Eitan rests his feet in the circular marble fountain in Hyde Park, next to the Serpentine (16/5/05). Remarkably children are not allowed in or around the memorial, and we were informed repeatedly that 'no playing allowed.' On a hot day, in the middle of a manicured, grassy field, not being able to let one's feet cool off in the icy water is, well, next to torture.
Madeleine and I spend the day together at the 2005 summer fair. Eitan was being punished for poor behavior, and misses out on the festivities which included a bouncy castle, face painting, cotton candy and other junk food and bbq - a favorite. It isa hot June day, and Madeleine is happy and worn out by the time we have a break, which the picture shows in better detail than I can explain.
Madeleine discovers cotton candy at the summer. The school,where Eitan attends reception, located several blocks from our home and the fair brings in a good chunk of the PTA's annual budget - around £14,000 in 2005. As the newest PTA member I am helping organise the 2006 campaign with other parent volunteers; I will also be the clown as this year's theme is 'circus' - is this the sort of thing that eventually drives our children from us?
'Uncle' Anthony's 30th birthday party served up a disco theme (note to reader: this is not Anto's normal hairstyle). We spend the afternoon at the BBQ picnic surrounded by many cool cats from London's younger and cooler community. We are the only guests with kids.... by a mile. While we leave at 5PM, the action goes on until 7AM Sunday morning - I note during this time Sonnet and I sleep 9 hours.
Eitan shows once again that he is a natural in front of the camera. This photo taken at the Barnes station, summer 2003 (12/8/03). It was unusually hot.
Moe and I somewhere in Kew Gardens (24/8/03). I recall a warm, lazy day - while London may be cold and grey a good part of the year the pay-back comes during the summer months when the sun sets late
offering a second half to the day. Wimbledon tennis sets the tone in June while August the UK and much of Europe shuts down for four weeks.
This photograph taken at night from the southside of the circus, facing north (21/10/03). Similar to New York's Times Square perhaps the circus connects Regent St, Picadilly and Shaftsbury Ave; because of its proximity to Soho, the circus was a significant meeting point in the underground history of homosexuals in Britain, especially for prostitution and informal 'encounters.'
When Alfred Kinsey visited London to study English sexual attitudes, he immediately asked to be taken on a sexual tour of Soho. The area around Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square astounded him. Comparing London to the Hispanic sexual cultures of central America, Kinsey claimed that he had never seen so much street prostitution, except in Havana. And there you have it.
Eitan wacks the ball in the late fall 2003 (26/10/03). He and Madeleine have football - er soccer - practice once a week, come rain or shine. Of 120 kids, Madeleine is the only girl - and we are quite proud of this.
Eitan slurps down his favorite drink following an exhausting morning at Kew Gardens - at least for me and Sonnet (23/10/03).
Madeleine at one year makes an effort to come to grips with her near surroundings (18/1/03). For instance - why is somebody pointing a strange device at me and asking for a funny face? I mean, what's up with that?
The Great Wall is a Chinese fortification begun around 220 BC then expanded to its present length of 6,300 km in the 14th to 17th centuries by the Ming Empire to protect itself from raids by Mongol and other nomadic tribes. I visited on a cold spring day, following a trip to the Ming Tombs which is equally impressive - 500,000 men over 25 years to build the crypt only discovered in the latter half of the 20th century.
The Mao expression on the oblix next to me says loosely: 'one cannot know China without visiting the Great Wall.'
Singapore, where I was last week speaking at the Asian Summit conference, is one giant shopping mall. It is hot. Singapore competes with Hong Kong as a convenient and Business friendly launch pad for Asia.
The Government runs the island with a strong hand and has been extremely successful educating its population in relevant disciplines to increase standard of living. It is also the cleanest place I have ever been. Highlights included the Asian Civilisation museum, Singapore Slings at Raffles Hotel and the hotel poolside especially around cocktail hour.
I spend a week in Beijing and was struck by the City's pace. Beijing has a population of 16 million and is the second largest in China after Shanghai. It is 'modernising' in preparation of the '08 Olympics, and the cityline is defined by high-rise condominiums and western-style office towers; much of the old city (and poor neighborhoods) has been demolished.
While there are many striking statistics regarding China, one that has social implications: there are twice as many Chines between the ages of
30-40 than under 15 thanks to the one-child policy. China is aging quickly and unlike India where 75% of the population is under 35, China does not have an expanding labour pool. Any case it was fascinating including the Great Wall, Mao Memorial, Ming tombs, Tianemen Square and Forbidden City (pictured).
Two books I recommend are Anchee Min's 'Empress Orchid' the last Empress of China and Philip Short's 'Mao A Life'.
This photograph, taken in front of the
Natural History Museum in South Kensington, presents Madeleine moments before being pummeled by her brother (27/7/03). Eitan is upset as his 'space' - somewhere over Oceana - invaded by her. Unlike with my Pentax SuperME where I develop b&w film the old fashioned way, I take plenty of digital photos with an Olympus Camedia rarely erasing (nor editing) the outcome.
Eitan discovers a puddle, and is content for a half hour to jump in, out, over and around (21/10/03). I wait patiently before jerking him along the sidewalk... to the next puddle. Repeat. repeat.. repeat... repeat....
Ceremony celebrated with Shai and Ada Weiss in London (12/7/03). This the first time the kids (or at least Eitan) can appreciate the story of the lights. Sonnet prepared a brisket from a recipe passed down from great great grandma Ev Orenstein (nb Eitan wares his 'Bob the Builder' back-pack for the occasion).
A nice photograph of Katie taken by an unknown (to me) photographer at the completion of her book "Little Red Riding Hood 
Uncloaked" which was on the Amazon best-seller list and reviewed by The New York Times, WSJ, Newsweek, Time and other. This picture taken from the jacket cover (10/4/02).
Eitan and Madeleine in their animal costumes, thanks to Auntie Robin (31/10/02). Madeleine one month old; neither 
yet capable of demanding their fair due of Halloween candy.
In this early photo in Lauderdale Mansions, Eitan test drives his lungs - I report that they work (sometime November 2000). While these memories are generally quite hazy (if recalled at all) I imagine the next two hours spent feeding the boy, awaiting the sun-rise and preparing for work (and some peace and quiet).
