November gives us not one but two days of remembrance. Today, the first, is the 5th of November – associated with Guido Fawkes and the failed gunpowder plot against James I of the United Kingdom. In six days time the second day of remembrance – emblazoned with the words “Lest We Forget” will once again remind us of the millions of dead in last century’s darkest moments. In the US there’s also Thanksgiving – another day in which events past are recalled. It might be because I was born in this month (and therefore a heavily biased Novembrino) but I always felt that the month was intended as a period of reflection before the great renewal and restart that would soon be celebrated just after the hibernation. Here’s V reminding us what he was all about and a Last Post from XI.XI. (Image from “the Shepheard’s Calender” – November)
We’re back from a five day stint in La Serenissima. Two days of sun and three days of windy drizzle turned out to be a relaxing (and eventful) holiday. More about the eventful part later. There’s loads of bloggable news to be seen to after the break but we thoroughly enjoyed switching off from the world for a little while. There’s been all sorts of items to comment upon from the sublime (Juve beat Milan) to the terrific (Tottenham uncovered the intercettato true colours) to the worrying (a parcel bomb addressed to the ECJ). Obama’s lost his majority in Congress, Labour has lost its cool with photoshop and Berlusconi’s just lost it. His latest foray into the world of political bumbleness included the statement of “better someone who likes women than a gay”. What will continue to baffle is the manner in which thousands of people will still vote for the midget on high heels even after this kind of gaffe. Still, politics has a way of suprising us doesn’t it? I’m looking forward to catching up on Tonio and Friends….
Accompanying photo is of a t-shirt spotted in a shopwindow in Venice. Subliminal advertising? It was a bridge or two away from a huge graffiti stating in no uncertain terms: “Lega merda”. Serenissima indeed.
Last Saturday we tripped off to the military town across the border. Well it is military no more and ever since the Franco-German hostilites over Alsace-Lorraine cooled down the city of Metz has been trying to reinvent itself. The Centre Pompidou inaugurated this year goes a long way in placing the beautiful city back on the map of “visitable” destinations in France. Metz is hoping to have the “Bilbao effect” in this quiet north-east corner of the hexagon.
It’s worth visiting. Not just for the Pompidou centre but also for the magnificent cathedral, for the lovely architecture that is a mélange of the attempts of the French/German occupiers to stamp their imprint on this outpost. If you do visit this corner of the world then you would not be amiss to try out the Italian restaurant on Place de Paris in Luxembourg called “La Voglia Matta“. They have an incredible choice of pastas – with the additional benefit of a copious choice of home made gluten-free pastissimi. I’m in love with the gf gnocchi quattro formaggi or the sugo di cinghiale.The restaurant is also worth visiting because of the kitschy fifties decor and magnificent view over Avenue de la Liberté – book a window seat to really enjoy the experience!
Skip dessert at the restaurant (you’ll have no space for it anyway) and drive/bus to the City Concorde in Bertrange for one of the best ice-creams on the face of this planet. It’s another Italian establishment called Franky. My favourite is a fiordilatte/chocolate mix though you cannot be disappointed by any of the tastes on sale.
The Pompidou Photoshoot (feat. LL & the innocent bystanders):
In his latest installation on J’accuse, late night commentator David Borg tells us that “There are many serious ethical issues regarding in vitro fertilization which you conveniently failed to mention such as the freezing and destruction of human embryos. Besides there are studies showing that IVF births have a higher rate of birth defects.” Never missing a beat when it comes to marching in step with the latest Vatican diktat Borg is keen to tell us what J’accuse “conveniently failed to mention” while referring shadily to mysterious, unquoted “studies” showing higher rates of birth defects.
What this champion of vatican contradictions fails to point out is that this is another of the blind alleys up which the Vatican has walked in the same vein as the infamous “condoms are bad for thee” saga in Africa – I’m sure that there are studies that point that the Vatican is indirectly responsible for millions of deaths with this indoctrination. In any case the scientific miracle (oh the provocative oxymoron) of IVF might be guilty of being too close to nature. It is in fact not just man with his IVF dabbling that risks losing a fertilized egg or two in order to increase the chances of an unhappy, barren couple to become pregnant with child. Mother nature also has the “unnatural” habit of creating and fertilizing more eggs than become babies. Funny how the Vatican hath not declared mother nature an anathema – or God himself for having allowed such an abomination to happen.
Abraham, Sarai and Hagar the IVF Handmaiden
The insipid ease with which such men as David rush to judgement over a system such as conception by IVF is what I found most unnatural and revolting. Since the god in which they seem to believe is not as interventionist as in days past – when he toyed with the couple Abraham and Sarah endlessly (not to mention all the wombs in Abimelech’s household – Genesis 20:18), today’s couples do not resort to Hagar the handmaiden for the joy of procreation but have Professor Edwards (Nobel Prize Winner for Medicine, 2010) to thank for the greater possibility of having their own offspring.
Here’s the Times (UK) editorial on the same point:
Professor Edwards’s work has its critics. The Roman Catholic Church opposes some IVF, on the ground that it can involve the destruction of embryos. And it is beyond argument that this is what happens: fertility clinics generally fertilise many eggs, and often implant two, to maximise the chance that one will survive. The remaining tiny embryos are then frozen or discarded.
But there is nothing anti-life in IVF: the embryos are created to produce babies and allow the chance of parenthood to couples who want a child of their own. Nature itself creates and fertilises many more eggs than become babies.
The embryonic cell can also be taken apart, at an early stage, to yield stem cells. Research using stem cells offers the promise of finding a cure for debilitating conditions such as Parkinson’s disease.
What with all the Mayan calendars and other superstitious nonsense about the end of the world in 12.12.12 (jeez… thank god for Gregory and his tiny adjustments), the last thing we need is another freak announcement about the end of the world being nigh and all. Don’t fret. We don’t have any insider information just yet, nor have we decided to kick off a new sect of the Advent of the Terminal Moment. Nope. We have sighted a near world-shifting moment that will be overlooked by millions of people the world over but it is world-shifting just the same.
Ferran Adrià, the mastermind behind Restaurante El Bulli has announced that the world champion kitchen of gastronomical bliss will be serving its last dishes on the 31st July 2011. It leaves us plebs who have never been to the famed restaurant and who still counted it among the “100 things to do before I die” will never be able to savour the pleasure and enjoy the relative exclusivity of the much-praised works of Chef Adrià and his team. It’s a bit like being a viking who has just been told that the Valkyries have gone on permanent retirement and Valhalla is being redesigned as a retirement home for the elderly on the lines of a Costa del Sol dump. So be it. Let’s face it. There is NO WAY we will make it on any list before July 2011. Ferran will not stop there though. There are new projects ahead and we hope that this time we will find a way to squeeze in on the waiting list.
Speaking to The Times (UK) Adrià complained that running the restaurant is no longer like it used to be. He compared it to Groundhog Day – knowing each day what will happen. So Adrià is on a quest for new horizons and excitements. We are more than willing to look forward to the next trip…
This one is mainly for the transfrontaliers living outremer. The quest for a “cheap flight” connection to Malta is becoming like a game of “hot & cold”. As Flyunfair and Flimsyjet CEO’s throw darts across the European map selecting airport links to Malta au hazard we can now happily announce that the “cold, cold, cold” has become “tepid”. Flyunfair have a new flight from Eindhoven (Holland). It’s around three hours away from Luxembourg and the flights are Thursdays and Sundays (and yes, the flight back is at 6am so think of it as a Thursday to Saturday trip to Malta for your urgent needs that cannot wait.
Three hours’ drive plus two hours’ leeway before getting on the plane (Flyunfair’s quirky ideas about queueing ppl like animals simply because the flight is “cheap”) and a three hour flight. That’s still eight hours door to airport (MIA). Things, they say, can only get better. Frankfurt airport is the same driving time away (prices slightly more expensive) and a wellplanned flight from Dusseldorf (also around three hours away) could turn out to be cheaper (and more luggage space). The French are still obstinately refusing to make Metz-Nancy airport amenable for international flights (which might just be ok given the penchant of French air traffic controllers to simply sod off and cause absolute chaos for the plane schedule ). Germany has introduced an aviation tax making ALL flights slightly more expensive p.p.
We’re not really after the deal. A well priced (not Luxair style) price from an airport that is a convenient drive away would just be the ticket. Until now the closest airport with relatively normal prices is still Brussels – a good two hours away (not counting possible upsets at the last stage of the car trip on the black hole that is the Ring). Open market my arse.
