Where has Dave been?

[FirstAmongstDaves]

Some of you might have noticed my characters idled out over the past 3 weeks or so.

I went to:

a. New York. Great city. I stayed in the Crosby Street Hotel in Soho which was excellent. I went to the Yankees/Mets subway series game and thoroughyl enjoyed it (although I was a little chilly). Caught up with a good friend and had a great time. I even went to Forbidden Planet, a famous comic shop, which I had never visited before, although I managed to resist the urge to buy anything.

b. Boston, by train up through Connecticut and Rhode Island.  I was so busy with work I didn't see much of Boston at all. I did spend an hour or so in Quincy Street which was pretty and generally admired the European style architecutre from taxis and my hotel window.

c. Rome. My first time in the Eternal City and I loved it. I stayed at the St George Roma, an extremely nice hotel. I went to the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Vatican (have an issue with heights and ddn't like the Dome much!), and an amazing Carvaggio exhibition. Cobblestoned streets and beautiful piazzas. Probably my favourite European city now. Bought some nice Machine Age aluminium art.

d. Florence. I stayed in a beautiful hotel next to the Duomo, a 600 year old cathedral, went over the Pont de Vecchio, and had some extraordinary food. Beautiful city, beautiful weather.

I bought lots of books on things I saw, which only adds to my book surplus problem I have back in my house, and stock up on some new kit, which was overdue since my clothes were looking a little worse for age. Spend a fortune. Back now in Perth. Flights were terribly long (29 hours to NY, which is tough in economy). Winter has set in here and I'm already over it.

So. That's where I've been.

[Ahnaom]

You have to admit though, neither of these cities beat Raktam

[Anthor]

Glad you're back (online) Dave. If you ever get to Los Angeles, or Orange County, CA... let me know ahead of time and I'll buy you a beer.

[snico]

was this for work or for pleasure?? 

Sorry you didn't get to see Boston, I've heard its a great town, but those are people who are all about american history, which I'm not sure would interest you... but it has lots of old stuff!

[FirstAmongstDaves]

Snic- it was mostly for work although the trip to Florence was a bit of a scam on the end.

Glad you're back (online) Dave. If you ever get to Los Angeles, or Orange County, CA... let me know ahead of time and I'll buy you a beer.

There's a decent chance of that next May, when the conference I attend annually is in San Francisco. I have two clients in LA to visit so yep it'll probably happen.

[CyAdora]

Welcome back Dave. You were missed.

[Zen Gate]

We haven't met, but I already like you, and so am glad to see your return. Well-rounded and well-traveled, what's not to respect? I plan on flying across the globe in a mad dance of life-changing experiences, which I'll be able to talk about from years to come.

I've traveled the world and the seven seas.

You forgot to add the part where you slaughtered a village of sand people for brutalizing your mother (and not just the men, but the women, and the children).

<Gaudy Yakuza voice> Okane ga attara ryoko surunda kedo na, ore ni ataeru! Jodan yo.

I'm a chronic infophile. I buy waaaay more books than I should.

"Quot libros, quam breve tempus."
So many books, so little time.

You're experiencing what the Buddhists call tanha, which I'm sure from the high standards of this forum sets, everyone here knows the meaning of. Although, you're not blowing your money on boobs and booze... but books. My recommendation is that you stop buying books.

Seriously. I used to buy 30 books a week from a bookshop, until I realized how fruitless the endeavor
was. Sure, I became incredibly well read, but at the cost of my humanity and pocket change! I built up a fortress of books, only to donate them to a library. Demo, de to wo, jibun no suki ni shinasai.

[snico]

Snic- it was mostly for work although the trip to Florence was a bit of a scam on the end.

Glad you're back (online) Dave. If you ever get to Los Angeles, or Orange County, CA... let me know ahead of time and I'll buy you a beer.

There's a decent chance of that next May, when the conference I attend annually is in San Francisco. I have two clients in LA to visit so yep it'll probably happen.

Oh... if your in SF, go to this place called ChaChaCha's... it's on Haight Street and it is flipping amazing (and it's right next to the best record store in the world... if the album isn't there, it ain't worth finding!)

[FirstAmongstDaves]

What is ChaChaCha's, Snic?

We haven't met, but I already like you, and so am glad to see your return. Well-rounded and well-traveled, what's not to respect? I plan on flying across the globe in a mad dance of life-changing experiences, which I'll be able to talk about from years to come.

I've traveled the world and the seven seas.

You forgot to add the part where you slaughtered a village of sand people for brutalizing your mother (and not just the men, but the women, and the children).

<Gaudy Yakuza voice> Okane ga attara ryoko surunda kedo na, ore ni ataeru! Jodan yo.

[Beat Takeshi voice]: "Itsuka shikaeshi suru zo..."

Not far from Nichinomiya station on the line between Kobe and Osaka is a gangster suburb. I think its called Ashiya. Pretty leafy place on a hill, lots of heavy concrete bunkers with black glass windows.

I'm a chronic infophile. I buy waaaay more books than I should.

"Quot libros, quam breve tempus."
So many books, so little time.

You're experiencing what the Buddhists call tanha, which I'm sure from the high standards of this forum sets, everyone here knows the meaning of. Although, you're not blowing your money on boobs and booze... but books. My recommendation is that you stop buying books.

Seriously. I used to buy 30 books a week from a bookshop, until I realized how fruitless the endeavor
was. Sure, I became incredibly well read, but at the cost of my humanity and pocket change! I built up a fortress of books, only to donate them to a library. Demo, de to wo, jibun no suki ni shinasai.

I no longer buy paperbacks in a bid to curb my bibliotheque's growth.

Travel schedule in the next year:

July: Bali, Indonesia (youngest's birthday)
July: Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia (friend's wedding)
September: Singapore (oldest's birthday)
November: Tokyo, Japan (work)
May 2011: Tokyo, , LA, SF, Rome, Milan
November:

[snico]

oh haha duh I guess i should say it's a restaurant!  it's cuban food... the fried new potatos with the sauce is the best thing since the side of fries. 

[FirstAmongstDaves]

Ah, ok. Thanks, Nic: I'll check it out.

[Milkchew]

So you guys are all from the States?

Dave, did a tour of Italy myself a few years back, Rome, Naples, Venice etc, fantastic place indeed. 

[FirstAmongstDaves]

So you guys are all from the States?
 

Nope, I'm from Western Australia.

Most folks here I think are from the UK.

[CyAdora]

I bet that Dave has the tastiest of Aussie accents!!!!!!!

Toss a steak on the barbie for me, bloke.

He's not from the back blocks either.

 

[yodas minion]

 hey dave, what job do you have? you seem to travel alot. And welcome back! i look forward to killing/maiming/selling/hurassing/negotiationg/weirding out/ telling off / running away / selling to/ eating and all that good stuff to your characters!