Thursday, November 29, 2007

The vicissitudes of V-Dann's daily life (Uncensored): Homecoming 2

Filippo Brunelleschi

Florence's Attractions

New Look

Ahh, what a refreshing make-over of my pet blog. Been over three years and pushing to the fourth year soon. The colors, predominantly blue contours, goes easy with the eyes for reading comfort. The heading of this blog seemed much more organised, finished with a picture of me, in Athens (Greece), then followed by a brief introduction of what Braindumpster is all about.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Homecoming 2

Good news, I will be visiting home country again in December. This time HF will be coming with me. If I manage to drag her icy cold feet far enough, we'll be there till Jan 2, 2008. She'll be meeting my parents and family members for the first time, thus the cold numb feet.

This Time Last Year
...we were behaving like two lunatics running ecstatically and randomly on the streets in Florence (Italy) with a camera wielded in our hands snapping at everything we see. Being silly as we can get was perhaps about the only way to show that we were truly enjoying ourselves -- especially HF. If memory serves the better of me, I doubt we have not mimicked every statues and sculptures that we come across. While I tried not to be a HF's joy-killer, I couldn't help but to feel a little empty as I look at the sculptures. And obviously enough, that sculpture looked back at me, probably probing the million dollar question, "What do you know about me?"
"I have absolutely no clue, David! I just know 'that' (imagining pointing at 'that') is puny because all you need is just a leave to acquit you from public indecency."

We didn't have the luxury of time and money, and perhaps above all, knowledge as to spark a genuine interest to visit the museums. At the very least, I know HF doesn't have any. Time was spent exploring the city of Florence. We stumbled upon a street stretched over a bridge (Ponte Vecchio & Arno River) where jewelers ruled the streets. If it was night time, I bet the glitters from every hundreds of jeweler stores would be bright enough to illuminate the sidewalks of that street! Suddenly, HF was paralyzed torso down & neck up. Stuck at Ponte Vecchio, Italy's oldest and longest surviving stone bridge, it was also the longest agonizing moments I had to go through with HF who at the time seem to be hypnotized and enchanted by the glittering colors of gold, silver, and diamonds. She tried to convinced me that she was not the only one, and indeed, she was not the only one with torso and mental paralysis by acute golden sort of rays. Did I look surprise? I masked it, but I did enjoy myself nevertheless -- observing the behaviors of the paralysis captivating them by these jewelries. I wish to return to this place when I could afford a jewelry or two for my beloved one.

I, however, do have my fair share of paralysis too. But of magnificent structures and pizzas! We arrived at Florence's duomo megastructure -- Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore -- designed by Filippo Brunelleschi. It is an astounding structure and a landmark. Being there reminded me not only can we achieve great things in life, but also the impossible. I recalled the documentary I watched on discovery channel about Esref Armagan, a blind painter, who was right here on an experiment test to prove that he could draw Brunelleschi's dome with perspective. He was born blind. He passed the test. All he did was a couple of touches on Brunelleschi's six-sided dome structure. Sat down and began drawing. It was mind-boggling.

For larger size, click hereFilippo Brunelleschi's Basillica di Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence, Italy.Posted by Picasa


For larger size, click hereFilippo Brunelleschi's Basillica di Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence, Italy.Posted by Picasa


For larger size, click hereGolden sculptured panels of biblical stories (I think) on an entrance gate.Posted by Picasa


For larger size, click hereHf and I before the 'wallpapered' duomoPosted by Picasa


For larger size, click hereInside the duomo, the artworks of painters, sculptors, stonemasonry, etc were all out of the ordinary. Awesome! Just have to be there to absorb my statements.Posted by Picasa


For larger size, click hereThe Trompe-l'œil of Niccolò da Tolentino, the famed condottiero.Posted by Picasa


For larger size, click hereEnchanted! Beyond-words beautiful frescos -- the interiors of the duomo.Posted by Picasa


For larger size, click here...a closer look Posted by Picasa


For larger size, click hereWhile these ceiling frescos are not decorated with gold leafs and/or paints as did the doumo of Marco Polo in Venice, they are still as impressive!

At the end of our trip, I had to readjust the position of my head-neck to be forward looking. There were just too many to see. The ones in Sistine Chapel had the better of my neck! But it was fun!Posted by Picasa



When I first saw Duomo Fiore, it was late evening and we were looking for our hotel. The exterior of the duomo looked as though the entire structure was wallpapered with green bar strips. When we were there again the next morning, HF laughed at me right in my face, "So, wallpapered huh? Idiot!!" Great, I became the butt of the joke first thing in the morning!

For larger size, click hereHome made super-freaking-'solutely delicious original Italian Margheritta pizza, only available in Naples, home to professional Italian pickpockets and thieves. Thank God I still had enough spare change to afford this mouth-watering aromatic pizza!Posted by Picasa


Possibly traveling the Peninsula
This December we may be visiting Singapore, an island of Malaysia for either snorkling or scuuba diving, and Thailand. Looking forward to get together with family and friends once again.

Monday, November 12, 2007

The Simpsons in 300 Trailer



My hero got featured yet again in another movie. There are many versions of this on YouTube however I find this version stands out from the rest.

Friday, November 09, 2007

iPhone

The wait is over. Perhaps the most anticipated phone is finally manifesting itself today at O2 stores from 18:02. One's expected to pay £289.00 for the set and be contracted to at least a 35£ a month tariff.

It's definitely worth checking it out. I'll have to save up for two. I'm betting against all odds that its price will drop considering the time factor that affects all phones, and hacker's pledge to hack & unlock the phone.

Where did I hear a GooglePhone or gPhone will be out to hurt Apple's iPhone? Can't wait!

Thursday, November 08, 2007

Bond Fire Night 2008

This year yet again nobody can help themselves to burn effigies of sort to fuel the fire, at least it was the largest bonfire I have ever seen -- at Hyde Park, Leeds. As a matter of fact, nobody (apart from the organizers) would be allowed to do that in public places (except for I think the person who did it -- Guy Fawkes). By 7PM, the park was already jam-packed with people, mostly young people as the park is surrounded by student residentials. The crowd was great! There could easily be 20,000 people at the park then. It was at least 50m radius from the bonfire -- fenced. Guards and security personnels inside. Several fire extinguishers within the circle. Five blinding mercury spotlights around the circumference... made walking to a destination difficult -- silhouette effect.

The fireworks this time, compared to the ones displayed at Roundhay Park last year, was not, in my opinion, very impressive. In fact, and surprisingly, I felt bored watching the unsynchronized display. Every rockets that lit up the night sky were most probably store purchased. They were boring, unlively, too much noise, uncreative, and small. It seemed that the fireworks lacked the skillful handwork of professional pyrotechnics.

Even though the disappointing fireworks display was not the primary agenda of the night -- the bondfire was -- the organizers for the fireworks display could have at least and should have put more efforts in it because of their associative factor. People turn up at the bondfire also to watch the fireworks. Without it, the bondfire night would be lacking completeness. I feel they should be feeling a little ashame because there are people out there who have bought a bigger, better, single-use fireworks for his own amusements!

We should have gone to Roundhay Park for this night.

Since Bond Fire night is the only night of the year where fireworks display is a very real possibility, organizers should really get together to plan for the biggest night of all to commemorate what Guy Fawkes began -- England's biggest bondfire, and a competitive fireworks display. So big that they won't need those annoying blinding mercury spotlights anymore and would justify the 50m stand-off from the fire. So big that the entire city would thronged to the site with full anticipation to watch the best display ever. But I guess to burn down a city is never worth anything.