Before departing to the E.U.

Before the homeless rise from their slumber and the sun rises from its horizon the birds are chirping greeting the new day. I like to think they are just trying to wake up all the homeless people sleeping on the Jefferson Square park benches so they can be inspired by the sun and all the people doing what I think is thai-chi. Nothing like a big bowl of irony to start your day.

The dome of San Francisco's city hall is slowly turning from a silhouette against a deep blue sky to it's regular charcoal top showing off it's gold trim... BLING BLING! When I moved to San Francisco in the year 2000 the dome was epic and the 5th largest dome in the whole wide world. Now it is just the 6th or 7th and I look eye level at it every morning still impressed but uninspired by the decadence any more.

This morning is like any other morning really. I look out my window and absorb birds and trees, irony and gold. The difference is me. I feel different. I am excited. I feel fear, and joy and butterflies. I wrote a poem on my chalk board.

Today I leave for Europe for the first time. Most of my friends did this journey backpacking around the EU 10 years ago and I have heard the stories and seen the pictures. I waited patiently for my turn and here I go on this work/play voyage. One month photographing and living new things. I have a wedding on the Isle of Man and a couple hip hop guys on tour in Germany to document.

I am so stoked to venture out into the world at 27 years young. This is all temporary and I am ENJOYING THE JOURNEY!!!

Berlin Wall's East Gallery

Pretty impressive eventhough it is all current art and graffiti and just a wall. I was a told a cool story from a West-Berliner about sneaking peeks all the time over the wall and being mystified as a child about the world beyond the wall.

Berlin: gututraff, gritt and good times.

38 something strasse. It is like every abondoned building I have ever explored in SF except with people living inside this dvil's den and there is a rec room of sorts and live music. Only in the E.U. and only in Berlin. These are just a couple snaps from the hip hop style evening there.

I haven't left Berlin yet but I cannot wait to come back. This place is bike and art frienldy to say the least and insanely visullay tantilizing. Add that to the history and the parks and drinking brew whilst you stroll through it all and it will be hard to beat. I am affradi to return to SF and feel jaded. Did I mention rent is relatively cheap (700 Euro/mo for a really nice 2 bed flat)... for now. This place is going to get pricey and there is a ton of changes being made although as the BURGERMEISTER (or Mayor) said "Berlin is sexy but poor"... but not for long I think.

At a crossroads to stay here or continue with the hop hop crew... Barcelona is calling my name and I will see her on the 21st. Enjoying the journey!

ISLE OF MAN: Legs, Camera, Action!

You know when a place is that good when in a full week there you have no time or desire to write or upload photos even when you are addicted to sharing your journey with others. 

The Isle of Man was great but it was the people that mad it so. The TT race course, the Peel Castle and the St. James church were cool as well. But it was Chris Caldwell driving that TT course at 100mph that made it epic. It was being able to see the Peel Castle from the window of the third floor room that I was staying in of Laura Caldwell's place. It was the wedding at that church and the tears of joy that were shed by just about everyone for Justin and Jenna. It was the jam sessions with Ciaran. It was making art with Sam and Jocelyn and it coming out like magic! The awe inspiring observation of the brothers Ben and Dan drunken improvisational beauty. "I am Ben... I am 68% percent drunk... ACTIVATE!" 

It was everyone there. It was of life. It was epic!

Now I am in Berlin. Got lost. Met a local that showed me how I wrote down Kiki's number wrong (who I am staying with here) and lead me to her work. Time to explore some more!

London Life: We are Looters and we are Luton!

My week in London was great. Great weather, great conversations and great new experiences and truths. From rabbit stew at Borough Market and little girls leaping in Green Park to the Championship football match and a chat with a an 80 year old woman born and raised in London in St. James Park.

The parks and the markets are amazing here. But my dream of watching a football match in England was the highlight. I was riding the Tube Underground and saw a bunch of people wearing orange Luton Town jerseys. I had no idea who the team was or what was going on but asked around and it turned out it was a championship match! So i went back to the spot I am staying with my buddy James and regrouped and heading to Wembley Stadium. The place was enormous and the home team side was sold out!!! I was so bummed because it is really illegal to scalp tickets here and even though I did not know of either team I was feeling the orange. Then after pacing back and forth I met 65 year old Martin Douglas who happened to have a spare! The ticket was just about as high as you could go in the stands but right on the midfield and with a rowdy group of Luton fans that kept singing the whole game. My favorite chat was "WE ARE LOOTERS AND WE ARE LUTON!!" The home town Luton beat Scunthorpe United 3-2 in overtime. It wasn't the English Premier League but it was 50,000 loving the game and celebrating life.

London @ Night

London at night is pretty tasty and I will be back for seconds. The atmosphere, the sights, the hustle, and the magic. Walking around at night is just a joy. Or riding the bus and taking pictures of Big Ben drive by style. From London Bridge and Waterloo to Camden and Piccadilly Circus, London has more to offer than a California kid could comprehend.

London during the day...

Walking around London the thing I noticed most except for the fact that everybody reads free tabloids on the Tube Underground instead of interact with each other is the fences. Everything has a fence around it. Spikes and teeth and barbwire. They even have a huge fence that is more of a statue that is aobut 20 feet high but you can walk 20 yards and be aroundit and into Green Park. It was sunny and people were being of life. But that is not the London people think of and want to see and want to know. So here is Green Park near Buckingham Palace cold and leafless.