Saturday, July 19, 2008 OK, I'm officially back here. I'm actually in Vilnius but you know what I mean. We spent the week at Palanga on the Lithuanian coast and it was great fun. There's a real fun vibe in Palanga and our 3 new Lithuanian friends Gaga, GooGoo and GiGi made Palanga a trip to remember - so we owe them a big 'Achew' (probably spelt incorrectly) which sounds like a sneeze and means thank-you. Yesterday (Friday) we hired a car to get to Vilnius and stopped an an abandoned soviet nuclear missile site which, hiddeb from the Lithuanian people) was home to an arsenal of nukes that could've wiped most of Europe off the face of the planet. It's interesting, unnerving and mildly disturbing standing down there. We stopped at the equally strange 'Hill of crosses' on the way (my second visit) and made it to Vilnius late last night. If all goes well I'll be in Minsk early next week.
Jens, Gaga, me and GooGoo
Oh, we also had some stuff stolen in Palanga (from our room whilst we were in there asleep) which required another trip to a dodgy soviet-style police station. Thankfully, this time I wasnt incacerated. We did hire a red, peadle-powered go-cart to get there though which was quite amusing. We parked up right-outside forcing all the cop cars to park around us.
Ever wondered what nuclear missle homes look like?
More pictures over here
OK, time for laundry or I'm gonna get a reputation for being stinky...
Eddy.
I'm over here >>>
Sunday, July 06, 2008 On a random road-trip to Riga. ..
See http://roadtoriga.blogspot.com
I'll be back here when the driving fun is over :-)
Eddy
Wok and Roll
Friday, June 13, 2008 Only on at hospitality club can you find invites like this...
"Hey buddy !! Do you like rice ?? If yes, Come on into our house !! If no, Come on into our house !!! If you don t really know, Come on into our house !!! We'll propose you everything : rice and beer, rice and wine, rice and fun, rice and chill out, rice and party, rice and funk, rice and groove, rice and meeting other rice lovers !! So book your plane, train or car-sharing, and come on !!"
Shame I don't like rice.
New view due soon
Friday, May 30, 2008 So I thought I'd capture the old one for practice ...and prosperity.
The view from 33 Glebelands after a bit of photomatrix wizardry.
I'm having a bit of a dilema now as my two favourite uses for my camera are currently...
1. Making funky HDR pictures like those above and below.
2. Making things move quickly by time-lapsing them
...both of which require some PC power. So, do I take the laptop to Russia or do I wait till I get back? Right now, I think I'll take it.
and talking of the trip to Russia - Pete's just updated www.roadtoriga.blogspot.com with a picture of the trusty steed - Ralph Rover.
The Tube
Saturday, May 24, 2008 My second HDR attempt. You can click on the image for the full size picture. One day I'll have the powers of this guy.
The London Underground 21st May 2008
Visa-Vi
Thursday, May 22, 2008 It's official. Eddy is allowed in Russia!
It took a few weeks and cost about £80 but, the formalities are complete and I'm the proud owner of an all-singing, all-dancing double-entry visa for the Russian Federation. 45 days and 3000 miles to go and I'll be dancing with the red Bear.
I needed the "double entry" option (£10 extra) as I'll be driving through Russia on-route to Latvia and then I'm gonna leave Pete (& Ralph) in Riga & catch a train back under the iron curtain to Moscow.
It's only one place on our two week trip but, experience tells me I'm going to enjoy Russia a lot ...in all it's oddness. Also, I'm really looking forward to meeting (and maybe understanding) some more 'real' Russians. I've only ever known one 'real' Russian and although I consider her a very special friend, like Churchill's Russia she's definitely a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.
My invasion will be less imposing than yesterdays football extravaganza but naturally - far more memorable. Time for some cyrillic practice I think...
McMafia - The RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures & Commerce)
I was lucky enough to attend a lecture last night by one of my all-time hero's Mr Misha Glenny. His knowledge and experience of the Balkans is hard to match and his books are partly responsible for my fascination with the region.
Based on his new book 'McMafia', MG unpicked "the nexus of crime, politics and money worldwide which have become entangled and interdependent in entirely novel forms since the 1980s, arguing that conventional policing methods are no longer appropriate to deal with a problem whose roots lie in global poverty and the ever widening divisions between rich and poor."
Having spent another 3 years of his life chasing, interviewing, studying and documenting some of the worlds most ruthless characters he clearly explained how the collapse of communism fused with the rise of consumerism and the global financial market to create a global 'shadow economy' which may now account for 20% of the world's GDP.
I believe the talk will be available as a podcast so I'll keep my eye out for it and post it on here if I can.
Labels: Bearder visa russia mcmafia
uh-oh! now there's two!
Monday, April 28, 2008 I'll try not to forget the mighty B.com but, if things are looking quiet here ...you might be find me ranting on >>HERE<<.
http://www.roadtoriga.blogspot.com will follow our progress from Oxford to Riga in Ralph - the banger.
I don't drink. I'm tea turtle.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008 Woohoo, the DIY is over, the paint has dried, the paper is still on the wlls (just) and the house is ready to sell. Given the news this week selling it may be the hardest part.
With the house done, I junped at the chance to visit an old Slovene amigo in one of the few cornes of Europe I haven't been to - Northern Ireland. Rightly or wrongly (and I've been challenged on this many times) I didn't include NI as a European country as, strictly speaking it's part of the UK. However, free from the constraints of my previous bet, the offer of a free bed and a home-made lasagne was too much to resist and last weekend I hoped accross the channel to Belfast.
Arriving in Belfast was weird. I'm old enough to know better and i'm fully aware that the situation in Belfast is nothing like it was a few years ago but I couldn't help feeling a little nervous. The sort of feeling I've had sitting on a bus or train on route to somewhere your friends, hosts and newspapers say you shouldn't be going. I suppose it's understandable given that the only images I've ever seen of NI are the marches, the military patrols, the militia painted houses and the bomb blasts of the long running war with us, the British. However, I'm happy to report that, just like each previous journey - the nerves had no reason to get excited. Belfast was a friendly, relaxed, pretty and fun place to spend the weekend. Obviously, there's a history here but Belfast today is not the Belfast I know from the telly.
The buildings are proud, people are talkative, there's a little big wheel and most unbelievebly - the weather was good! Even Henry Hippo's made a return ...whoever he is. Something like the NatWest piggy I think.
It was only two days but, we managed to squeeze in a whole day exploring Belfast and (thanks to a £5 all day train ticket) a trip to Antrim and Lough Neagh (pronounced Lock Ney). I'm not sure what's going on with Lough Neagh though - sailing a boat on it appears to be a big 'no no'. We even had a go on the telescope but couldn't find a single one. Maybe there's a local custom that forbits paddling on Sundays.
Naturally, I also squeezed in an Irish Stew, a few pints of Guiness and an hour or two watching sport in a pub. I also put Mini-Mojca (my camera) to good use and in good 'touron' tradition - photographed almost everything I saw. As well as being Slovene in a previous life, I'm also starting to think I might be 23% Japanese. Marica (who I met in Lj 3 years ago) isn't such a fan of Belfast but, she looked after me and we had a fun weekend. She didn't join me in the Guiness drinking though as apparently she's 'tea turtle'.
Pictures of the Irish Adventure are here
In Europe.
I'm unsure how this book escaped my attention until now but, Marica introduced me to a book called 'In Europe'. I only had to read the back page to know that I needed to read this book so I grabbed a copy whilst I was there and, although I've only read the first chapter I'm already hooked. I'm a embarressed to admit this but, for various reasons the prologue almost (I said almost) had me in tears. I think it just reminded me of too many people and places.
While we've both made a similar journey through Europe, Geert Mak clearly had a much bigger agenda, a far keener eye, and a knowlege of history that I could only dream of. However, many of the characters he describes are so familiar.
I especially like the following which describes an evening in a cafe in a small Hungarian village. The wise man puts Michael Palin to shame.
In the cafe they asked my friend what it means, this 'new Europe'.
After the Gypsy on the shrieking accordion had been silenced, he explained that, in the course of history, this part of Europe had become invreasingly poor, that everyone looked up to wealthy and powerful Western Europe, and that it was only natural that they should now want to be a part of it.
But first, my wise friend told them, you will have to go through a deep valley of even greater poverty, so that in the ten years that follow you may perhaps be able to climb up to the subsistence level of the West. 'And what's more, you're going to loose some very precious things: friendship, the ability to get by without a lot of money, the skills to repair things that are broken, the freedom to rasie your own pigs and slaughter them as you see fit, the freedom to burn as much timber as you like... any number of other things'.
'What?' they asked him. 'No more slaughtering our own pigs? No more burning wood?' They looked at him in disbelief. At the time they did not know that, before long they wouldn't be allowed to smoke in the cafe either.
The Dog
I got a late night text message from co-driver Pete on Sunday explaining that he'd found us a car. An old Rover with 12 months MOT for £200. Despite my initial objections and reluctance to make plans/commit to anything, Pete twisted my arm and I waved him off £200 later in our new (ok old) Rover 214 banger. Complete with electric windows, sunroof, airbag, abs breaks, damaged rear door and stunning fake wood interior - 'the dog' is now responsible for getting us 2000 miles to St Petersburg.
Silvio
Finally, I promised Silvia I would "say something very bad ... about our "new" PM..and about us, stupid or poor italians". Yes, the Italians have voted media mogul Silvio Berlusconi back into power. However, I think I'll leave Mr B to say the bad things: 1, 2, 3... I can only sympathise with Silvia et al who are going to have to put up with it for the next five years. The BBC's man in europe, Mark Mardell takes a look at the political playground in Italy here.
Russia. The long, blonde and cheap way round.
Monday, April 07, 2008 I've just returned from Mr Dentist (who kindly replaced the filling a Slovene sandwich took from me last year) and, as I can't talk or eat I think it's a good time to sit and type and let the world know that - I have a plan.
I know it didn't take long but this time it's no thanks to a picture of a bunker or a twenty pound bet - it's due to the persistent (and somewhat intrepid) desire of a man called Peter Addison. The desire to drive a banger (colloquial English for an old and cheap or 'shit' car) as far as possible to a foreign land. His first trip was a ridiculous 5000 miles to Uzbekistan on the London-Tashkent rally and the next (on which I'd bravely offered to join him) was due to take us to Timbuktu in December.
However, last Wednesday, whilst Pete's long suffering wife, previous co-pilot and fine chef Sarah cooked a wonderful curry, Pete and myself put all the factors, figures, hopes, plans and stupid ideas into a big trip-calculator and cooked up this:
Oxford to Moscow, through the middle of Scandinavia, in a banger and for almost nothing.
Behold Route V1.jpg
Who?: Me and Pete
When?: The first two weeks of July
Where?: See the map
Why?: There are many reason but, for brevity 'Why not?'
What?: I'm asking myself the same question.
How?: Well, the details are yet to come (it's only v1 of the .jpg for Christ's sake) but the 'for next to nothing' bit requires the help and hospitality of the fine and friendly members of www.hospitalityclub.org.
Expect further news as we dream it up.
Eddy
Hoover, sorry I mean 'Vacuum Cleaner'...
Sunday, March 30, 2008 Anna and Gemma visited Lincolnshire on Friday and look what they brought me! From Linconshire!! ...they obviously know me too well and I love the badge but, if things carry on like this I'm gonna be a living, walking Slovene freak.
Also, for those who don't already know - I'm leaving the 'little-smoke' again for a new job at Miele in Abingdon. Here's a picture to celebrate...
The Radcliffe Camera in Oxford. I snapped it on my lunch break on Thursday whilst trying (as so far - failing) to master the 'braketing' function of my camera. Look out for it next time you're watching 'Lewis'.
Eddy.
Capitalism is a promise of and a key to modernity and power, rather than a passport to political liberty and democracy.
Thursday, March 20, 2008 If you've spent even a short stay in the former communist countries of Europe, you'll recoignise the issues discussed in this article.
The following paragraphs do a fantastic job at summarising the problem and the highlighted sentence is pure genius...
"It’s a familiar picture to anyone from post-communist Europe: Preoccupied with their new social roles, power, and prestige, the new elites, made up in significant part of erstwhile communists, feel scant concern for the rights and political representation of the underrepresented and underprivileged.
Labor is not the only force to have lost much during the upheavals and transformations in Eastern Europe. The entire political culture of these societies is a loser. A compelling example is seen in the rise of populism in the region over the past five years. Not that we should be surprised by this, for populism is filling the intellectual vacuum and the political and moral emptiness of post-communism.
Was there any alternative? Could it have been possible to open economies to private capital while keeping the wild and semi-criminal capitalists at bay? For the variety of capitalism that prevails in much of the region now is far from politically innocent or neutral. Ungrounded in civil society and unsupportive of it, the child of privatization remains to be reconciled with the logic of democratic politics and political pluralism. If they wish to soften the further consequences, the elites of Eastern Europe will have to reorient capital’s allegiance from serving the political power structures to acting for the benefit of civil society."
Whilst the article might seem like patronising lecture from so-called old/established capitalists, it's not wrong. The problems raised are very real and painfully obvious when you're there.
Pijamas Pijama party
Wednesday, March 19, 2008 Despite having a massive list of CD's I want and a huge number of bands I like, I always seem to have complete brain-failure when I walk into a music store. Suddenly, I don't know what to look for and can't think of a single album I want.
A similar thing just happened when I signed-in to write this. I'm sure I have loads to write about but I can't remember any of it! ...maybe it's my age.
Or maybe it's information overload because I haven't written anything for ages.
Probably, it's both of the above added to the fact that I find it odd writing on here when I'm at home. So today, I'll keep it short...
and let's start with a few pictures since (outside of work and decorating) that's what I've been concentrating on.
I took these tonight on route from work to the gym (yes it happens sometimes) and although I didn't have a tripod - they came out OK.
So what else is there to write about, well - I finally made it to visit Jimmy in Wales on Saturday and this was perfectly timed to coincide with the Six Nations Rugby finale and Wales's bit to win the Grand Slam. As they did - Me, Jimmy and the whole Welsh nation drank our body-weight in beer (amusingly/ironically called 'Brains') and partied the night away with the French losers.
The weekend before we celebrated Mike's 30th, had our walls plastered and then watched as the plaster dried and fell back off the walls (grrr).
...and the weeks before that were a yawn inducing DIY marathon of decorative successes, failures and complete disasters. I'll save you the details.
Probably best thing to happen in the last month was the email I received on the 28th of February containing the following sentence...
"Dear Ian, The Institute of Social and European Studies (ISES) is pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to the following programme: „ISES-Corvinus University of Budapest Master Program in International Relations and European Studies", at Kőszeg, Hungary from the 2008 Fall Semester."
That's right, from the 24th of September 2008, Eddy will be hiding at the foot of the Alps, in the Hungarian town of Kőszeg. And no, I can't pronounce it either.
The more astute of you will have noticed that Koszeg has a population which is only one third that of Bicester and I can't decide if I like that or not. Still - I'll only be 2 hours from Slovenia so I can't complain
Now, I have some things to organise before the course (selling the house etc) and some exciting plans to keep my busy during the summer so hopefully I'll have more to write about in the coming months.
OK, I'm calling it a day but since you're on bearder.com, I thought I'd treat you to a few snaps of real life Bearders :-)
SKB, 2nd in a line of elder Bearders and father of the three mugs below
Tim (Bobby) Bearder
Ian (Eddy) Bearder - aka 'Me'
Peter (Peter) Bearder - the blinker from below.
Mum's missing but I'll catch her sooner or later.
Noc Noc
Eddy
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Sunday
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Taken (in colour believe it or not) from a 'clump' in Oxfordshire. It wasn't actually a 'grey' day but the photo has a Sunday feel to it.
Inside out...
Saturday, February 23, 2008 As some of us (those who chose to recognise it) got another country this week, the situation in the Southern Balkans seems to have improved for some, been emotional for others, enraging for the hard-liners and a lot more complicated for the rest.
The press here tend to relay the same Russia is bad, Serbia is bad, Kosovo is unique stories so it's quite easy to start thinking that the whole place is going to hell in a handcart. This may still turn out to be true but, so far this doesn't seem to be the case.
An Albanian friend of mine from Pristina wrote to say "My knee is better now...I can dance something at least :D It`s a pity that you haven`t been here to celebrate....was very nice :D"
and, an American friend of mine (Bethany who studied the CELTA course with us in Ljubljana) has started a new blog which shows that, despite the TV coverage - things aren't as bad as they appear in Serbia proper: http://www.bethanygallivants.blogspot.com/.
and if you're interested, TOL published possibly the best article I've read on the situation this week. You can read it here.
In case you were wondering Oxford is OK too. There were a few pro-testers in town, but I don't think it's going to reach the global stage ;-)
Everyone's entitled to my opinion, but...
Saturday, February 16, 2008 Oh dear, the Slovene's must be running short of social commentators... they've taken to quoting bearder.com in their articles.
No, I've no idea why either but, it's a nice compliment. Maybe I should start a regular column ;-)
"Edd"
Icelandic adventures...
Friday, February 15, 2008
I pack my case
Sunday, February 10, 2008 I check my face. I look a little bit older. I look a little bit colder.
With one deep breath, and with one big step...
I conquered Iceland, conquered Europe and conquered 30 years of life on planet earth. Julius Caesar, Mr Hitler and Starbucks - eat your heart out. I did them all and didn't have to kill anyone. Even better - nobody killed me and I'm still here to entertain you with my somewhat pointless Bearder rantings.
But, before I take time out to contenplate life after Europe, it's time for some wholly un-british boasting...
For those who don't know, I've been on a mission to visit every country in Europe over the last 5 last weekend it all finished in Iceland. Inspired by a picture of a military pillbox (and encouraged by a £20 bet) I started in Athens in June 2003 and finished 115 beds and 152 towns, cities and villages later - in Iceland. From Tampere to Athens, Coimbra to Odessa, my mission is to conquer Europe took me through 46 different countries (plus two unrecognized territories) speaking 36 languages and dealing in 27 currencies.
I took 15 trips out of the UK
Left my job more times than I can remember
Slept in 115 beds
Slept with... (ha ha - mind your own business!)
Visited 150+ towns and cities in 46 countries and 2 unrecognised
territories
Sailed on 13 boats, rode 52 trains and took 24 flights, many many buses,
numerous taxis and the occasional trolley bus, cable car and horse drawn
carriage.
I didn't get arrested but did loose 5 credit cards.
I met some of the funniest, coolest, interesting, sexist, annoying, arrogant, dim, odd and outright hospitable people you could imagine, got lost more times than Wally and found fame and fortune in at least two countries.
It's tempting to list all the people here that helped me, saved me, hosted me and took pity on me during the last 5 years but the list would be too long and let's face it, it wouldn't mean much to anyone except me. However, I am truly thankful to everyone I know and everyone I now know as a result of my mission. For better or worse they all made it enjoyable - even the whooping, air-punching, George Bush-shouting Texan girl I met in Greece. If I find the time and money to do it again and drop in for another pivo, I will and that's a promise.
I'll also refrain from a deep and meaningful blurb about the 'lessons I've learnt' etc because I'm not convinced they're any different to anyone else who's been alive for the last 5 years. You get older - you learn stuff. You don't need to be in another country to do it. However, for the record (and to save you all a lot of traveling) I can confirm that:
1. Tunnels, passageways and public stairs smell of urine in every country in Europe.
2. People in every country (without exception) blame their problems and their country's problems on people who are not from their country.
3. No two neighboring countries like each other.
4. Nobody in the world knows what the silver bullet shaped things are on the wall in Balkan toilets.
5. Burek is not Slovene
6. The Soviets did more harm than the Germans
7. Nobody outside France speaks French. Ignore your GCSE French teacher and learn a Slavic language.
8. If you need a beer on a long train - find the Russian carriage.
9. the word for 'Center' is almost the same in every country (Centar, Centrum etc etc)
10. If someone tells you not to go somewhere, it's because they are neighbors - go there, you'll have a lot of fun.
Finally, my advice to anyone thinking of doing something similar would be...
Just wing-it
Don't plan too much (if at all)
Don't worry about anything (except rabid dogs).
(You are unlikely to die)
Don't wait for anyone.
(People, myself included are reassuringly unreliable)
Always, always, always take food and water on long train journeys.
(I always, always, always forget this and always, always, always regret it)
Always ask.
(groups of teenage girls are the most likely to speak English, least likely to mug you and often ask you more questions that you've just asked then but, look lost, worried or confused enough and someone always takes pity)
and finally,
Collect stuff, keep a diary and draw stuff - it's amazing what you forget when you get home and get old.
What's next? Well... I have a plan but it's too late to keep typing and you're probably getting bored reading. So, until next time - here's some pictures of Iceland
Eddy.
PS, I've changed my mind - I think I will write about all the people I met. Just not now - there's too many.
PPS. If anyone sees Sturat Clarke - tell him I want my £20.
Land of Ice, Fire and Eddy
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
For those of you who don't speak Icelandic, the kind people at the Icelandic Tourist Board translated it for me :-) (Thanks to Mr Addison for arraning this)
The whole of Europe by 30
For the last 5 years the Englisman Ian Bearder has been working hard to win a bet that he made with his friend that he would be able to visit all the countries in Europe before his 30th birthday. That he has now accomplished. Next week Ian will be 30 years old and is going to celebrate his birthday in Iceland, this weekend and finish the Europe tour.
In the last 5 years Ian has been travelling to 46 countries within Europe and his adventure ends in Iceland. "This all started in 2003 with a bet that I made with my friend for 20₤ I said to my friend that I was sure that I could visit all the countries in Europe before I turned 30 and he challenged me to do just that."
When he was asked why he chose to end his adventure in Iceland Ian said Iceland was the perfect place to celebrate his 30th birthday, he had heard many fun stories about the Reykjavik night life.
"I have only been here for two days and it is clear that Iceland makes the list over the top 5 countries in Europe. This morning we went swimming and it was great. It is a very special feeling to stand outside in your swim suit in -10°C."
Ian said that he chose to travel around Europe because the continent is big and versitile and has a lot more to offer than people think. "Most of the places that I visited had something uniqe to offer but I really enjoy visiting placed that are not the most popular. There you usually experience something special and have the most fun." Ian said.
"Slovenia was my favourite place" Ian said when asked about what place affected him the most. "There I lived for 7 months. In Slovenia you get a mixture of all the good that Europe has to offer. You have the Alps, the shores of the Adriatic sea and the food has an Italian influence."
Ian came to Iceland with 12 of his friends and is going to spend a few days here and celebrate his birthday and the fact the he won the bet.
Happy birthday :-) and congratulations on winning the bet.
All the best from Iceland,
The Icelandic Tourist Board
I know where you keep your skirts
Thursday, January 17, 2008 I don't know why but, this guy really reminds me of my brother Pete. I think it's the dancing. Actually, Jaimie Henderson - if you're reading this, you bop like that too.