Sunday, November 30, 2014

Snapshots on the Street--Brussels, Belgium




Saturday, November 29, 2014

A Mix of Cultures in Architecture--Brussels, Belgium




Thursday, November 27, 2014

A Week too Early for Christmas Markets--Brussels, Belgium

It's Thanksgiving, but I'm already thinking of Christmas. Without the Thanksgiving holiday around the rest of the world, the season transitions straight from Halloween to Christmas. During my weekend in Brussels, I stumbled upon a Christmas market set-up: the stalls with fake snow on their roofs were installed, trees were being decorated, and tinsel was being dispersed. But the streets were barren--I had arrived one week to early for the festivities. Having never been to a Christmas market I could just imagine the scene full of life. The smell of spiced cider, the twinkling lights, the festive holiday music, the thrill of the chaos! Despite my immediate disappointment, I now have an excuse to take another weekend holiday--to find a proper European Christmas market.




Wednesday, November 26, 2014

A Lesson on Being Timid--Noord, Amsterdam

I recently watched 'Exit through the Gift Shop,' a documentary about street art around the world. The documentary opened up the inner workings of the world of graffiti to me--the secrecy of the artist's identities, the illegality of it and the consequential sneaking around, etc. I recently got a first-hand taste of this lifestyle. On a tip from a local, I took a ferry to a northern neighborhood of Amsterdam to catch some graffiti. The area was very much an old ship yard--warehouses and streets overgrown with tall yellow grasses. There was one building in particular that caught my attention, a 'Netherland Shipping Company' warehouse. The building was covered in bright images and letters from the ground to as high as any tall ladder could reach. As I approached the building, the fumes of spray paint wafted through the air and I noticed a group of artists actively tagging the building with me watching. I stood stationary, acting as a mere observer from afar, too timid to approach the gang to document their work. What an amazing scene, and I didn't even snap a picture of it. It may have been fear of their reaction to my observation or my struggle with the language barrier if I approached them, but I regretfully let this opportunity pass and left the scene with only a memory of the atmosphere. 



Tuesday, November 25, 2014

My Night in a Container House--Amsterdam, Netherlands

Colorful container house villages pop up around the city of Amsterdam. They're a relatively cheap way to accommodate a growing demand for cheap(er) housing in an increasingly expensive city to live in. On my last night in Amsterdam, I got the rare opportunity to sleep in a local's very own container house! The flat, which is only a few meters wide, is outfitted with a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and living room; there's central heating, plumbing, and the containers are connected, stacked up to 4 containers high, by a type of flexible tar. Despite the small square footage, the space can be quite spacious, as long as one doesn't own much. It's not a luxurious dig by any means, but could be quite cozy with some tasteful, complementing design. After my initial awe and feeling all of the finishes of the curious flat, it started to feel more and more like any other accommodation--living in a container might not be that bad.


Monday, November 24, 2014

Canal View--Amsterdam, Netherlands

I bought a ticket to Amsterdam less than a week in advance. It was a spur of the moment decision and Amsterdam was the cheapest ticket I could find from Cork's small airport. I flew into the city with no map, no research on things to do, only an address of where I would be spending the next few nights. Despite my lack of planning, the city is just as I imagined with my little breath of knowledge--skinny 3-4 story brick structures with decorative roof lines lined along the canals, creating a progressive semi-circular layout of the city. The canal streets are lined with fall-colored trees and are constructed of rocky cobblestone, which at this time of year are softened by the damp yellow leaves which have already fallen. Low-lying bridges to cross the canals are littered with parked bikes and create a series of arches framing the canal. In the middle of fall, the sky is a constant grey with no cloud definition and there is a mystic (romanticized by my mind) haze in fall's crisp air. As I stroll, city dwellers whiz by on their bicycles, and I am more fearful that I will get hit by a bicycle rather than a car. It seems as though there is more room for the tram and bicycles on the roads than for vehicle traffic. I could easily get used to this relaxed atmosphere and lifestyle. 




Saturday, November 22, 2014

More Street Art--Amsterdam, Netherlands

Graffiti can only be found by aimless wandering. It's not marked on a map or outlined in a travel guide, and typically it is found far from the tourist spots or high-class commercial or residential area. Throughout the day I stumble upon individual pieces, but it is usually mid-day when I come across a high-density street art neighborhood, where every available surface is coated in colorful paint. These streets are typically characterized by desolation and the trash that collects alongside the road, though there are always exceptions. The thrill of the graffiti search is not knowing what I'll come across--the topics, the colors, the mediums--if any at all. One day it is a mummy in Amsterdam, and the next it's a 20 foot long octopus in Brussels.  





Evidence of Audrey in the City--Amsterdam, Netherlands

I see evidence of Audrey in almost every city I visit--quotes in coffee shops, prints in stationary stores, iconic images recreated on doorways. In a way, it's a comforting notion knowing that she's a constant figure in the many cultures I've immersed myself in. She's portrayed as the same graceful, fashionable, and natural beauty that I, and the rest of the world seems to adore. I look forward to where I'll spot her next!




Thursday, November 20, 2014

I AMsterdam--Amsterdam, Netherlands

Tourists crawl on, around, and on top of the 'I amsterdam' in the museum district near Vondelpark. It is near impossible to get a shot of the sign uninterrupted. I, however, was fortunate to witness the install of a new 'I amsterdam' this morning. Through the use of a flat-bed trailer, a mobile crane, and two positioners, the letters were carefully placed in the square, as cafe onlookers sipped their morning coffee. I presume the install is part of the winter festivities in the city, as the surrounding square is adorned with Christmas lights, an ice skating rink, and vendors selling Belgium waffles and hot chocolate to ease the chill of fall. I returned to the site later in the day to see the sign now completely installed and crawling with tourists. The site had come to life in the few hours of my absence--the iconic letters had completed the cozy space.



Monday, November 17, 2014

The Construction of an Art Space--Lewis Glucksman Gallery, UCC 

It seems as though my studies, independent research and travels are all beginning to relate. For the past few months, I have been carefully analyzing the construction process of the campus art gallery--the Lewis Glucksman--through a construction management project. Using only the site plans and architectural drawings, my group members (none of whom are Irish) and I sifted through unfamiliar Irish construction law and policies, considering every relevant act necessary to carry out a construction project. We developed safety plans, a method statement, bill of quantities, schedule, budget, etc--using only those drawings. As the project comes to a close and my head ache subsides, I have a new found appreciation for the beauty of this building, and really, any other building, considering the unseen work required to deliver a finished structure. 



Friday, November 14, 2014

After the storm--Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland

When I embarked on my four month journey to Ireland, I was well aware of the rainy climate. I assumed that half of the week would be sunny and half of the week it would drizzle. In the beginning, that was just about the trend, but lately, as the autumn weather has descended, the sky is a constant grey, and the rain is continuous--only varying from sprinkle to sudden downpour. It seems as though my luck with nature and travel is not particularly good--think back to Machu Pichu, Ring of Kerry, Giant's Causeway, Cliffs of Moher. However, despite all of the foggy, rainy, and windy encounters I have experienced across Ireland and abroad, I am sometimes awarded with a beautiful rainbow. 


Wednesday, November 12, 2014

A Return to Nature--The Highlands, Scotland

Having spent the summer months surrounded by the mountains and now emerging myself in the urban scenery, a trek into the Scottish Highlands was a necessary indulgence. The Highlands are located in the middle portion of the country bound to the North by Inverness, the capital of the Highlands. The area is characterized by mountains, grassy planes, and a sparse population. The remoteness of my surroundings was apparent with only the sound of the rushing mountain streams, the sloshing of my feet on the soggy grass, and the howling winds. 



Tuesday, November 11, 2014

A Snapshot to Capture History--Scotland, United Kingdom

The referendum may be news a month too late, but the traces still linger in Scotland. Scattered throughout the countryside I were messages of 'yes' painted on rock faces and graffitied onto construction fences reading 'yes, lets not fear change, lets embrace it' and 'yes, Scotland is ours, not theirs.' As a mere observer, I was excited to capture a little bit of history, because who knows how much longer these traces will be there.


Monday, November 10, 2014

An Afternoon in Edinburgh--Edinburgh, Scotland

The air was crisp, the sky grey, and the leaves shimmered gold in Autumn as I hopped off the bus in Edinburgh after 10 hours of travel. I had no particular plan for the day, as this trip to the city was a spur of the moment decision. With a few recommendations from the tourism office, I soon realized that I just wanted to wander. Edinburgh has the charm of old town with it's cobble stone streets, cathedrals and castle, but also the population and size to satisfy a city culture. Atop a hill to the East, one can obtain a panoramic sense of the urbanscape, the surrounding sea, hilly scenery and can even see a deteriorating grave yard shadowed on either side by new construction. From this view, it seems as though the city has a perfect combination of history, modern and greenspace, with an extensive network of accessability to the surrounding nature of Scotland and capital city, Glasgow. When wandering the streets, one can see British style houses, passageways reminiscent of Belfast's entries, and Irish style shop fronts, already decorated for Christmas. And of course, even in such charming of cities, if you look hard enough, you'll find a little bit of Graffiti. 




Wednesday, November 5, 2014

On the Other Side of the River--Cork, Ireland

I have not written of my hometown in a long time. I have been swept away by the romance of other cities, but each time I return home at the end of a traveling weekend, I am comforted by the quaint and compact city of Cork. I can compare Cork to a mini Manhattan. The confines of the city include the island, which is segregated above and below by the River Lee, and the 'Brooklyn'-esque area surrounding the island, finally fading into countryside. 'Manhattan' (city center) is the hub for business, shopping, and drinking. I live and spend much of my time here. But 'Brooklyn' has a lot to offer too--pubs that are not as well known (how hipster!), a flea market with any knick or knack you would never think of, and a fresh take on street art. This is where I spend most of my time exploring the local culture and architecture of the Irish. 



Tuesday, November 4, 2014

A Facade of Remark-Dublin, Belfast

The buildings in Ireland are built one next to the other; the cities are compact and no space is wasted. On the rare occasion when there is a flat facade--usually next to a demolition site or car park, these are the images I see: full surface-covering murals decorating the blank canvases. I often wonder if some of the murals I see are from the same artist--many have similar styles--but none of the pieces are signed for me to know. 



Monday, November 3, 2014

The View is Excellent--Cliffs of Moher, County Clare Ireland

The rain and fog enveloped the countryside as we wound our way up in elevation toward our destination--the Cliffs of Moher. As we pulled up to the ticket counter in our rented Ford Focus, we asked how's the visibility? "Excellent!" responded the ticket attendant. We paid her our admission and made our way to the cliff edge, the windy rain blowing into our faces. She must have thought we were a trio of suckers, because the view was far from 'Excellent!' The Fog engulfed the cliff face and the only definition seen was the crashing waves below. Accepting our losses (the fact that we had just driven cross country for this view and had been swindled out of 18 euro), we regretfully turned around and walked back to our car.