(james benedict brown) on the road

Snapshot: Glasgow Airport

jamesbrownontheroad — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 12:35:08 +0000

Seen from the departure loun… sorry, shopping mall, inside Glasgow Airport. The suitcase dropped off a baggage tug, and was retrieved about five minutes later.

A photograph of Felix Guattari’s grave

jamesbrownontheroad — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 09:53:05 +0000

This is a photograph of the grave of Felix Guattari, the French philosopher and psychoanalyst (1930 – 1992). He’s buried in the Cimetiere Pere Lachaise in eastern Paris. A few moments before chancing upon his grave, while sitting on a park bench admiring the autumn colours, we were approached by a rather crass American girl who demanded whether a) we spoke English and b) we knew where Chopin was. We did speak English (nonetheless assuming the reluctance of a Parisian when asked that question in English) but we did not know where Chopin was. She strode off, barely stopping for breath, beckoning on a more reluctant group of grave hunters.

We mused about the tendencies of human beings to take pleasure in collecting things (stamps, train numbers, gravestones) and scoffed a little bit to make ourselves feel superior. Then we stumbled across Guattari’s modest grave and we melted into idiotic philosophy fandom. So in addition to the photograph of the grave, here’s a photograph of me taking a photograph of the grave. Analyse that, cochons.

Snapshot: Bananas

jamesbrownontheroad — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 17:01:04 +0000

Seen in Dublin, 15 October 2010.

The Liberties

jamesbrownontheroad — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 12:48:16 +0000

I was in Dublin last week for the first events of the annual Open House weekend. I met a friend in town to see the opening debate (a snooze fest from which we escaped early) before he kindly gave me a lift part of the way back to Belfast. I asked him, based on his knowledge of Dublin and of me, which neighbourhood in the city he could see me living in. I don’t know whether this reflects more on me or more on Dublin, but he suggested the Liberties.

I generally wait ages for a trip to Dublin, and then two come along at once. So I’m back again this week, doing some research in Dublin (today and Friday) and Waterford (Thursday). With an hour or two spare, I took a tram towards Heuston and the Museum of Modern Art. Heading back to town, I diverted through the inner city Liberties to have a look around.

It’s only looking back at this photograph an hour or two later that I realise just how green the grass would seem to be on this side of the border.

However, just to re-assure everyone who might be surprised at the thought (including my family, my girlfriend, my supervisor) – I’m not moving to Dublin. It’s just a handy way to ask someone who knows you and a city that’s unfamiliar to you where your characters might overlap. It was on that visit last week I realised that I’ve been to Paris more times than Dublin. Being so close to this city, that’s something of an embarrassment. So I’ve made some allowances in my schedule to rediscover my flâneur-ish behaviour in a city that’s shamefully quite unknown to me. I’ll be uploading some more photographs from my trip in the coming days on Flickr.

Edit: More pics from my walk around the Liberties here.

Unbalanced and smug

jamesbrownontheroad — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 16:43:23 +0000

Back in Glasgow, and this news story caught my eye:

Glasgow tourist chiefs hit out over guide
18 September 2010

Glasgow tourist chiefs have hit out at a new guide which claims the city remains blighted by violence, deprivation and unhealthy lifestyles.

The Thomas Cook guide praises the city for its “vibrant” arts scene, high culture, green spaces and shopping.

But it also warns visitors to expect poor weather, sectarianism and alcohol and drug abuse in its deprived suburbs.

…

Glasgow’s weather is also drawn to readers’ attentions.

It comments: “The city’s rainy reputation is well founded and the likelihood is that you’ll experience more than a few showers, if not a full-on downpour. Going out without an umbrella or a hat is foolhardy, to say the least.”

Scott Taylor, chief executive of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, reacted angrily to the guide, describing it as “unbalanced” and “smug”

…

We spotted the link to the article at the top of the localised section of the BBC News homepage (screengrab below). Just above Man scarred for life after attack, Gang attack teenager at bus stop, Probation over runaway boy images and Man guilty of Christmas Day death. And any suggestion that it’s always rainy is clearly disproven by an afternoon of “white cloud” ahead of us in the three day forecast.