The picture above was shot today when I had some time to play around with the camera while I was waiting for the new haircut of my wife to get completed (about 4 hours). It is a small square with some benches, artistic water installations and some shadow (where I had to hide to protect myself of the burning sun). The place is located between the Imperial Palace (right in the opposite direction from the presented view) and the Tokyo Station (which is behind the big buildings).

As we have internet connection right in the room I already have uploaded some photos of the first days which can be found in the photo gallery Tokyo 2007 album.

Our journey has taken us to many places already: Tokyo Disneyland, Harajuku, Shinjuku, Akihabara, Ueno (where we are staying), Saitama, etc. etc. and there is still some time left. Hooray.
The images in the gallery are just a teaser. Many great shots to follow soon.

We will head for Tokyo (and the rest of Japan) around the 20th of July. About two and a half weeks will give us enough space to discover the still very unkown culture. Looking forward to get to know my wife’s dynasty and to experience new customs and rites. Our route is well planned (but of course leaves some gaps for spontaneous decisions) and it will bring us to locations (apart from Tokyo) ranging from Iwate in the north to Miyajima in the south of Japan. Sadly I am not going to see Witvogel and The telephones at the motion livehouse in shinjuku at the 6th of August as that is the day of our return. Nevertheless this journey should be the best thing ever. No matter what we are doing… Walking through the big cities and getting to know the country and the people is pleasure enough.

But I have to be patient. As I said there are some things to occur first and there are some events which might even arise to the same level of excitement than this year’s trip to Japan (which is very very hard to achieve). Starting with one minor but very amusing event this weekend – the annual reunion with my colleagues from university at a lake in the mid-distance neighbourhood.

We start from the museum of art history.

We cross the highly frequented “Ring” (the inner of two circles surrounding the city center) and pass by the “Hofburg”

The Hofburg was and still is the residence of the Austrian leaders and I think the current president of the United States (Geroge W. Bush) will be welcomed there when he visits Austria this summer. The stand in front of the building is not always there. People could sit there and watch the runners of the Vienna Marathon which took place last Sunday.
Right after passing the Hofburg we end up at the “Michaelerplatz” where you have the chance to meet Mozart’s little Brother if you are lucky… I don’t have to mention that we were lucky:

Although his clothing may look quite antiquated he knows how to use a mobile. If you head straight forward you will most probably get to see some old form of transportation: the Viennese Gondoliere (like the Italian ones, just replace the Gondolas with Horses).

If you pass continue the street, passing by the traditional and famous K.u.K. Hofzuckerbäcker Demel you will then end up at the plague pillar

Then you really are in the center. Right around the corner at the end of the street you’ll find the “Stephansdom”. After shopping we went to get some more Mozart right behind the Hofburg:

It is no coincidence that you bump into some kind of Mozart artefact. Our most famous musician (next after Johann Hölzel) is celebrating his 250th birthday. Not only one single day but the whole year. Happy birthday Wolfgang. A toast to the genius of our “Woiferl”.

The festival was quite successful and very very interesting and entertaining for the audience. We are already looking forward to the next festival, taking place from 24th to 29th of April 2007.

Kontakt movie, imdb.com

The “European animation highlights” are a compilation of short films which gives a good overview of European animation works of the last year. The DVD should be available around June (hopefully, the initiators of the DVD said). The range of different styles was amazing. From light, entertaining trick films to really deep and heavy animations. I have to admit that one or two masterpieces were too abstract for my taste but it was good to see all the different types of contributions. One of my favourites was Fallen Arts which was an award winning computer animation. Just take a look at the incredible awards list. But the compilation also contained works of yet unknown students who delivered high quality animations too. The first work was “Maestro” which you can download here (44MB MPG). Sadly I did not find any other works online.

“On the outskirts” is a documentary film which deals with new communities which have evolved on the Turkish coastal areas. Large buildings where the Turkish people who worked hard in foreign countries (especially Germany) spend their retirement. The director itself explained to the audience that she wanted to focus on the problem the children of those workers face. They are forced to go “back” to a country which language they barely speak and to which they hardly have any connection anymore. It was very informative to listen to the directors stories. I am glad that I could see the film as it shows me a different Turkey than that I had in my mind.

The images of the festival officials are not published yet at the Crossing Europe gallery homepage. I am quite sure that I must be on one of the photos they took today Will check it out tomorrow…

This year I am going to see four movies and I am coming right back from the first of them: The Slovenian film “Odgrobadogroba” (Gravehopping)”. Starting as a really funny movie it focuses on a topic which is tabu in most countries, suicide, and gets quite tough and touching in some scenes. The plot focuses around the main actor, a man whose profession is to hold speeches at burials, his family and his neighbours. My favourite character was the father of the main role… the poor old man whose wife had died 6 years ago and who tries to escape his loneliness constantly. His expression is great and his person is just so likeable.

My favourite quote:

“Not everyone is born, but everyone is going to die.”

I am still very sorry that the audience (us included) did not ask any questions after the movie. I think we were just so moved by the film and would have needed some time to get ready for conversation. Sorry again about not being that talkative but thank you very much for this great movie.

Check back tomorrow for my comments on “European Animation Highlights” and “On the outskirts”.

Gravehopping movie homepage
Producer (left) and Director (right) of the film, talking to the audience

Crossing Europe film festival homepage

Maybe you want to try some sausages – worufu style?

Today the climax was reached so far. Again 100% sun, no clouds, more than 20°C. There was the local city marathon going on and we went to the main square in the city center to watch the arrival of the runners. To compensate our excitement we decided to grudge us some icecream.

Anton Bruckner that is. He was living from 1824 to 1896 (the first half of his life near and in Linz) and developed his musical genius in the second half of his life. He was born in Anselden, a small Town near Linz and this article is linked to this town. By clicking on the location map link you can see where it is. You can read more info about the person by following the links posted below. There is only one anecdote from wikipedia which I want to add

Bruckner was a very simple man, and numerous anecdotes abound as to his dogged pursuit of his chosen craft and his humble acceptance of the fame that eventually came his way. Once, after a rehearsal of his Fourth Symphony, the well-meaning Bruckner tipped the conductor Hans Richter: “When the symphony was over,” Richter related, “Bruckner came to me, his face beaming with enthusiasm and joy. I felt him press a coin into my hand. ‘Take this’ he said, ‘and drink a glass of beer to my health.’” Richter, of course, accepted the coin, a Maria Theresa thaler, and wore it on his watch-chain ever after.

Anton Bruckner Links

• Austrian encyclopedia AEIOU.at
• Wikipedia entry
• Bruckner conservatory in Linz
• link to the bakery

I took some photos of buildings in Linz which are related to Bruckner. The bakery exists since 1570 and was officially allowed to deliver the royal family in 1903. That means during Bruckners lifetime it was not delivering bread and sweets to the royal family but it existed already. There is also a little cafe inside where you can see lots of old photographs. Probably even Bruckner himself was there buying his favourite bread.