Nicaragua

Business or Pleasure?

[Taken with iPhone 4, @Nicaragua, Santiago Crater, Masaya Volcanic Complex]

McGill Campus

My university over the next few years. Here are a few shots of the campus and the surrounding area. Autumn colors really stand out :)

-g

Movie Madness Night - London Edition

You could say this idea was first “incepted” a few years ago when we joked about paying for a plane ticket to Auckland just because they have an IMAX cinema there. Fast-forward a few years to the present and that idea we joked about wasn’t so funny anymore.

Gareth kept going on about this giant IMAX screen in London. I was on a break in Europe. Plenty of time. An opportunity presented itself. So I flew to London just to watch “Inception”.

We formed a small movie club in Christchurch, NZ a while ago (“Gregor’s Movie Madness”), and had an awesome movie madness night. So I guess in a way, this was a Movie Madness Night - London Edition.

… and like any other movie madness event this one warrants a review:

Inception (2010) – IMAX

It was a long way to come just to watch a movie on a big screen, but somehow it just felt right. There was no fear of disappointment and there was none in the end. After all … when was the last time Christopher Nolan disappointed?

Inception seems to defy the convention of what is needed in order to produce a summer blockbuster. Shallow, explosive and fast-paced movies usually provide cheap thrills that leave you pumped with adrenaline. The problem is that after that subsides … you just aren’t left with much.

Don’t expect the same sensation after walking out of Inception. The movie is explosive and fast paced, but rather than stimulating your adrenal glands it forces you to use that which the movie is about … your mind. A lot of people say this movie is confusing. A better choice would be complex. A second viewing is recommended as you can actually enjoy the movie and your mind isn’t on overdrive trying to process all the info. And if you think certain things just didn’t make sense, trust me, the second viewing will show you things you missed the first time around and help you fill those plot holes.

Well cast. Good script. Original set pieces. Good CGI. Awesome director - Christopher Nolan at his best.

I do have one critique. Without spoiling it for those that haven’t seen it, I wish they had shown more scenes with paradox effects since it was visually the most stunning CGI (think ‘city turning on itself’ scene).

In the end, the movie's ratings speak for themselves:

Gregor’s Rating: * * * * *

IMDB: 9.1/10 (#4 on IMDBs all-time list!!!)

RT: 87%

photos by Gareth B.

Climbing Paradise

Kalymnos

During the last few years I heard the name pop-up so many times I was left with no choice but to finally visit.

(the island under sunset)

(view from my room)

I arrived at night and had no idea where I was. Kind of fitting really, since I awoke into a paradise of rock and sea. Essentially that’s all Kalymnos is - rock that came from the sea. The limestone has since eroded and formed some of the most impressive rock climbing sectors I have ever seen. Some of my photos do justice to the scale of these impressive areas, but they are best experienced by just standing beneath them. Almost every photo of a wall has a person for scale, so have fun trying to find them. (click to zoom)

(odyssey sector)

(silkati cave)

(arhi sector)

(rocklands sector)

(grande grotta, panorama, poets, kalydna, iannis sectors)

Climbing was a bit of a ‘culture shock’. Spending the last 4 years mainly bouldering and climbing below 20m of route length really wasn’t good preparation for those 40m that just didn’t seem to have an end. Suddenly I found myself with 15-20 quick-draws on my harness and a sore neck from leaning back so much. It took me a good week to get used to the style of climbing. The climbers call it ‘3D’ climbing. It’s simple really. You have to look behind you when go up due to the many, many, many stalactites that weave through some of the areas; a bruised head is not that uncommon.

(irox sector, christian pfanzelt on cuobo [7c])

(silkati cave)

(grande grotta)

(asian chick on DNA [7a+], grande grotta)

(me on Valley of Dolls [7c])

(stalactites at silkati cave)

They do however make for creative rest spots and it’s really fun looking at people trying to figure out how to rest. You can sit on them (cowboy style), hook your heel around them, jam a knee, lean against it, squeeze it between your thighs, hook your toes, etc... You’d think sitting on a stalactite would rest you completely ... well ... you’d be wrong ... and so was I :)

(resting on Trella [7a] - cowboy style)

(valley of dolls [7c])

The 50 something climbing areas on the island offer plenty of variety. From giant caves filled with stalactites to short & sharp slabs. The guidebook states that there is 20 years worth of work still needed in order to maximize Kalymnos’ full potential. The quantity of quality rock is just astonishing.

(crimping on slab - unknown 7b+, rockland sector)

(crimp + stalactite, unknown 7c - illiada sector)

(big wall climbing)

(christine on sevasti [7b+], iannis sector)

After about 10 days, my endurance stared to return and I got back into the grove of climbing. That’s when I started having fun. A lot of ground was covered but there are definitely a few routes that stood out:

O Draconian Devil - 8b+ [very weak]

Super Priapos - 8a+ - 55m!!! [weak but very fun]

Daniboy - 8a [weak]

Angelica - 8a [rp]

Marci Marc - 7c+ - 35m [rp]

Neska Polita - 7c+ [rp]

Priopos - 7c - 35m !!! [rp]

Cuobo - 7c [rp]

Valley of Dolls - 7c [os]

Themelina - 7c [os]

Spartacus - 7b+ [os]

Eros - 7b+ [os]

Sevasti - 7b+ [os]

Ivi - 7b [os]

Elia - 7b [os]

Lucky Luka - 7b [os]

DNA - 7a+ [os]

Trella - 7a - 40m [os]

(me on super priapos [8a+] grande grotta)

(barn-door on cuobo [7c])

(clipping on valley of dolls [7c] OS)

(resting on eros [7b+])

Unlike most, better known, Greek Islands, life on Kalymnos is very slow and relaxed. People are friendly and always keen to chat. Considering I came to the island alone, I don’t think I’ve ever socialized with such a diverse group of people. And you get to drive around on a scooter :)

(swimming spot at arhi sector)

(sometimes you need to rest it out, 1 of many bruised fingers)

(the greek islands are a mecca for sailing)

(traveling by boat between kalymnos and telendos - neighbor island)

Unlike most, better known, Greek Islands, life on Kalymnos is very slow and relaxed. People are friendly and always keen to chat. Considering I came to the island alone, I don’t think I’ve ever socialized with such a diverse group of people. And you get to drive around on a scooter :)

(scooter - 75 km/h max speed :) )

This was my first time on the island and everything I heard and saw couldn’t have prepared me for what I experienced. I hope it doesn’t take too long before I can return and I’m certain I will. As Antonis from the super market said:

“You belong to Kalymnos now.”

In transit - Kalymnos, Greece

Haven't had any time to edit photos from Tenerife, due to a 1 day stopover in Ljubljana. My next destination - the climbing paradise on Kalymnos. Expect a report on Tenerife soon as I edit the photos. (1500 of them :S)

g

In transit - Tenerife, Canary Islands

A stands for Playa de las Americas

Here's where I'm going right now. I'll try and send some updates :)

Misja Pec (Meeshya Pech)

Over the weekend, Slovenia's Youth Climbing Team was unleashed onto one of Slovenia's best known sport climbing crags. Their mission? Fight for Nutella (the chocolate spread). What the coaches hope will become an annual event, proved to be the perfect setting for a bit little photography.

As always, the true scope of this crag is hard to capture unless you stand right in the middle of it; unfortunately that's also the hardest spot to take photos. So if you want to see more of it ... you'll just have to come visit :)

Panorama of the eastern face

The Team

The Prize/Cup

Izzy - Pikova Dama 8b (Winning Climb)

Domen - 16 years old and climbed an 8c+ the day before

Some Italian guy we deemed the Neanderthal :)

Miha - Mrtvaski Ples 8b