Nepal, Tibet & Kerala Day Seven: The Road To Gyantse & Gyantse Itself, 13 April 2002

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Another beautiful day and breakfast takes final leap forward with bacon as well as yoghurt and cheese.

Set off in direction of Gyantse – stunning drive through high passes. Kamba-La (4794 m) with amazing views of Yamdrok-Tso Lake.

Then on for a light lunch in Nangartse – I had thugpa with vegetables, Daisy had stir fry vegetables with rice.

Then on through Karo-La pass (5045 m – new record for us) with a view of Mount Nojin Kangstan and it’s glazier.

Final pass, Simi-La 4330 m with views of Nyerulung Valley (artificial hydroelectric lake at Snow Mountain).

Arrive Gyantse Hotel – so much better – short rest then off to see Pelkor Chode Monastery and Gyantse Kumbum with stunning murals and amazing views of Gyantse town and Dzong.

Tibetan butter tea – adjudged slightly less disgusting than Butanese butter tea

Dinner at hotel was hilarious. We had to push to eat in bar rather than in freezing refectory – then on came dish after dish – five starters and six mains – only “highlights” were spicy chicken wings, double cooked pork and thipdu[sic – surely thukpa] (noodle soup).

Nepal, Tibet & Kerala Day Six: Norbulingka Palace, Barkhor & A Couple Of Dudes With Altitude In Lhasa, 12 April 2002

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Breakfast improved by some yoghurt and cheese.

Visited Norbulingka Palace in morning – both Palace and gardens more interesting and charming than advertised in the guidebook.

Went to Barkhor as the weather is so much better today – firstly to the Tibetan traditional medicinal centre…

…then 2/3 of way round circuit at Makye Amye are stunning views of Barkhor circuit.

Weird Chinese tea with spices floating in it and very tasty some duck (flat noodles in soup) with chewy yak.

Finished Barkhor circuit buying bone shoes and bone monkey.

Back to base for free afternoon which we started at the Internet café. Perhaps it was the chewy yak or maybe the depressing hotel room but we were both in a foul mood – monkey got broken in ensuing pillow fight.

Actually I attribute the dual foul mood primarily to the altitude. I subsequently learnt that tetchiness is a well-known side effect of flying into such high altitude and doing stuff without thoroughly acclimatising first.

Made up in traditional fashion and rested.

Supper at Snowland again, with fried momos, yak burger and fries, yakitori with rice. Chocolate cake takeaway was a real treat with which to celebrate our impending escape from the Lhasa Hotel.

Nepal, Tibet & Kerala Day Five: Mostly Sera & Drepung Monasteries Near Lhasa, 11 April 2002

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Another mind bogglingly awful breakfast followed by another snow flurry-ridden outing, this time to Drepung Monastery – amazing murals on the walls and surprisingly little cultural revolution damage. Large complex with many chapels and halls. Saw few monks however.

Light lunch at yeti café – yak noodle soup superb, chicken noodle soup good but fried pork in batter was a poor choice. Resolve to return tonight nonetheless.

Siesta followed by outing to Sera Monastery – we time exit perfectly with the next snow storm.

Sera is smaller but lovely – we meet more monks and almost here outdoor debate – cricket match like, everyone turns up to agree that it snowed off! Witness amazing transient art work of mandala in sand.

Second siesta followed by excellent dinner at Yeti – double cooked pork, chicken in sweet garlic sauce, excellent wok fried fresh vegetables and egg fried rice. Daisy is still suffering altitude.

For some reason I didn’t even mention our visit to the Muslim Market when I wrote up the day, but it is clear from the photo sequencing and photo journal that we made that visit that afternoon. Perhaps the altitude was getting to me when I wrote up.

Yup, the altitude got to both of us, as the next day’s log will confirm. Daisy was suffering more, with breathlessness and extreme fatigue. But both of us for sure got the tetchiness which goes along side the more physical symptoms. Goes with the turf in Tibet, that altitude problem.

Nepal, Tibet & Kerala Day Four: Potala Palace, The Jokhang & Other Touring In Lhasa, 10 April 2002

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After piss poor breakfast I cash in my dinner vouchers through Wang (George).

Ever since a particularly helpful hotel receptionist in Lebanon, named George, whenever Janie latches onto a receptionist we now privately call him, or her, George.

Set off sightseeing to Potala Palace – stunning site but mighty crowded with Tibetan and Chinese tourists. Statues of various incarnations of Buddha and various Dalai Lamas is starting to lose its appeal at a frighteningly early stage, but some rooms are stunning.

Check out food scene – decide on Snowland’s for dinner and take quick lunch at Tashi I – bobis and cheesecake.

After siesta, sleet is turning to snow but we go undaunted to The Jokhang – strangely charming in the snow but again Buddha after Buddha, lama after lama.

Snow torrential by the time we leave so we defer Barkhor Square for a better day (we hope).

More rest (and this write-up) before dinner.

Enjoyed yak momos, sha phalay (deep fried meat pie), yak and potato stew, lamb stew and tsampa. Took home a delightful butter cake and early night.

Nepal, Tibet & Kerala Day Three: Getting To Lhasa, 9 April 2002

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Rise uncomfortably early (God alone knows why) and dumped at airport circa 6:50, more than an hour before check-in for our flight even opens – Mangal has a bit to answer for here!

Fly to Lhasa…

Mount Everest seen from that flight
Tibetean Plateau as seen from above

Searched on arrival and have my copy of Seven Years In Tibet confiscated by an utterly charming but firm official.

Have no fear, I read the book anyway!

Guide Tse-Ten and driver Chum-day rescue us and take us to the so-called four star Lhasa Hotel.

We enjoyed a snack of yak burger and chips in the Hard Yak Café (very good actually) only to find that the Hard Yak is the only one of the hotel’s five restaurants that is open at present.

This, together with no central heating (broke down 2 1/2 years ago) and no hot water (breaks down at regular hours as an economy measure each day) hacks us off.

We get a new room and eventually hot water and tolerate some nasi goreng in the Hard Yak determined to change our dining arrangements for subsequent meals.

We had expected a relatively low quality of hotel, but we had not expected basic ultilities such as heating and hot water to be inadequate. We were especially frustrated by the hot watre issue, as it became very obvious very quickly that thehotel was deliberately shutting down the hot water for several hours a day to save money, but the staff consistently denied this, claiming that there were daily unfortunate breakdowns.

I even offered them money to keep the hot water service going for us, but to no avail because the staff were insistent that the problem was mechanical not economic!

Altitude makes people tetchy when they are unused to it; his additional and seemingly unfair privation certainly added to our tetchiness; especially as Janie and I are both people who also get tetchy when we are cold!

Nepal, Tibet & Kerala Days One & Two: Getting There, 7 & 8 April 2002

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Leave London late in day (7 pm) – hope the non-arrival of LA Cabs is not a bad omen! Park Royal cabs get us to airport with bags of time to spare.

We do our regular airport shopping and then enjoy Qatar Airways business class hospitality before and during flights.

Daisy weiring out in Doha hospitality lounge

All flights on time and event free – arrive Kathmandu late afternoon.

In stunning Dwarika Hotel – beautiful room and grounds…

…take a 12 course Nepalese feast in the Nepalese restaurant. Superb nibbles, mushroom and spinach with the roti, mutton kebabs, shredded chicken and rice pancakes and sticky sauce fish were the highlights. The late Mr Dwarika’s Mrs made an interesting interlude between courses.

Slept very well.

Z/Yen Seasonal Dinner At The English Garden, Lincoln Street SW3, 13 December 2001

Not THAT sort of English Garden; the Richard Corrigan/Malcolm Starmer place

There was some feedback the previous year that the event in Efes, while most enjoyable, had been a step down in food quality from the previous few years. There were also mumblings about the quality of song lyrics from one or two of those who had been around long enough to remember the last time I had put pen to paper in that regard.

Thus it was Janie to the rescue, if I remember correctly, in the matter of restaurant choice. I think she might have consulted Elisabeth on the topic too. Which explains how we ended up at a place that both of them happened to want to try and which also happened to have a private room our size.

It had rave reviews, not least this one in the Guardian, lauding Richard Corrigan and his star chef Malcolm Starmer for the high quality and yet value for money this place provided. Good choice, then.

It was a “no holding back” era at Z/Yen back then – we had our last Board meeting of the year that day (quite normal) plus a staff symposium to launch the employee share ownership scheme (less usual)…

There you are…simples.

…ahead of traipsing across town “en masse” to Chelsea for the wonderful meal.

And I do recall it was a truly excellent meal. Janie and I for sure returned there with friends subsequently and were sorry to learn that the place had gone when it closed down.

I think Linda might have launched Secret Santa that year, but perhaps she launched it a year or two later. For sure there was some sort of Z/Yen gimcrack…I mean hugely valuable gift…that year, as Linda promised by e-mail that Santa would be attending.

As for the song – one of my more enduring Z/Yen seasonal hits was born that year.

THE TWELVE DAYS OF Z/YEN TRAINING
 and/or
 THE Z/EALOUS METHODOLOGY TRAINING COURSE
(Song to the Tune of “The Twelve Days of Christmas”)
 
On my first day of training, my Z/Yen boss gave to me;
A Z/Yen Z/Ealous Risk/Reward tree.
 
On my second day of training, my Z/Yen boss gave to me;
Two by two grid/groups,
And a Z/Yen Z/Ealous Risk/Reward tree.
 
On my third day of training, my Z/Yen boss gave to me;
Three critical sets,
Two by two grid/groups,
And a Z/Yen Z/Ealous Risk/Reward tree.
 
On my fourth day of training, my Z/Yen boss gave to me;
Four risk rationalities,
Three critical sets,
Two by two grid/groups,
And a Z/Yen Z/Ealous Risk/Reward tree.
 
On my fifth day of training, my Z/Yen boss gave to me;
Five forces.
Four risk rationalities,
Three critical sets,
Two by two grid/groups,
And a Z/Yen Z/Ealous Risk/Reward tree.
 
On my sixth day of training, my Z/Yen boss gave to me;
Six thinking hats,
Five forces.
Four risk rationalities,
Three critical sets,
Two by two grid/groups,
And a Z/Yen Z/Ealous Risk/Reward tree.
 
On my seventh day of training, my Z/Yen boss gave to me;
Seven S’s model,
Six thinking hats,
Five forces.
Four risk rationalities,
Three critical sets,
Two by two grid/groups,
And a Z/Yen Z/Ealous Risk/Reward tree.

 
On my eighth day of training, my Z/Yen boss gave to me;
Eight steps to success,
Seven S’s model,
Six thinking hats,
Five forces.
Four risk rationalities,
Three critical sets,
Two by two grid/groups,
And a Z/Yen Z/Ealous Risk/Reward tree.
 
On my ninth day of training, my Z/Yen boss gave to me;
Nine PEST-expanded forces,
Eight steps to success,
Seven S’s model,
Six thinking hats,
Five forces.
Four risk rationalities,
Three critical sets,
Two by two grid/groups,
And a Z/Yen Z/Ealous Risk/Reward tree.
 
On my tenth day of training, my Z/Yen boss gave to me;
Ten Vision Into Action themes,
Nine PEST-expanded forces,
Eight steps to success,
Seven S’s model,
Six thinking hats,
Five forces.
Four risk rationalities,
Three critical sets,
Two by two grid/groups,
And a Z/Yen Z/Ealous Risk/Reward tree.
 
On my eleventh day of training, my Z/Yen boss gave to me;
Eleven: viable systems plus SWOT,
Ten Vision Into Action themes,
Nine PEST-expanded forces,
Eight steps to success,
Seven S’s model,
Six thinking hats,
Five forces.
Four risk rationalities,
Three critical sets,
Two by two grid/groups,
And a Z/Yen Z/Ealous Risk/Reward tree.
 

 
FINALE
 
On my twelfth day of training, my Z/Yen boss gave to me;
Twelve Clean Business Cuisine chapters,
Eleven: viable systems plus SWOT,
Ten Vision Into Action themes,
Nine PEST-expanded forces,
Eight steps to success,
Seven S’s model,
Six thinking hats,
Five forces.
Four risk rationalities,
Three critical sets,
Two by two grid/groups,
And
A
Z/Yen
Z/Ealous
Risk/Reward
Tree.
 

Ian Harris

Classic. The whole event. Classic.

Surrealism: Desire Unbound, & Katharina Fritsch, Tate Modern, 22 October 2001

I suspect it was the surrealism that seduced us to the Tate Modern that day, but, as usual, once there, we ended up looking at more than one exhibition. On this occasion, I recall that Janie and I delighted in both.

This Laura Cumming review from The Observer is the only full-scale review I can find for the exhibition that, from what I can gather, most critics described as the blockbuster exhibition of 2001:

Surrealism Cumming Observer Surrealism Cumming Observer 23 Sept 2001 The Observer (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

Peter Chapman’s short review in the Indy is also insightful:

Surrealism Chapman Indy Surrealism Chapman Indy 29 Sept 2001 The Independent (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

Peter Chapman also reviewed the Katharina Fritsch:

Fritsch Chapman Indy Fritsch Chapman Indy 22 Sept 2001 The Independent (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

Claire Bishop gave the exhibition (and Fritsch generally) a full scale review:

Fritsch Bishop Standard Fritsch Bishop Standard 31 Aug 2001 Evening Standard (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

Whispers Along The Patio by David Cregan, Orange Tree Theatre, 20 October 2001

Frankly, we remember little about this one. A gentle comedy, is the description. We might have been gently getting over the terminal dullness of our preceding evening’s visit to The National to see Luther.

Here’s a clip from The Gazette & Herald from August, when it opened in Scarborough:

Whispers Gazette Whispers Gazette 16 Aug 2001 Gazette and Herald (York, North Yorkshire, England) Newspapers.com

Similar messaging in The Epsom Herald a couple of months later:

Whispers Epsom Whispers Epsom 26 Oct 2001 Epsom Comet (Epsom, Surrey, England) Newspapers.com

Ah, there was a formal review in the Guardian, from Scarborough:

Whispers Hickling Guardian Whispers Hickling Guardian 10 Aug 2001 The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

This clearly wasn’t the very best week of theatre we have ever encountered.

Luther by John Osborne, Olivier Theatre, 19 October 2001

We pushed the boat out to see this one. Friday night at the National Theatre – we both had busy Friday schedules well into the afternoon.

Was it worth it, I hear you cry.

So dull, we walked at half time

Seemingly not.

I have a feeling this was the occasion when we bumped into my friends from Lambton Place, Bryan Rostron & Sunny, with their pal Paul Foot. You don’t mess with investigative journalists like Bryan and Paul – we confessed to the fact that we were going to sneak away after the drinks interval.

We wanted to like this play/production. We are partial to John Osborne, although well aware of the fact that his good is very very good, but not all of his drama is of the highest quality. This one felt like a history lesson in a rather dull (to us) aspect of history.

I also felt badly about walking out on Timothy West. He had, after all, sat through hours of dull stuff with me in it on more than one occasion without walking out at half time:

Returning to Luther, it was, of course, a fine cast and a fine production. Rufus Sewell in the title role. Richard Griffiths, Timothy West, and Maxine Peake in supporting roles, Peter Gill directing with a young Josie Rourke assisting.

Here’s a link to the Theatricalia entry for this one.

But oh boy did we find this dull. What did the critics – possibly better equipped for dull than me and Janie, have to say?

Nicholas de Jongh heaped praise on the production while stating that Luther was “quite the wrong choice of Osborne”:

Luther de Jongh Standard Luther de Jongh Standard 8 Oct 2001 Evening Standard (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com


Michael Billington disagreed – loving it especially for its reclamation of potentially lost Osborne:

Luther Billington Guardian Luther Billington Guardian 8 Oct 2001 The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

Charles Spencer, on the other hand, described it as a long hard slog:

Luther Spencer Telegraph Luther Spencer Telegraph 8 Oct 2001 The Daily Telegraph (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

A rare example of a split jury in which we sided with Spencer rather than Billington. “Long hard slog” sums it up rather well from my recollection.