http://www.seancarberry.com/blog/DCblog.html Musings on life in DC, and life in general. And of course dispatches from all over the world. Oh, and if you're expecting any sort of editorial focus or frequency of posts... you will be disappointed... Sun, 17 Feb 2008 09:06:35 -0500 60 http://www.seancarberry.com/blog/lny224923443.html
It's a sad statement that America has been unwilling and unable to build an effective high speed rail system. The Acela is marginally faster than the standard train, and the price value is terrible. It failed in all respects--for a passenger it's really no cheaper than flying between Boston and NYC, or Philly and DC. It's certainly not any faster. About the only thing it has going for it is the fact that it is comfortable, and the first class service it pretty nice--but stupidly expensive for a train.

But man, this train is so much smoother at all speeds than the lumbering Acela. By the way, I should point out that the Taiwan HSR uses the Japanese bullet trains and technology--a proven system that would have been a much better investment than the half-assed Acela crap. Had the government and Amtrak simply made the investment in the rail bed rather than designing an entirely new (and far more expensive) train design, everyone would have come out ahead.

That seems to be par for the course when dealing with the US government--cut every corner when building the foundation, then pay through the nose in time, money, and opportunity cost trying to keep the building standing. Whether it is the war in Iraq--spending the money and providing the troop levels needed in the beginning would have cut down on the costs everyone has been paying since then (and we won't get into the debate about whether or not to even embark on mission to begin with)--or the levees in New Orleans, trying to do something on the cheap, almost always end up costing more. But, I guess congress wouldn't have enough work to do if it weren't busy all the time hahing up supplemental spending bills to solve problems they created by over legislating and underfunding from the outset...

The only gripes I have about the Taiwan HSP is the fact that the seats could be a little more comfortable, and I'd appreciate an electrical outlet. However, the duration of the trip from Taipei to Tainan is under two hours, so my laptop battery will last the entire ride. This is a rough guess, but I would estimate that the Acela would take more than three hours to make the 1:45 trip I'm currently enjoying.

Again, I never cease to be disappointed that the US for all it's wealth, technology, and spirit of innovation can't build a decent rail system, and for that matter can rarely keep the trains running on time...]]> Sun, 17 Feb 2008 01:44:03 -0500 http://www.seancarberry.com/blog/ujl224924647.html
Compared to my recent travels to Russia, Sudan, and Egypt (and true it's not really fair to compare those countries to a young, modern, and democratic country like Taiwan) Taiwan is paradise. I think so far I've had one unpleasant experience with a taxi ride here, but that wasn't because the woman wasn't nice or trying hard, she was simply incompetent.

People I have been interviewing have gone out of their way to accommodate me, and some have even given me gifts or bought me meals--despite my genuine protests. I was at the annual Lunar New Year Party for the Taiwanese business community that has operations in China. I met a man there who was a PhD. candidate and was trying to network and find a sponsor of some sort for his dissertation. We talked for a while and he agreed to met me interview him.

A couple of days later, he asked if we could meet, so we connected at the Starbucks down the street from my hotel (no, not that one, the other one, no, I mean the other one). Anyhow, he arrived with a bag containing two tins of limited production cookies. And then, he refused to let me pay for my tea. Granted, there is a ritual in Chinese culture around paying for meals, and it is a normal custom to fight over paying the bill, but people here have universally said "you are my guest," and refused to let me pay.

I have to say that my friends in Serbia and Russia did the same thing, and I am willing to respect people's cultures, but it does feel a little awkward sometimes when people are so genuinely giving--and not expecting anything special in return. There is no agenda.

Anyhow, I tip my hat to the people here who have been so eager to share their time, opinions, and culture with me. Given how difficult international business/journalism travel can be (especially when you are constantly parachuting alone into unfamiliar territories), it makes life a lot easier when people are so open and helpful. ]]> Sun, 17 Feb 2008 02:04:07 -0500 http://www.seancarberry.com/blog/rsb224676480.html
It's still raining in Taipei, and it doesn't look like I'm going to see a clear day while I'm here. It's too bad because it makes the city seem more gray and dirty than it really is. It is a little gray--while there are some shiny new buildings, there are still many older, declining buildings, and driving along some of the elevated roadways in the city the views of the buildings remind me a bit of driving around Cairo--similar generic "socialist-style" medium-quality architecture.

Taxis--I have yet to have a cab driver who speaks a word of English, and several have been unable to read maps that I have handed them with the destination in Chinese. They've all been friendly, and I will say most have been on the ball, but I've had a couple of rides that remind me of Khartoum taxi rides.

On the subject of taxis, I'm starting to ponder what taxis say about a society. The taxis here are largely clean, newer cars--often Toyota Camrys or equivalent. Much nicer than anything in the US. Taxis in Egypt and Sudan are some of the most beat-up pieces of crap I've ever ridden in, but that's not really much of a surprise, is it? Taxis in Dubai are clean, modern, and neat, similar to the ones here. I'm not about to take on this study, but it does seem to me that taxis are a window into a society in terms of economic development, and also when a society achieved a developed status. Of course, I could be full of crap on this, but it's a thought.

The metro here is fantastic--clean, and one of the easiest to navigate I've experienced. Like many of the other Asian subways, the signs are in English, but also very clear. My one complaint is that tokens here have to be used the day they are purchased. I found that out the hard way when I had to dump six tokens today that I bought last night in an attempt to be efficient.
What else--I'm pretty much itchy all the time thanks to the MSG in much of the food. People are exceedingly nice and willing to extend themselves without hesitation.

One more random realization, I have CNN international on the TV, and I just heard the theme/jingle in the background and I had a Pavlovian response--I actually thought of Dubai since I spent 2 months there watching CNNI and BBC World since they were the only English language channels I could get in my crappy hotel-apartment, but it's a reminder that I'm not in the US--as if walking around the streets here isn't enough of a reminder. As an American I have to say that it can be striking to visit other countries that are not as diverse or multi-ethnic as the US. I've seen maybe a dozen non-Asian people in the last four days. The nice part is that I do get smiles from your girls--especially ones working in stores and restaurants.]]> Thu, 14 Feb 2008 05:08:00 -0500 http://www.seancarberry.com/blog/dgr224520122.html
Well, time to start another chapter, and we'll see how far this one gets before I hit the road again...

Right now I'm sitting in my room at the Caesar Park Hotel in Taipei Taiwan, with the bright, white "Taipei Railway Station" sign beaming into my window. The weather is disgusting--9 Celsius according to the station's thermometer, and it's been raining on and off since I arrived here two nights ago. According to the forecast, I'm not going to have a sunny day while I'm here. So much for a glorious, panoramic view from the top of the Taipei 101 tower...

Anyhow, to step back for a moment, I'm here working on the March edition of America Abroad. We're looking at Taiwan in the run-up to the presidential election, and exploring the domestic politics, as well as the challenge of balancing the US-China-Taiwan relationship...

While I was at the bar at Dulles getting prepared for my flight, I struck up a conversation with the bartender, who of course was from Taiwan. It's like the night before my trip to Sudan when I had a Sudanese cab driver in DC. The bartender was a perfectly nice fellow--unlike the Sudanese cab driver--and was happy to talk about his home country that he left in 1984. The one interesting point he made was that he felt Taiwan had become too free. It went from marshall law to democracy too quickly, and he thinks that society has suffered. I don't have a basis for comparison, but from what I've seen so far, this place is doing pretty well.

Taipei reminds me of a cross between Beijing and Shanghai. Not as modern and electric as the newer parts of Shanghai, but has more of a first world feel than Beijing. But, it has more of the horizontal look and feel of Beijing. I do sense an energy here that is different than mainland China. People here seem more vibrant. Beijing in particular has a gloomy feel to it from my experience, I really felt an air of communist oppression there, but here people are wearing hip clothing, smiling, and walking with springs in their steps. Everyone I've interacted with so far has been friendly and eager to help.

In fact, my first morning wandering around the city, I came across a local film crew in 2/28 Park. I stopped to watch the action, and ended up interviewing the director, who then offered to buy me lunch at the "best beef-noodle restaurant" in Taipei. I have to say, it probably was the best beef noodle soup I've had.

Last night I went to the Shinlin Night Market--in the rain--and while it resembled some of the markets in mainland, there was one big difference: no one was harassing me. No one tried to drag me into a store. Not once did I hear "hello, my friend" or "I give you good price." Granted, none of the vendors were selling souvenirs or local crafts. Most of the stores were selling clothing, jewelry, electronics, and other wares, but still, no sales pitches or harassment. I have to say it was refreshing (especially after visiting Khan al Khalili in Cairo, which was one of the most in-your-face markets I've visited).

Other initial observations... I've never seen so many scooters on the road anywhere. It's like they give them away for free or something. I've walked along some streets where there have easily been 100 or more parked in a row, and almost all the same color. I'm not sure if people have their own or if they simply take the closest one--kind of like the bicycle deal in Portland, Oregon. Do they still do that, or did the lawyers finally get to it and kill the practice?

On the subject of scooters, people here seem to obey rules of the road, and driving is a lot less spastic than Shanghai or Beijing. Food is cheap. The last two nights I missed dinner and ended up getting food at the 7-11 a block from the hotel. A couple of sticky buns filled with mystery meat and two cans of beer runs about $3. This afternoon I was wandering through the main rail station, and sat down at the Sushi Express. It's one of those conveyor belt places. Anyhow, I ate as much as I could cram down my throat, and the bill came to $9. Somehow I think I'll be eating there at least one more time before I leave.

Oh, and in case anyone from work reads this--yes I am busy working. I spent more than half the day on the phone and emailing people setting up my meetings and interviews for the next few days. In fact, I need to get back to making a few calls, and then heading out somewhere to try to interview people on the street...]]> Tue, 12 Feb 2008 09:42:02 -0500 http://www.seancarberry.com/blog/oiq223184726.html
Actually, I was able to have fun with it on Martin Luther King Day when I leased the beast. At about 10:30 pm, I went out for a drive and ended up in Rock Creek Park. There were no other cars on the road. There were no traffic lights. Fortunately the only two deer I saw were on the side of the road, otherwise it could have been ugly. Let's just say that GTIs are made for winding roads in the woods. My rally run through the park was the most fun I've had behind the wheel since I moved to this driver's hell.

By the way, I'm still completely baffled by the fact that everyone here drives BELOW THE SPEED LIMIT! I don't get it.

Also, another note on this driving madness. This morning I drove to work from my girlfriend's place in Silver Spring (it's odd that I'm dating a woman who lives in the town where I was born but never lived). Anyhow, the drive is straight down 16th street, and at 7:15 am it took 14 minutes to drive the five or six mile stretch. I think I stopped at two red lights. Yet, if I make the same drive at 11 pm where there is no traffic, it takes 20 minutes or more, simply because of the staging of the traffic lights. Clearly people here are able to set lights for optimum traffic flow, but they only do it during rush hour. Apparently the unemployed lobby and night-owl lobby isn't powerful enough to get the lights sequenced properly... ]]> Sun, 27 Jan 2008 22:45:26 -0500 http://www.seancarberry.com/blog/slj219308731.html
From there I walked to the Cairo Tower to get the famous panoramic view of the city. There was just one problem--it was closed for renovations. So much for the famous panoramic view of the city...

I did make it to Khan al Khalili to wander the streets of shops and stalls with the typical drone of "Hello my friend", "take a look, it is free to look", "I give you good price", "my friend, I have what you are looking for." It's fun for a while, but you feel like you can't stop to look because you'll be dragged into a shop and harassed to death. It's all in good fun, and it is a sport, but I wasn't really in the mood to play. So, I wandered, and ended up walking through the surrounding streets into some of the most run-down and depressed neighborhoods I've ever seen in person. Feral animals wandered the streets and half the buildings looked like they were ready to collapse at any moment. It was real.]]> Fri, 14 Dec 2007 02:05:30 -0500 http://www.seancarberry.com/blog/oqh219307635.html
Now, this isn't to say I didn't like Cairo, it's actually a fun and exciting place with a lot to see and do. It just so happens that I didn't see and do a lot since I was running around working much of the time, and I didn't have an "ambassador" to take me around and show me the sights as I did in Serbia, Moscow, and Sudan. Although, I did interview the American ambassador while I was in Cairo.

Anyhow, I did make it to the pyramids and I actually hired a tour guide at the hotel. Over all it was a wise move, because I saw and experienced much more than I would have if I had taken a taxi and wandered on my own. The downside is that I paid more, and I had to then go to the stores that particular guide had his deals with. I wanted to buy some things anyhow, but I later figured out I paid probably double what I could have paid for things at Khan al Khalili--the classic old bazaar in Islamic Cairo. Still, it was worth getting the guide, and by US standards it really didn't cost that much.

The one thing that he showed me was the value of my US press status. He had me flash my ID at the entrance to the great pyramid, and I got in at the front of the line without having to buy a ticket. That ended up also working out at the national museum. I got in for free, and also got into the royal mummies exhibition without having to pay.

On the subject of the national museum, I couldn't help but think it should be called the "Museum of Wishful Thinking." The place is full of Egyptian treasures, most of which relate to the afterlife and death rituals. All these things designed to carry the body to the next world, the treasures to take along, the whole process of mummification, and the mythology of the afterlife... where did it all get the ancient Egyptians? It got them into glass cases that Japanese tourists try to take pictures of against the rules. I couldn't help but fixate on the idea that people spent so much time, effort, and money to send their dead off into the next life, and, well... by my reckoning they didn't get very far. I can honestly say that given a choice I would prefer not to end up in a glass case on display for hundreds or thousands of years...

]]> Fri, 14 Dec 2007 01:47:15 -0500 http://www.seancarberry.com/blog/dmr219021886.html
Anyhow, Cairo isn't a place where I'd eat my food off the floor, but it wasn't as bad as I was expecting. In fact, the first morning I was here the early haze/smog/fog burned off by 8am and I had clear skies when taking pictures of the pyramids.
Yes, Cairo is dirty, and full of people and cars--and the competition between the two in the streets can be exciting. I've been enjoying honing my "running of the bulls" skills by crossing the streets here. It's even more fun at night when half the cars don't have their lights on.

Just an aside, Egypt is a country where conservative Islam is on the rise, yet right now on my hotel TV is a show called "Midnight Hot" and it is currently showing a lingerie fashion show that isn't leaving much to the imagination....sorry, was I just typing something...? What?

Right, so Cairo is huge by the way. Kind of reminds me of a cross between Shanghai and...well, perhaps Khartoum in one sense, or maybe Bahrain. It is massive and sprawling like Shanghai, with some glitzy and developed areas, but it also has plenty of older, grimey streets and neighborhoods. Haven't made it to old Cairo and the traditional markets yet, so we'll see what that all looks like.

Still, it's a pretty hopping city, and Sakara King Beer is a treat. ]]> Mon, 10 Dec 2007 18:24:45 -0500 http://www.seancarberry.com/blog/ven219289537.html
But I digress.

Anyhow, Sunday November 11, Fixer #1 picked me up and took me to the AMIS (African Union Mission in Sudan) office. I filled out my paperwork and made my request for AMIS services--flight to El Fasher in Darfur, lodging, interviews, etc. From there I went downtown with fixer #2 to register my passport... again--well I mean attempt to register it again. My fixer goes into the passport registration bunker, and I decide to wander around Khartoum alone--my first mistake.

I wandered to a corner food stand for some breakfast. I decided to ignore the fact that by American standards the place probably violated 83 health code provisions, and I got in line for foole. The man behind the counter looked at me in surprise and asked if I ate foole. I said yes, and he dished me a bowl with all the fixings. A man in line spoke some English and invited me to the upstairs cubby to join him.

I climbed the ladder to the dining room--about 8' by 8' at most filled with three small tables and benches. I joined the man and four others at a table, and they immediately dumped my bowl into a large collective bowl on the table. I proceeded to have the authentic foole experience of pinching bites of foole in pieces of pita bread and eating with my fingers. I had to force myself to eat with my right hand because of local norms--I quickly remembered after getting funny looks when I started eating left handed.

Anyhow, I ate my share, thanked the men for their hospitality, and started wandering the streets taking pictures. I wandered down the street past the US Embassy, which is surrounded my a mix of paved and sand covered streets. The security perimeter is loosely defined by a couple of checkpoints, and I wasn't really paying attention to what was embassy sand and what was public sand in the streets.

As I walked along, I looked down a street facing away from the embassy and it looked interesting so I took a picture and kept walking. I then heard some commotion behind me, and after a few seconds I turned to see three men with machine guns walking towards me. "This can't be good" was about the only thought going through my mind.

They asked who I was and what I was doing. I told them I was an American journalist and immediately presented my Sudanese press credential, thinking that the provision stating I could have a digital camera would ease tensions. It didn't.

They took me over to the embassy gate and called a guard from inside. He looked at my press card and my driver's license (remember, my passport is down the street with my fixer) and said that since I didn't have prior permission to take a picture that we had a problem. I apologized and offered to delete the picture and to never be seen hauling garbage around again, but he didn't go for it.

The guards (who were all Sudanese security employees of the US) hauled me into a little office across the street and talked with each other in hushed tones. Then, another man entered, and he was clearly a heavy. He asked me a couple of questions, talked with the other guards, and then led me down the alley to what I assumed was going to be the room where they were going to beat me to a pulp.

They took me to the back of the building to a room that I believe said "US Embassy Jail" in sloppy handwriting over the door. The room was about 10' x 15' with four single beds with dirty white sheets on them. There was also a desk and a refrigerator.

One guard sat on one of the beds while others came in and out. I made light conversation with them, apologizing, and explaining I didn't know I was standing in embassy property. They said everything would be OK once my passport arrived and they could verify my identity.

So I sat. I answered their questions and got to the point where I was about to ask if I could take a picture with the guard holding the machine gun.

Finally, after 45 minutes, my fixer arrived with my passport. The guards took it and the head guy disappeared for a while. After about 10 minutes he came back with another supervisor, and they took me back into the office. They had me sit and answer question for another 45 minutes.

Well, first the "main guy" had me write down on a piece of paper my name, address, passport info, and then all kinds of things like my parents' names, addresses, employers, and a slew of seemingly pointless details. They wrote down my physical description and what I was wearing. They took pictures of me.

Then, the boss came in, and he had no sense of humor. He asked me all the questions I had already answered and he kept explaining it was their process for security reasons, and he had to ask me all of this and fill out his forms. He explained that after the embassy bombings in Africa that security had become much tighter.

I endured this for close to two hours, and the whole time I was in custody being questioned, they never once searched me, nor did they look inside my bag I was carrying. I had my radio kit with me, which consists of a decent-sized tote bag full of strange looking electronic equipment and wires and adaptors and batteries, and all kinds of things that look dangerous.

So, as they kept telling me about security protocols and all this crap, I was sitting there with a bag that could have held enough explosives to take out a least a block. I was personally appalled and shocked that their protocols they kept reminding me they were following did not involve doing anything to see if I was a legitimate threat or carrying anything dangerous on embassy property.

Note to the State Department and the embassy staff, you might want to reevaluate your security protocols, and question the people you have hired.

This was a case of today's security culture where some bureaucrat writes out a procedure, and hired hands follow it to the letter without ever stopping to think about the circumstances and actually evaluate the situation. This kind of crap makes me feel less safe knowing that people are only looking for what they are told to look for and not thinking independently.

Anyhow, once it was all over, I shook hands with everyone, had a laugh and had my fixer take me back to my hotel so I could get some work done while the poor bastard went back to the passport office again to try to get my passport blessed... he mostly succeeded, but there was some catch and he had to go back the following morning to finish the process.
]]> Thu, 13 Dec 2007 20:45:37 -0500 http://www.seancarberry.com/blog/ani218090512.html Thu, 29 Nov 2007 23:41:51 -0500 http://www.seancarberry.com/blog/cxv218090439.html Thu, 29 Nov 2007 23:40:38 -0500 http://www.seancarberry.com/blog/mho218089896.html Thu, 29 Nov 2007 23:31:35 -0500 http://www.seancarberry.com/blog/jqy218089494.html If there is one word that sums up the experience of working in Sudan, it’s “Permission.” There’s no point mincing words, Sudan is a police state, and a horrible place to try to do journalism. The government gets in your way at every turn—and often has some interesting explanations why. The first challenge is getting into the country. Some journalists report that it took months or even years of waiting to get an entry visa. I got lucky and managed to get one after five days of making calls and sending emails. From what I’ve been told, things are opening up a little bit, but it still helps to have connections, and I was lucky to learn that a friend did a summer internship in Sudan, and that got me in the door. The second step is registering your passport once you get into the country. It took me three days to complete that process, partly because of mistakes I made, but largely because of the nature of Sudanese bureaucracy. Next, you need to secure a press card. This was actually the easiest step, and it took about 15 minutes to fill out the form and receive the card. The difficult step is the Darfur travel permit. Actually, difficult isn’t the right word, applying was very easy—I just had to fill out a one page form. Granted, I did have to come back a second time because I only had 4 passport photos with me, and they needed 5. The difficult part was waiting for the permit. The woman in the office told me that it would take three days, although others said it should only take two days. In my case I filed the application on Sunday morning, and received the permit on Thursday morning—coincidentally the day I was supposed to fly back to the US. Once I arrived in Darfur, I found out I needed approval from a local office in order to speak with people in the IDP camps. That office required an additional three copies of all of my documents before I could even talk to the administrator who would then decide whether to grant me permission. Ultimately, I ran out of time on the ground before I could complete that process and could only drive around an IDP camp and surreptitiously take pictures. There’s one other word that describes Sudan, and that is “Generosity.” Really, I should be charitable and say this is the first word to describe Sudan, but the permission issue was so pervasive, corrosive, and offensive, that it’s hard to hold my tongue on that issue. Anyhow, the Sudanese people are some of the most generous I have ever met—and the paradox of those having little being the mot giving is not lost on me. I had two “fixers” or assistants in Khartoum. I had not met or spoken with either one prior to my arrival in Khartoum. From the outset they both bent over backwards to accommodate me, and to make sure I was safe and had everything I needed. They bought me meals, took me to their homes, and largely put their lives on hold for a few days to tend to me. I can’t possibly express my gratitude to them, and I can’t stress enough how lost I would have been without them. I consider both of them friends at this point, and hope someday to be able to repay them. I don’t want to belabor the point, but they went way beyond the level of a normal fixer. They also demonstrated the best qualities of the Sudanese people—again, not just generosity, but also the value of personal relationships and networks. Of course, everyone knows that it’s not what you know, but who you know. These men had friends in every sector, and it was hard to go for more than a couple of blocks without them shaking hands with someone or saying hello to a friend. They had the ability to solve problems—and I certainly had a number of them while in Sudan… ]]> Thu, 29 Nov 2007 23:24:54 -0500 http://www.seancarberry.com/blog/ilj218085392.html Thu, 29 Nov 2007 22:16:31 -0500 http://www.seancarberry.com/blog/qqq215490909.html
Last Thursday I had the privilege of seeing one of my favorite musicians--Johnette Napolitano. For those of you who do not recognize the name, she was/is the lead singer of the band Concrete Blonde. For those of you who are not familiar with Concrete Blonde, 1) I'm sorry to hear that because you're missing out on some fantastic music, and 2) I'm not going to give you any more hints or information--try google.

Anyhow, she was performing at Jammin' Java, a funky little coffee house/music venue in Vienna, VA. I have to say that by my urban standards, it was a trek getting there. It required a metro ride out into the burbs followed by a short cab ride to the club.

I say Johnette in 1995 with her band Pretty and Twisted, and that was a full-on rock show. Loud, dark rock. This show was rather different. Johnette performed solo. Although she usually plays bass in her bands, this night she was playing acoustic guitar--and certainly did an adequate job, but for fans of the Blonde, it's a bit disappointing not to hear Jim Mankey's electric guitar pyrotechnics. Still, this show featured the other two critical elements of the Blonde--the songs and Johnette's voice.

She is still my favorite female singer. Her range of expression, power, delicacy, and ability to convey emotion are unparalleled in my book. The intimate setting, and the lack of other instruments allowed her to showcase her voice, and her soul.

She took the stage in a long red dress and with her brunette hair and dark eyes, she looked like a cross between Linda Blair and Janis Joplin--both very appropriate comparrisons for a variety of reasons. She performed a mix of Blonde songs, solo originals, a Pretty and Twisted tune, and a few covers, including an eerie and erotic version of "Ghost Riders in the Sky."
Johnette bantered in between songs--she talked politics, dogs, life in Joshua Tree, and went off on a few other rants. For me the highlights of the night were Concrete Blonde tunes "Sun", "I Don't Need a Hero", "Mexican Moon", and an a capella version of "Wendy". I will say that I was disappointed she didn't sing anything from the album "Group Therapy" which is the most powerful and personally meaningful CB album. I was also disappointed that she only performed for a little over an hour, but I guess that's an hour or so more than most attention spans today. What? Look at the birds...

After the show, I did an extremely rare thing (especially since I worked in the music business and am not a myrmidon by nature) and hung out backstage so I could say hello. After waiting for 45 minutes, I had a brief chance to chat and tell her that "Group Therapy" was one of the most important albums in my life.

Afterwards, a very nice couple from the area gave me a ride back to the metro station, and then I learned another hard lesson about DC--the metro shuts down earlier than the T in Boston. The last inbound train left Vienna at 11:25 pm, and I arrived at the station at 12:15, assuming I had 15 minutes to spare. Well, that lesson cost me a $45 cab ride home, but I still got to see Johnette...

Things get better everyday you stay alive then I'm amazed every day that the sun decides to rise every minute, every hour, is another chance to change life is beautiful & terrible & strange. ]]> Tue, 30 Oct 2007 22:35:09 -0400 http://www.seancarberry.com/blog/ktv214884599.html Tue, 23 Oct 2007 22:09:59 -0400 http://www.seancarberry.com/blog/ffs214536193.html Fri, 19 Oct 2007 21:23:13 -0400 http://www.seancarberry.com/blog/ggb214175016.html
I handed the clerk my passport and told him I had a reservation. He and the other woman there looked around, and after a few minutes, found the slip. I offered a credit card, and they said no worry for now. They gave me my room key and tv remote and I got into one of the most primitive elevators I’ve seen. It wasn’t like a cool New York City one with the metal gate and the control lever that looks like something off a ship. It was, shall we say, more socialist looking. You opened the door manually, stepped in, and either closed the inner doors, or not. It didn’t matter as the elevated would go with the inner doors open, and you could watch each floor pass by until it stopped and you pushed open the outer door to exit. I wandered down the hall. The floor felt like my foot might fall through at any moment, and the trim looked like that junk that Sears sold everyone for the basements in the 1970s. I entered my room and it was as bad as I expected: better in some ways, and worse in others. But, it would do—it had a bed, something resembling a shower, and the door lock worked. I dropped my bags and went out walking around pedestrian street in the center of the city. Typical assortment of shops, cafes, vendors, and people doing what they do on Saturday afternoons. I found the stately Moskva hotel—a reputed haunt of journalists, politicos, and people who are at a minimum self-important. I had three Jelen Pivo beers and a calamari risotto. I called Ivan—my Kennedy School classmate and contact on the ground—and made plans for dinner and seeing some of the city after dinner. I made some more calls and sent text messages (relied on more here than even in the US) to set up appointments. I wandered back to my hotel and napped for about an hour, showered and got ready to go out. Ivan was running late so I walked back to the pedestrian street to kill time. There was some sort of carnival or little expo going on. There were stands promoted by one of the main banks in the city surrounding a small area where people were engaging in a variety of contests and activities. On one stand several kids frantically yanked away at rowing machines, while another kid in the center of the plaza shot free-throws. I saw a “bouncy house” thing, and then there was the giant trampoline and bungee-cord contraption where people could bounce a good 25 feet high and do flips. I have no idea what it was all about, but it was interesting nonetheless. I made my way back to the hotel and met up with Ivan. We drove to his place for a quick drink—Rakia, the Serbian brandy. From there we drove to Dacha for a traditional/tourist Serbian dinner. We had pear rakyi, a plate of cheeses and pates with various breads, and then a couple of different salted meat entrees. From there we went to Monument—another reputed hang out of politicos—but the place was pretty dead. Seems it’s more of a lunchtime haunt. After a beer we went to Absinthe—one of the trendier bars, modeled after a bar in NYC I’ve never seen. Ivan and Maria checked out early and I stayed for another hour to people watch and get a feel for life in the city. Around 1 am I left with the intention of taking a cab home, but when I got to the traffic circle with the taxi stand I looked up the street and saw a giant church on top of the hill. I decided to hike up for a closer look. I walked around the Cathedral of St Sava in the dark, and in the not-too distance, I heard The Doors (I was assuming it was a recording, not the actual band). I traced the source to a bar across the street and I wandered in. It was the smallest bar I’ve seen—about the floor space of a Manhattan studio apartment. I saddled up to the bar and ordered a beer and quickly fell into conversation with the locals there—who with one exception were all my age. I talked politics—Serbian, US, Russian, and European—with three people for about four hours. The main points that emerged were the frustration over the US involvement in the status of Kosovo, frustration of US foreign policy in general, a reluctant acceptance of Russian support in the Kosovo negotiations (people liked having an ally but had no trust of Russian motives), and a general sense of fatigue with all of it. Around 5 am the bartender fell asleep behind the bar, and that seemed to be the cue to leave. I was about to walk to the circle at the bottom of the hill to find a taxi, but one couple I had been speaking with invited me out for what we would call in the US, “late-night drunk food.” I obliged, figuring it would give me the opportunity to get some of their comments on tape. We drove through the city and ended up in some little plaza with a big food stand. They ordered me a chicken shawarma-like thing and of course another beer. We talked for a while, but they didn’t want to go on tape. Finally, they took me back to my hotel, and by 6:30 am I was asleep. ]]> Mon, 15 Oct 2007 17:03:36 -0400 http://www.seancarberry.com/blog/yju212551576.html
I finally moved into my apartment. It was an ordeal, as moving usually is. I flew up to Boston on the evening of the 14th, spent a couple of hours packing and then went out to meet some Kennedy School folks at a party in Cambridge. I got home around 3 am and then got up at 9 to begin the moving adventure. Of course I started out the day with problems at U-Haul (which reminds me that I haven't complained to their management). They had my reservation, but didn't have the additional supplies I reserved--a couple of dollies and a hand cart. The manager made no attempt to solve the problem and was indignent when I requested that she have another U-Haul location deliver the accessories to me. Fortunately, I had a backup and my father brought a hand truck with him.

Loading the truck went pretty well thank to the help of a couple of former coworkers from WBUR. We finished a couple of hours later than I wanted to, but I can't really complain when people were willing to help me move for free. Reminds me of that great saying, "a friend will help you move, but a good friend will help you move a body."

Anyhow, I left Boston, stopped at my dad's house to pick up my cats, and hit the road to DC. I arrived at my girlfriend's apartment at 1:30 am, let the cat loose, and went to sleep.

Moving in went extremely well, especially considering the elevator was not working in my building. I hired a couple of professional movers to unload the truck and that was the best $300 I ever spent.

So, since then I have been unpacking, organizing, and otherwise harassing my landlord to fix a few lingering issues around the apartment. Still, it's a great place, and an ideal location. I can walk to work in 15-20 minutes depending on traffic lights; I can walk to Dupont Circle in under 10 minutes, and I'm about 5 minutes from U Street. So things are good there.

Last weekend I hit a couple of Nationals games. Friday night I took my brother-in-law to the game, and I had my first RFK Stadium experience. I'll just say that it reminded me of a high school hockey rink in terms of construction and amenities.

Saturday I spent the first half of the day organizing my apartment to be presentable for my first house guest--my 11-year-old nephew. While I figured his standards would be lower than a "typical" guest, I think he was disappointed that the place wasn't bigger. Someday he'll appreciate that an 800 sq ft apartment in the Dupont area is a pretty impressive thing--especially on a public radio budget.

Anyhow, I took him out kayaking on the Potomac at dusk and tried to convince him there were crocodiles in the river. I'm not sure if he believed me or if he was just humoring me, but he played along regardless.

Afterwards we had dinner at Tony & Joe's in Georgetown. He sucked down raw oysters, fried calamari, and Alaskan king crab legs. Of course he had the vanilla bean ice cream for dessert.

After that it was back to the apartment to watch The Holy Grail. I figured it was safe for an 11-year old. I thought he was dozing off through most of it, but I spoke with my sister tonight and she said he pretty much memorized the whole movie. Good to know he has the "movie memorization gene."

Sunday we got up and went back to RFK for the final baseball game there. The Nationals actually won and it was an exciting game. Although I think that Connor's interest in going to baseball games is seeing how much junk food $20 will buy. I was amazed how far it went myself, but I guess if you aren't buying beer then $20 will get you a lot more food.

The rest of the day consisted of shopping at Target with my girlfriend, putting together her desk, helping her with math homework, and having a fascinating conversation with a Humphrey Fellow from Georgia (the country).

Tonight I played my first softball game in DC. It was on the Mall at 15th and Constitution--essentially in the shadow of the Washington Monument. Beautiful setting. Granted I was 15 minutes late and only got to bat once (and it was one of the worst of my softball career--one pitch, one swing, and a popup to the catcher), but at least my fielding was solid.

After the game I went for a jog along the Mall. I started out heading west and ended up at the Lincoln Memorial. Since I didn't want to stop and wait for the light so I could cross the street, I kept running and ended up crossing the bridge into Virginia. I ran around the rotary and came back across the bridge. As soon as I turned east, I saw the most stunning sight--a big, bright orange Harvest Moon hovering next to the Washington Monument. It was not only beautiful, but also a primal site. It easily could have been a scene from Egypt hundreds of years BC.

I proceeded to jog past the Lincoln Memorial, through the WWII Memorial and back Independence Ave towards the Monument. All the while the full moon hovered above. It spoke to me on a very deep level, and confirmed that I am "home."

DC is the right fit for me in just about every respect. The big exception is driving around here. It astonishes me how slow people are, and how screwy the traffic light can be. If you get out of sync with the lights, you can drive for a mile or more and stop every block at a red light. Add to that the fact that there are no streets through the heart of the city that bypass local traffic, and it can be purely maddening to drive around here. I really can't think of anywhere I've driven where I have been so constantly irritated while driving. Yes, I know that many people who know me will say that I am constantly irritated driving around Boston, and it's a fair take, but it's so much worse here. I need to readjust my perspective and accept that it takes 10% more time than it should to drive the equivalent distance in Boston. I'll get used to it eventually.

Anyhow, that's my latest, and completely uninspiring ramble from my new Ikea chair in my living room. I feel like I should have an Ikea endorsement by now given the time and money I've spent there in the last couple of weeks. Anyhow, until next time...
]]> Wed, 26 Sep 2007 22:06:16 -0400 http://www.seancarberry.com/blog/hlh211176805.html
Did more "adventuring" over the weekend. Went to Havana Village on Friday night for a salsa lesson and some Cuban food. Both the tostones and maduros were excellent. The chicken dish was spectacular. Dancing was a bit crowded for a lesson, but still fun. Mojitos were on the sweet side, but above average.

Saturday I ran my first 5k "race". It was the Arlington, VA Sheriff Dept's 9/11 memorial 5k. I haven't exactly trained for race conditions, but I finished ahead of my goal. I'll leave it at that.

Sunday caught the Red Sox at Camden Yards. It was a pitcher's duel for the most part, and another opportunity to try to explain the rules of baseball to a non-American who had never even watched a baseball game before. You realize how complicated baseball is when you try to explain the rules of the game to someone who did not grow up with the sport. Fortunately there wasn't an infield fly situation, or we'd still be at the park trying to sort it out.

]]> Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:13:25 -0400 http://www.seancarberry.com/blog/bgf210483781.html
Anyhow, it's more of a case of the technology existing, so why not do something with it...

I've now been in DC for a month. I started my new job at America Abroad Media on August 6. This is the first time I have "permanently" moved outside of Boston. I went to college in Bethlehem, PA, and that certainly wasn't going to be my home. I did six months in LA back in 1996, and that was a feeble attempt to "make it" in the music business. And, last summer I spent two months working in Dubai, but I knew that was a short-term gig before I started.

So, I finally took off the training wheels and dove into a new city for a new adventure. Plenty of motivation behind that, but no need to go there. Let's just say that at the end of the day, it was time to embark on a new adventure, and I found the ideal job opportunity for this point in my career.

After a month of apartment sitting, I finally signed a lease--I move in on September 15. The rental market is brutal here. Granted, I was pretty picky about my location and what I want in an apartment, and I finally found one that was well above my budget, but I can learn to love $6 wine from Trader Joe's in order to afford the rent. Can't really beat the location. 15-minute walk to work; 6-8-minute walk to Dupont Circle, and a 4-minute walk to U Street. Plus, I'm a couple of blocks from a Whole Foods, so I'm pretty much set.

Anyhow... here are some of the highlights of my time here so far, and a few random thoughts about my new life in the district.

Things here are definitely on a different pace. Everything is slower here, and considering I sometimes felt Boston was slow, that means I'm struggling to adjust to a very different pace. Granted, in my work things are pretty peppy, but everywhere else around town, the tempo is several BPM behind where I operate. Certainly the summer heat is an explanation. Who wants to move quickly in 90 degree weather with dripping humidity? This brings up an important detail. Things worked out that I had to start working in the beginning of August--the worst month in DC. Last August I was in Boston, and for many reasons it was the best August I ever experienced. This August... a bit of a change. The weather was pretty nasty, and I was getting used to a new life.

I did find a pretty cool jogging route around the Mall. This was a function of my apartment sitting gig on Capitol Hill. I'm not sure what I'm going to do when I move into my apartment--I'll be surrounded by urban life on all sides and won't have clear access to anything like the Mall or my Charles River route in Boston.

Driving here is slow. Not much risk of speeding tickets since no one seems to speed, and traffic lights are so poorly timed (from a driver's standpoint) that is seems rare to go more than one block without having to stop.

Favorite places so far: Cafe Citron, Sushi Go Round, Jaleo, Zaytinya, Kramer Books, any place on the water in Georgetown, and I have to say I like the Hawk and Dove--especially because they have Reyka vodka.

Memorable moments: The Brazilian dancer on the bar at Cafe Citron, kayaking on the Potomac with a Syrian journalist who was dressed in bebe gear and looking like she was going out on Newbury Street or to a Beirut night club, seeing Alison Krauss at the Merriweather Pavillion in MD, jogging around the Mall in the evening, attending the welcome party for the Humphrey Fellows at UMD in the apartment downstairs from the one I've been sitting, signing a lease!

Anyhow, much more to come, but I at least wanted to prime the pump and also set the bar low so future entries will seem far more compelling.]]> Sun, 02 Sep 2007 23:43:00 -0400