Posts under ‘In English’

Kven: Harald, Øyvind og meg sjølv

Kva: Biltur langs Costa del Sol frå Gibraltar til Barcelona

Kvar: Malaga – La Linea de la Concepcion/Gibraltar; Gibraltar – Malaga – Ronda – Antequera; Antequera – Granada; Granada – Catral; Catral – Peñiscola; Peñiscola – Montserrat; Montserrat – Barcelona. Omlag 1400 km

Når : Ni dagar (7-15. Juni 2008)

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I have never cared much for flying for a number of reasons, all of which I’ve dealt with in previous articles. However, my dislike for flying doesn’t take away the necessity of it. Today therefore, I find myself at Brussels Airport for the sixth time this year, waiting for my flight to depart destined for Abu Dhabi.

My flight is operated by Etihad, an airline whose existence I was unaware of until January this year, when I flew with them for the first time. The first time I heard the name mentioned was by a clerk at Widerøe’s ticket office at Oslo Airport who enthusiastically declared that my flight was not, in fact, operated by Brussels Airlines, as I had thought, but by this fantastic luxury airline where the customers were not named passengers – rather they were named, and cared for as guests.

I was immediately sceptical; a feeling which was further strengthened when I sat down in my seat and found that they had managed to mount an entire remote control on the inside of the armrest, resulting in my thigh constantly pressing random keys, more often than not calling on the cabin attendant as a result. However, as I removed the remote control from it’s armrest socket and put it on my knee things took a definite turn for the better.

Now, having flown with Etihad on five occasions I am looking forward to the experience; I am looking forward to my seat; I am looking forward to the in-flight entertainment system (which is available for every seat in every seating class); I am looking forward to the pleasant cabin personell – and – I am even looking forward to the food.

Antoher of Etihad’s treats of is the good mood of it’s employees. Office staff, ground crew and flight crew have been remarkably happy and helpful in all my dealings with them. I asked a guy whether they were extremely well-paid or if there was some other explanatio for their constant cheerfulness. To this he replied that they were all people who had left established airlines and who wished to achieve something more, something different, in a new company. Then he gave me a more spacious seat.

Go fly Etihad!

Two thinkers thinking! Myself (left) and a dromedarian at a camel farm on the Abu Dhabi – Al Ain road, Abu Dhabi, UAE. (Photo: Mike Cheremshynskyi)

Before 2007 I wasn’t much of a TV-series person. My schedule didn’t really allow me to follow a specific time slot every week for a prolonged amount of time. Then came full season DVDs, downloadable TV-recordings and Internet TV; a series addict was born. Since then I have seen a respectable amount of series, some of which I would feel comfortable recommendingto others:

Ballykissangel

English catholic priest misplaced in picturesque Irish village. Dark haired temptress running local pub. Interesting characters and nice scenery.

Monarch of the Glen

Son turned urban returns to mismanaged highland estate to succeed father as laird. Colorful characters and beautiful landscapes. Based on the equally colorful Compton Mackenzie’s Highland novels.

LOST

City slickers with intriguingly interwoven pasts find themselves stranded on mysterious island with hostile natives and super natural phenomenae.

Ugly Betty

Regular girl, not entirely complying with fashion industry standards when it comes to looks, gets job with famed fashion magazine. Is the sole support for incompetent yet likable editor and has to struggle with everything from evil women with take-over plans and shallow fashonistas who do not appreciate her presence.

The existence of this series on my list puts a stain on my life long record of pure masculinity. However, it’s ironic view at the fashion industry and original take on comedy makes it a winner.

House M.D.

Bitter, “Sherlock Holmes-ish” doctor solves cases of diagnostic medicine by harassing his colleagues and playing unethical games. Hugh Laurie was better as Bertie Wooster and Edmund Blackadder than he is as House. Nevertheless, Gregory House’s dark, sarcastic world is fun.

Prison Break

Good guy trying to rescue less good, but ultimately innocent, brother from prison but incriminates himself by doing so in that he must involve a number of other inmates to make his plan succeed.. Interesting close-up on criminal minds and a disgusting ability to make me sympathize with some of the bad guys (not Theodore Bagwell).

Deadwood

Good guy and good guy’s sidekick comes to town to set up a hardware store but have to deal with a hardened set of locals during the gold rush of the mid-19th century.

Though politically incorrect, the scenes where Al Swearengen “enjoys” the company of his brothel employees while he recites his monologues are purely brilliant, and I believe, unique.

Rome

Middle class good guy and lower class slightly less good guy struggle to live their lives and become instrumental to the big events at the end of Ceasar’s reign. Splendid sets and costumes. Addictive.

Doc Martin

Socially blunt doctor from London withdraws to small village after developing an unfortunate disgust of blood. Arguably a disadvantage for a surgeon. Falls in and out of love with local school teacher. Fantastic interaction with strange local characters.

Northern Exposure

Recently graduated New York doctor arrives in Cicely, Alaska, to serve his four years of duty to the state of Alaska who paid for his education. Doesn’t like it but has to stay. Great cast of the most memorable, likable and weird characters you can imagine.

Twin Peaks

Typical US small town is awestruck by the murder of local girl Laura Palmer. Eccentric FBI agent arrives to solve case. The strangest pack of characters ever to be present in a TV-series. Highly likable, almost addictive, yet ultimately incomprehensible towards the end.

Monk

Multi-phobic ex-cop solves cases in true Poirot style – except Monk isn’t so disgustingly unlikable as Poirot. His failure to comply with society in almost every respect, renders him very likable indeed. Sidekick female assistants Sharona Flemming and later Natalie Teeger  in addition to Captain Leland Stottlemeyer and Lieutenant Randall Disher are also brilliant.

Girl walking on beach in front of Emirates Palace hotel on the south-western tip of Abu Dhabi island.

Following centuries of hardship, living of what little the desert and the pearl diving could offer, the Emirati of today like to indulge in all kinds of luxury. The Emirates Palace is Abu Dhabi’s response to neighbor emirate Dubai’s world famous seven-star hotel Burj al Arab. The hotel grounds alone covers about two square kilometers of land and the hotel has 400 well-equipped, luxury rooms – including suites with separate elevators and access ways.

A fountain, typical to Abu Dhabi, in front of Emirates Palace hotel.

Detail of fountain on a backdrop of the dome of Emirates Palace hotel.