to monique for her program at retort project space in amsterdam. a bit late, it opens at 18:00 today but hopefully in time for the next weeks.

http://www.retortproject.nl/projecten/agenda.htm

this is monique's online journal which includes her time as bridge guard - fascinating reading which gave me some insight into the place before arriving - although of course each experience is very different.

http://www.bridgeguard.blogspot.com/

so this morning I found my way to the vadas thermal baths, and ohmigod am i glad the hot water wasn't working in the flat. or I might not have got round to going there for weeks - and it is magnificent!

http://www.vadas.sk/
click on B A Z É N Y top left hand menu
then scroll down to Sedací
absolutely lush 36 degree thermal waters
shaped like an ear with inner circle of curved seats
surrounded by pine trees and view of the basilica
very quiet, only one group of 4 older folks, a young couple and two kids splashing around - could get seriously addicted to this
it's open all winter, just the one bath and swimming pool - everything else is emptied out and deserted - amazing atmosphere
planning to go hang out there when it's snowing
and really enjoy the steam rising up from the water

later this afternoon had my first experience going onto the bridge
walked the way i had yesterday and wondered why there was a set of stairs completely enclosed - maybe it's a hotel or private building
then when I got onto the bridge, found the border guards are right at the start, on the sturovo side - wouldn't let me walk across on the left hand path, I had to cross over to the right.
again, they do both borders at once, so the slovakian border guard took my passport away, scrutinised it for a few minutes, clicked on some big coloured buttons in a strange machine, stamped it - then handed it on to the blue-clad hungarian border guards - who disappeared into their little room for much longer - but eventually gave me the all-clear. While I stood gazing up at the bridge in considerable anxiety - even though I've done nothing wrong, that level of authority makes me inherently anxious. Maybe it's coming from the convict colony of australia, or just not being European.
It's not an experience I'm keen to have that often, so don't think I will be making the crossing every day - perhaps take up position under the bridge, and guard it from a troll's perspective. I like that.
Philosophically. Besides if someone was going to harm it, surely the foundations would be the place to concentrate on. Much harder to destroy from the roadway - although still possible - but the actual guards can take care of those threats. I'm here for metaphysical protection. Calling all pagan spirits, come to my aid.
The town history is fascinating, apparently in roman times there was a watch tower set up here, and then the power to hold markets was given in 1045 or so - crazy.

Heard again the melancholy Hungarian nationalist tune - although gyuri tells me it's more patriotic, and stems from the hungary tragedy of losing 65% of the empire from the past thousand years - and 4 million people who suddenly weren't living in Hungary anymore.
some kind of paris power plays going on with the czech politicians in the twenties, who wanted control of a particular river - but then it was no good for shipping anyway, as only knee deep. surely you'd check that!?

I had the idea to compose a celebratory, happy tune, symbolising the fluidity of movement and mobility that all these changing borders have not stopped - something about in-between places, and of course bridges - using the sounds i record on maria valeria (or marie-valerie in slovakian) and beam this out from loudspeakers on the highest place I can get to, some time towards the end of my residency. and invite some media and sound artists from Budapest also to come and play at the concert gyuri wants me to have.

quite excited about learning 'processing' (open source software to manipulate sound and images) now at the 'next' (new hungarian media art centre) workshop - want to make a program for people to play bridges visually. you'll see what I mean when I do it :)

but for now, have to prepare for ljubljana in the morning. some pressure from my vj to practice - I appreciate the concern, and effort and energy - but really much prefer to work in a fluid, improv style.
although maybe giving myself a break this time and pre-preparing some of the transitions and sound layers. we'll see. plenty of time on the train....

inventory of currency:

GPB 84
AUD 2.75
SKK 690
HUF 11,391

protection. mental physical emotional metaphysical spiritual
when was the last time you were in actual danger?
how did you protect yourself
do you imagine the world is ever safe?
what forms of threat do you fear the most
how can you overcome fear

I always remember that morcheeba song -love and fear
fear stops your love
love stops your fear

maybe I am here to love the bridge
it's all very new - soaking in the town's atmosphere
I feel like a cultural explorer
staying in one place is the adventure

Friday, November 4, 2005

7:48 PM
Posted by jodi rose

it's funny, people have been so intrigued by the whole idea of this bridge guard residency, and keep asking: what are you going to do?
today the program is already full - pleasantly so, but there is plenty to keep me occupied. it's a good feeling to be here, there is a sense of peace, knowing that this is my place for the next four months.
woke up exhausted, feeling like I've been hit by a truck. lay in bed for an hour listening to the town waking up - a dog barking, two notes, quite musical; with ocassional accompaniement from a metallic whirring sound, circular, unidentifiable.
eventually dragged myself up, made toast with vegemite - yes the travel pack tube made it's way into my luggage - will go out and forage for more fresh food in the better supermarket (billa according to gyuri and thomas) but glad to have breakfast to hand.
I have the brand new map of sturovo/parkany from gyuri, and a cd of Slovakian tango, by local composer Ernest Zahovay Erno - which will definitely make its way into my radio piece.
Heard the haunting Hungarian nationalist tune for the first time yesterday - as Monique wrote in her guard diary, this is played at 4.30pm every day in an aural reclamation of the countries borders - apparently it annoys the slovakians. Actually my scottish mobile was in allegiance with hungary yesterday, telling me I was still in that country until a few hours after I'd arrived here. And the border control on the train checked our passports just after leaving budapest, both hungarian and slovakian - so we crossed a moving border.
Reading the log books from the previous guards this morning, so many lovley moments and ideas - I must buy a special pen to write in the logbook, biro seems disrespectful somehow. I love monique's photos and the post-it installation with the words 'life is good' in hungarian, 40,000 times. jo vilag van (with accents)
taking care of housework, I have unpacked my bright scarves which liven up the hall coat rack - and offset the four black jackets.
Like Sonja, I could only bring with me what I can carry - which seemed a lot on the train and at check-in for the plane, but now is very very sparse. I have three enormous rooms and not much to put in them - although very glad I brought some of my favourite pictures, these white walls will drive me mad in oh about another hour or so.
Like paul from the beasties, I'm a fan of pattern and colour.
Sonja's basil plant is thriving - I will do my best not to kill it.
Promised to send sounds to monique today - but am disheartened to find I only have dial-up access, not broadband - and it's only free between 4pm - 7am so I'm being quite decadent going online now.
have to ration myself - that or go buy a pcmia card for wireless broadband from my laptop - hey any excuse to tech up.
There is no hot water in the apartment, so I've been advised to go have a bath in the thermal baths - which wasn't part of my plan, but I guess you can't have too many dips in the healing waters. and gyuri promises to get a man to come and fix the hot water here.
All my clothes are in the wash - never quite managed to find the facilities in scotland, and they are all filthy - dirty old town ;)
Found a beautiful scottish pound with a dragon on it in the clothes bag. Keeping it to remind me of that magical passionate place.
The currency people refused to exchange my scottish money - even though i argued they are still pounds sterling - so now have to sort all my currencies into different wallets or something, as slovenia will be the fourth different money I'm carrying.
speaking of which, must write and tell the break 2.3 festival when I arrive. hello. (people here say hello for hello and goodbye)

Friday, November 4, 2005

4:56 AM
Posted by jodi rose

this is the day
your life will surely change
the lovely lady
maria valeria
herself

Friday, November 4, 2005

4:35 AM
Posted by jodi rose

guard now on duty: ms jodi rose
here I am now reporting to you from sturovo
arrived this afternoon after brief train trip from budapest
a little anxious about what exactly I had signed up for
gyuri met me at the station, drove into town
much bigger than I had imagined, there's a new pedestrian strip, shoe shops, a cinema - which appears to be playing 'the wedding crashers'
great, anyone concerned about my withdrawal from trashy films can relax now. plenty of trashy music on the radio too, material girl and ra ra rasputin highlights of the evenings listening.
was hoping to do lots of internet radio but dial up not broadband. ugh.
lovely smoky blue hills around this bend of the danube
esztergom basilica across the river
spanned by the graceful sea green arches of lovely maria valeria
she really is a very beautiful bridge
some confusion about this sign - is it encouraging or refusing people a bed under the bridge?
gyuri has promised the unofficial welcome tonight at the pub - later next week we go to meet the mayor
slight dislocation culture shock, esp in supermarket experience
selection of musty fruit indicates its not the one monique mentions in her bridge guard diary with selection of tropical exotic fruits
managed to buy liver pate and crab spread inadvertently
neither of which i can eat. will go fry my fish fingers soon.
the apartment is fantastic, three huge rooms, all mod cons, very crisp and white with minimal furnishings - that spartan look i was aiming for! let's see how much colour and movement I can impart from the 36kg of luggage I managed to haul over here.
coloured wools from glasgow already brightening up the living room, and the lovely glasgow toile going up on the wall tomorrow.

Thursday, November 3, 2005

9:53 PM
Posted by jodi rose

dive in

gorgeous morning spa
found gellert fabulous but incredibly ugly in parts
chunky orange ceramics and pixellated tapestry like mosaiac
thermal baths fantastic, and a steam sauna so hot i had to run out after 30 seconds
bathing amongst lots of elderly hungarian ladies
now ready for next leg of the journey
wandered along bartok bela ut for a few blocks
adam and andrew just went off for a meeting about 4g mobile phone interfaces - they have fun jobs
www.aether.hu
very relaxed and welcoming experience of budapest
that's the problem with glasgow, they don't have a bath house culture
if everyone could steam it up in the sauna once a week life is so much more palatable in a cold climate
looking forward to checking out the thermal baths in sturovo
and that 14th basilica across the river in esztergom
the trams going past made a wild whooshing tone
have to come back and record them and some of the bridges here.

Thursday, November 3, 2005

5:04 PM
Posted by jodi rose

if it's wednesday it must be budapest...
woke up at adam and anita's lovely apartment to views of russet orange trees up the hill of the citadella, and a smoky haze across the river. they took me to a38 for dinner last night - very cool converted russian gravel carrier boat - amazing restaurant upstairs local delicacies wild boar & wild mushrooms, I had the soup but not the boar. then a band started downstairs and were screened on a tv in the restaurant - average rock covers of the clash, followed strangely by a salsa band with singer in green satin tights. reminded me of the inflight muzak on air malev, panpipe version of 'nothing compares to you' and salsa 'hotel california'.
I was planning to take the train this morning to sturovo, but having discovered the gellert baths are at the bottom of this hill - literally - am being persuaded to go down and soak the travel stains away before taking a later train this afternoon. elvira is the name of the website for hungarian trains - she's excellent. my choices are the express to berlin or another one going to prague - may have to investigate later. It's funny how much easier everything is to work out once you're there, on the ground. I've been stressing about which train goes from where (there are three major stations here), and how to get into the city from the airport - in the event the minibus service was cheap, fast and reliable; and both my trains to sturovo and ljubljana leave from keleti station. once you have a place on the map to orient yourself to, it's much easier. we're also very close to one of the most beautiful bridges I have ever seen - sweeping curves, huge metal rivets, sand tower castles - apparently it has a museum in one of the rooms on the end which is open for 3 hours once a week.
tamas imparted this information - he thinks the man drives in from 50 miles out in the country to share the wonders of historical bridge photos with the public - will have to try and come back at the right time. wonderful meeting tamas, he worked with tuomo on the float piece at isea (where the ship is the playhead and the route is the score - so the navigation systems on the boat became like the needle playing the baltic ocean floor as a slowly evolving musical work) and he is now doing something very high-tech with gps inaccuracy and infrasound - hope to be here for the opening.
adam working on beautiful projects with interactive solar radio's, and another piece for the recent reaktor festival/conference where people could upload messages around the city and pick them up via mini fm transmitters. ah what fun I want to play!
maria valeria is calling me, and it's time to meet.

Wednesday, November 2, 2005

7:58 AM
Posted by jodi rose

networking artists network gallery and studio visit, glasgow

ah sad to be leaving.
wandered along the river this afternoon, checked out the location of my new bridge.... definitely needs something there, very derelict area with decripit buildings across the river and a carpark not much else on the city side. not very encouraging to linger - but that will all change.
met with council arts person and the guyan from the artists network, both had excellent feedback and advice. now it's up to me to write a fantastic proposal and get this show on the road!
speaking of which, off to budapest in the morning, meeting adam and anita then onto the bridge. can't wait to meet maria valeria. I think we're going to have a lovely time over the winter.
must go now have a final bath in the magnificent victorian purple and green bathroom, then out for a wee drink with paul and emma.
having weird future deja vu - feel like I will have been here before.
and finally starting to have accumulated knowledges of the city and be able to find my way around with only minimal reference to the map.

Tuesday, November 1, 2005

12:10 PM
Posted by jodi rose

ah yes had enough of slumming it in the west end ;)
down on the south side now, amongst actual victorian mansions (endless aust sprawl of mcmansions eat your heart out!) working in the loft studio, finally waking up at a reasonable hour and almost oriented again.
have been suffering strange culture shock, being constantly disoriented by everything, never quite sure where I am or how to get there...
visit to cove park was lovely, very restful environment www.covepark.org
although am told that coulport just up the rd is a heavy duty nuclear submarine base - funny that, you can never really be somewhere totally peaceful in this world I guess. skimmed an article in the paper about fear and anxiety, saying that actually the world is much safer now compared to previous ages - but it's all about perception I guess. just had a disturbing email from an australian colleague about the sedition anti-terror laws coming into effect there, making it illegal to express any opinion about basically anything. an exaggeration but how did we let the govt get so out of control? I find it repellant that there is such a blatant playing on peoples fears - c'mon get out in the world, it's not so bad. yes bombs go off and people die, but hey we are all going to die at some point, you pick your number and take your chances I guess.
and as the statue down by the river says, in memory of the glaswegians who joined the fight against fascism in spain in the 1930's:
it's better to die on your feet than live forever on your knees.