Le WebLog de Bek

Movies : "The Wind that Shakes the Barley" (Le Vent Se Léve) - Ken LOACH

Ken Loach. One should even say Ken Loach again. Like Woody Allen's movies there is no couple of years without an opus from the well-known "left-wing" cineast. This time it's a "Cannes Palme d'Or".

Leaving the contemporary lumpemproletariat (perfectly depicted in "My name is Joe" or "Sweet Sixteen" inter alia), Loach use is talent to portray the not so old conflict for independance in Ireland. The man is skilled with this type of historical evocation. "Land and Freedom" was a successful attempt.

So, this time we focus on the war between the Irsih and the British during the 1920 - 1930 period. Since seven centuries Irish people fight for freedom. An irish government have been elected  but is unrecognized by the United Kingdom. This film show the day to day life of column fighters. Precisely we track the destiny of two brothers, Damien and Teddy O'Sullivan. The first is a physician, an intellectual and well educated and the second a charismatic leader. Conflicts of interest always occur : it's then not so easy to take the life of a former youth friend when he is guilty of treason and even not so easy to suffer from torture without saying a word.

As the victory arise the two brothers personify two faces that will shape the new Ireland : an idealistic form inspired by growing socialism in this era for Damien and a more realistic one for Teddy which will accept in fine the economic domination of the United Kingdom. This opposition will climax in an end that should be discovered by the viewer.

The scenario is then of good writing and the movie follow approximmately a good tempo. It starts very well with a unfair lynchage of a 17 years old boy in a irish farm. In five minutes every protagonists of the story are introduced together with their love affairs, hopes and personal goals. This is indeed the best part of the movie. One may feel a little distant and out of tempo, but not firmly speaking bored, by following training of warriors even in a very beautiful Irish landscape.

A good point is the good rendering of world complexity. British soldiers are veterans of Somme battle and campaign of WWI, they were at that time fighting for freedom. The executioners and victims exchange their roles and the uprising is finally torn apart by the signature of a treaty which is not satisfying the dreams of everybody. In time of revolutions (i.e the french revolution or the russian revolution of 1917) such things may happen : former co-fighter become enemies. If one surimpose everyday life struggles (for power, love or wealth) during these heroic times one obtain certainly a good story and probably good movies.

In the end that's the kind of movies on concern.

@+, Bek

Czech Republic & Slovakia Bicycle Tour 2006 : Overview & Itinerary

I'm back from the tour which was really enjoyable and full of good surprises. There was some issues but nothing terrible.

In the next few days I'll try to manage to give some informations to the future cyclo-tourers that would try to follow my path. Also maybe some advices.

Today this is just the overview of the trip. I count the kilometers with my bicycle computers but I haven't reported the total distance yet.

So here it is, only kilometers by bicycle are indicated :

day 1 (August, 12, 2006) : Lingolsheim (F) - Strasbourg (F) - Kehl (G) - Offenburg (G, 41 km).

night 1 (August 12-13, 2006) : City Night Life train (NachtZug) Offenburg (G) - Dresden (G).

day 2 August, 13, 2006) : Dresden, expos and sightseeing (15 km).

night 2 (August, 13-14, 2006) : Dresden campsite.

day 3 (August, 14, 2006) : Dresden (G) - Pirna (G) - Decin (CR) - Usti nad Laben (CR) - Litomerice (CR, 120 km).

night 3 (August, 14-15, 2006) : Litomerice campsite.

day 4 ( August, 15, 2006) : Litomerice, expos and sightseeing (10 km).

night 4 (August, 15-16, 2006) : Litomerice campsite.

day 5 (August, 16, 2006) : Litomerice (CR) - Terezin (CR) - Nova Ves (CR) - Prague (CR, 90 km).

night 5 (August, 16-17, 2006) : Prague hostel (university).

day 6 (August, 17, 2006) : Prague (CR) - Jesenice (CR) - Strancice (CR) - Sazava (CR) - Uhlirské Janovice (CR, 110 km).

night 6 ( August, 17-18, 2006) : Uhlirské Janovice route bar.

day 7 (August, 18, 2006) : Uhlirské Janovice (CR) - Ledec nad Sazavou (CR) - Havlickuv Brod (CR) - Pribyslav (CR) - Zdar nad Sazavou (CR, 130 km).

night 7 (August, 18-19, 2006) : Zdar nad Sazavou campsite.

day 8 (August, 19, 2006) : Zdar nad Sazavou sightseeing (10 km).

night 8 (August, 19-20, 2006) : Zdar nad Sazavou campsite.

day 9 (August, 20, 2006) : Zdar nad Sazavou (CR) - Velka Bites (CR) - Pasohlavky (CR, 125 km).

night 9 (August, 20-21, 2006) : Pasohlavky campsite.

day 10 (August, 21, 2006) : Pasohlavky (CR) - Mikulov (CR) - Valtice (CR) - Breclav (CR, 40 km).

night 10 (August, 21-22, 2006) : Breclav campsite.

day 11 (August, 22, 2006) : Breclav (CR) - Lanzhot (CR) - Straze-Sastin (S) - Jablonica (S) - Rohoznik (S) - Zahorska Bystrica (S, 130 km).

night 11 (August, 22-23, 2006) : Zahorska Bystrica Hotel.

day 12 (August, 23, 2006) : Zahorska Bystrica (S), Bratislava (S, 30 km).

night 12 (August, 23-24, 2006) : Bratislava apartment.

day 13 (August, 24, 2006) : Bratislava sightseeing.

night 13 (August, 24-25, 2005) : Bratislava apartment.

day 14 (August, 25, 2006) : Bratislava (S) - Hainburg an dem Donau (A) - Vienna (A, 80 km).

night 14 (August, 25-26, 2006) : City Night Life train (NachtZug) Vienna (A) - Frankfurt (A).

day 14 ( August, 26, 2006) : Frankfurt (G) - Karlsruhe (G) - Strasbourg (F) by train.

F : France, G : Germany, CR : Czech Republic, S : Slovakia, A : Austria.

total distance by bike : 931 kms, average / day : 66,5 km.

@+, Bek

Czech Republic & Slovakia Bicycle Tour 2006 : Bratislava Accomodation

OK. Litlle by little I'm fixing the time schedule for my trip. On more brick : accomodation in Slovakia. I'll rent an apartment as I use to during my last trips. In these Eastern and Central European countries it's usually less expensive than to stay at the hotel. By browsing through the Internet I found something for 40 EUR / night. Comments from previous users of the place are available and everyone seems to be happy with this choice, and it looks quite a pleasant housing.

I will then stay the August, 23, 24 and 25 there. On the 25, as previously stated, I will do a day trip to Vienna. And I will probably reach Bratislava from Trnava. This one seems to be a pretty town full of history and beautiful sights.

The rest of the schedule is not established yet.

@+, Bek

Czech Repulic & Slovakia Bicycle Tour 2006 : Night Train with the Bicycle

The City Night Train booking for my bicycle is now OK. That wasn't an easy task since I do not speak German and for this type of booking one must be in contact with a HotLine DB office.

On the phone they just speak German and some hotliner speak a little English. One of my German co-worker helped me and discussed everything for me. The bicycle will then be stored in a special wagon with a number refering to the exact space allowed. One receive a confirmation by e-mail after giving credit cards data. The final ticket must be retrieved from a ticket machine in any DB train station.

For my return trip in order to be right on time at work on my way back I booked another City Night Life train from Wien (close to Bratislava in Slovakia) to Frankfurt. Then I'll finish with a regular train to Strasbourg.

This time it was different for the booking. For me, i.e as a passenger, with exactly the same level of comfort it was at lower price : 79 EUR compared to 139 EUR for the other trip. So I strongly advise to take your ticket in advance ...

For the bike it was also difficult. The price is 10 EUR and you've to contact  the Hotline in Switzerland. I just sent an e-mail which explain everything : language issue, too far away from regular offices in Austria or Switzerland. For this time they made an exception and gave me a reservation number and allowed me to pay directly on board.

Time schedule is then OK in any case I start on August,12 from Strasbourg and will be back on August, 25 from Wien. In all I will then cycle through at least 4 countries. If I have time in Bratislava it could be a good idea to go riding a little in Hungary which is not so far away.

I'm looking forward for these vacations !!!

@+, Bek

Berlin/Czech Republic/Bratislava Bicycle Tour 2006 - The Night Train Offenburg-Dresden : pre-History

My summer vacations (mid- to end- August 2006, 14 days) will consist of a bicycle tour from Berlin (Germany) to Bratislava (Slovakia) accross Czech Republic.

I've been to Prague last year in March and that was a very good surprise : good meals, beautiful and romantic city and, as usual in Eastern countries, a marvelous nightlife full of disco-bars highly packed with a high density of beautiful women.

Since I do not want to miss any seconds in my schedule I started to think of the best way to go from Strasbourg to Berlin at minimum cost and starting from my first day off. The last bike/train combination "experiments" (this is the right word) with the SNCF/SNCB was a disaster. Moreover it's not always easy to take a flight with a bike. Though not impossible it's time consuming to go to the airport, disable my bicycle, trust the airport company and pray to not be overcharged for an extra package of an unusual weight.

I'm living not far away from Germany so I'll use the DB services and its famous night train ("Nachtzug", they even call it InterCity Hotel ). Unfortunately there was no night train available from Offenburg to Berlin on the right time. It seems to be advisable to book 3 or 4 weeks prior to your trip. I finally choose an Offenburg-Dresden connection. Not a pity : my plan was to make the Berlin-Dresden path by bike at the beginning. I will then save two days of cycling, more time to cycle through Czech Republic.

On cycle touring forums that one can find on the Internet the Czech Republic seems to be a good "bicycle nation" just a step below The Netherlands on the European bike-friendly scale.

Good news. If one take interest of the price it's 139 EUR for a 4-bed/couch compartment and (I'm not sure) but it seems that the ticket include breakfast and give access to a shower. An international service, the company that is operating the train is Swiss-based.

If one compare with an Air France flight from Strasbourg : OK it's longer but one can (and is supposed to ...) sleep during the journey and cheaper. If one compare with an Hotel night it's a little bit more since one can find cheaper prices for Hotel on the Internet.

We will see the quality. The price for the bike is 8 EUR if, as it is the case, one travel intra-Germany. The only difficulty is that I wasn't able to book my bike trip and I've to wait a little and to contact the DB Hotline for this.

So, the first step of this bike trip will be Strasbourg-Offenburg : 50 km. Not too much and this can give a good reason to start sleeping early during the train travel.

@+, Bek