Alversund - north of Bergen, Norway.
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Thursday, June 4, 2009
China, Facts and Fiction
Today, 20 years ago, The People’s Liberation Army of China brutally crushed pro-democracy supporters, killing hundreds of supporters, injuring another 10,000, and arresting hundreds of students and workers when performing the violent end of the Tiananmen Square Protest 1989.One of the Historic moments of the world was filmed during the protest between April 15 and June 4 1989. See once more the video of the Unknown Rebel´s brave attempt to stop the tanks during this protest.
Tiananmen Square Protest 1989 and the Tank Man was of course in our mind when we visited Beijing in 1995, only six years after the massacre.
Last week I also ended my reading of Henning Mankell´s novel Kineseren (the Chinese).
The story took us back to Beijing, and we could follow Birgitta´s tours through the streets:The plot in short:
A whole village. 19 people, pets and dogs, brutally murdered one early winter morning.
Detective Vivi Sundberg had never seen anything like that. The only track after the killer is a red silk ribbons.
The 19 dead had a common link, they are of the same family, married into the each other on cross roads through many years. The family has spread connections to the mysterious JA, which emigrated to USA in 1800-century.
One of the distant family members, judge Birgitta Roslin, travels to the village to see the place where some unknown old relatives were murdered. Contradictory to the police she became intrigued about the red ribbon in the snow.
It made her make a journey back in time and history, to the deep roots of the crime, to Beijing and the strange Chinese diaspora with strong Confucian beliefs, GUANXI.
Although the novel is fiction, I felt the connection to my China, Beijing and Tiananmen Square when reading. Read the book you too.
UPDATE:
If you want to find out more about peoples thoughts and meanings of the Tiananmen Square Protest see: New York Times
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Hundred plus T for Thirty-one, Thirty-two and Thirty-three
In my series of presenting new visiting countries I use this ABC Wednesday = T to give you my
number 131st flag (Suriname),
The Flag of Suriname is formed by five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white, red (quadruple width), white, and green (double width). There is a large, yellow, five-pointed star centered in the red band.
The flag was adopted on November 25, 1975, upon the independence of Suriname. The star represents the unity of all ethnic groups, the red stripe stands for progress and love, the green for hope and fertility, and the white bands for peace and justice.
number 132nd flag (Cambodia)
The Flag of Cambodia used today is the same as that established in 1948, although since then 5 other designs have been used. These have almost all made use of the image of the temple of Angkor Wat in one form or another. 
This famous temple site, which dates from the 12th century, was built by the Mahidharapura monarchs. It has 5 towers, but these were not always all depicted in the stylized version used on flags. The temple also appears on the arms. The monarchy was restored in September 1993, the 1948 flag having been readopted in June of that year.
and number 133rd flag (Iraq).
On 21 January 2008, a new Flag of Iraq was confirmed by the Iraqi parliament. In this current version, the three stars were removed, while the Takbir (the Arabic name for the phrase Allāhu Akbar, الله أكبر. Usually translated "God is great") was left written in green Kufic script.The three green stars were originally placed there for the proposed, but never-consummated, union of Iraq with Egypt and Syria (United Arab Republic)
The flag is controversial, as some Iraqis refuse to accept the legitimacy of a government whilst foreign troops remain active in Iraq. Some Sunni tribal leaders took offense at the purging of the stars, a symbol of the nation's former Sunni regime. However, as of April 2009, Anbar province raise the new Iraqi flag as evident on the official site of Anbar province.
T for the THREE last visiting countries on my blog.
number 131st flag (Suriname),
The Flag of Suriname is formed by five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white, red (quadruple width), white, and green (double width). There is a large, yellow, five-pointed star centered in the red band.The flag was adopted on November 25, 1975, upon the independence of Suriname. The star represents the unity of all ethnic groups, the red stripe stands for progress and love, the green for hope and fertility, and the white bands for peace and justice.
number 132nd flag (Cambodia)
The Flag of Cambodia used today is the same as that established in 1948, although since then 5 other designs have been used. These have almost all made use of the image of the temple of Angkor Wat in one form or another. 
This famous temple site, which dates from the 12th century, was built by the Mahidharapura monarchs. It has 5 towers, but these were not always all depicted in the stylized version used on flags. The temple also appears on the arms. The monarchy was restored in September 1993, the 1948 flag having been readopted in June of that year.and number 133rd flag (Iraq).
On 21 January 2008, a new Flag of Iraq was confirmed by the Iraqi parliament. In this current version, the three stars were removed, while the Takbir (the Arabic name for the phrase Allāhu Akbar, الله أكبر. Usually translated "God is great") was left written in green Kufic script.The three green stars were originally placed there for the proposed, but never-consummated, union of Iraq with Egypt and Syria (United Arab Republic)The flag is controversial, as some Iraqis refuse to accept the legitimacy of a government whilst foreign troops remain active in Iraq. Some Sunni tribal leaders took offense at the purging of the stars, a symbol of the nation's former Sunni regime. However, as of April 2009, Anbar province raise the new Iraqi flag as evident on the official site of Anbar province.
T for the THREE last visiting countries on my blog.
T is for making Tracks (for Trams) in ABC Wedneday
Bergen once had trams. However, as cars and buses became fashionable, the trams had to go. They blocked the way for "progress" (whatever that may be). On the last day of December 1965 it was all over.But time moves on. Bergen has a small town centre, but a fairly large surrounding area. There is only room for so many cars in that centre and everyone can't be on those same roads at the same time. Bergen has tried to build itself out of such a crisis before. It did not work. It has finally dawned on the majority that a more modern form for public transport is necessary. Hence the new tram system that is now being built. Against the fierce opposition from the "progressives" (or more correctly, the extreme right-wing) with their SUVs, the building has started and the first stretch will open next year.
The picture above shows part of the first finished 500 meters.
It is of course difficult work, but the Tracks may last for a 100 years.
Here the Tracks have not yet been laid down. BTW, the building to the left is Bergen Railway Station - more Tracks.
The some may say - "You already have both Tracks and Trams!" That is quite correct: Enthusiasts at Bergen Technical Museum are maintaining a small stretch with some old trams bought from Germany (they were used in the old East Berlin). They plan to open one of the old tram-lines some time in the future for use by tourists etc.
Today's post is an entry in the fourth round of ABC Wednesday, the meme initiated by Denise Nesbitt.Cap that last forever (almost)
Some days ago I presented my grandson Henrik in a blue and white cap. 
His sister Helene also liked to use this cap during her stay in Norway 2004.
And the owner himself used it in 1991 during a sailing tour in the Oslo fjord.
The origin of the cap can be found in El Arenal, Malorca, 1971 where the baby cap (between Beers, Cuba Libres, Lumumba Calientes, Veteranos and lot of fun at the beach and nightclubs) in an uncertain way ended on the top my head and followed me back to Norway. In six consecutive years the cap was to be seen during happy days and nights in Mallorca (same place, same hotel and same wild bunch from many countries).
In the aftermath of the wild bachelor period, the cap followed me on various holidays with family and children and on vacations abroad. Being almost 40 years old, I may call the cap shabby (?) but still useful.
I promise that Maja at least once in the future also will find shade under the white and blue cap.
His sister Helene also liked to use this cap during her stay in Norway 2004.
And the owner himself used it in 1991 during a sailing tour in the Oslo fjord.
The origin of the cap can be found in El Arenal, Malorca, 1971 where the baby cap (between Beers, Cuba Libres, Lumumba Calientes, Veteranos and lot of fun at the beach and nightclubs) in an uncertain way ended on the top my head and followed me back to Norway. In six consecutive years the cap was to be seen during happy days and nights in Mallorca (same place, same hotel and same wild bunch from many countries).In the aftermath of the wild bachelor period, the cap followed me on various holidays with family and children and on vacations abroad. Being almost 40 years old, I may call the cap shabby (?) but still useful.
I promise that Maja at least once in the future also will find shade under the white and blue cap.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Kate Gosselin Hair Gone Wrong
Kate Gosselin's life is in turmoil - so is her short-meets-long hair!
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