a new passport kind of day

what would have been an overall lovely, splendid summer day spent in good company, matching food and a wee bit of shopping was sadly overshadowed by the horrific fact that the new passport photo was actually able to surpass the old one in nastiness;

the mad witch on speed with a generous portion of blotched mascara have been replaced by a conehead supersized hamster with mumps. a most degrading experience for which you actually has to pay a hefty sum.

under these circumstances it is, frankly, difficult to think grateful thoughts like 'i'm a citizen in a country where i'm allowed to have a passport and travel wherever i please' or 'i have a fine identity card, this utterly hateful passport i will never have to show other than at the airport to complete strangers'. because to be honest i'm not sure any country will allow such a creature over its boarders. gdansk will tell.

an overall most disheartening and mad experience really. i would indeed go as far as to say the police officers taking the photos probably fall into the category of sadist. something as basic and simple as allowing the subject seeing her/himself on the screen while photo is taken, arranging features, expression, tilt of head would make a world of difference.



sun, good people, a rather fab vegetarian lunch, a pleasant incident of the marimekko kind could only help soothe the hateful ordeal in a small way. sadly.

the good old days when you were allowed to take your own passport photo in a photobooth or at a photographer, oh how i miss you!