DJ Trava

Archive for October, 2009

A few years ago I traveled to Manhattan to see one of my favorite groups of musicians.  Sigur Rós is a band from Iceland, and their debut album was Ágætis Byrjun.  This is one of those albums that at the time, the music stores just could not keep in stock.  Something about the sound they make, just moves people, and that was incredibly obvious a their New York show in 2001.  I was lucky enough to have found a room at one of the 5 star New York hotels, which was located within walking distance of Irving Plaza, the venue for their one and only New York show on their tour schedule.

They were originally booked to play at the Angel Orensanz Center, but the show sold out in under fifteen minutes, and was moved to Irving so as to accommodate a larger audience.  When I got to the Plaza, an hour before the showtime, the line to get into the show wrapped around the block.  It took so long for the fans to file in that the went up a half an hour past the scheduled start time, but no one minded one bit.  It was one of the calmest concert experiences I have ever had.  And it’s no wonder, when they took the stage it was more akin to a performance by a symphony, than that of a pop band.  The lead singer and guitar player is Jon ThorBirgisson.  The drummer is Orri Pall Dyrason, bass-player is Georg Holm and the keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist is Kjartan Sveinsson.

They took the stage quietly and as the audience held a collective breath, they began to play.  The beginning of their songs starts, and gradually they add layer upon layer, and when the song is finished, the layers slowly disappear.  Again, the audience held their breath, and the applause was given only when it was completely silent once more.  This was the first time I actually saw people faint from inspiration at a rock show/symphony.  The sounds that filled Irving Plaza that night have literally haunted me, with the emotion and the sweetness of this incredible music.  I anxiously await a time when I will see them again.

On a birthday surprise trip taken a few years ago to Puerto Penasco, or Rocky Point, Mexico more commonly known, motor cycle manuals would not have helped us out a certain predicament.  I had funded a trip for a friend of mine from Boston, Massachusetts.  He wasn’t familiar with the way of the desert, nor was he familiar of just what a Toyota Camry was capable of, or not capable of as the case may be, with regards to driving on sand.

The drive from Phoenix to Rocky Point, is pretty short.  In just about 4 hours one can be sitting on the beach eating fresh shrimps and relaxing, I thought–a perfect way to spend a birthday, no need for small engine repair manuals.  However, as we were camping, and my friend didn’t want to park and walk, he thought it would be an okay idea to just drive right out onto the sand…in a Camry, no four wheel drive and not thought.  I made mention that this may not be the best idea.  But, well—there we ended up.  A great spot on the beach for a few days, but no way to get the car out of the sand.

I tried my best to think of just how we would get home, and made the best of the three days on the beach.  It was fun, we painted pelicans and ocean landscapes, but on our last night, a tremendous storm happened and we were forced to take shelter in the stuck-in-the-sand Camry.  At some point during the night, he decided to run the heater, which was reasonable in a way…as we were soaking wet and very cold.  However, in the morning we woke up, not only stuck in the sand, but with a dead car battery as well.  A self-sufficient camper, a guy that spent most of his time in one of those old school silvermotor-homes accompanied by many dogs, came to our rescue.

This man knew about automotive repair and rescue.  He had a contraption that charge our battery through the cigarette lighter in his motor-home.  He then deflated our tires so we would be able to maneuver our way out of the sand.  We made it to the center of Rocky Point, re-filled the tires with air, and headed back to Phoenix.  We did get home in one piece, but next time I take someone on a trip for their birthday, I may just buy a ticket to Spain, and hire taxis for the entire weekend.

I’m getting ready to leave the sand and the oceans water and head out to more sand. I’m in the Emirates business class lounge away from the main concourse of the airport. I’m struggling to keep my eyes open. I had a huge day and the hotels Dubai UAE lived up to their names. Last night, I didn’t get to sleep until 2:30am. I got back from dinner in the desert where this other hotel was playing disco on the ground floor, which was really cool, because the way it was constructed was that the building would sway to the loudness of the music, and the beat.

I was staying with a friend, spending the night at this swaying loud hotel, and we were on the third floor, so there was no way we were able to sleep. I told my friend that I needed to head back to my hotel, even though it was my last time to be with my friend, I needed sleep before by my tour of the city tomorrow. By the time I got back and had another bite to eat it was 2am!  I set the alarm for 11am and I was back down in the lobby waiting for the transport bus to take me to the airport, my flight was at 3:30pm to Cairo. I gave up on the tour of the city. I was too tired.

Well enough about sleep. Dubai is one great city! It’s alive, fast pace and faster drivers. There’s only one road rule that I could tell, was you stop at red lights and other than that it’s fair game. For all my friends back home, if a car came up and tried to cut you off, you’d blow your horn and yell at them, but here, you let them in and drive past them and then dive in on some one else. It almost felt like an Olympic sport! Kind of like synchronized driving.

I’d better go now, another guy wants to use this free Internet service here in the Emirates business class lounge…I’ll fill you in later and hopefully, add a few pics! I miss everyone…Take Care…

For creative centers in the world, Dubai has really carved out an identity for itself, and it’s one that’s constantly shifting.  The gallery culture here is thriving, and it’s just one of the many reasons for visiting here.  There are, of course, absolutely gorgeous beaches to contrast with the mysterious desert landscapes, and there are fantastic shopping malls with amazing entertainments that visitors of all ages will enjoy.  It’s a place that’s made its name for hospitality, and when it comes to four star hotels, Dubai has some splendid choices for the discerning traveler.  Our hotels are carefully selected to please all tastes, and offer you a magnificent place to call home while you are here.

Design and decor are at a premium here, in a city that prides itself on its ability to appeal to the visual senses.  You’ll enjoy many splendid rests, and a host of other amenities, all yours to enjoy while you are also checking out the fabulous offerings of Dubai.  It attracts visitors from all over the world, and the burgeoning art scene is becoming a magnet for international artists, coming to see what all the excitement is about.  Interestingly, as it often happens in the art world, the excitement is usually the artists themselves.  In 2008, an artist’s collective named Albus Cavus came here to do a project for urban revitalization.

Their plan here was to work with public space, and help to engage the local community to become active in transforming it to something that would have more aesthetic appeal.  Their methods are very interesting, and speak to a number of contemporary trends in the art world that involve working with public space to make it accessible again to the citizens.  Workshops, public events, and interactive mural painting were just part of the project, designed to bring out the creativity in the local residents.  Albus Novus translates to white cave from the Latin, and refers to the basement in New Jersey where the collective had its beginnings.

I arrived in Palolem and walked up the beach to find just the right spot and then go in the ocean for a swim. It’s really great to be staying at a Goa beach hotel and be able to walk right out onto the beach.  There was this big rock that stuck out of the water and there were already people sunbathing on it. I decided to swim out there and join them, plus I was hoping that maybe there would be an excellent jumping off place. When I reach the rock, the four people begin to leave, but that didn’t stop me from climbing on up. The rock was tricky to navigate, it was wet, slippery and very hard just to get up on it. I slipped and felt my shin get ripped by the rock. So, I chickened out and swam back to the beach, bleeding and in pain.

My new wound will just add to the stories of my journey. Luckily, the cut didn’t need stitches. But, according to my hotel staff, I needed to keep it covered up. I’ll have to bring new bandages with me every time I go swimming. When I get back home, I’m going to start going to those indoor rock climbing places and get better equipped for the next time I want to climb a rough and jagged rock.

I found out that there’s a new noise law in Goa, or maybe it’s all of India, I’m not sure, but all parties, music and other loud happenings need to be wrapped up by 11pm! So, now, everywhere I go, late at night, I see lots of headphone parties. I checked one out, but it was too expensive, so I stayed for the live music and left when it was time to rent the headphones.

I was chilling on the beach again for almost a whole day, I just love Goa’s beaches, they’re still very pristine. I was in a good mood, so I went and wandered around town and looked at all the shops. It was great to be amongst the locals and eat at a small mom and pops restaurant where I could tell that most of the patrons were from around the neighborhood. I know, because I stuck out like a sore thumb, but a smiling sore thumb. After a nice hot lunch, I decided to get my lip pierced.

Later that night, I noticed that all the beer I was drinking wasn’t tasting so good, then I started getting cramps. I think that all of the parting and abuses to my body had finally caught up with me. But, I did my best to not let that get to me, after all, I was with a very beautiful local girl, I met her at that place where I had lunch, and I didn’t want to blow a chance at having her call it a night. Alas, my cramps over-took me and I ended up saying good night to her and running back to my hotel room. Bummer! Really, I mean she was a knock out. So, between my bandaged leg, my sore lip (from the piecing), my diarrhea, cuts on the bottom of my feet, losing one of the prettiest girls I’ve ever got to date, I still am having the time of my life in Goa!

A few weeks ago, it was about 116 degrees Fahrenheit in Phoenix.  It was about two pm, and hot, and I had been up the night before, all night working on the computer trying to meet a deadline.  I was exhausted and had no motivation left.  I have a hot tub in my back yard. The landlords installed it after looking over the options offered by choosehottubsdirect.com.  I have lived with this tub in my backyard for three years, but never once ventured into it.

I looked out the window, and it was hot.  Summertime in Phoenix makes you say that over and over…”it’s hot, just so hot outside” as if saying it over and over will make it get better, or seem more bearable.  But I knew that I had to spend another eight hours on the computer before I was finished with my 36 hour work day, and I needed something to keep me going.  Coffee was not doing the trick anymore.  I searched for my bathing suit, found it and went outside.  I unlocked the cover and turned on the jets.

As I stepped into the tub, my dog Jack, looked at me and tilted his head, he knew it was hot.  And he did not understand.  I held on to the rail and stepped into the water.  At first, it wasn’t so nice.  Everything was just a bit too warm, the air, the water, Jack’s breath.  As I sat in the middle of the jets and the bubbles and the warmth, I felt calm and energized at the same time.  Jack was confused, as stated, and he eventually just jumped in with me.  Not naturally for a Chicago city dog, but he couldn’t help himself.  He nervously tried to get out, and I bumped him up to edge so he could do just that.

And the minute he was out, he took off like a mad man, tearing around the yard in a full run, wild look in his eyes and all.  I got out just after that as well, and understood why he seemed to feel so good.  The air and the breeze that had been so oppressive before, now felt cool.  Energy was restored.  Jack felt better, I felt better.  We looked at each other and knew what was on our minds.  See, we both own a bad, and evil cat named Frida.  If she could feel the effects of a hot tub soak, perhaps she would be a bit nicer.  We looked in her direction, but she hissed at us and hopped the fence.  She must have known what was on our minds.