What to take for a week up north around New Year's Eve

Not much! Make it handluggage: two trousers, two sweaters, two t-shirts (one preferably of the glitzy kind so it might be worn at parties as well), a skirt (party!), lots of warm socks, silk stockings (to match the glitzy t-shirt), black leggings, two pairs of boots (one high-heeled aka glitzy to party with), warm slippers, a silken nightie (not to show off, just because of weight), underpants (one pair red, as is the custom in Italy for New Year's eve - more luck in the new year then), a bra (red - hah!), a warm jacket, hat, scarf, gloves, some jewellery (party!), soap, tooth paste, make up, perfume (partyyyyyyyyy!) - all wrapped up in one of those zip-open, zip-shut see-thru bags they ask for according to european law for flights (pffffff!), hmmmmmm...
Presents, Berlin bears, passport and stuff, mobile, camera, hearing aids (sigh), a spare pair of glasses just in case, a small booklet with all the informations on flights, busses, phone numbers (if I loose this I'm buggered), a book, hmmm...
Sweets (little sugar piglets), horoscopes to laugh about, games to play....
I guess that's about it!
6 kilo - beat that!
And at 10 am off to the airport and Helsinki to meet my friends! Under the balls! The twelve grapes to be swallowed around midnight I'll buy in Funland! :)

24 hrs of hosting

Ivan stayed for just over 24 hours only. He left in the middle of the night, we hugged good bye for the week, and will meet again in Riga next saturday. By now he should be with his girlfriend in Elsis' flat, enjoying each other's company after long months of being apart.
Yesterday after some heavy shopping in Schöneberg, we bought daytickets for the public transport (less than 6 Euro per person) and went to a few places he hadn't visited or even known about so far. He loved learning about the wall at Potsdamer Platz, hated the crowds at the turkish market, but enjoyed the Xmas markets and illuminations of the streets. And marvelled on ice skating and skiing facilities in the middle of the city. Crazy Berliners in a crazy artificial winter world!
He loved my flat as well and took lots of pics. Well, it's a cozy little place, spacious enough to hold a few guests. I will host again as soon as I'm back from my new year's trip to Helsinki and Riga. Kliment - you know him. Looking forward to all those days when I'll meet lots of friends I have made this year when travelling! :)

Xmas market again! And again! And again!

Surprise, surprise: Xmas markets in Berlin. Lots of them. All over Germany it's the tradition to close them down on Xmas. Not in Berlin.
And sales started already. They used to go strong for a week end of january. We might find the first easteregg soon. There's no seasons in shopping any more. It's buy-buy-buy all year through.
Shops are open on sundays in Berlin now. Shops are open until late at night every day of the week. I wonder where the money comes from to buy during all these extra hours. And starting Monday we'll have to pay more taxes, 19 % instead of 16.
So now we have more time to buy stuff which is more expensive, we don't need and can't afford anyway. Lovely.
I didn't get the books I wanted though yesterday. So my dear hosts from Turkey will have to wait until next year. So sad.
I'm hosting myself now. Ivan aka Lovas from Madrid arrived at Schönefeld airport shortly before midnight. He will leave again tomorrow very early, at around 3 am. We might as well stay awake, cos today we went to bed at 3 am. Not much sleep until the man with the new modem rang. But now I'm connected with the world again. Bit tired, but online. ;)

Back in the flat without any cat - sigh!

Home sweet home, but no cats, no dogs, and no kids around. So sad!
After a somewhat late flight cos of a left suitcase that was supposed to hold a bomb or something, and a fast and cheap taxi ride back to Crellestraße (you learn to bargain when travelling), I read the mails I got during the last ten weeks (mostly bills), watered some flowers, bought some berlin food, couldn't chat or check my online mail - internet didn't work and they will repair it tomorrow only (pffff). So I'm sitting in the local library hacking away for 50 cent per hour.
Outside my spacious flat, a lot of new shops and restaurants opened in the last weeks, as is the rule in this area or kiez - that's what we Berliners call it. Ok, I'm not really a Berliner,but still.
One just round the corner where I never saw any guests eating or drinking in any of the several restaurants opened and shut during the last five years. It's a shop-cum-cafe called "Kloster", selling biologically grown food. I'll have to try it, though I'm not into religion nor spirituality. And they seem to be very much so, check here. I wonder how long they'll survive.
And the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz at Hauptstraße has changed a lot, too: there's less streets and more space to sit underneath trees. Just like it used to be a hundred years ago. :)
By the way: It just started snowing! Hence the pic. :) :)
And now on to do some shopping! Lots of vouchers in the mail as well, so they have to be spent. C ya tomorrow! :)

Last day in Stuttgart

No walks through the white winter woods for me yesterday. Neither for Alex and Anna, but she at least had been walking a nice dog from the animal home the two days before and will again today.
Instead I cleaned my tiny room underneath the sky (and then the cats took over) and cooked (pumpkin cream soup, delicious) and packed. Not only handluggage for me today, I'm taking the Xmas presents with me. So it will amount to more than 8 kilo and won't fit into my backpack either. I'm flying Lufthansa and already checked in online. Alex will drive me to the airport just after lunch.
Ahhh, I'm looking forward to the first cup of Illy coffee done in my Carmencita and drunk out of my far travelled Hoops and Yoyo mug. In my Berlin flat, after having been away for more than two months. I wonder what it will feel like to be back there again.

A walk in the woods ? Or movietime?

Lots of movies on tv during Xmas. And Alex buys all the best on dvd. So yesterday whilst the kids were invited to Xmas dinner at their father's place, I stayed at home and - instead of cleaning my room underneath the roof - watched "Pirates of the Carribean II". And when they were back, a few more films with Anna.
Today, after packing my lightweight backpack and hopefully doing up my room, we might go for a walk around Vaihingen. Bärenschlössle in the middle of the woods by the lakes, maybe. It's the Stuttgarters' favourite weekend area, after all, and only around the corner from our little old house.
Or maybe movies again? ;)

White Xmas! :)

Wow! What a great surprise! I woke up this morning, looked out the window just opposite my bed, and saw there's SNOW everywhere! Isn't that ever so wonderful! White Xmas after all! :)
Yesterday we had a nice quiet day and evening at home, great food (Raclette) and some fun movies. It was sunny and cold outside, but we preferred staying in our cozy house close to the Xmas tree.
The gifts were just lovely! Anna enjoyed her first latte macchiatto with her brandnew coffeemachine, and Alex loves his new books and the money, both of which he needs for university. I got a small (verry small) flask of my favourite perfume Paloma Picasso - perfect to travel with, Anna said -, a Hoops and Yoyo mug sent all the way from the US - ordered by Anna, of course -, the coffeemaker I told you about, and from family in Düsseldorf a beautiful green woollen and silk pashmina scarf. And lots of little homemade sweets, all done by my niece Helen.
The parcel we had sent them still hasn't reached them yet. The post website says it's stuck somewhere around Düsseldorf. Let's hope it didn't get lost!

Fröhliche Weihnachten euch allen!

Have a wonderful time and enjoy some great days with family and friends!
Merry Christmas - God Jul - Glaedelig Jul - Häid jõule - С Рождеством Христовым - Feliz Navidad - Vrolijk Kerstfeest - Buon Natale - Wesolych Swiat - Bom Natal - Joyeux Nöel - Veselé vánoce - Boldog karácsonyt - Καλά Χριστούγεννα - Весела Коледа - Noeliniz kutlu olsun - Hyvää joulua!

Last chance to buy Xmas presents

Today shops and malls were full of stressed people searching for last presents. We only bought fresh bread, cheese and as a special treat some sausage for Alex who's not into meat that much any more. I found goose rillettes from France - funny, we had talked about it in chat last night, two chatfriends from France and me. So I got some, of course.
And we bought a magazine to know about the tv program over Xmas. Nothing like a nice relaxed 24 hours with the Xmas tree watching tv with the family. ;)
Anna and Alex are invited to parties and Xmas dinners in the evenings, whilst I stay at home with the cats. My shoulder and arm are still annoying me, so I don't feel like doing much. Not even visiting my dear old friends in Stuttgart. I sent Xmas cards, of course, and seeing the stamp from Stuttgart post office, Heike thought I was at home and called. We talked for more than 30 minutes - so much to catch up on! :)

Getting ready for Xmas

We bought the Xmas tree, and had it cut so it fits into our Xmas tree stand. It's a nordmann fir, on the red list of threatened species, but grown especially for Xmas tree use in Denmark mostly. It will add a nice look and smell for a long time to our house. 35 Euro is some money though! The Xmas tree we bought in the black forest when Alex had his first Xmas ever was only 3 DM, which is 1,50 Euro. Sigh.
Now all it needs is to be decorated. This will be done today, by Anna and me. Alex isn't into it since many years. But I bet he likes it all the same.

Winter solstice

Days are getting shorter and colder. It's the longest night tonight. (Exact time this year when the sun is farthest from the earth: 22nd, 0:22 am.)
But what a lovely view in the early mornings from my window underneath the roof in the middle of the old village of Vaihingen! :)
Up north in Lapland around ths time there's misterious hunting ! I didn't know that until my friends from Suomi told me. Watch the video here. And the follow up here.
Beware though! This is from Finland!

Season's greetings

What a day! Writing Xmas cards, wrapping up gifts, packing parcels, and queuing at the post office to send them in time.
Here's our favourite cookies just before they were packed and sent.
Ever so often the postman rings to bring more parcels. Time to buy the Xmas tree, set it up in Anna's livingroom, and put the presents underneath!
Back home, I found more good wishes in my e-mail. Some from friends I haven't seen since a long time. But also from the airlines I've been flying with this year, this here is an interactive one. Have fun!

Lovely smells from the kitchen

Xmas is getting closer. You can even smell it: cookies baking in the kitchen. Alex and Anna are preparing their grandma's favourite "Strohhütle" (little straw hats). It will be sent in all the parcels to the family. I'm lucky, I had the first. Yummy. :)

One more week

to go until Xmas. The kids don't like decorating this year, so we only have a few wreaths, like this one at the main door, welcoming our guests.
Well, it didn't feel like winter even lately, leave alone Xmas time. Roses are blooming, and a few days ago I picked a strawberry in our small garden.
Still Anna and I are thinking about buying a Xmas tree soon, and we'll turn the kitchen into a cookie heaven on Tuesday, so I guess the decorating spirit will come after all.
Until then it's time to read.
"Jules et Jim" - remember the film by Francois Truffaut? I'm enjoying the book by Henri-Pierre Roché now, comfortable in my warm and cozy bed until the early hours of the morning. :)

Teletubbies and moomins

Ok, I kept the hat and turned into a Xmas teletubby. ;)
I got the new glasses as well, and went to the finnish village in my new outfit to meet Patrick aka urg and his friends for a glögi (hot spicy wine). We hadn't seen each other since August in Riga, but of course met in chat.
Later Anna joined me, and we browsed the malls and shops for gifts. Again.
We found some (psssst - can't tell, they're a surprise), and I got a few books in 2001. One by Tove Jansson: "Die Mumins. Eine drollige Gesellschaft". It's a new translation of "Finn Family Moomintroll", the third book of the series. A gift for myself. Luckily, it's getting colder and greyish outside, so it's comfortable to stay at home, have a tea and read. :)

Home, sweet home ;)

Staying at home yesterday, not able to do much without my glasses. They should have been ready in the afternoon, but weren't. Maybe today.
So I read a bit (quite fine without glasses) and checked the web and friends' blogs a bit and chatted a bit (nose close to the screen). And took some pics, like this one: Alex in our kitchen.
When browsing the web, I found this amazing story about "How God created the world.". Enjoy here!

More Xmas shopping

Yesss! We bought the De Longhi (another one, but seems to be even better and was only 300 Euro at amazon.de) and my Carmencita for six cups, allowing to invite friends to have espresso with me. No muff, my sister will sew one herself. But Poptarts for Anna in the english shop. I meant them to be a special Xmas treat, but she saw them in the bag and wanted one at once. I gave in. Sigh.
Browsing the colourfully decorated shops I found a red and black woollen hat, nice and warm and funny. At home the kids thought I looked like a teletubby with it. So I'll take it back. Who would like to look like a teletubby? Not me.
More good news: Gipsy's new family called (Anna had sent them a parcel for Xmas - hint, hint), and our friendly, but shy shepherd doggy is feeling fine, and wants to be visited this sunday. Now Alex can't go because he'll be skiing this weekend. (Seems like winter is slowly coming, it's getting colder, and there's some snow in the mountains.) They try to arrange for another day or maybe Alex can come back from skiing earlier. We'll see.
Oh, by the way, talking about seeing: my long cherished glass frame (I bet this is not the correct word) broke yesterday all of a sudden. It had looked nice on me and me with it for fifteen years now. But where to get some new glasses very fast around Xmas? Luckily I had brought a spare pair of glasses from Berlin, but they're only for working on my computer. Anything in any other distance would look a bit blurry. So I went to a few opticians and found a nice one from Berlin (!), who will fix my old glasses in a new frame until this afternoon. Pffffff. Lucky me!

Xmas shopping

Yesterday I was looking around Stuttgart Xmas market, museum shops and lots of other shops and malls downtown again to find some presents for friends and family. It didn't quite work so far, so I will have another look today, Manufactum store and the Piccadilly english shop in the center should have some nice gifts.
My father would love one of those oldfashioned fur thingies you can hang around your neck and put your freezing hands inside, like this one here. Muff in german. They are the fashion again this year, too. Not for men, but still.
Anna wants a coffee machine, De Longhi. Prizes varied from 280 to 600 Euro during the last weeks. We should have bought one when it was cheapest. Now we're waiting for the prizes to drop again, after Xmas, and hopefully before Januaray 1st, when the tax will be higher. 16 % so far, then 19. Take it from the poor, not the rich, our government seems to think.
And I will get a coffee machine as well, but a simple spanish style one - Carmencita - , which you put onto the stove. I like those best. Nice coffee! :)

You got mail - from your dog ;)

Our cute, though not so small dog Kali sent us an e-mail today, wishing us all the best for Xmas and telling us about her latest adventures.
My daughter Anna had found her and her friend Gipsy in the animal home Stuttgart and managed to talk us into hosting these wonderful and lively dogs. After a few months this spring and summer, we had to give them away, cos the cats didn't get on well with them and vice versa. We were so sad!
But Anna found very nice new homes for the two doggies. And today good news, Kali is feeling better every day, having fun and running wild. Now we would like to hear from shy and quiet Gipsy. Hope she's fine with her new family, as well.

Finland's calling

I guess I told you already that Sami (my nice finnish host from May) had put a spell on me saying I can't leave Finland, and if I do I suffer. Hence the fall in Sofia and cracked shoulder, most probably. ;)
So I miss Finland, of course. And my finnish friends. Imagine my joy when I read that there's a finnish village at the Stuttgart Xmas market.
Yesterday I felt a bit better than usually after a night of tossing and turning and swearing about my b** f*** shoulder, so I went downtown to look for Xmas presents. And since the finnish village is close to my tram station Charlottenplatz, I went there first thing and last as well. In between I walked around for more than eight hours, but couldn't find any of the gifts I was looking for. Sigh.
It wasn't as nice as it might have been, and of course rather expensive, but still! I had some tasty lakka liqueur (very finnish xmassy like) to start my shopping trip, and bought some Sandels beer to take home and enjoy there just before going back to Vaihingen. (The beer was cheaper than in Finland, imagine!)
Later in the evening, in chat, I met Elsis again (her moomin party had been a success, of course, and lots of our friends had been there), and we decided to celebrate New Year together - in Helsinki, in Kliment's flat! :)
Today I booked the flights, and Elsis will invite our mutual friends! :)
Oh, by the way, Kliment won't be at home then, but in Sofia celebrating with his family. On his way back to Helsinki, he'll stop for a day in Berlin to visit me. And I'll stay in Riga in Elsis' flat on my way from Helsinki back to Berlin. Confusing? No, nice!

More travelling...

...in my dreams only :(
My shoulder keeps me from doing much, especially from travelling on now. After Xmas it'll be fine, the doctors told me. So in the meantime I stay at home and read a lot. I can't even redecorate my room (admire the view from my window), what with my right shoulder and arm still hurting. Patience is not for me, really.
Well, next year it's gonna be better, so I bought some cheap tickets from Tchibo to travel around Germany - two for 58 Euro only. My sister invited me to come over to Düsseldorf for carneval. Now I'm pondering on going there with my newly bought cheap tickets, and staying in Berlin in early February when the Berlinale is attracting movie lovers.
Maybe go to France before? I'm invited to Cannes and Paris. Or just wait for the Lufthansa offers of the week in early January and then take off to whereever those might lead me.

Fresh food for fresh people!

Whilst I was away in Berlin or travelling around Europe, my kids decided to live and eat healthy. Great.
First Alex, then Anna as well. So when they heard about this offer from some farmers close to Stuttgart to bring vegetables and fruit and even milk and Anna's favourite drink Bionade, they couldn't resist.
Now every Wednesday, Anna is making up a list of what to order from Laiseacker, and on Friday we find three huge baskets full of farm goodies at our front door.
Tonight they showed a documentary about long forgotten veggies and Laiseacker on tv. Now we know what all those nice people working for our good health are looking like. And they said they give away special recipe books on those forgotten but tasty veggies. For free. We'll have to have one with the next delivery!
On the picture, you see Anna in our kitchen having some more of this wonderful apple juice, tasting of ripe apples, not preservatives. :)

What flower are you?

I'm a snapdragon. "Mischief is your middle name, but your first is friend. You are quite the prankster that loves to make other people laugh." Hmmm.
This quiz said so. Well, actually I like snapdragons. Especially this one. :)
I found this quiz and quite some more ideas for my blog (admire the timeticker at top and the visitors' map down below to the right) on my friend Tanja's blog. Remember her from Lahti in July? If you are into knitting as she is, you have to visit her blog!
Oh, by the way, she's a snapdragon as well. :)

Eating Moomins

In chat yesterday we were exchanging recipes for Xmas cakes and cookies. When checking for the finnish joulutorttu, I found this cute gingerbread Moomin house. There's even a guide for building your own on this blog - a great source for finnish cooking, I'm sure I'll check it quite often from now on!
But it reminds me: I can't join Elsis' Moomin party in Riga this weekend. :(

Santa Claus - Sinterklaas - Nikolaus - and Hoops and Yoyo

December 6 is the day of Nikolaus aka Santa Claus in Germany. When the kids were younger, they polished their biggest boots, set them up in front of the door (inside) on the evening of the 5th, and lo, behold! next morning they were filled with huge chocolate Santa Clauses, nuts, oranges and apples. And a small extra, like a book. Now since they're grown up, they said they didn't feel like doing it any more. And they don't like the cheap chocolate anyway.
I felt sooo bad all day! :(
So late in the afternoon I went to the mall and bought some good quality chocolate Santa Clauses, nice bubbly chocolate and xmassy smelling bath bombs and such, and on the morning of the 6th went softly-softly downstairs to set up the not polished at all boots and fill them with the goodies.
And - can you believe it - Santa Claus had already been there and put some great xmas chocolate and small bottle of champagne into my not-polished-at-all-since-weeks sneakers. :)
In the evening Anna found this cute Hoops and Yoyo calendar and set it up on her laptop. You can download it as well (here) and enjoy the fun like we do!

Free hugs against the cold

December, winter time - grey sky, grey streets, grey people, running around the shops to buy-buy-buy. Money can't buy you love and warmth though, can it? And we need a lot of it, especially in cold winter. So a big hug would help, hein?
Last week a message in Hospitality Club told about the "Free Hugs Campaign" started in Australia a few years ago and spreading around the world by help of a video clip on Youtube. And of course not even 24 hours later members had decided to meet and offer big hugs to passers-by on Saturday December 2nd from 11 o'clock onwards.
Everybody had lots of fun, despite the cold weather, and wants to do it again, most probably on December 16, the "Official" Hugging Day. Or even before, cos they're more into spontaneous action.
I was sorry I couldn't join my friends in Helsinki, and glad they took pictures and published them on the web. I'm sure you'll recognize a few of them.
You'll find all the links to photos and online news in the HC-threads: Berlin - Düsseldorf - Graz - Helsinki - London - Lyon - Warsaw
Hey, how about joining the campaign? Either check the web and especially HC to meet with others. Or just put up a sign for yourself and huuuuuuuuuuuuugggg!

Happy International Volunteer Day!

Did you know it's International Volunteer Day today? I didn't, till I was told in HC-chat a few minutes ago.
Searching the web a bit, I found how important volunteers are to achieve the UN goals all United Nations Member States have pledged to meet by the year 2015. You find a few of these Millennium Development Goals (MDG - the UN loves abbreviations) in the pic, and all of them here.
I learned as well that "every year, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme and its Online Volunteering (OV) service honour ten exceptional women and men who have made an exemplary impact on human development by sharing their expertise over the Internet and by demonstrating their commitment to volunteering." The winners of the 'Online Volunteer of the Year' award for 2006 were announced today. Check here.
Hmmm - something to think about doing when I stop working in just over five years from now.

New books!

Like every year we bought lots of books at Vaihingen Xmas market, from members of the the Lion's Club. No need to pay a lot for crime literature earlier, cos the best published during the year will be available for one Euro here. I left with quite a few, among them another Gervase Fen by my favourite british author Edmund Crispin (turns out I had read it in 1984 already, then published under another title), and some books on home decorating and colours, only 3 Euro each. :)
On Sunday, I made it to the artists' market in the beautifully renovated old fire engine house in Vaihingen center, and of course left with two great pics. I might have bought a lot more, they were really cheap as well as amazing!
So now when back in Berlin (when, I wonder) I'll have to paint a few walls and find a place where best to admire the new paintings!

Weekend of the Xmas markets

On Thursday, Xmas market in Stuttgart was opened - I missed it, cos I had to go from one doctor to the other to find out my shoulder bone is slightly cracked. I will for sure go there next week, especially since they offer a finnish market this year! :)
And this weekend, all over Germany there's more Xmas markets everywhere. Even in Vaihingen center, just round the corner from where we live. It's getting more commercial by the year, but there still are those volunteers and kids baking and knitting and helping do great Xmas presents and decorations for free which are sold to get some money for people and projects needing it badly. Pics of the last years you'll find here.
At Fanny-Leicht-Gymnasium, the secondary school my kids visited a long time ago, the 14 years olds set up those stands. I remember the cold winter when we had six children in our kitchen baking and filling up bags with Xmas cookies for days and nights on end, with friends coming ever so often to bring more goodies.
All in all we had three huge baskets full of cookies, more than 12 different kinds of them, plus gingerbread men and women. They were sold on the very first day, and we had to bake all thru the night to have one more huge basket full for sunday.
We used to buy all our Xmas decorations on the Vaihingen market, wreaths and mistle toes and lots of Xmas presents as well. This year all we got was some cookies from the "Katzenhilfe Stuttgart", volunteers helping stray cats to find new homes. Of course Anna's cats Felix and Emily are from there. And of course the cookies were so great, they were eaten up the same afternoon.
Today Alex went to help his friend Annelie and her family at the Xmas market in Münchingen, and Anna is off to the Tierheim Stuttgart where she volunteers every first sunday in a month to sell cookies and cakes. The one she baked yesterday smells yummy! Pity I can't go and have some. ;)

Stop AIDS - keep the promise!

Yesterday was World AIDS Day - an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV and AIDS. And I couldn't wear my red ribbon which I had left in Berlin. :(
In 2000, state leaders made a promise to stop and begin to reverse the spread of AIDS by 2015. New reports by UNAIDS and the World Health Organization (WHO) say that the epidemic continues to spread in every region of the world. By now more than 65 million people have been infected with HIV and well over 25 million people have died of AIDS since 1981, 2.9 million in 2006 alone.
The UN started a campaign to remind the politicians and make them keep their promise. We all should help. Read more here.

December 1st: Calendartime!

The tradition in Germany in the weeks before Xmas is to give each other a calendar, with sweets or little presents. Each day you open one more window or box to find a nice surprise.
After many years without on its website, my trade union ver.di has one again. Congratulations! No idea what we'll find each day. We'll see! Check with me here! ;)

The tube that stopped the travel plans

Well, it wasn't the tube, but what they found out today in this magnetic thingy. So my shoulder is broken a teeny-weeny bit, not much, but enough to be stuck in Stuttgart some more. No moomin party in Riga with Elsis and our friends for me then. Not fair. :(
But I am able to chat again, and to meet my friends there again, and they had missed me. Nice. Gru told me to not listen to the doctors and just go on travelling. As long as I found nice males to carry my light weight backpack. Jejeje.
Not many more news from here, besdies this. Went to the new James Bond movie last sunday, Anna and Alex and Volker and me. Anna wanted us to go. Surprise, surprise.
Felix the cat is getting better by the hour. Me mostly as well. Volker has moved to his new flat. We found some great decorations for it at IKEA. Of course. And some pictures at the local museums and at ALDI, of all places. Since 2003 they sell art for 12,99 € the pic. Great stuff. We chose "Sonne" by Michael Fischer for his kitchen.
Oh, and the Xmas markets open up all over Germany today. In Vaihingen the local market will be open the weekend. The weather feels more like spring, though. Trees start blooming again. Weird weather.

Violence against women: Not a minute more!

November 25th is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. In Germany, it's been thirty years now since the first women's house was opened to give shelter and safety to misused women in Berlin. Up to now there's more than 400 of those places all over Germany, the first opened by autonomous organisations, later by churches and townships as well. I helped a bit by giving clothes, furniture and more whenever I could.
Nicole Kidman helps - she's goodwill ambassador of UNIFEM, the United Nations Development Fund for Women. (Yes, that's her in the pic.)
You can help, too, either call your local women's house (find them through this website)or check here!

Good news?

One week since those sad news about my arm and shoulder passed fast, and today I went to see my doctor again. It still hurts too much, and now I'll have to go to this other doctor who does Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Sounds awful! I only hope it will help to find I do not have to be cut and sliced!
So another week in Stuttgart, and another week of being a lefthander. Even chat is too hard now. Arrrrgh!
Anything nice to tell you? Hmmm.
Volker is moving out and found a flat of his own in the middle of Stuttgart after not even one week of searching. (Is this good news or bad news?)
Felix the cat is having tummy problems and is on Bach flowers medication now. Getting better.
The beaujolais nouveau is out in the shops since the third thursday of november (like every year), and I only found out today. (Good news?)
Oh, and on Wednesday Anna and I laughed out loud when watching "Men in Coats" on tv. Yesterday I found some websites with their award winning program. You can see for yourself here, and laugh your head off as well! Now this is good news for sure! :)

Sofia - Zagreb - Salzburg - Stuttgart

What a week! Great time in Sofia, then on tuesday on my way to the station I fell and hurt my shoulder and right arm badly (sigh), took the train to Zagreb, didn't feel better yet, so went straight on through the wonderful autumn mountains to Salzburg and Stuttgart.
The kids were slightly surprised to see their mother again, but welcomed me with hugs and kisses and helped me set up my bed - my arm still hurting like mad I couldn't well do it alone.
So now my travel plans are changed a lot, and I'm just staying at home to get well, as the doctor told me to. If my shoulder isn't any better by next friday, we'll have to check for worse and maybe operate some. Naaaa, I don't think so.
So it's quite some quiet time in Vaihingen now, reading and stuff, cos typing with one hand feels kind of weird. I'll have to work on my weblog later, then. Wish me luck and cross your fingers and toes I can still make it to Estonia on November 27th! :)

Crossing the Balkans

Another one of those nice sunny mornings with great views from Al's flat onto town and lake. Tume and I decided to ride through the autumn mountains to Skopje, do some sightseeing there, and then on to Ljubljana (she) and Sofia (me). My host Rositsa would meet me at 5 am in the morning, poor her.
The mountains were awesome, lots of snow at the bus stop half way to the capital. We arrived at Skopje coach station shortly before 4 pm, and then found the next minibus to Sofia would leave ten minutes later. So another change of plan and off at once in a hurry! Last hugs and invitations to California resp Berlin, and off I was!
So all I saw of famous Skopje was the stone bridge and the castle. :(
The ride through the dark landscapes in the evening was weird, empty highways with a few sheep or goats passing. I had no money at all left, but a few euros which of course nobody would accept. So I was invited to a coffee and even payed for when going to the toilet! My first word of bulgarian: "Mersi!"
At Sofia coach station Rositsa was waiting already (I had texted her about coming earlier), we took the taxi to her flat, and then had a wonderful evening, though I was rather tired after seven hours of travelling by bus. Nice hot soup and small salads kept me alive for some time, and then I slept safe and sound underneath the woollen blanket my host's grandmother had woven herself.
Today it's cold again, with quite a few sunny spells, and we're walking around Sofia center and admiring all the wonderful buildings, and the not yet great areas waiting for better times hopefully coming with the EU next year.
My cough is slowly getting better, but I decided to head westwards to sunny and warm Croatia soon. Tomorrow, maybe.

Lake, mountains, more views

Ohhhh, what a lovely day! We walked up and down the old roads of Ohrid from one spectacular place to an other. The lake was glittering in the sunlight, the air was brisk but not cold - just great!
In the evening we went to the second best restaurant (no table to be had at the best) and I treated us to some tasty macedonian dishes. Rakija (similiar to brandy) with tomato-cucumber-feta salad for starters, as is the custom.
Oh, got to go - the bus to Skopje will leave soon. :)

Ohrid with a view

Strolling around the cobbled streets of Ohrid yesterday was fun, inspite of the grey sky. The area north of the castle hill had this turkish feel about it, and no wonder with 500 years of turkish people living there. I really loved hearing the muezzin call for prayer around 2 pm close to the big bazaar.
My host Huriser was born and raised in Ohrid, she told me all about the best places to go.
Which I managed for some time, and then the rain started and it got really cold (next time I will not forget my gloves) and I went back to Al's flat for some catching up on the latest news on tv and some reading on Macedonia.
This morning Tume from Mongolia came by bus from Sofia, she will stay the weekend, so we can walk around some together and catch a taxi to Struga and/or St. Naums. A pretty little jewel of a place, this Ohrid. I wonder what investors will manage to make out of it...

Istanbul - Thessaloniki - Demir Kapija - Ohrid

Soooo many days without internetconnection :(
I hope you missed me.
Just a short note now to tell you I left beautiful Istanbul by night train on Sunday - last time hearing the muezzin calling for prayer, last view on the Istanbul skyline and coasts in sunset, last time enjoying the delicious food, and the warm hugs of Huriser and Selahattin.
Harisin met me at Thessaloniki station and showed me around his wonderful town and the world heritage sites. The weather was warm and sunny like springtime, so we sat outside the cafes at the seaside. Then a last tasty dinner and retsina, and off to Macedonia.
My host Davis joined me in the train and offered me his hospitality in the small, but lovely village of Demir Kapija. He's a Peace Corps volunteer and let me share his daily life with his ever so kind friends and neighbours.
It was a pity I had caught this awful cold which got really bad. I had to stay in bed when the festivities were going on to celebrate the liberation of Demir Kapija from the Nazis in 1944. Home made tea and honey helped me recover a bit just in time for David's birthday and the evening party. I missed the walk through the spectacular, natural heritage gorge, though.
Thursday my host accompanied me to the bus going from Negotino to Bitula, where I missed to visit Heraclea, but took another bus to Ohrid, the ancient town at the famous lake (world heritage). The landscapes I passed on the way were just amazing! Macedonia is a jewel of a country, and definitely worth another travel, preferably in spring or autumn.
My host here, Al, is a Peace Corps volunteer, as well. His flat is situated in the old town, high above the shore, beneath Samuel's castle. The view onto the town, lake, and mountains is sooooo lovely!
So a few days here, and then on to Skopje and a third host from Peace Corps and Hospitality Club. Or to the Croatian coast through Albania, as Al suggested? We'll see...

200 postings! Time to celebrate :)

My weblog ıs growing fast. Already 200 postings. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
Mostly. Sometimes I'd rather go out and stroll around the places I travelled to than write about them. ;)
So thank you for being here with me! Hoops and Yoyo wıll help me thanking - click here!

Snow in Istanbul

Real snow! I looked out the window yesterday morning and - joy! - snow! :)
No trip by boat along the Bosphorus then. :(
So off to Kadikoy - by boat :) - to look for a jacket. (Again. I never give up.) No jacket on the anatolean side. Huriser found some nice trousers, though. So back to the european side and Eminönü, close to the Galata bridge. By boat. Always sitting in the small bar having a coffee warming up the tummıes and the freezing cold fingers. :)
From one shopowner ın Karakoy sent with best greetings to the other until finally I found my jacket! Red. Goretex (they say). A nice brand name on the front (which they say is just to show off). I bargained a bit and got it cheaper (still too much, I guess). But now Huriser got the coat back she had lent me all these cold and wet days, and I'm wearing my own. :) :)
The proof of the pudding is in the eating, and the proof of the rain jacket in keeping the rain off. It did. So far.
Talking about puddıng: Being in Karakoy anyway we decided to have some börek and baklava in THE place to go and have them: 'Güllüoglu'. Ahhhh! Delicious!
So now you know what to do when in Istanbul. No, don't buy a jacket if you don't need one. (Well, I saw some lovely ones! Maybe you should buy one after all!) No, go to Karaköy and have some baklava! Or two! And bring some back to Germany and me, wıll you! :)

Too much rain to go out

>Except for a brisk walk to Akmerkez Mall - the best shopping center of europe in 1995 - and back, to look for a coat. I never give up hope. But didn't find one. Of course.
I rather stayed ın the warm and cozy flat, cuddled up on the couch reading in my hosts' guide on Istanbul. Such a wonderful book written by Çelik Gülersoy with love and enthusiasm. Thirty years ago, but history so far hasn't changed since, has it.
I got many answers to puzzling questions. For instance about the close relations between Turkey and France. I had wondered about some words like 'otobüsü' (guess what that might be), 'kuaför', 'sosıs' and 'şarkuteri'. Nice, hein! :)
Interested to know more about Istanbul? Check Wikipedia here! And envy me!

Riding along the coast

Sun, sun, sun again after so many grey days! Nergis texted me and offered to spend the afternoon together. She couldn't host me because her flat was being renovated. We met at the big Akmerkez Mall and decided to drive in her car up north along the shores of the Bosphorus. It was a wonderful idea!
First she took me to a restaurant at the university campus. From here we had the most splendid view across the green sea enjoying some tasty dısh she had chosen for us.
Then on for an hour along the coast up north towards the Black Sea, passing palaces and beautiful houses facing the Marmara Sea.
In the Sadberk museum, a private collection of turkish pottery, we spent more than an hour admiring the beautiful pieces. My wish to travel around all those ancient places and see the archeological sıtes grew a lot. I have to come back and do this trip around world heritage places ın Turkey and hopefully all along the mediterranean!
In the evening we called Huriser to tell her I would not be back for dinner, and went to Arnavutkoy to have some delicious fish dishes in one of the most famous restaurants of Istanbul: Adem Baba. Small place, but great kitchen!
Nergis invited me to come with her and visit some friends, but I had agreed on with Huriser to be back in the evening, and didn't want to stay in another part of the city for the night. So a taxi took me back to Ulus, just in time to help my hosts carrying in all the Thursday afternoon shopping.
Then a lazy evening at home talking about ways of life and raizing chidren in Germany and Turkey until after midnight. Today the sky ıs dark, there's quite some rain, and the temeperature dropped almost 10 degrees. A bit of an ugly time to go out to do sightseeing, but I would hate to leave Istanbul without having seen the Hagia Sophia from inside. So that's the first task of the day.
The second is to buy tickets for the Sunday night train from Istanbul to Thessaloniki. The week passed so fast! :(
But for now I still enjoy this great city. If you want to as well, click here!

Shopping centres

Cold outside, but no rain. Another perfect day to discover Istanbul strolling around the streets. The topic of the day were markets and shoppıng centres, starting from Akmerkez Mall close to my hosts' place through the busy streets of Taksim and Galata across the brıdge to the Grand Bazaar. Amazing!
Little delicacies at small streetshops and a coffee or tea from time to time helped us make it. The view onto Istanbul from the Galata tower was simply gorgeous! TV thought so as well and did a documentary when we were there.
And the labyrinth of more than 4000 shops in the covered market with all its colours, smells and hustle and bustle easy to get lost in. Don't worry: we didn't.
Considering all the food stores I was wondering how McDonald's had survived those last 20 years it's establishd ın Turkey.
Back home to a great meal of the fish we had bought at the Yenı Galata Brıdge and to rest our somewhat achy feet.
Now the sun is shining brightly agaın, and I'm off to the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophıa. They say the views inside are to die for at sunny days. :)

Rain and clouds on the Bosphorus

Just a short note to tell you I enjoyed my day in this wonderful city inspite of the heavy rain! Especially the trıps by boat to the Anatolian side. And the tasty food in the shops and streetmarkets, f. e. at 'Kadiköy Saray'. Even though I only saw others eating it, and had a coffee myself.
The streets were still decorated with lots and lots of flags and huge adverts from October 29th, a natıonal holiday in memory of the declaration of the republic in 1923.
More on the history of Turkey and national hero Atatürk you'll fınd here.

Istanbul for the first time ever!

I had arrived at the station in the middle of the historic center of Istanbul. It's world heritage! So my hosts suggested to walk around and visit the famous sites first before driving up north to their home. I was very tired, but very eager to explore the city I had heard so much about, but never seen before. So the car was parked, and we walked through the drizzle to the Sultan's Topkapi Palace, the Hagia Sophia and the Sultan Ahmed Mosque.
Oh, the splendour and the beauty of the buildings and the treasures! It was almost unbelievable!
Before that we had a delicious breakfast ın a hotel garden pavillon (not outside on the terrace overlooking the bay because of the rain), and in between a short tea break at the 'Konyali' terrace ın Topkapi Palace wıth a great view onto the bay and the anatolian side of the city as well as across the golden horn. Despite the rain you could still see how beautiful this spot is! I'm so happy I came here and will be able to stay for a whole week.
It is gettıng colder fast, inside the house the heating is on, and later this week there will be snow! Imagine!
But for now I'm comfortable in Huriser's home, a spacious flat on the european side of Istanbul. I slept for 12 hours to make up for the sleepless night on the traın, and had a great turkish breakfast. I love learning all the recipes, and will certainly do some turkish cooking when back in Berlin. Turkısh food is so easy to get in my neighbourhood! ;)

Seaside towns

I woke up early without coffee (half past nine IS early). Washed and packed and was ready by 10:30 am. Then checked mails and hosts and wrote on this weblog - which wasn't published cos of javaproblems (?) - for about two hours until the young ones got up. Harisis made the best coffee ever. And we had some nıce chats on why to travel when where to.
But I was anxious to leave in time for the famous white tower. They told me it was only 12 am not 1 pm since the wintertime had started. One hour gained. On the other had I had got up incredibly early for a sunday. :(
Thessaloniki center close to the sea is great! The white tower was closed untıl 2007. But so what? We enjoyed the local extra delicious pastry in the bakeries around and strolled through the lively streets. Somehow I seem to like it better than Athens.
At the train station I got my 5days-ın-a-month-for-80 tıcket and the sleeper. And Kliment and Sofıa found the last traın to get to Athens in time for the flight to Helsinki was due in 30 minutes and totally sold out. They asked Harisi for advıce and help which of course he managed to give: just try at another counter. It worked.
So goodbye and hugs to my friends and off towards the seaside agaın with Harisis. He showed me around some of his favourıte places. We had lots to talk about: he likes movies as I do and more. So I'll have to come back. And he might come to the Berlinale.
A great sunset and some great food and then off to the train to Istanbul. Harisis waved me goodbye. We might meet next sunday to drive to the beautiful coast of Chalkediki and taste some of his father's dishes. Or maybe on Monday for another stroll around Thessaloniki between comıng by train from Istanbul and going on to Macedonia.
The train was not as full as I had feared it might be: I had a compartment for myself. All the same I couldn't sleep until Istanbul because of the bumpy wheels underneath my bed. And the guys askıng for passports ever so often. Or tickets. Or both.
And then the boarder and the rain started. Great! First time ın Turkey and it's raınıng!
At Istanbul station - not too far from the seashore at the european side - Huriser and her husband were already waiting for me wıth a huge sign saying 'ANNETTE'. And a huge smile and a big welcome!
But that is the story I wıll tell you tomorrow!

From Sounion to Thessaloniki

The sea! The wonderful blue aegeian sea! And the blueest of skies, and the sun shining brightly!
Instead of joining the merry peple on the beaches along the coast south of Athens, we climbed up to the Poseidon temple on Cape Sounion. The view was breathtaking!
Sofia's father Dimitrios took lots of pictures. Red curly hair blown from left to right on some, on others from right to left, depending on the sea I faced. Well, it's a cape.
Then home in a rush, they were awaiting visitors, but found the time to take me to the station. Where I had the first biiiig coffee of the day. Enfin!
The train went for six hours through the beautiful mediterranean landscape, I enjoyed watching it, and forgot about my book and reading.
Opposite and besides me sat a family of mother, grandmother, aunt and 6 years old boy, who kind of adopted me and shared all the food they had taken in their huge bag. Nice! I gave them one of my berlin bears as a little reward and souvenir :)
At Thessaloniki station, whilst waiting for Sofia, Kliment and our host Harisis, I checked trains to go on to Istanbul, and found this great offer to travel the Balkans on five days in a month for 80 Euro, and sleeping in a two-bed-department is only 25 Euro extra on the nighttrain from Thessaloniki to Istanbul. So that's what I'll get today.
The three nice guys came soon enough, and took me to this great family house with three floors and an elevator, all of which is Harisis' home. It's huge!
We were welcomed by his mother, and after debating a bit, went for a pizza delivery. The company is called Pizza Espania. I couldn't believe it! But it was nice, and the greek wine to go with it, even better! :)

Snowballs in Greece

For breakfast yesterday we had these tasty cakes called snowballs. Hmmmm!
Kliment and Sofia had left for Meteora, and I went on my trip around the capital alone. So much to see! The parade because of Ochi-Day, the shopping area in the center (!), and finally the Acropolis (world heritage)and the sun setting over Athens.
I enjoyed some breaks in small cafenions with beautiful views onto the Acropolis.
Later it was a nice evening at Sofia's place with a great wine her father had bought. Now he'll take us in his car to Sounion! I'm so lucky!

No owls in Athens

Can you imagine? The only owls we saw were those in the archaeological museum, on the mounuments of Athenae, the godess protecting Athens.
Kliment who had arrived late at night from Helsinki went to this great musuem with me, and then around the center. There are lovely parks right in the middle of all the hussle and bustle. We didn't make it in time fo the Akropolis (again), neither had a chance to see the sunset from Areopag, because clouds hid the sun.
In the evening we met up with Sofia and went to the cutest little cafenion, crowded with people chatting, laughing, eating, drinking. The food of course was delicious! Exactly the place I had always been looking for in Greece! All I missed was the rembetika music my friend and collegue Peter had always told me about.
Today Kliment and Sofia went on to Meteora, very early in the morning, and I stay another day with Sofia's nice mother. So we'll have a women's day out. Hopefully I'll manage to see the Ochi-day parade. And rembetika in the evening. And Akropolis! Cross my fingers!