When You're Late For The Party And More Books Read

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

You might have noticed that despite it being staged in Cardiff this weekend I haven't mentioned anything about the Champions League final. Well the reason was simple. I was at work.

Now would admit that could easily have taken the day off, but to be honest wanted to save my time for the moment when we do, eventually, move house permanently. So it all passed me by.

Sunday however had the day off. And I decided to go to the Champions League Festival being held in Cardiff Bay. Wasn't sure whether it was a good idea at the time but ultimately thought that as it was going to be the closest time I'd be anywhere near a Champions League final again it was best I should go.

Trouble is of course that the match was on the Saturday. What this meant was that all the glamorous people had long since gone. All that was left was, well people like me.

"The Champions!"

However there were things to do. You could kick a ball in the goal with virtual Gareth Bale. Play on a PlayStation 4, pretend you're a commentator. All very good.....if you're ten. Being Fifty three however I went to the exhibition of the Uefa Champions League at the Millennium Centre.

Where you could see photos....

Photos

Or Shirts...

Football Shirts

Which regular readers know I like collecting but in all honesty in an exhibition setting was dull. And there wasn't all that space either.

So went outside and saw the floating pitch. A match was playing. Wasn't to be honest close enough to recognise any of the, shall we say, older players. Or as they're branded now "Legends".

Floating

Noticed that Juventus had their own stall in the festival. Would have been interested to have gone in. Unfortunately it wasn't open on the Sunday, which was rather unsporting of them, even if they were defeated.

Apparently #ITSTIME doesn't apply to the day after the final

They had a concert stand where bands gamely performed to small crowds as if it was the Millennium / Principality Stadium. When I was there Captain Accident was singing his heart out. Never heard of him. That though is an old man (ie me) issue.

The day was bright it has to be said

And to  top it all on a particularly depressing day I give you this picture.

The Picture

The statue to the right of this picture is of the songwriter Ivor Novello. I have this theory that before the Champions League weekend it was facing the sea. However in a Night in the Museum style the statue turned towards the Champions League shop to the left in disbelief as to the prices it charged. £10 for a less than thumb sized replica of the trophy,£15 for a baseball hat, £25 for a T-Shirt and to
top it all £65 for a football shirt!!!

Needless to say I bought something.

A Mug...Impressed Eh?

It cost me £10. I have the slight comfort that I know I'll use it. Still it probably showed that the biggest mug was me.

One thing I know is that until I make the move this blog will continue but the posts will be more sporadic. Since my last post I've read SEVEN books. So here's a quick review of all seven.

The House Of The Dead : Fyodor Doestoevsky: As previously posted I am a fan of Team Fyodor. The book ended as brilliantly as it begun. Highly recommended.

By The Ionian. Sea Notes of a Ramble in Southern Italy: George Gissing: This book,published in 1905 really was rubbish. He seemed to like Italy and its history but not Italians unless they were "cultured". Snobbish pretentious racism.

Earthwork Out Of Tuscany Being Impressions and Translations Of Maurice Hewlett: Maurice Hewlett: Though not racist this book about Tuscan art was equally snobbish and pretentious.

Adventures Among Books: Andrew Lang: The most disappointing book of the seven. What started as a man telling a story of his love of books turned into a series of rather dull essays.

And speaking of essays....

Selected Essays: Karl Marx: Am I a Marxist after reading this? No. Whilst some of it was interesting most required a knowledge of German history / figures of that time which I don't possess. Hence it's not Marx's problem but mine. I'll give him a pass.

The Third Reich A Chronicle : Richard Overy: As I remember it I bought this to clear an Amazon giftcard. It had nothing really new to say.

Paris Under The Occupation: Jean Paul Sartre: Other than the Doestoevsky this was the most interesting book of the seven. This essay explains that life under Nazi occupation was for the most part not how TV/films now portray it. The only real criticism is his denigration of those people in the resistance who lost their lives fighting for a free France. Otherwise it is certainly worth a read.

So the book I'm currently reading is Wild by Cheryl Strayed. Will see how I do with that soon.

Until the next time.

The Serie A Couch-Potato-A-Thon

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

In the laws of marriage the one, indeed the only moral excuse to spend a lot of the day where your backside is securely placed on a couch is if you've been busy for the other part.

On Sunday I had spent three and a half hours driving my daughter back from Epping to Bridgend. She had enjoyed her break with my mother wandering through London tourist spots but it was time to go home. The journey itself was thankfully dull apart that is from the three times where we were driving through torrential rain that was so bad I had the headlights on even though it was before midday and it was difficult working out where the lanes precisely were.

Still eventually we reached home. I had finished my main task du jour. After lunch I could relax without remarks. Time to watch football.

There were, as it happens a number of Serie A matches to watch. Two from last week two from this one, The first was A C Milan vs Torino. Though my Serie A team is Fiorentina I must admit to a sneaking sympathy with Torino. If only because they have to live with the success of the local rival Juventus, who seems to treat them with the disdain of an older brother.

As for A C Milan, well what's not to like about  a club once owned by shrinking soccer fan violet Silvio Berlusconi? Now taken over/or about to be by a "Chinese Consortium" including it appears state backed enterprises. The sort I would suspect that cost many European jobs through subsidies such as steel and/or low pay and/or poor working conditions all under a undemorcratic regime. Again what's not to like about a club bankrolled by that?

But to be fair it was the Milanese side that put on the style in the first half. Scoring two goals that were basically crosses that were put away in fiery style by the Columbian striker Bacca. Come the second half he scored a third through a penalty.

Bacca was, by any measure,smokin.

He was substituted, clearly to his disapproval, towards the end of the match. He received a well deserved applause upon leaving. Presumably this also enclosed the Torino players given that during the remaining few minutes of the second half they scored twice.

But then, at the last minute of extra time Torino was awarded a dubouis penalty. Sort of six of one and half a dozen of the other if you ask me. Anyway it was saved by the A C Milan goalkeeper Donnarumma. A seventeen year old yet so tall he could easily walk into a store and illegaly buy alcohol .

3-2 then to the Milanese and to be fair they deserved it. Just like the afternoon nap I took afterwards. Upon awakening I remembered. West Ham were playing Manchester City. Checked on the score. Hammers down 2-0. Not being a masochist I went onto the next game. Pescara - Napoli.

Pescara newly promoted. Napoli almost champions. On paper this should have been obvious. However when I write on paper things get inevitably crossed off. The football version of that was when Pescara scored two goals in the first half. First match I know but those goals were such free flowing team quality that I'm not sure I'll see similar this season.

Unfortunately for us underdog romantics Napoli made it level in the second half. Still if I was a Pescarian I would first not eat meat but continue to munch at fish and then would feel happy at what the season would hold given that performance.

Next up was Lazio - Juventus which was on paper the most exciting of the four but (you catch the drift now) turned out to be the most dull. Juventus won by a goal. The only thing that sent me to a state of frenzied apathy.

Then a break, as wife/daughter wanted to watch the new drama series on Queen Victoria. Not my cup of tea but it'll be a success judging how much the females in the house liked it.

I noticed Rufus Sewell was in the cast. That reminded me that he starred in the shortlived BBC TV series Zen based on the Michael Dibdin novels. Though set in Italy the British actors spoke in a British accent rather than talka likea this which was fair enough. Only to have the love interest played by an Italian actress with a genuine accent which rather spoilt the effect.

Anyway, that finished and to the final game. Inter Milan - Palermo.Inter another Milanese club owned by the Chinese and Palermo which is for sale. I'm assuming the Sicilian team will be sold to whoever makes the current owners an offer they couldn't refuse.

Inter dominated. They had chance after chance after chance in the first half yet they could not score. I can only recall one Palermo opportunity in this period. But, as football is always more capable of than any other sport I can think of, early in the second half Palermo scored.

It was a lucky goal. A shot that hit the heel of an Inter player and deflected to the net. Still a goal's a goal.

Inter eventually equalised and the score finished 1-1. But they are not a team at ease with itself. If Inter was a person I'd have arranged counselling long ago.

And so the Serie A Couch Potato-A-Thon was finished for day. Monday Ligue 1...in between cutting grass weather permitting.

Until the next time.