TRAVEL DIARY

A weblog regularly updated by Jodi Rose.

  

VIEWING ALL POSTS FOR: FEBRUARY 2006

Monday, February 27, 2006

11:47 PM
Posted by jodi rose

sunday braved the snow to walk along the river and record the basilica tune at 4.30pm. fingers almost froze, then dropped a glove over the embankment and had to find the stairs to retrieve it. a little worried I would fall into the freezing river and be swept away by those fast currents - reminded me of the trip along a river in lithuania, the forest outside vilnius with gediminus leading us to this sacred pool - we never found it. but I almost slipped on the narrow muddy banks a few times.
came back for last meeting with karol on his way to czech republic, and then andrew arrived from budapest - he missed the pagan festival that was planned, sadly, although i told him everyday in sturovo is a pagan festival - straight to the green for red wine and pizza. Finally working out how this place works and getting food delivered.
This morning started with a long soak at thermal baths, conversation about life and where to live it, then walked along the riverbeach on the other side of the bridge and took photos. I love the concept of a beach covered in snow, it's totally bizarre to me. discovered the basilica dome is exactly the same green as the bridge, which I had never noticed before. contemplated life after maria valeria.
at least I have a diploma now - should come in handy for something.
slowsly getting my head around leaving - suddenly start to feel very attached and involved in the community, and life here. marika took me out for pizza this afternoon, we have such a lovely friendship, I will really miss that girl. Then andrea invited me over to taste the dish she prepared from the wild boar her father hunted - it was amazingly rich and gamey. she and robert reminisced about socialist soft drinks - kofola was good, and the yellow one also ok, but the red one wasnasty - not everything about that time was bad, they laughed.
now I finish printing out photos to stick into the diary for logbook.
also finally worked out that the metallic water whirring noise is actually in the heating pipes, not outside - strange sense of aural perception, can't really judge the spatialisation of sounds very well.
andrew tells me that there is now a 'beyond locative media' movement, which is critical of the discourse and positioning that happened in that area, although his work happens in a far different realm - and I'm inclined also towards staying put. eventually.

Sunday, February 26, 2006

11:10 AM
Posted by jodi rose

happy birthday mum!!
You are always an inspiration with your incredible passion and enthusiasm for life, warmth and interest in other people, engagement and curiosity about the world, and boundless energy! Have a wonderful year, I hope to share some of the adventures with you in Alexandria xx

happy birthday philippa! happy birthday sophea!

It's hard being everywhere to celebrate special occasions with all your friends and family - one in australia, one in london, one in india.
At least we danced on the bridge last week :)
That is I think the hardest thing for me to deal with about this wonderful nomadic life - I'm always missing something important in someone's life - a birthday, a wedding, a baptism... I'm there in spirit. Feeling a little melancholy today anyway - have the 'after the party' blues, mixed with impending departure and packing anxiety.

It started snowing again yesterday and this morning the white dusting on everything has transformed the mood from almost-spring to lingering winter. Bring on the elephants I say, Chiang Mai here we come.

I've printed out a selection of photos from the last months, now just have to cut them up and stick them in the logbook with my diary.
It's lovely seeing all those smiling faces again, reminds me how much I have enjoyed being here and the warmth and friendship of people.

The 'action' (it's not a concert!!) on friday night was fantastic. Had a nice audience of 50-70 people, the music school concert hall is lit entirely by chandeliers, the staff had prepared all the food and drinks to look beautiful as you came in. Started with a spontaneous photo-shoot, as the photographer friend I had asked to take pictures couldn't stay, so we had an amusing ten minutes session with me on stage in front of two harps, making photo-faces while hanneke heckled (you look like a 0055 'call me' girl) and the audience laughed and watched. Then the music started, one student had played piano while people arrived, then another piece to start the evening (a variation on scottish theme can't remember what exactly) followed by Mate and Timmi on guitar, acoustic unplugged songs from alice in chains and the smashing pumpkins - they played and sang beautifully.

After them Gyuri gave an excellent speech, talking about my time here, the idea of the residency and thanking all the friends who looked after me (in hungarian but mary translated some of it), then I had to talk a little - introduced the dvd of performance with Luka from Ljubljana, and then talked a bit more about the bridge symphony, the sounds in the town, my planned sonic intervention and why it didn't happen, and also thanked all my friends here. Mary translated beautifully - she has a bright future in her chosen field. Then the Mayor presented me with my bridge guard diploma, which states charmingly that the bridge has not been destroyed while I've been guarding it, and hopes that I will take the memory and connections from the town with me in the future. Hanneke was quite disappointed, she really wanted me to marry the mayor - sadly I don't that's going to happen. Then we all drank champange, ate lamingtons and sandwiches, chatted and mingled. Met some new people and had lovely feedback about my presence in the town, there was a very happy and convivial atmosphere. Eventually most of the crowd had gone, but a dozen of us stayed chatting around the table, finishing some of the home-made wine, and enoying an impromptu concert by andrea playing piazzola on accordion, roli played some of his opera on the grand piano, and then kati - the music school director - played the theme from schindlers list on violin. It was gorgeous.

After that I got a lift to the green pub for the after party, tommi and kriszti were there with a party of friends, who got a little ridiculous and so I table-hopped with kristina, gabor, and some complete strangers. Gabi and his girlfriend were (for some reason) trying to describe a particular animal to me (think it was an australian thing) they called a 'green horse'. We were stumped for a while, then he went off and talked to someone else and came back with 'grasshopper'. Cool, I like green horse for grasshopper.
Eventually I drifted home, and now have a fine collection of increasingly debauched photos to show for the evening.

It's snowing heavily now - had planned a quick trip to the bila for essentials but thinking I might just have to live with what's in the cupboard. Only two more days here - very sad.

Friday, February 24, 2006

2:45 PM
Posted by jodi rose

Singing Borders - Éneklő Határok

The Bridge Guard Residential Art/Science Centre, The Cultural Association Sturovo and Vicinity and Jodi Rose invite you to an evening of music and conversation to celebrate the sounds of Sturovo, the Maria Valeria Bridge and the new bridge between Sydney and Sturovo.

Friday 24th February 18:00
Franz List Music School, Komenskeho 2, Sturovo

Időpont: 2006 Február 24 (pentek) 18,00 óra
Hely: Liszt Ferenc Zeneiskola Koncertterme, Comenius u. 2, Parkany

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

6:31 PM
Posted by jodi rose

hung out by the danube for ages this morning, enjoying the tranquility. One of the long black barges had recently gone past, and the waves made the empty Asterix launch sqeak along with barking dogs. Have just discovered the building opposite me on the riverbank is not a customs station as I imagined, but the fire station. Made me feel right at home, having lived oppposite the state rail fire station in Darlington for a year.

Now things are falling off the to-do list already - it's exactly a week until I leave, and keep expecting the sense of urgency to build, but in it's absence will continue pottering along. Started sorting and recycling clothes (back to the second hand shop), giving away books, and generally getting my head around leaving - for a time.
Found the perfect bridge guard jacket in a shop today - it's dusky pink, fabulous military buttons and pockets - oh dear, the sewing just went out the window. Completely different look, with knee-high boots and black vinyl skirt - s&m bridge guard instead of lolly-pop bridge guard.
Also discovered one of the people I chat to now and then is a photographer, has some excellent portraits on the website so thinking about commissioning a few decent press photos. The artist as bridge guard and total lunatic.

Speaking off which, almost time to head out for the slovak/czech republic ice hockey match - now that will be tense!

Feedback from the populace re: songs in the streets - apparently the sound was all too audible at the cemetery, where funerals are held ever second day... at 3pm. So we accidentally disturbed someones first moments of being laid to rest with a song from masfel, en garde.
Definitely no more playing music through the communist loudpseakers.

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

11:35 PM
Posted by jodi rose

Eyetrap - German vj site featuring the extra fabulous work of the extraordinarily talented Luka, from our performance together in Ljubljana.

Seex
Slovenia
Singing Bridges

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

7:55 PM
Posted by jodi rose

I'm tired. physically, emotionally, existentially. gathering strength for one last burst of energy and activity before taking flight.
trying to do things here is - let's just say particularly frustrating.
seem to expend a lot of energy, for not much return.
tried again to make the sonic intervention on the streets but with added support finally managed to work out that the speakers in the centre of town don't work since they were updated, and the replacement cable for some reason doesn't fit. Ah the joy. I've canned it, too frustrating and besides only 3 of the thirty or so people I asked for music have given me any, so guess it's best left to the imagination.

Strange, how even creative friends sometimes make comments that imply they think I don't really ever work - which irks me a little, but guess I bring it on by feeding this myth of constant ambient decadence. When I do work, sometimes. The productivity outcomes of the last two years testify to that - but think it's an issue of perception, that if you're in an office doing things you don't really want to, then you're really working. Whereas if you're out in the world doing things that challenge and engage you, then it's not work. And true, it often doesn't feel like 'work' - but the energy and intention required to stay alert and engaged (but not alarmed!) to keep filtering and processing experiences, and be always 'ON' is quite extreme. I work like a duck.

Walking along the river today I realised the ducks have gone. I love watching them, floating serenely on the surface, nibbling on a weed here and a blue-green algae cocktail there - but under the water, paddling furiously. And furious is the term this week - another attack of non-specific crankiness. No, it's not hormonal, thought it was getting sick that did it last week, but maybe now is displaced anxiety about leaving and packing. It gets harder every time, leaving people behind. Although I'm not feeling so glossy towards this place right now, and can't wait to shake the dust from my feet. Valley of Tears, (or mourning) they called it after some 1685 Turkish battle.

Indeed today is tinged with mourning, after a 17 year old girl died in a car crash last week. In the taxi company I use, with one of the drivers who is an ex-cop, and drives like a maniac - I had to keep telling him to slow down when he took me to esztergom station to pick up sophea. Going 100km in the centre of town, he drove into a lorry - survived and is in hospital, but the passenger died. Her name was Yvette, she studied accordion with Andrea until last year, turned up at the Argos pub sometimes, used to go out with danny (the younger taxi driver), and was by all accounts very sweet. The funeral is on Thursday.
Sudden death usually helps put things in perspective, but in this case the kaleidoscope remains skewed into weird patterns.

Oh well, time for a last bonding session with the people of Sturovo, watching the ice hockey match against Sweden (I think) after Slovakia beat the US and trounced khazahkstan. Need some mindless thrills.

Monday, February 20, 2006

8:23 PM
Posted by jodi rose

this place feels like purgatory tonight.
tried to make the first sonic intervention on the streets today, and my strange anxiety turned out to be well founded. gave the cd to a confused council functionary who took it upstairs and switched on an impressive series of floor-to-ceiling 'tesla' audio technology tower. waited outside recording the ambience in the pesia zona, until a few minutes after three decided to check she hadn't forgottne - when I was advised that the speaker system mysteriously no longer works in the centre of town. No-one knows why, it doesn't seem to be a problem in any way - even though I heard music played through the same speakers at christmas, this appears to be an insurmountable glitch.
I'm going to try again tomorrow, have been assured that it will be working on the streets further out, which I will test - but if not, am sadly going to have to abandon the plan. Maybe I can hack into the esztergom basilica speakers... already had to play the music at 3pm, not 4.35 which would have contextualised them after the hungarian tune - as the council finish work at 3.30, and 2 on fridays. lordy.

now attempting to confirm various plans with friends, one of whom has disappeared on holiday, and the other incommunicado - frustrating as they are partly work related to record interviews, and time is running out. I was reluctant to record conversations as I got to know people, as it's a bit intimidating and I was here for so long - but now it's a week.

Had a great impromptu conversational interview with a friend tonight, who shall remain anonymous to protect his macho image (not really) and the guilty. Heard some wonderful new stories about the transition between communism and current system - when the 4,000 russian soldiers left in 1992 and were replaced by Slovak military, the problems started. The Russians were ok, they couldn't leave the base - but the Slovak forces (all kids on compulsory service) would all be in the town getting drunk on their night off - a few thousand drunk soldiers, in a small dusty town wasn't pretty. Although they didn't cause most of the problems in general, but it was difficult to relax. Then we're talking about the teen drug scene, and I learn that a restaurant nearby closed recently - it was the place you could buy anything (from the staff) and they just packed up and disappeared overnight. Had moved down from Trencin or somewhere up north, and operated here for two or three years - did the police close them down? I ask. 'No, they closed themselves!'. Funny, I had noticed the place last year and thought it looked bright and friendly, but then was dark over Christmas - and has been ever since.

We also talked about the cultural and emotional borders in Central Europe - one 90 year old man living in Ukraine had stayed in the same town all his life, but been a citizen of 5 different countries, (Austro-Hungarian Empire, Poland, Russia, Ukraine and I forget the last one) but considered himself Hungarian the whole time. It's crazy, how the borders are redrawn around people, although everyone I speak to here retains a very strong cultural and personal identity. 'I wouldn't even try with a Slovak girl - if I was single - not that they aren't nice, but to express emotion you need to use your mothertongue'. I argue that perhaps any deep emotion is inexpressible in words, not matter what language - but am touched by the point he makes that 'language can create a border between you - and where there is a border, comes conflict.' Not being able to feel completely at home, or express yourself freely would definitely add a layer of complexity to the relationship - he said, if I wake up with an English girl, I wouldn't turn to her and say 'Good Morning darling' like I would say in Hungarian.
He asks if I would choose an Australian or German man - I reply, German every time! I can't imagine an Australian man saying 'Good morning darling - it's more likely to be: 'hey you! get up and make breakfast!' Joking. Kind of. Another friend a is reading around the world in 80 dates - again, life envy - why didn't I think of just getting people to set me up on dates in various countries and travelling for that??! - but she seems quite happy to find love with someone from another culture. And I think any other human being is a whole universe of mystery and wonder that you can never fully comprehend, even with a common language and shared cultural experience.

I was treated to Sofie's magnificent palacinky with ricotta, sultanas and chocolate sauce - one of the best dishes I've had here! Still looking forward to thai food like you wouldn't believe. The Slovak/Hungarian diet is a little heavy for my taste, and I just can't eat soup everyday.

Have added some Roumanien lei to my money collection - 50,000 worth around 1 gpb, although now they've dropped some zero's and it's 5 to 1 - people were getting paid in millions - crazy. Courtesy of the smart, feisty, lovely woman from Transylvannia whom I met in Bratislava, she comes from a small village near Dracula's castle. Very cool. Think I am going to miss this proximity to such distinct and varied cultures more than anything else, and the way all the borders are quite permeable and fluid. We're so far away in Australia.

Also really going to miss the spring - goddamit I've earned it - going back into Autumn and winter is a bit depressing, no matter how mild the sydney winter is. I can understand the deep psychological response to spring and summer much better now, when it seemed a little intangible for me before. Being out in the sunshine this morning was so gorgeous, 11 degree heatwave, the bridge all fresh and full of promise.

Sunday, February 19, 2006

7:44 PM
Posted by jodi rose

someone gave me grief about those swans, I'm like; the wildlife is not my portfolio, and so far the bridge hasn't contracted HN51 virus.
A sigh of relief being back, as always - walking by the river this evening
moist earth and the smell of spring on it's way, young couples strolling in the almost balmy evening - 6 degrees, practically a warm breeze.
The basilica dominating the landscape, imposing but also familiar and somehow soothing, all those lights illuminating the domes in the night.
the river is a tonic for the spirit, as always - silent (except when the ice is clinking by), swift, dark and deep. The bridge carries her secrets over the danube, along with the weight of cars, tourist buses, transmuting commuters from one state to another, cheap beer, food.
Soon I will be moving on too and another guard takes over. There is no training course or debriefing session, you make it up as you go, and leave when your time is up. The non-concert action I guess will be my swansong, and leave a tiny fragment of this music in sturovo.

Sunday, February 19, 2006

7:39 PM
Posted by jodi rose

walking through the snow in the main square
watching polish tv and figure skating in rare tv moment
wandered the city with philippa and steve, missed felix kubin show
but at this point in my life dinner with people more of a novelty
ufo bar on the bridge - fabulous
best cocktails ever
some kind of launch party cd thing
strange crowd, too cool to dance but not really that cool
a few winter ball escapees in glimmering frocks and their mafia beau
dj from chicago, free-jazz vocalist and drummer did their best
but the crowd hardly moved - the bridge did though, rocking and shaking.

Thursday, February 16, 2006

11:19 PM
Posted by jodi rose

very relaxing few hours in thermal baths and green pub.
where tommi came to deliver the sewing machine foot, and news that eleven wild swans died of bird flu, just across the river.
oh dear, probably the same ones I saw floating majestically in single file along the kis danu last week. the immediacy of fatality. scary.

didn't get close or touch any of the birds, but guess drinking bottled water is probably a good idea, and not eating any poultry makes sense too, although they say it's hard to get from cooked chickens. but hey a new pandemic you never know. not that I'm hysterical, far from it - just cautious - and hmmmm it is very close to home right now :)

Thursday, February 16, 2006

4:17 PM
Posted by jodi rose

have been incognito for a few days, coming down with some flu and ache all over. taking it slowly - all those urgent tasks will just have to wait.

checked on the bridge in a snowstorm today - it blows in five directions at once, sideways, up and down - crisp, sharp particles flying into me. The bridge is standing fine, although some work taking place on the far side of the Esztergom pylons - made a recording in case it was suspicious :)

Very strong sensation of being adrift right now - feel like most people have something to anchor them (family, job, home, pets, kids, lover) but all my bonds seem to be ultra-fluid. And yes, I suppose I like it that way - just sometimes it feels like it would be nice to be grounded.
Somewhere. Like a game of musical chairs, when the music stops, that's where I'll be. Hope it won't stop for a while yet, melodramatic megrims notwithstanding.

Thinking about what I will miss most from this town - friends, snow, medovnik honey cake, trashy new danube radio, hmmm. eeeek must go now to the station and pick up philippa.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

8:05 PM
Posted by jodi rose

Visited Andrea this morning, long chat about life in a small town, had some of the plum cake she prepared, and got the recipe for the lazy woman's cake. Have to find impossible pie for her.
Thinking about sense of belonging and community - sparked by food radio discussions - living in many distributed communities, having multiple roles - but no-one to eat with. Creating our own shared rituals, in person and over various communication media. I think who you eat with is a crucial factor in defining your sense of community.

Later today met marieka for pizza after school, another fabulous conversation, with a girl wise beyond her years, shopped in the town which is more fun with a local who can take you into all the dusty facades that usually escape notice. Found eyeliner, mascara and two sparkly nailpolishes for only 222 skk (exactly au$10). All part of the assimilation process ;)

Tonight chilling out with northern exposure - it's a sanity saving device, believe me! - where the ice has broken and spring is on the way.
Cooking some kind of tuna/chickpea/leek/fetta/tomato concoction - realised I'm shy about inviting people to dinner, except when it happens randomly during some insane art event. Working on new life skills, all part of the process.
As they say...
And it's the journey not the destination yeah yeah yeah

Professionally things are coming together well, a range of projects with various elements all developing nicely. Start my sonic intervention in the town tomorrow, and cooking up new bridge plans every day.

Happy Valentines day, remember all the people who love you, not just the romantic ones, and be fabulous to each other! x

Monday, February 13, 2006

8:27 PM
Posted by jodi rose

I woke this morning to birdsong.
This may not seem anything special, but is actually quite extraordinary, as I realised in Glasgow that I hadn't heard any birds along the Danube. Wasn't sure if it was a mass ornithological apocalypse, or just winter - but appears to be the latter. Wild ducks and swans last week now sparrows.

Having a hard time coping with small town life today - that and late winter blues, but only a minor meltdown. Couldn't focus or think, nothing else for it but thermal baths. Very calming, and the sunset is much later now than when I arrived, almost 5.30pm. Gorgeous.

Addicted to this Anti-Stress tea - not sure if it's a placebo, or the ingredients but seems to be helping (most days). Contains: jablko, medovka lekarska, lubovnik bodkovany, kvet lipy, kora citrona, kora pomaranca, cakanka obycajna and pirodna aroma. (can't find the correct accents on any options in my keyboard, so they're missing).

It's very strange living between so many different worlds. And in this one I walk through the town, smiling randomly at people who stare in a slightly more friendly way than usual, in case they actually know me and I just don't recognise them - and wishing for a decent conversation. Spoke with another high school class today - this lot really made no effort, except one or two of the boys I had already talked with -- I was already cranky, but made it much worse. Nothing like twenty blank teenage faces sullenly glaring at you for 45 minutes.
And really, I have better things to do - if I could just concentrate on them. Some of the kids are ok, but the majority: I worry about them.

Lovely feedback from various friends and colleagues - Christina passed her Masters and is sending me the documentation as she used some of the bridge recordings in her exhibition; Luka submitted the short video version of our performance at break 2.3 and it is being played at a festival in Germany; nice responses to food radio post I made about singing and dancing while cooking, and nomadic food - good to find the silliness and desire to dance inspiring others ;)

One of these days will arrange a site update to include more of this collaborative material, as it was originally made to publicise and document the bridge recording and symphony idea, but has morphed into so many variations and I'm aware some of them slip by with only an ephemeral mention, when they need to be incorporated into the fabric of the project as a whole. So apologies to my many wonderful collaborators and inspirators, you know I love you, love your work, and will make sure that the links between us are more visible and audible and recognised here as soon as I can.

Sunday, February 12, 2006

8:40 PM
Posted by jodi rose

Quiet sunday evening curled up on the couch with cold comfort farm.
another splendid ball last night, this one for the teachers and parents at the elementary school. beautiful decorations, lavish gowns, and plenty of invigorating dancing, mostly round in circles, some waltzing and andrea requested the 'duck dance' for me, which I was then obliged to learn in the middle of everyone - think they were having fun with me. seem to end up dancing in the middle of the biggest circles quite often - also with malinda and miki, while everyone sings along to the hungarian songs. a whole culture of music that I know nothing about. won a prize in the tombola - very useful electric kettle, which I had been meaning to buy and can now enjoy then bequeath to the residence when I leave. very happy with it!

Had lunch with gyuri, sofie and gyuri jr yesterday, who is very diverting and funny, demonstrated his bow and arrow expertise, and slovak peasant pipe-playing - then gave me one of the bows for man-hunting.
lordy I have developed a shocking reputation - but it's all in good humour, and with a certain respect for the rituals of life.

Finished reading the da vince code - now only 5 people left who haven't read it - loved all the goddess cult and pagan subtext, and of course the rose being a symbol of maps, compasses and guidance. and the ancient rose lines across the globe. gave me a whole new light to read the bridge metaphor in - the very obvious, which is often the last thing one notices. perfect afternoon, reading and looking out the window to the basilica through falling snow.

Have been stood up by my evening musical visitors, who promised to come and play on the bridge with me - but that's ok, it was very cold outside before the sun went down, and imagine the icy chill is even worse now. Anything above zero feels like a heatwave to me - Thailand is going to be a shock to the system. NZ in April will be a breeze and Brisbane in May a delight.

Saturday, February 11, 2006

1:51 AM
Posted by jodi rose

mmmmm caramalised bananas with walnuts, peach yoghurt.. and ok I admit it, cream-in-a-can. had a late night craving inspired by the green mango cookering school in chiang mai - monday menu.

today was fun. met andrea for a trip to the sewing shop, where I picked out the thread she wanted me to choose for the serviette holders she is crocheting. gorgeous range of ribbons with traditional embroidered flowers caught my eye and I bought them in a few colours. after she pointed me in the right direction, I visited the dry cleaner, but was unable to convey the date and condition of the silk I need cleaned in sign language or mime, so will try the 'vanish' she has given me.

Nelly's physics class came to the studio this afternoon, had a very entertaining discussion - she had given them an excercise to write about how they felt when listening to the bridge cd's - some people thought it was fireworks or storms, and quite a few thought of war and gunfire. one girl spoke about her dream to be a rock star, even though she said her voice is not good - don't let that stop you, I said, there are plenty of people with strange voices who make it, you just have to recognise how unique you are.

then ducked into the green pub for a quick afternoon beverage - it being friday and all, and having had a very quiet week. tommi and terry were at the bar, told me news about world events and people killing each other, the reward for the murder of this cartoonist - horrible. I don't know all the intricacies or what the original cartoon was exactly - but it seems people are killing each other all the time, for the flimsiest of reasons.

Terry also had some inspiring news, about walking up god's hill (that's what it means in Slovak, up where the factory is) and seeing the Irish flag flying - after a dutch company was merged with an irish one - the only place in slovakia other than the irish embassy to fly the flag. he explained to me the symbolism, about the colours representing catholic and protestant, and the white in between them for peace.

ah peace. that elusuive state - for nations, and individuals.
am experiencing a certain degree of peace in myself tonight, with this place and the people and my time here - sad it comes to an end so quickly, but have promised to come back - and I don't say this lightly.

came home for dinner and a nap, then back out to the bar to meet tommi and some of his friends from budapest. telling me about the 'house of terror' museum which I hope to visit, also the statue park.
the subject of communism came up a few times tonight - the pioneer camps all the kids went on, to learn how to build a good communist society, hoe the fields and sing the songs. The oscar winning hungarian film director who has just been named as a communist agent - but I was a good one, he says - that's what they all say. Czechoslovakia published a list of all the agents in 1989, but Hungary didn't - it wasn't such a clean break, many people remained in positions of power and influence - and it is still an issue now, I'm told. Hundreds of people could be sent to their death by one person naming them as an enemy of the state. very immediate sense of history, that still has such emotional and political resonance.

ran into kristina on my walk to esztergom yesterday, where she has finally started work as a doctor after waiting months for the paperwork to clear - she told me about the latest quentin tarantino film which portrays Slovakia in a less than positive light. very poor country, all the women are bitches, the tv only has two buttons - then again, he seems to be like that in all his films - and has since apologised.

I felt quite upset on behalf of my temporary home, it is so much more.
Met some lovely gay boys in the pub tonight, very worldly and fun, who taught me useful slovak words for 'I love you' and 'Kiss me'.
tried them out on one of my ocassional drinking buddies to hilarious effect. well, he and his friends had been hassling me all night about crocodiles and various other australiana, mostly in hungarian.

now, for sleep and tomorrow the elementary school ball, maybe some sewing and who knows what else comes.

Thursday, February 9, 2006

10:54 PM
Posted by jodi rose

bathed and refreshed. making it through the night with the smooth tones of josef laufer, who sadly doesn't have a website but you might find out about him on www.supraphon.cz

Horvath Jozsef is really starting to worry me with his tone in some of these angol-magya diaklevelezes - I wonder how long the friendship will last, after questions like these:
Jobban megy mar a fozes (are you getting any better at cooking?)
Mi ujsag van nalad? (What has become of you?)
but again the frankness is endearing:
'I am writing to apologize for not having kept my promise. To be quite frank, I am sorry to say I completely forget about it until it was too late.' Now that is a handy sentence to know in any language :)
and these wonderful reassurances in the condolence section:
Fol a fejjel! (Cheer Up!)
Mindig van valami baj (There's always something)
Igazan nincs ok az aggodalomra (There really isn't anything to worry about) and finally
Rosszabb is lehetett volna (It might have been worse).
Indeed.
Sometimes when I ask people how they are, and it hasn't been a good day, they reply 'It goes'. I like that.
and this also is a very fine phrase to command:
Jobban vagyok, mint voltam, de meg nem vagyok a regi - I'm better than I was but I'm not my normal self yet.

Yes and when will I be my normal self? What is my normal self?
ah hell enough distraction, I have a professional life to maintain and microphone placements to decide. Feeling much better, the bath gives perspective on these vicissitudes.

Thursday, February 9, 2006

9:27 PM
Posted by jodi rose

Talked with a friend from melbourne last night, who articulated something about Australia being a culture of envy, with a deep anxiety about intellectual life - especially art and academia. Why does it seem that wanting something more from life needs to be apologised for?

I just had a lovely email from a friend about emotional intelligence, written on a flight from belgium:

"They say as a human one not always makes calculated rational decisions but they are heavily influenced by our emotions.
Did this man just read my mind or what?"

Indeed. Even when I (rarely) think I'm being completely rational, there is often a level of complete emotional illogicality to the decision.

Seem to be operating from a position of extreme emotional stupidity right now. What does it take to get the message?
Someone who says they never get lonely - I'd like to bottle that.

Had a really lovely day, pottering around sorting out piles of stuff, old newspapers, clothes and the like, getting my house in order. Feels good. Looked at the thermometer and it said 21 degrees celcius - didn't quite believe it but opened all the windows to the fresh air. Once the sun went behind a cloud it was more like 2 degrees. Walked over to Esztergom, looking for this antique shop. Tried to follow Gabriel's directions, but could find neither cafe trafo nor the confectionary (cake) shop - a shame, as my back-up plan was to retire to one of these for refreshment. Asked a man shovelling snow on a street behind the basilica if he knew where the antik shop was - but must have inadvertently said bookshop, as he then directed me to the place Gyuri had already told me about. Down along the small danube, over the second bridge, and then second street to the left. Still, I found some wonderful hungarian language books - one with all kinds of useful letter writing phrases, such as 'I am rather pressed for time at the moment as my brother is ill in bed,' the frighteningly honest 'I can't think of anything else to write about at the moment', and 'Most hallottam a nagyszerü hirt, és sietek elmondani neked, mennyire orulok' - trans I have just heard the marvellous news and I hasten to tell you how delighted I am. Fabulous. And some other flashes of genius, which I will only tell in english:
'Mary joins me in sending you and Elisabeth our best wishes'
'Please remember George to Bill'
'I met Casba last week. He said he met you last year in Glasgow, and wishes to be remembered to you.'
'His name became a household word and he lived to be ninety'
'People idolise figures that are not really worthy of admiration'
'He became famous overnight as the result of a television program'
..and this was published in 1974, was before the reality tv craze.

there are some slightly more acerbic yet extremely useful sentences, like:' Milyen jo volt végre levelet kapni toled. Mar azt hittem, elvestztel.' How nice it was to hear from you at last, I had given you up for lost. and 'Micsoda meglepetes volt ennyi ido utan levelet kapni toled' What a surprise it was to get a letter from you after all this time!

Aha, and write (right?) at the beginning are instructions for beginning the pen-pal correspondence - bizzarely enough one of them with the exact name of the friend I just had a strange evening with.

Crazy-making. Maybe heavy drinking and ridiculous inanity is the way to go. And yet... I wanted more.

So, it's a bath and early night for me. Lulled to sleep last night by the incredible stillness of the snow gently sparkling as it swirls to earth.

Wednesday, February 8, 2006

12:29 PM
Posted by jodi rose

The town is changing before my eyes. Old egg shop on the corner of the pesia zona closed down - the lease had ended, and apparently there is not so much call for selling eggs in the high street anymore. The people who own the rest of the building can sell or rent it for more now, also the print/copy shop further down is emtpy now.

A friend translated one of the articles in the local newspaper, which is about 3 men burgling the butchers at 2.30 Monday morning. They stole ham and other meat, then broke into the textile shop a few doors along and took 100,000 slovak crowns worth of clothes - all of which was caught on the security camera on the corner building.

I spoke with another class this morning, a far livelier discussion, as their teacher asked me some excellent questions - like, 'how is this music?' which sparked a conversation about dada, the futurists, musique concrete and john cage. One girl in particular was very intrigued, asked lots of questions and confessed her dream to travel all over the world. She will come and visit me in the studio. The teacher told me he thinks it is good for these teenagers to have another perspective on the world, something abstract which is not all about money, status and being practical. Which no-one has accused me of in a long time - although you'd be surprised how pragmatic I am.

A very cute older lady in a light blue wool coat stopped and chatted to me in the lane by the Russian cemetery - she spoke in Hungarian, but I think was saying that she enjoyed the article, recognised me from the beret. Really wish I had got her name at least, to meet with a translator. Speaking with some of the older people will be a good counterpount to all these teens - also the factory workers. Must arrange it with Terry. But this afternoon a trip to Esztergom, where I now have the address of three antik shops to visit for my picture viewer search.

Tuesday, February 7, 2006

8:49 PM
Posted by jodi rose

furthernoise review in january, has some tracks online for anyone who is curious about the bridge sounds and songs

the review is fine, must get some of the links up from my wonderful remixers, both those on the cd and those who are waiting on the underground remixes to come out.

if I can just get through this week, this night, this hour - it will be ok.
eaten, changed all the linen, watched northern exposure, still the evening looms over me, with nothing but emtpy thoughts for company.
hell, lasted a week this time before the insanity set in again.

Claudio Magris provides the comfort of wit and insight - yes, the danube flows to the black sea, for anyone wondering - Danube p118:

"On paper one probably pretends, one invents every kind of happiness. Writing may not really be able to give a voice to utter desolation, to the nullity of life, to those moments when it is simply a void, privation and horror. The mere fact of writing in some way fills that void, gives it form, makes the horror of it communicable and therefore, even if minimally, triumphs over it."

Tuesday, February 7, 2006

6:39 PM
Posted by jodi rose

So, this morning I wondered at the life-cylce of the tiny ducklings wafting along the river on beds of snow. What are they doing being born in mid-winter? I was, to a full moon, on the other side of the world, but then I'm not a duck. Isn't spring the traditional time for hatching?

Again this question 'how are you guarding the bridge' from the high school students yesterday, and my answer to them: I walk every day to the bridge and check it's still there - provoked laughter from them, but made me realise that it is the process of paying attention to something, not taking it for granted, that helps to maintain and secure a continued existence. The price of peace, after all, is eternal vigilance.

More thoughts on Andy Warhol, as I realsed on crossing the bridge with my lonely stamp - that I actually am from nowhere. I appeared in London, a new person, and have now crossed into bratislava, out of sturovo, into esztergom and back to sturovo. That's all. Nothing else exists anymore. It's not often you get the chance to be brand new.

So, what shall I do with this reinvention? I'd like wealth, influence and someone to share these adventures with, especially dinner. That's the most lonely time, on a snowy tuesday evening in slovakia, preparing a delicious meal for.. yourself. Again. People here eat lunch, that's the big deal but dinner is a light salad or soup - I haven't quite adapted that far. Had Andrea over this morning, and tested the poached pears on her - from Food Year, Fiona at Bronte Cafe's recipe, which made me incredibly nostalgic. She said they are 'perfect', and I can cook at her new home-grown food venture when they set it up. Excellent.

Strange nocturnal hallucinations - when I sleep on two of the three beds here, I wake two or three times a night, convinced that micropscopic bugs are eating my flesh and I'm going to wake up dead.
It's really very unpleasant, and puts a dent in my rest for the evening.
Maybe it's the ghosts of all those spiders I vacuumed out of the mattreses - hundreds of them, gnawing at my skin from underneath.

BIzarre afflictions of the artistically inclined. Really must go cook some nutritious food - couscous, borlotti beans, mushrooms, tuna, spring oion and whatever else I find. Bought heaps of fruit and veg at the Billa finally, and found waffles which I had as a treat for breakfast.
Enough, you say, we really don't care - ah, but you're still reading, aren't you?! Goodnight. xx

Monday, February 6, 2006

10:20 PM
Posted by jodi rose

It's been a quiet few days, walked to Hungary for lunch yesterday, talked to another high school class and warped a few young minds today. The ice flowing under the bridge makes a wonderful sound.

Had been a little melancholy, not quite here, never really there...
then had the salutory experience of googling myself to compile all the references and press about the project for a proposal - 'government funded uber-fairy' was by far my favourite description. Accidentally read the top line of a particularly virulent post in the google listing, finding myself called stupid by tb is quite amusing.
but I won't go there.

still feeling a little exposed and vulnerable after that whole episode, but yes, the money is nice while it lasts. and obsessively writing copious amounts daily is the best revenge, after success.

the main response I've had to my newspaper article is: it's very long.
aha. I wanted to give something back, maybe start a conversation about some of the ideas. but it seems that is not to be.

had a chat with sarah macdonald on her expat segment abc 702 last week. someone chatting to my friend walking her dog in the park said it was the most amusing interview she had ever heard on the program, she listens daily. Sounds like you'e having a great life, she comments. Yeah, it is damn fine, but the main drawback is it gets lonely now and then. Miki from the thermal baths suggested a new direct flight from sydney to sturovo, for all the people who will be coming over to try them out - but as there's no airport you'll have to parachute. I never was one for extreme sports.

Saturday, February 4, 2006

10:16 PM
Posted by jodi rose

and the other andy warhol quote from the musuem homepage is 'making money is the real art' or words to that effect. my sympathies go to alex tew, who looks like having to pay out more than the million he made from his inspired meta-sales homepage, after the Russian mafia hackers took it down. Never dismiss a threatening email from the Russians.

there's been a few art thefts recently - in the UK people are stealing bronze sculptures, the police think to melt them down for scrap metal.
and in levice the five most expensive paintings at the gallery we just visited were stolen a few weeks ago.

art, it's a dangerous business.

lucky I'm conceptual, there's not much to take really, cause once an idea's out there it's hard to steal. and when I ever do have any cash, it all goes on travel, bridges... and more travel.

had a great rave with danny and orshe tonight, about the old picture viewers - they both have czech and hungarian fairytales for them, and sent me to an antique shop in esztergom to look for one. diavetito mesefilmek in case you have one lying around to spare.

all for tonight, trying to stay sane and get enough sleep. enjoying the hungarian avante-jazz-dub-polka stylings of Másfél, 'En garde!' - my first cd for the sonic intervention. A38 and playground records.

some of the brilliant Masfel intro rave by Nagz:

'One tried to be a representative of all the illusions given by Life: care, sleepless nights, champagne, quiet days in a rocking chair, neighbours rattling at 4 in the morning, celebrating the fourth anniversary of the rocking machine... But Life - as such - tends to raise obstacle wherever it can, and if you don't watch out for a second, it will take all: car, house, career, enthusiasm, rocking chair, or even the neighbour...

..what there is: drum and bass, jungle, bud, polka, salsa, Polish working class songs and... what there isn't any more: trash, disco, csardas, new wave, no wave... one must keep abreast of times. Life whispered so. Everything is getting better all the time, right?'

and just to keep it all post-modern and in the family, quoting 'Chris in the morning' from Northern Exposure, when he loses his voice to beauty and has to capture the spirit of the most beautiful woman in town to regain it:

"If music is the pathway to the soul, as Voltaire suggested - then speech is the pathway to other people. Live in silence and you live alone."

the final word from maurice: 'Out here in the wilderness, a woman's got to do what a woman's got to do.' Hear here.

Friday, February 3, 2006

9:55 PM
Posted by jodi rose

You may know that the town where Andy Warhol's parents were born Mikova, is in North-East Slovakia, near Kosice. I contemplated going to visit the 'Warhol Family Museum of Modern Art', in Medzilaborce... but it is 10 hours by train from Bratislava. Maybe if i have a pop-art moment - can relate to his 'i am from nowhere'.

I've been given my Hungarian name: Rosa Judit, or the familiar/nickname version which I prefer is Rosas Jutka. That's how Gyuri plans to introduce me at what they are now calling my 'action' since I explained it is not going to be a concert, more a happening.
This will take place in the Vadas Thermal Hotel conference room on Friday 24th February, in case anyone feels like dropping in. Drinks at the Green Pub afterwards!

Speaking of which, I seem to be wholly cured of my recent addiction to the place. Wandered in to pick up a CD, and my favourite bartender is flirting outrageously with me again. Luckily I am immune to these blandishments. There's a very brief window for these things, and it's closed now. Either that or the slow burn subterranean passion... but get back to me in three years or so for an update.

Today I did visit the Tekovske Muzeum in Levice, which features an exemplary collection of relics from the stone, bronze and iron age. Amazing series of roman coins - every empororer from Claudius to Nero and Marcus Aeurelius was represented (23 all together) - I was completely fascinated. They are all from this area - it really is one of the 'cradles of civilisation' as they say. Some beautiful mammoth tusks also, and a tiny but very moving stone age carving of a pregnant madonna. Also a recreated 18th Century pharmacy - which reminded me of the Damien Hirst chemist room in the Tate Modern - and some wild medieval fighting gear - crusaders helmets and armour, scary looking wristbands with stirrups and kick-ass long swords and axes.

There is also an art gallery in the building - it's some 16th century castle next to the ruins of a 13th century castle - currently showing paintings by a local artist, who has chosen to copy well-known images from van gogh to rembrant and that national geographic photo of a girl in Afghanistan. They had a strong presence and were well-executed, I thought it almost worked as a post-modern ironic statement, but would prefer to see the artist making portraits of people in the village, or her block of apartments. It's sad that the world we live in everyday is so taken for granted, while the fragments that make it into the canons of classical art or culture become so much more important than they need to be. The same with the music school here, they don't teach any folkmusic or traditional hungarian or slovak music - only 'classical', and some jazz, blues etc. I guess it's harder to see the value of something that is so familiar and seems very old-fashioned or normal, when to an outsider this is exactly what intrigues and draws you in to a place, or a culture, and also makes it unique.
The exhibition at the other end of the museum was spectacular - all works by 11-15 year olds at a local elementary school (from a few villages away 'jur') they could have been in a contemporary art gallery anywhere in the world. Stunning, personal, vivid, each artist had their own palette of expression, colour, subject, form - some were tiny mosaic-like brushstrokes, others cut out from coloured fabric, one beautiful group work was a series of brilliant-hued peacocks on black, and another very fun piece had 5 kids plastic toys all stuck to a board and painted blue/silver with two of those circular fan-things you get at the easter show protruding from it. The teacher is a 70 year-old retired school controller (inspector I think it means) who now teaches art as a hobby - and apparently many of the children are from gyspy families.
I would love to hang out with some Gypsies, but it's harder to arrange than you might think, as there is still an incredible prejudice about these people, who live outside the bounds of 'normal' society. I had an image of a campfire under a bridge that I wanted to use for a piece I'm collaborating on, and as we drove I saw a group of people by the side of the road, pitching straw onto a fire under the bridge. Magic.
We couldn't see the nuclear power plant as the fog was too thick.

A friend wrote to me yesterday and said, I'm tired just from reading your diary - you must be exhausted! Yeah, it does get tiring sometimes out here living this vida loca, but it's also exhilirating, inspiring and replenishing, dancing on the edge of the ice.

Speaking of which, I walked down to the Danube this evening and mused on the shimmering golden reflections of the Basilica, and tiny string of gold lights flickering along the bridge. Something about the world of reflections, how it is there but not there - reminded me of a moment in the film last night where the corporeal romantic hero touches the hand of our romantic heroine in the spirit world, and later she doesn't remember him but feels like something's missing.
damn, I've had that all my life.

ahh well, then there are those times I don't write about, like: I sat and gazed out the window daydreaming for an hour today.
Or: walked aimlessly around town, had coffee, came home. It's not all high adrenaline and go-go dancing. so to speak.

Thursday, February 2, 2006

5:40 PM
Posted by jodi rose

February is a whirlwind of activity already.
Scraped through another deadline - I have a plan to obviate the necessity of these constant grant applications and fund raising missions but more about that some other time, when my team of risk assessment and creative content development experts get back to me with their verdict.

Walked along the river yesterday afternoon, brakes squealing as traffic on the bridge backed up to the third arch, bats flying overhead made their honky squeaky sounds and the two dogs barking strangely absent.
The edges of the river are frozen with piled up mini waves crashing against each other, and chunks of ice drift downstream on the current.
Although I'm told today that the river can no longer freeze over completely because it is not clean. 'Silt?' I ask. No, all the chemicals in the water mean it doesn't freeze anymore.'Great, and people swim in it'. 'Oh no, they're non-toxic chemicals', I am assured.

Today I also discover that I am poetic even in Hungarian. Quite an accomplishment for a language I don't speak, if I do say so myself.
Gyuri showed me the translation and layout of the newspaper article - I have two pages in Slovak and two in Hungarian, with a rather fetching picture of me in a beret on guard duty at the bridge. There is one part where I am writing about love and borders which has some double meaning, I can't remember what exactly but something to do with the word for love between the family and the word for love between a man and a woman - or a man and a man, woman and a woman, hell let's just say 'romantic love' for those of the same gender persuasion.
The linguistic subtlety that I'm most impressed by is the Hungarian word for immortal is one 'l' different to that for inaudible - so the translation of my phrase 'The bridge is not immortal/The bridge is immortal' reads the bridge is not immortal [not audible lit: listenable] and the bridge is immortal [audible]. very cool! I love that Gyuri picked up on it, one of the perks to having a residency guardian who is incredibly well-read and teaches Hungarian literature and history.
He told me that the article is: sometimes philosophical, and sometimes sentimental - not in a dire way, more that it's heartfelt. I think.
Apparently the woman who translated enjoyed it too; a good sign.

Synchronicity is working for me in small ways today, we ran into each other when I was having an emergency coffee and salad - forgetting to eat in work obsessive mode - and had just found the netcafe where I print things sometimes (until I make the trip to buy more ink) had a problem with their printer, walked out and there was gyuri who said, it's ok you can print it on mine. Tommi came home and we chatted over coffee - really do feel like a local here these days. Staying away from the pub, am just too busy for all that lounging around ;)

Audrey came to pick me up for our visit to the tailor, but it turned out she couldn't fit my guard uniform in before the end of February - even though she had told us it would be fine. So now I am faced with making the damn thing myself, which I was trying to avoid. Ah well, some innocent sewing no doubt will be beneficial for my soul and probably quite relaxing as well - except when it all goes wrong.

Tonight 'Just Like Heaven' is on at the cinema, I think I've earned a trashy film after the last week, and staying up very late working on keeping this crazy life afloat. Although a bit late now for my planned trip to the Vadas baths - for an actual swim, not just floating around. Maybe I can still squeeze it in and then go straight to the flicks, ok gotta run!