Pictures are Up

As promised, here are some of the photos that I took in Europe.
Enjoy. Go easy on me, I know they can be a lot better. There was a lot of “experimentation.” For more photos check out my links to Ray’s Photos or click here

End of Traveling

Unfortunately, I still have 8 days on my Euro-Rail Pass and I have to stop my travels in Berlin. I am back in Copenhagen and will be returning home tomorrow morning. I plan on coming back to Scandanavia when I have more money and time.

Pictures will be up on flickr and there has been quite a bit of exciting and interesting memories.

Bye,

Raymond Wang

In Berlin

I just arrived in Berlin at 4 PM today, and slowly inching my way back to Northern Europe. I plan on staying here for 3 nights and just relaxing. I’m still debating on whether or not I should head up to Sweden, Finland and Norway before catching my flight from Copenhagen back to the U.S.

Prague was a very beautiful city but it really has lost a lot of its historical flavor with all the tourist around Old Town Square. I am digging Berlin so far and hope to take some cool photos. People are very friendly towards foreigners and tourists and I feel really at home with the prices of goods being somewhat affordable and reasonable.

p.s. I was at the David Cerny (Cherny) opening exhibit in Prague and he was actually at the exhibit but I didn’t see him! I was lucky enough just to get in because it was only via invitation. I happened be at the door when the events manager just told the security guy “to let me in” because I told them ” was from the U.S. and it was my last night in Prague. I felt like I was VIP with all these nicely dress and high profile people at this event. It was quite an interesting experience. ju

Praha (Prague)

I just arrived in Prague early in the morning at 2:00 AM and didn’t find my hostel until 3:00 AM. My train from Vienna got delayed for about 2 hours and I am just exhausted.

I am planning on staying here for 3 nights and soak in as much scenery, history and culture. I really don’t know too much about the city, but I heard great things about Czech folk music and its interesting political movements (Velvet Revolution).

Wien!

So, I’ve made it into Austria.  I barley have any money left but it has been amazing trip so far.

I dropped so much money up in London and Zurich because things were just too expensive.  I had to relax after writing 35 page papers in two weeks for both my modules, so I immersed myself into a lot of serious and decadent spending.  I just hope I have enough cash  to go through Scandanavia.

The weather forcast in Wien doesn’t look too good but at least prices are reasonable.

I have about 11 days left on my pass and I plan on going through Prague, maybe Budapest, Berlin, Stockholm, Finland, Norway, and back into Copenhagen.

Amsterdam

I arrived at the Youth Hostel in London about 7 days ago, I was hoping to visit the National Archives here and also take some great photos.  None of that really happened.  So, I went to Paris for about 2 days because the lack of available hostels.  I ended up splurging on a nice hotel room next to the train station and then decided to just got to Amsterdam.

I have major school work to get caught up on.  I am sitting in the red light district typing away a 20 page paper for my Knowledge Media module.  It is due on May 27th and I am a long long way from getting it finished.

free wi-fi !!!! with a purchase of a drink.   They are a lot nicer here than Paris in regards to being more open in having free wi-fi!

I am still waiting to get my hands on a scanner and the recording from the Sacred Trinity Church.

Who knows what will happen next?  I actually feel like going home to North Carolina.

5.11.2009 Sacred Trinity Church Show

I supported the show with Xela (John Twells) and Seasons Pre-din (Richard Mullen).  As always, I was confused with what was going on during the show but everyone seemed to be satisfied with the outcome.  Live recording of the entire show will be up if I get it sent to me.  Anyhow here are some photos courtesy of Mr. Alex (photographer of Boomkat).  My own photos will be coming up soon but definitely not as stunning as Mr. Alex.

Xela at Sacred Trinity Church Manchester, UK

Simon Scott (former Slowdive!) 5/11/2009

Machinefabriek Headliner

I am leaving Manchester, UK this coming Saturday morning and plan on spending a couple of days in London.

Hopefully, more travel journeys to come.

In Manchester, UK

Manchester, the home of many great artists and musicians such as Joy Divison. The birth and resting place of Ian Curtis (lead vocalist of Joy Division), and powerhouse football team (Manchester United).

side note: Manchester United and Arsenal (North London) had a big match tonight in the Champions League Tournament where unfortunately MU slaughtered Arsenal 4 to 1.

I just arrived today in Manchester by train around 6 PM and it was one hellish day trying to get a train ticket.  The problem arising from purchasing my advance ticket for the wrong day and not being able to get it refunded to me.  I ended up having to drop an extra 110 british pounds just to come here.  I know when I head back home to the US I will be in a serious financial crisis probably not as bad as the one the federal government is facing.

Anyways, I was lucky enough to have a contact in Manchester thus why I am here.  Richard Mullen, a good friend of mine that I met in Brussels about a month ago at the Domino Festival decided to put me up for awhile as I sort things out before I continue on my European travels.  In the meantime, I will try to do some research here at the Manchester Library and complete my paper while I am here.  I also plan on doing some recordings with Mr. Richard Mullen.  He is also releasing his new album through Boomkat this Thursday and Friday.

Also on Monday, May 11th Xela (Mr. John Twells), Machinefabriek, and Simon Scott will be performing at Sacred Trinity Church in Manchester.  It wil be somewhat a big night for me as I might play with them depending on how my sound checks go with my violin.  I will be preparing myself to play with Xela (Mr. John Twells and Richard Mullen) once my violin is restored in good condition.  My violin strings have been out of order for awhile and I need to really probably need to just go with a normal set of strings, but I am very hesitant to just give up on my dropped octave strings.  I hope to find a way to get them to work along with my pickup.

p.s. I’ll e-mail you guys personally if I actually play and if the show gets recorded.  Also, awesome polaroid and holga pics are coming soon once I get my hands on a scanner.

A Post-Modern Beatnik ?

I’ve been asking myself this question today for this particular reason while I am sitting at this cafe in Copenhagen listening to Bob Dylan “Mr. Tambourine Man.” Is it by coincidence that this song is playing?  Am I a post-modern Beatnik?

Bob Dylan has been labeled by some a beatnik due to his style of poetry writing, and relationships he had with other musicians and poets.  Today, it would be fair to put him into his own category even though his songs are overplayed, but there is not a doubt that his words are still influencing and moving people.  You might wonder who and what were the original Beatniks.  A general  majority of the answers would be poets, artists, musicians who did not care too much about having possessions and living a very modest nomadic lifestyle.  This type of lifestyle can very much be seen in Jack Kerouac’s popular novel On The Road. It is a novel that portrays two  characters (Carlo Marx and Dean Moriarty ) travelling around America in the 50s in a sportscar and experiencing a free-spirited way of living.  These two characters are based on real experiences from Neal Cassidy and Allen Ginsberg.  Both characters definitely exemplifies the stereotypical Beatnik and furthermore reinforcing Hemingway’s and society’s  label “the lost generation”

As I am moving out of my current dormitory in Denmark without really knowing where I am heading, it is difficult not to feel somewhat drawn into this whole notion of living vicariously through Neal Cassidy and Allen Ginsberg.

Furthermore, I have decided to create my own journey by travelling to the UK to meet a random individual to collaborate and play music. I heard the ambient soothing blissful sounds of his music online and was inspired to contact him in hopes to incorporate my violin into his music.  It sounds very peculiar in how this connection was made, but somehow I have a feeling that it might work out.

I plan on leaving before May 1st and staying at his place for a week to finish up some school work and make music.  After that who knows what will happen.  Maybe leading to more people wanting to play music.

“Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
In the jingle jangle morning I’ll come followin’ you.”

Hello world!

Today, I have decided to embark on a new journey.  In the past, I had several blogs but I am hoping this will be my last and final one I stick with.  Along with starting a new blog, I decided to use this opportunity to share my travel adventures with you while I am in Europe.  I have been going to school and living in  Copenhagen, Denmark since Jan. 28th 2009. In a couple of days from now it would be three months of living in this very strange city.

Honestly, my stay in Copenhagen has been mixed with highs and lows.  It is like everything else in life full of ups and downs.  The winter months from January until the end of March has been very cold and dark.  Unfortunately, I have to tell you generally my experiences here with people have been very much reflective and similar to the weather and environment.  I cannot hide or sugar coat anything about my stay here in Denmark but I have learned a great deal about myself and the environment around me.  It definitely was not as picture perfect as I once believed, and that idealistic image of Denmark I once held has completely disappeared.

Recently I have noticed a change in weather and my interactions with people here.  In the last two weeks, the weather has been cool, clear and sunny.  People seem to be more energetic, customer friendly and sociable.  I think it has a lot to do with the weather impacting people’s moods. I am beginning to wonder how much significance the weather really impact’s people’s moods.  Can it be people themselves allowing the weather to influence their moods?  Can it just be me changing in becoming more adaptable to my surroundings.  I can only wonder.