Another #Interrail's first leg done!
Now in Turku waiting for the ferry to Stockholm, from there to Lüdenscheid for Lichtrouten #LightArt festival via an exhibition in Kolding. A quick stop in London for Anthony McCall and friends, a video mapping conference in Lille, dash to Skopje for a project planning session for a festival (also, bureks), a week in Belgrade (was supposed to be relaxing, let's see), another festival in Kronach and back home with a coffee break in STHLM.
Should be fun!
Instead of lingering in the first class lounge in Stockholm, I took the earlier 7:24 train to Malmö. I was worried if I'd make it by public transport from Vikingterminalen, but I could easily catch 6:45 bus 53 from Londonviaducten, just had to be among the first to exit the ferry.
I even had time to get provisions and now I have to decide if I'll go for my lovely salad first or wait for the complimentary breakfast. Maybe some #freestuff coffee while I'm pondering.
Against my principles, I'm considering taking the Lugn car instead of #FirstClass next time on SJ. The amount of loud speaking on phones is just unbearable. Luckily, I've got me music.
In my headphones, that is, didn't bring a harmonica.
Oh, I did hit the Green Burst Line today! It was all grey and beige as I started my trip in the morning, but a few hundred kilometres South and Spring and I finally overlap! I’m expecting to dive into a full blown springness tomorrow as I continue southwards!
The obligatory fashion report of my #interrail: #TrainSocks!
Spring green with dashes of uplifting orange, perfectly complimenting my travel wardrobe.
Based on proof none whatsoever I decided to trust Deutsche Bahn and 15 min change time in Hagen.
You guess the rest. Luckily, I’ll be just a little late for dinner in Lüdenscheid
Today: Lüdenscheid-London. First two trains late, but not drastically. Strike doesn’t seem to affect my route, so far.
I wonder why is it always chocolate, salami sticks and crisps that spread out to the train floor when I drop my provisions bag, but tomatoes and smoothies stay invisible to the public.
#Eurostar on time and #freestuff available. It seems I’m going to reach London on time.
#London was good, but the one day visit was just too short. I did have time to see two friends and two exhibitions and have several meals.
#AnthonyMcCall' Solid Light at #TateModern was obviously good. In addition to artworks, it was interesting to see how they made people interact.
#ElectricDreams was very interesting from the history of #LightArt view point. Also, quite a many female artists, finally. And no, they weren't there just because of their gender.
Also, I voted in London. By mail, and I mean the trad. arr. mail, not e-mail.
I had ordered the papers to a friend living in London and mailed them back to Finland after filling them. I had to ask two total strangers in the hotel bar as witnesses and was quite uncomfortable asking, since they had to give their name, address and birth date, but they graciously agreed.
That was probably not what they'd planned to do that evening, but I'm grateful anyhow.
#Trainsocks double nicely as #ConferenceSocks.
#IBSIC25 has been interesting so far. Tomorrow I'll be moderating a working group about curating, which I am actually looking forward to.
Also, there is an elephant around.
The #IBSIC25 working group meeting went fine, even if we didn't resolve all the problems of #MediaArt #Curating yet. #IBSIC was a very nice experience, meeting new and old friends, talking art, scorning entertainment, you know the drill. Next year again, if I stealthily managed to manipulate another moderator's post for me.
Anyway, #Interrail continues, I'm now on my 3,5 day journey to the next stop Skopje, going to overnight in Radstadt. 13-14 h #TrainTravel, depending on how late #DB will be.
#DB was late indeed, but I got to Radstadt not too late anyway.
My hotel was close to the station horizontally, but with vertical dimension counted, a tad further.
The main street was like a set from a movie Twin Peaks goes Alpine. No spots, everything in order, mostly decoration related and other money swallowing shops, added with a tattoo parlour just to fool us.
I had a plan to stop in #Graz for a nice meal in the city, but there is no locker at the station because renovations, so, no.
Instead, I'm hanging in the #FirstClass lounge, consuming #FreeStuff as much as I can and maybe have a takeaway from one of the station's restaurants later on.
No first class available on train from Graz to Zagreb, but I do have my very own compartment, matching my #TrainSocks
Starting from Zagreb, my #interrail turned into #ingenrail, because train is not a viable option in most of the Balkans. So, bus it is for now.
Totally inspired by #EnkiBilal I decided to use one of my bonushotelscomnights to stay at the Moskva Hotel while overnighting in Belgrade. It's pretty nice, yes.
Also, my hair is blue at the moment, but not inspired by that other series of Bilal's.
Breakfast at Hotel Moskva: on my way there the elevator’s doors attacked me, trying to prevent me from going. In the breakfast room a bunch of Greek teenage athletes plotted against me by forming human labyrinths, preventing me from getting food. While fetching juice, my half eaten plate was taken away. Lady at the next table made emphatetic gestures but I think even she thought I’d eaten enough. I hissed at the next waiter. The bar pianist played the theme of the Muppet Show.
Also, #cake!
@mkivinen Pity it is getting dark, the Sava river gorge in Slovenia is gorgeous.
Keep your eyes open for this important monument https://maps.app.goo.gl/GsRLDsPZKTXfiRza6?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy
mkivinen
Tor Lillqvist