Warm Moments

I finally got around to taking these pictures off my camera. The Captain and I got the chance to go down to Piran a few weeks ago. Ahhh, it was so warm at the beginning of October. What a difference a month makes!

Letter to the Bosses #1: Poletje promet je

Dear People Who Run Slovenia,



Now is the time of year when the common greeting of "Hey, how ya doing?" gets dropped and is replaced with "When are you going to the seaside?" Considering this annual inevitability results in so many tens of thousands of your fair citizens (as well as tourists passing through) burning loads of gas and clogging up the roadways, I humbly suggest that you please start organizing some more environmentally friendly alternatives.

How much trouble would it be to run some regular trains and busses down that-a-way? You could offer tickets at a family-friendly (and maybe slightly recession-friendly) price and let people leave their gas guzzlers at home. Not only would it be environmentally-friendly but wouldn't it give a national sense of pulling together for the good of all? I think so!

I hope you consider my proposal.

Until next time, I remain, your humble resident,
Camille Acey of Wheelville

Swimming Cities in Slovenia

Last year The Captain and I saw The Swimming Cities of Switchback Sea, a beautiful art-scrap-flotilla created by the artist SWOON and other artists and friends.

This year, the group will be coming to Slovenia of all places, but they need help. They will be here in just a little over a month and they don't have a space to stay or build (someone here was helping them, but flaked). See images from their last two voyages and read their call for support below. All help is MUCH appreciated. You can write directly to the email below or email me.

Dear Friends,
Last year a group of artists/friends built sculptural raft boats and traveled down the Hudson River to New York City. This year some of those same people will build 3 large sculptural rafts to navigate the Adriatic. Their ships our en route to Koper, and they're looking for a place to build and friends to help and to house them. This is happening soon! Build in April, launch May 7. Please spread the word! If you have ideas for a friendly build location and housing for the artists involved nearby please contact info@swimmingcities.org.
Thank you so much!
your new friends,
the Swimming Cities crew

The Swimming Cities of Serenissima is a fleet of three intricately hand-crafted vessels that will navigate the Adriatic Sea from the Karst region of Slovenia to Venice, Italy in May of 2009. Designed by the artist SWOON, the floating sculptures are descendants of the Swimming Cities of Switchback Sea (Hudson River, 2008) and the Miss Rockaway Armada (Mississippi River, 2006 and 2007). The Swimming Cities of Serenissima are built from salvaged materials, including modified Mercedes car motors with long-tail propellers. For Swimming Cities, SWOON will collaborate with 30 artists from the United States. As the Swimming Cities move toward Venice, the crew will collect and install keepsakes in an ark-like cabinet of wonders that will be on display on the boats when they arrive. Once in Venice, the boats and crew will offer intimate performances that incorporate music, shadow puppetry, and story. The project is produced with the assistance of Deitch Projects, Paper Monster and Black Rat Press.

Miss Rockaway Armada (2007)


The Swimming Cities of Switchback Sea (2008)










SWOON's artwork

On The Chaingang

I've been working like a dog these days. But it is hard to complain when work takes you to places like this.

Cruising

The Captain and I took a little jaunt down to the seaside, and nipped around the Slovenia/Croatia border. I always like going down there because it is gorgeous and reminds me of Ghana.

Tourism season hasn't started just yet so it was pretty ghostly quiet and peaceful down there.









all these people were wandering around the tall grassy areas looking for wild mushrooms and asparagus. this woman was selling asparagus

In Case You Were Wondering....

In case you were wondering what it sounded and looked like at the seaside in Portorož on Thursday evening...wonder no more.

All To Sea

Yesterday was an impromptu trip to Slovenia's thin -- but beautiful! -- strip of seaside. Our first stop was Portorož Marina.





As you might have guessed (or already know), The Captain works in the glorious boat industry. So we stopped in to "kick the tires" on one of the new boats.



We had to wear these funny shoe covers so as not to scuff anything.



It felt good to be on a boat even though we didn't go anywhere. Ahhh sailing.

From there we were off






to beautiful (but chilly) Piran.

This is a statue of Tartini, the famous composer who was born in Piran.



I randomly saw this poster with a gyenyame symbol, my family is from Ghana and this is one of the most famous Ghanaian Adinkra symbols, what is it doing in Piran??


Piran used to be part of the Republic of Venice and it definitely feels like it, though it has far fewer crowds. In other parts, it felt like Hvar a bit.


















I am obsessed with this statue





Ahh, seaside cities are the best!





The End