Author: cjx07ster

Australian Engineer, Located in Sydney NSW Australia.

Martini Dry – Abu Dhabi 

On By cjx07sterIn Control, Innovation, news, TravelLeave a comment

people turn up for brunch by the beach around the courtyard fountain – not all at once – but gradually the place is shiny with tourists and locals – who must realise this might be the better brunch in town today. 

Today is a Friday – a holy day in the Muslim week – which we all probably do our best to hold too. Malls are open. Ferrari world is open. The blue mosque too. But people in the courtyard have maybe seen it all before.

I haven’t yet I’m tired from the tumultuous week at ADIPEC and maybe jet lag too quietly dulling out the brainwaves in the sunny afternoon.

So many people at that show. Cars people security parking badges delegate or exhibitor or visitor. Still with 100,000 people expected over the last 4 days, it had been all rather well organised. 

The paper, too techies for some maybe had to be written. Presented in minimalist form in a 20 minute slot. Of course there is a whole calendar of work starting May with the abstract last chance. How easy to write an abstract with keywords, but work and bits trashed searching through the argument and all the while looking for how to explain in only 6k words or less. 

Anyway that’s just the beginning. There will no doubt be a return visit next year with another idea extending the thoughts of others with another new insight.

But not today – too hard – too bright and the population too shiny under the Abu Dhabi sun reflections of the shiny buildings in the courtyard pool beside.

The Fisherperson

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Mostly little bream get caught on days like this. Days when it’s down from the 55c in August and getting on to only 36c. Bright like a star the sun shines down through the salty haze of the gulf. 

The fishermen are covered head to toe with woollen balaclavas and jeans as a kind of heat shield for the morning.  

The prawn bait is cut and skewered onto small hooks on a side line up from the large sinker. Shallow ripple water stretches out as far as you can see – sometimes through to the lights of Bahrain on the other side. The rod whips over head and the cast reaches out about 40 meters. It’s heavy enough to provide some tension on the line but ok for a little bream to nibble around and take the bait.

But it’s not all about the fisherman or woman since generally only the women wear black but then everything else so bright it may not actually be black.

No there is the reflection and static nature of time. The scene could have been shot for 10minutes with almost no change. Waiting for the fish to bite. 

I couldn’t wait – a shore kitten skittish on the rocks took this opportunity to jump up on the Seawall and snaffle the hits of shrimp left lying around.  He saw me and scampered off to the cooler shade of the wall. 

Waiting for Leonskaja

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“An affair is not out of the question” – ACO PROGRAM NOTES for LEONSKAJA

If only countess Madeleine could decide between the composer or the poet. Since the composer makes such musical poetry and the poet such grand symphonic compositions. Verses shall it be then ? To wrestle her heart and affection. Let’s see how the ACO handles Richard Strauss’ then. Of course it was the opening by the ACO which set the scene. 

The stagemen in black rolled the most black Steinway onto the stage Center / parting music stands like standing stones and then entered Leonskaja and the Steinway was just the most perfect machine ready to sound her fearless virtuosity without the slightest movement other than those decided by the master composer Mozart. Such a great choice of Concerto by the ACO. I liked the way some of the standing violinists would smile at Mozart’s magic wit as it developed probably for the countess he dedicated it too.