#Keret House

[have-you-been-here]

Keret House, Warsaw, Poland

[kingaofthewoods]

Funny you should say that...

[byler-alarmist]

Flat White, Iced Coffee, and Herbal Tea?

Three??? Lol ok, fine, I'll allow it.

Flat White: I prefer tea over coffee, flavor-wise! But sometimes I do coffee when I need the extra caffeine. By the time I dump all the creamer or milk and sugar/whatever else it's practically not coffee anymore haha

Iced Coffee: I do like reading, but I've unfortunately not read a novel in a minute. I started reading Boys Enter the House, about John Wayne Gacy, but got into a weird mood and had to put it down for a while. Currently, it's fanfiction, short stories by Etgar Keret, and graphic novels. To be quite honest, I read comics and graphic novels more frequently than anything. I'm rereading the Sandman spin-off The Dreaming right now.

Herbal Tea: At a scented candle shop, I would probably buy a candle that smells deep and moody with a hint of spice, just like me! 😹 Unless they could make one that smells exactly like my favorite wildflowers that grow on the beach cliffs.

[hoursofreading]

the thing about kibbutzim, these are communities that don’t always respect privacy. At one gathering, a group of kibbutz members said to a young girl, “Come on, come on, tell him what you said when you heard the terrorist, when you heard him outside.” And she said, “No, no, no, I don’t want to.” They said, “No, come on, tell him; it’s funny.” So this girl told me about the moment when she heard terrorists inside the house shooting. She whispered when she told me this, but her thought was There are so many books that I haven’t read yet. I don’t want to die stupid. There are dozens of stories like this. So for me, I think that all those stories that I collect, they’re kind of proof of humanity. Saying, like, these are not victims, they’re people living; they’re doing pranks; they’re making fun of each other.

Keret

[andiemeir]

The keret house, avaiable on the gallery ID Andieplaysims

[harrypotterhousequotes]

GRYFFINDOR: “‘Why does a father have to protect his son?’ I thought for a moment before answering. ‘Look,’ I said as I stroked his cheek, ‘the world we live in can sometimes be very tough. And it’s only fair that everyone who’s born into it should have at least one person who’ll be there to protect him.’” -Etgar Keret (The Seven Good Years)

[idanit]

possibly underappreciated Good Omens fics I enjoyed once upon a time

Indirectly inspired by a video series about fanfiction I watched, I decided to pull together a list of Good Omens fics I have bookmarked as stories I enjoyed, but which have less than 250-300 kudos at the time I’m writing this. No particular order. They’re accompanied by short excerpts from my private fic reading notes (not originally intended to be read by anyone but me, mind), sometimes slightly edited for clarity—and, sometimes, the comments I left on the fics.

This list sat in my drafts for a long time and the recent S2 announcement reminded me of it. I’d love it if it inspired you to do something similar! Spread the love.

And mind the tags, please.

△ = general and teen ▲ = mature and explicit 

thermodynamic equilibrium ▲ 7K the author has such an ear for dialogue and is unapologetic about what they want to write the characters like. They think of the characters as a mix of TV and book canon, but they feel like a homemade blend to me. (...) It’s very funny.

such dear follies ▲ 6K I can really picture this Aziraphale—Crowley as well, but her especially. She’s rather distinct. (...) Nice writing.

The Words Were With - △ 1.2K post-Blitz vignette, Aziraphale realizes what he feels and wonders if they're human enough for this. I liked it, and I liked the tag "transhumanism, but in reverse?", too—what an interesting idea. I'd say it's a vignette in a dire need of a follow-up, but, well, there's the show. The show is the follow-up. It fits very nicely within the canon and I totally believe it could have happened, like a deleted scene.

Gossip and Good Counsel △ 19K/? I love their companionship and how they're set up to be opposites by the management even though they get on pretty well. It feels very in keeping with the canon, but I feel like the fact that it's an F/F set in this particular time period adds a meaningful layer to the situation. It's women supporting each other in the world of men, working with the personas that are created for them, but, privately, being normal, well-rounded people. (...) and of course your writing is always a pleasure to read. (...) SDHDGDHDHDG Maisie is truly an Aziraphale.

Crowley Went Down to Georgia (he was looking for a soul to steal) △ 6K This was nice. Based on a song I didn’t know. Crowley goes to a funeral in the USA, one of a fiddler he knew and lost a bet to once. (...) The fic has not one but two songs composed for it and embedded inside it and that makes it even better. I really enjoyed the experience.

The Thing With Feathers △ 18K WARLOCK you'rE HORRIBLE AND I LOVE IT I would read an entire novel-length fic just of Crowley fighting his battles with Warlock. Written like this? It would be a blast. (...) The OCs are believably characterized and well-loved by the story. (...) Everyone seems to need a friend in this house. (...) This was so fun, and at the same time, their mission has weight here (...) We wonder about what the future holds even though we know it.

Here Quiet Find △ 11K This fic aimed for my head and the aim was sure precise. It was a story of Crowley sensing Aziraphale's distress and finding him in a self-quarantined English village in the seventeenth century, tired and anxious. It's hurt/comfort, so there was washing and bedsharing and I had to love it, so I did.

outside of time △ 2K Post-Almostgeddon, (...) nicely-written, short, but strung with a soft kind of tension and unspoken words. There's no drama, just "can we really", and "do you really" of sudden freedom. They fall into being inseparable. Book canon, which I like for this story (sitting on a tarmac). I liked the footnotes. There's a mention of Eliot. All in all, very much yes.

She'asani Yisrael △ 2K It’s Crowley going through a two-hour service and drinking blessed wine. He also keeps an eye on a boy he was asked to. It’s 1946. It was pretty good, so far the best Jewish GO fic, I think, from the ones I’ve read.

To Guard The Eastern Gate △ 11K  I loved it. You really made Sodom feel lived-in; the description of Keret, Hurriya and Yassib's house and relationship were great. I got attached to both them and the city (...) Aziraphale and Crawley’s interactions were generally very entertaining. I laughed (...) Your rendering of their voices just lands so well (...) But then oh, the entire ending (...) hurt, hurt a lot, and your descriptions are so vivid.

If you’ve been waiting (for falling in love) △ 14K AAAAA a good ending line. The whole paragraph, in fact. I love a good smattering of philosophy in my fics, and this was really nice. I can get behind Thomas Aequinus's and Crowley's view on eternity. It's (...) a pretty simple fic (...) - the courage to express yourself and take a risk is awarded with winning what was at stake by the virtue of reciprocity - but the way it was intertwined with a study of how they would experience a forever was done well. 

Holy unnecessary ▲ 2.2K It's well-written. (...) this is my type of sexual humour if I have any. So subtle. Blink and you'll miss it. Lovely.

The Parting Glass △ 17K Through the ages, they're dancing around their relationship until after the Armageddoff. (...) Wow, this was really, really nice. Very simple in its concept and nothing I haven't read before, but very well-executed. (...) AAAAH I LOVED the first chapter. I always like abbeys as settings, that's a given, but the banter, the good writing, the moral ambiguity!

Name The Sky △ 33K This Crowley is different, but very intriguing. Without his sarcastic talk, and much more animalistic. (...) I love how expressive Crowley is. (...) This fic has a very nice balance of drama and levity. I don't love Crowley-before-the-Fall stories very much, but with this execution I can read about it. (...) Okay I've read Crowley offering fruits, and even Aziraphale biting fruits, but the two of them sharing the apple? Outstanding. Ingenious. What a take.

A Flame in Your Heart △ 5K post-Blitz (why are so many dance fics post-Blitz?), they go to the bookshop and have an actually believable conversation. Then they dance the gavotte. It was really nice! Believable writing, emotions, the dancing! (...) Of course it's too early for them, (...) but the author's note? yeah.

Put down the apple, Adam, and come away with me ▲ 32K At this point it's just reading original stories with characters with names and some personality traits that I recognize. (...) I really enjoy this, the careful dance, the opposition between their views. (...) This is well-written, wow. (...) it's not an easy read (...) this story feels very believably 50s, but also reaches out to the present time. 

Liebestraum ▲ 10K/? It really is like music. I'm enjoying the writing a lot. (...) oh my actual god. This, this? Wow, uh. This came for my throat. (...) THE MUSICAL COMPOSITION, THE MOTIF RETURNING, THE AUTHOR KNOWS WHERE IT'S AT (...) Excellent. This hits the right beats so precisely, (...) and with feeling, too.

Down Comforter △ 2.4K and they lay down in angeldown, a soft rug ‘neath their heads– alright. Well, Crowley lies under Aziraphale's wing on a Persian rug after the Apocalypse, and they talk (...). It was sweet.

The Corsair of Carcosa △ 5K Crowley wakes up from a nap, visits Aziraphale for some drinking, and they read The King in Yellow that he happens to own. Good writing, so I'm bought. Aziraphale mentions Beardsley, so I'm bought twice over. My god, a discussion of etheral/occult madness? Caused by some wrong/true reading? Yes.

Very Good, Omens! △ 6K It's rather well-written, well-pastiched. People don't do that too often, nowadays - try to write in the style of a particular writer. (...) I love wordplay like this.

Reviving Robin Hood: The Complicated Process of Crème Brûlée △ 30K it's well-written (...), has a rhythm to it, and quiet humour. (...) Finally some nice, good, light writing. The attention to detail! (...) I'm still reading most of it aloud, the rhythm of it compels me to. (...) okay this does sound like Pratchett&Gaiman, the Good Omens itself (...) The fic is meandering, hilarious, sensitive in all the right places, and overall lovely.

my dear acquaintance △ 1K Oh. Oh. Yes, yes! Aziraphale in Russia, Russia I've never been in, but I can feel the snow and the evening of. Very real, and the bar, too. Attention to detail - vodka flavoured with dill, what on earth? Yes. He would totally have a distinct taste in operas and he would totally complain about a subpar one. I'm glad Tchaikovsky's there.

there is a crack in everything △ 1.8K This was good! Ah. Inspired by a comment (...), I went looking for Mr. Harrison and Mr. Cortese fics—really, what a big brain moment someone had and why have I never thought to look for them? This is Crowley getting suddenly anxious and Aziraphale going out of his way, through all his layers of not-thinking and denial, to console him. I also really liked how the Arrangement is a carefully unacknowledged partnership-marriage.

Scales And Gold And Wings And Scars △ 6K  No conflict, no plot, one tiny arc like a ripple on the surface of water on a calm sunny day - of Aziraphale discovering Crowley’s scars. It's the South Downs and it's early summer. They bask and swim in a spring. Non-sexual nudity, love in the air like a scent. Nice.

Nineteen Footnotes In Search Of A Story △ 0.4K This is a Good Omens story told only through footnotes. Your mind can fill in the gaps. Fascinating (...). Also, it’s an experiment so apt for this particular fandom.

Hell on Earth △ 6.5K Oh, I loved it! How could I not love it: it's Beelzebub-centric, it's historical, it has classical painting, and even a hilarious scene with a cuneiform phrase, as if I didn't enjoy this story enough already. There are so few Beelzebub fics out there and I find searching for them very difficult (I accept recs if anyone has any), and it's such a shame, so this was really like a gift to the fandom. I absolutely adore the way you portrayed them, small, frightening, powerful, and confident. Also, it was super fun to see how different Crowley seems when we're not in his POV or in a story about him and Aziraphale. (...)

Go Up to Ramoth-Gilead and Triumph △ 24K Daegaer is... pure class. (...) hdhdhdh what pfttt why you so funny (...) I love this Crowley. (...) This got unexpectedly intense. (...) I love the little nods to the fact that Israelites, especially the poorer ones, still believe in other gods. I also really like that they sleep on roofs. It's just the kind of detail that grounds the story and shows that the author is, in fact, a historian. 

[yamayuandadu]

For the character breakdown, I’d love to see hadad, anat, shapash, yam, mot, athtar, kothkar and khasis... really any of the ugaritic pantheon, of course you don’t have to do all of them >.<, I’d just love to see your hot takes

I shall rise up to the challenge! I’m the only person on this site obsessed with Ugarit as far as I can tell... I covered everyone you asked for plus Ashtart and Yarikh. As much as I like burrowing through jstor and academia edu and persee and so on, I kind of wish there were more people approaching Ugaritic, Mesopotamian, Hittite etc. myths the way many do with Greek ones tbh - sometimes i’d just like to see which figures people think would be into gossiping and so on or which tacky modern fashion they think suits them equally as much as I want to find out if Yarikh’s portrayal in Ugaritic poetry owes more to Nanna/Sin or to the Hittite moon god. ALSO as far as this sort of light hearted takes go, there are two japanese artists on twitter who draw Baal cycle fanart: here and here.

Hadad: How I feel about this character: one of my fave mythical protagonist. I think I genuinely only like Inanna more. Going from a very relatable desire to get his own house to triumph over death is quite the journey. The relative powerlessness many interpreters point out is interesting, too - the fact he mostly gets somewhere because of allies and because even if El was the king of gods, Hadad’s attributes made him the king of people’s hearts arguably, so he has to win against overwheming odds. All the people I ship romantically with this character: Anat, Ashtart/Astarte/however we transcribe her name this week... Kothar? My non-romantic OTP for this character: given the Seth-Baal equation in Egypt and the uncertaininty over whether Astarte papyrus is about Seth or Baal under Seth’s name it’s funny to imagine them as friends. Also I’ll talk about it more underneath but since Dagan was a god with similar purposes further inland (and is attested earlier iirc) and Ugaritic texts - even though they rarely feature him - call him Hadad’s father - it would be cute to assume he also taught Hadad everything. My unpopular opinion about this character: I’m a Dagan parentage truther against all odds. It was the norm outside Ugarit! I think “Dagan isn’t in Ugaritic myths because they take place in Ugarit but people thought Dagan lives further inland in Tuttul based on prayers etc.” is enough to explain his absence from myths, and also note that in the epic Baal is “Dagan’s son” even when he’s at a low point (ex. when Yam demands he gives up his freedom or when he’s dead) and only El’s and Asherah’s son when he’s victorious for the most part (ex. during palace construction) - imo this makes it plausible that Dagan is his real dad and El and Athirat are only his parents in the way vassal rulers called emperors fathers. Likewise I think any references to siblings can be interpreted in the light of ex. kings of Ugarit calling kings of Carchemish or Alashiya brothers. One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: I really like how corny the Hittite/Hurrian storm god cycle is with Kumarbi constaly raising new challengers to attack Kummiya and dethrone Teshub/Tarhunna, I actually wish the Ugaritic one was longer too via a similar plot device. Also I wish Dagan actually appeared in myths alongside his son - Noga Ayali-Darshan had a theory he was in some oral tradition predating Baal cycle as the god announcing Yam demands a tribute since in Hurrian “Song of the sea” and in Egyptian “Astarte papyrus” a grain deity does this but a possible reconstruction isn’t much... Anat How I feel about this character: well, she’s not Inanna, but she’s still pretty good. I mostly like the parts of the Baal narrative which show her unpredictable character, like her probable parents being afraid of her, listing various never shown enemies she vanquished, or Mot’s death. Aqhat myth doesn’t interest me much. That myth fragment where she and Ashtart pity Yarikh because other gods treat him poorly is interesting, too. All the people I ship romantically with this character: Baal, Ashtart, that’s it I think. My non-romantic OTP for this character: she seems to get along really well with Shapash during the segment of the Baal cycle where Baal is dead. My unpopular opinion about this character: I really hate the speculation popular among bible scholars which amounts to making her, Ashtart and Athirat interchangeable to justify her irrelevance in the iron age. One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: honestly? I wish an “Anat cycle” existed. She pretty clearly had a fair share of own adventures considering Baal enlists her help on the account of past accomplishments. Yam How I feel about this character: out of all antagonists in the basic middle eastern “storm god vs sea” narratives I think he has the most fun personality - Hedammu is barely a “character” and Tiamat lacks the more human dimension Yam has. All the people I ship romantically with this character: nobody, he has to move past the Astarte papyrus characterization and learn some respect for that smh My non-romantic OTP for this character: his nameless rude messenger who refused to bow down when speaking to the assembly of the gods My unpopular opinion about this character: contary to what this (very good) paper says, the Yam battle is more thrilling than the Mot one - the strength of the Mot part of the narrative comes from the visceral descriptions of Anat’s emotions but Mot is a flat villain compared to Yam. One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: he had a seemingly positive role in cult and there are 13 known people with Yam theophoric names (out of 6000 or so people from Ugarit known by name) so I sort of wonder if there’s some lost myth where he’s the hero or something. Mot How I feel about this character: if nothing else, feeling offended by being offered bread and wine instead of corpses is pretty funny and a great introduction. And the pathetic attempt at a comeback shut down by Shapash is All the people I ship romantically with this character: unshippable by design tbh. My non-romantic OTP for this character: if the theory about Horon - the god from the “anti-snakebite text” and the “may horon crack your skull” curse - being a cthtonic god too - just a generally benign one - is true I think they could have a lot of comedic potential. My unpopular opinion about this character: I don’t understand where the idea of a nonexistent myth about Mot kidnapping Shapash and Yarikh comes from and I wish it wasn’t all over the place online. One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: some more detailed description of the afterlife - Mot, rephaim, Horon if he really lives there - would be useful... Shapash How I feel about this character: she seems severly... underrated? There are maybe two papers about her (and one underlines the fact there isn’t much research on her) and yet she’s the second most prominent goddess in the Baal cycle AND has her own narrative in the anti-snakebite texts! She might actually be more remarkable than her Mesopotamian counterpart - with all due respect for Utu/Shamash, in myths he’s the boring sibling between himself and Inanna/Ishtar... All the people I ship romantically with this character: I don’t have any real ideas, some papers assume she and Horon were a thing but this is disputable and Horon is pretty nebulous himself... My non-romantic OTP for this character: “Kothar - your close friend!” from that one hymn has that covered. Since she’s basically a divine herald perhaps they travel together? My unpopular opinion about this character: I suspect the reason why she isn’t studied more is because many researchers are stuck with some sort of false “good mother goddess - evil sex goddess” dichotomy of ancient middle eastern religion and while you can force Athirat, Anat and Ashtart into these roles, Shapash with her aura of a divine equivalent of a mundane earthly official doesn’t fit into it and as such is ignored. One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: I said I hate the false Mot myth spreading online but I actually do wish there was a myth or at least a cult text of some sort showing what sort of relation existed between her and Yarikh - safe to say it didn’t mirror Shamash and Sin... Kothar-wa-Khasis How I feel about this character: huge fan of artisan gods and he seems genuinely nice. One of my Ugaritic b-list favorites. I like that he’s a reneissance man - armorer, architect, even a musician... The theory that he was developed based on Ptah since Memphis had a large foreign population is great. All the people I ship romantically with this character: Baal sort of? I imagine Baal is actually relatively knowledgeable about architecture given the length of the window debate in the Baal cycle... My non-romantic OTP for this character: Shapash, as I said earlier. My unpopular opinion about this character: based on the tale of King Keret some researchers argue he’s meant to be ugly like Greek Haephestus, but since I like the Ptah theory and his appearance isn’t described elsewhere AND King Keret might be satire where everyone is their worst self possible, I prefer to imagine him as handsome One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: supposedly from Caphtor and yet we never see Caphtor (Crete) in Ugaritic myths... come on, ancient scribes, surely someone went there? Maybe even recorded some proper Minoan myths? Ashtart How I feel about this character: she’s my favorite Ugaritic figure of limited relevance. An Ishtar/Inanna equivalent who seemingly curses other gods and presides over political pacts is a pretty solid premise! And it’s funny she rebukes Baal seemingly for insufficient dedication in battle. I wonder if the Egyptian fragment which implies Yam acted lecherous towards her is a factor in this tbh. Perhaps an earlier oral tradition had both these elements...? All the people I ship romantically with this character: Baal (her title is “face of baal”/”of the name of baal”, c’mon...), Anat (almost always listed together!) My non-romantic OTP for this character: Keret curses his son with a formula invoking both Horon and her so perhaps that’s who she’s learning curses from. My unpopular opinion about this character: I hate that “Astarte is Asherah” is widespread just because people want to defend the historicity of the biblical Jezebel narrative which probably even the biblical compilersdidn’t view as historical. One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: I wish she didn’t vanish from the Baal cycle after Yam’s defeat :C Attar How I feel about this character: this sure is... a guy. He’s so pathetic in the Baal cycle it’s hard to even see him as an antagonist - sorry, Handbook of Ugaritic Studies... All the people I ship romantically with this character: nobody, Shapash points out he’s single as the reason why he can’t rule and i don’t think that changes in any subsequent texts? But then Marriage of Nikkal and Yarikh iirc mentions he has a daughter... My non-romantic OTP for this character: again, nobody. My unpopular opinion about this character: he’s actually a pretty vital part of the Baal cycle and the fact he gives up on own accord makes him more interesting than the other “failed god” in a similar narrative, Ashtabi. One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: a god with the same name was prominent in present day Yemen so I guess finding some direct connection would be nice - it fits with him leaving to “rule elsewhere” in the myth! Yarikh How I feel about this character: he’s so pitiful in the fragment which compares him to a dog begging for scraps... His main myth is pretty good too, tbh it’s the best middle eastern marriage myth imo - I actually don’t care for Dumuzi much, but Yarikh is cool. All the people I ship romantically with this character: only Nikkal-wa-Ib My non-romantic OTP for this character: given his mistreatment and Nikkal’s father(?) saying he could be a son in law of Baal I assume that in some unknown texts they must have been allies. Note that the Hittite storm god has the sun and moon gods acting as his metaphorical eyes warning him against Kumarbi’s new plots in song of Ullikummi. Also I assume Anat and Ashtart must consider him a friend given how they help him when nobody else does? All around he feels like a god in Baal’s orbit even though we have 0 direct proof for it. My unpopular opinion about this character: I think trying to correct him to Nanna is a doomed endeavor tbh. Their wives have similar names but Yarikh doesn’t give the impression of a “Father of gods” type deity in what little we know about him. One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: more myths. None we know show him as the moon even though it’s literally his name! I am afraid I don’t have anything interesting to say about El and Athirat. Handbook of Ugaritic Studies has an amazing El summary that I generally stick to, I can post a cap if you are interested.

[igazikutya]

Zajok a nappaliból – Traxelektor 2021 02

A Skinny Puppy nevű egészpályás világszatírában főszereplő első Kevin, Kevin Crompton alias cEvin Key várva várt szólóalbuma február 19-én bújt elő a kulisszák mögül. Az underground elektronika egyik legnagyobb ütemfelelősének szomorúan nézem fészbúk oldalát, amint évről-évre februárban és augusztusban tömör szívszaggató emlékposztokban tiszteleg a vancouveri Subconscious érát túlvilágira cserélő alkotótársairól, az 1995-ben elhunyt Dwayne R. Goettelről és a 2019-ben eltávozott Phil Westernről. (a naptári möbiusz, hogy Dwayne egy februári napon született és egy augusztusin halt meg, Phil pedig fordítva) Szóval nem lesz már Download, és már Genesis P-Orridge se fog beugrani, hogy felmormogjon a stúdióban valami köldökremegtető ezoipari nembientódát, és persze, hogy Goettel szintizsenije már rég nincs, ám Phil Western mégiscsak afféle kötőanyaga volt ennek az alkotói körnek. Így ez a mostani cEvin Key szóló igazából nem is annyira szóló, mint inkább egy download lemez, hiszen cEvin maradt egyedül a DL. És úgy is indul a Resonance, a nyitó Thirteen bármely utóbbi downloadon lehetne. Azért ezt a magányt ellensúlyozandó, hívott maga mellé vendégjátékosokat: Edvard KaSpel (The Legendary Pink Dots), IAMX (Chris Corner, Snekaer Pimps) Traz Damji (The Humble Brothers), a torokénekes Soriah és Otto Von Schirach (harmadik szemfeszegető a Bermuda-háromszögből) személyében. Sőt a Resonance-t valójában cEvin Key és a Subconscious Electronic Orchestra jegyzi (mint a ’98-as Music for Cats-t is), ami az én megfejtésem szerint a stúdióban lévő hangszerek és fent említettek szellemeinek kollaborációja.

Már régóta esedékes volt egy szerzői Clouds album, a harmadik. Igazságtalan vagyok, hiszen tavaly sorra j��ttek a banda Arkiv kiadványai (1-3), de azok bármilyen ütősek is voltak, retrospektív válogatások maradtak. És azt hiszem egy korszak lezárásai is lehettek, egyfajta alkotói raktárkisöprés, a The Parallel pedig  egy új fejezet nyitánya. Múlt héten sikerült 2-3 nap alatt lepörgetnem az Expanse sorozat negyedik évadát, és adja magát gondolat, hogy jajj, de nézném azt a sci-fit, aminek a Parallel a soundtrack-je, ti is imádnátok! A skót duó egyik értékes jellemvonása, hogy a rájuk jellemző hangzás az albumon átívelő műfaji sokszínűségre van ráfeszítve, miközben egészében nézve egy industrial/ idm/ techno albumot hallunk, az néha tört, néha egyenes és pöröly, esetleg dark trance és downtemp, vagy ambient – ez a fajta egységbe foglalt sokszínűség az elektronika klasszikus korszakára (és annak ikonikus kiadványaira) volt nagyon jellemző. Az album digitális kiadványához újfent mellékeltek a srácok egy pdf-et, mely tartalmazza a teljes grafikai dizájnt, ugyanis a Clouds lemezek minden felvételéhez más borító van hozzárendelve. A lemezt végig belengi valamiféle archaikus fantasy töltet (miközben továbbra is ül a sci-fi párhuzam is). Amúgy az egyik csókát Calum Macleod-nak hívják (társa Liam Robertson), hú ez messze vezet, mélygarázs, filmzene, kardrabeáta, nemröhög, fejrevigyáz!

Keresztény Madár barátunk önnön újjászületéséről szóló hangosfilmje tölgyválasszal kezdődik (When You Can't Go Clubbing Anymore And Have To Dance With Oaks). A hosszas izoláció következtében történt mentális borulás eredményeképp berlini lakásában fákkal táncoló Cristian elméje avatari zuhanásba kezd, a formák szétesnek hullámokra, a gondolatok ízekké és illatokká párolognak, vizet szürcsöl és oxigént lélegez kifelé, a szoba szertefoszlik, lelke magasba száll, elméje kitisztul és egy nagyon snájdig cserép kaktuszként materializálódik a Heizkraftwerk Berlin-Mitte hőerőmű egyik irodájának ablakában, ami pont a bezárt Tresorra néz. Konstatálva a bárminemű küzdelem hiábavalóságát és a bármennyi erőbevitellel elért ugyanaz csak formájában más eredmény megvalósulását, felenged benne a szabadság iránti vágy és a saját ágyában ébred. A német technoszcéna egyik legkevésbé értett zsenije Cristian Vogel 1993 óta üti a vasat, és bár kezdetben elég sarkos, karcos hangzás jellemezte, azon művek mélyén is ott figyelt az agyas matek, a kis fekete keretes szemüveges könyvelőnek álcázott ritmusmanipulátor géniusza. Az évek folyamán elképesztő sok formában bolyongta körbe saját univerzumát, a Rebirth of Wonky a 25. sorlemeze, nem beszélve a sok kollaborációról (Supercollider!), pszeudóról. Azért ez a lemez most, mintha valami csúcsa lenne a vogeli időpiramisnak, mintha több kísérleti irány, amik eljutottak valameddig, talán ideiglenesen el is haltak, most összeértek volna ebben a multidimenzionális absztraktban. Itt végletek állnak egymás kezét fogva, táncolhatatlan dancetémák, eggyé huzagolt töredékek csusszannak nedves csigacsendben a sötét végtelenekbe, amiket a ritmika köré rendezett vogeli dubok nyitnak meg számukra. Őszintén mondom, lenyűgöz ennek a palinak az elméje, újjáteremtésének történetében annyira sűrű fluidot hozott össze, mint a sztartrekes vörösanyag neonfény nélkül, a három perc hatnak, a tíz huszonötnek tűnik. Ez egy nagyon sokszor hallgatós lemez, ami sokadikra is képes újabb rétegeit megmutatni, ugyanis elemei a megfigyelés hatására újrarendeződnek. Kvantumban-fogantatás.

Brian Dougans és Garry Cobain duója, az örökéletűnek tűnő The Future Sound of London nevű intézmény a leíró ambient szentségének földi helytartója. Nem létezik olyan kísérlet, amely ennyire komplexen képes lett volna megzenésíteni a környezetet, és ezt a hagyományt a vadonatúj Music For 3 Books albumukon is hallhatjuk, annyi pontosítással, hogy ez a lemez az „environment-sound” és az 1995-ös ISDN hangulata között van valahol. Az FSOL idén már 31 éves pályafutással a háta mögött zenél, az album is tükröz némi érettséget, de a bőrruhába dinósodott rokkerek rutinját felejtsük el gyorsan, ugyanis  ez az elektronika gond nélkül illeszkedik bele 2021 zeneiségébe.  

Oliver Ho industrial-noise-techno projektje, a Broken English Club elérkezett White Rats sorozatának harmadik részéhez, és azt hiszem ez lett a legerősebb a háromból, nagyon egyben van, feszes,  energikus és tartalmas.  Írtam már sok mindent a paliról korábban, nem is rizsálnék róla, inkább itt egy kisfilm az alkotóról az alkotótól:

Andreas Tilliander egyszer már megmentett egy bulit számomra, és ezt soha nem felejtem el neki, amikor is a Richie Hawtin presents Enter.London elnevezésű csalódást keltő rendezvény egyik szerény, mégis kellemes pislákoló fénypontjaként live act-elt 2015 tavaszán a Tobacco Dockban. A svéd úrember nem véletlen volt egy Richie Hawtin buli fellépője, a kevesek egyikének számít, aki képes az acid-dub-techno műfajt mindenféle erőlködés nélkül élvezetesen előadni, és abszolút nem probléma számára az élőben varázslás sem. Rolandokkal táncoló Andrásunk hosszú utat járt be. A 2013-as TM404 szűken koncepcionált albuma után eljutott a sikerrel és élőzésekkel járó technora gyorsulás kanyaraiba is, majd megpróbálta Echologist-tel (Brendon Moellerrel) duóban távolítani magát az eredetileg hasznos, de idővel kinőtt hangzásbéli elképzeléstől, hogy aztán most a Syra-val egy lecsupaszított, szobazenévé visszalassult, tillianderesen intelligens zenei ösvényen barangolhassunk, ahol azért találunk néha rohanós részeket is (Rymdeko). A Syra remek megerősítés is, miszerint nem elhamarkodott a TM404-t Plastikman neve mellett emlegetni, és talán az album közepén hallható „1998” track részéről is egy link abba a plastikman-i korszakba, amikor az Artifacts és Consumed született.

És a végére egy kijövés: sose szerettem igazán a Depeche Mode-ot, és ha valakit választani kellett volna belőlük, akkor az az Alain Wilder géniusza (Recoil), és bár hallgattam elégszer DM albumokat, frászt kaptam sokszor a Martin Gore ömlengéseitől, nem elvitatva szerepét, tudását, blablabla... „Ne mondd, hogy szeretsz, ez így nem jó!” És akkor itt ez a Third Chimpanzee című EP, amiről 3 tracket válogattam be a Traxelektorba, mert olyan, amilyen a DM brand soha nem volt, és sajnos nem is lett. Hát igen srácok, a biznisz ugye

Megjelenések:

Adam Pits - Piston Pump [2021, X-Kalay][EP] Anatolian Weapons - Mantili [2021, Kame House][S] Broken English Club - White Rats III [2021, L.I.E.S.][LP]

cEvin Key - Resonance [2021, Sub-Conscious Communications][LP] Clouds - The Parallel [2021, The Parallel][LP] Cristian Vogel - Rebirth Of Wonky [2021, Endless Process][LP] Future Sound Of London, The - Music For 3 Books [2021, Self-released][LP] Jensen Interceptor - Master Control Program [2021, Unknown To The Unknown][EP] Martin Gore - The Third Chimpanzee [2021, Mute][EP]

Moist 96 - S-T [2021, L.I.E.S.][LP] Slam - Final Conflict [2021, Soma][EP]

Thorofon · Eva 3 - La Théorie du Diable [2021, Ant-Zen][S] TM404 - Syra [2021, Kontra-Musik][LP] VA - Dalmata Daniel x EXILES x Farbwechsel [2021, Farbwechsel][4LP-Comp]

Traxelektor:

Spotify playlist (66/83, 5:59/7:03) Aktuális fülbemászók: Új Látásmód Fúzió - A lehetőségek távlatai Anatolian Weapons - Mantili

Traxelektor 2021 02

214 - Alpenglow [Exposure To Winds, 20:20 Vision] Adam Pits - Kino der Toten [Piston Pump, X-Kalay] Adam Pits - Piston Pump [Piston Pump, X-Kalay]

Anatolian Weapons - Mantili [Mantili, Kame House] Anatolian Weapons - To The Stars [Mantili, Kame House] Arnaud Rebotini - Shiny Black Leather [Shiny Black Leather, Mannequin]

Automat - Slacid [Acid Avengers 017, Acid Avengers] Broken English Club - Alone In The Hunt [White Rats III, L.I.E.S.] Broken English Club - Lord of The Flies [White Rats III, L.I.E.S.] Broken English Club - Shadows and Tall Trees [White Rats III, L.I.E.S.] Broken English Club - The Kill [White Rats III, L.I.E.S.] Broken English Club - They Burned The Villages [White Rats III, L.I.E.S.] cEvin Key - Orange Dragonfly [Resonance, Sub-Conscious Communications] cEvin Key - Resonance [Resonance, Sub-Conscious Communications] cEvin Key - Thirteen [Resonance, Sub-Conscious Communications] cEvin Key with Edward KaSpel - Night Flower [Resonance, Sub-Conscious Communications] Clouds - An t-Samhain [The Parallel, The Parallel] Clouds - Cernunnos [The Parallel, The Parallel] Clouds - Geistinh [The Parallel, The Parallel] Clouds - Kriegerin an Shadow [The Parallel, The Parallel] Clouds - Oakzeit [The Parallel, The Parallel] Clouds - Orcadian Dialect [The Parallel, The Parallel] Cristian Vogel - Acido Amigo [Rebirth Of Wonky, Endless Process] Cristian Vogel - Peace La Roche [Rebirth Of Wonky, Endless Process] Cristian Vogel - The All Clear [Rebirth Of Wonky, Endless Process] Cristian Vogel - Thuja [Rebirth Of Wonky, Endless Process] CT Kidobó - miskolc Beat [VA - Dalmata Daniel x EXILES x Farbwechsel,Farbwechsel] CT Kidobó & SVR101 - キメるコカコーラ[VA - Dalmata Daniel x EXILES x Farbwechsel,Farbwechsel]

Developer - Nothing But Trouble [Archive 012, Developer Archive] Developer - Still Fuckable [Archive 012, Developer Archive] DJ Deeon & Jensen Interceptor - Sweat [Master Control Program, Unknown To The Unknown] Ena - Adaptation [One Draw, Nullpunkt] Eva-3 - Théorie- Redux [La Théorie du Diable, Ant-Zen] Granite Mask - EC Rivals [Time Elapsed, Opal Tapes] Granite Mask - Turn Around [Time Elapsed, Opal Tapes]

ICR - Neurosis of Waiting [VA - Dalmata Daniel x EXILES x Farbwechsel,Farbwechsel] Imre Kiss - Sällhet [VA - Dalmata Daniel x EXILES x Farbwechsel,Farbwechsel] Interstellar Funk & Robert Valera - Devil's Juice [Devil's Juice, Artificial Dance] Interstellar Funk & Robert Valera - Klangin [Devil's Juice, Artificial Dance] Interstellar Funk & Robert Valera - Northsea [Devil's Juice, Artificial Dance]

Jensen Interceptor - Ridin' [Master Control Program, Unknown To The Unknown] Maks Et Sipowicz - Signal Ffp [VA - Dalmata Daniel x EXILES x Farbwechsel,Farbwechsel]

Mala Herba - Comber [Demonologia, aufnahme + wiedergabe] Mala Herba - Dawaj [Demonologia, aufnahme + wiedergabe] Mala Herba - Kupaly [Demonologia, aufnahme + wiedergabe]

Martin Gore - Capuchin [The Third Chimpanzee, Mute] Martin Gore - Howler [The Third Chimpanzee, Mute] Martin Gore - Vervet [The Third Chimpanzee, Mute] Mike Nylons - Anger Management [VA - Dalmata Daniel x EXILES x Farbwechsel,Farbwechsel] Moist 96 - 1996 [S-T, L.I.E.S.] Moist 96 - Carjul [S-T, L.I.E.S.] Moist 96 - TGK [S-T, L.I.E.S.]

Normal Tamas - Sub [VA - Dalmata Daniel x EXILES x Farbwechsel,Farbwechsel] Norwell - Broken Symmetry [VA - Dalmata Daniel x EXILES x Farbwechsel,Farbwechsel] Om Unit - Bristol Theme [Acid Dub Studies, Self-Released] Om Unit - Celestial Envoy [Acid Dub Studies, Self-Released]

Panoramic Barrier - Éjszakai Kiránduló [VA - Dalmata Daniel x EXILES x Farbwechsel,Farbwechsel] Prefuse 73 - Remembering the Past Through This Riot Pt.2 [The Failing Institute of Drums & Other Percussion, Self-Released] Prefuse 73 - Taped Up Low Hum [The Failing Institute of Drums & Other Percussion, Self-Released] Prefuse 73 - The Man & Who He Really Is Pt.4 [The Failing Institute of Drums & Other Percussion, Self-Released] Sematic4 feat Microbeat - Kutyakutatóűrállomás [VA - Dalmata Daniel x EXILES x Farbwechsel,Farbwechsel] Shcuro - Obsession [Acid Avengers 017, Acid Avengers]

Slam - Cosmo Disko [Final Conflict, Soma] Slam - Pyrrhic [Final Conflict, Soma] Tarotplane - Panther Walk [Horizontology, 12th Isle] Tarotplane - Ritual Believer [Horizontology, 12th Isle]

The Bug - Red Rhythms - Memorial Version [Red Rhythms Vol​.​2, Self-released] The Bug - Red Rhythms - No Version [Red Rhythms Vol​.​1, Self-released] The Bug - Red Rhythms - One Dog Version [Red Rhythms Vol​.​1, Self-released]

The Future Sound Of London - Magnify Within The Thought [Music For 3 Books, Self-released] The Future Sound Of London - Replace I With You [Music For 3 Books, Self-released] The Future Sound Of London - Skylines [Music For 3 Books, Self-released] The Future Sound Of London - Take Umbrage [Music For 3 Books, Self-released] The Future Sound Of London - The Whispering Masses [Music For 3 Books, Self-released] The Future Sound Of London - Turbulent Haze [Music For 3 Books, Self-released] Thorofon - Devil's Share [La Théorie du Diable, Ant-Zen]

TM404 - 1998 [Syra, Kontra-Musik] TM404 - Oxfor [Syra, Kontra-Musik] TM404 - Roofto [Syra, Kontra-Musik] TM404 - Rymdeko [Syra, Kontra-Musik] Új Látásmód Fúzió - A lehetőségek távlatai [VA - Dalmata Daniel x EXILES x Farbwechsel,Farbwechsel] Volruptus & Jensen Interceptor - Alien Realm [Big Bang Energy, Sweaty] Volruptus & Jensen Interceptor - End of the Human Race [Big Bang Energy, Sweaty]

[nightbloomsresorthotel]

Etgar Keret’s Short Story “What, of this Goldfish, Would You Wish” got me crying like a baby. Taken from here. 

Author and filmmaker Etgar Keret was born in Tel Aviv in 1967. Salman Rushdie has called him “the voice of the next generation” and his work has been translated into 29 languages. The following story is from his sixth collection, Suddenly a Knock on the Door, published on 23rd February by Chatto & Windus.

The idea for this story, translated by Nathan Englander, came to Keret after he read his five-year-old son Alexander Pushkin’s “The Fisherman and the Goldfish.” Keret says, “My son asked me what I would do if I had three wishes. He quickly rejected my ‘safe’ wishes for family health or world peace and insisted that I ask for something I really, really wanted. And that’s when my goldfish story began.”

Yonatan had a brilliant idea for a documentary. He’d knock on doors. Just him. No camera crew, no nonsense. Just Yonatan, on his own, a small camera in hand, asking, “If you found a talking goldfish that granted you three wishes, what would you wish for?”

People would give their answers, and Yoni would edit them down and make clips of the more surprising responses. Before every set of answers, you’d see the person standing stock-still in the entrance to his house. Onto this shot he’d superimpose the subject’s name, family situation, monthly income, and maybe even the party he’d voted for in the last election. All that, combined with the three wishes, and maybe he’d end up with a poignant piece of social commentary, a testament to the massive rift between our dreams and the often compromised reality in which we live.

It was genius, Yoni was sure. And, if not, at least it was cheap. All he needed was a door to knock on and a heart beating on the other side. With some decent footage, he was sure he’d be able to sell it to Channel 8 or Discovery in a flash, either as a film or as a collection of vignettes, little cinematic corners, each with that singular soul standing in a doorway, followed by three killer wishes, precious, every one.

Even better, maybe he’d sell out, package it with a slogan and flog it to a bank or mobile phone company. Maybe tag it with something like, “Different dreams, different wishes, one bank.” Or, “The bank that makes dreams come true.”

No prep, no plotting, natural as can be, Yoni grabbed his camera and went out knocking on doors. In the first neighbourhood he went to, the nice people that took part generally requested the obvious things: health, money, bigger flats, to shave off either a couple of years or a couple of pounds. But there were also powerful moments. One drawn, wizened old lady asked simply for a child. A Holocaust survivor with a number on his arm asked very slowly, in a quiet voice—as if he’d been waiting for Yoni to come, as if it wasn’t an exercise at all—he’d been wondering (if this fish didn’t mind), would it be possible for all the Nazis left living in the world to be held accountable for their crimes? A cocky, broad-shouldered ladykiller put out his cigarette and, as if the camera wasn’t there, wished he were a girl. “Just for a night,” he added, holding a single finger right up to the lens.

And these were wishes from just one short block in one small, sleepy suburb of Tel Aviv. Yonatan could hardly imagine what people were dreaming of in the development towns and the collectives along the northern border, in the West Bank settlements and Arab villages, the immigrant absorption centres full of broken trailers and tired people left to fry out in the desert sun.

Yonatan knew that if the project was going to have any weight, he’d have to get to everyone, to the unemployed, to the ultra-religious, to the Arabs and Ethiopians and American expats. He began to plan a shooting schedule for the coming days: Yaffo, Dimona, Ashdod, Sderot, Taibe, Talpiot. Maybe Hebron even. If he could sneak past the wall, Hebron would be great. Maybe somewhere in that city some beleaguered Arab man would stand in his doorway and, looking through Yonatan and his camera, looking out into nothingness, just pause for a minute, nod his head and wish for peace��that would be something to see.

***

Sergei Goralick doesn’t much like strangers banging on his door. Especially when those strangers are asking him questions. In Russia, when Sergei was young, it happened a lot. The KGB felt right at home knocking on his door. His father had been a Zionist, which was pretty much an invitation for them to pop over any old time.

When Sergei got to Israel and then moved to Yaffo, his family couldn’t get their heads round it. They’d ask him, “What are you hoping to find in a place like that? There’s no one there but addicts and Arabs and pensioners.” But what is most excellent about addicts and Arabs and pensioners is that they don’t come round knocking on Sergei’s door. That way Sergei can get his sleep, and get up when it’s still dark. He can take his little boat out into the sea and fish until he’s finished fishing. By himself. In silence. The way it should be. The way it was.

Until one day some kid with a ring in his ear, looking a little bit homosexual, comes knocking. Hard like that—rapping at his door. Just the way Sergei doesn’t like. And he says, this kid, that he has some questions he wants to put on the TV.

Sergei tells the boy, tells him in what he thinks is a straightforward manner, that he doesn’t want it. Not interested. Sergei gives the camera a shove, to help make it clear. But the earring boy is stubborn. He says all kinds of things, fast things. And it’s hard for Sergei to follow; his Hebrew isn’t great.

The boy slows down, tells Sergei he has a strong face, a nice face, and that he simply has to have him for this film. Sergei can also slow down, he can also make it clear. He tells the boy to fuck off. But the boy is slippery and somehow between saying no and pushing the door closed, Sergei finds that the boy is in his house. He’s already making his film, running his camera without any permission, and from behind the camera he’s still telling Sergei about his face, that it’s full of feeling, that it’s tender. Suddenly the boy spots Sergei’s goldfish flitting around in its big glass jar in his kitchen.

The kid with the earring starts screaming, “Goldfish, goldfish,” he’s so excited. And this, this really pressures Sergei, who tells the boy, it’s nothing, just a normal goldfish, stop filming it. Just a goldfish, Sergei tells him, just something he found flapping around in the net, a deep-sea goldfish. But the boy isn’t listening. He’s still filming and getting closer and saying something about talking and fish and a magic wish.

Sergei doesn’t like this, doesn’t like that the boy is almost at it, already reaching for the jar. In this instant Sergei understands the boy hasn’t come for television, what he’s come for, specifically, is to snatch Sergei’s fish, to steal it away. Before the mind of Sergei Goralick really understands what it is his body has done, he seems to have taken the pan off the stove and hit the boy on the head. The boy falls. The camera falls with him. The camera breaks open on the floor, along with the boy’s skull. There’s a lot of blood coming out of the head, and Sergei really doesn’t know what to do.

That is, he knows exactly what to do, but it really would complicate things. Because if he takes this kid to the hospital, people are going to ask what happened, and it would take things in a direction Sergei doesn’t want to go.

“No reason to take him to the hospital anyway,” says the goldfish, in Russian. “That one’s already dead.”

“He can’t be dead,” Sergei says, with a moan. “I barely touched him. It’s only a pan. Only a little thing.” Sergei holds it up to the fish, taps it against his own skull to prove it. “It’s not even that hard.”

“Maybe not,” says the fish. “But, apparently, it’s harder than that kid’s head.”

“He wanted to take you from me,” Sergei says, almost crying.

“Nonsense,” the fish says. “He was only here to make a little thing for TV.”

“But he said—”

“He said,” says the fish, interrupting, “exactly what he was doing. But you didn’t get it. Honestly, your Hebrew, it’s terrible.”

“And yours is better?” Sergei says. “Yours is so great?”

“Yes. Mine’s super-great,” the goldfish says, sounding impatient. “I’m a magic fish. I’m fluent in everything.” All the while the puddle of blood from the earring boy’s head is getting bigger and bigger and Sergei is on his toes, up against the kitchen wall, desperate not to step in it, not to get blood on his feet.

“You do have one wish left,” the fish reminds Sergei. He says it simply like that, as if Sergei doesn’t know—as if either of them ever loses count.

“No,” Sergei says. He’s shaking his head from side to side. “I can’t,” he says. “I’ve been saving it. Saving it for something.”

“For what?” the fish says.

But Sergei won’t answer.

That first wish, Sergei used up when they discovered a cancer in his sister. A lung cancer, the kind you don’t get better from. The fish undid it in an instant—the words barely out of Sergei’s mouth. The second wish Sergei used up five years ago, on Sveta’s boy. The kid was still small then, barely three, but the doctors already knew. Something in her son’s head wasn’t right. He was going to grow big but not in the brain. Three was about as clever as he’d get. Sveta cried to Sergei in bed all night. Sergei walked home along the beach when the sun came up, and he called to the fish, asked the goldfish to fix it as soon as he’d crossed through the door. He never told Sveta. And a few months later she left him for some policeman, a Moroccan with a shiny Honda. In his heart, Sergei kept telling himself it wasn’t for Sveta that he’d done it, that he’d wished his wish purely for the boy. In his mind, he was less sure, and all kinds of thoughts about other things he could have done with that wish continued to gnaw at him, driving him half mad. The third wish, Sergei hadn’t yet wished for.

“I can restore him,” says the goldfish. “I can bring him back to life.”

“No one’s asking,” Sergei says.

“I can bring him back to the moment before,” the goldfish says. “To before he knocks on your door. I can put him back to right there. I can do it. All you need to do is ask.”

“To wish my wish,” Sergei says. “My last.”

The fish swishes his fish tail back and forth in the water, the way he does, Sergei knows, when he’s truly excited. The goldfish can already taste freedom. Sergei can see it in him.

After the last wish, Sergei won’t have a choice. He’ll have to let the goldfish go. His magic goldfish. His friend.

“Fixable,” Sergei says. “I’ll just mop up the blood. A good sponge and it’ll be like it never happened.”

That tail just goes back and forth, the fish’s head steady.

Sergei takes a deep breath. He steps out into the middle of the kitchen, out into the puddle. “When I’m fishing, while it’s dark and the world’s asleep,” he says, half to himself and half to the fish, “I’ll tie the kid to a rock and dump him in the sea. Not a chance, not in a million years, of anyone ever finding him.”

“You killed him, Sergei,” the goldfish says. “You murdered someone—but you’re not a murderer.” The goldfish stops swishing his tail. “If, on this, you won’t waste a wish, then tell me, Sergei, what is it good for?”

***

It was in Bethlehem, actually, that Yonatan found his Arab, a handsome man who used his first wish to ask for peace. His name was Munir; he was fat with a big white moustache. Really photogenic. It was moving, the way he said it. Perfect, the way in which Munir wished his wish. Yoni just knew even as he was filming that this man would be his promo.

Either him or that Russian. The one with the faded tattoos that Yoni had met in Yaffo. The one that looked straight into the camera and said, if he ever found a talking goldfish he wouldn’t ask of it a single thing. He’d just stick it on a shelf in a big glass jar and talk to him all day, it didn’t matter about what. Maybe sports, maybe politics, whatever a goldfish was interested in chatting about.

Anything, the Russian said, not to be alone.

[archtechposts]

Keret House, Warsaw Poland by Architect Jakub Szezcesny

122cm at its widest point. Inhabitable or un-inhabitable?

[tripsterguru]

Many Faces of Warsaw

New Post has been published on https://tripsterguru.com/many-faces-of-warsaw/

Many Faces of Warsaw

A city with a centuries-old culture, amazing history, extraordinary flavor and enchanting atmosphere – Warsaw, like many other cities in Europe, is multifaceted. The city boasts a rich excursion program, places for youth recreation and entertainment, as well as unique monuments of history and architecture. A city of legends and amazing stories. An inquisitive tourist will not have a whole week to go around all the sights of Warsaw. Let us try to describe only a few of them that deserve special attention.

Column of Sigismund III

Warsaw begins with the old city, where the atmosphere of coziness is emphasized by low interesting buildings and a cobblestone pavement. The most important square is Palace Square. In its center stands a column with a statue of the Polish king Sigismund III. The prototype was the Mariana Column. It was cast from bronze in 1643, but the granite pillar destroyed by the Nazis in 1945 was restored in 1949 from a granite monolith mined in Silesia. In 1771, during his trip to Europe, Peter I was struck by a unique architectural monument and immediately wanted to see this masterpiece in his state. But in Poland there was no man who would take up the transportation of such a huge monument.

The Royal Castle

The Royal Castle, originally built by King Sigismund III at the end of the 16th century, is built along the square. In 1945, he was mined and blown up. For a long time the fate of this place was decided, until in 1971 it was decided to restore the lost heritage. Now a museum has been created here, where you can see the completely restored halls and interiors. Many paintings, including the originals of Rembrandt, attract lovers of painting here. Throne Hall, Marble Room, Assembly Hall decorated with beautiful stucco gilding, genuine and restored works of art.

The unique valuable relic of the Royal Palace Museum – the Stockholm Roll – is an art canvas longer than 15 m, depicting the ceremonial marriage procession of 1605 of King Sigismund III and Constance, Archduke. Here are collections of tapestries, carpets, furniture from the time of St. Stanislav; There is a rich collection of watches for various purposes; interesting items from porcelain, ceramics, bronze and crystal. No less valuable exhibits are documents from the royal personal archive. From the palace tower every day at 11.15 a bell signal is heard announcing the time.

St. John’s Cathedral

Nearby stands the Cathedral of St. John – the main temple. The gothic appearance of this oldest temple was recreated by masters after the war. Restored according to evidence, the interior is sublimely light, unobtrusive and does not interfere with communication with God. Here is the most honorable tomb of Poland. The temple is active, admission is free and mass is held daily.

Conceived during the construction (late 14th century) as the tomb of noble Polish princes, the cathedral became a coronation place from the 17th century, for which a special corridor was built between the Royal Palace and the church. In its medieval walls, the stronghold of Catholicism, several Polish monarchs were crowned in power and received their last shelter, among them the last king of Poland – Stanislav Ponyatovsky and representatives of other noble Poles.

Externally, the cathedral (this status was assigned to it at the end of the 18th century) looks like a truly Gothic building, but the interior decoration is made in the Baroque style: ceiling frescoes with gilding of unusual beauty, picturesque paintings of the altar, Borichko chapel create a magnificently beautiful picture of decoration.

Address: Kanonia, 6.

Open for visits: Mon-Fri – from 07.00 to 19.00; sunday – 08.00-19.00. Admission is free.

Mermaid fountain and sculpture

Not far from the Palace is the famous Market Square with a sculpture of the Mermaid in the center of the fountain. Each of the sides of this historical place bears the name of a famous resident: Jan Dekert, Frantisek Barss, Hugo Kollontay, Ignatius Zakszewski.

The area is surrounded by buildings, each of which has its own interesting history from ancient times. Most of them are also restored, but some are almost in their original form. There are many cafes on the square where you can get acquainted with the peculiarities of Polish cuisine at pleasant prices, in which dumplings with various fillings are called pies, and the soup is served without bread, but instead of a plate in bread.

Since olden times, Market Square has been a central place of trade, and now shops with products from antiques to food and clothing attract lovers of interesting purchases. In winter, an ice rink is organized on the square, where people flock to ice skate. In the evening, in the light of the varied Christmas illumination, many residents and guests stroll through the square and nearby streets.

Medieval dungeons

Basements in the Old Town turned out to be the most surviving places after the war. Their recovery turned out to be quite interesting. In one of them, during restoration work, a huge treasure was found with coins of the 17th century. Of the five cellars where exhibitions now exist or cultural events take place, you can choose one or two, or visit all. There is a special route for this.

Royal Route

The Royal Route – several streets connecting the three residences in which the royal families once lived. But not only these are the most beautiful streets. In summer, this path is buried in flowers that are planted in beautiful baskets throughout. The buildings on the sides seem to have come off the picture. Everything is clean and well maintained. The wide pedestrian part and the narrow roadway make it convenient for walking, as the traffic here is small, and on weekends the streets are completely blocked for him.

Royal Lazenki

The Royal Route, passing into the Uyadzowski Alleys, leads the traveler to Royal Lazenki. This is a palace and park ensemble in a vast territory, decorated in the Baroque style. It was built in the 17th century for the hetman Stanislav Irakli Lubomirsky. Peacocks walk around the manicured lawns that are located around the palace buildings. The palace, surrounded by lakes, is called a palace on the water. Later it was acquired by King Stanislav Augustus Poniatowski, who made it his summer residence.

Old city

This district of the capital, based at the junction of the 13-14 centuries, is still the center of the cultural and political life of the state. Almost everything that was created in it over the past centuries was destroyed by the military operations of 1944. There are no completely old buildings here, but the Poles lovingly restored many sights from the ruins.

Wilanow Palace

Royal residence, built at the end of the 17th century. for the family of Jan Sobieski, the best-preserved and famous landmark. The majestic architectural suite is surrounded by a picturesque garden, the palace itself is bordered by green velvet of the lawn, on which ceremonial events take place. In the depths of the monumental building, on the initiative of Stanislav Potocki, the first Polish museum was opened in 1805. Valuable museum exhibits looted by the invaders were fully returned, and museum exhibits restored. Now the Palace of Vilanius is actively visited by tourists as an interesting historical object and an ancient masterpiece of architecture.

Address: st. Stanislav Kostka Potocki, 10/16.

Open: winter season – 27. 01 – 27. 04, 29. 09 – 19. 12: Mon, Wed-Sat – 09.30 – 16.00, closed. – Tuesday.

Summer season: 28. 04-28. 09 – Mon from 09.30 to 20.00, Tue, Thu, Fri. – 09.30 – 16.00; Wednesday – Sat: 09.30 – 18.00; Entrance is prohibited 1 hour before closing.

Ticket price – 20 PLN, Sunday. – free

Cracow suburb

This wide walking avenue with a talking name can be called Warsaw Broadway, which is allowed to ride only on public transport and taxis. It originates from Castle Square and stretches towards Krakow. Here you will not be able to be an indifferent contemplator: palaces, churches and magnificent monuments will make you look surprised and admired, freeze in amazement and enthusiasm for their beauty.

A stunning impression is made by the Church of Business Cards (Church of the Guardianship of St. Joseph), named after the Catholic Women’s Order. The beautiful, creamy tones of the rococo building were newly built on the site of a wooden burned church (1656) in the first half of the 18th century. The best architects and sculptors of Poland participated in creating a true masterpiece of architecture.

No less beautiful are the buildings of the university, the Academy of Fine Arts, the Bristol and European hotels. You can not pass by the majestic monuments to Yu. Ponyatovsky, A. Mitskevich, Copernicus.

Historical Museum

The relatively young museum (1936) is located in a series of ancient buildings (N 28-42) with medieval facades with an abundance of characteristic narrow windows, with arched entrances, numerous turrets and domes on the roofs. The museum’s expositions illustrate the history of the development of the city over seven centuries through antiquities, through the things of famous citizens, relics and rarities of all time.

Three buildings out of 8 are dedicated to the Middle Ages, represented by valuable archaeological finds, paintings, sculptures, icons and other exhibits. 5 buildings accommodate expositions detailing the history of Warsaw 17-21 centuries They clearly demonstrated all the wars of this time that fell to the lot of the Warsaw; liberation struggle for independence, religion, culture and art.

The museum is divided into departments, each of which is essentially a mini-museum: named after Lesnevskaya, Palmyra Memorial, Warsaw Typography, Field Ordinate, etc. There is a cinema where documentaries in many European languages ​​are broadcasted. Large-scale exhibitions create a complete picture of the history of the Polish capital.

Address: Market (Castle) square

Open for visits: Tue, Thu – 11.00 – 18.00; Fri., Wednesday – 10.00 – 15.30; Sat-Sunday 10.00 – 16.30. Day off – poned.

Entrance Price: Adult – 2 euros, children – 1 euro. Sunday – free

Frederic Chopin Museum

It is located in the same beautiful, light building of the Baroque style, like the music of the great composer, the talented son of the Earth. The Poles took away under his museum the magnificent castle of the princes of Ostrog when the question arose of placing a collection of Chopin’s relics collected by employees of the institute of the same name. Relatives and friends of the maestro gave many manuscripts of immortal works, letters, autographed cards, books.

Now in the museum there is a piano, the keys of which touched the hands of the genius of music; many personal items, household items and leisure. The real relics are the death masks of Chopin and a unique cast of the composer’s hand. In addition to traditional exhibitions, it has multimedia, equipped with tactile screens, the right to use which gives an electronic ticket. Holders of such tickets can listen to any work and commentary on it in many languages.

Fifteen exposition rooms familiarize those present with the life of a master of classical music, with his surroundings, with the atmosphere of the era in which he created. Entering the black Death Hall, everyone experiences a feeling of light sadness and grateful love for the great Chopin.

Address: st. Okolnik, 1

Open: every day, except Mondays, from 11.00 to 20.00.

Entrance fee – 22 PLN, free – children under 7 years old.

National Museum of Warsaw

This huge repository of exhibits can hardly be called one word “museum” – it is a complex of museums assembled under the same roof of the Art Nouveau building. It is located in the busiest place in the Polish capital – next to the Poniatowski bridge and the ring de Gaulle. The National Museum “grew up” from the Museum of Fine Arts, founded in 1862.

So many exhibits of various directions of arts and peoples from antiquity to the present were collected for him that they decided to give the museum the status of National. In his expositions are more than 800 thousand objects of painting, sculpture, jewelry and applied art, photography, numismatics, wood carving, bones, fabrics.

The museum’s priceless rarities are paintings by Polish artists A. Gerynsky, “Vase for Oranges” and A. Bilinsky, “Negro Woman”, who returned here from Germany after the war. Here, ultra-modern lighting with diode lamps, allowing you to present each picture in the smallest details. Museum visitors can relax in the charming courtyard of Lorentz among the fountains on the benches and sunbeds.

Address: Jerusalem Alleys, 3.

Open: Tue – Sunday: from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thu – from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., closed. – poned.

Ticket price (in PLN): 15, preferential – 10, 7th (2 adults and 6 children up to 18 years) – 40, children (from 7 to 16) – 1.

Old Town Market Square

As in any other ancient city, it has its own market square, which was once the center of the beautiful Polish capital. It is surrounded by old houses with fancy facades. It is always crowded here: artists paint portraits of passers-by and sell their paintings, young musicians play instruments, coachmen wait for riders, and tourists look around to find a bright shot.

A guide to the Polish capital can tell an amazing story about the patroness of the city – Siren, whose face is depicted on the coat of arms of the ancient city. She was once a young and beautiful girl who sang songs to fishermen. She sailed from the Baltic Sea and remained to live in a small village, which later turned into a magnificent city. But once a greedy merchant put her in a cage and made her sing. Having learned about the trouble, the locals released the girl, and since then she has been protecting the city from misfortunes.

There are many cafes and restaurants, brand stores and souvenir shops on the Market Square of the Old City. Going here, you should bring along a sufficient amount so as not to leave anyone without a souvenir.

Castle Square

Castle Square is one of the most beautiful places in all of Europe. The eastern part of the historical center falls on the Royal Castle. Once there was a wooden fortress, on the site of which a palace was subsequently erected. It is from this place that you should begin your acquaintance with the Old Town. On Castle Square there is another unique attraction – Shlyakhet Gate with a clock tower.

Not far from them is the oldest temple in the city – St. John’s Cathedral. The turning point for the area was the war years. After a grand restoration in 1971, the historical center became again popular not only among locals, but also tourists. It is worth mentioning that since 1980 the heart of the Polish capital has occupied an honorable place in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Belvedere Palace

The grandiose baroque building is located almost in the center of the Polish capital, on the Belvedere Alley. Belvedere Palace stands on a hill with a picturesque view of the artificial lake. The building was built in 1822. His project was carried out by the architect Jakub Kubitsky. The magnificent building has a rich history. The first palace at the same place appeared back in 1662.

The construction was specially built for the wife of Lithuanian Chancellor Christopher Sigismund Pats. A few years later, the palace passed into the possession of Stanislav Ponyatovsky, who placed a faience factory in the building. Then the castle was owned by Onufry Kitsky, a few years later the building became the property of his daughter Theresa. At one time, the Russian prince Konstantin Pavlovich lived here. Throughout its history, the Belvedere has been the property of many great people. And now the castle is the residence of the Polish president.

Monument to Frederic Chopin

Poland has given the world a lot. In addition to the unique cultural and historical sights, this country has given the light to many cult personalities and celebrities who have made an invaluable contribution to the World Property. One of these is Frederic Chopin. Despite the fact that his father was a Frenchman, and the greatest Polish composer was buried in the Pere Lachaise Paris cemetery), his heart in the literal sense of the word forever belongs to Warsaw. The fact is that after death it was transported and buried in a column of the Church of the Holy Cross.

Monument to Frederic Chopin – one of the most recognizable. In Lazienki Park, this is the main attraction that gathers around itself crowds of tourists from different corners of the globe. The monument to the great composer was erected in 1926, but during the Second World War there was nothing left of it. A copy was restored only in 1958. In summer, you can hear classical music. This tradition has been respected for over 60 years.

Monument to Nicholas Copernicus

The sculpture, erected in honor of the greatest scientist of all time, was created by the Danish master – Bertel Thorvaldsen. In 1822, the monument was cast in bronze and installed in its rightful place in 1830. The sculpture was erected at the expense of the Catholic priest Stanislav Staszyca. An astronomer holds an armillary sphere in his left hand and a compass in his right. On the monument there are inscriptions in Latin: “Nicholas Copernicus grateful homeland”, “Nicholas Copernicus compatriots”.

During World War II, the German occupiers replaced them with “Nicolaus Copernicus from the German nation”. In February 1942, Polish soldiers tore off these inscriptions. A little later, the bronze sculpture was stolen by fascist troops with the aim of further remelting. However, Polish soldiers were able to save the monument and returned it to their homeland. The opening of the restored monument took place in 1949. Copies of the monument to Nicholas Copernicus are in Chicago and Montreal.

Monument to the heroes of the ghetto

The Second World War went on fire in many countries of the former Soviet Union. She did not bypass Poland. In the capital of the state there are many monuments that are an echo of the war and each time remind residents of the city and tourists of that terrible time that claimed millions of lives. One of them is the Monument to the Heroes of the Ghetto. In 1940, literally immediately after Germany began the occupation of Poland, several areas were declared a special zone in which Jews lived.

In October of the same year, the Warsaw ghetto was created, where more than 500 thousand Jews were driven. So the concentration camp became the largest in Europe. In 1942, people from the Warsaw ghetto began to be taken to the Treblinka death camp. A year later, after an armed uprising, the Nazis literally razed the area to the ground. Now, on the square between the streets of Levartovsky, Anelevich, Karmelitskaya and Zamenhof, the Monument to the Heroes of the Ghetto is erected.

The sculpture, 11 meters high, was discovered in 1948. The place was not chosen by chance, because it was at this place that the first armed clash occurred during the 1943 uprising.

Monument to the Young Rebel

A small figurine of a child among the ruins squeezes the heart and recalls that terrible time when women and children were forced to pick up machine guns and fight for their homeland. The Monument to the Young Rebel is located on Basement Street in the Old Town, the walls of which were almost completely destroyed during the Second World War. Today the medieval citadel has been restored, but its fragments that survived the bombing became part of the compositions for several memorial complexes.

So, the ruins of one of the towers turned into the background for the monument to the Young Rebel. Jerzy Yarnushkevich became the author of the sculptural composition. The monument was inspired by teenagers and children who fought with German soldiers during the Warsaw Uprising of 1944, when the Old Town was almost completely razed to the ground.

This tiny sculpture had a real prototype – the son of a nurse who helped the rebels. Like many other children, the boy acted as a liaison officer. The young warrior died, like most other members of the military resistance. Today it is one of the popular attractions.

Palace “Under the plate”

It was built in the years 1720 – 1730 near the Royal Palace. Construction work was carried out according to the project of the famous architect Yakub Fontan. The palace received such a creative name thanks to the copper roof, which in the first half of the XVIII century. Initially, on the territory of the palace “Under the Badge” there was an ordinary house, which belonged to the court smith who served Jan Casimir. Then the house was owned by Jerzy Lubomirsky, Stanislav Ponyatovsky.

After the Second World War, the appearance of the building underwent some changes. However, in general, the main building has retained its original appearance. The cultural heritage of Warsaw after 1989 became part of the Royal Palace. In 2008, a large-scale reconstruction of the palace “Under the plate” was made. Now it is a museum, which displays a variety of art objects, as well as various ancient exhibits.

Multimedia Park Fountains

The Vistula embankment is a favorite place for tourists. But not only because it is very beautiful here. In the warm season, a multimedia Fountain Park is located on the waterfront. The tourist attraction was opened in May 2011. The park is located near the Old Town, on the Vistula embankment. The sight that opens before the tourists will not leave anyone indifferent: more than 30 thousand liters per minute throw out 367 nozzles, as well as incredibly beautiful lighting.

To create fountains, designers use a little more than 300 LED-type reflectors. Tourists should linger near the fountains, because at a certain time, fancy animations emerge from the water and lights that will not leave indifferent any spectator. All this spectacle is accompanied by music of various genres. Steam runs from May to September, every Friday or Saturday. The rest of the time, the fountains work without music and light accompaniment.

Zoo

Going on a trip to the Polish capital, you can not stop by the zoo. It is worth saying right away – this place is not simple, with a rich and unique history. It is always crowded here – not only foreign tourists, but also local residents like to visit the park. The area of ​​the park is huge. Lions live here. rhinos, elephants, lynxes. camels, bears, etc. Squirrels run freely around the zoo, so tourists can freely treat small rodents with nuts.

If you went to the zoo with a child, take a trolley at the entrance where you can put a baby who is tired of walking. Believe me, you will not regret this decision. The zoo does not always work at the same time. If the weather is stable, tickets are sold from 9:00 to 16:00, despite the fact that the attraction is open until 17:00. The fact is that 60 minutes is not enough to get around at least most of the zoo. Keep in mind that a child under 12 years old will not be missed without an adult.

Lazienki Park

If you have free time and you have become acquainted with many attractions, take a look at Lazienki Park. You can immediately prepare a camera, because literally from the first steps tourists are met with unusual monuments and vivid landscapes. To the left of the main entrance to the park is a monument to Marshal Pilsudski, to the right is the Belvedere Palace. After a few meters, a truly rare exhibit appears – a retro car.

Having looked enough at the old vehicle, you can walk to the monument to Frederic Chopin. Immediately behind him is the entrance to the Royal Theater and the ancient greenhouse. Paid entrance. The main attraction of the park is the Palace on the Water. Peacocks who walk freely give it a special pathos. Near the palace is the Roman Theater.

The highlight of Lazienki Park is the Chinese Garden, which is located a bit far from hiking trails. It is not difficult to find him – you need to stand with your back to the White House and head down the path to the interior of the park.

Keret House

The narrowest house in the world or the house of Keret. This building is located between two houses. Its width in the narrowest place is only 91 cm. The Kerete House was not originally created for a large family. The building was designed for one unpretentious person. There is not enough space to accommodate an impressive size kitchen or bedroom furniture. There are no free squares for a spacious bathtub and living room.

Keret’s house was conceived as an art project. But I liked the Israeli writer and director Edgar Keret, who often comes on business issues. The area of ​​the house is only 46 square meters. m., which are distributed between two floors. Cooking, parties with friends – all this is unlikely in the house, because there is enough space for only one person.

Lazenkovsky Palace

Once it was the residence of the Polish king Stanislav Augustus Poniatowski. Then the “Palace of Water” was far from the Polish capital. Today, a park of 74 hectares is located near the historical center. The exquisite 17th century bathhouse was rebuilt by Italian architect Dominic Merlini.

Among the other objects surrounding the Lazenkovsky Palace, it is worth noting the White House, greenhouses, paths and canals, which together form a magnificent composition, which is a harmonious mixture of classical Baroque architecture and landscape design. This park is very popular among locals.

The palace itself surprises with its interior decoration. Solomon’s Hall, a ballroom, as well as an art gallery, which exhibited about 2.5 thousand works of art.

Warsaw Citadel

The Russian fortress of the XIX century or the Warsaw Citadel is a unique attraction of the Polish capital, which was built by order of Nicholas I immediately after the Polish uprising of 1830. The gates overlooking the river were called the “Gate of Death”, since it was in this place that the death sentences were carried out.

Today it is a museum that contains an impressive part of the history of the Polish state. Foreign tourists are strongly advised to visit “Block No. 10”, in which the cells of political prisoners are preserved. There is also a wagon in which exiles were transported. At one time, German invaders settled here, which prevented the rebels from uniting with another part of the Polish army.

In 1963, a military historical museum was opened on the territory of the citadel, preserving unique expositions reflecting the difficult history of the Polish state.

Catholic church of St. John the Baptist

This is the oldest Catholic temple in the city. The Church of St. John the Baptist saw history in the literal sense of the word: a dispute took place between the Polish king and the crusader knights, Stanislav Leshchinsky and Stanislav Augustus Ponyatovsky were crowned, the Saeima deputy took the oath, etc.

Famous personalities are buried inside the cathedral, who made an invaluable contribution to the development of Polish culture and the state itself. In the church there are magnificent tombs of Ignatius Jan Paderewski, Heinrich Sinkiewicz and the first president of Poland – Gabriel Narutovich.

A striking attraction of the cathedral itself is the huge wooden crucifix brought back from Nuremberg at the beginning of the 16th century. You can talk about the church endlessly, but it is better to cross the threshold and personally touch the shrine. By the way, every summer the cathedral hosts a concert of organ music.

Catholic church of the Holy Cross

One of the most ancient Catholic churches of the Polish state is located in the Cracow suburb. This is one of the most interesting religious monuments in Europe. The fact is that the Church of the Holy Cross originally belonged to the Lazarists – an ancient Catholic order. Famous architects and architects took part in the construction of the church.

For example, the project was developed by Joseph Shimon Belloto. And now the walls of the church are protected by the ashes and peace of the great men of Poland, who made history, defended independence and proclaimed the Polish state. At the entrance to the shrine stands a statue of Jesus, who bent under the weight of the cross.

The temple was seriously damaged during the Second World War. The Germans nearly took away the statue, but got rid of it along the way. The fascists mercilessly destroyed magnificent altars and priceless canvases. Now fully restored and refurbished. Construction work was completed only in 2004. The church is the greatest value of the Polish state.

Catholic church of St. Casimir

The magnificent building of the Catholic Church was erected in 1688. Built on the orders of Jan Sebeski, the Church of St. Casimir proudly rises above the historic city center. Tilman Gamerski is an architect who built a Catholic church in honor of the victory over Vienna. The Catholic church was built in the style of the early forms of classicism, which is based on strict symmetry.

In wartime, the church served as a hospital. The monks did not immediately allow civilians to place wounded rebels in the walls of the temple. But in August 1944 they did it all the same. For which they paid with the bombing. As a result, the building was completely destroyed. Restore the temple began only in 1948. It took 4 years to build a new church. Within the walls of the Catholic Church lies the ashes of the daughter of Jan Sobieski – Maria Carolina.

Catholic church of St. Anne

This amazing 15th-century building is located in the Old Town, at the intersection of Krakow Suburb, Palace and Castle Square. The observation deck offers a breathtaking view of the heart of Warsaw. The history of the castle began back in the 15th century, when a new Catholic church grew up on the site of the burned monastery for the Franciscans. This happened thanks to Princess Anne Radzivil.

It was rebuilt several times, changed architectural styles. But one thing remained unchanged – the tombstone of the Princess and to this day is located in the building of the Catholic Church of St. Anne. During the Second World War, the church partially survived. Now tourists and local residents come to the church service with great pleasure and enjoy the magnificent view from the observation deck. It is worth warning that in bad weather, the observation deck may be closed.

Uyazdovsky castle

Originally it was the castle of King Augustus II. A little later, the building was abandoned and in its place Sigismund III Vaza a manor was built for the future king. Then the palace was owned by Stanislav Augustus Ponyatovsky. At this time, the castle kept in its walls great works of art. During the Second World War, the historic building was seriously damaged, and its ruins were completely demolished in 195.

And only in 175, historians, together with the architect Peter Begansky, managed to fully restore the Uyazdovsky castle. Nowadays, the Center for Contemporary Art is located within its walls, which hosts various exhibitions, concerts and educational seminars. The director of the center is Italian Fabio Cavalucci. Near the palace there are leisure facilities, cafes and restaurants, as well as a dance floor. You cannot drive to the castle by car, as the place has acquired an ecological character.

Museum of the Warsaw Uprising

Dedicated to the tragic events of 1944, when residents of the city made an attempt to free the Polish capital from German occupiers. As many as 63 days, Polish rebels fought for the freedom and life of their compatriots. As a result, they were defeated. During this time, more than 200 thousand people died. Immediately after the bloody events, the city was almost completely destroyed.

Museum expositions are spread over 4 floors. A total of about 750 exhibits – objects that reflect the events of 1944. The museum will be interesting to both adults and children. The pearl of the exhibition is a 3D film about Warsaw. The film was shot based on 600 shots taken during the war years. In this short time (about 5 minutes) you can feel that not a single book, not a single detailed description, not a single documentary film will transmit.

Despite the fact that a large number of tourists and locals are eager to get into the museum, be sure to take time to visit this attraction.

Center of Science “Copernicus”

A huge building rises on the banks of the Vistula. The Copernicus Center is an interactive Museum of Science, which every tourist should visit. There are exhibitions that will be interesting not only for children but also for adults. The museum was opened in 2010. In the center of Copernicus there are several permanent compositions. There are own laboratories in which they conduct scientific experiments, a high-voltage theater, a robot theater and an interactive exhibition.

To create unusual exhibits, scientists from around the world created exhibits that give the museum special value. For the youngest excursionists, the “Bzzzz” exposition was created, in the “Regeneration” gallery you can get acquainted with the secrets of the creation of the world. In addition, in the center of Copernicus there is a planetarium where colorful and fascinating films dedicated to science are shown. The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday.

[andiemeir]

Hello Simmers!

I participated in this Playerstate challenge, with a unique, world guiness record building :) The Keret House in Polland.

I would really apreciate your vote! 

https://app.player-state.com/challenges/63a35073e70d6b000666d72f/submission/63ad71071605468c792b3ea9

[okapikissa]

DOM KERETA, ceiling decoration:  The Keret House (space between buildings at 22 Chłodna and 74 Żelazna in Warsaw, Poland) is an art installation inserted between two existing buildings, one pre-WWII, one more recent.  It is a home of an author, Etgar Keret, giving meaning to the no-place space.  At its widest, Keret House is 1.52m wide; at its most narrow, a mere 92cm.  

@kerethouse     @jakubszczesny     @okapikissa

[mi504meganseeney]

One Last Story and That’s It

I chose Edgar Keret’s story ‘One Last Story and That’s It’ as my chosen topic as there are many different ways I could interpret it. The story follows that of a daemon who visits the house of a writer to retrieve his borrowed ‘talent’. It depicts the daemon as a worker belonging to a larger corporation who make exchanges with humans. They give them ‘talents’ in exchange for something vague, it briefly mentions the soul so it could be that. I liked this story for the mundane spin Keret puts on the supernatural elements. The daemon seems fed up with his career path which is ironic as daemons throughout mythology are seen as lesser gods and more powerful than humans, therefore there is an assumption that such a creature wouldn’t have the capacity to be unhappy. The relationship between the two characters is an unusual one but the way the interaction is written makes it seem as if it is an unremarkable one.