Back Tuesday

See you later.

Motherland

The photographer Simon Roberts has a new book of this title coming out in March. I happened upon some of the pictures in a discarded copy of the Telegraph Magazine on the Tube home last night – some are entirely predictable, but the slideshow is enjoyable nonetheless.

How are you? My name is Ekaterina.

“Hi!

How are you? My name is Ekaterina. I from Russia, city Cheboksary. To me 28 years. I shall tell to you about myself a little.

I corresponded with the man from the your country before. His name Mark. He is from your country. We had a long correspondence and Mark wanted, that I have arrived to him in the your country that I have seen what life there. We have together submitted the statement on reception of the visa in your country! Mark spoke, that will help my in our meeting. I thought, that have met on the Internet the love.

I and Mark made the big plans for the future, but in a flash all has changed. From the moment of submission of the statement for the application of the visa has passed 5 months. For these five months there was for what I least waited. Mark informed, that his former wife has returned to him and lives together with him. Soon they should get married. And now in Mark plans there is no me. I wrote to him some times after that, but Mark have wished me only good luck in the further searches worthy men and have told, that our ways miss. And in October to me there has come the invitation in embassy behind reception of the visa.

In the beginning I wanted to throw out the invitation in embassy. To me it was sad, because my dreams were failed, I have nobody to fly in the your country. But my uncle have dissuaded me from resolute actions and have told, that else there is a chance to find worthy the man and to use the visa to a meeting with him. I well know English and practically I have visa your country. My uncle speaks, that it really solves many problems.

Approximately in 7 days the visa will be ready, and I should go to Moscow behind reception of the visa. I write to you because in my heart there is an empty seat. I do not search rich or poor. I search careful and responsible man which wants to enjoy a life together. Is this person you? I think, that I ask not much. I have told to you a little about my life. I have told not all about myself, but it will be easier to me to write about myself if you will ask questions which interest you. I have told to you my history, and now I shall look forward to hearing from you with impatience. Write to me! I shall send you more photo in the following letter. I wait you answer. Ekaterina.

P.S. I shall answer with pleasure if you write to me.”

Funny, in the previous 463 e-mails I received like this, her name was Natasha…

The 08.44 to London Paddington

and the subsequent Bakerloo Line journey to Oxford Circus were punctuated by the following tunes this morning:

Dirty Old Town – The Ian Campbell Folk Group
Tighten Up – The Bamboos
Capuchin Swing – Jackie McLean
Whatyagonnado – Jeru The Damaja
Gypsy Queen – Gabor Szabo

Tourism

Today I have mostly been visiting:
Waterloo Station
Tower Bridge
The Tower of London
The Number 15 bus
Notting Hill
Ping Pong on Westbourne Grove

Otis Redding

In imperious form from the 1967 Stax European tour.

Geburtstag

Arbeit. Bis spaeter…

Chrome Children Volume 2

Free download over at Stones Throw – unusual and woozy hiphop and nu soul for your listening pleasure…

Coffee of the Month

Guatemala Huehuetenago from Algerian Coffee Stores. Mmmmm.

Sounds From Luke’s Hifi February 2007

The CD is now done. All the regular suspects will receive a copy (despite their protests). If anyone else wants a copy, speak now or forever hold your silence… Here is the tracklist:

Carlos Alberto Goal From The 1970 World Cup Final – Brazilian TV Commentator
Procurando O Caminho – Coisa Nossa Featuring Salome De Bahia
Flautira – Ocho
Una Música Brutal – Gotan Project
Briu De La Craiova – Fulgerica & The Mahala Gipsies
Moldovan Song – Emir Kusturica & The No Smoking Band
Od Yeshoma – Oi Va Voi
Heart Beat Sexual – Jimmy Edgar
Ol’ Crew – Mr. Lif
Minister For Ganja – Rappa Robert & Jim Brown
Away With the Bad – Glen Brown
The Message [Twelve Inch Version] – King Sunny Ade & His African Beats
My Favourite Things – Mark Murphy
You Have Got To Have Freedom – Pharoah Sanders
Aftershower Funk – Joe Bataan
Les Fleur – 4Hero featuring Carina Anderson
At The Dark End Of The Street – James Carr
Mbube – Solomon Linda’s Original Evening Birds
The Wild Rover – The Dubliners