The Dark Knight

Whilst we are on the topic of childhood favourites, let me share another one of mine with you: Batman, the series. I was absolutely glued to the tv every day when the caped crusader and boy wonder took on those bad guys; the joker, the riddler, the penguin, catwoman. Lots of cheesy one-liners and even cheesier fight scenes:


I really took that voice-over at the end very literally: "Tune in tomorrow — same Bat-time, same Bat-channel!". Not long ago I realised one of our channels here is running re-runs of this 60's show. It was already an old show when I watched it but boy, that series really hasn't stood the test of time! It's so hilariously amateurish that I couldn't bring myself to watch it and thus ruin a dear memory.

As far as I am concerned, the Batman movies of the 80's and 90's were hit and miss. I really liked the dark style of Tim Burton and thought Michael Keaton actually worked surprisingly well in the roll of the tormented playboy-by-day, vigilante-by-night but then the movies went hopelessly of track with Batman & Robin the absolute low point, though I didn't much care for Batman Forever either (com'on, Val Kilmer?!) And then it went quiet for a while around my favourite superhero...

But Batman is back with a vengeance! Batman Begins was simply a great movie, harrowing and dark and striking a great balance between the surreal comic book effect and realistic suspense with an über-scary villain. Christopher Nolan's latest creation The Dark Knight has just hit the cinemas and has created quite a buzz, not in the least owing to the performance of the recently deceased Heath Ledger. When I wanted to see it this weekend it was sold out clean. Tonight I managed to catch a showing though. So, is it really as good as the reviews say it is? Absolutely. Heath Ledger is indeed very strong in his role of the Joker, a far more creepy and credible rendition than Jack Nicholson's earlier take on the role.

(source)

In all the hype Christian Bale has been a bit overlooked but he certainly gives great depth to the lonely Batman character, whilst easily pulling off a great Bruce Wayne. My only problem with the movie is that it is a tad too long. It wouldn't have hurt to cut the movie short by about half an hour, especially since the last bit carries enough potential to kick off another movie. At any rate this is a warmly recommended movie and one that might well give me some trouble sleeping tonight.

Around the world in 80 days

"The world has grown smaller, since a man can now go round it ten times more quickly than a hundred years ago. ... you can go round it in three months"

"In eighty days," interrupted Phileas Fogg.

Around the world in 80 days was one of my childhood favourites. That and the Travels of Marco Polo. Both books tell the most incredulous, marvellous travel stories my child's imagination could fathom. I devoured these stories of Phileas Fogg in the Indian jungle and Marco Polo visiting the Kublai Khan. Great stuff to dream away by on a rainy day in dreary Holland. The times of the Mongol empire and of trans-Atlantic steamers are long gone -and with them a sense of adventure- but at least in the amount of kilometres I will be getting in these next few months I am starting to emulate my childhood heroes!

Early August will first see me jetting off to the North for a few days of holiday. There I intend to fill my lungs with the fresh air of the great outdoors, my belly with yummy goodies, and my liver with some tasty red wine, all in the company of my dear friend MyYear. With barely enough time to do my laundry and to repack for warmer climates, I am then headed far South for two weeks of work. It's a very exciting assignment and one I really look forward to. It should be a great opportunity to put some of our theoretical work of the last few months to the test in a real field situation. It's a pity though that I won't be able to tag a few days at the end for some touristic wanderings through this country that has so much to offer in terms of natural beauty but I need to be back in London on time to pack my moving boxes. Hopping slightly to the East I then cross the Channel to settle back into my own apartment. I can't get too comfortable though as, before another month is out, I am expected to head back further East to follow-up on my last journey.

Travelling seems to be part of my new life and career. So far I am loving the opportunities it is giving me. At this point in my life, where I can easily hop on a plane at a moment's notice, I am going to take full advantage of it. But by taking full advantage I also mean making sure I don't end up like this guy:

Tulipgirl leaves London

A friend of mine runs the following quote on his blog:

You find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford. (Samuel Johnson)

I am by no means tired of life but I was beginning to get a bit tired of London. Maybe there is in London all that life can afford but the quote neglects to point out that you also need some serious money to afford it all. The cost of living here is just too high to do it for long.

I had been considering my options for leaving London for a while now, but suddenly things have picked up lightning speed. A few weeks back my boss made a startling announcement. He has accepted a major job at a very interesting organisation. That is of course great news for him. But it is also good news for me... it looks like I will be following him to the land of chocolate and mountains in a few months time, doing just the sort of work I have been working towards all these months! There are still a million blanks to fill in about the what, where, when and how much but it is a very exciting opportunity for me that I take with both hands.

For those of you back in the Netherlands who miss me a bit there is more good news. My boss' departure from London means that, from September onwards, there will be no real need for me to stay here either until the new job takes shape. With an internet connection and cheap flights I can be based basically anywhere and that includes Amsterdam. Yes people, I will be coming home soon! It may not be for very long since already I know I will be moving abroad again but pretty soon I will be setting up camp in my own apartment. See you there?

Decrypting

Although Moscow as a city did not feel that alien at all, there was something about being there that made me feel rather out of touch. It was the first time I found myself in a country where I was -for most intents and purposes- illiterate. In all other countries I had been to so far I had at least been able to read the language, if not to translate it. The cyrillic script was a whole new experience. At first it looks like complete gibberish but pretty soon things start to make some sense. Two high school years of struggling with ancient Greek (and many years of mathematical formulas full of Greek symbols) really helped as the alphabet contains a whole range of familiar symbols:

Others only begin to make sense in a certain context:

The real eye-opener was the moment when the symbols fell into place enough to form words oddly familiar to these Dutch ears and eyes. For legal advice you go to an адвокат; your medicine is bought right here:

and the most disturbing moment was when somebody announced it was time for кафе пауза, which may not look very Dutch but sure sounds it! Easy stuff, this Russian.

The wet wanderer

As a Dutch girl living in London I am certainly no stranger to a bit of rain. Normally I try to stay away from the wet weather if I can though, hiding in the warm and dry comforts of my house. Hiding out in a hotel room on my only free weekend in Moscow, however, seemed like a silly idea. After all, it is not every day that I get to play tourist in a city like this. So despite my trepidation to go out in the absolute pouring rain, this weekend I wandered through the wet streets of Moscow.

Saturday was pleasantly spent in the company of a Moscovite friend. It sure is nice to be able to travel to an unknown city and have your own personal tour guide! We spent the morning in the State Tretyakov Gallery, admiring the portraits of some of Russia's finest as well as the collection of golden shiny icons. The St Basil's cathedral proved as crazy on the inside as it is on the outside, full of twists and turns. In the afternoon I strolled down to the controversial hate-it-or-love-it skyline defining Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. This mammoth was blasted into a million marble pieces by Stalin and eventually replaced by world's largest swimming pool. After the fall of communism, however, the church was rebuilt on the same site. The debris from the original church has been incorporated into the Kropotkinskaya metro station. The Moscow metro system is an attraction itself. Completely unlike the drab stations here in London, the Moscovian stations are gorgeous spacious halls filled with statues, mosaics and marble. It certainly gives an artistic twist to your daily commute!


On Sunday the weather was even more miserable than the day before, with relentless rain and thunder storms. Hoping to wait out the rain I treated myself to breakfast at ГҮМ shopping centre that is guaranteed to blast any thoughts of the communist days straight into the past. It did, however, not obliterate the rain. Soaking in my shoes I then squished through the Kremlin grounds to gawk at the Assumption Cathedral, the Archangel Cathedral, the Ivan the Great Bell Tower and more. This time I skipped a visit to the Armoury and Diamond Fund rooms for lack of time. I took a quick stroll through the State Historical Museum, more to get a chance to dry up than anything else as the all-Russian signs in this Red Square situated museum are distinctly tourist unfriendly.


There is so much more to do in Moscow that I did not get around to. I would have loved to visit the Sculpture Park, a resting place for many of the statues of Russia's fallen heroes. The modern art collection at the New Tretyakov Gallery is also still on my wish list, as is a visit to the famous Bolshoi theatre. And although I still think it is a bit creepy, I should perhaps take a peek at Lenin before they finally lay him to rest. I guess I will just have to come back here some time. Hopefully it will be dry then.

Moscow 3 July - 6 July 2008

The end of a nightmare

Now that I am back in a place where I can access the internet I quickly checked the news this morning, something I have not been able to do much for the past couple of days as all the TV stations here are in Russian only. What I just saw there has completely made my day and nearly brought tears to my eyes: Ingrid Betancourt - the Colombian politician about whom I have written here repeatedly- has been freed! This is absolutely wonderful news. News that I doubted would ever come. Now that it has, I am delighted to be able to wish her and her family much happiness for the future.

Reporting from Moscow

Sorry for not being able to keep you up-to-date better these last couple of days but I have had very limited access to the internet. There is an interesting irony in the fact that during my trip in Ghana a few months ago WiFi signals were ubiquitous but that here in Russia -the first country to conquer space- internet is proving far more difficult. Now I am back in Moscow though and hopefully will be able to send you a few more reports. 

We have returned a few days ahead of schedule as the work in the field was essentially finished. I must confess I am rather glad to be back. Moscow is a far more interesting city to explore and I am excited that the change in schedule will allow me more time to do so. Bizarrely enough I even find myself with a rather full social agenda as it turns out a number of my friends/ acquaintances/ colleagues are here at the moment as well!

Work has been an interesting challenge these last few days. In particular, interviewing people through a translator is something I have never done before. At times it is like that movie "Lost in translation". The person I am interviewing will be giving a minutes long reply, only for it to come back to me in 2 or 3 summarised sentences! Fortunately, I am in the possession of a brand new voice recorder so this time I will be able to play back all the interviews and even get them translated in full later on. My interviews have taken place in some rather odd places, ranging from park benches to a tiny little bedroom where 5 people sleep together. Work sure is different from those days in the lab purifying proteins! 

Now that I am back in Moscow I will spend the remaining time transcribing and analysing these interviews. And of course: seeing those Moscow sights because I think you will agree that - although pretty- sights like these just are not quite in the same league!