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murumokirby360 · 4 years

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My 8bitdo SN30 Pro+ Review (w/ my Paper Dolls) - Part 2.5 [Nov 27, 2020]

Here’s the Part 2.5 of my 8bitdo SN30 Pro+ Gamepad.🎮🙂

Once again, I’m going continue to talk about the accessories from my new wireless controller 8bitdo SN30 Pro+ Bluetooth Gamepad (,with accompanied by my two Paper Dolls).😊

If you haven’t seen my Part 2, then please [CLICK ME!].

BTW: Some of my photo(s) [snapshot by my Honor 8C📱] are combined into one photo 🖼️ using GIMP (2.10.22).

So without further ado, let’s get started:

10th to 15th Image(s): • [10th Image]: Once again you already saw my recorded video when I inspect the compartment part at the back of 8bitdo gamepad, right? Yeah, sure you are.🙂 • As I said before in the Part 1.5, 8bitdo did a good decision for their SN30 Pro+ gamepad; instead of slapped a built-in rechargeable battery like most other 8bitdo wireless gamepads / arcade sticks, but rather install a battery compartment and built their own battery pack for their SN30 Pro+ gamepad.🔋⚡🙂 Something that they’re took those queues from the Microsoft’s Xbox 360/One controllers and also their recent Xbox Series X controller too, and that’s not a bad thing. 😊👍 We’re always welcome to see more premium / budget wireless controllers with these features.🙂 • [11th & 12th, 13th & 14th Images combined]: So here’s what the 8bitdo battery pack looks like.🔋⚡This is a model no. 80GA-18 battery pack that contains 1000mAh battery and rate to 3.7V (volts) / Wh (watt-hour). According to the company it says that can lasts up to 20 hours of gameplay and can charge for 4 hours; something that I’ve never seen this 1000mAh battery pack before from the 3rd party gamepad. Likewise, the battery pack itself is something a very resembles to the actual Xbox One wireless controller’s battery pack, in which that this battery pack can fit in to that Xbox’s previous controller; and you know what, someone actually did via Reddit [CLICK ME!] and I’m very surprised.😯 • [14th Image]: By the way, please ignore the number sticker, that’s just a warranty void sticker. • [15th Image]: My paper dolls saying that “this is the first time that you owned a battery pack from a 3rd party game controller brand, and that looks awesome.”, thanks again.☺️ • Now I know what you thinking and asked... Will 8bitdo sells battery pack for the SN30 Pro+ gamepad as an additional spare from the online shopping site (e.g. Amazon, Gearbest, Lazada PH, Shopee PH)?

○ Ans: So far... No. Apparently 8bitdo did not sell battery packs for the SN30 Pro+ gamepad, both in their website and also other well-known online shopping site(s).😟 Which is very ironic, that consider you can buy another wireless gamepad of the same model just to get that spare battery pack.😕

•(And) Will the Xbox One controller’s battery pack be fitted / compatible to the 8bitdo’s SN30 Pro+ wireless gamepad?

○ Ans: Ummm... Maybe? 🤔 I mean, I don’t have a Xbox One controller’s battery pack nor the wireless controller itself (,not to mention the Xbox One console though). But despite the same size as the Xbox One’s battery pack counterpart, I’m sure It’ll fit somehow (like they did happened from Reddit in vice versa)… Just saying.

But there is another way, as I proof in the next two images.

16th & 17th Images [combined]: • [16 Image]: So here’s what the battery compartment looks like from the SN30 Pro+ gamepad, this is we’re I put the 8bitdo battery pack. (Again, please ignore the number sticker, that’s just a warranty void sticker.) • You notice that there’s also a mini instruction beside the model specs of the SN30 Pro+ gamepad. There are four modes that I can choose, depending what devices will be connected from my 8bitdo gamepad. Here are the ff. modes:

○ For N-Switch mode: Press Y + “start” button

○ For Android (smartphone, phablet, tablet, android box & smart tv box formats) / D-input mode: Press B + “start” button (hope it’ll work on Windows OS when I’m using my 8bitdo wireless adapter/retro receiver in my upcoming part very soon)

○ For Windows OS (7 to 10 & later, both in laptop and PC formats) / X-input mode: Press X + “start” button

○ (and finally) For Mac OS (ver. 10.10 - X Yosemite & later, both in laptop and PC formats) mode: Press A + “start” button

○ And don’t forget to press the sync / pairing button (located beside the USB Type C socket) in order to connect successfully.

• [17th Image]: Now remember what I said that there’s another way? Well as you can see in my next image, I can use two regular AA batteries 🔋🔋 as an alternative way - in case that the 8bitdo battery pack is completely drained low. By the way I take this as an example on how to put batteries on my 8bitdo gamepad, and I think I prefer a “Rechargeable” batteries 🔋⚡ over alkaline / carbon non-rechargeable batteries. Because these batteries are waste of money and they’re only delivers one-shot (per battery), at the fraction of cheap budget costs. so hopefully I will find a better quality “Rechargeable” batteries someday.😉

Nevertheless, let’s move on to the next image while I’m removing non-rechargeable batteries to the original battery pack that included...

18th to 20th Image(s): • [18th Image]: You’ve already seen the front facing buttons from the 1st Image in part 2, so now let’s check it out at the side of the 8bitdo gamepad. Here you see two traditional shoulder and trigger analog buttons; they took the trigger button layouts from PlayStation DualShock controller series of R1 & R2, as well as the shoulder buttons from Nintendo controllers (SNES / Super Famicom to be specific or later) of L & R. •Beside those, there’s a sync / pairing button which I’ve mentioned before, a USB Type C socket for charging / wired mode using the included cable and a single indicated light. •[19th & 20th Images]: Speaking of indicated light, here’s another indicated light with four LEDs located at the other side, something resembles to the Nintendo’s N-Switch Pro Controller (not to be confused with Sony PS3′s DualShock 3 controller). This will shows the pairing connection and also the battery rate from the 8bitdo battery pack / alternative AA batteries usage. As you can see when I pressed the start button twice it flashes the LED lights back ‘n fort. • You may notice that there are two rectangular holes on each side of the 8bitdo gamepad, right? Well that’s gonna be for the 8bitdo Smartphone Clip’s attachment for this controller (SN30 Pro+ gamepad), which is sold separately. Yes, you heard me right “Sold Separately”. Here’s what it looks like.↓

• I believe there are three different colors depending what edition I (or you) choose to suit the match. Man, 8bitdo sure wants us to fork an extra buck for a simple smartphone clip... I mean why can’t you just added to the SN30 Pro+’s accessory in the first place anyway? Sheesh...🙄 (At least it’s a cheap price if you found something at the online shopping site, so who knows.)

21st & 22nd Images: • Anyway, here are the completed accessories including the battery pack from 8bitdo SN30 Pro+ gamepad.🙂🎮 • When I used the light flash on my Honor 8C, you noticed that the color of the front facing button from my 8bitdo gamepad, it changes and it look cool to see though.📲💡 This is like installing a sticker for the front facing gamepad, but it wasn’t. That looks amazing!😮 • My paper dolls agrees on that, and they say that we can’t wait to see you playing games using that new controller of yours. I know you two, but that’s gonna be very soon. Thanks anyways.😉

Overall: • I think these accessories are very cool and useful. Most of which was the inclusion of 8bitdo’s battery pack for the SN30 Pro+ gamepad. But I’d just wish that the 8bitdo company will sell extra spare of battery pack as well someday, it’ll be a worth it for us.🌠 And if not however, I guess we will stick with two AA “Rechargeable” batteries 🔋🔋 as an alternative option... Also another fact that the smartphone clip that I mentioned before, it should included to the SN30 Pro+’s accessory just like other gamepad brands. I mean asked my iPega 9069 controller [CLICK ME!], it has a smartphone clip included in the box; then again, I never use it because I don’t usually play mobile games on my phone 🎮📵.So now I’m just gonna ignore it anyways... Also I forgot to mention that there are some online sellers offering free smartphone clip of the same brand when you purchased that controller, like this one right here → [CLICK ME!]. If you’re willing to get that with a free clip, you better earn some buck (money If I meant). But anyways... Overall, all of them are very cool accessory contents from 8bitdo SN30 Pro+ gamepad.🎮😊

In the next upcoming part, I’m gonna do a comparison with my two controllers on hand and see what’s the difference. 🎮🎮🎮🙂 And also my 8bitdo wireless adapter/retro receiver as well. So please, stay tuned for that very soon.📶😊

Well that’s all for now. If you want to see my previous related 8bitdo item(s), then I’ll provide some links down below.↓😉

My 8bitdo USB Wireless Adapter ‘PS Classic Edition’: • Opening parcel [Aug 27, 2020] • Part 1 [Aug 28, 2020] • Part 2 [Aug 28, 2020] • Part 3 (Recorded video) [Aug 28, 2020] • Part 4 (Recorded Video) [Aug 28, 2020] • Part 5 (Recorded Video) [Aug 28, 2020] • Part 6 (Recorded Video) [Oct 20, 2020] • Part 7 (Recorded Video) [Oct 28, 2020] • Part 8 (Recorded Video) [Nov 14, 2020] • Part 9 (Recorded Video) [Nov 14, 2020] • Part 10 [Final] (Recorded Video) [Nov 16, 2020] • Extra Part / Final Plus [Nov 25, 2020]

My 8bitdo SN30 Pro+ gamepad: • Unopened parcel [Nov 3, 2020] • Opening parcel (Recorded Video) [Nov 3, 2020] • Part 1 [Nov 19, 2020] • Part 1.5 [Nov 19, 2020] • Part 2 [Nov 27, 2020]

Tagged: @lordromulus90, @bytern

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chrysaliseuro2019 · 5 years

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Lapping it All Up

It's Sunday morning and time to part company with Sue and Peter. It was a fun 5 days. We are heading to Helsinki and they will drive the car back to Riga where it all commenced. They are stopping the night at Parnau. Rainy day again as we said our farewells and they dropped us at the ferry terminal. Saw an amusing sign at the terminal which pointed to the very short term car park (15 mins). It said " Kiss and Sail" which was very apt. We had laughed our way through Latvia and Estonia with them and had covered a bit of ground in those 5 days. Despite it bucketing down Liz did a quick sortie after they left to take a photo of the sign. This led to one of those amusing moments. Something you very rarely see Liz do - "run". If I said a sort of Donald Duck style of running I might be close to the mark. Possibly even being flattering. There is a lot of action, arms flapping, feet akimbo, head rolling from side to side and forward momentum is not speedy. The ferry ride from Tallin to Helsinki takes about 2.5 hours. We had basic tickets so it was first in best dressed for seats. A number of bars and cafes on board and as soon as boarding started the regulars made for prime positions. We had to stow our luggage and were given a bit of a bum steer, in terms of where to store them, by one of the staff so a lot of seats had gone by the time we were free to look. Anyway we snagged a couple of uninspiring but fine seats in a a cafe and settled back for an uneventful trip. Despite the rain it was petty calm and we had a snack, read and blogged. Interestingly they had a couple of stages with musos performing. I might expect that on a cruise ship in the Bahamas but not somehow on a couple of hours ferry in the Baltics. One stage was on the upper deck where quite a raucous bar was in full swing. The wind and rain were coming down on the uncovered end though plenty of cover. Singer was flat as a tack and slaughtered Ed Sheerin's " A Girl Like You" (a bit of a holiday anthem as you hear it a lot in beach bars etc over here). The audience didn't care. They were all getting tanked. Another singer was close to us in a neighbouring area and he was playing the guitar and performing solo with some electronic instrumental help. Not too bad, middle of the road - Eric Clapton, Jonny Cash etc but more importantly his voice I was better. I strolled around looking at the duty free shop where the Finns on board were fairly determinedly stocking up on booze which is much cheaper in Estonia than Finland. This included people with several slabs of beer. Liz noticed that many of those slabs were being consumed on board. It was certainly a lively ship. Trip was easy and we worked out we could get a tram into the city and quite close to our hotel from the ferry terminal. A bit of a scramble getting off but we were in no rush so took our time. Slight problem though, it was raining quite steadily. We headed for the tram stop which was close by but in a master stroke of planning the ticket machine was exposed to the elements and quite a queue. This included the guy who had no idea what to do, did not appear to have the right money (possibly any money), whose credit card would not work and who consequently held us all up in the hissing rain for 5/6 minutes - could have been longer. This on top of the 7/8 mins we had already been waiting. In the end the couple behind paid for him. Liz was now huddled under the tram shelter while I stood out there in the pak-a-mac. No point in two of us getting wet(ter). By the time I got to the front of the queue the wind had set in and rain was horizontal so jeans and shoes pretty soaked. Guys behind (equally wet) who seemed local provided some guidance on the payment process but even they stuffed it up a bit so another minute or two of soaking. Anyway at last I had two tickets in my hand but the various delays meant we just missed a tram by about a minute so had a 6/7 minute wait for the next one. Still, under some shelter, though I was drenched. We duly trundled off for the 10 minute ride and I couldn't wait to get out of my jeans and shoes. I made the mistake of sitting down which was even more uncomfortable so quickly sprang up. Anyway the Hotel Helka was only about a 10 minute walk from the tram stop. Liz did a good job of getting us off at the closest stop and guiding us home. At last, out of that gear and into the shower. All was well and Hey! We were in Finland. Time to explore and we headed off into town. Basically heading for the main square and market square. First impressions were that it was more modern than Riga or Tallinn and a little less atmospheric. Plenty of shopping malls, cafes etc. and even the older buildings which were often quite attractive, of the the six storey terrace variety, did not seem that old. Made our way to market square where there were a number of stalls selling local "products". Very soft hats, wood carvings, paintings, the usual fridge magnet memorabilia stuff but also fox, wolf and reindeer pelts and extremely sharp hunting type knives in scabbards - not sure exactly what the purpose of them was. The market was starting to close but quite a few stalls selling food were in full flight. Now around 4.00pm and we had only snacked post breakfast so were hungry. The offerings were often local delicacies and we couldn't resist sharing a plate of fried Vendace (very similar to sardines) with garlic sauce. Just on a paper plate, pretty decent serve (30 or so smallish fish) you eat the lot, heads and all, and we wandered around happily chomping on them. Very delicious and sauce not too garlicky at all but tasty and needed. It was sun over the yard arm time and we looked for a decent pub/ venue to have a drink. Plenty of craft beer here though we had heard horror stories about the price of alcohol. We couldn't quite find what we were looking for in terms of character but settled on a cafe/bar and sat outside. Rain had stopped but not exactly balmy. After that we continued to wander through the back streets though being Sunday a lot of places closed. Did find a good looking Pho joint which was a possibility if all else failed. Liz loves her Pho. We headed back for the hotel. The Helka is a little boutique hotel and quite quirky. They had a little Swiss style bird house (no birds) that you could deposit your keys in when you left. The coffee mugs in the room had an inscription inside the rim which read " Stolen from Hotel Helka" Staff very friendly and a range of nice touches. We determined that dinner would be in their relaxed little bar/cafe area downstairs. Some good craft beer on tap and bottled and rose OK too. I had the salmon on bread with salad. Big chunks of salmon served cold - excellent. Liz had the coconut and sweet potato soup which was also very good. A local porter and IPA for me (both good especially the porter) rose for Liz. All very laid back and sat very happily not feeling we had to traipse about town. Not too late a night headed up around 10.30 for the usual blogging, reading and planning next phase. Greece definitely on. Thessaloniki as a kick off point looking the goods. Also need to ensure we have a flight out of there to London about a week after arriving in Greece as flying home from London. All pretty tortuous evaluating alternatives but in the end have to bite the bullet and its Turkish airlines to Thessaloniki and BA from there to London though the poms charging usuriously. Liz doing sterling work with bookins Next morning at 11.00 we were going on a free tour of Helsinki. After a great breakfast at the Helka (we expected nothing else given its form to date) we headed for the meeting point a 20 minute fast walk away, back at market square. Our guide was a young and vivacious lady who had spent time in Canada hence a slight North American accent. Super smart and despite a crowd of around 35-40 with a microphone headpiece and a resonant voice she was easy to hear. We covered a lot of ground both literally and metaphorically. Some aspects were: Lutheran religion is the main one for Finns. Apparently a not unusual fall away in those following a structured religious approach in Finland though you have to attend a religious camp for a week when in your late teens if you want to be married in church. A lot of the design of the buildings in the older parts of Helsinki was under the auspices of the German architect Engels in the 19th century. He had spent time in St Petersburg and hence there are similarities between the cities (though not the flamboyant stuff). Education is subsidised in fact you are paid to attend for your first 5 years at Uni. Food is also subsidised for uni students and is free at kindergarten. Start school at 7 pre that it's kindergarten where formal lessons are minimal. At junior school the first 5 years are pretty hands on - sewing, woodwork etc. no homework in that period. Health care free for all though dental must be paid for unless impacts health more generally. We were starting to understand why prices were so high with all those taxes. The guide (Maria I think) quipped that they all live a good life but it's hard to get rich. They were ruled for hundreds of years by the Swedes and then from early 19th century by the Russians. They gained independence in 1917 and in that period also had a bloody civil war. Fought against the Soviet Union in 1939 and collaborated with the Germans to fight against the Soviet Union 1941-44. They did not persecute minorities however. Then they also had to fight against the Germans to remove them from Finland as the tide turned at the end of the war. They are proud to have maintained their independence throughout despite some land losses to the Soviet Union. In winter the harbour freezes over so all boats must be lifted out and stored in dry dock including some pretty large fishing boats. Ice breakers were also visible in the harbour. It was a wide ranging, interesting tour with plenty of fun thrown in. Amazing coincidence of a couple from Melbourne, Meredith and David, being on the tour more especially because Meredith taught the preps at Camberwell primary around the time our kids went there. She didn't teach them as it turned out. Liz and Meredith swopped school and other local stories ++. David was an interesting character. He had worked for the CSIRO and was a resin expert. He had for the last umpteen years supported businesses making wood paneling and other resin involved products around the world. This included a 5 year stint for the whole family living in Italy while he worked there. He had most recently been working in China and had come straight to Finland from there. Yet again there's a lot of different stuff makes the world go around. Nice guy to chat to. Pommie origins though born in Australia and we had a good time dissecting Brexit. He has the same problem as us may lose his European passport. We were interested in the big issues! We did that nattering over a coffee and tea that stretched for about an hour and a half post the free tour. After that Liz and I headed for the market square again and needed something to eat. Beside the square was a pretty attractive and ornate indoor market building. Really it was a tasteful food hall with a range of tidbits you could buy to eat immediately or take away including exotics like reindeer jerky. We plumped for a couple of open sandwiches which we consumed at a little eating area outside by the docks. One was cured salmon and the other was prawns in a sweet chilli sauce. We shared the first two but so tasty we went again. Me for the prawns and Liz for the salmon. Just very nice sitting there with this scrumptious food. Back to the market square and as opposed to yesterday evening all stalls were in full swing so we had a good look around at the knick knacks but did not purchase. Time to go our own ways. We both went looking through shops though Liz also found a strange square which looked like a lunar landscape. People were skateboarding and sitting around the square and it all seemed a bit unexpected in what seems like quite a conservative city. I stumbled across the City Museum. This was a very quirky place which essentially probed some alternative aspects of Helsinki and Finland. One of the highlights was an exhibition by 5 Finnish artists. It was titled "Objection". Essentially it was about disagreement and the role that it plays in our society (particularly Finnish society). Each artist illustrated a different story. One was about Hjalmar Linder the wealthiest man in Finland who fled to Sweden during the 1918 civil war. On his return he found that members of the losing side were still being persecuted (killed) so he wrote a letter to the newspaper saying "enough of this bloodbath" which broke ranks with his peer group. He was then hounded out of the county and eventually died penniless, slashing his own wrists. Another was about left wing activism in the 1930s and 40s. It was being suppressed and so a password " Have you seen a running dog" was used to identify sympathisers. Essentially how people find a way to "object" Yet another was about a book "the Price of Our Freedom" still found in many Finnish homes. It contained a photograph and short description of each of 26000+ people who were killed in the Winter War 1939-1940. The artist had taken the photographs of key people in the book and turned them into ghost like portraits using hundreds of layers of pictures - "the Price of Freedom". Separately there were also general narratives about what Helsinki was like in the past. Pretty rough and ready in the 1920s apparently. Also a photograph gallery with some fantastic photos of Helsinki in the past including one which captured the docks area including market square. I couldn't see a date but perhaps 100+ years ago. All these photos were available for purchase. I kept wandering post the museum. Just walking lost really. Took in a few shops and generally soaked up the city. Liz did much the same. No acquisitions. Liz grabbed a bit of shuteye and we met up again around 7.00 in the hotel bar/restaurant. We decided not to move. The restaurant which the guy in "Radio" restaurant in Tallin recommended was closed ,being Monday night, and the informal dinner they served at the Helka had been pretty good the night before. We both had the open sandwich salmon. Thick chunks of salmon. Liz not the greatest salmon fan (she prefers her fish to be white) but enjoyed it, and I certainly did including polishing a few remnants of salmon from her plate. Of course a couple of craft beers also supped. Liz took it easy as a bit tired and slightly heady. It was relaxing and we headed up around 10.00. I took a quick stroll to walk off dinner but boy had it got cold. I think you can probably keep the Finnish summer. Here we were 12th August and it might have been about 16 degrees out but with a healthy wind that felt around 12-14. I was wishing I had a scarf. This reaffirmed our decision to head back to some warmth in Greece.

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phanarchy-blog · 6 years

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My II M&G Experience

Hello all! So it’s been a hot minute since I attended Interactive Introverts in Schenectady. By a hot minute I mean over a week and I’m only now getting to this post, RIP. I’ll get right started then.

So my show was approximately 2.5 hours from home and I drove with a friend into Schenectady. We started super early and checked into the hotel around 12, though the m&g didn’t start until 4. Naturally we had to find something to do and decided to go to a mall nearby. I made a joke in this mall that maybe Dan and Phil also went to the mall and we would bump into them there. By this time it was about 1:30 and my friend pointed out that it may be cutting it very close to the start time for them to be anywhere but the theater. I disagreed. This is relevant later.

We went back to the hotel breifly and got ready while I showed her some videos that I thought may be important. She liked Dan and Phil, but had only had time to watch a few videos of theirs. The hotel was only a few minutes walk away from the venue, so we began walking at about 3:15. We were in line by 3:30. There was already a line queueing when we arrived and as we stood it filled in behind us. At a point, Sarah (who works closely with Dan and Phil and modeled for Dan’s merchandise) walked by and someone in line in front of me shouted and cheered her name. I explained to my friend as we walked by who she was. It was at this point that it first began getting surreal, as Sarah was the first person I recognized from their work with Dan and Phil.

A few minutes after 4, the line started moving and people began funneling in. They checked our tickets to see that they had VIP access, they did not check IDs. We were led to a table where we were given a wristband and then ushered towards doors across the merchandise area. This was where I had my second surreal moment of the night, as I couldn’t quite be sure that I was going the right direction and looked up to see Marianne standing nearby. I gestured to the doors and nodded as if to ask “this way, right?” And she very sweetly told me yes and pointed me inside.

Now I don’t know if it’s just me, but she has a very thick English accent. I assumed that I’d consumed so much British media that the accents just kinda faded away into the background for me, but I was taken aback by hers. It was beautiful.

So anyway, inside we were lined up and put in our seats very orderly. Marianne wandered in and out but mostly it was directed by theater staff. The screen was up and facing the opposite direction from the seats. They had a playlist going in the back ground, the only song of which I caught was Party Tattoos by dodie, which I thought was a very sweet choice, not only for them to support dodie like that but also the meaning of the song was very poignant for this event. If you don’t know it I highly recommend.

There was also a door on the opposite side of the room from where we entered and the crowd kept their eyes studied on it. It was partially covered by a screen and it had the vibe that Dan and Phil would enter from that direction. Security kept walking in and we would all gasp and collectively sigh. Poor guys.

As the room was filled and we were all waiting, Marianne stood at the front and gathered our attention. This is when she said that the guys were “on their way”. Remember earlier I said my friend thought 1:30 would be cutting it close to not be in the theater? Yeah it was 4:35 and they still weren’t there. Lol. Marianne also explained how it would work. There was a table we could put our bags on if we didn’t want them in our photos. We would go around and meet them, get our hugs, get one item signed, and Dan would take the selfie “because he’s got the long arms and he knows what he’s doing”. A couple people raised their hands and Marianne pointed out that it was like a lecture hall and she was the teacher and we laughed. They asked about going up in pairs and filming the experience. Marianne said that way fine, but they could not record video messages for friends as that would prevent everyone else in the room from getting their fair share of time.

I’d like to point out now that the person sitting to my left was having them sign a box of Mac and Cheese, and she is my hero. The crowd chatted a bit and finally, Dan and Phil entered through the doors we all thought they would! Finally, a huge cheer from the crowd! Now this was the first moment I realized how large they really are. Now I know we’re not meant to I tell them to their faces, so of course I didn’t, but here in the privacy of Tumblr I’ll say that I think part of it is honestly their presence. I think they feel so tall because they mean so much to us. It’s an overall larger than life experience, and I think that translates to our perception of them because yes, they’re objectively tall, but my friend also kept going “Yeah but my husband is 6’5” so I’m used to it” and let me tell you, these boys felt so much larger than her husband.

Back to Dan and Phil! They looked super cheery and laughed a bit at how we were all just sat quietly and orderly in the seats waiting patiently. There was a giant screen in the room like a movie theater and Dan made a joke about all watching a movie together instead. And like, you cowards, we should have. We had the time. Alas, they said their piece and walked behind the screen. Again in a very orderly way, the front rows began and lined up in order to meet them. I noticed their shadows visible behind the screen and ‘awww’d” as I saw them crouch for a little one. The person then rounded the corner and was a full grown teenager. They are very tall.

I was the 34th person to meet them! When it was our turn, Marianne took the items we wanted signed and asked if we were ready. I directed my friend to film my meeting. I rounded the corner and was affronted by Phil, already looking directly at me and arms spread wide open, so of course I hugged him quickly. It didn’t last very long though, as I immediately saw Dan opening his arms as well as it felt like rejecting him to wait any longer. We said hellos and thank yous as we hugged. As if by magic my copy of DAPGO appeared (thanks Marianne) and they asked to sign it, which I agreed to of course. It all happened very very fast and I forgot to look at whether they crossed arms or not. I was very busy looking at them. Dan quickly asked if I’d like a picture and we all leaned in. He took 3 in rapid succession and I could tell in the moment that I didn’t like the lighting for me, but I was not about to stop him at all.

After I took my phone back, I addressed Dan and told him I’m a mental health counselor and so I wanted to thank him for everything he’s done to normalize that. I probably should have left it at that where I would have sounded coherent, but of course I somehow managed to both ramble on and trail off the rest of what I’d said. I mean, I can’t blame me. Dan was looking at me. Like, directly into my eyes, and nodding and really listening to what I had to say. I don’t know that I’ve ever been listened to that well. When I finally shut up, as I didn’t wanna waste much more of their time, Dan nodded again and.. said something. Haha, it was something to the effect of “Thank you for doing that as well” or “and it’s great that you do that as well”. Dan validated my career to my face and suddenly the measly $27k salary seems worth it. I thanked him for probably the fifth time and decided this was a good time to wave in my friend.

I gestured to her and said “and this is my friend, she’s seen like 5 videos but she’s a really good sport.” They both chuckled and said it was okay, and asked if she’d like a selfie as well. I looked on as they took it, and I couldn’t hear much of their exchange. We said final goodbyes and shoo’d ourselves it really quick.

Around the screen again was a team member who cut off our wristbands and dropped them in an outstretched bag, then handed me my own VIP bag. I took it, grabbed my own purse from the other table, and booked it out of the room high on adrenaline. My hands were shaking.

I confirmed with a member of theater staff that I could leave the venue and come back for the show, which we did. It was about this moment that I had totally forgotten to address Phil like I planned. When I had my speech in my mind about normalizing mental health care, I wanted to point out that his light-hearted videos did great things for that as well. I regret that for a bit because I’d focused so much on Dan and left Phil out. About a day or two later I realized that Phil is probably not hurt that he didn’t get the chance to talk to me. Again, sue me, I got lost in Dan’s eyes. I’m sure Phil would understand.

Believe it or not, the meet and greet is not the part of my experience that makes me tear up looking back on that night. It was the actual show that does that to me. Perhaps I will write out about that bit too. But until I do, let me just say here that Dan and Phil are two beautiful, kind, and genuine guys that care about us very much. I am so so grateful for that night.

#long post #im on mobile and lap top is dead else i would do a read more tag #soz

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chrysaliseuro2018 · 6 years

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Sagrada Familiar

Friday 18th started slowly as usual. We are not early birds in our family. Leisurely breakfast at the apartment muesli, toast , tea, some imported coffees for the younger set. Our little tube of Vegemite is proving popular (at least with me) and an essential for overseas trips if you want to have spreads containing something other than sugar. Our plan for the day was to start at Park Guell. Commissioned by Count Guell between 1900 and 1914 and landscaped by Gaudi it was intended to be a residential area for the wealthy. It never took off so the park remains as a tourist and no doubt local attraction. The park overlooks the city so it was an opportunity to get away from the hustle and bustle and enjoy the view. We eventually headed out around 11.30 on a very fine sunny day around the 20 degree mark. A quick metro ride then a walk of about 20 mins got us to the park. The walk should be mentioned in that the final chunk was up one of those 1 in 10 hills culminating in steps to get you to the park entrance. There were escalators by the steps but unfortunately two of the three weren't working so the knees, calves, hips, heart and various other complaining anatomical parts got a work out. Anyway we arrived. Park entrance is free though for 5 euros or so you can get closer to some of the Gaudi creations. Unfortunately the waiting time was 2.5 hours and we were more keen on just enjoying the park so we kept trekking up to the upper most point which is a stone viewing platform with 360 degree views across the city. Great views - Barcelona is pretty low rise so easy to pick up landmarks particularly La Sagrada. After 20 mins or so we started to slowly wend our way back down through the gardens, listening to the odd busker, looking at the views and the odd quirky Gaudi creation and finally finding ourselves by the main entrance gates where some unusual Gaudi offerings are on display (see photos). We slowly re-traced our steps to the metro which was much easier on the way down. This afternoon one of our holiday highlights is planned. A trip to La Sagrada Familia which on second visit is becoming a bit more familiar. Prior to that, lunch is on the cards and we headed to Sagrada territory which is closeish to where we stayed in Barca 4 years ago. We particularly had in mind a strip of outdoor restaurants in a treed and fairly sheltered (only bikes) boulevard. We quite easily found the place where we had enjoyed a few meals and libations 4 years before. At that time we were on holiday with my sister Jenny in Barcelona. We settled in for a beer and some tapas. Liz had a vodka and tonic and it was of the free pour of vodka variety. She had to tell the waiter to stop - big afternoon ahead. Liz, Penny and George went for the seafood paella (pie-ai-yer) as the locals say, ok but not great. Jeremy and I went for the baby squid, anchovies, tomato salad, local bread coated with fresh tomato juice and patatas bravas - Yum. Washed down with a cleanser. It was very convivial with a very genial waiter and as ever when you are sitting outside some sights to watch. This is where my sister, who loves to chat to strangers, famously 4 years ago (I think after a couple of the waiter's special vodkas) decided to speak to a few of the ancient locals sitting on a nearby park bench. Only prob was that she didn't speak Spanish and they didn't speak English. The ensuing chaotic interchanges needed to be seen to be believed but were fairly hilarious and left all parties bemused. Good on you for trying though Jen. We reckon the same aged duet may have been there this day and we took a photo. The usual ménage of dogs strolling by with the highlight the tiny little runt dog that looked like a scruffy mongrel but which trotted around the table importantly until it needed to go to the loo. It's party piece was to raise itself on its front two legs lifting both back ones in the air to enable adequate clearance for its business to be completed. It then continue is self important strutting. After a pleasant hour and a bit we headed back the few hundred metres to La Sagrada. Gaudi's unfinished masterpiece has been under construction for 100+ years (with pauses) and now is planned to be finished in 2026 which is the centenary of his death. It is perhaps one of the most stunning buildings I have ever visited so absolutely no prob re-visiting. Liz also loves it. We had booked tickets ahead (well done Liz) to avoid the queues which are significant so pretty immediately went via lift to the top of the nativity facade. There a very narrow stone walkway takes you around that area with views both over the city and of the various unusual bits of Gaudi workmanship. Bundles of fruit being one of them. It's intriguing and difficult to do justice to though the photos will. It would also be phenomenal to see the completion of the building (2026 Hmmmm!) with additional towers being built including the main one which will be 170 metres high. This tower, planned by Gaudi but being built now, was deliberately designed to be lower than the top of the neighbouring mountain as Gaudi believed that a construction should not be built higher than something created by God. If the exterior is to be thrilled about then the interior is something else. It seems so many people come to Barcelona, look at the exterior and then for whatever reason do not go inside the Sagrada. The queues to get in, for one, can be offputting. It really is worth the effort. It is just so different. Gaudi had a vision. The building is so light (natural light). Spacious. Grand - with the supporting pillars built to look like the boughs and branches of massive trees. The stained glass windows so magnificent and lots more. It's the sort of place where it is great to just sit and take it all in. I always think I'd like to visit it every couple of years. Of course if I was a local I think that would be every couple of weeks. Reluctantly we headed out. Next stop for Jeremy George and me was the local food market. Tonight is home picnic night. This is a hangover from family holidays where on one night at least we would sit in the hotel room and have things like baby bel cheese and salami with toms plus other bits and pieces. We had a lot of fun buying various varieties of cheese, Jamon, marinated sardines, tomatoes, breadsticks, anchovies, fruit, olive oil. Beer and wine to wash it down - George brought a very nice Bordeaux with her so that was consumed. Food was delicious, eaten with fingers, wine great, very boisterous. A fun night, we played cards, laughed, carried on and generally had a good time. What a day it tested our stamina. My phone indicated just over 20000 steps and 35 flights of stairs. We all trooped off to bed pretty tired, happy and ready for a good nights sleep. Today will take some matching. Sub Editors comment: re the Camp Nou visit yesterday. Jeremy and I really enjoyed it. The stadium is starting to show its age with facilities and seating looking a little tired. There is no roof on three sides of the ground and stands are very high so it must get pretty cool in winter. So no surprise that they intend to build a new state of the art stadium for completion by 2021. 2021 looks very close given the scale model we saw and the work required. The other thing which needs mentioning is that currently the stadium visit seems almost like a homage to Messi. The great Argentinian looks like he is coming towards the end of his career going on age though still has all his wizardry. There are endless replays of his goals to watch in the Barca FC museum. He is just a phenomenal player I hope we see his like again soon given Ronaldo at Real is surely getting towards the end of his superb career too.

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brotheryanny · 7 years

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Here’s my report of the UraShimaSakataSen Beyond the Compass 2017 Tokyo Performance! There will be spoilers and the setlist (Which shouldn’t really be released until the Final is over, but I’m pretty sure noone going will be reading this so

My thoughts are still a bit jumbled up (I STILL CAN’T BELIEVE I SAW THEM!! IN THE FLESH!!! AAAAAA IKEMENNNN) so the song order might not be quite right and there will be a lot of screaming

First up the line for goods was insane, I waited 2.5 hours to get them then another hour for the raffle;; If you guys ever go to a concert go at least an hour early so you’re in the queue and can get in the hall faster too

For almost all the songs the audience helped out with the chorus and stuff like ‘HOI HOI HOI’ -by the end my voice was GONE

It started off with a video of them backstage welcoming everyone -Faces uncovered! Wah ikemennnn- Urata kept pushing the camera down and then they did a little rp where Shima was the Shogun and forced the other members to do pushups ww Then the audience cheered for the band and chanted URASHIMASAKASEN until the real USSS came on 1. Sailor’s High (They were all wearing pirate outfits they looked so cool and their singing has improved so much and the choreography was so good aahh and at one point the camera was right in sakatas face you could see his sweat wwww) 2. Kachoufuugetsu (Sakata took off his jacket bc he was hot and showed everyone how cool his outfit was underneath -Shima said ‘I like it’ really quietly and Urata said ‘I like it’ even quieter -uhh if you follow my twitter youll know i said it looked like a shrek cosplay anD IT DOES FROM THE ELBOWS UP IT DOES 3. We wrote a Idol-like song。 (for the beginning i cant remember what urata and senra said but shima said ‘be my girlfriend’ and sakata said ‘let’s get married’ ) 4. Pathfinders??? or was it Mermaid?????? or both?????????

Video break - Watertop Fighting tournament! Like real pirates they had swords, and of course boats -inflatable ones- and picked paper from a box to select which boat Ura: Plastic boat Shima: ((I CAN’T REMEMBER??? SOMETHING STUPID Sakata: Banana (everyone laughed really hard) Senra: Flamingo To show the pairs to fight first (winners would then battle for the champion title) urata had a notepad but he kept showing the camera blank pages ww It was Sakata vs Senra then Urata vs Shima and the winners would fight it out to take the title of champion Sakata immediately fell off his banana which was the funniest thing ever and whoever edited it put in like a thousand instant replays so we had sakata fall into the water quite unphotogenically several times and senra couldnt stop laughing, he had barely gotten on his flamingo (on his belly with all his limbs stretched out like a spider ofc) sakata begged for a second chance so he returned wearing his headband but he also fell off instantly -the banana slid up behind him so only he fell into the water without the boat wwwww (he was so confused ‘ISNT THIS IMPOSSIBLE??’), cue the slow motion replays and both senra and shima on the floor dying the third time sakata managed to stay on for a good five seconds until senra poked his banana with his sword (uh) and sakata slid right off i was dead -SENRAS WIN

5. URATA SOLO: Rain and Petra (He came on with an umbrella (Parasol kind of thing, it had a green strip down it) and spun it around it was so cool) 6. SAKATA SOLO: Walking in the Centre of the World (He did the shoutyscreamy thing i like ww and he hit all the high notes it was so cool ah and he looked directly into the camera and smiled at some point aaaAAAA) 7. URASAKA: Kiss the Princess (Before the song: Sakata called for Urata who kept popping up from behind a prop, and Sakata pretended not to see him even though is made eye contact like 4 times; it was revealed that during Sakata’s solo Urata had been at the back of the stage, sleeping. Then Urata gestured to themselves and said ‘We are the princes so’ then gestured to the audience ‘These are our princesses’ and then Sakata said the name of the song really grossly then in an ikebo) (They kept blowing kisses gross i love them) 8. SHIMA SOLO: Gishin Anki (yall know how his cover has him making THOSE sounds? ya -and just before the first chorus he did this little sigh aND AGHH) 9. SENRA SOLO: Lamb. (god) 10. SHIMASEN: #AzawaraiPolaroid (Shima said ‘So… UraSaka sang a ‘purenshessh'y song.. We’re cooler huh’ and Shima showed us his thief-like costume and Senra showed everyone his gun and starting shooting some people in the crowd ww Also before the song ShimaSen showed us some actions they wanted, like swinging our penlights and making hearts during the ‘love love love love’ lines, and during the performance they kept winking and stuff it was amazing -Shima missed a line so he screamed instead wwwwww)

another video break: now for urata vs shima ww urata kept splashing water onto shima who at one point was like ‘AAHHHH MY EYESSS’ Urata pulled the blinded shima off his boat and won! I think they played the final round at this point too, Urata vs. Senra! They both had sturdier boats but kept using their swords to slap the water ww In the end Senra tried to get onto Urata’s boat but was pushed off wwww Then 3S grabbed Urata’s boat and capsized it But Urata was crowned champion! There was a little extra bit where the four of them were just messing about, we got a clip of Sakata focusing really hard on not falling in then it descended into chaos as everyone tried to get on other peoples’ boats and the last shot was of all four of them on Urata’s

After that they asked if we were tired and everyone was like 'NOOOOO’ (i was so tired tho

11. USSS: Romeo (First verse Shimasen, Second verse UraSaka, Rest USSS -I think it was at this point they changed into normal clothes -Sakata wore that oversized black hoodie and Senra wore his green jacket, Shima wore a tracksuit top (?) but I can’t remember what Urata was wearing ∑(ﾟДﾟ)) 12. Saikyou Rival They took a short break from singing at some point around now, and Senra showed us how much water he had to drink -Urata referred back to the Four the C crossfade where Senra almost died from dehydration ww 13. Dance Robot Dance 14. Dappou Rock They said something like 'I’m tired of seeing our faces on the projection, lets replace it with something else’ so the Tv ver. of. for the StarMyu S2 OP was shown (After the first verse the projector switched back to their faces) 15. Show Must Go On!! They introduced and thanked the band members which was super cute, then said thank you and left (a little anticlimactic BUT/////

ENCORE (one fan shouted ENCORE n suddenly the entire hall were chanting it too, it lasted for a solid five minutes but no drop in volume, crew members are scary, i think some people actually left -but they all came back out wearing the tour t shirts!) 16. Carry Forward 17. Middle Schooler Disease Outbreak Boy 18. Solar System Disco (They were doing the actions it was very cute) 19. Shouter (Streamer cannons went off during the last chorus ww Finally we took a group photo with the members and the band;; Sakata hugged everyone from behind ww and at some point Shima went to the highest point of the stage and revealed his grossest face ww

Towards the end the four of them turned off their mics and sat down with their backs to the audience and we had to shout for them to turn around ww They must’ve said thank you and bowed maybe five times, it was so sad to see them go;;

It took a few days to get this out, sorry yall but that’s all I can remember ww I’ll try to go next year too so (if anyone’s in the area hmu AND ASK ME ABOUT IT I HAVE A LOT OF EMOTIONS STILL AND IF ANYONE WANTS A DETAILED REPORT OF LIKE A SPECIFIC SONG OR MC SPAM ME

Also sidenote does anyone want a stickersheet i got 4 lmao I might open up a trade for kuji merch from other livessss

#utaite #urashimasakatasen #usss #urata #uratanuki #shima #aho no sakata #tonari no sakata #senra #the sof order is definitely wrong wwwwww #it was such a good live;;;;;#im so sad its overrrrr #ive been looking forward to it for ages #and #it was over in 2.5 hours #tbh it overran www #also someone please teach me how to do the read more thing im on mobile and im confused

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ttstranscripts · 5 years

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Transcript of The Talk Show Episode 2

Title: iPhone Initial Impressions

Hosts: John Gruber, Dan Benjamin

Release date: 3 July 2007

Description: We share our initial thoughts and impressions about our just-purchased iPhones.

Dan Benjamin: So this is a supplemental podcast to our regular weekly podcast just because we have to talk about our iPhones. So John, you got an iPhone, I guess.

John Gruber: Yeah, I did, I got one about 6:20 on Friday.

Benjamin: Yeah, I think you had a little bit of a shorter line than I did. How long did you wait?

Gruber: I got there around 11:30, and the line was about 50 or 60 deep, but I had a friend there and sort of [?] in line around space 45.

Benjamin: Nice. We had about — I heard the news say we had 300 people here in Orlando, in the Millenia Mall in Orlando. I think we had more like 400 or 500, I’m not sure. I got there at about 10:30 AM and probably got 70ish in line. How did the activation go for you?

Gruber: It went great for us, really. My wife and I, we each got an iPhone, we already had AT&T phones, but we were out of contract, we were month-to-month from a contract we had like 2.5 years ago. We have a family plan with plenty of minutes. No data plans because our phones were totally old, non-data phones. We upgraded, we just added two $20 iPhone data plans to our current account. It adds up to about — seems like no matter what you do, it adds up to about $60 a month per iPhone. I think we’re going to actually come out a little bit ahead of that. But AT&T’s family pricing seems like it’s fairly consistent, like, everybody with a reasonably recent family plan, it’s about $40 per phone per plan and $20 per iPhone.

Benjamin: Not outrageous, not too much more expensive.

Gruber: No. I don’t think so.

Benjamin: See, I have a family talk plan, I had a phone on this plan, AT&T customer, and activated it around when I got home sometime around 7:30–8 o’clock, and I was one of the people that saw the message that said, “You’ll get an email when you’re activated”, and I thought, what’s that? And just about midnight, when I had pretty much given up and said, all right, I’ll just let this thing sit here overnight, I got the email, clicked the link and it activated, but there are some other people I know who were not so lucky, and actually it took them even till the next day, and they had to take action and diligently call AT&T and Apple —

Gruber: Yes. It seems like the one and only really serious complaint about the iPhone is people whose activation was left in limbo, and it does seem like there are some people whose activations require — you have to call AT&T customer support and get them to fix it; otherwise, it’s never going to be activated.

Benjamin: Yeah, if you don’t take any action, you’re just not going to have an activation period, and how do you know if you’re the person who’s in that situation, you need to intervene vs. the person who’s really in a legitimate queue and you will get activated.

Gruber: Right, and it seems like a big problem because they’re selling so many iPhones that their customer service is just swamped. I mean, Paul Kafasis of Rogue Amoeba wrote a thing on their weblog about his and — when he called them and spent like 45 minutes on hold and talked to them — more or less the problem was, for some people activation requires manual processing on AT&T’s end and whoever handled his just didn’t do the last step. There was like a final button, “Activate”, and they just never clicked it —

Benjamin: Wouldn’t it just kill you if you found out that literally a guy just forgot to click an OK button?

Gruber: I especially feel bad for the people who waited all day Friday because obviously if you’re that hepped up — I mean, even you, even you having to wait till midnight, that would’ve killed me. One of the big reasons that I did it, waited in line Friday, number one, I was afraid that they were going to sell out right away.

Benjamin: Totally.

Gruber: Well, that proved not to be the case. But I wanted to write something for Daring Fireball for the first day, just use it for a couple hours, drop a list of first impressions and notes and stuff like that and publish it, which I got to do. I probably wouldn’t have been able to do that if I had to wait till midnight to activate.

Benjamin: No, because all you could’ve done would’ve been to slide the slider and dial 911.

Gruber: Right. And that’s also the other thing that sort of stinks, is that I don’t know if it was Apple or AT&T, but somebody led people to believe that even before activation is complete, at least if you go through the iTunes part of registering your phone and waiting for activation, everything else would be active, and that’s not the case. Until the AT&T sends the signal to the SIM card, the iPhone is literally a brick, the only thing you can do is call 911.

Benjamin: Right. So what do you think, you’ve got the iPhone, is it not the coolest thing that Apple’s ever made? Is it safe to just say that, to say it’s the best Apple product maybe all around?

Gruber: I don’t know, it’s got to be close. I really do think — I mean comparisons to original Macintosh are completely legitimate. Really, just in terms of moving the state of the art forward in terms of what people can expect. And I think it’s funny because I think The New York Times had a story today about the Korean and Japanese electronics companies’ reactions to the iPhone, and that when they first announced it back in January, they were like, “Ahh, big deal, that’s just silly Americans getting excited about this, we’ve had these advanced cell phones that do cool stuff for years.” I think what they were doing was looking at it in terms of like a checklist: email, web, video on the phone, music playback on the phone, check, check, check, check, check — our phones already do all this stuff. Whereas it’s not really what the iPhone does, it’s just the way that it works, the way that it’s just so seamless.

Benjamin: 100 percent of the success of the iPhone, I think, maybe not 100, but 90 percent is going to be not the features, but the implementation.

Gruber: Exactly.

Benjamin: The way that people interact with the thing.

Gruber: And I mean, for example, if you call web browsing a feature and you just say, “Well, my phone does it too”, you’re totally missing the point. By far and away, the best app on the iPhone is Safari. I probably would’ve paid just as much money and waited in line for an iPhone that only had the phone and Safari.

Benjamin: [laughs] I think that’s key to it, but I’ll tell you what, that’s more important I think to people like us, but what’s funny is — and I had told you this but I think it’s worth mentioning here — I had an eye doctor appointment today, and while I was in the waiting room waiting, brought the phone out to check email. Interestingly enough, it found their wireless network, and I jumped right on that, which is just the coolest thing in the world, and so one of the people came up to me who worked there, and she’s like, “Oh, is that the new phone?” “Yeah, yeah.” Immediately I had a crowd of about 10 people who wanted me to just demo it, and the thing that I saw, they had the biggest reaction to, the thing they thought was the coolest — they loved the virtual keyboard, which really surprised me because that’s something that I would’ve thought people would’ve right away said, “Oh, that won’t work”, but when they saw me two-thumb typing on it really fast, they all just kind of looked at each other, like, oh wow, that’s cool. But the thing that got the biggest reaction wasn’t the webpage, it was flicking the photos back and forth and zooming in on them and rotating. That is like — people, they loved that, that was like the coolest thing they’ve ever seen.

Gruber: Right. My son, a 3.5-year-old boy, he’s totally picked up on the phone, and that Photos interface is just so — the flicking, he loves it. I have a couple vacation trips, folders from iPhoto synced to it, I’ll just bring one up and he’ll just be, “Let me see Christmas pictures”, and I’ll just bring up Christmas pictures and I’ll hold the phone and he’ll flick through — because that’s really all you do, you just flick, it really is nice. And it’s so fast.

Benjamin: It’s so fast.

Gruber: I just can’t express how you never have to wait for anything on the iPhone.

Benjamin: There’s no waiting and I think that is something that Apple has really gotten right. Every single feature on that last phone that I had that ran the miniature version of Windows, everything was waiting. I think it’s the instantaneous responsiveness of the iPhone — everything that you want to do, whether it’s — yeah, if you’re on the EDGE network, which, by the way, is much faster than people were saying, not as fast as broadband, of course, but not slow, I don’t think — with that as an exception, everything is pretty much instantaneous.

Gruber: Yeah, exactly. And for example, comparing it to iPhoto on the Mac, I mean, iPhoto has gotten a lot faster over the years, but if you’re just going through pictures, just like, hey, bring up this one group in iPhoto and just go through the slideshow, it’s usually pretty fast, and it caches the next one, but if you go fast enough, a lot of times you’ll get the beach ball, and you’ll have to wait because you’ve gone ahead of where it goes. Of course, the iPhone doesn’t have to show the full — it’s only a 480-pixel wide screen, but whatever they’re doing to cache them, to make them smaller, whatever they’re doing, it just works, instantly. It never looks like a low-res version is loading and then it’s high-res — you just immediately flick and you get the version of the picture that’s as good as it can possibly look on this screen.

Benjamin: Right, it’s just there. And it makes you feel like you’re actually manipulating the picture itself or whatever it is you’re doing on the phone, you feel like when you touch it, you’re actually moving the thing around. And I think some people have some legitimate complaints about things that are missing, one of them — and we’ve talked about this and James Duncan Davidson has a great list, a lot of people have really good lists of things they like and things they feel are missing. People talk about copy and paste, but I think your point earlier today was like, you can see why it’s not there because how do you actually implement that with this type of user interface? It’s a hard problem.

Gruber: Here’s my thinking about that, the more I think about the lack of copy and paste and selectable text, is that maybe they have an idea of how they’ll do it, maybe they had it in previous — while they were developing it, you know, versions — I think Craig Hockenberry had a good point on his weblog post where he said, you’re probably wrong if you think that they didn’t build a bunch of different UIs for this and threw them away before they settled on this, even though it’s a 1.0 product. The thinking behind the whole UI, the metaphors — I think they probably experimented a lot, and I think with the cut, copy and paste and the lack of text selection and that they agreed upon this simple interface that doesn’t have it — it reminds me of the fact that the original Mac in 1984 didn’t have arrow keys on the keyboard, and the reason for that if you read Andy Hertzfeld’s book or his website folklore.org with a bunch of stories from the original Mac, the idea was that they didn’t — whether it was Jobs personally or the overall team agreed — but more or less the people who were pushing for the radical GUI interface — which was totally radical at the time — didn’t want arrow keys, because they wanted to force people to use the mouse, and they wanted to force application designers to design applications they made you use the mouse.

Benjamin: It was almost forcing a new kind of mentality.

Gruber: Right, so if they don’t have cut, copy and paste, it’s like an enforced — there’s a limitation in place that forces them to create an interface that lets you work without it. And of course, we’re running into the fact that they haven’t covered all the cases, and there’s so many little places where you’d like to be able to like, ah, if I could just cut that, copy that URL, and go to the other page in Safari, so I could paste it into this Twitter field, so I could paste a URL in there, it would be so nice. But overall, the fact that we miss cut, copy and paste — we miss it but you still get so much done without it, and the fact that it’s not there is like, it’s just a way to force them to make it as good as they can without it.

Benjamin: Right. Well, jumping ahead a little bit, I was talking to Mike Davidson, who a lot of people would know from Newsvine, and he and I, we were talking, and he was going through and saying, “Here’s some things that I miss, here’s some things that I really need”, and one of them that he was saying was, “A friend of mine took a picture of a person that was good that I wanted to use as a contact picture, and there was no easy way for him to get that to me. He could email it to me, but then how could I use that, the [photo] which I just received in the email on my phone, how can I use that as the contact picture for the person here?” And I said, “Well, that’s easy, when you get the email, you just drag it on your Mac, drag it into your contact in Address Book.” And he said, “Well, I don’t use Address Book, I don’t want to do that on my Mac. What I want to do is to be able to do that on the phone, and what I really want is a file system so that I can browse the file system, I can save things out of Safari or that people send me.” And I realized that in a way, the last thing — and I’m an old-school UNIX guy, so if anybody should want a file system, it should be me, right — but I actually don’t want a file system on my iPhone, or the fact is, I want there to be one, I just don’t want to know about it. And in a way cut, copy and paste would have solved that problem for him if he had been able to copy that image and paste it into his contact right there, that would’ve solved that. But in a way it’s like, I think one of the big arguments about Macs way back in the day, especially with, like, system 7 time period or even 8, was that some people felt they didn’t have enough control over the operating system of the computer. And on Windows you could tweak every single little thing, and on the Mac you couldn’t, and I think with OS X that’s kind of gone away because you can now do even more on a Mac than you can do on a PC from a technical level behind the scenes — people are going to flame me for saying that — but in any case, the last thing I want on my phone is a file system, or even access to it. What do you think about that, is that nuts?

Gruber: I think that everything that you think of, from a computer science perspective, what makes a computer computer, the file system, the idea of processes, it’s all sort of abstracted away on the iPhone and that’s clearly part of the overall design, and I don’t think that’s ever going to change. So you never, as the user of the phone, never actually get to see the file system. You don’t quit or launch or close applications, you just go back to Home, click them. It’s still not clear to me using it, when they quit and when —

Benjamin: Do they quit? Do they ever quit?

Gruber: I don’t know, it seems like Safari sometimes quits, because when I go back to Safari and I click — say, I have three or four pages open in Safari, and I click the little button to let me list them, instead of showing me previews, they’re all blank. It remembers the URLs.

Benjamin: It’ll reload them, you’ll see them kind of coming back.

Gruber: But if you switch to one of them, you have to wait for it to refresh. Whereas if you do it right away, if you switch out of Safari and come back, they are all there and you just click on them and they’re already loaded. Whereas eventually it seems like Safari quits and when you switch back to it, relaunches, but it’s all abstracted away, you as the user never have to worry about that.

Benjamin: I’ll tell you what I think the philosophy — it’s one of those things where if you come into the iPhone looking for a small portable computer, you will not find that. But if you come to the iPhone looking for essentially — and I’ve heard somebody, I forget who it was, but somebody was calling it almost like it’s a satellite of the computer, or a portal to the computer. That’s a much better way to think of it. It allows you to sort of extend your computer, extend your desktop to this sort of portable device. I never really looked at my iPod as being like, that’s where my music lives. My music lives on my computer, and now I can take that music with me. And I think this is the same way you might think of it: my contacts, my calendar, my email, my browsing — that lives on the computer, but this is a way for me to take a lot of that and maybe even most of it with me wherever I go and be able to use it anytime. Is that fair?

Gruber: I think so, and I think it’s the single biggest philosophical difference from the Newton. I mean, to me the big problem, the core problem with the Newton back in the day was that the Newton was — and obviously some Newton people might disagree with me, this is obviously subjective — but my opinion is that the Newton was designed as a big new thing that completely replaced, ultimately would completely replace the need for a Mac. And whether it was egos, like, the Newton was developed after Jobs had left the company, and Sculley was running it, and the Mac was still seen as Jobs’s baby, and Sculley wanted something that was his Macintosh, his stamp on the industry. But anybody who actually used a Newton back in the day — Newton syncing was really bad, I forget the name of the app you used to sync, but it was like, almost nothing synced, the Mac didn’t even have standard address book and calendar apps at the time, so when you put events in the Newton, where did they go on your Mac? It was how you did downloads, if you wanted to add a new app to your Newton, you’d download it to your Mac and you’d fire up the Newton sync thingy and connect it with a serial cable and drag it over or whatever. It was really sort of a different universe, it was not really a satellite to your Mac, it was like something that, I think, ultimately if it had succeeded, would’ve replaced the Mac in Apple’s product line. And it was brilliant in so many ways, and so far ahead of its time. In so many ways it was just as far ahead of its time as the iPhone is. But the problem is that, it was so ambitious because it was meant to be a complete stand-alone all-by-itself thing whereas the iPhone is clearly meant as the satellite to your PC. And I think it’s more like the Palm Pilot, the original Palm Pilot, which was such a sensation in terms of its ambition in that regard. I think that’s why the Palm Pilot was so much more successful than the Newton because it was clearly a PC peripheral, not a PC replacement. That’s what I think.

Benjamin: I think you’re right. So we should probably take a second to say why, if there’s all kind of sound artifacts that people are hearing, why is that, John?

Gruber: Oh, I’m down at the shore. I’m on vacation for a couple days, and somebody forgot to pack my USB microphone.

Benjamin: So you’re talking into your MacBook.

Gruber: Yeah, this is just me talking — I don’t even have a MacBook, I’ve got an old, uh —

Benjamin: That’s right, a PowerBook.

Gruber: No, it’s an old Mac Portable from 1993.

Benjamin: Right. [laughs]

Gruber: It’s the size — I pack a suitcase and then I pack my Mac Portable, it’s about the same size.

Benjamin: I just have to say one more cool thing about the iPhone that happened today. My friend Ryan Irelan had called me, and he wanted to try out the conference call feature. So he conference-called, added in, which was so easy to do — I barely know how to use three-way calling on my regular home phone line, I’m almost sure how I use that. But on the iPhone it’s even easier and — so Ryan conferenced in Dan Cederholm, but Dan wasn’t there. So then Dan called back on Ryan’s other line, and Ryan then merged the two calls. And then you called me on my iPhone, and I said, “Hold on a minute, John”, only because I looked at the phone and there was this little “Merge calls” button that just showed up, and I clicked that, and now we were having a call with you, me, Ryan, and Dan, none of whom we had intentionally conference-called, just clicking this little “Merge calls” button.

Gruber: I didn’t even know that it would work that way where you and Ryan started the call, then Ryan conferenced in Dan, and you conferenced in me, so it’s not like one person has to be the person who does all of the adding new people.

Benjamin: And the sound quality, I thought, was great!

Gruber: It was phenomenal, I have to say. To me, the audio quality on the call so far ranges from amazing to at worse — ah, pretty good. But that call in particular, I thought the quality was outstanding.

Benjamin: Kind of amazing what they’ve been able to do. Even just the basic calling features, the way that things work — I didn’t even know if my old phone had a flash button or if I could use three-way calling. The other thing that’s certainly cool is visual voice mail and I think you said to me earlier today, the visual voice mail is so good that you don’t ever want anybody to call your regular home line again.

Gruber: No, I don’t, because to me the biggest pain is when you go somewhere and you come back and you’ve got five-six messages on your phone or whatever. Half of them are from people who then went ahead and emailed you or contacted you on AIM or called your cell phone or whatever, and they’re already out of date. Or if you go away for a couple of days and some of the calls aren’t even relevant anymore, and you still have to sit down and listen to them all and hit delete, blah blah blah, it’s awful. Half the time I just delete them all and assume that if any of them were important, they’ll just call me back.

Benjamin: This one — pick the call that you want to hear or the message you want to hear, tap it, listen to it, stop it, pause it, delete it — whatever you want to, right then. It was great.

Gruber: The two great apps on the iPhone are the phone app, which includes the call management, merging calls, that type of stuff and the voice mail — because the other cool thing about the voice mail is the way that when you want to set your greeting, you do it all on your iPhone, you don’t have to call into your account on AT&T and listen to a bunch of voice menus and click and record. You just click, there’s a big “Greeting” button at the top, you click “Greeting” and you can either choose between the default, which is to have the AT&T lady say, “This person you’ve called is not available, blah blah blah” or you say “Custom”. And when you say “Custom” then there’s a “Record” button. You hit “Record”, if you like it, you hit “Save” and that’s it. That’s your voice mail.

Benjamin: You can re-record it 10–20 times right there on your iPhone before it ever actually processes and uploads because you’re in control of that. Very, very cool stuff. And we were all talking earlier using the little headphones.

Gruber: Oh, I was actually on the phone itself. I’ve used the headphones, they’re great.

Benjamin: And the microphone is built right into the little plastic piece that you squeeze to control stopping or whatever and the funniest thing — Dan Cederholm said to me, he said, “Now people are going to think we’re all really crazy because now we’ll be just walking around with headphones on, white iPod headphones, talking.” And people are going to think we’re totally crazy because at least with the headsets that stick out of your ear, have the big flashing light on them —

Gruber: People are used to thinking that is somebody on the phone. Whereas this, you just look like an idiot with an iPod, talking to yourself. I should go back and say that iPod app is also a phenomenal app. The three apps — I should go back and say, there’s three absolutely, insanely good apps — the iPod app, the phone app, and Safari. I won’t list Mail in there yet, I think Mail needs a lot of help. You mentioned it, Duncan Davidson mentioned it, but to me the one thing that’s glaringly missing is a master inbox view where you get to see all new messages from all of your inboxes. Like on Apple Mail on Mac OS X, all of your inboxes, if you want to look at them one by one, they’re all within that one master inbox, but if you just click on that inbox, it shows you all of your incoming mail.

Benjamin: The fact that that’s missing, that kills me. It’s the one —

Gruber: We can fill up an hour with my complaints about the Mail app, and maybe we will later this week, I don’t really have time now.

Benjamin: Because this is just the supplementary podcast right now, this is not the podcast. My analogy was, if there was some kind of really big news item, we’d have to talk about it, and this is it, this isn’t our weekly podcast, this is a supplement.

Gruber: This is just a special edition. Hey, Jonas, you want to say hi to our podcast?

Jonas Gruber: [makes an indecipherable noise]

Gruber: This is our podcast, we’re talking to about 10 million people right now.

Benjamin: [laughs]

Gruber: You know, we’ve got so much good feedback from last week’s show, but there were a bunch of people griping about, and some people saying, “Hey, it’s great, sounded great, blah blah blah”, and then you get, I guess, the audiophiles who’ve complained about the audio quality, they’re really going to love my recorded in the PowerBook built-in microphone episode here.

Benjamin: I didn’t hear any complaints about the quality as much as the — some people would write in to say, maybe the pacing wasn’t good or whatever. So screw those people, I guess.

Gruber: Exactly. Lot of people complimenting us on the elaborate website design, too.

Benjamin: The website is actually — that is 100 percent me, that’s a really — I think we would make Tufte proud looking at that site because it’s only what’s actually needed.

Gruber: Right. No, I mean, you know — I think we’re probably going to have a nicer website at some point in the future. But I like the idea, and it’s very different from my typical way of working — we agreed to do this show more or less two weeks ago at WWDC. Craig Hockenberry, we were out having drinks after the Thursday night beer bash and Craig Hockenberry —

Benjamin: Incredibly tall.

Gruber: — more or less said what you’ve been saying to me for a while, which is, you and I should just do a little show every week. And I thought, you know, if it’s good enough for Craig Hockenberry, that’s good enough for me. And pretty much all we did, we said, okay, we’ll do it, we need a name, we took the most generic name we could think of, we spent an hour looking at domain names that were available. We clicked record, we recorded for 30 minutes, we needed a place to put it, we did the least we could possibly do and we put it up. Now, my typical way of working would’ve been to spend the next six months selecting a name and then, I don’t know, another eight or nine months going through about four or five different designs for the website and —

Benjamin: Each of which, the only noticeable difference in what you call the design is that the logo has shifted five pixels to the left or right.

Gruber: Right, right.

Benjamin: That’s a full redesign of Daring Fireball is that the logo is now five pixels to the right.

Gruber: Do you remember that time, the one time I redesigned daringfireball.net, I bugged you on AIM pretty much every 15 minutes for about two weeks.

Benjamin: Yeah, you’d say, “What will the ramifications of this redesign be?” and I would say, “How is this different from the other day?” You said, “I have a new Daring Fireball logo.” And I went to the site, and I thought, oh, maybe this is the bearskin rug t-shirt design up there, like, I don’t see anything different. “Dan, how can you not see it, there’s the whole new logo!” And I said, “What are you talking about?” Turns out, you had changed — instead of, like, “Mac nerd” it said “iPhone” or something, that was your redesign, under the logo, the logo text, the little 3-point text.

Gruber: But admittedly, that only took me about 30 seconds. But, you know. I’m kind of digging this “just click record for 30 minutes at a time and go”.

Benjamin: Well, hopefully the listeners will appreciate it too. We have a theme, we’re sticking to a theme.

Gruber: Yeah, definitely.

Benjamin: But you said you only had five — you gave me such a hard time, you said you only had five minutes, and now we’ve been talking for 30 minutes. This time we’re going to end it, because last time I had to try to figure out how to cut 10 minutes off. We’re trying to keep it to a 30-minute show, once a week. We did two times a week, that’s okay. But once a week, 30 minutes and I say we just end it. It’s almost 30 minutes, let’s just end it.

Gruber: All right, let’s do it again later this week.

Benjamin: We’re going to definitely do — and it will be a different topic though, it has to be something different. Maybe not even — because people are going to be sick of iPhones.

Gruber: That’s going to be old news by the end of the week.

Benjamin: Yeah, we’ll have to talk about something completely different. And so when do you come back from the shore, are you spending the 4th there?

Gruber: I don’t even know, nobody tells me. I’ll know it’s time to go when I wake up and my wife has our bags packed. I think later this week.

Benjamin: Well, good, have a great holiday.

Gruber: Yeah, you too.

#John Gruber #Dan Benjamin

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nolanfans · 7 years

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Christopher Nolan interview about Dunkirk in Premiere (translated by YFR3)

The popular filmmaker, inventor of crazy concepts, who reigns on global entertainment for ten years, is back. But this time, Nolan is naked : without his magic tricks or his theoretical scrolls. Farewell the world of dreams of Inception, the upside down editing of Memento or the black holes of Interstellar. Dunkirk tells the story of a handful of routed soldiers (Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Harry Styles ...) stuck on a beach, between the Channel's gray and angry sea and the Germans who fire. A real, brutal, anxiety-provoking and authentic war film. Really ? Naturally, as always with him, it's a little more complicated than that ... "I guarantee you there's no SF," he laughs, welcoming us into the editing room. For its hardcore fans who rewatch frame by frame the two available trailers, to see when the film can twist. No: "Dunkerque will be faithful to events, the reality of history and the reality of places. " Perhaps this is where the most "Nolanian" aspect of the project nests. Some people still wonder if, at the end of the dream of Inception, the spinning top continues or not to turn. The same is true for the Operation Dynamo (code name of the evacuation of May 1940). For some people, Dunkirk's rescue was a victory (340,000 soldiers saved while Churchill was expected ten times less); For others, it was a terrible humiliation ("War is not won with evacuations," declared the same Churchill). This is this weird episode of the phoney war that Nolan chose to tell through the fate of aviators, sailors, soldiers and civilians. A story full of ambiguity, ideal to play with the genre. There's always been in this man a desire desire to refuse the constraints of narrative logic, to explode into a thousand pieces the linearity of storytelling. Whatever the genre he confronts, his cinema is based on an art of rhythm and editing that allows him to deploy his incredible immersive mechanics. And that's what we witness when we get into the editing room at Warner Studios. We see Nolan at work. We see it deconstruct a plan, subtly modify a sound to boost an image and make it indelible (his sense of frame is intact), all with a virtuosity of a killer who knows as well mix formats (prologue mixing 70 mm and IMAX is a visual madness) that learn his job to the most experienced sound engineer. It is this moment that he chose to welcome us and lift the veil (In Premier exclusivity ...) on Dunkirk.

PREMIERE : I was very surprised to see how accurate you were in sound mixing. Can you explain what you were doing?

NOLAN: It's pretty simple in reality. In the room, the editor on the left is dealing with the music of the film. The other on the right the sound effects. And at this stage, we ensure the balance, the mix between these two flows. It’s a very subtle process, but when we add these two elements (music and effects), working on hundreds of sound details, we finally define the tone and cohesion of the film.

(Rest of the interview after the jump)

PREMIERE : I saw you asking for the sound of a bomb to begin a quarter of a second before, or to play a little up the clacking of the boots or the rustle of the uniforms of the soldiers on the beach ... NOLAN : It totally changes the spirit and the energy of a scene. And thus your emotions, what you feel when you’re watching the movie. The aim with Dunkirk is to try to recreate the primitive feeling of terror that struck the soldiers stuck on the beach. And sound is an essential element that make people feel the perceptions of those who were trapped when the bombs fell from the sky. PREMIERE : When I discovered the prologue and the few minutes you worked on, I was struck by the very concrete and factual aspect of the film. The characters are defined by their gestures, their costumes and their sounds. They are reduced to nothing or not much. NOLAN : When I made my research on the period, I realized that the soldiers in Dunkirk were lost. When you read the war accounts, they always tell the horror of a situation. But the accounts of the battle of Dunkirk insist on something else: what prevails, it is not horror, it is impossibility, paradox, misunderstanding. In May 1940, the situation on this beach was Kafkaesque. I compare this to the ultimate bureaucratic nightmare. There are huge queues that stretch out and no one to tell you what to do, where to go, to whom to address ... Nothing to do with the horror of the landing. The feeling that dominated was frustration. PREMIERE : Frustration ? NOLAN : Yes, because it was a very simple situation : the beach where the soldiers were stuck, the sea and the house ("home") just opposite. And the Germans were bombing. The most frightening thing for the people on the mole was to remain on this dam for embark on a ship. Days and days to wait, not knowing if there would be a boat at the end. And once they were on that structure and the bombs fell, no more way to escape. The (East) mole is what immediately fascinated me in this story. I had never heard of this pier. A kilometer long that advances into the sea. 2.5 meters wide. And the boats came along this pontoon. The men tried to put ladders but the tide was so strong that it was very complicated. The story of the people who stayed on the beach is scary.

PREMIERE : How to transcribe this into a movie ? NOLAN : This is the question that I immediately asked to myself: "How to make it feel?” The graphic description was not very interesting. I preferred to make a sensory, almost experimental movie. Without dialogue. The soldiers have no history - at least I don’t tell it. It’s a movie that aims to experience the experience of these characters from the inside. Their fear, their anxiety, their anguish. PREMIERE : When I left the screening of the prologue, two people who accompanied me mentioned Saving Private Ryan. NOLAN : Hmmm ... And? PREMIERE : Well, I get the impression that the comparison is not necessarily so obvious. There was nothing visceral in what I saw ... NOLAN : This is not what I was trying to do actually. Steven Spielberg's movie is a long nightmare, it conveys an anxiety that has nothing to do with frustration or failure logic. It's a biological fear. [Saving Private] Ryan is a film about the body, blood, fear of being dismembered. Fear is physical. Steven was able to create a visceral intensity of the experience of war. Dunkirk doesn’t play in the same category. It’s linked to our sensibilities, but it’s also due to the reality that is told. Steven created the ultimate version of war chaos. I wasn’t on this register.

PREMIERE : How would you define your approach in this movie? NOLAN : It’s a movie with suspense and a race against time. The fear on which I play is more ... intellectual. PREMIERE : Dunkirk seems to accentuate a break in your filmography. It’s a vintage movie, free of any high concept, of your magician’s "tricks". It’s like you’re moving back to a classic and more linear cinema. Despite its SF pitch, Interstellar was already moving in that direction, but this time it seems even more radical. NOLAN : Yes and no. The film is focused on the present, the immediacy of situations. Less on time. I play on different levels of temporality, but for different reasons. Interstellar sought to understand the effect of time on emotions and on human experience. Here, I try to transcribe the present time of the experience. Emotions are compressed. It looks simpler or more linear, but the structure of the movie remains complex. PREMIERE : What do you mean ? NOLAN : I wanted Dunkirk to be told from three points of view. The air, the land and the sea. For the people embarked in the evacuation of May 1940, the events took place on different temporalities. On land, some soldiers stayed for a week on the beach. On the boats, the evacuations lasted a maximum day and if you were flying to Dunkirk from the UK, the Spitfires (fighter planes used by RAF pilots during the war) carried one hour of fuel. To mix these different visions of history, one had to mix the temporal strata. Hence a complicated structure, even if the arc is very simple. PREMIERE : You are telling me that Dunkirk is Inception in May 1940? NOLAN : (Laughter.) No, because there, I wanted the viewer to live this experience not to rebuild it. It's no longer a puzzle.

PREMIERE : Unlike Interstellar or Inception, here we know the end of the story ... NOLAN : Dunkirk tells a series of paradoxical situations. The most obvious, the one that organizes the movie is actually known, but not necessarily by everyone. The army is stuck on this beach and must cross the Channel to go home. Within this global structure, there are others : will a soldier succeed in joining the mole? Will the pilot be able to carry out his mission? And progressively, the movie focuses on suspense sequences that are reduced to a very human dimension. It ‘s a film where the empathy for the characters has nothing to do with their destinies or their stories. My different heroes have no backstories ... The problem is not who they are, or who they claim to be. The only question that counts is : will they get by? Will they be killed by the next bomb while trying to join the mole? Will they manage to avoid being crushed by a boat while crossing ? PREMIERE : Very Hitchcockian as an idea. NOLAN : Totally. Hitchcock managed to make you tremble for a character ,no matter what moral judgment you might have. We are interested in the success or failure of an action at the moment it occurs. Nothing else. Watch Psycho: Anthony Perkins puts the body in the trunk and leaves with the car. It rolls and then starts to worry. Will he be caught? And this anguish, we feel it with him! At that moment, you almost forgot that it's the bastard of the story, that he just killed a woman ... It is the strength of Hitchcock’s cinema : to live the intensity of the present moment , Without having to explain what happened before. It is the principle of Dunkirk, to find the immediate intensity. I did not make a war movie, but a survival, whose energy is controlled by suspense.

PREMIERE : What is the impulse that makes you want to make a movie? Is it an image ? A sound ? A story ? For Dunkirk, how did this happen ? NOLAN : Emma (Thomas, his wife and producer) advised me to read a book on the evacuation of May 1940 telling me that there was perhaps a subject for me. I found it very interesting, but it was not immediate. Gradually, a vision began to pursue me. That of the mole of which I spoke. These soldiers massed on the jetty. I saw in it an elemental image. That's why we put it in the first trailer. It’s an image that I had never seen before and which possesses a metaphorical force, allegorical if you will, that resonates immediately into the unconscious. It has become like a nightmare - you know, these dreams where you imagine running to flee a danger but you can’t move, you can’t run away. This is what I found in all the reports I read about Dunkirk. It's like ... when you're in an airport, you stand in line and the flight is suddenly canceled. As trivial as the comparison may seem, when one experiences this kind of experience, it is extraordinarily frustrating. I was telling you about Kafka : it was from there he should have drawn the source of his novels and especially The Trial. The paradox of bureaucracy, the reality that escapes. The mole is that. Knowing the end of the episode of Dunkirk (the success of the evacuation), when I felt the nightmare that these soldiers could have lived, the idea of linking this frustration and the outcome of the operation, All this created a symbolic power that could make a movie. PREMIERE : It always starts with an image? NOLAN : No. For Interstellar, it was the script. The story imagined by my brother Jonathan. Less the script actually than an idea that was germ in the first part : the relationship between father and child and the idea of studying this relationship on a cosmic scale. For Memento, it was the concept of staging ... It depends. PREMIERE : You were quoting Hitchcock. I wondered to what extent Dunkirk interacts with classical cinema and especially the great British war movies? NOLAN : I rewatched some war movies of the 40s and 50s because of the subject, but from a production point of view, I spent a lot of time seeing silent films. For crowd scenes. The way the extras move, evolve, the way the space is staged, the points of view used. For the storytelling of Dunkirk rewatching Intolerance, Sunrise or even Greed was a very stimulating exercise. I was looking for works on immense scales. What fascinates me about silent films is the way they use geography, the space to tell the story.

PREMIERE : In the prologue, there is this very impressive shot where we see the port from very high. Almost God’s point of view of God. Somewhat like giving the plan of the labyrinth and the rules of the game. "That's where everything is going to play ...". In your movies places often refer to the psychology of a character. NOLAN : Geography is an essential aspect of storytelling, it's true. We tell so many things by anchoring a story in a place... It isn’t by accident that « Heart of Darkness » by Conrad is one of my favorite novels. It’s the purest form of geography and storytelling. Conrad never repeats himself, he sinks gradually into the depths of the human mind. Is it an inward journey or a trip out of oneself ? That's the real question Conrad is asking. And 2001! And Dante! How to tell the trip ? This is the main question of cinema ; In any case the one that fascinates me the most. And when we care about place and geography in its relation to intrigue, then the analogy with the soul and the mind becomes obvious. Dunkirk speaks about a very special place that evokes the Bible squarely. In May 1940, the English were the Jews driven out of Egypt and driven back by the Red Sea. And in a Judeo-Christian civilization it adds a very strong level of mythology. PREMIERE : Did you rewatch the 1958 movie directed by Leslie Norman? NOLAN : No. I didn’t even know its existence before launching the production of Dunkirk. As soon as I began to find out seriously about the events, this movie quickly reappeared. But I didn’t want to rewatch it. One of the reasons why I wanted to tell this story is that I thought it had to be told in a modern way, for the today’s audience. I needed to think about movies that focus on specific situations. Hitchcock, Clouzot ... PREMIERE : Clouzot ? NOLAN : Yes. « The Wages of Fear ». Most of the crew didn’t understand why I was screening them this movie. But it was the one that made the most sense. Pure suspense. Which talks about mechanics, procedure and physical difficulties. Look at the scene where the truck has to go back on the platform and the wheels doesn’t respond anymore ... That's what I had to look for « Dunkirk » ! I wanted to show how you bring a truck on the jetty, what happens when the tires don’t pass, when the wheels no longer respond. Pure physics.

PREMIERE : Process is at the heart of most of your films. It's the fuel of Memento, it's the mechanics of Batman (how a superhero is constructed in a very concrete way) and it's the very subject of The Prestige. NOLAN : That’s right. The process fascinates me, the mechanical and human processes. It was one of my obsessions on Dunkirk. I rewatched Pickpoket and Un condamné à mort s’est échappé, just for that. Bresson details everything, creates suspense with details. Everything is about process, movements. Dunkirk is getting closer to this : dissecting the process to create suspense. The process becomes entertainment itself. PREMIERE : I have the impression that Dunkirk is a laboratory where you have sought a new form to create a show … NOLAN : I looked at how to tell this story in a way ... let's say different. It was important for me in this movie to find a storytelling that avoids or erases all the conventions, all the cliché structures of the Hollywood movies. I love Hollywood movies. I have made it for years. But I wanted to try to work in a way that would not allow me to use those tools. PREMIERE : You were "making Hollywood movies." I find this expression interesting ... NOLAN : I’ve always tried to use Hollywood movies differently. But I like these tools. My favorite filmmakers worked in the Hollywood system. Even at the margin – The Thin Red Line is a Fox movie. Hitchcock, Spielberg, Wilder worked for the system. They showed that it was possible to make masterpieces within the studios. There's nothing better than an adventurous, daring Hollywood movie. It doesn’t happen often, but when I see it, I feel full. Excited. Challenged. More than when I discovered an awesome but more modest film. If a gigantic film provokes me, asks me, makes me feel more intelligent ... this is the best experience I can have in a theater.

PREMIERE : I feel that what you are describing is more rare today. That the studio system no longer offers the same freedom to create. Did you have some difficulty to produce Dunkirk? NOLAN : No. I don’t know. It's rare, but it has always been! Always try to think outside the box. To try new things. PREMIERE : If you had to choose, you would say that « Dunkirk » will be experimental or very classical ? NOLAN : (Smile.) Do not repeat it to the studio: it will be my most experimental film. From far away. But I hope to be subtle in this.

#christopher nolan #dunkirk #dunkerque #long post #premiere #interview #bresson #hitchcock #kubrick #spielberg #clouzut #french #translated #nolanfans #yfr3

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dtphan824 · 7 years

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“What restaurants did you go to in Tokyo? How do you get there? Places to visit in Tokyo? Things to do in Tokyo?”

My last and final blog post from Journey to Tokyo (2017)… maybe. I’m currently packing for another trip en route to in Hong Kong / Taipei, but before leaving, I wanted had to finish up this post and catch up with stuff I’ve been doing before and after the trip…

A view of the rainbow bridge from the shore of Odaiba park / beach area. You can find see the location HERE.

“What restaurants did you go to in Tokyo and how do you get there?” I’m not telling you guys these spots are a must go to place to eat, but I would definitely recommend it. If you look on my itinerary from Part 1 of Journey to Tokyo (2017), you’ll find out where I ate and how long it took to get there from my last point of interest. So lets begin…

1. Sushi Dai – Located in the Tsukiji fish market area, it’s known for their 2.5 hrs wait for 10 pieces of sushi selected by the chef and one of your choice. This is called an omakase. The price of this omakase is 3900Y which is not bad (about $34USD at the time). The real investment is the wait… people start lining up at 2:30AM. Yes, AM. My brother recommended me to do the same so Enrique, Joseph, and I woke up at 2:30AM and Uber-ed our way there. We arrived at 2:45AM and there were about 10 people ahead of us. This was in January early in the AM… so temperatures were in the sub 30F / -1C… some people thought we were crazy because what normal people wait outside 2.5-3 hrs for 11 pieces of sushi? We fell into the food hype, but glad we did because it was a great omakase experience.

We woke up at 2:3oAM and took an Uber for about $25 USD. You can also stay up late and be in the area or sleep at a manga cafe, but I would recommend taking a taxi or Uber if you don’t want to be dead tired by the time you get in…

Early AM, there’s no one really around…

This was the line for Sushi Dai…

The first few guys started lining up around 2:30AM…

Here you can see Joseph and Enrique in line…

It was -1.1C so I had to take a break from the queue to get some warm milk tea from Aiyo Coffee next door… I’m not sure if the tea tasted awesome because I was frozen but it was definitely warm and tasty. I asked one of the owners how long they’ve been there, and I think since the 1800s… whoa.

It was 5AM and the first group of people went in… Enrique, Joseph, and I were in the second group and went in at 5:45AM so about 3 hrs from the time we started waiting…

One of three sushi masters of Sushi Dai….

Is it worth waking up at 2:30AM and waiting in -1.1C for a 3,900Y omakase? If you’re a hype food beast kind of person, yes. If not, I think you’d be fine with other places at Tsukiji. I personally wouldn’t wait again, but if a friend who has never went and wanted to do it, I wouldn’t mind going again. I do hear Sushi Daiwa is comparable to Sushi Dai with a shorter waiting time so I will probably hit up Sushi Daiwa next time.

2. Gyukatsu Motomura – I got this recommendation from a couple of friends that went before and looked really good. They serve breaded beef cutlet… and not just any normal beef, but marbled graded beef. It’s served raw and you’re able to cook it to your liking with the hot stone. Because of their recent popularity, there may be a 30-60 minute wait time. Reason for this is because there’s only 9 seats. Enrique and I stopped by on a Monday at 3pM and the queue was about 45 minutes. They told us there was another location in Dogenzaka, or next to SHIBUYA109, with no wait time so we headed there….

Definitely would recommend going here. Price isn’t too bad either depending on the size of your meal.

3. Jiromaru – A friend, Patrick Leong, who was there at the same time actually recommended this place to us. It’s a small Yakiniku (Japanese meat grilling) restaurant located in the Shinjuku area. Ste, Joseph, Enrique and I got there around 3:30PM and there wasn’t a long queue luckily. They serve Grade A1 to A5 beef with vegetable condiments. You can either have your own grill or 2 people to one grill. Great place if you’re meeting someone for a quick yakiniku meeting after work or with a friend.

Somewhere in Shinjuku area…

I was too busy to keep grilling to keep up with what beef cut was what…

Did I mention it’s a standing bar/grill….

So much marbling… it’s like eating butter…

Beef pron..

This was our bill for 2 people… not bad at all for an afternoon snack…

4. 7-Eleven, Family Mart, etc. – If you’re in a rush, grab breakfast, lunch, or dinner from any of these convenience stores. They have pastries, hot/cold beverages, energy jelly drinks (recommended!), and other candies/treats.

I think I grabbed a steamed pizza or pork bun every morning…

5. Coco Curry Ichibanya – If you’re a fan of curry, you should definitely try this place out. It’s interior reminds you of Denny’s but they serve curry with pretty much anything. There are a few in Japan and I definitely recommend it.

I should’ve taken a photo prior to eating but forgot… but this was katsu curry with a fried egg…

6. Dominique Ansel Bakery (Omotesando) – Joseph’s friend actually recommended this place to us while we were in the Omotesando area. It’s by the famous inventor of the cronut, Dominique Ansel. There are other locations around the world and there was even one in the states, NYC to be exact. We went around noon and it wasn’t packed at all. The cronut was super crisp but hard af… not sure if that’s how they are supposed to be but after you’re able to cut them with the weak plastic knife, some jizz (not sure what it was), oozes out. Hesitantly ate it and it was pretty good.

Cronuts were 600Y each…

Other pastries…

7. Ichiran Ramen – Any chance I get, I will visit Ichiran Ramen. They’re coin machine operated with private eating stalls located all over Japan. Also open 24 hrs.

Things to do and places to visit in Tokyo 1. Tsukiji Fish Market – I know I’ve already mentioned this but I’ll just mention it again. Lots of great photo opps and lots of places to eat. I went twice on this trip…

2. Random Roof Tops – Don’t get caught going up to a roof top illegally. You will be arrested and detained lol. It’s cool if you can find access to some.

3. Shibuya Crossing – A definite must do if you’ve never been.

4. Odaiba – Diver City, Gundam, Toyota Megaweb, Rainbow bridge view, Sega Arcades, etc. You can spend a full day site seeing here.

5. Harajuku / Ometasando– Fashion district for teens. A few cafes here and there. Takeashita street is the place to google for.

6. Akihabara – Known for their electronic shops and toys for otakus, there are lots of stores around here if you need to shop for souvenirs.

7. Shinjuku – Check out the Red Light district at night but stay away from the Nigerian guys that lead you into bars.

I’m probably leaving a bunch more places out but these are the places I recently went on this trip. Check out the itinerary on Part 1 and make your own accordingly. Below are random photos from the trip. Cheers!

35mm Life……

After Sushi Dai, we walked around…

It was early morning so people were still getting their fish ready…

Patrick and Steven went to Sushi Daiwa and we caught up with them afterwards…

Enrique staying warm as possible…

Paul was part of the Sushi Daiwa crew with Patrick and Steven… Paul doesn’t look cold at all…

Early mornings at Tsukiji Fish Market…

The scenery before consumers and tourists take over…

Tsukiji…

Our roof top view at our Airbnb in Akasaka…

Joseph roof top shooting…

I was super tired from Sushi Dai so I slept for a few hours…

Afterwards, I met up with Enrique and we headed to Odaiba…

We originally went for Toyota Megaweb….

But they were closed -_-

So we went to check out the Gundam one last time before they take it down in March…

Lots of older tourists were there… I don’t think they knew what they were taking photos of…

Then we headed over to Aqua City…

A beautiful vew of Rainbow Bridge…

iphone Life…

That’s pretty much it for Journey to Tokyo (2017). Will there be another Japan series this year? Hard to say but anything is possible. Thanks for reading and checking out the blog as usual. If you have any suggestions of your own or corrections to my post, please comment!

http://www.danhphan.com http://www.danhphanphoto.wordpress.com http://www.instagram.com/dtphan

Gear: Nikon D750 Sigma 35mm f1.4 Iphone 6

Journey to Tokyo (2017): Part 6 – Recommended Places to Eat and Visit "What restaurants did you go to in Tokyo? How do you get there? Places to visit in Tokyo?

#35mm #akihabara #blog #foodporn #harajuku #iphone #Japan #odaiba #omakase #ramen #shibuya #sushi #tokyo #tsukiji

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herriblog · 5 years

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After Vacation

He had planned this fully paid trip to Amsterdam and Rome in the beginning of October. What was planned was the UK trip after the Rome. He was on a work related trip in Amsterdam and he asked me to join him. But he also ensured that he brought someone to help me around. He brought Karrena to tag along to look after me. It’s not like I needed a lot of assistance. Me and Karrena had gone out everyday when he was at work.

We had gone to the Windmills in Zaans Schans, seen Dam Square, tasted the apple pie in Winkel 43, watched the buskers in Dam Square, tried Febo, went shopping, gone to the sex museum, tried weed in coffeeshop 420, tried the famous fries in Amsterdam, tasted the Lanskroon stroopwaffles (I give it 5 out of 5), seen a wet Red light district and saw the tremendously long queue for a live porn show. We were exhausted after our trip in Amsterdam. He was jealous that we had gone to so many places and that too without him.

We planned our Rome trip together. We had loads of fun. He was exhausted till he said, I have never walked this much in my entire life, you made me so tired, I just do not want to move anymore. Haha. On the first day, we had gone to Coliseum. Messed up there as we needed to show the Roma Pas (A travel ticket that we had bought online to allow us to travel everywhere in Rome, inclusive of bus, tram and trains), we had to get the ticket and rush back to stand in line for the ticket. We saw the Coliseum and got wet in the rain. We had bought umbrellas on the spot for 5 Euros for one umbrella. Pretty costly. We took the train to Termini Station and walked around there and ate lunch at a really nice restaurant. It was worth it (1 pizza, 3 pasta, one glass of wine, two drinks for 48 Euros. We headed down to Circus Maximus and took a few shots and then headed to Spanish Steps and had gelato. We headed back to our hotel. He was exhausted. Day 2, We had gone to Pantheon Temple, Piazza Navona and rushed to Vatican City for our Sistine Chapel and Musuem walkabout. Honestly the walk around there was exhausted af. We were tired of walking around the place. To be honest, we just walked by and not see much of the art work, we walked almost 4km in 90mins. And it was too crowded. And if anyone wants to see it, it’s best that you understand Vatican City and Romans history if not it’s pointless, after which we were so tired. We went back to rest. And our hotel was just a 5mins walk to where Vatican City was. While we were resting, he suddenly said, what do you think if we go to UK since Arsenal is playing this week. I was like you kidding. We do not have enough cash babe. But on the hand, UK is just like a 2.5 hour flight from where we at and we didn’t know if we would ever return. So after much thought, we booked our tickets to UK the next day at 0610hours. He asked what’s left to cover in Rome and I said, Trevi Fountain. So we went there. God!!!! The view of trevi fountain. It was so damn gorgeous. It’s so pretty. I was simply awed by the art work. We went for drinks and went to sleep at 12am and woke up at 3am, rushing for the flight. LOL. All the three of us were shagged, and worn down.

We arrived in UK at 8am, cleared customs by 9am, We decided to take the train to our hotel. It was about 70mins with 3/4 train changes. It was exhausting but worth it. We enjoyed. We rested in the afternoon, dragged him to go out. He wanted to go Southall and Karrena wanted to go City Center. He didn’t want. So we went to Southall, we got off the train and saw the gurudwara was on the right. We went in and spend a about 45mins in there before we left, we were tired. and I was already limping.

Day 1, we went to Big Ben but it was under renovation so we couldn’t see anything. headed to Buckingham Palace and saw the Soldier Musuem. We rushed to get a train to Kings Cross Station but I was tired of walking. He booked an uber to the King cross station to get the ticket for the Arsenal Game. And we headed to the game via uber as he was afraid that we might be late. We bought chicken nuggets and I unknowingly bought 2 Rose wine. I enjoyed sipping it while watching the game. I had no clue what was going on. And the next thing I knew it was over. He went to get his Merchandise from Arsenal and took a few pictures with the youtube stars. And we headed back. We decided to have indian food in the indian restaurant in the hotel we stayed at, Staycity Heathrow.

Day 2, he had to work. he felt bad that he hadn’t worked and sorta lied his way to this trip. Me and Karrena went to Picaddily Circus, Trafalgar Square, had lunch a Wagamama’s, walked to Chinatown and went to Regent street and oxford st for shopping. We headed back at about 7pm. We had to pack our stuff again and sort out shopping loots... I was exhausted and it felt like I was gonna get the flu. We packed up halfway and slept.

Day 3, we went for breakfast and came back to complete packing and then got the hotel people to store our luggages for a couple of hours. We went to Paddington. We argued in KFC cus we ladies wanted to eat somewhere else and that he wanted to try the KFC. He got angry that we didn’t listen to him. He walked out and after a while, we calmed down and we went to an Italian Restaurant. We headed back to the hotel and an interviewer came to us to ask if she could interview us for the railway stuff. We said we werent locals and she came back to talk to us. It was really sweet. After which, we headed back to the hotel and left for the airport. Got a tax refund which was about 30 pounds.

Points to note,

Pack light (I used one set of PJs the entire trip). two/three tops, and one jeans, and a nice outfit for late night dinner and two pairs of shoes and one coat. That’s the way it should have been. We had overpacked. And had to stuff our shopping loots in various places. Lol.

Get yourself a Holland Travel Ticket in roam (there are non peak ticket (41 Euro) and peak which costed 61Euros)

Roma Pass and the Oyster card (it was like an ezlink card) This are travel tickets worth to get. and remember to pack some instant noodles to save cost.

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anachef · 5 years

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Galaxy’s Edge Opens August 29 in Disney World. Do I Keep My September Reservation? We’ve Got PROS, CONS, and SURVIVAL TIPS For Galaxy’s Edge!

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Walt Disney World will officially open on August 29, 2019 (click here for all the details!!), way ahead of the “late fall” estimation Disney released last year. And the shortened timeline has really thrown a wrench into the plans of guests who had hoped to avoid the galactic crush of people exploding into Disney’s Hollywood Studios — particularly those with September reservations.

Galaxy’s Edge Concept Art

September has historically been a relatively quiet time of year to visit the World, and with Disney’s original prediction of a “late fall” opening for Galaxy’s Edge (plus free Disney Dining Plan offered through September 30!), loads of visitors planned to enjoy the last few quiet weeks of fall without tens of thousands of their ‘closest’ friends. Now those plans are thrown off. And we have heard from MANY readers and social media followers who are considering changing their travel plans (or upset that they can’t!).

So we’re taking a look at the pros and cons of traveling to Walt Disney World in September, right at the height of the Galaxy’s Edge opening crowds — PLUS tips for surviving it all!

Galaxy’s Edge Marketplace

Cons: Get me outta here!

So. Many. People.

The first consideration of guests whose September plans are disrupted by the announcement is crowd levels. And there’s reason for concern. According to TouringPlans.com, when Pandora opened in Animal Kingdom, the new land essentially doubled the crowds in that park. Galaxy’s Edge certainly has the potential to do this — or more! — for Hollywood Studios. For many the appeal of September is the relatively low crowds, allowing them to snag Fastpasses and Advance Dining Reservations, avoid hours-long waits for popular attractions, and just have some personal space. For some this is a necessity; crowds can be highly anxiety-producing and overwhelming for people of all ages, and we totally hear the pain of those who feel this way.

Galaxy’s Edge Concept Art © Disney

There’s no sidestepping this issue. Disney’s Hollywood Studios will, in all likelihood, be a total madhouse. It may be orderly, with Disney doing what Disney does to control and direct crowds, but even with the best organization of queues and filtering crowds through in regimented ways, people are people. They will disperse everywhere. And if you can’t handle the crowds on a busy day, you’re really going to struggle with a Galaxy’s Edge day.

But all hope isn’t lost. See our PROS below for an idea of when Galaxy’s Edge crowds might simmer down.

Galaxy’s Edge… Phase One

If you’ve resigned yourself to the fact that you’ll be visiting Walt Disney World during Galaxy’s Edge’s big reveal, the least you could ask is for everything to be open and operational, right? Unfortunately, even if you battle the crowds to get in, you’ll still be missing out on one of the biggest draws to the land: Rise of the Resistance!

INSIDE Star Wars Rise of the Resistance!

Click here to see why Rise of the Resistance will be relegated to Phase Two!

By all accounts this ride is out of this world, combining multiple ride experiences into a single, larger-than-ever attraction. But Rise of the Resistance won’t be rising to anything when Galaxy’s Edge opens in Disney World as it’s slated for a second phase.

For many who are begrudging their opening month visit to the land, the inability to experience Rise of the Resistance is a huge disappointment. Perhaps crowds wouldn’t be so bad if only guests could spread across two major attractions. Perhaps Rise of the Resistance would make the Galaxy’s Edge fervor more tolerable. Guests who’ve stumbled into an early visit to Galaxy’s Edge won’t have that carrot to get them through the hard stuff.

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance ©Disney

You only get one chance to make a first impression!

If you’re a Star Wars fan, a Disney Parks fan, or both, you’ve likely been anticipating the opening of Galaxy’s Edge for years. If you’ve imagined your first visit during the relative calm way post-opening (perhaps in 2020 or beyond) and now find yourself in the mix for the moved-up grand opening, you may be feeling the let-down of your idyllic first Galaxy’s Edge visit. And that’s a bummer! Rather than planning ahead for a visit when crowds have died down, now you’ll be one of the tens of thousands exploring elbow-to-elbow, jostling for a Blue Milk and queuing up for Millennium Falcon (without a Fastpass!!).

Entrance to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Hollywood Studios

The potential for a relatively calm first impression seems entirely out of reach for those who will be experiencing Galaxy’s Edge well before they intended. And perhaps those who fall into this category will want to avoid the land altogether and put off their first visit to Batuu for another time.

Pros: Deal me in!

So many people… in Galaxy’s Edge!

We’ve seen this question many times in the past few days: how will Galaxy’s Edge impact crowd levels in the other parks? It’s a valid question without a certain answer. What we can do is look at past precedent, and the closest we can come to a comparison is the opening of Pandora. Now, this is not a direct comparison, and past performance of crowds is in no way guaranteed to repeat in September. Galaxy’s Edge is likely to draw unprecedented crowds, so we can only muse about what’s happened in the past.

©Disney from @DisneyParks on Twitter

But what’s happened in the past isn’t so bad! When Pandora opened at the end of May 2017, crowd levels in Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot were actually lower compared to crowds the previous year — 4% and 6% respectively, according to TouringPlans.com. Magic Kingdom crowds were essentially the same from 2016 to 2017 (down only about 2%). So it may well be that crowds will favor Hollywood Studios when Galaxy’s Edge opens, meaning many guests will spend less time at the other parks.

But it’s also worth noting that by mid-June of 2017 when Pandora was about 2-3 weeks old, wait times for popular Flight of Passage were regularly under two hours. Still a hearty wait but certainly down from opening day levels.

Flights of Passage Queue

When Toy Story Land opened on June 30, 2018, some guests reported waiting up to 2.5 hours just to get into the land itself — then faced queues of up to 4-5 hours for Slinky Dog Dash. But these numbers only really applied to the first day the land opened, and within a week, Toy Story Land wait times were settling down, with Slinky Dog Dash coming under 90 minutes by mid-July (TouringPlans reporting). This trajectory may also apply in Galaxy’s Edge, with opening day crowd levels coming down dramatically within 1-3 weeks.

Slinky Dog Dash

Something to note about the opening of Toy Story Land that may come into play for Galaxy’s Edge: Disney World opened for Extra Magic Hours every morning from 7-8AM from opening day through August 25 — frequently letting guests in around 6:30AM. Those Extra Magic Hours likely spread some of the crowd out, as guests not staying at a Walt Disney World resort couldn’t enter the park until after 8AM. Disney has confirmed that Galaxy’s Edge in Hollywood Studios will be accessible during Extra Magic Hours. It remains to be seen if they will open Hollywood Studios early every day for several weeks as they did for Toy Story Land.

And just out of curiosity, we took a look at the opening numbers of Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which may very well end up being the best comparison in terms of fervor over a land’s opening. Of note is that when Wizarding World opened on June 18, 2010, the longest waits visitors experienced were to gain entrance to the land itself. At that time, folks reported waiting up to 8 HOURS to get into the world. Once they were in, visitors reported waiting two hours and under for the rides themselves. That said, when the Wizarding World expanded with Escape from Gringotts in March 2014, people waited 7+ HOURS for the ride itself. The wait time was around two hours even four months later.

Universal Studios

We’ve seen that Disneyland intends to create a virtual queue system to get into Galaxy’s Edge in California (kind of like when you’re waiting for a table in a restaurant — you’ll get notified when the land has emptied enough to allow you to join in). We’re not yet sure what will happen in Orlando.

Galaxy’s Edge opening is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Visiting Batuu and Galaxy’s Edge won’t be without its frustrations — particularly if you weren’t originally planning to be in the middle of the opening weeks’ action. But unless you’re planning to experience Galaxy’s Edge openings in both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, visiting Disney World in September will be a completely unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Ronto Roasters

If you happen to be a Star Wars fan, this might be a big part of the excitement for your trip. And if you’re not a Star Wars fan, you may well find yourself caught up in the excitement of others. That opening energy, the awe of seeing something brand new for the first time, and the resolution of years of anticipation will be powerful forces. Maybe the force will be with you — fan or not!

youtube

All the NEW things!

This one is, perhaps, the biggest pro for those who are disappointed in Disney’s advanced timeline: you get to see all the NEW things when they’re still NEW! Sure, it might be a challenge to take in all the details while making your way through the crowds, but if you have the chance and the ability to slow down, take your time, and explore Black Spire Outpost, you’ll be drinking in details never before seen in Disney World. From atmosphere and food to costumes and technology, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is bringing its A-game, and if you’re accidentally there for the opening, you’ll be part of history!

Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge Costume Reveal @SasakiTime

Tips for Survival

So what do you do if you choose to (or must) keep your September reservations? Have a plan of action.

Plan your time wisely.

Yes, that means making rope drop and utilizing Extra Magic Hours if you can. Not a morning person? You could also try waiting until the final hours of the day when many guests will retreat to their rooms to rest (and recover from that embattled journey to Batuu). Schedule your Fastpasses for later in the day — think: after lunch. Or, if you think you’ll need a full stop break from the crowds, plan to leave Galaxy’s Edge as soon as you’ve had your fill, and make Fastpass reservations for a different park entirely.

The other aspect of using those early morning hours is trying to stay abreast of procedures for Galaxy’s Edge. Unless you’re going on day one, you should be able to find anecdotal information online about how Hollywood Studios cast members are directing guests and what time they actually allow guests to line up. Unofficial information isn’t 100% reliable, but it might help you wrap your head around what you’ll need to do to maximize the rope drop opportunity.

Hollywood Studios Chinese Theater

Be flexible.

It’s entirely possible it will take more time than you think to explore Galaxy’s Edge. In addition to the hordes of people and massive queues guests are likely to encounter, there will also be tons of details you’ll want to take time to examine. Plus, you know, there’s the FOOD and DRINKS you may want to try, too. (Click here for the latest on dining in Galaxy Black Spire Outpost!) If you’ve got some flexibility in your schedule, carve out more time than you think you’ll need. This way, you might reduce some of your stress by not having another thing to run off to before you’re finished with Black Spire Outpost.

Throw in the towel.

Okay, so this survival tip is pretty drastic, but you know you (and your crew) better than anyone. If the stress of crowds is sure to kill the vacation vibe, you might consider rescheduling your trip. We know: it’s easier said than done and just not an option for many. But it’s something to think about if it’s an option for you. Our friends at Small World Vacations may be able to help you sort things out, and if you’re really on the fence, it’s worth touching base with them to see if there’s anything to be done. If you do end up changing your plans, think of it as an act of self-preservation. Some of us just can’t imagine embarking on a Walt Disney World vacation under the conditions of the Galaxy’s Edge opening, and that’s okay! You have to do what’s best for you — and the World will be there whether you reschedule for a closer date or a later date or you decide to make a go of it.

Our favorite people over at Small World Vacations are ready to help you save time, headaches, and best of all, money, when you book your Disney trip or cruise.

(Why should you use a travel agent when you go to Disney? See what we think here! Or click here for a no obligation price quote today! And tell them DFB Sent You!

Click here to read our full list of tips for surviving the BUSIEST days at Walt Disney World.

There’s no way to know exactly how the crowds and crowd control will turn out when Galaxy’s Edge opens months before it was estimated to do so. And we sympathize with those of you who are reeling from a vacation that will likely be very different than you imagined. Whether the cons convince you to change your plans (or just validate how you’re feeling!) or the pros give you some hope (or also validate how you’re feeling!), there’s no doubt Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is poised to change Walt Disney World forever.

Stay on top of all the Disney Parks news — including Galaxy’s Edge updates! Subscribe to the DFB Newsletter TODAY!

Are you in or are you out? Let us know what you think about an early visit to Galaxy’s Edge or a September visit to the World!

How Do The 10 Biggest Disney News Stories This Year Affect Your Disney Trips in 2019? Find Out!

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Cliffs Notes…Here’s What You Absolutely NEED To Know After The Galaxy’s Edge INFO BOMB Dropped Last Night!

Will Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Impact The Epcot Food And Wine Festival?

from the disney food blog http://bit.ly/2uTKkUW via http://bit.ly/LNvO3e

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travelphilosopher · 6 years

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As I write this a week later, I am still coughing so I was quite ill, more than I would have liked to admit. The second day was a rest day and relaxing, as I had a large buffet breakfast and despite my friend’s invitation to stay at her house, I opted to stay in the YHA in Bardon Mill near the wall and have access to walks. I didn’t feel so bad, and felt I could handle short walks about 5-6 miles, but not the 15-20 per day that I had previously planned. Even though I had built in a rest day I hadn’t anticipated on using it so soon. I was reluctantly having to admit to myself there was a high probability of my not being physically able to do much walking due to my cough.

Cobbled streets in Old Newcastle

Art Deco Cinema

I rested in my hotel until I had to check out and walked around the city for a while and I visited the Laing Gallery, and the local art deco cinema. I met my my friend who pulled a face when I said I would walk from Bardon Mill station to the Sill saying it was very steep. Google said it was just under 3 miles and did say it was steep too, but what other choice did I have? The train was a Northern one, and by now I was just relieved if the train was running if it was a Northern one. On the train were commuters, tourists, and kids who were on a day out. A small group of lads asked if the train was headed to Newcastle as they got on at the Metrocentre and the conductor told them they’d got on at the wrong side of the platform. It was amusing listening to the boys bantering as to how this could have happened, while the conductor returned and told them where to get the next train. Another passenger urged them to get ready to get off at Blaydon so they didn’t miss the stop as the whole carriage chuckled. It lifted the mood on the train which was a slow one, but scenic.

Bardon Mill is a tiny unmanned station and I had to cross the track to get to the other side. I didn’t copy what the other passenger who got off did, which was to run across the track, but followed the path to the gates. Here, I bumped into a lady walking her dog, and I kept the gate open for her. She asked where I was going and I said the Sill and she asked how I was getting there. I got the same response from her when I said I was walking as my friend, and she quickly decided she was driving me there instead. I was surprised at the kind offer and also quietly glad as I was tired too and knew if I had walked I wouldn’t get to the hostel until after 7 at the earliest.

The lady said she often gave lifts because the transport to the Sill was poor and she’d seen many travelers stranded. As we drove, the roads were indeed not only steep, winding and quite perilous to walk on as there was no pavement either. In addition there were no signposts, so getting lost was highly probable. Lorna, the lady who gave me a lift was very kind as I coughed and struggled for breath, and I felt very fortunate to have bumped into her.

The Sill was very modern, clinical in fact and as soon as I walked in there was an atmosphere of unease. The reception was manned by one person and a man with two teens walked in front of me to order food. They took a while to decide once it was their turn, and more people joined the queue behind me while the lone staff member poured some drinks from the bar. She was very calm though, yet the ten people behind me waiting to check in were probably as annoyed as I was when I arrived. When you’ve travelled a great distance the last thing you want to do is wait to check in. I don’t queue unless I have no choice, and having to wait nearly 10 minutes to check in was really unacceptable despite the apology when it was finally my turn.

With this in mind, my check in was done within minutes as I just wanted to get to my room and freshen up, and see if I had time for a quick walk while it was still light. I was mindful if I had walked, then I wouldn’t have had that option and was grateful to Lorna for that chance. The social area or lounge as they called it was getting noisy and busy with people having dinner and arriving back from their day out. I couldn’t help but feel the set up was less than relaxing and looked like the lobby of a new but cheap hotel.

My room was fine, not too small but hardly spacious either and was on the ground floor. I’m never a fan of these more for security reasons, but the area seemed safe. The bathrooms were a strange set up; a single room with two toilets and two showers, one set for males and one for women. I can imagine if all four are used at the same time it can be noisy and crowded, plus the window didn’t open.

There was nowhere to relax except outside, so I considered walking to Housesteads which was 2.5 miles away. My only concern was coming back as it was getting dark very quickly around 8 p.m. and so I decided to just go for a short walk and see where it would take me as it was already 7 p.m. after the delayed check in. I headed towards Steel Rigg and followed the signs and ended up walking fairly high up by the wall as far as Milecastle 39. It was here I noticed people to my right taking photos in the distance of a tree which I assumed was Sycamore Gap. It was hard to say when you are standing right under it, as there is a smaller more unusual tree to the left of it.

Hadrian’s Wall and path from a distance

On Hadrian’s Wall

The route had been steep and the descent was one with lots of uneven stones and not ideal for walking in twilight conditions so I was relieved to see there were some lower footpaths that a fell runner was on. I crossed over to join that path and made my way back as it was getting dark pretty quickly. I’d seen more of the wall in the last hour than I had done in all the other miles I had walked, and it is fantastically preserved.

The Sill to Sycamore Gap ~ 1.5 miles (40 minutes)

The other tree while standing at Sycamore Gap

Milecastle 39

I can now see why people choose to do the highlights and why some bloggers who choose to do the whole walk miss out simply because they are too exhausted to appreciate the historic relics, or they have to crack on because they need to get to their next stop before it gets dark. It has altered my view on whether to do the ‘quiet’ sectors merely for the sake of it or not.

The path ahead towards Housesteads

The view back on where I had just walked past Milecastle 39

I returned to the hostel and the ‘social areas’ were quiet with the odd person using the wi-fi, or having a snack. It seemed like most of the hostel occupants (who were families) had gone to bed already, and the television screens that no one could control forced me to watch Masterchef while I had a lemsip for the night. The shared bathroom facilities were cramped as I took a shower and stepped straight into the path of tiny hand basin, and I mean it was so tiny in that you could only wash one hand at a time in it! Considering this is newly built, it’s a pretty poor design. I had the chance to peek at some of the en-suite rooms and they were huge in comparison in terms of the bedroom space and also the bathroom space. Sadly, it looked to me that it was all about money; you pay more to get more space.

I had one other bunkmate, a dutch girl who was doing the walk. I apologized in advance for my coughing and hoped as I had managed to sleep 5 hours the night before I would be okay. Sadly, that was not the case and the room and building in general was stuffy. I got up several times to find some air, but the main doors, front and the back door by the dining area were locked and the lights were not on. I couldn’t find any light switches in the dark and I felt like a trapped bear. I knew it wasn’t fair on the other bunkmate and my coughing so I decided to try and sit up and read and do some writing in the lounge. With no light it made it very difficult, as I searched for a switch and tried to see if there was a salto keypad that would release the door. It was poor management, I mean what if there was an emergency? I knew there must be a door somewhere, but where and how could I find it in the dark and with directions? Even if I did get out, how could I be sure I could get back in?

Hadrian’s Wall Walk ~ Stage 2, Day 2 As I write this a week later, I am still coughing so I was quite ill, more than I would have liked to admit.

#Bardon Mill #Hadrian&039;s Wall #Milecastle #Newcastle upon Tyne #Rest Day #Steel Rigg #Sycamore Gap #The Sill

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adventuresdownabbeyroad · 6 years

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Monday, July 2nd~ London, UK

Arriving in London: We both slept through breakfast, but I woke up in time for coffee. After a night of turbulence, we really didn’t get that much sleep. Getting off the plane went smoothly and Melina made it through Heathrow’s border control in seconds. It took me probably half an hour, and the agent grilled me on why I was only in the country for 8 hours. I even had to show him my boarding pass for our next flight to Croatia. By the time I got through, Melina retrieved both of our suitcases. We walked to the underground station where I tried to put money on my Oyster Card. Apparently, some Oyster Cards expire. Even though we had the exact same card, Melina was able to use hers! After buying a day pass, we took the Piccadilly Line to Green Street. I hadn’t been to Borough Market before, so we transferred to the Jubilee Line to London Bridge. Borough Market has a great selection of food, from pastries to cheese to meats. I bought apple crumb coffee cake, but not without some issues. When I handed the vendor the 1 pound coin, he said they had replaced the coin and some bills with new money and wouldn’t accept the old change or bills. I managed, thankfully, to have enough change (in addition to accidentally giving him a Euro), and awkwardly left. We walked to the Bank of England, where we had to cross the London Bridge. The walk probably should have only been 10 minutes, but we got kind of turned around in the City of London, the financial hub. Finally finding the entrance, we had to queue to enter the bank and I waited outside by the Royal Exchange. Unfortunately, the system was set up where you had to exchange your coins elsewhere, so we gave up on those 4 pounds.

Flying to Croatia: It was only a 4 - stop journey on the Northern Line from Bank Station to King’s Cross/St. Pancras International. We ate at Pret and I ordered a cucumber and chicken wrap. I also searched in vain for a drinking fountain with no luck. After lunch, we stopped at Mark’s and Spencers to pick up some water and Percy Pigs. We caught the Thameslink to Luton Airport Parkway, which was about 40 minutes. After the train ride, we had to take a shuttle bus to the actual airport. Luton (pronounced Loo - ton), is undergoing some much needed construction. The baggage drop is nowhere near security. We also had to upgrade on Wizz Air in order to take both bags with us on the flight. Flying priority was essential on Wizz Air. Security was another issue, as they double - checked both of our bags. The agent yelled at Melina for using more than one liquid bag and didn’t even say what was wrong with mine. After finally making it through security, we had to wait for our gate assignment. When we heard the general announcement, we rushed to the gate to get a better place in line. We weren’t seated next to each other and had to ask the guy in the middle to swap. He was also a bit of a man - spreader and the seats were extremely uncomfortable. The couple in front of us were participating in some hardcore PDA. Overall, a pretty interesting combination of people aboard. We were vaguely reassured by the safety of the plane when the pilot did a very thorough inspection of the entire plane. Overall: you can skip Wizz Air. About 2.5 hours later, we touched down in Split where we took a shuttle from the plane to the airport. The ride took less time than getting us on the bus and really did not travel far (maybe 30 yards). The lady helping board the bus basically walked with the bus. After passing border control, we made our way to the shuttle bus to take us to Split City Center. Sponsored by Croatia Air and only 5 euro and air conditioned, the 45 minute ride into the city center dropped us off near the water. I was dying of hunger and grabbed a slice of pizza before we headed to our Airbnb. Our host, Jure, was so nice and met us at the bus station to take us to the apartment. On the way, he gave us tips about our stay and asked about my last name. The Airbnb was undergoing a face lift, but was spotlessly clean inside.

#London #Split Croatia #Wizz Air #Europe #Europe 2018

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naughtygals · 7 years

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day 4

today is saturday and i haven’t been to the rc space since thursday night. it’s felt really good to have some mental space and distance. i’ve also felt much more productive than normal. i’m really excited to keep coding work projects, and even have more energy for crushing boring emails that have been lying around a long time. i think the whole experience is really pushing me to realize what’s important, and what’s necessary, and just getting things done more generally.

thursday was a funny day - i arrived after midday again which is a little tough with so many people moving around the space. lots of alums on thursday and even less places to sit and work. i ended up sitting on a couch which i realize is really frustrating to me – noticed another sp2′17 was sitting at a pairing station so joined and did some graph-navigation / path-finding algorithm work in java. it was fun to solve the problems and reinforce my knowledge of stack & queue functions, plus get to watch somebody code in a more recursive style than i’m used to, and with testing functions too. taught me about how in higher-level languages you can let the compiler / interpreter generate a stack for you, so you don’t have to worry about shifting contexts like you do in c. being able to call a recursive function, and just knowing it’ll work it’s way back down the auto-stack and then pursue another line of recursion... pretty crazy.

i really want to learn about how to use a test-based programming. obviously it’s a little more difficult in imperative languages, than functional, but i think it would be a good way to handle larger projects where there are an awful lot of moving parts.

from here i started working with lua & löve again - working through an example of how to make a basic platformer, but instead directly transposing it into a top-down exploration game. learned how to include images, the object-oriented nature of declaring ‘things’, and user input. started with direct, incremental motion of the player, but refactored it to use a momentum-based approach where the user affects the direction of motion, instead of absolute position.

expanded this to apply limits at the edges, then took it further to reflect the momentum perfectly back into the space. it’s a kind of billiard table approach. added a score counter which displays in the upper-left and just counts how many impacts with the walls have occurred. applied rotations to the player & score on each impact for some added absurdity. the test cycle is so incredibly fast as it simply requires saving the text file (only 85 lines!) then running `love .` from the command line – the whole loads up in maybe 2-3 seconds.

this whole thing made me super excited. i built my first ‘game’ and it literally took about 2.5 hours of playing with a tutorial and reading the love documentation. learning the lua syntax as i go which actually feels like a much better idea than trying to formally learn the language first.

next i want to explore adding other objects and understanding how to handle collisions. after that i want to go directly to exploring lighting and then shaders. feels like being able to implement light & texture really defines whether something feels like a game or not. i think i can make an actually fun game by the end of the 2nd week without any troubles. i will definitely try and pair on this project once there’s a little more of a clear objective.

afterward were presentations & games night. the presentations were somewhat interesting – i like the idea of just getting up and showing what you’ve been doing for the past few days, without having any great pressure on you. i’d like to show some work at some point, and hopefully it’ll spur a little more social engagement with the other recursers.

games night started very softly after rambling my excitement about having made my first game at a number of folks. ended up having somewhat of a bonding experience with another sp2 and spoke at length about our backgrounds and the feeling of being a little out of place amongst all these folks. some interesting ideas about self-selection, and how it’s funny to realize you just self-selected to be amongst a group of people who aren’t too dissimilar from what you imagined.

too many feels to describe though, but it was really lovely to finally have a moment without the pressure to talk only about code, and instead to really engage with external interests.

the night ended with a super fascinating conversation about functional programming, and the concept of monads(sp?). i took two very interesting ideas away from the conversation – first being the idea that monads are a kind of alternative to test-based development where a monadic function can only return the answer if it satisfies a certain set of conditions. it thus is impossible for it to return ‘null’ when expecting a value or something similar. something like a function which is guaranteed to only return results that satisfy a particular subset of requirements. eg: only positive / not null / only even numbers.

more broadly though, i was confronted with the idea that ‘functional programming makes sense regardless of the computer architecture’. this is quite a challenging idea because it presupposes that the ‘von neumann machine’ nature of current computers is not only not-necessary, but that the imperative, memory-focussed language i’ve been using is only applicable because of the architecture. the idea was suggested that in the future computers could be created that are functional by nature, and languages like haskell, while ‘slow’ at many tasks compared to say, a raw c version of the same, very quickly we are collectively approaching a point where these kinds of performance differentials are not necessary. and further, that there can be computers designed that are structured to solve these functional style problems, rather than the register based logic machines we currently use.

i’m not sure where i sit with the whole thing, but it definitely feels like i’d like to research more about this concept, and also dabble in functional programming just to get a feel for what it means to think in that mode. while c is never going to be functional, i know lua can do some kinds of functional programming, and perhaps there’s lessons that can be learnt and applied across regardless of the language. already i’m trying to write simpler functions that do just-one-thing and have less mutability inside each of them.

i’m planning to join the SICP study group and try and get my head around some more generalized computing literature. will also be fun to learn Scheme and see what lessons that has buried within..

this weekend is however focused on getting JF3 up and running & pushed onto github. i want to spend some time thinking about how to organize the nested structure on github, and learn how to handle the git instructions to do this more reliably. i’ve been rewriting some of the lower-level functions to update how things are handled, and better separate / isolate the files from each other. basically try and get rid of all the global variables, and push a lot more functions into the wrLib for reuse in the future.

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wanderingfadz · 7 years

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Landed in Helsinki from Stockholm around 3pm. I think the airport was too small for the number of passengers that needed to be handled. You just have to keep moving. Lucky for me, I only travelled with my cabin luggage.

( 2.5 days visit, Reading time : 10 mins, expenses at the bottom of the article, more pictures of my trips on my fb page : wanderingfadz )

It was equally busy outside the arrivals. Weather was windy and a bit cold for summer. I needed to figure out how to get to the city. Being a backpacker, I certainly look for the cheapest (and preferably convenient) way of getting to the city. In terms of buses, you have the option of going with the public bus or the Finnair City Buses (costs just a little bit extra).

Looking at the queue for the Finnair bus, I decided to take the public bus. I spent almost 1 hour looking for the right bus using my phone. I had to use the airport free wifi which meant I couldn’t wander to far away from the terminal building if I wanted to stay connected. Didn’t help that some of the public transport information was either in Finnish or Swedish. Had to guess from the limited Swedish that I picked up while in Sweden.

Transportation ticket/pass prices

To go to the city, you want to take a bus that goes to Rautatientori. The Airport is outside the Helsinki Region hence why it costs €5.50 to get to the city. I bought a 2 day pass from my hostel.

The journey took around 30 mins to get to my hostel (The Park by Cheap Sleep). My hostel was around 10-15 mins from the central bus station in the city centre (the bus station is also near to the central train station). Based on that, it should take almost 40-50 minutes to get to the city. I was only going to stay in Helsinki for 2.5 days before taking the ferry to Tallinn.

The Accommodation

The Park by Cheap Sleep was not the best place to stay but it was ok especially when hostels in the city were averaging around €35 a night while mine was a bit out and it was around €29 a night. Either you walk to the city or take a tram/bus (buy a day tix). Even if I stayed in the city, I still needed to get a day pass anyway.

Hostel just opened when I stayed so there were a lot of improvements to be done. Recent reviews shown that they have made it better.

Since it was a rushed trip, I didn’t manage to see a lot. The city centre itself is not big so you might be able to see what needs to be seen in 2-3 days. Here are the list of places that I went.

1. Rautatientori

Basically a square where a lot of bus lines stop. It’s also close to the central train station where you can even catch the train to St Petersburg. Trams also pass by this square.

The square hosts some events are held and the square is surrounded by old european architecture. When I was there, there was a Russia tourism fair going on.

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Rautatientori

Train to St Petersburg

Train station next to Rautatientori

2. Strolling around the CBD

Just close to Rautatientori, you will surrounded by a few shopping streets.

The main commercial areas are Keskuskatu and Aleksanterinkatu. Mannerheimmintie is also a commercial area with a lot of bars/pub and Hard Rock Cafe ( I buy souvenirs for my friends so I have to look out for it when I travel).

Shopping street

3. Chilling at Esplanadi

A strip of green belt in the CBD. It can be quite busy with a lot of locals as well as tourists visiting or relaxing on the benches and green grass. There’s stalls selling coffee and light snacks.

You can watch people go along with their business while listening to buskers playing music or watch some public performances.

A statue in the middle of the long park/esplanade seems to be the focal point for selfies / photos amongst tourists (unfortunately, that included myself).

The statue in the middle of Esplanadi

4. Senaatintori (Senate Square)

It’s another square to the East of the Aleksanterinkatu. The square is surrounded by yellow coloured government offices / museums and is where one of the top tourists attractions of the city, the Helsinki Cathdral is located.

The cathedral is painted in white and has green domes. The cathedral is has a more cheery atmosphere because lighting from outside easily penetrates the building (in summer at least).

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View of Senaatintori from the entrance of the Helsinki Cathdral

Helsinki Cathedral

The square is full of tourists hence photo opportunities can be hard to get. Try to arrive early before the tourist buses get there. I passed by the square at around 6.30am on a weekend to get to my ferry and there was literally no one in the square but the church was closed too. But it works if you only want a photo from the outside.

5. Market Square

To the south of Senaatintori around a 5-10 mins walk is the market square. It also functions as the harbour where ferry leaves from the piers. Since it was summer when I visited, there were vendors selling fruits such as blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and more. €5 for half a litre of these fruits is not a bad deal I say.

There’s the old market Hall to the south west of the harbour. Looking out to the sea, it will be on your right hand side behind a parking lot. The interior has old architecture and mosaics. Free toilets too (since the word free and toilet don’t really mix together in Europe).

The city council is also nearby this area which you can visit. There’s a small museum/exhibition going on when I was there and it’s free entry.

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Berried I bought for €5 from the market

City Hall

Walk a bit more the East of market square, you can see the Uspenskin Cathedral that towers over this part of the city. It’s a Russian influenced cathedral with red bricks and pointy domes with gold coloured crosses on top of them (compared with round domes of the Helsinki Cathedral).

Just like Senaatintori, this cathedral is also full of tourists. You are allowed to walk on certain parts of the church once inside. Can be a problem managing the crowds.

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Uspenskin Cathedral

Inside the cathedral

6. Suomenlinna

For a half day trip, you can visit the island/ a few islands connected by bridges just a 20 min ferry ride from Market Square. Ferry trips are quite frequent in summer. Make sure you board the public ferry. It was included in my 2 day transport pass ( €12) so I didn’t have to buy tickets from the ticketing machines by the pier.

The ferry drops you just in front of the island’s information centre where you can book tours, use the free wifi and toilets.

You can walk around the island or use bikes. On the island, you visit the cathedral, museums, old forts and a few villages. If you take your time you might spend at least 3 hours on the island.

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Directions on Suomenlinna Island

One of the old structures that has now been converted to a library

I met one of my old university friends in Helsinki and he brought me around other parts of the city but it was mostly residential areas.

I left for Tallinn, Estonia via an early morning ferry ride with the Tallinn Silja Cruise company.

Leaving Helsinki for Tallinn : View of Market Square and both Helsinki and Uspenskin Cathedrals from my cruise ship

I didn’t go to any of the museums mostly because I didn’t have the money and it did not interest me. Since I was also walking around town, some of the museums were closing by the time I wanted to visit.

My expenses for my short visit to Helsinki were as follows :

The Park by Cheap Sleep Hostel (2 Nights, 4 bunk bed room) : €58

Airport to City public bus : €5.50 (should’ve just bought a 3 day pass instead)

2 day transport pass : €12 (bought from my hostel)

Helsinki to Tallinn (return) ferry : €14 (weird pricing where it was cheaper to buy a return than single tix)

Groceries, snacks and fastfood : ~ €35 (mostly pre cooked meals you just need to put in the microwave, fruits at the market and pastries)

Flag pin souvenir : €4.50

Stockholm – Helsinki Flight : 34.40 (Norwegian Air)

Total expenses for 2.5 days : ~ €165

I have uploaded some extra pictures into my Facebook page : wanderingfadz to save on blog quota allowance

Short trip to Helsinki Landed in Helsinki from Stockholm around 3pm. I think the airport was too small for the number of passengers that needed to be handled.

#helsinki

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