Here To Geneva

Inspired By Iceland

Iceland are really going to town on self-promotion right now in the wake of the banking crisis and the ever-so-naughty Eyjafjallajökull volcano. This video above is in itself good fun, but the accompanying website is even better, particularly the live webcam section. There are currently five high quality, full-screen webcams on the site. The one I’m linking to is of Skólavörðustígur, one of the main streets in Reykjavík and the street I stayed on when I visited recently. In the live footage, you’ll see the majestic Hallgrímskirkja which I went up to the top of. You’ll also see the book shop/cafe I hung out in a few times (of which, you can only see the “…mundsson” of the shop name). Watch the 4x4’s trundled their way down the street, then perhaps go see what’s happening at the world famous Blue Lagoon.

More Train Fare Madness

Regretfully, the British national train system leaves much to be desired. It’s never really recovered from being privatised. Here’s one example where it fails.

Chilled Out Vancouver

It’s a Bank Holiday here in the United Kingdom, a perfect opportunity to take it easy with another beautiful Vimeo find. This one was shot in Vancouver, Canada in a splendidly chilled and urban style. Enjoy!

Elephant Parade London

London is currently under siege by 258 beautifully painted elephants. Each elephant has been hand-painted by a different artist or celebrity and then placed out on the streets (a few are indoors). On a visit to the city earlier this week, I managed to see just 16 of them, a few of which are featured here, the rest of which can bee seen on Flickr.

The aim of the exhibition is to raise awareness of the urgent plight of the Asian Elephant. You can found out more at the official website, which also includes a map to help you find them all.

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Live From Wembley Arena

Flight of the Conchords

The other night, I went to Wembley Arena in London to see the supremely funky and funny Flight of the Conchords. Here’s a short snippet from the beginning of the 2 hour set starting with an ad for New Zealand followed by hilarious banter.

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A Journey Through Asia

I know, I’ve been posting quite a few videos lately, but I can’t help myself. I’ve recently rediscovered Vimeo and have since been flicking through the HD video channel and Staff Picks. There are some incredibly talented people on Vimeo creating stunning videos in gorgeous high definition. This one, documenting a journey through Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam really stood out.

I’ll post my other finds gradually so you’re not too bombarded.

UK Airspace Closes Again

British & Irish airspace is currently in the process of closing down yet again as a result of the ash that continues to spew from the volcano at Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland. As I write, most of Britain is a no-fly zone with all London airports (including Europe’s busiest, Heathrow) set to close shortly for possibly 48 hours.

The video above, filmed earlier this month, captures the eerie beauty that quite often comes with all things Icelandic. The menace, sheer power and means to cause such disruption to human life is almost lost behind a mesmerising veil.

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Bamberg Springfest

Don Bosco Musikanten

The town where I live is twinned with Bamberg, Germany. Every year, this partnership is celebrated with imported beer, music and sausages. Here’s a quick boo of the music as played by Don Bosco.

Visit AudioBoo to hear more boos, or subscribe. You can do so via iTunes or via the RSS feed.

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A Few Days In Japan

Japan has long been a destination I’d like to visit. I don’t think I’d be able to do it alone though as I think the obvious culture shock is best shared with as many people as possible. This video I discovered captures what I imagine a first visit to Japan would be like. Nuts!

Eyjafjallajokull Eruption Continues

The volcano at Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland continues to cause problems. Activity has increased of late which is once again affecting air travel. According to maps from the BBC, a massive cloud of ash is currently sitting over the North Atlantic Ocean. Winds are mostly southerly right now, so disruption is limited to western extremes (Spain, Portugal and as of today, Morocco). I have friends flying back to the UK from Tunisia tomorrow. It remains to be seen whether they’ll make it. Foresters predict the UK may be affected by airspace closure later in the week.

The photos in this post were taken by one of my Flickr contacts, orvaratli. I ‘friended’ orvaratli some time ago after discovering his staggering photos from all over Iceland. Lately, he’s been focussing his attention on the volcano with truly breathtaking results.

For the latest on the volcano situation, keep an eye on the UK Met Office website who are writing daily updates on their blog.