Hotel Bathroom Mysteries of Our Generation

I just discovered this weekend that some hotel bathroom mirrors have built-in televisions (that's me watching cartoons while I brushed my teeth). Since when did society demand such technology? The only significant step forward in bathroom engineering I know of are those elliptical shower rods that provide a roomier bathing experience. That and fancier shower heads. Speaking of bathroom curiosities, whatever happened to those weird timed red heating lamp lights classy hotels like The Holiday Inn used to have?

One more thing.

It's funny how corporations can all of sudden become "environmentally responsible" when coincidentally, they save money by doing so. Changing the towels and linens everyday is undoubtedly excessive but I get a bit bothered when hotels take the moral high ground by pointing out this "bottom line benefit" in disguise. I'd be shocked if someone could prove that these environmentally intentioned savings on laundry soap and housekeeping salary hours were translating into anything but higher company profits.

10 Things I Learned in Berlin

1. According to young Berliners people from Munich are shit and the music they listen to is shit.
2. Pre-made cocktails are sold at gas stations in 12 oz aluminum cans.
3. In former East Berlin the WALK street light symbol is characterized by a striding leprechaun.
4. The TV tower isn't filled with TVs.
5. Techno music IS popular (We were all correct).
6. Most dancing-music-type clubs don't "get going" until around 4am.
7. Berlin's obsession with Andy Warhol and his Velvet Underground banana image is REALLY annoying.
8. "Dark" restaurants are cool.
9. Nine out of every ten Berliners between the ages of 20 and 30 is a graphic designer.
10. Half of Brooklyn has already moved to Prenzlauerberg (Kiev is the new Berlin).

Notable Icelandic Quotes

19oct05

@ Airport as Kenan & Maz were about to miss their flight (then not miss, then miss, then not miss...)

"Wanna just go to another country (like Sweden)?"

-M

20oct05

"I have no integrity"

-Anonymous

21oct05

@ Endless line to see Architecture in Helsinki

"Pass me my viking suit!"

-M

"Have there ever been any deaths associated with crowds at this music festival?"

-K

"No, but there were 2 flying monkeys last year."
-Heavycoat #3

22oct05

@ Krua Thai Restaurant

"... Yes, it does look like you go to the gym, you are very fit"

-K

"Yes, I am fat, I recently had a baby"
-Restaurant owner very matter of factly

"No no, FIT not FAT!"

-K

@ Endless line to see Zoot Woman, Clap Your Hands, Ratatat, ...

"We're running out of liquid courage."

-M holding empty Stella bottle

Regarding Icelandic tapwater

"They said it's the purest water you can drink."

-K
"Yeah, they said a lot of things."

-M

@ Kaffibarin ~3am

"You're holding all the cards!"

"You're holding all the cards!"

-Anonymous Icelandic hipster

"Stop saying that, what do I do?"

-K

23oct05

@ Hotel Klopp ~11am

"It's an earring, right?"

-K

24oct05

@ Geysir ~1pm

"I think those girls are British"

-K

"I'm gonna say something in a British accent, see if they turn around"

"A big boo for Man United!"

-M

"How many photo do you need of this thing!"

-Anonymous frustrated young British girl

"Ok, now let's go and get 8 types of Salmon."

-K

25oct05

@ Sirkus ~12:42am

"Our only hope now is to walk up, order a drink between the two of them in English, and pray."

-K

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Top 5 Bands We are Glad to Have Missed

1. Cynic Guru

2. Hjalmar

3. Dr. Disco Shrimp

4. Ske

5. Dr. Mister and Mr. Handsome

Top 5 Bands We Came to See but Couldn't

1. Architecture in Helsinki

2. Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah

3. Zoot Woman

4. Ratatat

5. Jeff Who?

10 Things I Learned in Iceland

1. The shattering of glass is a popular ritual practiced by many angered Icelandic men outside Reykjavik's 3 bars on weekend nights.
2. When accepting dried flavorless aquatic snacks from flea-market merchants who are hairdressers don't get meat from the tough posterior side of the fish.
3. The rules of the kitchen are the same as the the rules of geysirs, if something is steaming it's likely too hot to stick your hand in.
4. If you're hungry on a weekday night eat before midnight unless there is curry flavored ramen on your person.
5. Pizza King is really good pizza!
6. During Iceland's annual woman's day parade it's best as a man not to point to signs and chuckle because the language looks funny.
7. Icelandic beers Viking, Egils, and Thule all secretly come from the exact same pilsner recipe.
8. Elves, trolls and other related creatures are not real.
9. Tonar, one of Iceland's record labels/musik stores/coffee shops enjoys giving strangely informed recommendations of experimental electronica bands that are signed to their record label over complimentary strong coffee. Please note: they are not aware of the band "Boards of Canada."
10. Brennivan (aka Black Death) is a cumin flavored schnapps that costs $70/bottle in town liquor stores but $15 in the airport.

10 Things I Learned In Ethiopia

1. There are 2 primary medications prescribed to help prevent/treat malaria, one can cause permanent psychosis while the other has the not-so-pleasant effect of making one supersensitive to sunlight.
2. Boiled river water from the Simian Mountains has a smoky, mesquite-like flavor. This is much less appetizing than it sounds.
3. Dust is not Ethiopian's primary cash crop.
4. Ras Dashan, Ethiopia's highest peak (4620 meters), is the third highest peak in Africa after Kilimanjaro (5900m) and Mt. Kenya (5200m).
5. Ethiopians eat their traditional "injera" based meal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner*. Yes, this can get repetitive.
6. Mules carry much more weight than donkeys. It's not advisable to stand within one hind leg's distance behind either, especially when agitated.
7. 100 percent of Ethiopian women you meet out in the capital city are prostitutes. Note: I am aware of this not from personal experience but rather from guide and local wisdom.
8. Many children in the countryside have mohawk or protruding "tuft" styled haircuts. People believe that this way if the child dies God will have an easier time picking them up from heaven (see photos).
9. Westerners trek wearing about $500 worth of gear, native Ethiopians trek wearing about $1 worth of gear. See also Nepal, Tibet, ...
10. Khat is an evergreen shrub (Catha edulis) native to tropical East Africa, having dark green opposite leaves that are chewed fresh for their "stimulating" effects.

See photos from my trip HERE

* Injera is the national food staple, serving as a bread base for every meal. Injera, made of the local wheat-like tef, looks like a thin pancake and tastes a little sour. Vegetables, meat, and various sauces are heaped on top of this pancake and eaten with the right hand using the injera as your "spoon." Injera is served at a communal tray at a Mesob (mushroom-shaped table). See photo HERE