A few years back, those of you who know me way back when, remember when I moved to sunny California. It represented a sea change in life for various points. At one time, I wasn't feeling so well, and my new, California, new-age, 'just-out-of-med-school doc' with plenty of time on her hands and my phenomenally good health insurance had run some blood tests and gently suggested that I cut out red meat for a month, just to appease her as my genetically awful cholesterol clocked in above 240.
Keep in mind that at the time I was an average to below-average sized female with decent physical activity, under 30 years old, non-smoking, with very limited alcohol consumption, so 240 was simply obnoxious. Not sure of what I'm talking about? Study up.
I felt phenomenally better four weeks later and the cholesterol had dropped to 222, so at that point in 2001 I decided to go cold-turkey and become a vegetarian. Six months later when I went back to her as a vegan (no meat or dairy products) for three months already, I was certain it was going to be much lower as I felt so much better and was at the peak physical point in my life. Uh-uh, not even close, barely lower and still over 200 (when the goal was 180) and vegans clock in around 140.
Crestfallen, I gradually came to the conclusion that there was nothing that I could do, genetics was in action here. I bumbled along, remaining a vegetarian or vegan, because it made me feel physically better, but disheartened. When I first came to Europe, I was in the UK for five months and the transistion was smooth. UK life is similar to US life as a vegetarian. Many of the same brands/products are available, or close equivalents are nearby. For fun, when I went home to the US, I went to the doctor where they ran their usual barrage of tests. The only one that came back flagged was the cholesterol, in the low 200's, but I wasn't surprised.
Fast forward a bit. I moved to Germany and officially transferred to be a German paid employee. I decided to put the whole cholesterol thing on ice, as the last thing I wanted what a lecture from a Germany doctor. So we carried along merrily for a few more years.
Fast forward a bit more, 4 years. Company J was doing a 'health day' including free cholesterol check, body fat check, infos provided, that sort of thing. With extensive trepidation I showed up, ready for the worst, having held off for four years, but drawn by the idea of the cost-free checks and no associated bad notes on file.
The woman was very impressed with my ability to produce blood upon her pinprick. (Yeah, I'm good like that.) She smears my finger on a little strip that is in a little box, then we sit there as it counts down from 200. It finally gets to the end of its analysis and it blinks 171.
My initial thought--like everything else, this must be in a different scale...Miles/Kilometers, cups/millileters, gallons/liters, ft and inches/cm, pounds/kilograms--everything is different. No, this is one of the few things that is the same...it's 171 on my scale. You.have.got.to.be f'ing.kidding.me.
More funnier. I am smashed in line among lots of too highly numbered people. My first though was--her machine is broken. I checked with a colleague later, he confirms that it came in as he knows his to be, so it's not broken. So assuming she didn't take a bad read on me personally, to what can we attribute such good news? I'd go with the following:
1. The lack of processed and convenience food.
I get none of my favorite brands of frozen, snack, and prepared foods here. In general, the only 'processed food' in my diet would be frozen pizza and an occasional can of pringles. I find a lot of the prepared sauces (which I so loved as a quick fix meal in the US or the UK), to be much more salty or sweet, as well as limited in options. And overall, there just isn't the same culture of prepared, frozen food here.
I make about 95% of my meals here, (mainly out of necessity). There's just not the same processed convenience options here, and one can only eat so much frozen pizza.
2. The lack of fast food
No, I'm not expecting fast food in the tiny town of B (the population of B and the surrounding countryside is 17k). However, my closest fast food is Burger King/McDonalds in Leverkusen--25 min drive from home, or McDonalds in the other direction for 25 min. When I put 25x2 travel to and from), plus waiting time, I may as well just make my food, for that time effort.
3. The walkable culture
I walk a lot in general in the US. However, here it's more incorporated in my lifestyle every single day. Usually on the weekend, I don't use the car, unless I'm going to see D or to the supermarket to pick up a crate of water. In general, it's easier to walk than drive into the tiny town of B as parking is limited and everything is centrally located.
Why I didn't expect such a result:
A. I go for 30-45 min walks at lunchtime, and walking for errands and shopping, but I get no formal sport beyond that and an occasional trip to the pool.
B. My alcohol consumption is much higher here than in the US.
C. I eat a lot more cheese here than I ever ate in America. Cheese/any dairy product in the US makes my not feel well, so I avoid it. Cheese here doesn't have the same result (not sure why) and sometimes it's the only veg option on a menu.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Sunday happenings in the tiny town of B
Recommended musical selection while reading this to set the mood: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eDkAG3R0h8
Normally Sunday in the tiny town of B is quiet, except for the church bells. However, the past Sunday had big happenings, it was 'Shopping Sunday/Spring Festival/Family Fesival' all in one. Many (but not all) of the stores were open, there was a stage with entertainment, and lots of street stalls selling various wares, some for local charities, others commercial, and plenty of food, beer, etc.
My favorite part of the weekend?
Here are the people waiting at the 'Bahnhof' (train station):
The 'train' has arrived:
OK, ok so it's a tractor on the the front. There's plenty of them around here as we're in farm country. Curiously it wasn't raining, although it was rather chilly.
It goes for a circle around B, and then winds back up through the shopping street. The photos don't really give it justice, but it's actually packed to the gills with adults and children, with flags from around the world adorning each car, including a US one.
Normally Sunday in the tiny town of B is quiet, except for the church bells. However, the past Sunday had big happenings, it was 'Shopping Sunday/Spring Festival/Family Fesival' all in one. Many (but not all) of the stores were open, there was a stage with entertainment, and lots of street stalls selling various wares, some for local charities, others commercial, and plenty of food, beer, etc.
My favorite part of the weekend?
Here are the people waiting at the 'Bahnhof' (train station):
The 'train' has arrived:
OK, ok so it's a tractor on the the front. There's plenty of them around here as we're in farm country. Curiously it wasn't raining, although it was rather chilly.
It goes for a circle around B, and then winds back up through the shopping street. The photos don't really give it justice, but it's actually packed to the gills with adults and children, with flags from around the world adorning each car, including a US one.
Monday, May 12, 2008
V is for Victory
In keeping up with news online from the US, catching up on news stories which are promoting 'new' Victory gardens in light of rising food costs and the environmental trend of eating locally.
If I had to quantify my reasons for my balcony garden they would probably be:
1. I'm lazy. I like to wake up and step outside for fresh tomatos.
2. Freshly picked tastes better.
3. I'm a vegetarian. I eat a lot of vegetables. My corner of Germany is very seasonally oriented, and it's difficult to find out of season or non-locally grown produce. This way, I can prolong my ability to have strawberries.
4. Building on #3, if one does find, say strawberries from Spain perhaps, they are hella expensive. (Which I guess makes sense when you figure in transport costs from Spain to Germany.) So I'm cheap.
5. It's an expectation in this building that something belongs on the balcony. Flowers are a money pit and hardly pull their own weight, expect for a few petals in a salad. If I'm going to provide water, dirt, a pot, and loving attention, I expect you to pay your own way here. The only flower that gets real estate here, are sun flowers.
6. Eating organic. Perhaps I've been here too long, but I'm always slightly nervous when I see green beans from Egypt or Morocco and am curious as to what kind of chemicals they may use. Since they're outside of the EU I have an inherent distrust.
7. Food miles/kilometers, an interesting concept, although I see it more as a taste issue. An apple picked not far away which spent limited time boucing along in the back of a truck tastes better than one all the way from Japan or New Zealand.
Current roll call:
Lettuce (from seed):
Tomato corner. So far I've had approx 14 cherry tomatos, with lots of flowers and tiny green ones in progress due to the great weather. I'm keeping a rough tally of tomatos eaten as I'm generally curious as to how many I can grow.
The overall view. The left corner is the tomatos above, and is what my neighbors like to ask me about as it overlooks the front walkway into the building and one can see the bright red tomatos easily from below.
More about victory gardens:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_garden
http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe40s/crops_02.html
http://www.revivevictorygarden.org/
If I had to quantify my reasons for my balcony garden they would probably be:
1. I'm lazy. I like to wake up and step outside for fresh tomatos.
2. Freshly picked tastes better.
3. I'm a vegetarian. I eat a lot of vegetables. My corner of Germany is very seasonally oriented, and it's difficult to find out of season or non-locally grown produce. This way, I can prolong my ability to have strawberries.
4. Building on #3, if one does find, say strawberries from Spain perhaps, they are hella expensive. (Which I guess makes sense when you figure in transport costs from Spain to Germany.) So I'm cheap.
5. It's an expectation in this building that something belongs on the balcony. Flowers are a money pit and hardly pull their own weight, expect for a few petals in a salad. If I'm going to provide water, dirt, a pot, and loving attention, I expect you to pay your own way here. The only flower that gets real estate here, are sun flowers.
6. Eating organic. Perhaps I've been here too long, but I'm always slightly nervous when I see green beans from Egypt or Morocco and am curious as to what kind of chemicals they may use. Since they're outside of the EU I have an inherent distrust.
7. Food miles/kilometers, an interesting concept, although I see it more as a taste issue. An apple picked not far away which spent limited time boucing along in the back of a truck tastes better than one all the way from Japan or New Zealand.
Current roll call:
Lettuce (from seed):
Tomato corner. So far I've had approx 14 cherry tomatos, with lots of flowers and tiny green ones in progress due to the great weather. I'm keeping a rough tally of tomatos eaten as I'm generally curious as to how many I can grow.
The overall view. The left corner is the tomatos above, and is what my neighbors like to ask me about as it overlooks the front walkway into the building and one can see the bright red tomatos easily from below.
More about victory gardens:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_garden
http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe40s/crops_02.html
http://www.revivevictorygarden.org/
Monday, April 28, 2008
It's that time again...
American week at Lidl starts on Wednesday.
Although--since when do Americans eat hot dogs from a jar and sweet popcorn?
Although--since when do Americans eat hot dogs from a jar and sweet popcorn?
Sunday, April 27, 2008
heather, where've you been?
"Making hay while the sun shines" - as my country family would say.
"Hustlin" - my city family would say.
Here's what I've been up to for fun:
I am very blessed to have a balcony with no overhead shade, so I get a full day of sun, from sunrise until about 18.30 these days, when the sun gets low enough to be blocked behind the building.
This photo was right before I repotted three of these fellows into larger pots.
If you're wondering about the fellow in the back. He's Dutch, from here. I bought two last year at my local Praktiker and had good success with them. This year, Praktiker didn't have them, so I had to go to two other local garden places before I found him.
They retail for around 5.99, so a little pricy, but it was the most (only?) productive item in my balkon garden last year, even with all the rain, so completely worth the cost.
A few secrets if you happen to buy one for yourself:
1. Replant it in the biggest pot you can find. It will be happier and thus give you more tomatos.
2. Trim often, as in every week. They say it will produce 40 cherry tomatos, I would say mine did double that last year. As long as you keep clipping, it will keep producing flowers, and then fruit. Due to its 'Dutch engineering', if it stops with either flowers or fruit, it dies off.
3. Water each evening, if it does not rain during the day.
"Hustlin" - my city family would say.
Here's what I've been up to for fun:
I am very blessed to have a balcony with no overhead shade, so I get a full day of sun, from sunrise until about 18.30 these days, when the sun gets low enough to be blocked behind the building.
This photo was right before I repotted three of these fellows into larger pots.
If you're wondering about the fellow in the back. He's Dutch, from here. I bought two last year at my local Praktiker and had good success with them. This year, Praktiker didn't have them, so I had to go to two other local garden places before I found him.
They retail for around 5.99, so a little pricy, but it was the most (only?) productive item in my balkon garden last year, even with all the rain, so completely worth the cost.
A few secrets if you happen to buy one for yourself:
1. Replant it in the biggest pot you can find. It will be happier and thus give you more tomatos.
2. Trim often, as in every week. They say it will produce 40 cherry tomatos, I would say mine did double that last year. As long as you keep clipping, it will keep producing flowers, and then fruit. Due to its 'Dutch engineering', if it stops with either flowers or fruit, it dies off.
3. Water each evening, if it does not rain during the day.
Friday, April 11, 2008
grounded
My passport is 'in the shop' for my new Germany work permit (the fifth yearly sticker for those of you keeping track at home.) Normally this process takes a few days, and company J graciously takes care of the administrative aspects of it.
Prior to handing in my passport on Apr 1, I mentioned that I must travel to France on Apr 14, and I'm not taking the chance of leaving Germany without it. Yes, the chances are minimal that I would be checked. But have I been checked traveling between company J's Germany and France offices? Yes--so I refuse to chance it for work travel. Do I want to be stopped coming into Germany without appropriate ID? No way. I imagine vegetarian food in the Germany slammer isn't so great.
In the meantime, it appears 2 weeks is not possible. So the admin people who take care of this will retrieve my passport based on the company J letter I created which states why I need it back with a temporary extension so that I can go to a meeting in France next week.
And why Heather couldn't they get it back within two weeks as originally estimated?
My little corner of NRW is under a massive backup of paperwork processing. It was estimated to be completed 4-5 weeks (that's in addition to the 2 weeks it was already is sitting there.)
So I get a little extension paper to tuck in (no problems, I've previously traveled on one in the past), and then it goes back into the shop--for a month at least. Meaning--no shopping trips in Holland or Belgium, no last minute Lufthansa weekend flights, and no long holiday weekends outside Germany in May.
So much for German efficiency.
Prior to handing in my passport on Apr 1, I mentioned that I must travel to France on Apr 14, and I'm not taking the chance of leaving Germany without it. Yes, the chances are minimal that I would be checked. But have I been checked traveling between company J's Germany and France offices? Yes--so I refuse to chance it for work travel. Do I want to be stopped coming into Germany without appropriate ID? No way. I imagine vegetarian food in the Germany slammer isn't so great.
In the meantime, it appears 2 weeks is not possible. So the admin people who take care of this will retrieve my passport based on the company J letter I created which states why I need it back with a temporary extension so that I can go to a meeting in France next week.
And why Heather couldn't they get it back within two weeks as originally estimated?
My little corner of NRW is under a massive backup of paperwork processing. It was estimated to be completed 4-5 weeks (that's in addition to the 2 weeks it was already is sitting there.)
So I get a little extension paper to tuck in (no problems, I've previously traveled on one in the past), and then it goes back into the shop--for a month at least. Meaning--no shopping trips in Holland or Belgium, no last minute Lufthansa weekend flights, and no long holiday weekends outside Germany in May.
So much for German efficiency.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Sperrmüll it is!
Mausi is one smart cookie to figure that out the answer to this little quiz. Or maybe she just had a leg up on the topic since Mr. M is a flea market fan. A small prize is due to the lady, perhaps at the next Whiney Expat meetup.
(The answer would be 'trash-picking' for English readers. ;-))
I've tried to point out to D, it's not so bad, even the Wall Street Journal talks about this trend in Germany.
I happen to enjoy the selection in Wuppertal. I came out of Polish class just after 9 PM and it was 8 degrees and dark out. However, the streets were crawling like it was a warm summer day. People were hauling things out of the cellars and apartments, and people were going up and down the streets seeking the best prize from the curb offerings. Some had flashlights, some pull along carts, and some drove up in cars for precious big items.
I had some things to do and I don't plan to stay in Germany forever, so I really didn't need to acquire anything, except noticing the plant holders while walking past, I thought they'd be useful for my herbs, so I joined the mix sifting through the garganuan curbside mountains. If you're in the need of furniture, dishes, appliances, clothing, toys, absolutely anything in the world, find a good neighborhood in Germany and keep an eye open for the bulk trash day when everyone puts out anything and everything.
And more about the planters? I spent the week learning about the intricacies of West German pottery to figure out what I picked up. Seems my herbs will be in finer digs than I'd ever buy for them.
(The answer would be 'trash-picking' for English readers. ;-))
I've tried to point out to D, it's not so bad, even the Wall Street Journal talks about this trend in Germany.
I happen to enjoy the selection in Wuppertal. I came out of Polish class just after 9 PM and it was 8 degrees and dark out. However, the streets were crawling like it was a warm summer day. People were hauling things out of the cellars and apartments, and people were going up and down the streets seeking the best prize from the curb offerings. Some had flashlights, some pull along carts, and some drove up in cars for precious big items.
I had some things to do and I don't plan to stay in Germany forever, so I really didn't need to acquire anything, except noticing the plant holders while walking past, I thought they'd be useful for my herbs, so I joined the mix sifting through the garganuan curbside mountains. If you're in the need of furniture, dishes, appliances, clothing, toys, absolutely anything in the world, find a good neighborhood in Germany and keep an eye open for the bulk trash day when everyone puts out anything and everything.
And more about the planters? I spent the week learning about the intricacies of West German pottery to figure out what I picked up. Seems my herbs will be in finer digs than I'd ever buy for them.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Mystery photo
I still owe a posting to answer the quiz I posted way back, as well as some answers to where I've been.
In the meantime, the plant pot fairy didn't bring these, so today's quiz:
Where/how did these lovely items sitting on Heather's floor come from?
(Hint: It involved Heather in some way, they didn't just magically appear. But what could be the source of such loveliness?)
For info on future use: they will be put to work shortly housing two plants in the office and the rest at home. The terra cotta ones in the back will hold tomato plants once spring really comes.
The two matching flower ones on the left are stamped 'West Germany' on the bottom and the one front and center is from Italy.
Put your answer in the comments if you think you know of the source/activity...
In the meantime, the plant pot fairy didn't bring these, so today's quiz:
Where/how did these lovely items sitting on Heather's floor come from?
(Hint: It involved Heather in some way, they didn't just magically appear. But what could be the source of such loveliness?)
For info on future use: they will be put to work shortly housing two plants in the office and the rest at home. The terra cotta ones in the back will hold tomato plants once spring really comes.
The two matching flower ones on the left are stamped 'West Germany' on the bottom and the one front and center is from Italy.
Put your answer in the comments if you think you know of the source/activity...
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
If you were in my English class...
Your homework for next Tuesday would be to take the 60 school/classroom related vocab words that I gave to you and we reviewed, and to write each one that you own on your choice of supplied, colorful post-its and stick it on the item.
I am partially afraid that I will get a post-it with the word 'teacher' smacked on my forehead next week as 'teacher' was one of the words, and I explained that the object is to use as many words as possible.
*I'm not an English teacher, nor do I play one on TV. Every Tuesday evening as a favor for a colleague I spend some time with his 10 year old to give her a bit of a basis for when she starts English class for real in school in a few months.
I am partially afraid that I will get a post-it with the word 'teacher' smacked on my forehead next week as 'teacher' was one of the words, and I explained that the object is to use as many words as possible.
*I'm not an English teacher, nor do I play one on TV. Every Tuesday evening as a favor for a colleague I spend some time with his 10 year old to give her a bit of a basis for when she starts English class for real in school in a few months.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
A quick trip to Luxembourg
I had a whirlwind trip to picturesque Luxembourg. It's a small place, so a short trip is ok. I found the people to be lovely and very helpful, although the weather was grey.
On the drive back to Germany I was listening to Luxembourgish radio. Read about the Luxembourgish language if you'd like. Or listen to this Luxembougish lesson to hear it.
I listen a lot to Dutch radio since I pick up Dutch station 3fm here in Germany, along with other Dutch stations, and I can follow along so-so. So I was curious to see how much Luxembourgish I could understand. I was following along with the weather, the traffic, and then they started an interview...
The interviewer was talking about the upcoming Easter weekend, and asking, "why do you always see rabbits bringing the Easter eggs, instead of the hens, who logically should be bringing the eggs?"
I thought hmm...that's very true, especially in Germany, I always see the rabbits transporting Easter eggs--they're like the DHL or Deutsche Post of Easter, hauling those decorated eggs everywhere with carts, trucks, wheelbarrows etc. You never seen a hen doing that.
At which point the interviewee started on an extensive answer...with lots of words in Luxembourgish that I could not understand in the slightest.
(Sigh.)
On the drive back to Germany I was listening to Luxembourgish radio. Read about the Luxembourgish language if you'd like. Or listen to this Luxembougish lesson to hear it.
I listen a lot to Dutch radio since I pick up Dutch station 3fm here in Germany, along with other Dutch stations, and I can follow along so-so. So I was curious to see how much Luxembourgish I could understand. I was following along with the weather, the traffic, and then they started an interview...
The interviewer was talking about the upcoming Easter weekend, and asking, "why do you always see rabbits bringing the Easter eggs, instead of the hens, who logically should be bringing the eggs?"
I thought hmm...that's very true, especially in Germany, I always see the rabbits transporting Easter eggs--they're like the DHL or Deutsche Post of Easter, hauling those decorated eggs everywhere with carts, trucks, wheelbarrows etc. You never seen a hen doing that.
At which point the interviewee started on an extensive answer...with lots of words in Luxembourgish that I could not understand in the slightest.
(Sigh.)
Sunday, March 16, 2008
travels - Oh Canada!
March - This week a short trip down to Luxembourg, then to Austria for the long Easter weekend (Fri-Mon).
April - A work trip to Strasbourg.
late May - A work trip with a nested in trip home to Philly which looks a little like this:
Duesseldorf - Toronto - Philly
I was given a choice on the work flight of getting to Philly via Paris (too hectic), Frankfurt (schlepping myself on the ICE train down there, and then on a US carrier), London (way to hectic), or Toronto on Lufthansa.
Philly - Orlando
4 days for a conference there, then a weekend in Tampa with friends.
Tampa - midwest city of company J
a week at HQ
midwest city - Chicago - Duesseldorf
(return in early June)
April - A work trip to Strasbourg.
late May - A work trip with a nested in trip home to Philly which looks a little like this:
Duesseldorf - Toronto - Philly
I was given a choice on the work flight of getting to Philly via Paris (too hectic), Frankfurt (schlepping myself on the ICE train down there, and then on a US carrier), London (way to hectic), or Toronto on Lufthansa.
Philly - Orlando
4 days for a conference there, then a weekend in Tampa with friends.
Tampa - midwest city of company J
a week at HQ
midwest city - Chicago - Duesseldorf
(return in early June)
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Interesting exhibit in Germany
If you happen to be near one of these cities, D caught this exhibit when it was in our neck of the woods and recommends it. He mentioned that all explanatory text was pretty much in German, although there were some photos, so it could perhaps still be interesting even if your German is minimal.
http://www.zug-der-erinnerung.de/fahrplan.html
http://www.zug-der-erinnerung.de/fahrplan.html
Monday, February 18, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Why I love where I live in the tiny town of B
I've heard so many stories from so many people in Germany about their awful neighbors or the over the top rules. However, I must live in the Bermuda triangle of Germany apartment life. My neighbors are so very nice. Granted, life in Tiny town of B is in general nice, but it's like Disney World Germany here in my building.
I spent all day Saturday saying hello and good day as I run down to the laundry room or to take out the trash, as everyone else is also out and about. Perhaps because I am the one foreigner in the building I get a little extra leeway. In particular, when one of my expat friends was with me on the balcony and the downstairs neighbors are always chatty, I had internally cringed when expat friend used the informal 'you' in the conversation, as that is usually what he is using and it slipped out. (The more formal 'you' would have been preferred as they are older and we don't really know them, and it's also what I have heard other neighbors use this this couple.) However, they never blinked twice, and never corrected his usage or seemed in any way offended.
I've been pleasantly pleased in the past, at least four different neighbors in my apartment building have accepted packages on my behalf. It probably helps that three of them are retired so home all day when packages are delivered, but still.
Then tonight, I was out late, I had to zip down to Cologne for something. 10 minutes after I'm home the doorbell rings. My neighbor had accepted a flower delivery for me. She overlooks the parking lot, so she was peering out periodically until she finally spotted my car. She said had been worried that she would perhaps miss me tonight. How very kind.
I spent all day Saturday saying hello and good day as I run down to the laundry room or to take out the trash, as everyone else is also out and about. Perhaps because I am the one foreigner in the building I get a little extra leeway. In particular, when one of my expat friends was with me on the balcony and the downstairs neighbors are always chatty, I had internally cringed when expat friend used the informal 'you' in the conversation, as that is usually what he is using and it slipped out. (The more formal 'you' would have been preferred as they are older and we don't really know them, and it's also what I have heard other neighbors use this this couple.) However, they never blinked twice, and never corrected his usage or seemed in any way offended.
I've been pleasantly pleased in the past, at least four different neighbors in my apartment building have accepted packages on my behalf. It probably helps that three of them are retired so home all day when packages are delivered, but still.
Then tonight, I was out late, I had to zip down to Cologne for something. 10 minutes after I'm home the doorbell rings. My neighbor had accepted a flower delivery for me. She overlooks the parking lot, so she was peering out periodically until she finally spotted my car. She said had been worried that she would perhaps miss me tonight. How very kind.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Saturday lunch - Lemon and Ginger Tofu with Beautiful Sauce
I had stopped by my local Aldi Sued on Friday on the way into the office, I decided in the morning that I was in a salad mood. While there, I bought some of their bio Tofu. Big props to Aldi Sued--they are the only 'mainstream' store in my area to carry fresh tofu. Their tofu is firm and holds up well in cooking. It is highly recommended, in particular when compared to its closest competitors: the 'non-refrigerated Kaufpark tofu in a glass jar and some kind of oil designed to last years', or the 'slightly pricy Bioladen which has limited hours' tofu.
On Saturday I was in the mood for something coconut. On a whim I tried this recipe and wow was it spectacular, even if my photo was not so hot. I'd say it rivals my old standby, General Tao's Tofu.
I followed the recipe exactly as it is written (except for putting it over noodles instead of rice), and the next time I make it, I'd make it exactly the same. Beware, however, you may have the desire to scarf down the whole batch, which sorta sucks when you were hoping to get two lunch meals during the week out of it. ;-)
On Saturday I was in the mood for something coconut. On a whim I tried this recipe and wow was it spectacular, even if my photo was not so hot. I'd say it rivals my old standby, General Tao's Tofu.
I followed the recipe exactly as it is written (except for putting it over noodles instead of rice), and the next time I make it, I'd make it exactly the same. Beware, however, you may have the desire to scarf down the whole batch, which sorta sucks when you were hoping to get two lunch meals during the week out of it. ;-)
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Allergy sufferers unite!
The trade-off for the nice spring-like weather is that I'm sniffly with a low grade headache all day. Fellow bloggers, I see your lovely photos of your early sprouting flowers, but I could deal with a little less of that and a little more of the cold, white, heavy, white stuff instead. ;-)
However, during my recent travel for planning for Innsbruck, I came across Kuetai, which is in the Innsbruck region. It is selling itself as a summer destination for allergy sufferers, due to its high altitude, thereby offering an escape from pollen in these months. Here is their English page on the topic, where they beckon me to come for 'an allergy vacation.'
Let the summer holiday planning commence...
However, during my recent travel for planning for Innsbruck, I came across Kuetai, which is in the Innsbruck region. It is selling itself as a summer destination for allergy sufferers, due to its high altitude, thereby offering an escape from pollen in these months. Here is their English page on the topic, where they beckon me to come for 'an allergy vacation.'
Let the summer holiday planning commence...
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Easter 2008
It's getting around that time again, and this year Easter is early. In case you're keeping score, here are my previous Easter holiday destinations. This year's pick-->lovely Innsbruck. Why?
- I enjoyed visiting Linz, Austria last year, so I'd like to see more of Austria.
- I've heard only good things about the skiing there from my work colleagues
- Availability of open campsites. Yes, I will camp outside in March. Crisp, fresh air promises me a good night of sleep every time.
- Cheap flights on TUIfly.
- I feel like we didn't really get a winter here, so somewhere cold is in order.
- As any expat in Europe will tell you, it's a four day weekend and Europe is shut down. So one may as well take the opportunity to take a 'nature focused' holiday rather than something involving museums or shopping.
- I enjoyed visiting Linz, Austria last year, so I'd like to see more of Austria.
- I've heard only good things about the skiing there from my work colleagues
- Availability of open campsites. Yes, I will camp outside in March. Crisp, fresh air promises me a good night of sleep every time.
- Cheap flights on TUIfly.
- I feel like we didn't really get a winter here, so somewhere cold is in order.
- As any expat in Europe will tell you, it's a four day weekend and Europe is shut down. So one may as well take the opportunity to take a 'nature focused' holiday rather than something involving museums or shopping.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Another sign I've been in Germany too long
I was talking to my German colleague (GC) who now lives in the UK.
GC: Hold on, I need to grab my Coke.
H: Skip the Coke, too much sugar. (Knowing GC is trying to be more healthy.)
GC: It's ok, it's diet.
H: That's even worse. Chemicals. Aspartame.
GC: It's the new Diet Coke with Vitamins. And you're sounding like a German.
H: (ahem) The chemicals, they're obviously going to your brain already.
GC: Hold on, I need to grab my Coke.
H: Skip the Coke, too much sugar. (Knowing GC is trying to be more healthy.)
GC: It's ok, it's diet.
H: That's even worse. Chemicals. Aspartame.
GC: It's the new Diet Coke with Vitamins. And you're sounding like a German.
H: (ahem) The chemicals, they're obviously going to your brain already.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Saturday in the tiny town of B
Yes, Karneval weekend is in full swing, even in tiny town of B, nestled between Koeln and D'dorf. However, something much more exciting to me today--I woke up to 3-4 inches of snow, something I haven't see in at least 3 years here.
Such a perfect day for it. I didn't need to drive into the office, so I didn't need to shovel out the car. Instead, I could go play:
Such a perfect day for it. I didn't need to drive into the office, so I didn't need to shovel out the car. Instead, I could go play:
(my snowshoes, from America, who were feeling very unloved up until now)
Monday, January 28, 2008
the eye dr, part 3
second verse, same as the first,
a little bit louder and a whole lot worse.
So I woke up at 0655 this morning, in order to start the eye drop regime- 07.00, 07.20, get in car, pull over at 07.40 for 3rd set, arrive at 07.50, into the office at 08.00, for another set of drops at 08.10.
(I'm not quite sure how the US can have drops that dilate your eyes within 10 min and only last maybe 45 min after that, while in Germany this is a hella long drawn out process.) It's now 11 PM and my eyes still look dilated. I had brought along my coffee as I remember being there until 10 AM last year. Unfortunately this year was a repeat, even with my three times in the seven o'clock hour.
More drops: 08.30, 08.45, 09.10, 09.20, and 09.30. Finally a set of yellow drops at 09.45, and in to see the cranky pants dr at 09.50. He goes through his measurements. I ponder the use of eye technology in America. When I lived in California, for an extra few bucks my eye dr would do a digital thingy, so you could see your actual eyes on the computer screen, and even print them out. Then they would save them each year in order to run computer comparisons of changes.
What do I get here? I thing it was a glass magnifying glass plonked on my eyeball with a lot of drops and shifted around from here to eternity while he glared under his special magnifier.
Then, the official opinion. "I have measured your eyes, look here on your chart (complete with dr scrawl), and they have not changed. However, when you were wearing your contacts you could not read the smaller letters properly, so I thought you needed a stronger setting. Or maybe it's that the contacts are not good for your eyes."
"The office is on holiday the next three weeks, come back after that, and we test you wearing your glasses to see if you read the same as with the contacts"
(handshake)
They are booked up immediately after their holiday so I'm not in again until the first week of March.
On a slightly odd note, I was asked three times whether I needed a dr note, to excuse me from the office. The last time I received a dr's note, I was 14 and getting my braces off so late into school that morning. In retrospect, I should have accepted it as a nice souvenir of the whole experience.
a little bit louder and a whole lot worse.
So I woke up at 0655 this morning, in order to start the eye drop regime- 07.00, 07.20, get in car, pull over at 07.40 for 3rd set, arrive at 07.50, into the office at 08.00, for another set of drops at 08.10.
(I'm not quite sure how the US can have drops that dilate your eyes within 10 min and only last maybe 45 min after that, while in Germany this is a hella long drawn out process.) It's now 11 PM and my eyes still look dilated. I had brought along my coffee as I remember being there until 10 AM last year. Unfortunately this year was a repeat, even with my three times in the seven o'clock hour.
More drops: 08.30, 08.45, 09.10, 09.20, and 09.30. Finally a set of yellow drops at 09.45, and in to see the cranky pants dr at 09.50. He goes through his measurements. I ponder the use of eye technology in America. When I lived in California, for an extra few bucks my eye dr would do a digital thingy, so you could see your actual eyes on the computer screen, and even print them out. Then they would save them each year in order to run computer comparisons of changes.
What do I get here? I thing it was a glass magnifying glass plonked on my eyeball with a lot of drops and shifted around from here to eternity while he glared under his special magnifier.
Then, the official opinion. "I have measured your eyes, look here on your chart (complete with dr scrawl), and they have not changed. However, when you were wearing your contacts you could not read the smaller letters properly, so I thought you needed a stronger setting. Or maybe it's that the contacts are not good for your eyes."
"The office is on holiday the next three weeks, come back after that, and we test you wearing your glasses to see if you read the same as with the contacts"
(handshake)
They are booked up immediately after their holiday so I'm not in again until the first week of March.
On a slightly odd note, I was asked three times whether I needed a dr note, to excuse me from the office. The last time I received a dr's note, I was 14 and getting my braces off so late into school that morning. In retrospect, I should have accepted it as a nice souvenir of the whole experience.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
More comments on the eye dr trip
Since a few of you had things to say and the comments box is too small for me to respond...
Having been here almost five years, I am no longer shocked or frustrated by the attitude or actions of anyone in this country. (Not sure if that's a good thing though!) Three years ago I would have been appalled, and would not have told the story as it would have been too painful to re-live. Interestingly, I told the same story in the office, and here were the German colleague responses:
colleague one: (in the middle of doing something but half listening, mumbles) private insurance....doctors in Germany....more appointments....pfui....make money...
colleague two: (never lived outside of Germany, but has locally dealt with a lot of things for non-Germans so tends to see things as such, and was the one who set up this appt). This is why I don't like doctors here. They think they're gods.
colleague three: (also never lived outside of Germany, but used to my occasional rants on living here, so he no longer takes it personally, but earnestly tries to educate me when he thinks I've missed the boat) This is how you know that German doctors are serious about your eye health, when they are serious with you. Only a good doctor would take the time to say such things.
I found colleague 3's thoughts to be most thought-provoking, as it is something I never considered. I dread this appointment weeks in advance, in general because I don't like people poking around my eyes, especially cranky ones who seems to be bent on bringing a dark cloud into everyone's day. Although based on the #3 above, I imagine the guy spoke to me like he speaks to every other person visiting his office, (although I think he's perhaps an extra bit curmudgeonly in general, even by German standards).
If you're not living in Germany you may wonder why I don't just switch drs. A few simple reasons I guess.
1. There are no 'American-style' doctors within 20 minutes from where I live. I consider it a win when I get one who can speak some English words.
2. The guy seems competent in measurements. He picked up that one eye is slightly weaker this year without me mentioning it.
3. The office staff is superb. In particular when they are explaining something unfamiliar that we don't have in the US, they have no problems repeating their instructions a second time with different German words and then listening to me repeat them back. (One drop of these special drops in each eye every 20 min for one hour prior to coming here next?)
4. I don't consider this to be a life-long relationship, as I don't plan to stay in Germany forever.
Having been here almost five years, I am no longer shocked or frustrated by the attitude or actions of anyone in this country. (Not sure if that's a good thing though!) Three years ago I would have been appalled, and would not have told the story as it would have been too painful to re-live. Interestingly, I told the same story in the office, and here were the German colleague responses:
colleague one: (in the middle of doing something but half listening, mumbles) private insurance....doctors in Germany....more appointments....pfui....make money...
colleague two: (never lived outside of Germany, but has locally dealt with a lot of things for non-Germans so tends to see things as such, and was the one who set up this appt). This is why I don't like doctors here. They think they're gods.
colleague three: (also never lived outside of Germany, but used to my occasional rants on living here, so he no longer takes it personally, but earnestly tries to educate me when he thinks I've missed the boat) This is how you know that German doctors are serious about your eye health, when they are serious with you. Only a good doctor would take the time to say such things.
I found colleague 3's thoughts to be most thought-provoking, as it is something I never considered. I dread this appointment weeks in advance, in general because I don't like people poking around my eyes, especially cranky ones who seems to be bent on bringing a dark cloud into everyone's day. Although based on the #3 above, I imagine the guy spoke to me like he speaks to every other person visiting his office, (although I think he's perhaps an extra bit curmudgeonly in general, even by German standards).
If you're not living in Germany you may wonder why I don't just switch drs. A few simple reasons I guess.
1. There are no 'American-style' doctors within 20 minutes from where I live. I consider it a win when I get one who can speak some English words.
2. The guy seems competent in measurements. He picked up that one eye is slightly weaker this year without me mentioning it.
3. The office staff is superb. In particular when they are explaining something unfamiliar that we don't have in the US, they have no problems repeating their instructions a second time with different German words and then listening to me repeat them back. (One drop of these special drops in each eye every 20 min for one hour prior to coming here next?)
4. I don't consider this to be a life-long relationship, as I don't plan to stay in Germany forever.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Heather's trip to the eye doctor - year 2
If you were Heather today, it went something like this...show up at the eye doctor's office. Tell the nice desk person who you are and what you're there for (an annual appointment--right as rain), and have them squint at a book of tiny handwritten printed names...and ask for your name again....and peer at the book, and finally say, well, no matter, that may have been you right there erased...go take a seat.
eye dr: (handshake and then reading the chart) you were last here in march last year. i told you to come every six months. it's important. the eyes are like windows, we must take care.
heather: (once a year does me fine in the US) uh, yes..
eye dr: you're wearing contacts...(back to chart, frowning)...you only wear these only 8 hours a day?
heather: actually, no, i wear these (putting box on table) for a month at a time.
eye dr: (multi-tasking by peering with some magnifying thingy into my eye) no, no, I told you last time. (break from multi-tasking for direct lecture in German) You must not wear them more than 8 hours a day.
heather: but they're made to be worn always.
eye dr: (loud sigh.) I told you once, I tell you again...(then I get the same as previously, a second time in German, then in English also for good measure--except for words unknown in English, like 'oxygen', are kept in German) You cannot get these from a place that sells glasses, only an eye dr can say...if it gets to the point where the glasses seller can say don't wear, then it's too late, your eyes are damaged for good.
These 'all the time ones' (finally looking at the box)--they are for old people or small children, people who cannot put in contacts well (somebody better inform the Ciba marketing team)...and people like that need to come to an eye dr every month (oh really).
heather: (well actually, they came from plus.de not the glasses seller, and the whole point is not to have to take them out every night) um, yes...
eye dr: (grudgingly) but if you are going to wear contacts, these are better than most. more oxygen to the eye, less dirt--but you must not more than 8 hours wear! 8!
heather: yes...clear..windows...8
eye dr: come back on Monday to dilate the pupil. then i see if my measurements just taken are correct. and don't wear contacts the day before. or until one day after that is done or else your contacts will turn yellow. and your world will be yellow, and a yellow world is not good. (handshake)
-->Well, a yellow world seemed to work a while back for Bono, as I recall...
eye dr: (handshake and then reading the chart) you were last here in march last year. i told you to come every six months. it's important. the eyes are like windows, we must take care.
heather: (once a year does me fine in the US) uh, yes..
eye dr: you're wearing contacts...(back to chart, frowning)...you only wear these only 8 hours a day?
heather: actually, no, i wear these (putting box on table) for a month at a time.
eye dr: (multi-tasking by peering with some magnifying thingy into my eye) no, no, I told you last time. (break from multi-tasking for direct lecture in German) You must not wear them more than 8 hours a day.
heather: but they're made to be worn always.
eye dr: (loud sigh.) I told you once, I tell you again...(then I get the same as previously, a second time in German, then in English also for good measure--except for words unknown in English, like 'oxygen', are kept in German) You cannot get these from a place that sells glasses, only an eye dr can say...if it gets to the point where the glasses seller can say don't wear, then it's too late, your eyes are damaged for good.
These 'all the time ones' (finally looking at the box)--they are for old people or small children, people who cannot put in contacts well (somebody better inform the Ciba marketing team)...and people like that need to come to an eye dr every month (oh really).
heather: (well actually, they came from plus.de not the glasses seller, and the whole point is not to have to take them out every night) um, yes...
eye dr: (grudgingly) but if you are going to wear contacts, these are better than most. more oxygen to the eye, less dirt--but you must not more than 8 hours wear! 8!
heather: yes...clear..windows...8
eye dr: come back on Monday to dilate the pupil. then i see if my measurements just taken are correct. and don't wear contacts the day before. or until one day after that is done or else your contacts will turn yellow. and your world will be yellow, and a yellow world is not good. (handshake)
-->Well, a yellow world seemed to work a while back for Bono, as I recall...
Sunday, January 20, 2008
English movie theaters in Cologne
I went to see a film over the weekend, The Darjeeling Limited at Off Broadway which is a theater that is very close to the tram stops of either Zülpicher Platz or Barbarossaplatz. Most of the English speakers that I know go to The Metropolis, but I personally think Off Broadway is actually a better theather (for me anyway) than the Metropolis for a few reasons:
- they show both the mainstream + independent films
- more film times rather than more films. (Nothing irritates me more than when the film I want to see is offered only once daily, at 21.50.)
- ticket prices are less expensive by a few euros (unless you go for the 4 euro Thursday Metropolis special)
- the lobby is much more spacious with built in window seats along the entire length of the lobby, and as a result, I do not end up squashed in the middle of a throng of 30+ people.
- tickets are sold with assigned seating, which you choose when you purchase your ticket. It seems to alleviate the stampede that occurs at the Metropolis, when the doors are opened and the throng rushes forward. The last time I was at the Metropolis, someone was so close behind me holding a tray of nachos that I ended up with nacho cheese in my hair.
- it's close to two restaurants I like: the all veg go! vindam and the very veg friendly Habibi at Zuplicher Strasse 28.
- there is a resident cat who sleeps in one of the windows, so I imagine the place is rodent free.
- In general, it's a lot cleaner than Metropolis inside the theater.
- The area is much more lively, so leaving the late show on foot seems safer as the area has plenty of people, as opposed to the area around the Metropolis, which is a little more desolate late in the evening.
Before you swear off the Metropolis, however, a few negatives for Off Broadway:
- Sometimes seats for the film you want will be sold out, especially on a Friday or Saturday during evening hours when you walk up 5 min before showtime.
- It's a little on the non-mainstream side, so instead of Coke, you can only get Afri-cola which seems to smack against years of American marketing, associating a movie with a cold Coke.
- It doesn't show as many different English films weekly as the Metropolis
Want to find other English movies showing in Cologne? Try here, keeping an eye out for the ones marked OmU or OV, but check that it's not an original in another language, like French. :-) Here: http://www.choices.de/heute.php or here: http://www.koeln.de/ausgehen/kino/kinokalender/index.php
- they show both the mainstream + independent films
- more film times rather than more films. (Nothing irritates me more than when the film I want to see is offered only once daily, at 21.50.)
- ticket prices are less expensive by a few euros (unless you go for the 4 euro Thursday Metropolis special)
- the lobby is much more spacious with built in window seats along the entire length of the lobby, and as a result, I do not end up squashed in the middle of a throng of 30+ people.
- tickets are sold with assigned seating, which you choose when you purchase your ticket. It seems to alleviate the stampede that occurs at the Metropolis, when the doors are opened and the throng rushes forward. The last time I was at the Metropolis, someone was so close behind me holding a tray of nachos that I ended up with nacho cheese in my hair.
- it's close to two restaurants I like: the all veg go! vindam and the very veg friendly Habibi at Zuplicher Strasse 28.
- there is a resident cat who sleeps in one of the windows, so I imagine the place is rodent free.
- In general, it's a lot cleaner than Metropolis inside the theater.
- The area is much more lively, so leaving the late show on foot seems safer as the area has plenty of people, as opposed to the area around the Metropolis, which is a little more desolate late in the evening.
Before you swear off the Metropolis, however, a few negatives for Off Broadway:
- Sometimes seats for the film you want will be sold out, especially on a Friday or Saturday during evening hours when you walk up 5 min before showtime.
- It's a little on the non-mainstream side, so instead of Coke, you can only get Afri-cola which seems to smack against years of American marketing, associating a movie with a cold Coke.
- It doesn't show as many different English films weekly as the Metropolis
Want to find other English movies showing in Cologne? Try here, keeping an eye out for the ones marked OmU or OV, but check that it's not an original in another language, like French. :-) Here: http://www.choices.de/heute.php or here: http://www.koeln.de/ausgehen/kino/kinokalender/index.php
Friday, January 11, 2008
Shopping Sunday at Venlo Tref this weekend - Jan 13
I love the smell of commerce on a Sunday. My tiny, black, rock-hard heart is gently warmed and softened by the thought of a supermarket being open on a Sunday in Europe.
Venlo Tref: http://www.trefvenlo.nl/site/nederlands/openingstijden/
And of course, every Sunday is shopping Sunday at Jumbo Roermond.
Which one is better? Six of one half dozen of the other. Both are large supermarkets selling a wide range of items. Just going on size--I'd say that Tref is bigger and thus more choices.
Buying toilet paper on a Sunday with more than 5 options, how decadent.
(Where I live in Germany the standard supermarket options are somewhat limited.)
Venlo Tref: http://www.trefvenlo.nl/site/nederlands/openingstijden/
And of course, every Sunday is shopping Sunday at Jumbo Roermond.
Which one is better? Six of one half dozen of the other. Both are large supermarkets selling a wide range of items. Just going on size--I'd say that Tref is bigger and thus more choices.
Buying toilet paper on a Sunday with more than 5 options, how decadent.
(Where I live in Germany the standard supermarket options are somewhat limited.)
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Heather's new toy
Before:
After:
You'll notice the disappearance of Mr. Coffee Thermos in the second photo. He was frightened by the loud grinding noise and the occasional splatter of juice. The photo of the juice in the second photo really doesn't do it justice as you can't really see the color mixture of the basic orange with the red bits of the blood orange speckled throughout.
Since I came back from the US and shifted into flu mode, I've been extra careful to eat well these past few days. Shortly before I left for the US, I bought this handy little machine at Pennymarkt (damn them and their low, low prices!).
I've considered going all out and getting a mega juicer that does fruits and vegetables, but as a vegetarian, I have vegetables all day long, and fruit consumption is where I've been lacking.
Since living in Germany, I've become accustomed to fresh-squeezed, natural, no sugar added, not from concentrate, relatively inexpensive juice. It severely pained me during the two weeks in the US to pay Wholefoods prices to get the same level of juice.
One juice that I particularly like actually comes from a Carrefour in Belgium, where I don't have an opportunity to go so often. It's made with:
7 oranges
2 mandarins
.25 lime
I used the above as a basis to start and then modified a bit. I've been avoiding mandarins, since Mausi's post a while back, so I didn't have any on hand. From my local Turkish market, I used:
2 oranges
1 blood orange
.5 lime (I'm a big fan of limes)
All told, a worthwhile investment of time, effort, and money.
After:
You'll notice the disappearance of Mr. Coffee Thermos in the second photo. He was frightened by the loud grinding noise and the occasional splatter of juice. The photo of the juice in the second photo really doesn't do it justice as you can't really see the color mixture of the basic orange with the red bits of the blood orange speckled throughout.
Since I came back from the US and shifted into flu mode, I've been extra careful to eat well these past few days. Shortly before I left for the US, I bought this handy little machine at Pennymarkt (damn them and their low, low prices!).
I've considered going all out and getting a mega juicer that does fruits and vegetables, but as a vegetarian, I have vegetables all day long, and fruit consumption is where I've been lacking.
Since living in Germany, I've become accustomed to fresh-squeezed, natural, no sugar added, not from concentrate, relatively inexpensive juice. It severely pained me during the two weeks in the US to pay Wholefoods prices to get the same level of juice.
One juice that I particularly like actually comes from a Carrefour in Belgium, where I don't have an opportunity to go so often. It's made with:
7 oranges
2 mandarins
.25 lime
I used the above as a basis to start and then modified a bit. I've been avoiding mandarins, since Mausi's post a while back, so I didn't have any on hand. From my local Turkish market, I used:
2 oranges
1 blood orange
.5 lime (I'm a big fan of limes)
All told, a worthwhile investment of time, effort, and money.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Public transport Disney style
One of the perks of my job is that I get to go, company paid, to an annual conference each spring, of professionals in my industry. It's a lot of fun to hear what challenges other people in similar jobs face, as well as it's always an interesting group of people and new ones to meet. As well as lots of free industry give-a-ways, which make it look like a 5 year old lives in my apartment when I first get back with the amount of free highlighters, light up bouncing balls, and cheap calculators that somehow come back with me.
This year's conference will be in Orlando, at a Disney conference center. I'm not a big Disney fan, but this is a billion times better than some past venues such as Houston and Reno.
One exciting notion of this whole trip (besides the opportunity to slip in a cheap side trip to Philly and stuff myself silly on Cheez-its) is the 'airport transfer' offered by the Resort.
Keep in mind that my usual trip is to arrive on a plane from Europe into Philly jetlagged and carrying 10 USD in coins for the Septa (Philly regional train) trip that deposits me a 5 min walk from Grandma's house. It's not such a grand trip as the Septa trains were not really made for luggage, even the airport train. So it involves hoisting a suitcase and camping backpack onto the train, stowing the backpack on the skinny overhead rack while a conductor is yelling at everyone who just got on to keep suitcases out of the aisle, hopping off in Center City, then going down the stairs as the escalator is inevitably broken, looking for the next regional local time, and then climbing the stairs with luggage to a differnt track, doing the same luggage stowage as previously, and then managing to get down the train stairs to disembark at my local destination and walking five to seven minutes to the house.
Contrast the above to the complimentary (with mighty expensive hotel room) Disney's Magical Express where I do not need to collect my luggage upon arrival, but instead they will whisk me to the hotel and luggage fairies will look for the magic tags in order to identify and later bring my luggage DIRECTLY TO MY ROOM. (Up to three hours later), but hey, that's a billion times nicer than having to wait for it, cart it into a place not designed for it, and then drag it all over a hotel I will inevitably be lost in, all while being jetlagged.
I may become a fan of Disney yet.
This year's conference will be in Orlando, at a Disney conference center. I'm not a big Disney fan, but this is a billion times better than some past venues such as Houston and Reno.
One exciting notion of this whole trip (besides the opportunity to slip in a cheap side trip to Philly and stuff myself silly on Cheez-its) is the 'airport transfer' offered by the Resort.
Keep in mind that my usual trip is to arrive on a plane from Europe into Philly jetlagged and carrying 10 USD in coins for the Septa (Philly regional train) trip that deposits me a 5 min walk from Grandma's house. It's not such a grand trip as the Septa trains were not really made for luggage, even the airport train. So it involves hoisting a suitcase and camping backpack onto the train, stowing the backpack on the skinny overhead rack while a conductor is yelling at everyone who just got on to keep suitcases out of the aisle, hopping off in Center City, then going down the stairs as the escalator is inevitably broken, looking for the next regional local time, and then climbing the stairs with luggage to a differnt track, doing the same luggage stowage as previously, and then managing to get down the train stairs to disembark at my local destination and walking five to seven minutes to the house.
Contrast the above to the complimentary (with mighty expensive hotel room) Disney's Magical Express where I do not need to collect my luggage upon arrival, but instead they will whisk me to the hotel and luggage fairies will look for the magic tags in order to identify and later bring my luggage DIRECTLY TO MY ROOM. (Up to three hours later), but hey, that's a billion times nicer than having to wait for it, cart it into a place not designed for it, and then drag it all over a hotel I will inevitably be lost in, all while being jetlagged.
I may become a fan of Disney yet.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
awake at 3 AM
due to a bit of a cold that started upon arrival back in Germany.
however, as I had over 12 hours of sleep yesterday due to fine American drugs (Tylenol cough and cold, nighttime), i'm not so stressed that i need to be awake for work in 5 hours.
i was so out of things yesterday, that I went to bed around 11 and slept through all new year's firework activities, which in Germany, is hella lot.
however, as I had over 12 hours of sleep yesterday due to fine American drugs (Tylenol cough and cold, nighttime), i'm not so stressed that i need to be awake for work in 5 hours.
i was so out of things yesterday, that I went to bed around 11 and slept through all new year's firework activities, which in Germany, is hella lot.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
from America
memo to self: it's the blue container that holds the real coffee with caffeine, NOT the red one which is 50% caffeinated.
Half caffeinated=half awake=half pleasant.
Greetings from America.
Half caffeinated=half awake=half pleasant.
Greetings from America.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
German translation - Schwimmkerzen
I was going through the store adverts and happened to notice Schwimmkerzen at Ikea.
Normally I don't give most German works a second glance, as they seem so clear and orderly in their logic.
This one gave me pause, however, because I had only learned
'Schwimmen = to swim' and
'Kerzen = candles'.
So literally 'Schwimmkerzen = Swimming candles'
But in reality they are not swimming, they're floating, so more passive than active.
If you go and ask Leo for 'to float' in German you'll get a plethora of translations in a variety of connotations, including 'Schwimmen'. If you putz around long enough, you'll find
'Schwimmen = to be afloat'
How about 'floaten' then? 'Floaten = to float' but in a financial sense.
'Floessen'? 'Floessen = to drive, to float, to raft' which sound rather in control of your water ways.
Hmm. I'm left with an uneasy feeling, as 'swimming' and 'floating' are two entirely different actions, so something seems off to me by having one general 'catch all' word in German.
Or what do I miss here?
Normally I don't give most German works a second glance, as they seem so clear and orderly in their logic.
This one gave me pause, however, because I had only learned
'Schwimmen = to swim' and
'Kerzen = candles'.
So literally 'Schwimmkerzen = Swimming candles'
But in reality they are not swimming, they're floating, so more passive than active.
If you go and ask Leo for 'to float' in German you'll get a plethora of translations in a variety of connotations, including 'Schwimmen'. If you putz around long enough, you'll find
'Schwimmen = to be afloat'
How about 'floaten' then? 'Floaten = to float' but in a financial sense.
'Floessen'? 'Floessen = to drive, to float, to raft' which sound rather in control of your water ways.
Hmm. I'm left with an uneasy feeling, as 'swimming' and 'floating' are two entirely different actions, so something seems off to me by having one general 'catch all' word in German.
Or what do I miss here?
comment posting is back....
i had broken it putting up a new profile photo. (oops) it's hard to believe i make my living working with computers all day long.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Packing it up
It's the last weekend before I leave for the US, so plenty to do. At least the weather finally feels like winter, the car tells me it was 2.5 C when I was driving to work today. Fortunately D leaves on a work trip Sunday and then goes directly to the US where we meet up again on Thursday. Therefore I can be uninterrupted in my packing frenzy that late this weekend through early next week will certainly be. Also, it's time for the semi-annual bottle return clean-up.
The packing should be easy this year, since I plan to do a lot of shopping with my euros. It's not so easy though, on the return trip packing, since earlier this year the US Postal service simplified their international shipping offerings, and removed the slow, but cheap boat shipping in favor of the more expensive air option. So everything will be fitting in the suitcase this year and purchasing will need to be limited.
The packing should be easy this year, since I plan to do a lot of shopping with my euros. It's not so easy though, on the return trip packing, since earlier this year the US Postal service simplified their international shipping offerings, and removed the slow, but cheap boat shipping in favor of the more expensive air option. So everything will be fitting in the suitcase this year and purchasing will need to be limited.
Monday, December 10, 2007
The spirit of Christmas
H: Look what I found in the recycle bin while throwing out my newspapers. Pretty barely used wrapping paper and ribbon. It was probably for St. Nick's day. Score!
D: Do you really need to be picking out of the trash?
H: It's not the trash, it's the recycle bin. I'm going to wrap my Nana's gift in it. She'll love it.
D: How much do you love your Nana, to give her trash-picked ribbon?
H: Nana grew up during the depression and taught me everything I know about trash-picking. She'll be so proud. Besides, being green is in this year.
D: (Sigh)
D: Do you really need to be picking out of the trash?
H: It's not the trash, it's the recycle bin. I'm going to wrap my Nana's gift in it. She'll love it.
D: How much do you love your Nana, to give her trash-picked ribbon?
H: Nana grew up during the depression and taught me everything I know about trash-picking. She'll be so proud. Besides, being green is in this year.
D: (Sigh)
Monday, December 03, 2007
This Wednesday at 11.45 AM
Feel free to mentally have a glass of champagne with me and throw some confetti; it will be the ending time of my last German class.
The company has generously paid for quite a few Berlitz hours while I've been here. It's paid off to the effect that I can generally understand what goes on the office, and that is sufficient for what I need at this time. I spend 8+ hours a day/5 days per week there, so that is the bulk of my time in Germany.
Sometimes I marvel at the fact that my vocabulary is so far skewed to office words. I knew the words for 'works council', 'interface', 'department', and 'woman boss' long before I knew basics like 'toothpaste,' 'toilet paper,' and 'Sunday shopping'.
Although I did pick up 'toilet brush' quite early by studying the various 'informational' cartoons in the office ladies' bathroom. Not sure why these 'public service announcements' must always be accompanied by a cartoon in Germany. I've been tempted to sneak into the mens' room to see if they have the same or similar, but never did. ;-)
The company has generously paid for quite a few Berlitz hours while I've been here. It's paid off to the effect that I can generally understand what goes on the office, and that is sufficient for what I need at this time. I spend 8+ hours a day/5 days per week there, so that is the bulk of my time in Germany.
Sometimes I marvel at the fact that my vocabulary is so far skewed to office words. I knew the words for 'works council', 'interface', 'department', and 'woman boss' long before I knew basics like 'toothpaste,' 'toilet paper,' and 'Sunday shopping'.
Although I did pick up 'toilet brush' quite early by studying the various 'informational' cartoons in the office ladies' bathroom. Not sure why these 'public service announcements' must always be accompanied by a cartoon in Germany. I've been tempted to sneak into the mens' room to see if they have the same or similar, but never did. ;-)
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
George drives the bus - a German political view
Over the weekend I went to a work colleague's going away party (she's moving to the UK). It was quite interesting as I was the only foreigner, although I had met many of the friends/family previously, so it was ok.
There was a small child there, perhaps 2 years and some months old. He seemed very excited by being at the restaurant with all of the people and things, and being up past his bedtime. At one point the waiter carried him back to the table as he had taken off on foot to the kitchen.
His grandma decided to try to calm him down a bit and picked up a free Italy travel magazine and put him on her lap to show him the pictures. We all watched expectantly, to see if Grandma could work her magic. She watched to see which pictures caught his eye, and started to tell him about them, by whatever she could make up on the fly.
- You see the little boy on the beach? His name is Pablo and he is also two!
- Here is an old church, isn't it pretty?
- Oh, see the bus! There is the bus driver, George Bush, and the passenger on the bus, Angela Merkel. (ok, so it wasn't actually them) They go together in the bus, where George the bus driver wants to go. But not for long, because it will be someone else's turn to drive the bus very soon.
(I imagine the political commentary would have continued in a less polite way, had I not been there and listening--something to the effect of--and we're all happy that there will be a new bus driver, as we don't like the way that one drives.)
There was a small child there, perhaps 2 years and some months old. He seemed very excited by being at the restaurant with all of the people and things, and being up past his bedtime. At one point the waiter carried him back to the table as he had taken off on foot to the kitchen.
His grandma decided to try to calm him down a bit and picked up a free Italy travel magazine and put him on her lap to show him the pictures. We all watched expectantly, to see if Grandma could work her magic. She watched to see which pictures caught his eye, and started to tell him about them, by whatever she could make up on the fly.
- You see the little boy on the beach? His name is Pablo and he is also two!
- Here is an old church, isn't it pretty?
- Oh, see the bus! There is the bus driver, George Bush, and the passenger on the bus, Angela Merkel. (ok, so it wasn't actually them) They go together in the bus, where George the bus driver wants to go. But not for long, because it will be someone else's turn to drive the bus very soon.
(I imagine the political commentary would have continued in a less polite way, had I not been there and listening--something to the effect of--and we're all happy that there will be a new bus driver, as we don't like the way that one drives.)
Monday, November 26, 2007
More on 'no love for the Germans' - the Dutch perspective
After yesterday's events, I asked my Dutch work colleague about the topic, knowing that he would give me the straight scoop. He also thought it was some slightly peeved Dutch people, just trying to irritate a German.
He is Dutch guy married to a German and working/living here for many years. However, he goes back over the border quite often with his company J car with its German license plate to work, visit family, and shop. He was telling me of one time, when he was driving this car in Holland.
A Dutch car with some 18 year-olds gave him the popular hand gesture in reference to a leader who was very popular in Germany in the late 1930's-early 1940's (not wanting to drive searchers to that topic here.) They both happened to leave at the same exit, and ended up next to each other at the red light at the bottom of the exit.
He couldn't resist to roll down the window and gesture to them to do the same. He then proceeded to rip them a new one in Dutch, his native language. He said the looks on their faces was absolutely priceless. Here they thought they were sticking it to a German, and instead they chose a fellow national.
He then gave me the tip--I should always keep something representing Holland handy in my car trunk for times when I go over the border, such as something orange to put in the back window, or something for one of the sports teams, or perhaps some Dutch reading material to have lying in the back seat. That will present the image, especially as I don't tend to go too far into Holland, that I could be a Dutch person working just over the border. And it will perhaps lower the possibility of future negative incidents.
He is Dutch guy married to a German and working/living here for many years. However, he goes back over the border quite often with his company J car with its German license plate to work, visit family, and shop. He was telling me of one time, when he was driving this car in Holland.
A Dutch car with some 18 year-olds gave him the popular hand gesture in reference to a leader who was very popular in Germany in the late 1930's-early 1940's (not wanting to drive searchers to that topic here.) They both happened to leave at the same exit, and ended up next to each other at the red light at the bottom of the exit.
He couldn't resist to roll down the window and gesture to them to do the same. He then proceeded to rip them a new one in Dutch, his native language. He said the looks on their faces was absolutely priceless. Here they thought they were sticking it to a German, and instead they chose a fellow national.
He then gave me the tip--I should always keep something representing Holland handy in my car trunk for times when I go over the border, such as something orange to put in the back window, or something for one of the sports teams, or perhaps some Dutch reading material to have lying in the back seat. That will present the image, especially as I don't tend to go too far into Holland, that I could be a Dutch person working just over the border. And it will perhaps lower the possibility of future negative incidents.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
'The funky chicken' or 'No love for the Germans'
One of my German work colleagues was recently telling me about his visit to Vegas, and how he went with a few of his 20-something aged German friends, and how the desk person said, "oh no, the Krauts are here" recognizing their Germanness even before they opened their mouths.
I tried to explain to him that it probably wasn't meant as an insult, but rather as American friendliness of making jokes. He said that he knew that, and he likes Americans and their friendly casual humor, and they enjoyed their trip to the US. He then said, "America is not like some other countries that absolutely do not like Germans at all." I wanted to hear more, but didn't want to push a topic that probably wouldn't be so nice for him to discuss, so I didn't. Besides, I've heard quite a bit from my other European colleagues on the topic of 'the Germans' so I already had an idea that they aren't liked a lot in certain countries.
On Sunday, D and I drove to Maastricht for reasons that belong in their own post. I parked in a public parking lot in town, one where you must buy a ticket from the little machine and leave it on your dashboard, but as it was Sunday, a ticket was not needed. We came back eight hours later and I went to the trunk to get out the map.
I noticed that while we were gone, someone had carefully placed a KFC bucket with all of their food trash in it directly behind the back wheel, so logically I would not see it, and then back up over it. In addition, there were chicken bones immediately in front of the same tire, I guess in the event that I happened to pull forward (which would not be necessarily expected, as I would need to go out on an angle that would put me going 'out' a row that was one way in the other direction.) In addition, the remaining chicken bones were scattered under the car, like someone made a serious effort to wing (intended pun) them there. Looking around we noticed no other German cars in the lot, and only one other in town.
My only guess on this one is that they saw the German license plate on the car and decided on a low level prank. Maastricht gets plenty of Germans as it's not so far from the border, and only around one hour, 15 min from Koeln. This situation was ironic on multiple levels to me, namely:
-I never eat at KFC as they don't have so many vegetarian options. I have no veg info in the car so they would not know the car belongs to a vegetarian. The use of chicken bones would be moderately offensive if the person would have known I am a vegetarian.
-While the car is registered and lives in Germany, I am not German. It's actually quite funny, knowing my lack of enthusiasm for Germany life that they wasted their energy trying to send an unfriendly message to a German and instead chose the German car not carrying Germans.
Next up: more details as to why we were there.
I tried to explain to him that it probably wasn't meant as an insult, but rather as American friendliness of making jokes. He said that he knew that, and he likes Americans and their friendly casual humor, and they enjoyed their trip to the US. He then said, "America is not like some other countries that absolutely do not like Germans at all." I wanted to hear more, but didn't want to push a topic that probably wouldn't be so nice for him to discuss, so I didn't. Besides, I've heard quite a bit from my other European colleagues on the topic of 'the Germans' so I already had an idea that they aren't liked a lot in certain countries.
On Sunday, D and I drove to Maastricht for reasons that belong in their own post. I parked in a public parking lot in town, one where you must buy a ticket from the little machine and leave it on your dashboard, but as it was Sunday, a ticket was not needed. We came back eight hours later and I went to the trunk to get out the map.
I noticed that while we were gone, someone had carefully placed a KFC bucket with all of their food trash in it directly behind the back wheel, so logically I would not see it, and then back up over it. In addition, there were chicken bones immediately in front of the same tire, I guess in the event that I happened to pull forward (which would not be necessarily expected, as I would need to go out on an angle that would put me going 'out' a row that was one way in the other direction.) In addition, the remaining chicken bones were scattered under the car, like someone made a serious effort to wing (intended pun) them there. Looking around we noticed no other German cars in the lot, and only one other in town.
My only guess on this one is that they saw the German license plate on the car and decided on a low level prank. Maastricht gets plenty of Germans as it's not so far from the border, and only around one hour, 15 min from Koeln. This situation was ironic on multiple levels to me, namely:
-I never eat at KFC as they don't have so many vegetarian options. I have no veg info in the car so they would not know the car belongs to a vegetarian. The use of chicken bones would be moderately offensive if the person would have known I am a vegetarian.
-While the car is registered and lives in Germany, I am not German. It's actually quite funny, knowing my lack of enthusiasm for Germany life that they wasted their energy trying to send an unfriendly message to a German and instead chose the German car not carrying Germans.
Next up: more details as to why we were there.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
The hidden subconscious - more on language acquisition
I am coming to the conclusion that language acquisition is mainly mindset and exposure rather than talent driven. If I was dating a German and imagining a long-term future here, I'd probably actually make an effort. As it is I go to class each week for 1.5 hours because company J. is paying for it, it's private lessons from Berlitz with only me in the class, and it's during work hours. I spend around an hour each week on homework, mainly because I rather like the teacher and would feel bad by attempting nothing.
A few weeks back, I was talking to my Spanish colleague, whom I rarely get to speak to these days. My Spanish is quite comfortable, I have facilitated meetings in Spanish where I am the only non-native speaker, I've done meetings where the other speakers know almost no English, and I am able to read and discuss in Spanish high level topics like religion and philosophy. My exposure to Spanish these days is limited to a handful of work colleagues with whom I interact occasionally and 30 min per week in the car when I catch a Spanish news broadcast on Monday nights after Polish class. When I speak and read it, however, it's pretty well cemented. There is no longer 'lead time' while I get back into the feel of speaking it and I can read a newspaper pre-coffee without thinking.
Imagine my absolute surprise, then, when I am speaking to my Spanish colleague and some German words sneak right into the sentence. It was like they were slipping over the Polish border under the cover of night. The construct of the sentence was Spanish as were the bulk of the words, but 'wie immer' slipped right in, in place of the Spanish equivalent. As it is I don't really like the sounds of German in general and the best you'll get out of me on a good day is that I will listen to your German spiel and then respond in English to you if you are someone in my office. If I'm in tiny town of B I will move around completely in German on Saturdays, although it's often of a Turkish flavor over here.
Then over a weekend I was at a vegetarian restaurant in Koeln and picked up a soya hot chocolate on the way out. I was in line behind some people so it was taking a few minutes. While I was waiting, I could hear the coffeebar woman talking with a customer sitting at the counter and they were talking in Spain Spanish. I started off my order in German as that is what I am used to doing here, but midway it converted to Spanish automatically, I think because I was listening to the ladies.
The woman pauses for half a second, somehow understanding my half-baked sentence and then responds to me in Spanish. I carry on a conversation for some minutes with the customer in Spanish. But again, every once and a while a German word started to creep in, perhaps because I had spent some hours the previous night mainly around German speakers, and also speaking German.
My inability to control such slippages mainly tells me that the influence of living here is quite heavy.
A few weeks back, I was talking to my Spanish colleague, whom I rarely get to speak to these days. My Spanish is quite comfortable, I have facilitated meetings in Spanish where I am the only non-native speaker, I've done meetings where the other speakers know almost no English, and I am able to read and discuss in Spanish high level topics like religion and philosophy. My exposure to Spanish these days is limited to a handful of work colleagues with whom I interact occasionally and 30 min per week in the car when I catch a Spanish news broadcast on Monday nights after Polish class. When I speak and read it, however, it's pretty well cemented. There is no longer 'lead time' while I get back into the feel of speaking it and I can read a newspaper pre-coffee without thinking.
Imagine my absolute surprise, then, when I am speaking to my Spanish colleague and some German words sneak right into the sentence. It was like they were slipping over the Polish border under the cover of night. The construct of the sentence was Spanish as were the bulk of the words, but 'wie immer' slipped right in, in place of the Spanish equivalent. As it is I don't really like the sounds of German in general and the best you'll get out of me on a good day is that I will listen to your German spiel and then respond in English to you if you are someone in my office. If I'm in tiny town of B I will move around completely in German on Saturdays, although it's often of a Turkish flavor over here.
Then over a weekend I was at a vegetarian restaurant in Koeln and picked up a soya hot chocolate on the way out. I was in line behind some people so it was taking a few minutes. While I was waiting, I could hear the coffeebar woman talking with a customer sitting at the counter and they were talking in Spain Spanish. I started off my order in German as that is what I am used to doing here, but midway it converted to Spanish automatically, I think because I was listening to the ladies.
The woman pauses for half a second, somehow understanding my half-baked sentence and then responds to me in Spanish. I carry on a conversation for some minutes with the customer in Spanish. But again, every once and a while a German word started to creep in, perhaps because I had spent some hours the previous night mainly around German speakers, and also speaking German.
My inability to control such slippages mainly tells me that the influence of living here is quite heavy.
Monday, November 19, 2007
i am back
from iceland. total hours of daylight there--currently around 6 hours per day, (from roughly 10 or so in the morning, until 16ish in the evening.) good thing they make good coffee.
the air and water are so clean, it is remarkably fresh. add in the below zero temps during the past few days, and it's so beyond fresh it's perfect.
the air and water are so clean, it is remarkably fresh. add in the below zero temps during the past few days, and it's so beyond fresh it's perfect.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Friday night: Kristallnacht remembrance in Germany
On Friday night, Nov 9 (the anniversary of Kristallnacht) we went to an evening program of a local church. Neither of us have any affiliation with this church, nor do we know of anyone who attends this church as it is not near where either of us live, but rather it's near the office. However, it was also noted in the local newspaper in advance, so we went.
The evening started with an overview of the number of children in the Cologne Jewish school before Kristallnacht and then today, and then an introduction of the main speaker whose name is Henry. He started off by telling us that he was born in Cologne and about his early childhood years of playing soccer in the streets of Cologne Ehrenfeld with his friends. However, all of that changed one day when his Catholic friends told him that he could no longer play with them.
On the actual night of Kristallnacht he remembers (the SA or SS, I missed which) came to his house. They threw the family's furniture out the window. He remembers their neighbors just standing there and watching, not saying anything. At this point there was a musical break, and a pianist played something from Bach.
Fortunately, he was sent on a Kindertransport to the UK where he made many friends. At the end of the war, these friends scattered around the globe: to the US, Canada, Israel, etc. His sister was a bit older so she didn't get to go on the transport, and was killed in Auschwitz. Around this part my German started to go downhill, so I missed a bit as to what he did next, beyond stay in the UK. However, he decided to return to Germany 35 years ago, and both D and I missed his reason for coming back then.
Next the Jewish choir from D'dorf sang with piano accompaniment. There were some short readings after that by children in the local school, who went in pairs to read some historical data. Then Henry came back and had a scripted interview with two of the children who asked him such questions as 'do you hate the Germans for what they did?' (the answer was no). Finally, the choir sang again a few songs, but this time in German, with a closing song in in Hebrew or Yiddish, inviting the audience to join in the hand clapping.
The evening closed with the church leader (I think), thanking each group for their contribution to the evening while the audience continued to clap during his two minutes of thank yous. As the crowd filed out, there were two unattended baskets at the exit where people could give money. Having come from the Catholic tradition, there are plenty of baskets for money, but never unattended where I come from. I was further surprised that there were large bills in the unattended baskets, such as 50's. The choir had a bus waiting to ferry them back to D'dorf.
Overall it was an interesting Friday evening. There were perhaps 200 people in the audience, and only 2 people left during the entire evening. We lingered a few additional minutes to read some of the materials they had posted on the walls. They had some local histories of other people who were in this Cologne school and who had also gone on the Kindertransport, and what had happened to them since. Most featured were now living in Israel. They also had some historical info on the school, before/during/after Kristallnacht.
The evening started with an overview of the number of children in the Cologne Jewish school before Kristallnacht and then today, and then an introduction of the main speaker whose name is Henry. He started off by telling us that he was born in Cologne and about his early childhood years of playing soccer in the streets of Cologne Ehrenfeld with his friends. However, all of that changed one day when his Catholic friends told him that he could no longer play with them.
On the actual night of Kristallnacht he remembers (the SA or SS, I missed which) came to his house. They threw the family's furniture out the window. He remembers their neighbors just standing there and watching, not saying anything. At this point there was a musical break, and a pianist played something from Bach.
Fortunately, he was sent on a Kindertransport to the UK where he made many friends. At the end of the war, these friends scattered around the globe: to the US, Canada, Israel, etc. His sister was a bit older so she didn't get to go on the transport, and was killed in Auschwitz. Around this part my German started to go downhill, so I missed a bit as to what he did next, beyond stay in the UK. However, he decided to return to Germany 35 years ago, and both D and I missed his reason for coming back then.
Next the Jewish choir from D'dorf sang with piano accompaniment. There were some short readings after that by children in the local school, who went in pairs to read some historical data. Then Henry came back and had a scripted interview with two of the children who asked him such questions as 'do you hate the Germans for what they did?' (the answer was no). Finally, the choir sang again a few songs, but this time in German, with a closing song in in Hebrew or Yiddish, inviting the audience to join in the hand clapping.
The evening closed with the church leader (I think), thanking each group for their contribution to the evening while the audience continued to clap during his two minutes of thank yous. As the crowd filed out, there were two unattended baskets at the exit where people could give money. Having come from the Catholic tradition, there are plenty of baskets for money, but never unattended where I come from. I was further surprised that there were large bills in the unattended baskets, such as 50's. The choir had a bus waiting to ferry them back to D'dorf.
Overall it was an interesting Friday evening. There were perhaps 200 people in the audience, and only 2 people left during the entire evening. We lingered a few additional minutes to read some of the materials they had posted on the walls. They had some local histories of other people who were in this Cologne school and who had also gone on the Kindertransport, and what had happened to them since. Most featured were now living in Israel. They also had some historical info on the school, before/during/after Kristallnacht.
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Saturday lunch: Vegetarian Thai green curry
I fell in love with green curry when I first had it at a Thai restaurant in Milwaukee. I ate the same dish multiple times just to cement in my head the full taste so that I could (try to) recreate it later.
Before I became vegetarian I used to always get Pad Thai when as my Thai food of choice, but as it tends to be made with fish sauce, I've since abandoned ship on that one unless I'm at a completely vegetarian restaurant. I've tried making it at home but it never quite has the right flavor.
However, you can easily make a green curry without fish sauce without compromising on the flavor. A lot of recipes for green curry are very complex, but here is a simplified version that I make in 15 minutes.
1. The most difficult part-find vegetarian green curry paste. I buy mine in Holland, this tends to be the main one sold in Asian food shops there. It is an import from Thailand to Holland, and it will set you back a few Euros, but with one this container you can make this meal at least 20 times.
Maybe Christina G knows where to buy it in Germany. I have seen the Thai Kitchen and Blue Dragon brands have it, but it's more of an oily sauce than a dry paste, and both contain fish sauce.
2. Fry tofu squares in oil. Then set the tofu aside.
3. Open a can of coconut milk. Personally I go for the 'light' coconut milk, but regular is also ok. I buy a refrigerated version from an Asian shop in Koeln or from Holland, but you can get the non-refrigerated kind also.
4. Put the coconut milk into a skillet on low heat. Put 1 or 2 tablespoons of the curry paste into the skillet also (depending on how strong of a curry taste you like). Keep stirring constantly. One clove of chopped garlic can also be added now, if you like.
In the meantime put the container of unused curry paste into an airtight container or ziploc baggy and put it into the refrigerator.
5. Throw in a few handfuls of chopped up mangold (chard), including the chopped up stems. Any dark, leafy green thing could also be substituted if you're not in Germany where mangold is currently abundant.
6. I like my dark, leafy greens to be barely cooked, so at this point I throw my tofu back into the skillet, so that it gets coated with the sauce. Stir some more.
7. If you're feeling especially adventurous, throw in a chopped up green Thai chili pepper (optional). Throw in a few basil leaves (optional). Take off heat.
8. Serve over rice or noodles of your choice. Today I was in the mood to have some Japanese noodles.
The final result:
Before I became vegetarian I used to always get Pad Thai when as my Thai food of choice, but as it tends to be made with fish sauce, I've since abandoned ship on that one unless I'm at a completely vegetarian restaurant. I've tried making it at home but it never quite has the right flavor.
However, you can easily make a green curry without fish sauce without compromising on the flavor. A lot of recipes for green curry are very complex, but here is a simplified version that I make in 15 minutes.
1. The most difficult part-find vegetarian green curry paste. I buy mine in Holland, this tends to be the main one sold in Asian food shops there. It is an import from Thailand to Holland, and it will set you back a few Euros, but with one this container you can make this meal at least 20 times.
Maybe Christina G knows where to buy it in Germany. I have seen the Thai Kitchen and Blue Dragon brands have it, but it's more of an oily sauce than a dry paste, and both contain fish sauce.
2. Fry tofu squares in oil. Then set the tofu aside.
3. Open a can of coconut milk. Personally I go for the 'light' coconut milk, but regular is also ok. I buy a refrigerated version from an Asian shop in Koeln or from Holland, but you can get the non-refrigerated kind also.
4. Put the coconut milk into a skillet on low heat. Put 1 or 2 tablespoons of the curry paste into the skillet also (depending on how strong of a curry taste you like). Keep stirring constantly. One clove of chopped garlic can also be added now, if you like.
In the meantime put the container of unused curry paste into an airtight container or ziploc baggy and put it into the refrigerator.
5. Throw in a few handfuls of chopped up mangold (chard), including the chopped up stems. Any dark, leafy green thing could also be substituted if you're not in Germany where mangold is currently abundant.
6. I like my dark, leafy greens to be barely cooked, so at this point I throw my tofu back into the skillet, so that it gets coated with the sauce. Stir some more.
7. If you're feeling especially adventurous, throw in a chopped up green Thai chili pepper (optional). Throw in a few basil leaves (optional). Take off heat.
8. Serve over rice or noodles of your choice. Today I was in the mood to have some Japanese noodles.
The final result:
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Thoughts on (Swiss) German
I enjoyed my work trip to Basel. I find my work colleagues there to be cordial in personality and gentle on my German. This is my third trip to Basel and my fifth to Switzerland.
All things being held equal, ie:
-if my job wasn't in the Koeln/D'dorf/Leverkusen area
-if i was not spending all time outside of the office exposed to the German from this area
-if from a purely raw number perspective, if the German of Germany wasn't the largest group
I think I would have preferred to have learned something a little closer to one of the Swiss varieties. Specifically, in flipping through the TV at the hotel and landing on some of the Swiss stations interspersed with the Germany ones, as well as in the meetings with the Swiss the next day, I enjoy the soft, musical quality of the Swiss speakers. It seems so differently from what I am used to hearing all day in the office.
All things being held equal, ie:
-if my job wasn't in the Koeln/D'dorf/Leverkusen area
-if i was not spending all time outside of the office exposed to the German from this area
-if from a purely raw number perspective, if the German of Germany wasn't the largest group
I think I would have preferred to have learned something a little closer to one of the Swiss varieties. Specifically, in flipping through the TV at the hotel and landing on some of the Swiss stations interspersed with the Germany ones, as well as in the meetings with the Swiss the next day, I enjoy the soft, musical quality of the Swiss speakers. It seems so differently from what I am used to hearing all day in the office.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
travels planned
- Tomorrow afternoon I go down to Basel by train for an all day meeting on Friday. I'll be taking the bus to the Koeln Hbf to avoid the train strike.
- In november I have booked a Thurs-Mon trip to Iceland.
Why iceland in november?
1. flight/accomodation prices fall drastically (compared to high season summer prices)
2. it's easier to find accomodation, and it's not booked months in advance
3. fewer tourists allow more interaction with the locals
4. there is the possiblity to see the northern lights in the winter weather
5. the cold, blustery weather makes for perfect conditions to escape inside for strong iceland coffee or to the hot water outside of the blue lagoon
- In november I have booked a Thurs-Mon trip to Iceland.
Why iceland in november?
1. flight/accomodation prices fall drastically (compared to high season summer prices)
2. it's easier to find accomodation, and it's not booked months in advance
3. fewer tourists allow more interaction with the locals
4. there is the possiblity to see the northern lights in the winter weather
5. the cold, blustery weather makes for perfect conditions to escape inside for strong iceland coffee or to the hot water outside of the blue lagoon
Monday, October 22, 2007
the angry whopper continues to fascinate me
I've been busy with work and offline, but when I look at the recent stats, 30 some visitors found me recently from this post.
Searchers are typing:
"angry whopper" (80%)
"angry onions" (8%)
"how much does an angry whopper cost" (1%)
"angry-gram burger" (1%)
A good number of them are from google.co.uk and one from google.de (both countries where this whopper is sold), but a number of others are finding me from non-selling countries such as the US, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Belgium.
Check out the cultural/marketing differences in these Angry Whopper commercials, from the UK and from Germany.
Searchers are typing:
"angry whopper" (80%)
"angry onions" (8%)
"how much does an angry whopper cost" (1%)
"angry-gram burger" (1%)
A good number of them are from google.co.uk and one from google.de (both countries where this whopper is sold), but a number of others are finding me from non-selling countries such as the US, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Belgium.
Check out the cultural/marketing differences in these Angry Whopper commercials, from the UK and from Germany.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
oh so happy
I do not need to take Deutsche Bahn tomorrow, with their planned strike. I take a regional train to/from Cologne each Wednesday for class, and all other trips to visit Cologne are usually occasional and optional on the weekends.
Last weekend I had a long distance ICE train trip already booked and paid for, so I needed to take the train or bus to/from Cologne on Friday and Sunday night. Friday was ok and trains were almost empty but Sunday was absolute chaos with trains running 90 min late and the boards not displaying arriving trains. Fortunately I know the bus routes very well around this area and it is possible (although longer) to take the bus completely and to bypass all trains.
What I do not understand here--coming from normally pro-union Philadelphia, where a strike actually means all operations cease and it will go on as long as it has to--how they expect to win this one when 20% of the workers are not striking and will continue operations, (as lackluster as they may be).
As a transit rider, I can certainly recognize how important you are if I cannot get a ride at all, in particular for a longer time period. You suddenly realize and appreciate what you do not have when it is completely gone. This pseudo-strike with its partial schedule only serves to irritate me as I can still get a train but with an unknown schedule, I must look at the website to see if this is one of the scheduled strike days, and it makes service even poorer than normal with sporadic trains and no announcements.
Last weekend I had a long distance ICE train trip already booked and paid for, so I needed to take the train or bus to/from Cologne on Friday and Sunday night. Friday was ok and trains were almost empty but Sunday was absolute chaos with trains running 90 min late and the boards not displaying arriving trains. Fortunately I know the bus routes very well around this area and it is possible (although longer) to take the bus completely and to bypass all trains.
What I do not understand here--coming from normally pro-union Philadelphia, where a strike actually means all operations cease and it will go on as long as it has to--how they expect to win this one when 20% of the workers are not striking and will continue operations, (as lackluster as they may be).
As a transit rider, I can certainly recognize how important you are if I cannot get a ride at all, in particular for a longer time period. You suddenly realize and appreciate what you do not have when it is completely gone. This pseudo-strike with its partial schedule only serves to irritate me as I can still get a train but with an unknown schedule, I must look at the website to see if this is one of the scheduled strike days, and it makes service even poorer than normal with sporadic trains and no announcements.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
More on the Angry Whopper
I've seen a few comments around the internet about Burger King's latest campaign here in Germany, for the Angry Whopper. The "Angry Whopper" comes with "Angry Onions." But you can also buy Angry Onions separately, if you so choose--as I did today for lunch instead of fries. Unfortunately they do not have an 'Angry Vegetarian burger', only the normal non-angry version. ;-)
-If you're only visiting Germany, you'd probably think--well that's a little goofy, those wacky Germans.
-If you live here as a non-native Germany speaker like me, you probably blinked and automatically went into 'backward translation mode' trying to figure out what word they were working off of to mistakenly come up with 'angry' in English.
If you did as I did, you were automatically assuming that it was a bad English translation, or one of those goofy uses of English in Germany that inundates life here.
And if you did make that assumption, then you would also be wrong. :-) Check out the UK's campaign for the Angry Whopper:
http://www.burgerking.co.uk/
http://www.angry-gram.com/
Although notice that the UK has the additional description of 'hot-headed jalapeños' while in the German version the jalapeños seem to go together with the onions under the shared 'angry' adjective, although not angry in and of themselves.
BTW, my German work colleagues thought this campaign was goofy in German thinking as well. "Angry onions, what is that supposed to mean?"
-If you're only visiting Germany, you'd probably think--well that's a little goofy, those wacky Germans.
-If you live here as a non-native Germany speaker like me, you probably blinked and automatically went into 'backward translation mode' trying to figure out what word they were working off of to mistakenly come up with 'angry' in English.
If you did as I did, you were automatically assuming that it was a bad English translation, or one of those goofy uses of English in Germany that inundates life here.
And if you did make that assumption, then you would also be wrong. :-) Check out the UK's campaign for the Angry Whopper:
http://www.burgerking.co.uk/
http://www.angry-gram.com/
Although notice that the UK has the additional description of 'hot-headed jalapeños' while in the German version the jalapeños seem to go together with the onions under the shared 'angry' adjective, although not angry in and of themselves.
BTW, my German work colleagues thought this campaign was goofy in German thinking as well. "Angry onions, what is that supposed to mean?"
Monday, October 08, 2007
The Oct 3 holiday in review - Part II
Following on Part I of the story, we walked all the way to the end of the street festival. I was surprised at how crowded it was considering it was still the work day, but we later found out it was the last day of the fair. Along the way we saw lots of rides and games, but nothing really stood out. I would have done the nice ferris wheel, but neither of us had brought a camera to capture the surrounding view.
I pointed out to D the camel racing game. It was a game I played often at the Jersey shore while growing up, but ours were jockeys on horses. It's sort of like skee ball, you have a small ball and must roll it up and aim for one of the 7 holes. The more difficult the hole the higher the points, or if you aim poorly the ball just comes back down the gutter and you get no points. As you get points, your camel/horse moves forward, competing against the other 13 or so players doing the same thing.
D. kindly offered that we should play a round, after I mentioned that I was 'the absolute best' at this game in my younger years. After overcoming the embarrassment that it was mainly children playing, we were signed up for two games each. Of course I won. I'm not sure if D was more embarrassed that I was as good as I said, or that his gf just triumphed over a group of 8 year olds. Then I lost the second game by a hair to the little girl sitting one seat over from me. The winning little girl gave her prize to her little sister who was sitting next to me. So I then gave my prize on the previous game to that little girl.
All gamed out we wondered back through the town for some final shopping. It was also a shopping Sunday that coming Sunday. Back at the car we had planned to have a drive back to Roermond to go to the supermarket. It was just before 17, but fortunately there wasn't much of a commuter backup in Weert. We made a quick stop at the garden center on the way out of town, but they did not have what I was seeking.
Earlier in the afternoon I had spotted a farm selling I was guessing pumpkins and that sort of thing based on a big pumpkin filled cart in the field. They had a Dutch flag out front and a sign saying something in Dutch, but it may as well have said 'Dutch drugs' for all we knew. I spotted it on the way back and we took a chance in pulling into the driveway at exactly 17.00. Once in the driveway you could see what you could not see from the road--the most beautiful display of bright orange pumpkins, along with other assorted gourds and that sort of thing.
It seemed to be a hobby farm as all they had were pumpkins and gourds, and each one had a tiny little handwritten price sticker. The display was laid out tastefully and meticulously in the garage/barn. Each item had been handwashed so everything was without a speck of dirt. The stems were fresh like everything had come from the immediately adjacent field. The best part was that the prices were a lot cheaper than in Germany where pumpkin retails for 1.50 eur/kilo.
D and I ended up with all that we could carry for 14 euros. For that princely sum I bought one perfect Halloween pumpkin, perhaps 5 pounds, a tall dark green gourd maybe 3 pounds, a short, squat and bumpy varigated 2 pound gourd, a small perfect pumpkin perhaps 2 pounds to sit next to my door in the hallway, a one pounder for the office, and two jack be littles at 50 cents each to give away to Germans who are temping for me. Yes, Halloween is my favorite holiday still.
-->If you want to go to this wonderful pumpkin stand, it's easy to find and a short trip if you've already made the trek to Roermond. Go to Roermond to the outlets. If coming from Germany from the east you'll probably come in on the N280, so that the outlet center is on your right and town proper is on your left. Just stay on the same main road and follow the signs toward Weert. The road will narrow down from two lanes in each direction to one, and you'll start to see crop fields.
The farm has a large Dutch flag out front and a sign in Dutch that meant nothing to either D or I understanding German. IF you happen to pass it (and you may as it is only a little driveway between a house and a cornfield), don't fret. You'll know for sure if you've passed it once you see a large horse-drawn cart filled with pumpkins etc. parked in the field next to it, which would be your signal to turn around.
Anyway...with the car filled with pumpkin purchases, we kept heading back in the Roermond direction, and upon reaching the outlet area again at 1720, we found it to be an absolute parking lot. No worries as we had planned to turn off anyway to go to Jumbo in Roermond. I like Jumbo as much as I like Tref in Venlo. Both have nice selections overall and good vegetarian selections. And, some recent good news:
JUMBO IN ROERMOND IS OPEN ON SUNDAYS FROM 12-17 FOR THE REST OF 2007 as some sort of trial phase. Supermarket shopping every Sunday of the year if I would like. Do you live in the Cologne/Dusseldorf area? Send me a note and we can arrange a train station where I can find you and I will drive you over to Roermond to share in my happiness and my desire to shop there on Sundays to show support of such a policy. My Dutch colleague found it amusing that the announcement was in Dutch on a sandwich board in front of the supermarket, but that they also provided a smaller translation in German.
While I shopped, D had 'bottle duty.' I have begun to carry around all extra bottles that need to be recycled outside of Germany. Like it's not enough of a hassle inside of Germany. Since I sometimes have worktrips to Belgium I end up picked up some raspberry beer there, as well as sometimes in Holland. I had around 20 extra bottles that belonged somewhere, but I was not sure where. Interestingly, the exact same cherry beer has two different bottle shapes depending on if it is purchased in Holland or in Belgium, and of course it can only go back from whence it came.
The people in Jumbo Roermond were so helpful trying as D was putting things into their automated machine and making it unhappy. Sometimes when you get a person, they know the bottle dimensions, so they will override the machine and take another bottle if they are selling the same exact thing but of a different variety, so the person recognizes what the machine cannot with its barcode rules. At the end of the day they managed to take everything except one type of Hoegaarden bottle that they explained says on the back that it is not a deposit returning bottle (oops) and a six pack of Budweiser bottles that they sell, but in a different bottle shape, so not returnable there.
We hopped back into the car at 18.00, but traffic was still an absolute parking lot so we decided to stop for dinner rather than risk getting home at 21.00 starving. We parked up and took a walk around already knowing in general Roermond town center. We went to New Delhi Indian restaurant which is located on Neerstraat 32 (very near to the town/mall entrance of Jumbo NOT the parking lot side) and is open Mon-Fri from 18-22.30 and Sat 17-23. It was not 'burn your mouth out' Indian, but a gentler, full of flavor Indian. Everything tasted like it was freshly prepared. The man and his daughter who run the customer side (I think Mom was in the kitchen cooking) were absolutely delightful in personality. Highly recommended and we would go back even if we didn't need to wait out a traffic jam. They do not serve alcohol, and my only regret was that I did not try their alcohol free wine as I saw another table order a second glass.
Finally it was after 20 by the time we were back in the car, and thankfully all the Germans were back over the border so the drive home only took an hour or so. We got pummeled by the fantastic rainstorms upon arriving back in the Cologne area but that was the first rain we saw all day, so ok.
I pointed out to D the camel racing game. It was a game I played often at the Jersey shore while growing up, but ours were jockeys on horses. It's sort of like skee ball, you have a small ball and must roll it up and aim for one of the 7 holes. The more difficult the hole the higher the points, or if you aim poorly the ball just comes back down the gutter and you get no points. As you get points, your camel/horse moves forward, competing against the other 13 or so players doing the same thing.
D. kindly offered that we should play a round, after I mentioned that I was 'the absolute best' at this game in my younger years. After overcoming the embarrassment that it was mainly children playing, we were signed up for two games each. Of course I won. I'm not sure if D was more embarrassed that I was as good as I said, or that his gf just triumphed over a group of 8 year olds. Then I lost the second game by a hair to the little girl sitting one seat over from me. The winning little girl gave her prize to her little sister who was sitting next to me. So I then gave my prize on the previous game to that little girl.
All gamed out we wondered back through the town for some final shopping. It was also a shopping Sunday that coming Sunday. Back at the car we had planned to have a drive back to Roermond to go to the supermarket. It was just before 17, but fortunately there wasn't much of a commuter backup in Weert. We made a quick stop at the garden center on the way out of town, but they did not have what I was seeking.
Earlier in the afternoon I had spotted a farm selling I was guessing pumpkins and that sort of thing based on a big pumpkin filled cart in the field. They had a Dutch flag out front and a sign saying something in Dutch, but it may as well have said 'Dutch drugs' for all we knew. I spotted it on the way back and we took a chance in pulling into the driveway at exactly 17.00. Once in the driveway you could see what you could not see from the road--the most beautiful display of bright orange pumpkins, along with other assorted gourds and that sort of thing.
It seemed to be a hobby farm as all they had were pumpkins and gourds, and each one had a tiny little handwritten price sticker. The display was laid out tastefully and meticulously in the garage/barn. Each item had been handwashed so everything was without a speck of dirt. The stems were fresh like everything had come from the immediately adjacent field. The best part was that the prices were a lot cheaper than in Germany where pumpkin retails for 1.50 eur/kilo.
D and I ended up with all that we could carry for 14 euros. For that princely sum I bought one perfect Halloween pumpkin, perhaps 5 pounds, a tall dark green gourd maybe 3 pounds, a short, squat and bumpy varigated 2 pound gourd, a small perfect pumpkin perhaps 2 pounds to sit next to my door in the hallway, a one pounder for the office, and two jack be littles at 50 cents each to give away to Germans who are temping for me. Yes, Halloween is my favorite holiday still.
-->If you want to go to this wonderful pumpkin stand, it's easy to find and a short trip if you've already made the trek to Roermond. Go to Roermond to the outlets. If coming from Germany from the east you'll probably come in on the N280, so that the outlet center is on your right and town proper is on your left. Just stay on the same main road and follow the signs toward Weert. The road will narrow down from two lanes in each direction to one, and you'll start to see crop fields.
The farm has a large Dutch flag out front and a sign in Dutch that meant nothing to either D or I understanding German. IF you happen to pass it (and you may as it is only a little driveway between a house and a cornfield), don't fret. You'll know for sure if you've passed it once you see a large horse-drawn cart filled with pumpkins etc. parked in the field next to it, which would be your signal to turn around.
Anyway...with the car filled with pumpkin purchases, we kept heading back in the Roermond direction, and upon reaching the outlet area again at 1720, we found it to be an absolute parking lot. No worries as we had planned to turn off anyway to go to Jumbo in Roermond. I like Jumbo as much as I like Tref in Venlo. Both have nice selections overall and good vegetarian selections. And, some recent good news:
JUMBO IN ROERMOND IS OPEN ON SUNDAYS FROM 12-17 FOR THE REST OF 2007 as some sort of trial phase. Supermarket shopping every Sunday of the year if I would like. Do you live in the Cologne/Dusseldorf area? Send me a note and we can arrange a train station where I can find you and I will drive you over to Roermond to share in my happiness and my desire to shop there on Sundays to show support of such a policy. My Dutch colleague found it amusing that the announcement was in Dutch on a sandwich board in front of the supermarket, but that they also provided a smaller translation in German.
While I shopped, D had 'bottle duty.' I have begun to carry around all extra bottles that need to be recycled outside of Germany. Like it's not enough of a hassle inside of Germany. Since I sometimes have worktrips to Belgium I end up picked up some raspberry beer there, as well as sometimes in Holland. I had around 20 extra bottles that belonged somewhere, but I was not sure where. Interestingly, the exact same cherry beer has two different bottle shapes depending on if it is purchased in Holland or in Belgium, and of course it can only go back from whence it came.
The people in Jumbo Roermond were so helpful trying as D was putting things into their automated machine and making it unhappy. Sometimes when you get a person, they know the bottle dimensions, so they will override the machine and take another bottle if they are selling the same exact thing but of a different variety, so the person recognizes what the machine cannot with its barcode rules. At the end of the day they managed to take everything except one type of Hoegaarden bottle that they explained says on the back that it is not a deposit returning bottle (oops) and a six pack of Budweiser bottles that they sell, but in a different bottle shape, so not returnable there.
We hopped back into the car at 18.00, but traffic was still an absolute parking lot so we decided to stop for dinner rather than risk getting home at 21.00 starving. We parked up and took a walk around already knowing in general Roermond town center. We went to New Delhi Indian restaurant which is located on Neerstraat 32 (very near to the town/mall entrance of Jumbo NOT the parking lot side) and is open Mon-Fri from 18-22.30 and Sat 17-23. It was not 'burn your mouth out' Indian, but a gentler, full of flavor Indian. Everything tasted like it was freshly prepared. The man and his daughter who run the customer side (I think Mom was in the kitchen cooking) were absolutely delightful in personality. Highly recommended and we would go back even if we didn't need to wait out a traffic jam. They do not serve alcohol, and my only regret was that I did not try their alcohol free wine as I saw another table order a second glass.
Finally it was after 20 by the time we were back in the car, and thankfully all the Germans were back over the border so the drive home only took an hour or so. We got pummeled by the fantastic rainstorms upon arriving back in the Cologne area but that was the first rain we saw all day, so ok.
Sunday, October 07, 2007
Travel advice-->Basel?
I have an all day work meeting in Basel on Friday Oct 26th. As a result, I can:
1. Stay in Basel until Saturday or Sunday, and take the company-paid train home then. However, I've already spent one weekend in Basel under a similar situation last year and that seemed to be sufficient.
2. Just come home Friday night, arriving around 21 or so in Koeln as the meeting lasts until 17.
3. Use Basel as a launching pad for a cheap flight elsewhere (not company paid). I still have five days of unplanned vacation left so it can be a long weekend, assuming I can find a one-way out (mainly EasyJet from Basel), and a one-way back (mainly using anyone but EastJet to CGN or DUS).
Thoughts?
1. Stay in Basel until Saturday or Sunday, and take the company-paid train home then. However, I've already spent one weekend in Basel under a similar situation last year and that seemed to be sufficient.
2. Just come home Friday night, arriving around 21 or so in Koeln as the meeting lasts until 17.
3. Use Basel as a launching pad for a cheap flight elsewhere (not company paid). I still have five days of unplanned vacation left so it can be a long weekend, assuming I can find a one-way out (mainly EasyJet from Basel), and a one-way back (mainly using anyone but EastJet to CGN or DUS).
Thoughts?
Saturday, October 06, 2007
The Oct 3 holiday in review - Part I
Earlier this week, Wednesday Oct 3, was the German reunification holiday, so a mid-week day off from work. I had not bothered looking for any travel opportunities because the Germans tend to book 51 weeks in advance, so the prices get jacked up.
I'm so far over on the western side of Germany where the only comment upon the day is to grumble about the reunification tax coming out of one's paycheck and how 'we never should have gone back together with them'. In the local paper there was a flea market scheduled, but otherwise, it would have been a day of sitting at home with all of the shops shut. So therefore, you know the drill...
At 10.30 we were off and heading immediately west, destination Roermond. We had planned to wander around the outlets and around town, wrapping it up with some shopping at Jumbo supermarket in Roermond. The expected drive time should have been one hour 20 minutes. However, as expected, the approximately 70 billion other Germans in the Cologne/Duesseldorf/Duisberg region, all also wanted to go over the Dutch border to shop. And they say Germans don't want the stores open any more than they are now. Pffui.
The traffic was obnoxious, so we finally rolled into Roermond at just before 13 and the outlet parking lot was closed which pushed us into the town proper where I already know that parking options are limited. After listening to the German cars beeping each other (which was why I was leaving Germany in the first place, for a break of Germany), I made the executive decision that we were getting back on the road and continuing westward.
D got out the map with the instructions-->find the next big Dutch city from here, which turned out to be Weert, a mere 17 km away. By this time we were rather hungry as it was working toward 14, and just in need of something like a McDonalds. The highway transitioned to a one lane road which then changed to a brick road--in Weert. Lo and behold a McDonalds sign pointing us toward the Centrum. Weert seemed from the road to be laid out in a circle, so we decided just to park and head in on foot.
I chose a parking spot, and as I was parking noticed that someone was watching me from a balkon. I take extreme (although laughable) pride in my parallel parking, and living in Germany has only made it that much better. If you need to get your manual car in or out of a spot uphill in in the sleet with a one inch clearance on either side, give me a call. Add added difficulty on this spot was that it crossed a bicycle lane, and as it was Holland a cycle was passing every 15 seconds, as well as a vintage Mercedes was parked behind me.
As we got out of the car--of course only after I asked D to confirm who the best parker in the Western world is--the older man on the balkon shouts something down to D. As we were coming from Germany, I was expecting him to shout at us to get out of his 'private' spot on the public street, based on the fact that he looked to be of retired age. D tried to figure out what he wanted in German, but wasn't getting it, so scurried off to get the parking slip. As I got out, the man's wife joined the man and he tried again with me.
He was commending me on my superb parking job. THIS is why I go to Holland. It made the almost three hour drive almost worth it, to have someone who appreciates good parking. (And I think it was his vintage Mercedes behind me.) D came back with the slip to put on the dashboard and we stood there a moment trying to figure out the best way to McDonalds. The ever helpful Dutch couple, seeing our confusion, starting to shout and point to direct us which street to take. How did they possibly know we wanted to go to McDonalds?
It became a little more clear once we followed their instructions, there was a huge street fair going on, and that is what they directed us to (conveniently located next to the McDonalds). We were so hungry we just went to the McDonalds anyway. I was a little disappointed, they did not carry the 'Groenburger' or the vegetarian burger that many Holland McDonalds sell. We then took a stroll down the main shopping street, where various things street fair things were set up, like games, food, rides, etc. I ended up finding a plain piece of pizza so all was well. The street fair went on for quite a long while, if you were speed walking from one end to the other, I imagine it would have taken 20 min, but we took our time, stopping to go into the open stores also.
To be continued...
I'm so far over on the western side of Germany where the only comment upon the day is to grumble about the reunification tax coming out of one's paycheck and how 'we never should have gone back together with them'. In the local paper there was a flea market scheduled, but otherwise, it would have been a day of sitting at home with all of the shops shut. So therefore, you know the drill...
At 10.30 we were off and heading immediately west, destination Roermond. We had planned to wander around the outlets and around town, wrapping it up with some shopping at Jumbo supermarket in Roermond. The expected drive time should have been one hour 20 minutes. However, as expected, the approximately 70 billion other Germans in the Cologne/Duesseldorf/Duisberg region, all also wanted to go over the Dutch border to shop. And they say Germans don't want the stores open any more than they are now. Pffui.
The traffic was obnoxious, so we finally rolled into Roermond at just before 13 and the outlet parking lot was closed which pushed us into the town proper where I already know that parking options are limited. After listening to the German cars beeping each other (which was why I was leaving Germany in the first place, for a break of Germany), I made the executive decision that we were getting back on the road and continuing westward.
D got out the map with the instructions-->find the next big Dutch city from here, which turned out to be Weert, a mere 17 km away. By this time we were rather hungry as it was working toward 14, and just in need of something like a McDonalds. The highway transitioned to a one lane road which then changed to a brick road--in Weert. Lo and behold a McDonalds sign pointing us toward the Centrum. Weert seemed from the road to be laid out in a circle, so we decided just to park and head in on foot.
I chose a parking spot, and as I was parking noticed that someone was watching me from a balkon. I take extreme (although laughable) pride in my parallel parking, and living in Germany has only made it that much better. If you need to get your manual car in or out of a spot uphill in in the sleet with a one inch clearance on either side, give me a call. Add added difficulty on this spot was that it crossed a bicycle lane, and as it was Holland a cycle was passing every 15 seconds, as well as a vintage Mercedes was parked behind me.
As we got out of the car--of course only after I asked D to confirm who the best parker in the Western world is--the older man on the balkon shouts something down to D. As we were coming from Germany, I was expecting him to shout at us to get out of his 'private' spot on the public street, based on the fact that he looked to be of retired age. D tried to figure out what he wanted in German, but wasn't getting it, so scurried off to get the parking slip. As I got out, the man's wife joined the man and he tried again with me.
He was commending me on my superb parking job. THIS is why I go to Holland. It made the almost three hour drive almost worth it, to have someone who appreciates good parking. (And I think it was his vintage Mercedes behind me.) D came back with the slip to put on the dashboard and we stood there a moment trying to figure out the best way to McDonalds. The ever helpful Dutch couple, seeing our confusion, starting to shout and point to direct us which street to take. How did they possibly know we wanted to go to McDonalds?
It became a little more clear once we followed their instructions, there was a huge street fair going on, and that is what they directed us to (conveniently located next to the McDonalds). We were so hungry we just went to the McDonalds anyway. I was a little disappointed, they did not carry the 'Groenburger' or the vegetarian burger that many Holland McDonalds sell. We then took a stroll down the main shopping street, where various things street fair things were set up, like games, food, rides, etc. I ended up finding a plain piece of pizza so all was well. The street fair went on for quite a long while, if you were speed walking from one end to the other, I imagine it would have taken 20 min, but we took our time, stopping to go into the open stores also.
To be continued...
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Why no educated rabbits in Germany?
I was doing a little online shopping and was on the Playmobil site. My cousin's son turns three this year and he is the first boy in 20 years, so he's facing a mountain of hand-me-down girl toys. In particular, I clicked the USA link and then the link on the left called 'Products' to be taken to the main products page. Usually I like to bring by holiday gifts that cannot be easily purchased in the US, so I was curious to see what other countries were offering/not offering so I drilled down through a few of the different country sites.
In particular, if you go back to the US products page from above, and then if you scroll all the way to the bottom, you'll see a bunnies link, which then takes you to another page with a few products, among them the bunnies' school.
So riddle me this batman--why isn't the equivalent product on the Germany page? I realize that cultural differences are considered in the decision to sell a product or how to market it and that you won't find wool socks so often in Florida, for example, but generally I find that so many things such as toys are global these days. So much that you see the same packaging here in Europe and in the US, with 14 different languages on it.
Curiously, in addition to the US site, you can also find the bunny school in these countries: Canada, Netherlands, UK, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France. It's missing under the flags of Spain, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Why wouldn't this product be sold in the same place on the website in German speaking countries as the others? I searched but couldn't find it hidden elsewhere either. Although, I must admit, the lack on the Spain site stymies me.
-Would it be because school is serious and not a place for rabbits?
-Is there no love for the rabbit in general in Germany? I searched for rabbits and bunnies on the German site, and there are plenty of them located elsewhere such as in the Noah's ark set or in the magician set.
Accepting any theories on this one.
In particular, if you go back to the US products page from above, and then if you scroll all the way to the bottom, you'll see a bunnies link, which then takes you to another page with a few products, among them the bunnies' school.
So riddle me this batman--why isn't the equivalent product on the Germany page? I realize that cultural differences are considered in the decision to sell a product or how to market it and that you won't find wool socks so often in Florida, for example, but generally I find that so many things such as toys are global these days. So much that you see the same packaging here in Europe and in the US, with 14 different languages on it.
Curiously, in addition to the US site, you can also find the bunny school in these countries: Canada, Netherlands, UK, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France. It's missing under the flags of Spain, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Why wouldn't this product be sold in the same place on the website in German speaking countries as the others? I searched but couldn't find it hidden elsewhere either. Although, I must admit, the lack on the Spain site stymies me.
-Would it be because school is serious and not a place for rabbits?
-Is there no love for the rabbit in general in Germany? I searched for rabbits and bunnies on the German site, and there are plenty of them located elsewhere such as in the Noah's ark set or in the magician set.
Accepting any theories on this one.
Friday, September 28, 2007
make your own timeline
Inspired by http://mightygirl.com/2007/09/05/42-make-your-timeline/
Maybe because of the fall weather, I am feeling school-centric...
My first decade:
Age 1: My great-grandmother from Poland passed away. She was the only US relative from the old country who was alive in my lifetime.
Age 2: My mother's father passed away two months after I turned two. I was the only grandchild at the time and predictably doted upon. My mother was always very sad that I could not remember him, and looking at all of the photos of me with him, nothing triggers any memories.
Age 3: I was enrolled in dance lessons, something that continued for 10 years.
Age 4: I had long blond hair and blue/green eyes.
Age 5: I was in pre-school with two good friends, another girl named Heather and a boy named Sean. At Sean's summer birthday party I was the only girl invited. I found out years later that both my mother and Sean's mother were worried that as the only girl it would be awkward for me as the expected activities were things like playing superheroes outside. All went just fine. If anything it should have been a dark cloud of forshadowing of my comfort in a male-centric environment, like IT.
Age 6: I graduated from kindergarten. In my Catholic school there was an award for the boy and girl with the highest grades. Joey Dickmann and I took it that year, and every year after that through 8th grade. He was wicked smart and my academic arch nemesis. We competed on every test, always. We lost touch when we went to different high schools.
Age 7: First grade was the year of Sister Roberta Ann who ordered and ruled our simple world with benevolence.
Age 8: The Eagles had one of their crappiest seasons ever, in my lifetime. We had 'Eagles Day' at school and instead of school uniforms we could wear Eagles sweatshirts and Eagles colors to school. Our school uniforms were Eagles green so this really wasn't such a special thing. As most of us were resigned to our fate of wearing that kelly green color five days a week, 9 months a year for 8 years, while we owned Eagles gear, we sure as hell did not own anything in that color green otherwise. It took me 10 years after that to own anything in that color by choice and even now I buy my Eagles gear in one of the other team colors besides that green.
Age 9: Third grade was the year of 'Pennsylvania focused history' on the curriculum. Pennsylvania history for those of you not in the know consists of highlights such as the 13 colonies, William Penn, the Indians, the Quakers, the Amish, and PA's favorite product: coal. History, with the exception of a few topics/eras, remains a weak area and low interest point for me in general, and it all started here.
Age 10: My friend Heather from pre-school, her mom died of cancer. I had the day off from school to go the funeral and it rained all day. At the end of the year I was questioned by the teacher, as to why I had missed only that one day. I was never a perfect attendance kid; I missed a small handful of days each year. At the awards ceremony at the end of the school year I got perfect attendance for the only time in my academic career. It still feels like I cheated, because I know that I was not there.
Maybe because of the fall weather, I am feeling school-centric...
My first decade:
Age 1: My great-grandmother from Poland passed away. She was the only US relative from the old country who was alive in my lifetime.
Age 2: My mother's father passed away two months after I turned two. I was the only grandchild at the time and predictably doted upon. My mother was always very sad that I could not remember him, and looking at all of the photos of me with him, nothing triggers any memories.
Age 3: I was enrolled in dance lessons, something that continued for 10 years.
Age 4: I had long blond hair and blue/green eyes.
Age 5: I was in pre-school with two good friends, another girl named Heather and a boy named Sean. At Sean's summer birthday party I was the only girl invited. I found out years later that both my mother and Sean's mother were worried that as the only girl it would be awkward for me as the expected activities were things like playing superheroes outside. All went just fine. If anything it should have been a dark cloud of forshadowing of my comfort in a male-centric environment, like IT.
Age 6: I graduated from kindergarten. In my Catholic school there was an award for the boy and girl with the highest grades. Joey Dickmann and I took it that year, and every year after that through 8th grade. He was wicked smart and my academic arch nemesis. We competed on every test, always. We lost touch when we went to different high schools.
Age 7: First grade was the year of Sister Roberta Ann who ordered and ruled our simple world with benevolence.
Age 8: The Eagles had one of their crappiest seasons ever, in my lifetime. We had 'Eagles Day' at school and instead of school uniforms we could wear Eagles sweatshirts and Eagles colors to school. Our school uniforms were Eagles green so this really wasn't such a special thing. As most of us were resigned to our fate of wearing that kelly green color five days a week, 9 months a year for 8 years, while we owned Eagles gear, we sure as hell did not own anything in that color green otherwise. It took me 10 years after that to own anything in that color by choice and even now I buy my Eagles gear in one of the other team colors besides that green.
Age 9: Third grade was the year of 'Pennsylvania focused history' on the curriculum. Pennsylvania history for those of you not in the know consists of highlights such as the 13 colonies, William Penn, the Indians, the Quakers, the Amish, and PA's favorite product: coal. History, with the exception of a few topics/eras, remains a weak area and low interest point for me in general, and it all started here.
Age 10: My friend Heather from pre-school, her mom died of cancer. I had the day off from school to go the funeral and it rained all day. At the end of the year I was questioned by the teacher, as to why I had missed only that one day. I was never a perfect attendance kid; I missed a small handful of days each year. At the awards ceremony at the end of the school year I got perfect attendance for the only time in my academic career. It still feels like I cheated, because I know that I was not there.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Things to do in Vilnius
Only since vailian asked--although the areas outside of Vilnius deserve separate posts in their own right, someday when I have spare time.
So when visiting Vilnius, in addition to picking up a guidebook and seeing the usual sites like Gediminas Tower, St. Anne's Church, and the Jewish Vilnius sites, I would recommend the following:
1. Definitely go to old town and take an afternoon to walk around. It's a little touristed, but interesting to see with its cobbled streets and old churches. It's around a 15 min walk from the central train station.
2. Try the local beer: Svyturys. My particular favorite is the Ekstra unpasteurized. While having a beer, it's good to have a beer snack. I suggest kepta duona which is fried dark bread with garlic. Even better, get it with suris (cheese).
3. Look for a local food place or cafeteria selling cepelinai or zeppelins. It's an starchy oval shaped potato meal filled in the center with either meat or cheese, and with a meat or cheese sauce. Sometimes they are a little difficult to find as they are labor intensive to make. They are heavy, have them for lunch on a day when you went without breakfast, or take only one instead of two. A popular Lithuanian chain where they are always available is Forto Dvaras and their menu is in English.
4. Take a walk through the Užupis district of Vilnius. It is an 'independent district' in Vilnius at the bottom of old town. It was a former artist colony and still interesting to some of the recent creations.
5. If you have time for a day trip from Vilnius, go to Trakai castle.
So when visiting Vilnius, in addition to picking up a guidebook and seeing the usual sites like Gediminas Tower, St. Anne's Church, and the Jewish Vilnius sites, I would recommend the following:
1. Definitely go to old town and take an afternoon to walk around. It's a little touristed, but interesting to see with its cobbled streets and old churches. It's around a 15 min walk from the central train station.
2. Try the local beer: Svyturys. My particular favorite is the Ekstra unpasteurized. While having a beer, it's good to have a beer snack. I suggest kepta duona which is fried dark bread with garlic. Even better, get it with suris (cheese).
3. Look for a local food place or cafeteria selling cepelinai or zeppelins. It's an starchy oval shaped potato meal filled in the center with either meat or cheese, and with a meat or cheese sauce. Sometimes they are a little difficult to find as they are labor intensive to make. They are heavy, have them for lunch on a day when you went without breakfast, or take only one instead of two. A popular Lithuanian chain where they are always available is Forto Dvaras and their menu is in English.
4. Take a walk through the Užupis district of Vilnius. It is an 'independent district' in Vilnius at the bottom of old town. It was a former artist colony and still interesting to some of the recent creations.
5. If you have time for a day trip from Vilnius, go to Trakai castle.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)