Sunday, April 23, 2006

PODCAST - Crusading: The "Album"

This is an older "album". The pieces date back to the late 1990s and early 2000s. The overall theme was vaguely inspired by trips I made during the 90's to Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey and Iran; and also by the NATO action against former Jugoslavia. For some reason I saw a parallel with the early crusades. Hence, you may detect a slight mediaeval character to some of the tracks.

Track-3 is an oblique reference to the "Battle of Knutsford Heath" (1997), in which independent candidate Martin Bell deposed the discredited Tory encumbant, Neil Hamilton as MP for the Tatton constituency.
This occurred while I was in Iran, and I only found out about it on my return home. Its significance lies in the fact that Mr Bell was the first non-conservative to hold Tatton (Knutsford) for many generations. It gave some of us the chance to make our votes count for the first - and probably the last - time. Ever. (Ours is one of the safest Tory seats in the country). The description "White" in the track's title refers to Martin Bell's trademark white suit.

As with the tunes previously posted on my blog, these were multitracked using my keyboards.

Saturday, April 22, 2006

PODCAST - Summertime Revisited : The "Album"

It occurred to me that it would probably be simpler at this stage just to list all the tracks on my Summertime Revisited "album". So here goes:

1 Summertime Revisited
2 The Losing Kind
3 Song for Margaret

4 Struttin' Through Ruthin
5 Dancing in Crop Circles

6 Grapes of Froth

7 October Song

8 Looking on the Bright Side
9 Loose Ends
10 Spiral Galaxy

11 Welcome to the Orient '05
12 The Great Adventure '05

13 The Great Adventure

14 Melodies of the Mountains


If you look back through the previous postings you will see such descriptions as I managed to cobble together.

PODCAST - Melodies of the Mountains

I've lost track of exactly when I wrote this silly ditty. It was certainly used in at least one pantomime, but it really came into its own as the theme music for a comedy murder mystery, "Murder in the Alps", which was written by the late, and sadly missed, Trevor Wild.

Trevor passed away a couple of years before his wife, Margaret. He shared her wicked sense of humour. I should think heaven will be fair rocking with the two of them being up there!


The MP3 file

PODCAST - The Great Adventure (Original Version)

This is the one I originally recorded in 1994. Still it was multitracked, but using equipment of an earlier decade. I used tape, so this transcrption features some very authentic hiss!

I think you'll agree it has a rather different feel to it from the more modern version. I almost prefer it - even if I say it myself!

The MP3 file

PODCAST - The Great Adventure

And here's yet another one written for a panto. Again, originally for 1995 "Aladdin", then revamped for 2006.

The MP3 file

PODCAST - Welcome to the Orient

Aother one I wrote especially for a panto (yawn!!).

Originally the opening number for KLT's 1995 production of "Aladdin", but this one was re-worked for the January 2006 show.

The MP3 file

PODCAST - Spiral Galaxy

Now this one was written for a purpose - to round off a little charity panto ("Cinders") that some colleagues and I "performed" at Manchester Uiversity's Hulme Hall just before Christmas, 2005.

The music is much the same sort of thing as usual, though!

The MP3 file

PODCAST - Loose Ends

"Loose Ends" was, until recently, the name of the band I occasionally play in with my chums at KLT. This piece was something of a signature tune.

Because of slight concerns over copyright we changed our name to "
Green Rumours". As far as I know this name isn't used by anyone else, but if you know otherwise please tell me!

The MP3 file

For those interested, all the tracks I have put on my blog so far were performed using
  • a Technics weighted-key piano; this was acting as a midi controller driving a -
  • Yamaha PSR540 keyboard .
  • The piece was recorded (multitrack) on the keyboard's in-built sequencer.

PODCAST - Looking on the Bright Side

I wrote this for no particular reason. It didn't have a title until it was - yes, you've guessed it - used as a song in a KLT panto!

The MP3 file

PODCAST - October Song

Because I wrote it one October!

The MP3 file

PODCAST - Grapes of Froth

I think the title of this one must have been inspired by the state of development of my wine one year. Says it all, really!

(Maybe I should have called it "Sour Grapes of Froth". Hmm.)

The MP3 file

PODCAST - Dancing in Crop Circles

Don't ask me why the title!! Just seemed to have that feel about it. I wrote it originally for dancers to waft around to in one of the many KLT pantos I've MD'd.

Mercifully short, though!

The MP3 file

PODCAST - Struttin' Through Ruthin

This is a bit of musical nonsense. Not sure how to describe it really, but kind of improvised pop/jazz. I dunno.

The MP3 file

PODCAST - Song for Margaret

This one was written as a dedication to a dear friend, Margaret Wild, who passed away a number of years ago. Margaret had been a KLT stalwart for many years. She is sadly missed, not only for her effusive personality, cutting wit and brilliant acting talent, but for her ability to reduce those who knew her to tears of laughter. Keep 'em chuckling up there, Marg!

The MP3 file

PODCAST - The Losing Kind

Here is another of my pieces. This was originally just a tune, but later it got lyrics added was used in a pantomime at Knutsford Little Theatre (KLT) .

The mp3 file

Friday, April 21, 2006

PODCAST Some of my music - Summertime Revisited

Just as a change from photos of Mauritius - my first attempt at podcasting!!!

Here is an improvised version of the classic "Summertime" from the musical "Porgy and Bess".

I performed it using
  • a Technics weighted-key piano; this was acting as a midi controller driving a -
  • Yamaha PSR540 keyboard .
  • The piece was recorded (multitrack) on the keyboard's in-built sequencer.
The style progresses from classical -> light jazz -> jazz/hip-hop/funk

The MP3 file

Thursday, April 20, 2006

Photos for Vimi and Family

Hi Vimi, Avi, Jas & Niv,

Now we are back in the UK I thought I would try blogging some full-resolution pics we took when we were with you. Let me know how they come out.

Best wishes
Mike




















Vimi - This one is our other son, David, taken almost a year ago just after he inherited his grandmother's red mini! Tomorrow (21st April) is his birthday, and he'll be 18.

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Part 26: 15th -16th April – Last day in Mauritius – BOO-HOO!

Saturday 15th April

Well, this is it: my last full day in Mauritius. Strangely, it feels as though I have always been here in some ways, and yet in other ways I have only just arrived. I suppose that when I eventually return home it will be as though I had never been away. But I hope I am wrong.

Anyway, because our flight is not due to leave until 10.30 this evening, there is still one more day to enjoy. We will be spending it with our new-found friends, Vimi, and her family: husband Avi, son Jasvin, and daughter Nivriti. They will be collecting us at the Spar complex in Flic en Flac. They live in Flacq, which is a region on the eastern side of the island and as such, an area we have not yet visited.

While we are waiting, and just for old-time’s sake, we snap some more familiar scenes:

The dhal puri kiosk, near the Spar complex

Looking towards the Spar from behind the kiosk

Pete & Mike making for the Spar

Shortly after 10.00 am Vimi and her family arrive. It is a bit of a squeeze as they have both children with them. I sit in the front to begin with, but later Pete doesn’t feel too good, so we transfer him to the front. They take us behind Port Louis, and up to the top of the plateau, close to a tiny village called Les Mariannes, where we stop to admire the view and take some more pics – among the pineapples:

View North. Coin de Mire is just visible on the horizon

Looking north, we can just about make out Coin de Mire, which I had seen previously on my visit to Cap Malheureuse. The sign over to the right reads: “Good bye”. How appropriate, as this is our last day in Mauritius.

We then head down the windy road past La Nicolière reservoir, and eventually to the beach at Bel Mare.

Vimi describes the sand here as white, soft, and as fine as semolina! It certainly is, and the sea is so blue. Even bluer than on the west coast; and with fewer rocks and stones, it is an ideal place for toddlers to splash around in safety.

Come on - get your feet wet, C!

Purchasing fresh pineapple and mango

Jasvin makes like a gecko!

Pete and Avi brave the ocean

Then Vimi and Avi produce a superb lunch from the car boot, including samosas, lots of other delicious snacks, and chicken biriyani. Yummy!

Afterwards, they take us to see their lovely home in Bel Air. They are about 500 metres from the sea, of which they get a brilliant view from their second floor balcony.

Just time for a drink and yet more snacks, and we have to make tracks back to Flic en Flac. We have arranged to meet Mr Ravin, the owner, in order to settle the bill for the bungalow.

Vimi and Avi are so kind, and we are sad to see them leave. But we will certainly meet them again, because they intend to come over to Manchester as soon as it can be organised.

Mr Ravin arrives and gives us some copies of his CD ROM, advertising the apartment, which we gladly agree to distribute when we return home. It has been perfect accommodation for our needs, and I can thoroughly recommend it to anyone. The bill settled, our driver for the airport arrives. It turns out to be Pravin, who had met me originally all those week ago, and who had accompanied me on several trips. We get to the airport all too soon, and say our goodbyes to Pravin. I believe both he and I were holding back a few tears. Sounds daft, perhaps, but everyone here has been so warm and friendly that it is hard to leave. Still, there is no choice, and we get checked in for the long flight back to Paris Charles de Gaulle, a long wait, and a short hop back to Manchester.

The flight left more or less on time (10.30pm), but took ages to reach cruising altitude. Before leaving, we were told that French Air Traffic regulations required the cabin be sprayed. So they went up and down with hand-held sprays which, I guess, contained anti-mosquito stuff.

There had been some problems on the tarmac – something to do with the cabin lights not going out properly. (It is an aviation regulation that cabin lights have to be dimmed for take-off.). That got sorted out, but as soon as we were underway the in-flight entertainment packed up. They were never able to fix it. Anyway, it being an overnight flight, an attempt at sleep seemed like a more useful activity. The meal was good, though. Typically Mauritian.

Sunday 16th April

Didn’t notice Sunday arrive. Not sure where we would have been. Possibly just over the east coast of Africa. Of course we were two hours ahead of Paris time, so watches would have to be put back. [Easter Sunday, too; and as I write this, that old feeling of time having been suspended returns. Surely Easter had to have been months ago? Christmas is not even a dim memory to me now.]

There was rather a lot of turbulence throughout the 12 hours, so by the end, Caroline was feeling distinctly woozy. To cap it all, even though this was a long-haul flight, we were deposited miles out from the terminal building and had to be bussed in. This took absolutely ages and ages. It was crowded with people, there was practically no air, and Caroline was feeling worse by the minute. I think she all but passed out at one stage. And of course there is no obvious means of communication with the driver, who is safely behind a bullet-proof glass screen; understandably, perhaps; but it really angers me, this sort of thing. You’d think it would be obvious to anyone that people having just walked off a 12-hour flight would be feeling pretty groggy. There were families with very small children – some still in nappies. But I guess that is what we have come to expect. Outside though it was cold, the sky was grey and it was raining in a very Mancunian way. Odd, because this was Paris.

The Manchester flight was, by comparison, much more comfortable, and bang on-time. Also, we walked straight into the terminal building – as one does at civilised airports.

All our bags arrived too! Then it was through the Green Channel (to match our three bottles of Green Island rum), out through the doors, into a taxi, and soon we were back at good old Ashworth Park. And, as a special favour, the sun was shining brightly by the time we got home. A little bit of Mauritius to make us feel welcome.

The place didn’t appear as strange as I had been anticipating. It normally does, even after a two-week holiday. And it was hard to grasp that just a few hours previously we had been playing on the beach at Bel Mare with Vimi’s family.

Now, as I write the final few sentences, it is even harder to think back to when I had first decided to start writing daily reports of my visit to Mauritius. There were certainly times when I felt like abandoning it – when I’d have much rather have been doing something else, such as soaking up the atmosphere on the beach. But I am pleased that I did persevere, because I feel privileged to have been able to experience Mauritius in all its glorious diversity. I hope I have managed to convey to you just a little of what it was like; and that one day you too will be able to savour its delights for yourselves.

And so au revoir et merci, Île Maurice. And thank you, everyone I met. Mauritius is a beautiful country, and you are beautiful people. I sincerely hope we meet again soon – even if it has to be in Manchester!

THE END – Thanks for sticking with it!

Part 25: 14th April – Dolphins, Crocodiles and Barbecues

Friday 14th April

Pete & I got up really early today as we had to be down at “Casa Pizza” by 7.00 to meet our guides for the dolphin trip.

Hanu arrived with his cousin, and we walked together down to the beach where several other guys were milling, including our pilot, Baba. He’s the one wearing the bandana in the picture below. Hanu is on-shore with his arms folded, and won’t be accompanying us. There are just three of us in the boat, including Baba.

Baba and Hanu

Pete just before we set off for the dolphins

Baba produces coffee, Sprite and croissants, which is ideal on a trip like this. We begin heading slowly south down the lagoon. After half a mile or so, Baba has to navigate through a small gap in the barrier reef. This is a tricky business, and he has to time it very carefully, watching for the rise and fall of the waves. I guess if you get it wrong you tear the bottom out of the hull. At just the right moment he opens the throttle and we sear through at top speed. Phew!

Once in the open sea we turn north at speed, following the coastline.

After maybe three miles we arrive at a little inlet where there is no beach, but where the water meets rocks and cliffs. There is a small waterfall cascading straight into the sea. We are the only boat in the area. Dolphins are attracted to this spot presumably because of its relative isolation. We drift about for a short while, approximately 200 metres off-shore. Suddenly Baba points to some activity, and we see our first group of dolphins. From then on, we see them all around, in small or medium-sized groups. It is fascinating how they engage in “synchronised swimming”. We can clearly hear them blowing as they surface then rapidly dive again. Baba reckons there could be as many as 100 here today. Sometimes there are up to 200.

Not much to be said. Let the photos speak for themselves:

I also took plenty of video footage.

Baba asks if we’d like to swim. I ask him how deep it is here. “About 20 metres”. Then no, thanks. We’d rather be able to touch the bottom!

Then the coast guards make an appearance, and there is an exchange between them and Baba. He tells us that apparently today a new law has been introduced prohibiting swimming with the dolphins. We must also remain at least 200 metres from the shore here. This is no problem for us.

Maybe 15 minutes later another boat appears, carrying several tourists with snorkels and flippers. Gradually more and more boats arrive, and there is general jumping in and snorkelling. Someone spots the coast guard in the distance and, magically, everyone is innocently sitting in their boats again. The coastguard makes several return trips.

It feels rather distasteful with all these boats homing in on the dolphins – almost as though we are trying to corral them for a better look. But I guess dolphins are smart. They know how to avoid that.

As it is now gone 9.15 we start to head back to base. Then it’s time for a drink of coffee before all three of us meet once again at “Casa Pizza” for our trip down to “La Vanille” crocodile & wildlife park.

Today’s driver is named “Alain” and is probably the chattiest driver we’ve had so far. Like the impressive trees we see around here, he could be described as “flamboyant[1]. He begins the tour by taking us to see a part of Flic en Flac that he is sure we won’t have seen. He’s right. I never got down as far as the "Hilton", the "Sugar Beach" and "La Pirogue" – all huge hotel/apartment complexes. On the other hand, I believe I am familiar with the real Flic en Flac: the beach area behind and around the police station and up to the fish-landing point; the Spar supermarket; “La Papayou” and the many other modest but excellent restaurants clustered around.

Then we strike out for “La Vanille”. Not a lot to say about the journey down. Alain continued his effusive and informative banter, and was genuinely pleased when I showed I already knew about some of the things he pointed out to me: such as the “Travellers’ Tree” – a huge fan-shaped member of the banana family; so-called because if you spear it in the right place you get a supply of fresh drinking water. He was impressed that I had done my homework!

The wildlife park is set in wonderfully shady woodland which also houses its most important feature for the moment: the “Hungry Crocodile” restaurant. Yes, it is lunchtime again! Now La Vanille is in fact a crocodile farm, and the restaurant does a good line in crocodile steaks apparently; but we decide crocs look better alive than dead, so select something a little less exotic.

Caroline at "The Hungry Crocodile"

And the lads

From there we follow the route around the park. Here are a few of shots we took:

Madagascar tortoises: in danger of extinction until recently

Pete with flower. Don't know what it is

Stick insect in the insectorium.

All the insects were dead, mounted in glass cases, but this gives a good idea of the sizes of some of them. I’d put up a few more pictures of them but Caroline wouldn’t like it.

One of several iguanas we saw

Mauritian fruit bat

No, the photo is not upside down (although in a way I suppose it is, since we are in the southern hemisphere!). This fellow was very alert, and eager to have his (or her) picture taken. Kept clambering to the front part of the cage and posing for us. When you see them in full, you can immediately recognise the inspiration for Count Dracula with his cape wrapped around him. Notice his eyes are big and bright. These bats are not exclusively nocturnal. So “blind as a bat” maybe, but not “blind as a fruit bat”.

"Grumpy Fish", spotted by Pete in the aquarium - the fish that is, not Pete.

I won't tell you what some of these were up to, but they certainly made it sound like hard work – as you can probably imagine!

While we were out I got a call on my mobile from Souda to say they were organising a bit of a barbecue on Flic en Flac beach this evening. Unfortunately Dharma would not be able to make it, owing to another commitment. However, here are the others:

“Souda” Rosunee, Head of Department of Textiles at UoM

Souda and Goonesh (right)

Souda again

Goonesh and Caroline

Arvind (left), Asvin (centre) and Jay (right)

Jay

Arvind

Kamlesh (right)

Souda leads the way...

Goonesh, Pete and Caroline

Apologies if I have got any of the names mixed up! Anyway, suffice it to say that a good night was had by all. Good food, good beer and, most importantly, great company.


[1] The French name for the “Flame Tree”