Christmas by the beach

Spring was a very bizarre time for me. My system is designed to hate the fall, so I get into a very grumpy mood from September to November. I don't like to see the days getting shorter, and the clock go back. It gets worse than that. My aversion to this period dates back to the traumatic days of school, and the inevitable "judgement day" somewhere in September, when all that's evil and horrible about this world becomes your 9 to 5 every weekday of your young life. (my greatest joy in life is still and will always be that I'm DONE with the fucking school...)

Of course down under the rules change; the water rotates counterclockwise and sun shines from north. But that's not all! Around October I started to smell flowers, the days were getting longer and for some bizarre reason I actually felt upbeat! It's bloody October!!! What's wrong with me? Depressive is my usual mode this time of the year.

Its really weird because the clash is inevitable. I've met people living here for 4 or 5 years, who still find it weird to have the seasons reversed. I certainly do. But hey, I'm not complaining! The smell of lavender and sunshine in November is something I can deal with, trust me! I remember in Brisbane, early in December, when I met Aussie Santa Claus... in shorts! 35ºc, tropical storms, melons and cherries, kids on summer vacations... fuckin'hell, this is the best autumn I ever had!

Though when it comes to Christmas, I do like the charm of the snow outside, while McCauley Culkin is home alone beating the crap out of those house intruders. As it turned out, I spent Christmas day with my visiting parents on the beach in Melbourne, under palm trees and smelling the BBQs. No traditional cod fish with potatoes and vegetables before the presents neither. Actually, no western food at all! The only restaurants open were Asian, and Malaysian Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce was definitely a first for Xmas lunch.

In the end, I'm a 30 year old who lived 29 winters and 31 summers. Could be worse.
As a footnote, some of my friends asked me for a little more about Tasmania. Like I said before, words aren't enough. Images however, can be more telling. Please follow the link to YouTube, and my 6 minute Tasmanian video. Apologies for the poor resolution. Even the all mighty YouTube has its flaws.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=hZ6JyqUD2Vg

situação existente / existing site

Projecto para a extensão de um centro comercial existente, localizado em Luton, Inglaterra. Os novos 5000 m2 de área comercial seriam criados em redor de uma nova entrada principal, acrescentando qualidade e fluidez à experiência urbana e de consumo.
Como esquema comercial, foi um exercício simples. O desafio era criar uma nova fachada icónica e uma ligação espacial efectiva com a renovada praça S. George; o verdadeiro centro de Luton. A integração com os edifícios circundantes bem como a interacção com a nova praça eram a chave do sucesso.
Trabalhei neste projecto desde o conceito inicial e projecto de licenciamento até ao projecto de execução. Durante este período actuei como coordenador entre o cliente e as diversas engenharias. Esta foi a minha primeira experiência como coordenador de projecto na Broadway Malyan, a qual qualifico como muito positiva.

Located in Luton, England, the project consisted on a 5000 m2 expansion of an existing shopping centre, while creating a new modern main entrance, adding quality and fluidity to the retail and urban experience.
As a retail scheme, this was a fairly simple exercise. The challenge was to produce an iconic new façade, and a strong link to the newly refurbished St. George’s Square, effectively the heart of Luton. The integration with the surrounding buildings as well as the interaction with new square was the key to success.
I worked on this project from concept and planning application to detail design. During that period I acted as the design team coordinator, between consultants and client. This was my first project manager experience at Broadway Malyan, and it was a very positive one.

Time to look back to the 2008 concerts, and select the ones that provided me with the best experience, the best memories and the best performances!
After careful consideration, I came up with a top 5:

Miss congeniality goes to:
MUSE at the Royal Albert Hall. The crowd was one of the best ever! Totally packed with die-hard fans, it was a miracle to get those tickets, and privilege to watch that performance.

Miss Photogenic goes to:
GOLDFRAPP. The best stage of the season. Not for the lasers and bangs, but the atmosphere generated, in perfect sync with the music.

Runner-Up 2:
PORTISHEAD. 10 years I've been waiting for this. Sublime, human, textured, orgasmic, it was absolutely perfect... Beth's vocal performance and stage presence I will never forget.

Runner-up 1:
GOLDFRAPP. I saw them twice, in the Royal Albert Hall and the Sydney Opera House. This award refers to the Albert Hall show in June. Lost for words. Sensationally creative, atmospheric, surreal, sensitive, sensual, joyful and nostalgic. Greatest candidate to concert of the year was my prediction at the time. Came awfully close! It was simply MORE perfect.

And the winner is:
ATOM HEART MOTHER. A no brainer. This was a part of the Chelsea Festival in London. It's a classic Pink Floyd epic, from 1970, comprising a full choir, brass section and a rock band. Mostly classical music mixed with rock. The last time it was performed live was somewhere in the early 70's. It was all about emotion. To see that piece played live with Gilmour on stage, to an audience of true Floyd fans was enough to ensure a climax that no other concert gave me this year. Its all in the emotion. Its all in the smile you carry out from the gig... Those present that day will know what I mean.

I'm kicking off 2009 with the Arctic Monkeys. It's gonna be the first time that everybody on stage is younger than me. Painfully unavoidable. May the force be with 2009.

Couchsurfing in Tasmania

For the masses unfamiliar to the concept of couchsurfing, it consists of an online community, where you register, contact people from places you’re planning to visit, arranging to stay at their place for free, and most of all, meeting people and getting the best tips from the locals. Most of these are people with a great appeal for multicultural interaction and the travel bug. My DNA exactly.

Just before xmas I went to Tasmania. The least I can say is I have an attraction for remote places, and it doesn’t come much more remote than this. When I got there, the bus driver at the airport said: “welcome to paradise”. Oh God, here’s another pathetic over patriotic geeser, I thought. Little did I know…
On my first night in Hobart, I stayed with Gail and Jed, the dog! She told me there was another couchsurfer that night staying at her house. What she didn’t say was that it was a 70 year old American woman, travelling on her own, to do the 65km long world famous overland trek. Youth has no boundaries.

Tasmania was a great surprise. The coast is a dream, the inland a collection of incredible sceneries, lakes and valleys, and the people, a well spirited bunch! Images will speak more than any words, and still, fall short of the in loco experience.
On my last night, I couchsurfed with Ivo and his mother Iva, in Launceston. Besides a great welcome, we went to meet some friends having a bbq. No one could grasp the concept of Ivo and I meeting for the first time 2 hours before, but that home brewed bitter was totally spot on! Another great encounter.
I had the Alps and the Atacama desert as my top spots so far. Tasmania just joined that club.

Hobart at sunrise from Mt. Wellington

Wineglass Bay

Lake Dove and the Cradle Mountain