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Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
5 September 2025
What brings people together?
A flag? A national identity? The borders drawn on a map?
Chomsky argues that all of the above is nothing but a construct, artificially manufactured to exert control and consent.
Language, he says, is a much more powerful and natural binding force.
Case in point: Central Asia.
More specifically, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan. As well as Azerbaijan and - though I have never been - Turkmenistan.
All former Soviet republics turned (back) to sovereign states.
They maintain strong economic ties, have a shared history and culture, yet are all moving away from their common language.
Russian and the Cyrillic alphabet.
Instead they favour another one that predates any modern construct.
Turkic. A family of languages.
Same same, but different dialects essentially.
Kyrgyz is very close to Kazakh. Turkish and Azerbaijani are similar too. Phonetically, for someone like me, they all sound the same.
Outside of major cities that is all you hear.
And while Russian still dominates business, education and government, that will slowly disappear.
Proof perhaps of what Chomsky claimed.
You can put people together artificially. Draw a circle around them. Put a label on top. Give it an identity.
But it is language that ultimately surfaces as the glue.
Yet curiously, the one song I kept hearing over and over on the radio, universally loved by young and old, was Russian.
A love song no less.
I guess they are fellow romantics. Nostalgic people.
Because I liked it too.
Happy Friday!
Sander
--
Barcelona, Spain
1 August 2025
Ozzy is dead.
Less than three weeks after his last show he blew out his candle - one that he burned on both ends.
This time he remained seated for the performance. The last time before that he needed support to stand upright.
Nothing could stop him from performing his art. He lived for his work in a sense.
A legend. Larger than life.
It made me think, what kind of legacy would I leave behind?
Not how many countries I have been. That is too shallow. But there is not much else either.
For now at least.
It certainly would not be my work.
I am not a singer. I am a sales manager. Not an art. So unlike Ozzy, maybe I should not be burning the candle that hard.
But I will take some inspiration away from his passing.
Not to aspire to fame. But give life some meaning.
So that by the time you reach that age, you have something to retire to.
And enjoy the ride along the way.
Just like Ozzy did.
Happy Friday!
Sander
--
Barcelona, Spain
1 July 2025
It's been quiet.
A full year this week since I last shared a story.
But that's not what I mean.
It's been quiet all around. I've hardly spoken to anyone these last two weeks.
What can you say? Who even wants to talk? Maybe it's better to wait.
Give each other some space instead.
I have had my fair share of heartbreaks in life. Maybe that's why I do not consider myself a romantic these days.
Although that is different.
But not much. Is it?
It certainly feels like someone broke up with me. And it wasn't my choice really.
"It's not you, it's me."
As if that gives you any comfort. You want answers, but there aren't any that will make things easy.
So I've mostly been sitting in silence with a great sense of melancholy.
That's how I felt.
And I should not even be complaining, I agree.
But I have never taken a heartbreak lightly. This time round it's the same story.
I will miss it. I will miss us.
I know we will be fine in the end. Perhaps even better off.
That has been my experience in the past.
But that is future talk. Today is reality. And it still sucks.
I think we were great together.
In my heart we'll alway be.
Sincerely,
Sander
--
Barcelona, Spain
7 June 2024
It is a year of contests in Europe.
The European Championship ahead of us, Eurovision has just passed and we are in the midst of a new EU election cycle.
My vote will go to whoever puts it in their agenda to stop the Eurovision Songfestival. What a fiasco.
I never watched it (honestly), but the glimpses I did catch over the years made it seem that countries were trying to trump one another on the basis of how bizarre their performance would be.
Any of these songs, really? Do they ever go mainstream?
On top of it, it has also become political.
Maybe I should start a party. I would push to bring back Eurodance!
Growing up in the 90s the diversity of countries submitting to this genre was simply amazing.
And more importantly, Europeans loved it!
The Germans, as with football, could claim the most hits (wins) in this game. Plenty to choose from. My favourite?
Coco Jumbo - Mr. President
But what about all of these?
Barbie Girl - Aqua
Cotton Eye Joe - Rednex
Boom Boom Boom Boom! - Vengaboys
Heaven - DJ Sammy
Pump up the Jam - Technotronic
Stereo Love - Edward Maya
Sandstorm - Darude
Blue (Da Ba Dee) - Eiffel 65
Everybody - DJ Bobo
Voyage, Voyage - Kate Ryan
And this list can go on for a while..
Imagine. Eurovision with exclusively Eurodance submissions.
That I would watch!
Happy Friday!
Sander
--
Yerevan, Armenia
24 May 2024
Squeezed in between.
Enemies on both the left and the right. Allies from the Ottoman times.
Armenia is on its own pretty much in a dispute with both sides. One seeks its territory, the other backs its Turkic family.
The country is in a tough spot and its future is not looking too bright. Yet its darkest times are hopefully in the past. A hundred years ago they fell victim to a genocide.
It sparked the first major exodus of people leaving the state. And to this day, net migration persists. Only a few million remain. Most decided not to wait.
As a result, more than two thirds or Armenians live elsewhere. They have found a new home. Large communities with the children and descendants of refugees. That is what I have always known.
But here I am to see the country for itself. The south Caucasus, mountainous lands, rich in culture, religion, cuisine and wine!
A beautiful country to be fair, but who has unfortunately not been able to offer a decent prospect. Which makes me reflect. How lucky am I. And a reminder too to not waste precious time.
That means to continue to visit these kinds of places and explore.
Because as this Armenian so beautifully sung
Happy Friday!
Sander
--
Istanbul, Turkey
17 May 2024
In the back of the marshrutka I immediately recognised the Uzbek songs for being similar sounding to Turkish.
Not too surprising, perhaps, considering I can sing some Turkish myself!
One of my first jobs was washing dishes. The dishwasher was put up in a small attic of a restaurant. A continuous seemingly never ending supply of dirty dishes were sent up all night through the use of a small elevator.
It was hot and damp. No radio reception. A little CD-player was of little use too. The laser would not work through all that steam. However, it did work with cassettes.
But there was only one cassette to play. And it was of my dishwashing-colleagues. Who happened to be Turkish.
This one little tape was played over and over. After a while I learned to sing along.
For the record, I had and have to this day no clue what I was/am singing about.
While the Turks exported Tarkan to us in the early 2000s, a smaller yet more influential singer dominated the decade before.
Immortalised by death at a young age.
Many of our generation would have sung along, similar to me in that kitchen, with Kerim Tekin.
Happy Friday!
Sander
--
Beirut, Lebanon
5 April 2024
Twice in two years.
I am told no. I am not allowed to go.
Let me explain.
My first team was an interesting mix. It really was. It was not big or anything, so we all sat together. DACH, Northern Europe, CEE, Turkey, Africa and the Middle East.
Neither did we have a budget. So to push ourselves through the low seasonality summer months, we ran our own little SPIFF.
You could win a price for each week. Whoever had the highest Qual-calls and Bumped Opportunities.
I won. Not once, but twice! And as a gift I received a coffee mug and a little wooden tree.
It really was a great team. With a great manager too. An Irish lad of course who took the most pride in his work by hiring people and subsequently changing their life's trajectory.
I know, it might sound a bit over the top. But it actually was kind of true.
Among my direct colleagues was a Syrian refugee, a girl from Palestine, an Iraqi and some Lebanese.
At the time, I had only been to half the places I have now seen. I visited the obvious ones first of course, but through my colleagues I got interested as well to see the Middle East.
That little wooden tree I got was a tiny souvenir. A Cedar Tree. The symbol of Lebanon. One of those places I have since been keen to explore.
And it is not because of the war, but it turns out I will not go.
It is because of that coffee mug I got. Another souvenir. From a little known town called Bethlehem.
Unfortunately, my passport still carries some proof of going there for which I am now denied entry.
So I have to renew my passport. Rebook my tickets. To go another day.
And I had to rewrite my story!
I obviously cannot withhold you this song till whenever that may be.
Happy Friday!
Sander
--
Barcelona, Spain
29 March 2024
I think a lot.
Just recently when I traveled solo to Central Asia, or simply when I take the metro to work. I look at the people around me, and I wonder. What might all their lives be like?
Where do they go home to? Where do they go to work? Are they tired at the end of the day? Or is it for them only starting after 5PM? Do they dread dragging themselves to an office? Or is it like a retreat away from the house?
It is easy to think of living your life as being special or unique; and that is true in a way, but we are more alike than we differ apart.
Everyone has stress. Everyone has problems. Everyone wants to live a nice life, have the best for themselves and their family. And everyone wants to be loved. And have money of course.
Few people are really bad. Most are actually great.
I do not talk to anybody to ask them how they are actually doing. Not in the metro at least. I just silently travel along.
But I am curious about all the faces I see. What is going on in their lives? Are they happy? Maybe they are in love. Maybe they are not. Some might not have a single worry on their mind. The rest?
I think a lot.
Happy Easter!
Sander
--
Samarkand, Uzbekistan
22 March 2024
Missed the train. I arrived too late.
So I am stuck to another one mode of transportation. The Marshrutka.
Former visitors of the Soviet know what that means.
They are minivans where you might otherwise expect to catch a regular bus instead. Private and independently run and owned, yet serving a public need.
Getting from A to B. Somewhat reliably.
An experience. Squash in the back. There is no comfort here.
But it is not much different from some of the other iconic local pieces of transportation i had the pleasure to take.
The Angkot in Indonesia is as tiny as a bus can be. A Jeepney in the Philippines is the most polluting, but a sight to see.
The Chicken bus in Central America is big enough you would think, except there is no space for your knees. And the Matatu in Kenya is the loudest bus you will ever experience. Most fun in a way. A discotheque on wheels.
The Bajan bus in Barbados feeds you drunk on rum punch along the way. And the Car Rapide in Dakar is the most crowded, most dangerous ride. A bit tricky I would say.
There are trains here. Even the high speed type. Spanish made. Much safer, more comfortable and of course the quickest way too.
But what the heck. It is okay. Enjoying listening to the radio, squeezed shoulder to shoulder in between the Uzbek.
Happy Friday!
Sander
--
Lisbon, Portugal
1 March 2024
According to Samsung there is no such thing as a real picture.
There is no escaping it.
Yes. We are talking about AI again.
But in this case I am not speaking about my job. That is a lost cause anyways. Or so I feel.
Instead I am speaking about my hobby. Photography.
Seven years ago I finally picked up a real camera. I mean, a good one.
And knowing that I did not know that much about techniques, I chose a fixed lens.
Limitation as a catalyst for creativity. Learn to shoot with what you got.
Over the years I steadily improved. I believe. At least, I personally like the photos I take.
Yes. They are edited. In Lightroom that is.
No filters, no fakery.
Merely compensating for exposure, contrast, shadows and highlights. The fundamentals sort of speak.
But slowly yet steadily, AI has started to creep into that space.
Nowadays, it lets you completely erase elements of whatever you do not like. And if you lack creativity, you can choose the option to auto-generate.
Or without any need for equipment at all, you can use text prompts to have them be transformed into imagery.
No matter where editing and AI will go, at least I can claim (and precisely because of that fixed lens) that it is my composition..
..or what remains today as the real artistic expression.
The chosen frame.
Happy Friday!
Sander
--
Barcelona, Spain
16 February 2024
It could have ended differently for Taylor Swift and me. I do believe we would have had a shot.
She is my age. She is pretty.
That is a start.
She would not have been my first. That I admit.
But love could have grown if only she would have stuck to singing Country.
Dolly was too old for me, cool as she might be. Yet I am much more likely to call her mom (Taylor's weird nickname for fans).
And the same would be true for all those Swifties.
Instead someone else, twenty years younger than her and now twenty years ago, stole a bit of my heart.
It happened when I saw her on TV with her Chicago show.
Yes, I know. Out of my league (as well). I was only sixteen.
But still, Tay Tay. A missed opportunity. If only you would have stuck to Country. Maybe.
If she would return to it now? Would it change?
It would be in vain.
I rather stick to my teenage crush.
Shania Twain.
Happy Friday!
Sander
--
Barcelona, Spain
9 February 2024
The past weeks have been a humbling experience.
Exhausting mentally and physically too.
I had to come to terms with the fact that it is not like it used to be.
Performance is down.
I am now at the bottom of the pack.
Getting back into it after an extended break is tougher than I thought.
Reset and realign goals. Baby steps.
A place I have not been for a while.
Scaling is my new best friend.
Though difficult as it was at first to recognise my gap and accept, it does feel good to be back.
Drink and eat well. Try to catch a good night of sleep.
Other than that, just show up. Whatever the exercise might be.
It will get better over time.
As long as you keep doing it.
Or as Britney would say
You better work b*tch
Happy Friday!
Sander
--
Barcelona, Spain
2 February 2024
I am going to let you in on a little secret.
About time I do.
They are one of the longest continuously active groups. Contemporary to the Rolling Stones and The Eagles..
Yet you have probably never heard of them. Or did you?
It is a secret band known to a relative few.
A monument to its genre. Yet criminally underrated. Never inducted to the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame.
Maybe because their lineup changed multiple times over the past 56 years.
Every member a class musician on their own. Oftentimes poached away by bigger names.
But their quality and sounds remained consistent. And so did the guy who set the pace.
Always delivering the funkiest and tightest of rhythm. The cadence for the rest to follow, making them as a group perform on ToP of their game.
The only member to receive an official accolade. Listed among the top-100 greatest to ever play.
Sure I am biased. I used to take his lessons as a teenager, learning (read: trying and not even getting close) to playing in the same way.
The soul of this great band. Giving it its signature groove.
David Garibaldi.
An OG. Member of the first hour.
The drummer and back bone of Tower of Power.
Happy Friday!
Sander
--
Lisbon, Portugal
26 January 2024
4 weeks in. 7 flights completed.
I am pacing ahead of last year, when the cadence was close to 1:1
Though I love the places it takes me, flying itself is not a thrill.
Pre-boarding, boarding, de-boarding.
It is frustrating. Particularly the inefficiency.
Considering a plane on the ground is losing money you imagine they would speed it up.
100.000 flights a day. A lot of unnecessary delay.
I mean there is a quickest way. Scientifically proven, but it is ignored.
Airlines instead prefer to monetise it.
You want priority? You have to pay.
Up to a certain limit.
While it brings in millions, there is also a schedule to keep.
So when you finally do get to board, you are asked to speed up a bit, to avoid too much delay.
Southwest Airlines understands this probably the best.
Pacing, cadence.. it is all a rhythm
They put on some electronic beats, to get you moving along at a similar frequency.
I would say for me Taylor Swift would probably do the same.
Happy Friday!
Sander
--
Barcelona, Spain
19 January 2024
Resisting no longer made sense. I folded.
I bought a pair of Crocs.
You see, the house (read: apartment) in Barcelona is an Asian house, which means I cannot wear shoes inside.
So I needed house shoes, because I am also not allowed to walk bare feet either.
Yep. I live under a lot of different rules.
A strict regime.
I have to do the dishes (because she hates it). When she cooks, I have to do all the cutting (she hates that too). And in the morning she expects me to bring her coffee in bed.
The worst thing is that they are very comfortable.
But because they are house shoes, I can only wear them inside.
So now I have ended up with not just one pair of Crocs. I now have two!
The girlfriend is happy. She knows she won. And I had to admit that she was right.
But I am right about one thing too.
This music is terrible.
That is my rule in this house. The only one I have really.
Taylor Swift is taboo.
Happy Friday!
Sander
--
Bangkok, Thailand
12 January 2024
It is as old as Ancient History. In literal sense the foundation of the world we build.
We rarely stop and think about what a miracle product it actually is.
Invaluable in our modern day. It is what made the richest man in Africa so rich.
Nonetheless, some hate it and would choose to cover or paint over it. So they do not have to see.
But not me. I love it.
I would not call it beautiful per se, but especially in its naked form, its strength and might, its rough nature, minimalist industrial look and feel appeal to me.
Here in Bangkok it can be admired in all its glory. Multiple layers of it line the streets.
After having been boxed in it for the past week, I look forward to stepping out this weekend to catch the elevated Skytrain that snakes its way through this city.
The BTS. The most impressive piece of art made possible by this substance if you ask me.
Bob Marley was not a fan. Alicia Keys showed more appreciation.
Yet Unit 4+2 showed the most affection for it with their song
Concrete and Clay.
Happy Friday!
Sander
--
Krabi, Thailand
5 January 2067
It is the first week of the year 2567.
According to the Thai solar calendar at least. It runs slightly ahead of the Gregorian. 543 years.
And I run slightly behind as it turns out.
A few years at least when it comes to discovering Milli. A young Thai rap sensation.
And additionally more than a decade when it comes to trying Thailand’s national dessert for the first time.
Mango Sticky Rice.
I now eat it every day. If I am able to get my hands on it.
And for the modest price of 75 Baht (a Euro or 2) I take a few. Store it in the fridge. Great for breakfast too.
Milli started it all. The hype which makes it so difficult to find it these days (good quality, ripe mango).
Her performance at Coachella of two years ago is to blame.
But now I am up to speed. Both on Milli and the sweet deliciousness of khao niao mamuang.
Whether ahead or behind, whichever way you look at it. It is still a Friday.
So let Milli be the one to take us into the first weekend of 2567. Or 2024. Whichever way you count.
Best wishes for the New Year,
Sander
--
Singapore, Singapore
29 December 2023
A direct flight between Amsterdam and Singapore is about 12h long. First time I took it I left at 10:00 in the morning.
Singapore Airlines. Comfortable airline. Additionally, I had an entire row to myself.
Shortly after take off the flight attendants offered something to drink. I asked what she had. She replied “I have Tiger beer”.
That was easy then. I will have a Tiger. Time does not exist in airports or on intercontinental flights, so you are good to have a beer any time you please.
1h in and 11 more to go. What to do next? I started browsing through the movies. Most I had seen or felt uninterested to watch.
I ultimately reached the Bollywood section. Here I found a movie 216 min. long. I had time so why not?
Mohabbatein.
A romantic movie. And with all the typical music and dancing you would expect.
My first Bollywood movie and I have to admit, I fell in love with it. So much so that in Singapore I bought a DVD in Little India.
That was AMS-SIN. A route I now take in the opposite way. Not on Singapore Airlines and for a reason I rather wished I would not have to go back.
I will still check to see though. Perhaps they have it on their inflight entertainment system at this airline too.
I would not mind watching it again.
Happy EOY,
Sander
--
Taipei, Taiwan
22 December 2023
Thirteen years ago on my first visit to China in a bar in Beijing I sat at a table.
Two bottles of Tsingtao in front of me and a young slender lady on a stage.
The melody of what she sang stuck with me, such that I looked it up later and saved it to a playlist.
Today I learned perhaps why I was mesmerised by that song.
Thousands, or better millions before me must have felt the same.
Teresa is the most famous of Chinese singers to ever live.
The people were said to listen to their leader, Deng Xiaoping, because they had to.
They listened to little Deng (Deng being her family name) because they wanted to.
Tensions in the political space made it that her music was ultimately banned.
To no avail.
Teng (her artist name) remained immensely popular so the Chinese party was forced to turn around.
Transcending the political divide and biggest controversy of the time.
Teng Li-Chun (her real name) was Taiwanese.
Territorial disputes remain.
Too does the fact that Teresa’s songs bring the people of China and Taiwan together as one.
Take that for some holiday spirits.
That is celebrated here too.
Therefore I am wishing a Merry Christmas for all of you.
Sander
--
Hong Kong, Hong Kong
15 December 2023
I love watching Grand Designs.
It is a show that follows couples building their dream home from start to finish. From imagination to reality. Always over budget.
The reality of my budget is that I am better off watching Never Too Small.
A YouTube channel that showcases small spaces that get transformed into fully fledged apartments suitable for living in the modern age.
An Aussie production company, whose first venture outside of its territory - the first I ever saw - coincidentally covered a 25 square meter space in Hong Kong.
Small? You might even say tiny. But not here.
Hong Kong is so densely populated, with housing so scarce that it gives a different meaning to what we would consider affordable living.
25 square meter is a luxury. One that 100s of thousands cannot afford.
Instead, they pay around €250 a month for what is called 'coffin', 'box' or 'cage' homes. 1 to 2 square meters of personal space in a crowded place.
Illegal. Obviously.
But from the outside, you would not be able to tell. And admittedly, these Monster buildings are what fascinates me to see.
Knowing all too well what is behind its walls; which brings us back to the Aussies..
Happy Friday!
Sander
--
Bridgetown, Barbados
1 December 2023
As much as I am interested in exploring our former colonies, no way in hell you can get me to visit the Dutch Antilles.
Ugh..
You get to drink Heineken beer while surrounded by the nonsense of your country men on their holidays chit-chatting away - in Dutch of course!
Instead I prefer the sounds of Creole, Bajan, Papiamento or Patois.
Their languages are much cooler to listen to. Smooth talkers, colourful people and confident too.
Quite the opposite of us Europeans, you might say. We are a bit lame, square, not smooth at all. None of us can dance. Certainly not their way.
Perhaps that is precisely what made it so popular back in the 2000s.
Most would not know what he was singing about, yet he was massively popular nonetheless.
From Jamaica. I am sure you know who.. King of the Dancehall!
Sean da Paul so me go so dem (Sean Paul)
Or who remembers Kevin Lyttle who gave us a flavour of St. Vincent and Grenadine?
From Trinidad and Tobago we got Nicki Minaj. A special breed of her own.
But someone else will take the crown. Mixing Bajan (Barbados) and elements of reggae.. putting the other man (and women) down.
Queen of the Caribbean.
Rihanna.
Happy Friday!
Sander
--
Paramaribo, Suriname
24 November 2023
Long have I understood that history lessons in school fell short of teaching me anything at all.
Only when I moved to Indonesia, to my shame, did I realise that up to 1963 my home country held on to its territorial claim.
Not much attention to our colonial past was given in those classes, if any at all..
And now I go off to Paramaribo.
A place that, funny enough, feels quite familiar, though I have never been.
Suriname and the Netherlands seem like brother and sister. Close ties and practically the same family.
Who does not remember Edgar Davids or Clarence Seedorf? They played for our national team.
But like many other football players and celebrities in the Netherlands they were all born overseas.
So I go and explore now to see it for myself. A type of trip I take intentionally. To learn a bit about the world and a bit about our shared history.
Because Suriname too is a former Dutch colony.
From which a Dutch type of Tina Tuner emigrated to represent us at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1993.
A song that today still fits perfectly.
Ruth Jacott.
With a song, a message called
"Peace"
Happy Friday!
Sander
--
Sal, Cape Verde
20 October 2023
I hedged myself against the adverse inevitable circumstance of Fall.
By means of a ticket to Cape Verde, I took out insurance against the fading of the tan on my skin.
I am due a top up.
No better time than after this week's downpours of biblical proportions.
So off to the islands I go.
The only islands among its family (read: archipelago) that ended up enjoying full sovereignty.
Uninhabited until colonised. Now two nations that maintain mutually favourable close ties.
A popular destination for the Portuguese, and for that matter other Europeans alike.
In turn, or perhaps as well as an insurance of some kind, they swapped the Islands outstanding debt for investments in nature preservation instead.
All parties enjoy and reap the benefits over time.
But the Cabo Verdians do offer more than just endless sunshine.
Perhaps more importantly, they add something culturally. More specifically..
A singer and a song.
Someone who got discovered only at a later age. Long having given up on a career. Struggling addiction. Alcohol, cigarettes. And curiously, always performing barefoot on stage.
Her song, though referencing her home - a different country - , and sung in her language - a different dialect - , could not be any more Portugues.
"Saudade" in Portuguese
Happy Friday!
Sander
--
Algiers, Algeria (أم لا)
7 October 2023
Never had I been denied a visa before.
Algeria takes the honour.
Why? They did not say.
Honestly, it feels weird. I love to travel and I purposely seek out places I have never been before.
I never know what to ask for on a birthday. But when I think about it, nothing makes me more excited than a ticket to an unknown destination.
Such a bummer.
There I was, or here I am.
With no special place to go, but still a special story to tell.
Ever heard of Khaled?
Probably not. But his songs, you likely know. Not his version though, the original.
His biggest?
Yet I bet you are more familiar with the international hit of Outlandish.
Back in 2002, I did know it was a cover. So discovering Khaled did not take me much by surprise.
But what I did not expect is that this 2013 Latin American hit was a cover in fact!
Chapeau, Khaled.
And that is why it is a shame I got denied.
I would have loved to discover what else it had to offer.
Happy Friday!
Sander
--
Douglas, Isle of Man
29 September 2023
In 1960, Bill Gates stumbled on the discovery of his lifetime.
He would admit, it was not an expertise of his per se, but when he heard three little boys sing on a motor speedway, he knew it was something special.
Straight away the next day he offered the boys a contract. And he gave them a new name.
Though, as I said, this was completely new to him.
He had never managed artists before. And other managers followed as the boys became world famous beyond belief.
But it is Bill Gates who will always be remembered for having discovered the three.
Or more specifically, for having given them their name.
Three little boys, born on the Isle of Man.
Often mistaken to be called after their shared last name and the first of the oldest brother.
You see, he has the same initials. So I get it. It is a common mistake.
The youngest two have long since passed away. Way too young.
62 and 53.
The art of Stayin' Alive is not a given.
But their oldest brother is still kicking around.
Barry Gibbs (73).
B.G.
Yet do not forget it was Bill Gates who named them after himself. His name. His initials.
The BeeGees.
Happy Friday!
Sander
--
Barcelona, Spain
22 September 2023
Every country has its Icons.
Spain does too.
Just to name a few.
Flamenco, jamón, sangría, siesta, paella, Alhambra.. and in Barcelona of course the Sagrada Familia.
Though there are plenty of other churches too.
Sevilla or Compostela.
And speaking of churches.. Some older than others..
Tomorrow a rather young Spanish Icon will celebrate its birthday.
I will admit. Like many in the world, I am very much a fan. I got to know it as a kid. My mother liked it too.
El cantante más grande. With the emphasis on más.
Julio Iglesias.
The most successful Spanish artist in the world is turning 80 years old.
A global ambasador. A charmer. Seducer.
His repertoire not limited to Spanish either. He sang in French, English, Italian and German too.
Therefore, I would be disappointed if you would not recognise any.
But equally surprised if with this one you actually do.
Keeping with the spirit of Spanish Icons.
A duet.
With El Puma, a hero in his own right.
Happy Friday!
Sander
--
Marseille, France
18 August 2023
I am not a linguist.
Bad at grammar.
My vocabulary is not great either.
For the better part of a decade now, I mostly speak English.
Dutch has not gotten any better.
Some words I only know in English. Like pronouns.
That is the way they have been introduced to me.
Translate it to Dutch and it starts to get confusing.
They is the same as She (zij).
With culture, language changes too. But not all languages are the same.
French is inherently gender based. Said to be sexist even, for favouring the masculine.
They also struggled. There was simply no word for it.
So one was invented. And (some) people revolted.
I am not a linguist. But I do find it interesting.
A rabbit hole inspired by a French artist.
Calling himself Red these days, but formerly known as Christine (and the Queens).
And many other names in between.
A pan-sexual, to which all pronouns applied.
Though currently leaning masculine.
Typically French..
Happy Friday!
Sander
--
Barcelona, Spain
4 August 2023
I am not a Saint.
By no stretch of the imagination.
I am more of a renegade, who drifted away from the Church.
Not that my family is that religious. I prefer to call it superstitious.
They prefer to call me a pagan.
A pagan who earlier this week escaped the pilgrimage taking over Lisbon.
Not my cup of tea.
Though admittedly, the Church does have great stories.
None greater than the One.
A man.
A storyteller.
Poor in possessions, but rich in all that matters.
Who's life met a tragic end.
To subsequently be risen from the dead.
A resurrection.
But without crucifiction.
For it is not Christo, but Sixto who I am talking about.
A singer-songwriter who touched millions of people's hearts.
Believed to have shot and killed himself. On stage no less!
But figuratively rose from death and saw his career; a career that never really was, resurrected.
Like I said.
The Church of Music has many great stories.
Sugarman might well be its best.
Happy Friday!
Sander
--
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