Words from Afterdark

I’m there! Finally! After much preparation and some wonderful holidays in Barcelona, I arrived at Zürich last Tuesday. Since I won’t start working until June, I have a few weeks of vacation, which I’m using to get to know the city, find a flat, and do some paperwork. I’ve finally found the time to update my blog and so let all my friends know about the beginning of my Swiss life. First things first: this is the first picture I took: A swan enjoying the good weather in Zürich lake. Read the rest of this entry »

Even after people have done their best to tame (enslave?) their environment, life manages nonetheless to pop up in the most unsuspected places. I found this poor little plant growing in a concrete underpass near Barcelona’s container port.

My first post since I got back to Barcelona. I am a true tourist now. On holiday, visiting this city for the first time in some months, and here only temporarily. I spend my mornings doing paperwork and other “non-leisure” activities, and the afternoons walking around and taking pictures. But I need to hurry and rediscover this city quickly, for I will soon leave for yet somewhere else!

This is my last post from Paris! Tomorrow I’ll pack and ship my computer, and I don’t think I’ll be going to an internet café just to update my blog. Today I went to watch “Ice Age 2″, but I arrived to late and there were no seats left. So I had a walk instead. Quartier Montorgueil, Palais Royal, Pont des Arts, Rue de la Seine, Jardin du Luxembourg. Then I realised it had taken me only one hour. I must have walked really fast! This picture is from a Japanese café Iku and I went to last weekend. Tasty mixture of matcha and hot chocolate.

Today I got rid of most of my furniture. Julia’s father took that which belonged to her daughter. The neighbour downstairs got a fridge and a bookshelf —we came across her on the stairs and cold-asked her if she wanted it. Some friends will take the remaining stuff on Monday. My living room is full of boxes, and my sleeping room is so empty it makes me sad. No picture of that, it’s too ugly. Instead, feel the moment of utter leisure that this man is enjoying.

Now that I’ve finished my PhD, I will soon be leaving Paris, the city where I’ve lived for the last four years, and go back home to Barcelona —although the journey won’t end there. These final days I will be revisiting my old favourite places, drowning in paperwork, having good-bye parties with friends, and posting some “Paris-themed” entries here. Look! The prettiest pigeon in Paris and the ugliest pigeon in Paris have fallen in love!

I have lately been involved in three strange events on the verge of the surreal. I think that the reason for that is that the world is coming to an end. More specifically, it will end on March 24th, 2006, at 14:00. If all goes well, it will start again a couple of hours later, more or less the same as before, except that I’ll have one more certificate. Read the rest of this entry »

There was a shakuhachi concert today at the Cité Universitaire. For those that do not know, shakuhachi is a traditional Japanese flute with five holes made with a bamboo stem. While I am not a great fan of shakuhachi melodies, I find the individual sound of each note extremely beautiful. Very soothing, it reminds me of peaceful natural scenes and the passing of seasons –sure enough, all things we Westeners tend to associate with Japan.

Je viens de passer quelques journées très agréables avec Mari et Keiko, de visite à Paris. Pour qu’elles puissent laisser ses impressions, je leur fais ce message. そか そか そか… Merci, et j’espère que je vous reverrai bientôt!

After much preparation and procrastination, I have finally gathered the strength to start my blog. The frist pots is a picture (click for full-size) of some trees taken in the Marais Poitevin, in Western France. But something’s odd… what?

Disappointed? Where you expecting something more …introductory… as a first post? Then have a look at the About page.