Carnival Capers Condundrum

In Mrs Nikos' home town there is some sort of heavy mass hysterical get together on Rosenmontag aka "Karneval".  This year that will take place in Wiesbaden (twinned with Tunbridge Wells)  this coming Sunday (?) and celebrations joyously include "....dressing up in fancy costumes, dancing, parades, heavy drinking and general public displays with floats".
Question is do I return to my award winning get on German TV fetish giraffe disguise or shall I be a pink cuddly pig or even a kangaroo?  Last year the  beer barrel proved a large flop and the pig had a nasty fall on sheet ice.  I could try that one provided that the lycra will accommodate 20 layers of thermals to pad me out and I will definitely wear my electric Gerbings motorcycle gloves to keep my extremities warm (current forecast Clear. High: 4 °C. Wind SSW 27 km/h. Windchill: -6 °C). Flippin Heck.

Team Nikos following the abortive interview on a German TV channel (Libary photo courtesy of KinkyFernsehen Auspufen GMBH.)

Melina's Smile

The theme is a solitary actress in the big city.  We ended up eating dinner at Scholarcheio and buying a really useful tray. 



The bust of Melinia Mercouri



View of the Temple of Athena from the Acropolis Museum



Orsome cat reenacts the Third Man in Old Athens



I do wish Mrs Nikos would stop pointing out blemishes in my keftedes



A perfect trio of dolma



A really useful Swinging tray

How to Spot the Dick: All you ever wanted to know.

The results of my recent psychometric analysis carried out with scant questionnaire data given to the Illustrious One (no names but Jack you know who you are), reminded me of an early relationship that was carried out and sustained by the illusion and pretense that I periodically produce a wonderful spotted dick. In reality it flopped prophetically every time as I neglected to add some vital ingredient.   The currant Mrs Nikos has never heard of spotted dick (although her Mother imposes dried and out of date Stollen on me).

Spotted dick is a steamed suet pudding containing currants and should be served with custard. Spotted refers to the dried fruit (which resemble spots) and dick may be a contraction or corruption of the Greek expression  φουσκάλες στον κόκκορα. Another explanation offered by wikipedia for the word "dick" is that it comes from the German word for "thick", dicht or dick.

Useful Tool of the week spot:

This useful dolly was purchased for €79 from the nice man at the excellent Polo motorcycle accessory emporium near Wiesbaden.  I can now swivel Mrs Nikos' old heap and shove it right up against the wall of the shed out of harms way.

Picture Quiz spot - answers on a postcard please.

What is the purpose of this appendage on Wilhelm I's back side?

In the next installment I propose to address the difficult problem of dealing with goat tracks in Southern Greece.

Spotted on ebay Egypt going cheap - will this solve my transportation problems or drop me in even more poo?

Yorkshire Caviar

It continues to entertain me that any trip however short on a 15 year old wheezing and popping BMW K75 motorcycle leads to all wonder of discoveries and new experiences (other than near death experiences and freezing nadgers).

 

Why, only last weekend I was attempting a modest 10 mile trip  in pursuit of pie and peas at my second Northern Section BMW Club meeting. These events appear to be gatherings of enthusiasts of both sexes and the range of conversations is wide including free bus passes, camping adventures in Beddgellert in February and the Nurburgring.  The Greeks have a delightful way of describing these folk:

Καρποί με κέλυφος από κάθε είδος των καρπών με κέλυφος δένδρο.


So, what is all this about? 

Discovery 1: My GPS battery ran down within 100 yards of home and that I can catch the device when it falls off the bike at speed. Here is where it used to be. 

Discovery 2: The Manchester Ship canal has a toll bridge that any normal person would avoid by using the M6 Motorway and the wind swept Thelwall Viaduct.  The toll man waved me through with a cheery 2 finger salute as I had failed to find 12p whilst a queue of 30 cars built up behind me.

Discovery 3: The village of Rixton does not actually exist and therefore there are no sign posts pointing towards it.  The reason that the Village Hall is called “Rixton Village Community Hall” escapes me.

Discovery 4:  Pie and mushy peas - mushy peas is known playfully as Yorkshire Caviar.

I was struck the other day by the remarkable resemblance of mushy peas (aka Yorkshire Caviar) and slurry. One tastes disgusting and the other is most probably disgusting. Are they related by any chance? 

Mushy Peas

Slurry

Tool of the Week

 

This prize goes to the angle grinder fitted with wire brush - removed paint, encrusted goat shit and a whole lot more from the GS engine protection bars within minutes.

Second prize goes to the wheelie bin, without which I would probably have lost a few limbs.

Monkey Business

Beatlemania - can you see yourself there?

The White Feather Exhibition - when in Liverpool worth a visit to see an original Honda monkey bike.

Life' s only a Hot Air Balloon

NW Man Lab (Wiesbaden Branch) is pleased to announce the successful launch of 2011 with hot air and tissue paper brought to life with some tar like glutinous paper.

Following previous near catastrophic rocket firings, I have been advised by my legal team to bring in the New Year with hot air rather than gun powder.

Happy New Year!