Luke Burrage's Blog

Norwegian Fjords – May 2011.

Posted on 2012/04/09 by admin

I took a cruise from Lisbon to the Norwegian fjords. I met up with Mike (an entertainer I explored Dubai with in 2010) in Stravanger. I took a long walk in Geiranger Fjord. There’s famous sticky-out-rock in the postcards, and I wanted to get a video of me juggling on it. It turns out that due to rain, me standing on that rock would have resulted in nothing less than me plummeting to my death. And the spot you need to reach to take the iconic photo involves ropes and other climbing gear.

I left the ship in Olden, and a the port agent picked up me and the other two entertainers in his Rolls Royce, due to the cruise ship passengers using up all the other available taxi cars in the entire town. And then we took off from an airport with the shortest runway in the whole of Norway, at about 800m. Not only is it the shortest runway, the takeoff leads right towards a steep hill. And if you turn left or right, there are more hills and cliffs. The pilot has to circle almost 360 degrees inside the fjord at a steep climb until the plane is high enough to fly out. It’s quite a fun ride!

With friends in Lisbon

With friends in Lisbon: no description

Out for a drink with Mike

Out for a drink with Mike: no description

Mike’s new camera

Mike's new camera: no description

Group photo

Group photo: no description

The new back end of the Grand Princess

The new back end of the Grand Princess: no description

Sailing up Geirangerfjord

Sailing up Geirangerfjord: no description

Waterfalls.

Waterfalls. : no description

Spooky!

Spooky!: no description

Raining

Raining: no description

Sheep in the rain

Sheep in the rain: no description

Sheep

Sheep: no description

The Grand Princess

The Grand Princess: no description

Non-tripod HDR effort.

Non-tripod HDR effort. : no description

Rainlings.

Rainlings. : no description

Muddy

Muddy: no description

More waterfalls.

More waterfalls. : no description

Geiranger chapel.

Geiranger chapel. : no description

no title: For some reason we were taken to the airport in a Rolls Royce.

For some reason we were taken to the airport in a Rolls Royce.

no title: For some reason we were taken to the airport in a Rolls Royce.

no title: Norwegian roads.

Norwegian roads.

no title: The MacDonald Brothers.

The MacDonald Brothers.

no title: Our driver.

Our driver.

no title: An interesting lift to the airport.

An interesting lift to the airport.

Norwegian tunnels

Norwegian tunnels: no description

We took off from a very short runway.

We took off from a very short runway. : Shortest runway in Norway!

Shortest runway in Norway!

no title: A Brother at work.

A Brother at work.

I love to read comments and feedback about my blog posts. Please email me, I reply to every message: luke@juggler.net

Posted in LATW, Photography, Travel | Leave a comment

The Prinsendam photo collection.

Posted on 2012/03/31 by admin

I’ve worked on the HAL Prinsendam more than any other ship. I’ve done maybe 15 individual contracts, often spanning two cruises. There are upsides and downsides to working on such a small and old ship. The theater is tiny, which is not very good for a juggling show, and the guest entertainer cabins are considered some of the noisiest and vibrating-est in the business.

But one of the many reasons I enjoy working on the Prinsendam is the more adventurous itineraries. It specializes in visiting ports that other ships sail right past, or are so far that only a few ships visit each year. In many cases, the Prinsendam is the first cruise ship that has ever visited, or the first since the 1960’s. This means that every time I’ve worked on the Prinsendam I’ve visited either a new country, or a new island, or a new port.

Here’s a collection of most of the photos I’ve taken of the Prinsendam, from land or from the ship itself. As I work more on the ship (which I’m sure I will), and take more photos, I’ll add them to this blog post.

The Prinsendam

The Prinsendam: My first cruise on the Prinsendam began in Montevideo, Uruguay. We sailed up the coast of Brazil to Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and Recife.

My first cruise on the Prinsendam began in Montevideo, Uruguay. We sailed up the coast of Brazil to Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and Recife.

The Prinsendam: The Prinsendam was first called the Royal Viking Sun.

The Prinsendam was first called the Royal Viking Sun.

The Prinsendam: At Santorini, Greece.

At Santorini, Greece.

The Prinsendam: At Honningsvag, the northernmost port in mainland Europe.

At Honningsvag, the northernmost port in mainland Europe.

The Prinsendam: At Honningsvag, the northernmost port in mainland Europe.

The Prinsendam: Sailing up to the Arctic ocean pack ice.

Sailing up to the Arctic ocean pack ice.

The Prinsendam: Passengers on the forward decks trying to spot whales and seals in the pack ice.

Passengers on the forward decks trying to spot whales and seals in the pack ice.

The Prinsendam: Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen, Svalbard.

Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen, Svalbard.

The Prinsendam: Sarande, Albania.

Sarande, Albania.

The Prinsendam: Dubrovnik, Croatia.

Dubrovnik, Croatia.

The Prinsendam: Stromboli volcano, Italy.

Stromboli volcano, Italy.

The Prinsendam: Lanzarote, Canary Islands.

Lanzarote, Canary Islands.

The Prinsendam: La Palma, Canary Islands.

La Palma, Canary Islands.

The Prinsendam: Dominican Republic.

Dominican Republic.

The Prinsendam: Aruba.

Aruba.

The Prinsendam: St. Tropez, France.

St. Tropez, France.

The Prinsendam: St. Tropez, France.

The Prinsendam: Stromboli volcano, Italy.

Stromboli volcano, Italy.

The Prinsendam: Katakolon, Greece.

Katakolon, Greece.

The Prinsendam: Istanbul, Turkey.

Istanbul, Turkey.

The Prinsendam: Civitavacchia, Italy.

Civitavacchia, Italy.

The Prinsendam: Calvi, Corsica.

Calvi, Corsica.

The Prinsendam: Port Elizabeth, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Port Elizabeth, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The Prinsendam: Port Elizabeth, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The Prinsendam: Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos.

Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos.

The Prinsendam: Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos

Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos

The Prinsendam: Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos

The Prinsendam: Half Moon Cay, Bahamas.

Half Moon Cay, Bahamas.

The Prinsendam: With the Maasdam at Half Moon Cay, Bahamas.

With the Maasdam at Half Moon Cay, Bahamas.

The Prinsendam: Half Moon Cay, Bahamas.

Half Moon Cay, Bahamas.

The Prinsendam: Devil's Island, French Guyana.

Devil’s Island, French Guyana.

The Prinsendam: On the Amazon River, Brazil.

On the Amazon River, Brazil.

The Prinsendam: On the Amazon River, Brazil.

$The Prinsendam: Ilfracombe, England.$

Ilfracombe, England.

$The Prinsendam: Ilfracombe, England.$

The Prinsendam: St. Peter Port, Guernsey.

St. Peter Port, Guernsey.

The Prinsendam: St. Peter Port, Guernsey.

The Prinsendam: The Isle of Skye, Scotland.

The Isle of Skye, Scotland.

I love to read comments and feedback about my blog posts. Please email me, I reply to every message: luke@juggler.net

Posted in Additive, LATW, Photography, Travel | Leave a comment

New Zealand – November 2011.

Posted on 2012/03/29 by admin

New Zealand! I visited cities and towns by ship, mostly, not what New Zealand is known for. One day I’ll return and travel around in van and see the landscapes and glaciers and countryside, just like everyone else does.

It was interesting arrive on the smallest passenger plane I’ve yet flown on, a Beech 1900D, with seats for just 19 seats. Then, when I flew home at the end of the contract, I took the largest passenger plane I’ve yet flown on, an Airbus A380. The difference in size is was quite remarkable. Which is why I’m remarking on it now.

Smallest passenger plane I’ve ever flown on

Smallest passenger plane I've ever flown on: no description

Volendam

Volendam: no description

Napier

Napier: no description

Napier beach

Napier beach: no description

New Zealand

New Zealand: Meeting with jugglers in Wellington.

Meeting with jugglers in Wellington.

New Zealand: Wellington skyline.

Wellington skyline.

New Zealand: Test shot for International Juggler video.

Test shot for International Juggler video.

New Zealand: Picton aquarium

Picton aquarium

New Zealand: Akaroa.

Akaroa.

New Zealand: Dog.

Dog.

New Zealand: Light house.

Light house.

New Zealand: Volendam at Akaroa.

Volendam at Akaroa.

New Zealand: At the Box Fort, Dunedin.

At the Box Fort, Dunedin.

New Zealand: At the Box Fort, Dunedin.

New Zealand: Second hand bookshop in Dunedin.

Second hand bookshop in Dunedin.

I love to read comments and feedback about my blog posts. Please email me, I reply to every message: luke@juggler.net

Posted in Juggling, LATW, Photography, Travel | Leave a comment

The Tjibaou Cultural Center, New Caledonia – November 2011.

Posted on 2012/03/27 by admin

Years ago I read a big book called “Buildings of Wood”. It’s a big coffee table style book, with loads of amazing pictures of amazing wooden buildings. I made a note of a few of the buildings, making sure I visit them when I had the chance, and I’ve ticked a few off the list, including buildings in Sweden and the Faroe Isles.

Wood isn’t a very common building material for modern buildings, but one really stood out. The Tjibaou Cultural Center is in New Caledonia. But New Caledonia is in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Why would I ever be passing through? But as it happens, my job means I could turn up anywhere in the world. I had just one plan for New Caledonia, and I managed to get across to the Cultural Center and back, and not miss the ship.

If you ever visit, and just want to take a photo from the outside of the building (like I did, as I wasn’t sure if I’d have enough time to look inside), you must park a distance away, then pay to get into the grounds. It’s not possible to get close without buying a ticket. Which I didn’t know. But by the time I got there, after many years and after traveling half way round the world to see it, I just paid the money and checked it out. I’m glad I did. It really *is* a unique building.

New Caledonia

New Caledonia: no description

I love to read comments and feedback about my blog posts. Please email me, I reply to every message: luke@juggler.net

Posted in LATW, Life, Photography, Travel | Leave a comment

Fiji – November 2011.

Posted on 2012/03/25 by admin

In November I stopped at three different places in Fiji. One was a small island with a population of only 150, then a town near a tourist part of the main island, and then Suva, the capital. I’ll look up the names later.

The small island was a true island paradise, with sandy beaches and jungles on the hills. Raymond and I decided to walk up the hill. We went via the beach, and then couldn’t find the path to the top. In the end we pushed our way through the jungle undergrowth until we finally made it to the path. This was not fun at all, and then a lot of fun, and then not fun at all. I got a scratch on my leg, which then got infected, and I had to take lots of drugs and dress the wound for the next few weeks to heal it.