Elias investigates: March 2008

Saturday, 29 March 2008

No heat

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Les observateurs dans le Nice n´Sleazy

29 March Saturday - I just though: Wow, March ran by. Today is grey. I woke up 12 and went to sleep 2. It was great to have a long night of sleep. I slept very well because the heating is broken. I think they have cut us off because we had trouble, again, with our friend the senior resident. I just finished breakfast and a discussion with Andrea about Berlusconi and working abroad and if Erasmus is normal life or not. No I am sitting here, and planning to finish my essay today. 3800 words done (3600-4500 optimal length)

28 - Yesterday, Friday I woke up 12 also. Maybe a 3 week eastern holiday is too long. I started studying after breakfast. I wrote a lot and finished writing around 9. I almost finished my essay. I feel content. I also cleaned the flat after yesterdays party. I washed the kitchen floor twice. Once with bleach and once without. After that a blind person would have thought our kitchen was a swimming pool. I hoovered everywhere, cleaned kitchen surfaces and threw out the rubbish and polished the toilet seat. I was content after the cleaning. I ventilated the flat. It´s as new. I had some chicken soup, tasted like glue, with some awful pate from Lidl. Around 8 I had a salad. At 9:30 I met Conrad. We went to the Goat. It was crowded, maybe because the Isley Inn is closed for refurbishing. We talked about politics. Then Maria and her Dutch friend came to the Goat. We mocked Holland and Germany. Or they did. I didn't know to much. Buffalo shoes seemed to heat up emotions. Everybody dresses like in the 80's in Germany it was said. Our discussion was cut by an other interesting event. We sat on the first floor and had a good view over the street outside. Three women left the pub and sat down outside in chairs. One of them started throwing up. After doing that in 5 mins and the friends holding her hair (it was done with much grace. Everybody seemed to know their role and duties whilst taking care of her) she threw herself down in her own vomit. She started rolling in it. Her friends were surprised. They continued tapping and rubbing her back, I don't know why. Eventually they dragged her up and put her in the very same chair. After a while she threw herself down again on the cold street and even dragged down some of her friends. A flock of goats in front of the Goat. Her state didn't improve. A paramedic arrived. He was fat and had the moves and manners of Napoleon and carried his big stomach with grace. He started talking with her and she calmed down. Then the police arrived and then an ambulance. The ambulance didn't want her, she wasn't bad enough. The police started interviewing people. I don't know for what reason. During all this the vomiting ladies male friend had found an interest in her female friend. They were sitting cosily in a chair snuggling. At 12 o´clock the bar was closing. When we passed them the police was still present and the lady was crying in the chair. I think the Scottish police should come and have look in Finland with such matters. It would improve the efficiency. During the same time the Finnish police would have arrested her at least 5 times. We walked the short way home.

27 - Thursday. I woke up late as usual and had breakfast. Maria and I jammed for a while. I talked with my parents for an hour or so and worked not too well on my essay. I made delicious Elias burgers. I had had a long break, so they were extra delicious. I manufactured two books, one for Alessia and one for Sara. People were then supposed to write their names and greetings in them. I hoovered and cleaned the toilet. At 9 Elisa and Alessia arrived. We covered the lights. One room blue, another one red and the last one yellow. People arrived and the party lasted until one when the senior resident arrived. People left. I had a plate of musli with milk and then went to Gianfrancos flat. There people signed the small book. People were crying. I said good bye to Alessia and Sara and walked home. And slept.

26 - Wednesday. I woke up late. It was grey outside. I studied for a while. Then I went to a shop to buy strings to the guitar Maria gave me, that is her flatmates. The seller asked if I wanted something decent. I said: Na, just the cheapest. I cleaned the guitar, glued a bit and re-stringed the guitar. I ate. Fernando returned later that day. At 10 I walked to Maria's and we watched Woody Allan's Hannah and her sisters, with apricots and chocolate. It was a terrific film.

25 - Tuesday. I woke up. I took the last pictures of my destroyed guitar and called the importer of the guitar and the shop where I bought it. I walked to the shop and showed the guitar. They said they had to send it to the importer to check if it was manufacturing fault. I walked home with no guitar. Halfway home they called me from the shop and said I'll get the money back. I walked back got the money and checked out some other guitars. I ate noodles with onion and ciboulette... At 5 Maria, Samuel and I walked to Lidl and bought food. We took a taxi home and stuffed in the food. Maria came to my flat we made a big salad. Spinach, macaronis, tuna, red onion, olives and bread. We watched a crappy film for 15 minutes, that was enough.

24 - Monday. I woke up late again. I ate breakfast. The day was probably great, but I forgot how it was.

23 - When Maria and me were about to start preparing dinner we had the chance to meet Andrea's parents. They were friendly and like Italians are. They ate pasta and offered us some traditional Sardinian bread and Sardininan Peccorino. Delicious. Maria, Samuel and me ate haddock fillets in pesto, accompanied with broccoli and potatoes. I gave it 3/5. Samuel doesn't like broccoli, hehe. Melon was dessert.

Samuelllllllll

Sara's last night

My broken guitar. RIP. Lorenzo F449

No more Sara Party (aka Sexy Erotica Party)

Fernando's last words to Sara

Enjoying the last moments with Alessia

Samuel's last words to Sara

Andrea and Elisa

Andrea, Davide and Gladis

Samppa

Clara the bohemian

Spain and Italy mainly

Repairing the door.

Sunday, 23 March 2008

Liverpool and Manchester 8-9.3

Kalyani with Manchester U

The intellectual and high cultural group

Gianfranco and Elisabetta

China town in Liverpool

Liverpool

Lydia and friends

Service station. The first sight.

Andrea and Blandine

Albert Docks

Liverpool

Albert docks or Venice ??

I woke up at 5:45 and had breakfast. I walked to uni and met the rest of the crew on the way. People were waiting at the main gate. I talked a while with Menner and Maria. Two busses came and we got on them. I sat in the bus in which the rest of the crew wasn't. The second bus broke down half way. We spent around 2 hours on a service station. 3 hours later we started again. The other bus was repaired. I spoke with Lydia on the phone. We continued and arrived to Liverpool after 7 hours of travelling. In Liverpool we got of the bus close to the Albert dock. We ate in a not so nice place some gourmet fish and chips. It was tasty. At this time we had split up. It was now only Maria, Kalyani and me. All fairly new people. From the dock we walked towards the city centre. There we say the Beatles club, in which they played when they were not yet so famous. We continued strolling and came to some old buildings and then we entered China town that was small. By the time it was almost 7. I said bye to Maria and Kalyani and took a taxi to Lydia's place. It was a cream coloured house. I rang the bell and she opened the door and it was nice to talk to her again after five years of no talking. I have written a more thorough paper about this, but it's not going to be out here. People started dropping in and one of the girls had her birthday, 21 years. I had the chance to experience this. Then we took a taxi to the centre and the Lime street train station. I said goodbye and got on the train. In an hour I was in Manchester.

I took a taxi to the Hostel, since I had no map. I think the driver drove around in circles because on a map it was very short but he drove for a long time. At the Hostel I got my key and entered my room. It was like being inter railing again. It felt free. I went to sleep early. The next morning I had breakfast. Gianfranco, Elisabetta, Maria, Kalyani, Richard and me walked together and took the tram to Old Trafford and saw the stadium. I wasn't too impressed. From there Maria, Kalyani, Richard and me walked to the war musem. It was good, especially the building was impressive. From there we crossed the river and took another tram to the city centre. We got of close to the China Town and went into one. I ate Oyster sauce with rice. It was delicious. Then we sight saw some more and had a coffee in a coffee shop. Then we walked to the Hostel got on the bus and drove back to Glasgow. We recited blond jokes and I tried to sleep.

Saturday, 22 March 2008

Happy Noruz

23.3 Sunday - I woke up 10:30 and dressed up in a suit and had no time for breakfast. I drank a glass of squash only. I walked at 11:10 with Samuel to Hillhead and attended the Catholic service "The Jerusalem mass sheet" or Eastern Sunday. It was my first real time in Catholic church. It was different. A bit of singing, kneeling, lighting a candle and Eucharist. Maria and her flatmates Antin and Freja were also in church. When we left church the priest waved at us. We walked towards Kelvinway and had a coffee in Montgomery's cafe. I had a chocolate and a toffee pastry. A lot of motorcycles were on the street and it smelt pollution. It was a traditional Eastern drive. Then we walked home. Then Samuel and me played football for three hours in the Kelvingrove park. Now I had a shower and Maria, Samuel and me will eat together in an hour.

22.3 Eastern Saturday (I wrote this 22.3) - The sun is shining. Breakfast in sun shine and a debate about pregnancy and child birth accompanied with Italian coffee. Now I sit in my room and just going out for a walk with Maria. (I write now 23.3) We walked from Kelvinhaugh street to the Kelvin river and walked along it to the Botanic Gardens. Let the pictures describe the great weather and scenery. We spent quite some time in the oldest green house. I tried to draw it first and then Maria. We took photos. From there we walked to Byres Road. We ate a soup, sandwich, fruit and latte in Naked Soup. Before that we had a look in a place where they served food and showed films in the same time. It was a dark place and a bit of strange concept, but could be OK. We had a look in the Library and in a CD shop and bought food from Iceland. We walked home. At 8 we ate together a pasta with peppers, mushroom, leek and chopped tomatoes. My guitar is now broken. It was good and it was accompanied with wine. Then we watched the school of rock. Then melon, tea with honey and pears. Then it was night.

Andrea rip - 2008

Mamma! Send me money for new shoes.

Maria

Arm wrestling was inclueded in the Noruz celebration

21.3 Friday - I woke up 12. I ate five slices of toast with jam and ham. I tried to study from 1 to 6:30. I didn't succeed well. Maria was here to get her cutlery from the New years celebration and to drink a coffee. She had real coffee with her. Then I skyped with the whole family for two hours or so. I ate two spring rolls and yesterdays and four days old rice with salad and pate. Nice mix. Maria came to 61 and we started recording. I also filmed a session of me playing and singing Seaside by The Kooks. It's beautiful, I tell you. Around 10:30 we ran to Bon Apetit and ordered a 15" pizza with onion, pepperoni and mushrooms. And a coke. We walked back home. Two glasses of whisky were forgotten in the freezer from the New Year. We ate pizza, sardinian peccorini and a drum of Whiskey. Sounds like a traditional eastern. Then we read aloud Jorge Luis Borges and John Cleland. It made me blush.

20.3 Thursday - I walked to uni around 4:30. Before that I tried to write on my Labour Law essay. I went for a coke with Maria in the QM. Everything was closed except the game side. We had two half pints of coke for 90 p. Then I went to uni and Maria shopping. I studied until 20. At 20:15 Maria arrived and we started preparing food for Noruz, The Persian New Year. That was something new for me. Maria prepared a delicious fruit salad, I fried salmon and boiled rice and peas, and Samuel laid the table nicely. We ate, Maria, Andrea, Samuel and me for a long time. And I dare say that the food was nice. We finished around 12 and drank tea. Then it was night and a new year, 1368 I think it is now.

19.3 Wednesday - I went to the School of Law. There I studied and met Maria and walked home around 5. Maria prepared something Finnish around 8. It was a Perunajauhelihalaatikko with salad. It was delicious and I ate too much. Then we walked to my place and ate the last of the chocolate icecrem and watched VT.

18.3 Tuesday - We watched the last French film. We took a taxi to the GFT from Sauchiehall Street. The last film was one of the best we saw but heavy. The film was preceded by a short film that was actually better than the long film. After the film we walked home in a cold night. The French Film Festival films were on the whole a disappointment. I don't want to see French film now in a while. Hollywood is shit, but France can be too. There is too much money in the film industry, because some of the films should have never been produced.