Nostalgia: smells, sounds, tastes etc…

cappuccino enjoyed in Subway

Today, I enjoyed a cappuccino in Subway. The Subway was new, for a while I was the only customer, but the taste of the cappuccino took me back to my time in Worcester (UK) (2000-2009), when I often enjoyed such beverage in the cafes, there.  I hardly ever drink cappuccino these days in Tbilisi, tea is my drink of choice, redbush tea. It got me thinking how tastes can trigger or evoke long distant memories as can sights, sounds, smells and touch.

The smell of TCP antiseptic  takes me back to the old schoolyard, where I was frequently scraping my knees and occasionally my head on the hard playground.

TCP Liquid

U2 or Simple Minds tunes, take me back to my years with my first wife, Chrissie (1990-1999). After our divorce in 2000, I intentionally moved away from such music and listened to reggae as I wasn’t ready to confront all the emotions and memories triggered by hearing those old songs. “Child in Time” by Deep Purple, takes me back even further to my first year at university (1983-4), I have rarely listened to it since, my first girlfriend was crazy about the sound of Ian Gillan’s voice. I saw Deep Purple here in Tbilisi last Summer but they didn’t play “Child in Time“.

Tastes which bring back childhood memories include Bovril, Sandwich Spread, Branston (just the smell of Branston brings back memories of high tea at Grandma’s), cheese and onion flavoured crisps and lemonade. I don’t experience these tastes in Georgia (we do have some of the tastes from my childhood like Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Worcestershire sauce, but these I’ve had throughout my life, so don’t trigger a memory of a particular time).

The cool feel of a diecast car also brings back childhood memories, now my hand is bigger but the feel is the same, particularly as I have  a few in my collection that I had as a child.

Matchbox Rat Rod and Wild Cat dragsters issued in 1971.

Having a grandchild, also evokes childhood memories. Ana is six and has just started school  we do many things together like painting with watercolours or playing with Lego. Things I did at her age, some 40-odd years ago.

Ana playing with Lego

Rachuli Georgian Song and Dance

From the Racha region of Georgia, a mix of pop and traditional music and costumes and some images of this beautiful country.

The Claze: Tulips and Coffee

I saw this band in Cornwall last Summer, I enjoyed their performance, hope you like this tune of theirs.

Music

Between my teens and my early thirties music was a big deal for me. I went to a lot of gigs (almost 300) and spent a lot of money on records, tapes and CDs. I also worked for a while in Our Price Music stores in London and Oxford. Now music is less of an obsession. This year I ve been to just two gigs: Deep Purple in Tbilisi and The Claze in Cornwall. I don’t buy music any more, if I want to hear something I’ll probably search on Youtube. I have an MP3 player with a selection of my favourite music on.

On my 1GB MP3 player (200 tunes) I have a selection of my most essential tunes this is essentially a snapshot of the music I like it is quite diverse…I’m wondering if I’m missing anything …10 000 Maniacs (6 tracks), Abba, Adele, Blur, Bob Marley, Clash (3), Cranberries, Cult, Culture Club, Cure (2), David Bowie, Dead Kennedys, Deep Purple, Dillinger, Doors, ELO (4), Echo and the Bunnymen, Eloy, Elvis Presley, Eminem, Evanessence, Faithless (2), Fleetwood Mac (2), Foreigner, Fugees, Gary Numan and Tubeway Army, Gnarls Barkley, Green Day, Haysi Fantaysee, House of Love, Human League, Ida Maria, Jam, Jefferson Airplane, Jesus and Mary Chain, John Denver, Johnny Cash (8), Joy Division (3), Katrina and the Waves, Kate Bush, Kinks, Lady Gaga, Landscape, Lena, Lou Reed, Madonna (2), Marillion, Men without Hats, Metallica, Midnight Oil, Mobiles, Motorhead, New Model Army (8), New Order, Nirvana (2), No Doubt, Noir Desir, Only Ones, Patti Smith, Pit Bull, Pixies, Placebo, Police, Pretenders (2), Primal Scream, Psychadelic Furs (3), Radiohead, Rainbow, Rammstein (6), Ramones, REM, Rihanna, Rolling Stones, Roseanne Cash (11), Rush, Seal, Sex Pistols, Shakira (2), Sheryl Crow, Sinead O Connor, Siouxsie and the Banshees (6), Sisters of Mercy (5), Skeletal Family, Smiths (3), Soft Cell, Spandau Ballet, Specials, Steve Earle (8), Stone Roses, Streisand, Barbara, Suzi Quatro (3), Tatu (8), Teardrop Explodes, Thin Lizzy, Third World, Toyah, U2 (5), Ultravox, Vapors, Verve (2), Visage, Waterboys, Willie Nelson and Yabby U. …to which have been added on your suggestions…Linkin Park, Avenged Sevenfold, PWEI and…er…Mel C !