The Sojourner - Next episodes

[Donut]

Originally posted by Yorick: I'd had some interesting times already. I'm going to try and see the Louvre while I'm here too. I felt like I was a wandering Bard in BG when I stumbled across this fellow in a cobbled sidestreet performing what seemed like a trick with three black discs the size of a large Oreo - one was white on the bottom. It soon became apparent that it was a form of gambling as people were putting money on their choice as to which one was white after he had shuffled them. He was a bit of an illusionist too, as he would distract an individual and spin the paper they were resting on around so they got it wrong. After getting them all right mentally for a while he sucked me in with a 'freebie' (that I won) before offering me money on the next one. Of course once I moved my eyes to my wallet...... Thankfully I only lost 100Fr (AUD$25 - $30) but gained an increased desire to avoid gambling!!!!!

Oh God Yorick - you've fallen for the old three card trick! Virtually all of the people playing would have been his accomplices, they are allowed to win to encourage the others. Even if you had guessed correctly they would have run off. These conmen operate in the west end of London around Oxford Street.

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Save Chip - Don't let Sarah win!
Official Titterer of the Laughing Hyenas
Heading for Cardiff

[Yorick]

Originally posted by Donut: Oh God Yorick - you've fallen for the old three card trick! Virtually all of the people playing would have been his accomplices, they are allowed to win to encourage the others. Even if you had guessed correctly they would have run off. These conmen operate in the west end of London around Oxford Street.

I figured that out thankfully. They thought I couldn't speak any French.
A little French and a lot of human behavioural observation go along way. I left with one of his cronies trying to convince me into going halves in a 4000Fr bet. Yeah right!


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I am the walrus!.... er, no hang on....

A fair dinkum laughing Hyena!

[Moiraine]

Originally posted by Yorick: I figured that out thankfully. They thought I couldn't speak any French. A little French and a lot of human behavioural observation go along way. I left with one of his cronies trying to convince me into going halves in a 4000Fr bet. Yeah right!

What are you still doing here anyway ? Go outside ! Paris and her wonders await you !



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The world is my oyster !
And now I have the knives to open it ...

[Moridin]

Paris! When did you arrive there Yorick? I thought I read you were in Sydney on your way to Berlin?!?

Isn't Paris one of the most beautiful cities in the world!

And plan an entire day if you intend to see the Louvre. I was there for nearly 5 hours and only saw about 1/100th of it!! Amazing though....and don't get turned-off by the long queue it moves fast

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It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear ignorant,
than open it and remove all doubt!

[Yorick]

Originally posted by Moridin: Paris! When did you arrive there Yorick? I thought I read you were in Sydney on your way to Berlin?!? Isn't Paris one of the most beautiful cities in the world! And plan an entire day if you intend to see the Louvre. I was there for nearly 5 hours and only saw about 1/100th of it!! Amazing though....and don't get turned-off by the long queue it moves fast

I got off the plane at Paris and didn't go on to Berlin (it was an Air France Singapore - Berlin via CDG).

Moridin, it certainly is.

Moiraine I was catching up on jetlag and 15 hours walking today. My feet are very happy I've been net surfing

Mind you I'm about to head off now though.

Talk to you soon!



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I am the walrus!.... er, no hang on....

A fair dinkum laughing Hyena!

[Yorick]

I am now in Ireland, ancestral home to some of my forefathers and a very pretty nation. I'm in Cork, which is such a funky city. There are more music stores in a small area than I've ever seen.

Irish cities were described to me as younger dominated places. Certainly Cork at forst impression seems to fit this description, and it is very hip and exciting despite boasting only about 140 000 people as opposed to Paris' 12 000 000(???). The country side is gorgeous, and I've been driving down highways, small country lanes city streets and seen lakes forests, grass so much greener than anywhere I'd seen and thankfully lots of cows and sheep (seems foot and mouth has been kept out thus far.)

The train trip up to Beauvais in France set the pace as I saw much greenery along the way. My previous experience of Euro country side was either the white or grey of late winter, or spring in metropolitan Paris. Though I knew the leafless trees indeed contained life, it was hard to visulise. Same with hot weather in France. (Yes I know Moiraine) I thus have seen the wet lush Europe that I always visualised. Ireland is indeed an Emerald isle.

To understand this you must understand that Australia is very dry. I spent time as a child on the edge of a desert which impacted me substancially. Rain was rare, and soft grass an illusion of distance. Up close it was harsh, dry and very prickly. Riverbeds were often dry and rain something you went out and played in. Also no native Australian tree loses it's leaves in winter. The trees around Sydney and other cities that do are introduced European plants.

Thus it was interesting seeing "native" trees of Europe in there proper context.

I found this the same with the Irish people. Straight away I was given a very Australian-like recpetion from the first lot of Irish I encountered. Leading me to ponder on how much the Irish immigration in Oz has affected the collective psychology of Australia. Something I was again aware of in theory, but with experience seems more real.

It's so unusual standing in a land where ones people originate. Certain things make sense, certain truths become apparent. I'm not Irish, I'm Australian, and the differences emphasise that; but the sense of homelike belonging is pretty powerful.

I shall head off to the western coasts and do some writing. As soon as I drove out of Dublin the latent fiction writer in me started awakening. It's almost like one expects a Sidhe or Fomorian to be over the next hill.

Loving it. I can't believe it's taken me this long to get over here.

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I am the walrus!.... er, no hang on....

A fair dinkum laughing Hyena!

[Moiraine]

Hi Yorick ! Already gone away, then. Bah. Now you will keep the feeling that I live in never-ending winter !

Why, why is it that all the good Fantasy stuff comes from Ireland (or people with Irish roots) ?

Anyway. When can we read your writings ?

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The world is my oyster !
And now I have the knives to open it ...

[This message has been edited by Moiraine (edited 05-15-2001).]

[Yorick]

Originally posted by Moiraine: Hi Yorick ! Already gone away, then. Bah. Now you will keep the feeling that I live in never-ending winter !

Aha but I'll be back. As I said, it was hot in Paris. Beautiful days, absolutely gorgeous! I spent one evening on the Seine watching the sun set over the Notre Dame, listening to an impromptu performance from two young French guys singing and playing some French traditional songs, resplendant with harmonies and a bouncing rhythm.



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I am the walrus!.... er, no hang on....

A fair dinkum laughing Hyena!

[Moiraine]

Originally posted by Yorick: I spent one evening on the Seine watching the sun set over the Notre Dame, listening to an impromptu performance from two young French guys singing and playing some French traditional songs, resplendant with harmonies and a bouncing rhythm.

Happy guy ! Which songs were these ? As you probably know, though France is a pretty small country , she holds many different parts with widely different history and traditions. And widely different songs too.



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The world is my oyster !
And now I have the knives to open it ...

[Yorick]

Originally posted by Moiraine: Happy guy ! Which songs were these ? As you probably know, though France is a pretty small country , she holds many different parts with widely different history and traditions. And widely different songs too.

I don't know. They were sung in French, but had an "old style" pre-war feel to them.



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I am the walrus!.... er, no hang on....

A fair dinkum laughing Hyena!