Rock it!

Let’s Rock!

Two simple words yet millions of people do it everyday. What is it about that fake plastic guitar with five colorful buttons? Why do people play this? One of my favorite episode’s of South Park just shows how stupid it is to play this type of game.

Guitar Queer-o (Canadian Link) took the culture of the Guitar Hero crowd and picked it apart. Playing a real guitar vs playing a fake guitar, well the real one now is for “old” people, signing a contract to be a guitar hero rock star, and finally reaching some mystical high-score only to be told what a waste of time it was.

Yet people spend hours playing, and showing off Youtube videos of just how awesome they really are. Rock Band introduced drums and a microphone so now you can be a “real” band traveling the virtual globe playing at all the best fake gigs. Now that seems like a whole lot of fun…….. mom come quick the crowd loves me!

Come on seriously the guitar looks like something I had when I was four!

……. BUT and a big but, I still find my self reaching for the colorful Gibson, turning the receiver up to -10 (Don’t ask I don’t understand why Yamaha starts in the minuses and goes towards zero) and rocking out! Theres just something about mashing those five colours in a crazy solo, and hearing the music pounding that you get some feeling of satisfaction. go fuck yeah! I rock!

Just watch the intro for Rock Band and Rock Band 2 (High-res quicktime via Motionographer) and you’ll find out what I mean. There’s something about the two trailers that at the end I have to become a rock star!

While your at it check out Passion Pictures, they created the intro to Rock Band 2, music videos for Gorillaz and some other amazing videos.

Viral advertising at its best. Produced for Diesel’s upcoming Dirty 30 Party it takes safe for work and puts it in a little private room. Even when I watched it I was hoping no one would walk in to the office. But now everyone will get a link in their e-mail.

Now who wants some Skittles?

It seems that this trip is full of surprises. On my walk through the main square of Krakow I noticed that certain areas were guarded off as if a race was supposed to come through, sure enough there was.

Even though it was raining it was a great to see the riders, the cars, the motorcycles and the helicopters come barreling though old Krakow.

Right place, right time.

I think I have a problem…

Polish Eagle

Again just a tiny update (No Pics), I just find it hard to walk around all day, update the map with tidbits, and then actually go through photos and decided which to use. I guess I’m lazy on my vacation, as I should be.

Needless to say so far so good, well except for two things, have had this nagging foot problem since day two in Prague (I think I stepped wrong and bruised the bottom of my foot, I don’t think its a sprain because its only the bottom of my foot that hurts, anyways I wrapped it up and am trying not to walk too much, yeah figure that one out…) and now I have a small cold.

Since yesterday its been raining on and off in Krakow but it hasn’t dampened my vacation, I have way too much to look at to let it get to me, plus I bought a rain jacket before I left and its serving its purpose quite well.

So far Krakow is very beautiful, gray clouds and all. I also think this place has the highest concentration of churches I have seen so far, I counted 28 in the little guide map I bought and it only shows a few blocks outside the main tourist areas.

As for food, I finally had some “real” perogies. Yeah those Cheemo’s don’t stand a chance in Poland. Oh I can still taste them in my mouth.

Anyways this is just a quick update, I need to load photos in to my laptop, but first I will tell you about the adventure of the road trip here………… It needs photos.

Torun Street

Now this is a city I could live in. Absolutley one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen, not that I have seen that many. It has a mix of everything, narrow streets, historical buildings, Gothic churchs, remains of a Teutonic castle, and of course Copernicus.

I was lucky enough to be able to climb to the top of the City hall tower and got a snapshot of what the old fortress of Torun looks like, stunning to say the least.

Of course art is everywhere, except this was a German James Dean poster, so I had to take a snapshot.

Sie ist James Dean

Bydgoszcz, Poland

July 27 1982, yup the day I was born. It’s a little different standing here 26+ years later. Now that I’m back, and I can actually remember something its nice being able to take in the history.

I had the luxury of speaking to my grandmother I hadn’t seen for 20 years, let me tell you something, As soon as I stepped inside her apartment it felt like I went back in time 50 years, everything had its age. When my grandma spoke, she spoke old eastern euopean, ideals, thoughts, stories, but best of all she did it with a cigarette in hand. That may not seem like a feat but shes 92 years young and every screw is as tight as it was the day she was born, amazing!!

Some would say she should stop smoking, I say screw it. If she lived to be 92 I think she has the right to say whats good for her.

Bydgoszcz, Poland

Oh and as for the photos, at least I got one up there. Its a lot of work going through 1200+ 1700+ photos…

I have however updated the map.

Check out the detailed Google map.

So is it even possible? or enjoyable? I want to say yes, BUT I have to be realistic, its a hell of a lot to see and when you factor in travel within some of the places, 4 hours here, 6 hours there, its going to feel like a dine and dash that never ends.

Then there is the fun part of getting back to Frankfurt so I can fly home… mehh, why bother with details right now.

I wish I was going for a longer vacation…