made me smile today :)

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The World's First Cocaine Bar

' "Tonight we have two types of cocaine; normal for 100 Bolivianos a gram, and strong cocaine for 150 [Bolivianos] a gram." The waiter has just finished taking our drink order of two rum-and-Cokes here in La Paz,Bolivia, and as everybody in this bar knows, he is now offering the main course. The bottled water is on the house.' The Guardian Newspaper

Of course it is buried right in the heart of one of the most dark hearted cities I have ever been to - La Paz, Bolivia. That's not to say I didn't love La Paz, in fact it is one of the most exciting places I have ever been. However when I was there the cocaine lounge wasn't there- or if it was I certainly wasn't aware of it. So, what do I think?

Well it's an odd one that I have spent a lot of time considering. I think the legalisation of hard drugs is a dangerous thing. I'd vote against it. I keep being told that in fact it's a great idea because we can tax the lot and remove the criminal element. Firstly I think people who throw money at drugs don't give a shit about the proportionally small added cost of tax - especially if what they are buying is clean. Secondly I don't think it will remove the criminal element at all - because people who don't feel like shelling up for the pure stuff or fancy saving face by not buying it over the counter will just continue to call their dealers.

If I was in La Paz - would I go check out this place? I'm a photographer - Absolutely! And remember:

"never refuse an invitation, never resist the unfamiliar, never fail to be polite and never outstay the welcome. Just keep your mind open and suck in the experience." 

I'm not a weed smoker - but sure, legalise that .... what the hell - it just makes me laugh and pass out. 

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One Very Cool Woman ...

Managing Director of the IMF - Christine Lagarde

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GREECE!!!

WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU PLAYING AT?! REALLY?!

Giant legoman washes ashore ...

A Giant Lego Man washed ashore on a Sarasota, Fla., beach on Tuesday. The fiberglass figure is eight feet tall, 100 pounds and wears a t-shirt emblazoned with the name "Ego Leonard" and the curious message, “NO REAL THAN YOU ARE,” theWashington Post reports.

A local man, Jeff Hindman, found the Lego man drifting in the surf during a pre-dawn stroll along Siesta Key beach, according to the Sarasota-Herald Tribune. The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office hauled the Lego man away, the Washington Post reports, but not before beachgoers snapped photos and shot videos of the larger-than-life figure.

HAHAHAHAAAA!

Happy Diwali - 26.10.11

India at night during Diwali 2011 - NASA

Diwali - Indian Festival of Lights. 

Diwali is a five day festival that represents the start of the Hindu New Year. It honours the victory of good over evil, and brightness over darkness. It also marks the start of winter.

Each day the festival has a different meaning but the main festivities take place on the 3rd day of the festival - this year today - the 26.10.2011. On this day lots of small clay lamps called Diyas and candles are lit and placed in houses and fireworks are let off everywhere across the country, giving Diwali it's name - The Festival of Lights.

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Heroes in a half shell

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Dolphins by Buster

My younger brother snapped this last Friday on our last sail home after a beautiful week sailing around the Aeolian Islands off the south coast of Italy.

Good times.

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Bite me Irene!

Holy SHIT!! If I saw this swimming beside my car I'd have- well lets just say, a minor -Freak Out! But putting it into some perspective this was taken just after Hurricane Irene spun it's way through Puerto Rico.

Authorities are now telling people in NYC not to go swimming in the streets. Are you nuts?! Who in their right mind would go splashing about anyway in flood filled NYC streets?

Whatever - I just hope so much that all my friends across the pond stay safe.

Thinking of you all.

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En route to Ganischgeralm

After a productive and somewhat difficult year for me it looks as though I am heading back into the Dolomites (Obereggen) for the entire winter season. Great news - partly because it's a full 4 months of work, partly because I love the work, partly because I love the people I work with and also partly because the place is incredibly beautiful.

Every morning for 4 months of the winter I will ski-doo up into the mountains before the rest of world wakes up and for me there is nothing quite like that 10 minutes. Being able to look out over a silent, sleeping and snow ladden world as the sun is rising over the mountains.

Here's to that 10 minutes:

I live amidst the souls of deep see creatures,

Though now they brush the stars,

Silent winds whip once lost beaches,

And freeze the rocks  of far

A magic stirs you cannot place

But sense the power untold

There’s something here you cannot trace

That life holds deep and old

So wake at dawn to see this land

That glides beneath the moon

Where snow falls silent as a man

That walks in thoughts of doom

My heart beat sounds unto my core

My breath to rise and fall

Alone and high where eagles sore

Beneath these great stone walls

I love this place with all my heart

It’s silence and it ‘s lore

Where life and death live hand in hand

I’m summoned by it’s awe.

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Sophia Rogge for Coral Conservation

Being a DiveMaster I am a big supporter of anything and anyone acting on behalf of the Oceans. Sophia Rogge is one of those people and has just brought out her gorgeous collection of sarongs where 10% of all the profits go towards Coral Conservation.

The range is just lush and I absolutely love the prints she has designed.

The sarongs are priced at £45 and she has recently come out with a mini sarong as well at £30.

But the one I want - Sophia's summer scarf:

Definitely worth a purchase.

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EARTH WOBBLES

It appears the 8.9 earthquake that shook Japan on Friday as well as causing massive damage and loss of life in that nation, also had some global implications as well. Multiple scientific reports started surfacing in the aftermath of the quake that estimate that the actual rotation of the Earth may have been affected, as well as Japan's physical position and other global phenomena.