Kristiansand, Norway

June 12, 2010
Kristiansand. Little maritime community, at the southern tip of Norway, west of Oslo; it’s the principal city of the region, somewhere around 100,000 people living in the greater area, in a country that makes less than 5 million in population. Very bullish on its potential (see their official website http://www.kristiansand.kommune.no/Om-Kristiansand/About-Kristiansand/)


It has the charm we usually associate with Nordic communities by the sea in the summer: crisp atmosphere, close to nature – sea and mountains, long daylight hours (we are close to the longest day of the year!) Rather coolish for the season – 15 degrees centigrade. It’s clear and sunny today; it is supposed to get warmer in the coming days. There is a nocturnal food festival going on. Live music until midnight; people partying outside in front of the hotel (and my room!) until 4am last night! Nothing to help with the accumulated jetlag!...

Part of the city (“Posebyen”) has preserved original white-wood clapboard, one-story-high row houses; but “cachet” is gradually lost over time with new modern constructions interspersed.


The language is unique! http://www.omniglot.com/writing/norwegian.htm

Here for a “think tank” gathering on “the future of music”. Why in Kristiansand? I have to ask the organizer…probably because it is held in cooperation with the local university of Agder (Universitet i Agder); it’s the fourth time that the “Summer Thought Fest” is held, bringing together those interested in where the music industry is going; prime focus is on Europe this year…and for good reasons, given the mess it appears to be in…

The “Fish Market” (“Fiskebrygga”) is where the tourist is attracted, with restaurants built around a small arm of water (this is where the most reputed restaurant of the place is, the “Bolgen og Moy”); but also some businesses, local offices of large consultant firms – Ernst & Young, BDO, and others – are located there. Fronted on the sea, the North Sea, by several marinas. A fairly large port, likely servicing oil exploration platforms located off the coasts of the country and neighboring ones, Denmark, Sweden and Great Britain (I don’t know how people feel about the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico currently…) Rather expensive city, judging by the restaurant prices…and the comments of some of the servers. Salaries seem to match though.

Staying at the Clarion Ernst, conveniently located. Older building that has been subjected to recent renovation. Very kitsch, with its large gold and silver colored rococo chairs that sit in the naturally lit lobby, and the gray color that predominates everywhere on the walls of the common area. The business room is very functional, 6 X 5 square meters, fully renovated, flat screen TV, Wi-Fi, compact washroom – shower only (in room 306 anyway!) which is OK with me. Nice modern, but small, gym in the basement, with windowed sauna. Good selection at breakfast buffet. They say it is best to stay in a room with windows giving on the street, rather than on the interior courtyard – lack of light and air in the hot summer days… Service adequate. Probably the best place where to stay in town, but no more than a 4-stars… (http://www.clarionhotel.com/hotel-kristiansand-norway-NO039)



Trouble at the horizon: security guards have started a strike and several airports are affected. Kristiansand’s is closed, and yes, it looks as if I will not be able to leave on a flight from Kristiansand on Thursday. On the advice of a local colleague, decide to go out a day earlier via the ferry to Denmark (Kristiansand to Hirtshals, just over 2 hours); short train ride from ferry to nearest town (Jhorring?), then cab from there to nearest bigger town, Aalborg, some 60 km away; overnight at the Radisson Blu hotel, in the center of town; then flying first thing in the morning to Copenhagen, then London, and finally to Toronto – a full day!) Unexpected visit of Denmark’s country side…

Sighting of “windmills” on my way to town. “12% of Denmark’s energy is wind-powered”, a very helpful English-speaking “local” gentleman (from either Norway or Denmark) commented to me on the train…

The Radisson Blu Hotel faces rows of restaurants; chose the “Provence” across the street and went for a lobster bisque only (quite good, rather light which suited me very well!) Attempt at re-creating some sort of historical quarter, with old houses revamped; Burger King facing the historical landmark – succès métigé…

Aalborg is no small town: 130,000 pop (190,000 if you extend to the “greater” agglomeration); “third in size in Denmark” tells me the taxi driver on my way to the airport.

Most efficient SAS staff at the airport – I had expected a less “urbane” personnel, wondering what to do with this passenger leaving from this “provincial” town and destined to this faraway land, but no, the attendant logged my bag through 3 flights, all the way to Toronto, in no time, answering my questions before I had a chance to ask them! That goes to show, service gets better the farther away one is from the big “centers”… Let’s see if my bag makes it to Toronto…

Moments of trepidation at the airport in Copenhagen when I could not find my passport on the way to control! Had dropped it in the lounge where I went back – a generous soul had brought it back to the staff…


June 17, 2010

Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao

To say that the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao is “unique” does not begin to tell how unique it is! I don’t believe that in recent history there is a building that has as much as this museum defined the very notion on modern architecture – there are many new remarkable constructions that have occurred in my life time and that I have experienced – the twin towers in KL or the Jin Mao building in Shanghai, to name a few just in Asia – but nothing that amounts to this structure! Or that has changed so much the nature and perception of a city. Bilbao is on the “world’s map” today because of the Guggenheim Museum there – there is no question about this, and the people of Bilbao will be the first ones to admit it and to tell you!

It is a marvel! Its sculpture-like appearance. Its curves; its material – that titanium exterior shell, glistening in the gold reflections of the morning or evening sun, or even under a grey sky. Its size, its location that singles it out by the river! And the stunning cathedral-like interior atrium, full of light, where you can begin to grasp the extent of this composition. Again the materials and the shapes: glass, metal and sandstone, curved and shaped to espouse the precise lines that the imagination of the architect, Canadian Frank Gehry, produced.

A triumph of engineering as well! Allowed first by the capacity of modern electronics to transcribe the most unconventional non-linear design into objects that can be actually built! Lots of admiration for Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the Chicago-based architecture firm responsible for the project (they are the ones also responsible for the Bank of America building in San Francisco where I was first exposed to their work; known more remarkably for the Jin Mao in Shanghai – and perhaps less remarkably, some would say, for the recent American Embassy in Ottawa!)

The history itself of the museum is remarkable. How it came about to be built in Bilbao in the first place – I asked a city councilor. Born of a confluence: the Guggenheim Foundation looking to expand in Europe, Bilbao wanting to build a museum as part of its city rejuvenation trust. Actually, Gehry did not only win the eventual competition to build the museum, but he was part of the initial decision on the location – by the river – of the museum in the early 90’s, when the Foundation brought him in Bilbao to advise the Basque authorities as to what and where to build – they had originally another site in mind. So I guess he deserved to win the competition!

I spent a lovely end-of-the-afternoon visit at the Museum, as part of an “official” tour organized by our hosts – the works of Henri Rousseau and Anish Kapoor to be seen as temporary exhibitions. I came back in the morning before I left Bilbao to spend time around the museum, and absorb the perspectives that afford the adjacent bridge “de la Salve” and the Nervion River.


(Note to myself: next time in Seattle, go and see the “Experience Music Project”, an even more extravagant realization by Frank Gehry, in celebration of Jimi Hendrix and rock ‘n’ roll music culture in the United States!)

Bilbao, June 11, 2010

Shanghai – first look at Expo 2010

A morning open in my agenda: off to the Expo! I take a taxi to the special subway station, ManDang Lu and JianGuo Lu (line 13, which connects to line 9) – best way I am told to access the grounds of the Expo, and I believe that: the subway is easy to navigate in Shanghai, even if one does not speak or read a word of Chinese. Stations names are written in pinyin, and are called in English over the PA system! Must say the subway gives a pretty good idea of the development of this city over the last twenty years or so. When I left in 1988, they were starting to build the first 10 stations on the first line, from the Indoor Stadium in the South, to the Railway Station in the North. Now the number of stations on that line has tripled, and they have built another 12 lines; the last one, line 13, goes from the center of Puxi specifically to the EXPO site. The best way to get from point A to point B in this traffic grid-locked city is indeed the subway. Very modern, obviously, clean and comfortable (air conditioned)!


Went straight to the Pudong site, were the national pavilions are. Walked along the elevated pathway that crosses the entire ground of Expo. Best way to appreciate the exterior of the pavilions. Queued for the Canadian one: 3 quarters of an hour to get in; not bad considering that some pavilions more in demand – Japan, China, Germany (and Saudi Arabia!) – require 3 hours+ waiting time that morning. Canada reached its 1 millionth visitor that day – with Finance minister Flaherty to witness! Pavilion focused on city life in Canada – very multimedia; conceived apparently by Le Cirque du Soleil. Hugh screen in semi-spherical shape projecting superimposed shots of life in Canada (I think this is what brother Normand worked on, going over the country the year before). Was done by 2 and went back using the subway all the way to the hotel.

Here is what the Financial Times Shanghai correspondent Patti Waldmeir suggests (Sat edition June 5-6): go by subway (yes!) Go first to corporate sites (GM; China Mobile- China Telecom) on Puxi side: most interesting indoor exhibitions with gadgets and all. Cross to Pudong site by ferry once dusk has come, to see lighted national pavilions and less people queuing. Skip China and US – disappointing pavilions. Italy, GB and Canada worth seeing. Good advice for next time: will be back in October…


A bit of logistics: came on direct flight Toronto – Shanghai on Air Canada (AC87); 14 hours straight! Good flight. Staying at latest (of 3!) Intercontinental Hotels; in Puxi, Zhabei area. Brand new (probably first occupant of the room - had to plug in the ethernet cable in the wall myself!) Great fitness facilities; roomy, well equipped gym and 25 meter pool.

June 2, 2010