A weekend of art and music

After a long day working on Friday, I went straight to "Konzertsommer" in Tiergarten and a concert of african music. Lots of people from all over the world were enjoying the evening with me. Dinner for me there was an indian vegetable dish and spanish rose wine. Multikulti, indeed. :)
Berlin is so great with its diversity of cultures, music, food, ways of living. It's unbelievabe that officials don't realise the chances there are here. Weird: More than 180 nations in Berlin, but no money to continue the great radio program of Radio Multikulti.
There will be a concert next friday to support Radio Multikulti against the decision to close it down . My trade union, ver.di, is helping them. Join us here!
Saturday, more arts and music. After a visit to the Babylon exhibition at Pergamonmuseum (my second one, this time about the myths - I preferred the part about facts, have to go again today for that), and a meeting with Couchsurfers at the huge public picknick who were eager to spend the warm summer night with exhibitions and partying at the "Lange Nacht der Museen", I went across Unter den Linden to the opera house. Just to the side of it, at Bebelplatz, thousands had settled already with blankets and chairs waiting for "Fidelio". Another open air opera for free.
They had started this kind of public viewing last year with "Manon" (20 000 opera lovers had stopped all traffic around the opera house then), and decided to do it every year from now on. Of course, it takes a sponsor to do that...
It was great, but rather cold after a while. So I left without meeting my friends at the museum party around midnight. Today I woke up with a slight headache. But all the same, I'll be at Bebelplatz again at 4 pm, to some more public viewing: Daniel Barenboim and the orchestra will play Beethovens 9. simphony "Ode to Joy".
There are great events in Berlin, indeed! What a nice way to end the summer with arts and music!

Waiting for September

Hmmm, no - not in Berlin! In Berlin-Tempelhof, just round the corner from my place, IKEA will be open on Sunday, Aug 31st, already with all the new stuff!

Crelle-Kiez rocks!

Every evening after work (and sometimes after some training at the gym), I return happily back home to my street, Crellestraße. There's still a lot going on there, even though the weather is more like autumn than summer lately. I like to stop at Mauro's pizza place for a slice of the most delicious pizza and a glass of red wine. I sit on one of the banks in front of the shop, and enjoy my dinner in the middle of young families with kids, singles of any age passing by for a snack, and lots of Italians craving for soul food.
Today I found the famous Crelle neigbourhood decided to have a "long day of Crellestraße" on September 6th, similar to the "long night of the museums" in Berlin this weekend. What a lovely idea! I'll sure be there, even though only a few hours ago I volunteered to help at the Solibasar at Alex, same day, same time. I'll join the basar a bit earlier and will try to make it to the best events at Crellestraße.
Checking the program on their website, I found one of my neighbours is the artist who did Käpt'n Blaubär. Incredible! What a neighbourhood!
For some great pics of my kiez taken this summer check here!

First day at work

Today, Alex went to his new job with university for the first time. Hence the paperbag filled with sweets I gave him before leaving, a custom with children going to school for the first time. He smiled, and will eat the sweets (Anna checked, they're his favourites).
I'm glad both my kids are doing fine with wonderful jobs, just perfect for them.
Anna is head of the law department at Böblingen district (at 26! incredible!), and Alex is doing research in computer science (Stuttgart university seems to be his second home, he spent his early months there since ten days old). He's asked to go to IBM in Arizona to work there for some weeks in September. No chance he'll look after the house when Anna and Volker are enjoying some holidays in Denmark.
So I'll change my plans for vacation, and instead of hiking in Poland will be catsitting in my small home in Stuttgart. It will feel strange to have the house all to myself (except for a few cats, of course), after so many years of sharing it with two or more. Getting used to my life in four years time, after reclining from work?
Emil is looking forward to meeting his friends, anyway!

Krass glasses are the best!

Last year, I felt like some new glasses, and was lucky to find "Krass" opticians in Berlin, by chance. Everybody likes my glasses, and of course I invited family and friends to have a look for themselves to find something special to wear.
Finally, I even managed to sweettalk Anna into giving them a try. She had looked for glasses fitting her small face for weeks - in vain.
And, of course, the first frame they showed her at "Krass" Stuttgart were just perfect. It took her a while to get used to the idea of having them, instead of the no-frame-glasses she had had in mind, but after some time (and around ten different frames) she was convinced. And was surprsied to find the glasses were ready to wear another 45 minutes later.
Have a look for yourself: Isn't she most pretty and respectable with these glasses on? And so convincing!
Wouldn't anybody just believe her when she tells them almost anything? ;)

News from Simon's cat

Of course you remember Simon's cat. There's a new cartoon out now. Sooo much like our cats...

Back from Provence

Monday was my last day in Cannes. I spent it visiting all my favourite places at the beaches and on top of the hill, enjoying them alone, since Franck had to work. In the evening, he took me to the station, and next morning, after a short stay in Strasbourg with coffee and croissant, Alex met me at Stuttgart main station.
I was back home around noon on Tuesday, Emil purring to greet me. He had missed me a lot, but had become a huge friend of Alex, and even slept on his bed.
The evening was one of talks and stories, and the last days before leaving for Berlin on Saturday will be filled with family life and visiting museums. And doctors, as per usual.
At least the weather is not as bad as I was afraid it would be. I'm not used to rain any more after this lovely sunny week at the Cote d'Azur. ;)

Art and Beauty

We had a wonderful trip yesterday, discovering Mougins, Valauris, and Antibes, places where Picasso (and many other artists) had lived and worked. The exhibitions were excellent, even though in Antibes we would have preferred it to be not as crowded and noisy. Still, the paintings were great; I loved "The joy of living", and the small chapel showing "War and peace".
In the evening, no ball dancing in the streets and squares of La Bocca for us. Franck didn't want to go, and I didn't want to go alone around midnight. Dinner underneath the full moon instead it was, followed by improving my french by reading some books on Cannes.
Today it's my last day at the Cote d'Azur. I'll leave with the night train to Strasbourg and the rain, so I'll book the first TGV going to Stuttgart. It was a lovely week, I'm sorry it's over. Thank you, Franck, for hosting me and showing me around!

Samedi a Cannes

Saturday in Cannes - everybody is shopping fresh, delicious food in the big market and the crowded shops in the streets close by. Small breaks to have a coffee and/or glass of wine or champagne in one of the many bars. So did I.
I love snacking on the regional delicacies whereever I go. Yesterday it was pissaladiere, a kind of pizza with onions, olives and anchovis, beignets aux courgettes, small pastry with zucchini flowers, and tarte aux herbes, herb filled pie. Washed down with some glasses of champagne, offered by sweet old brothers and their wifes whom I had met in my favourite market bar. You guessed it: "La Taverne de Lucullus". Open every day when the market is on, starting at 4:30 h, that is. I love its atmosphere of hustle and bustle, chats and laughter!
Later, I tried to find a summer shirt in the boutiques, leaving out only those at the Croisette. In vain. I found some souvenirs, though, postcards and a musical machine playing the melody of "La mer" when you turn the small handle in the right pace.
The exhibition on photos of Israelian youth was worth having seen, and so was the small book I had found on Cannes. I read it at the beach, relaxing a bit before going back home to Franck's place, up the huge street to Grasse.
A quiet evening on the balcony overlooking the roofs and, in the distance, the beach (perfect to watch the fireworks on Friday, all we missed was the music).
Today, we'll follow Picasso who had lived here 60 years ago. Franck bought fresh baguettes already and is preparing sandwiches for a picknick in the hills overlooking the coast. And tonight, dancing in La Bocca, close to the beach, to celebrate its 150 anniversary. If we're not too tired, that is.

A tour through history

Instead of going into the wild for the weekend, we changed plans and went for a sightseeing trip by car instead. It took us from medieval Grasse with its perfume factories and wonderful roman cathedral along the river Loup to Vence and Saint Paul de Vence where we spent the evening on the terrace at the town walls underneath shady trees, watching old men playing petanque.
The narrow streets leading up and down the small towns were pittoresque and beautiful (not too many tourists either), and the historic monuments from roman times onwards made us feel the centuries people lived here. Artists had loved staying in this part of the Provence, and not just because of the mild climate and blue sky.
Today we had meant to go on another trip from Mougins to Antibes, following Picasso's steps. But it looks like we'll be lazy to day, and postpone the cultural trip until tomorrow.
I'll have to do some shopping, too; postcards to send to friends and family, and maybe some souvenirs. Only a few more days, and I'll leave for cold Germany. But now I'm off to a day of exhibitions, beaches, breakfast (including champagne) at La Taverne de Lucullus, and we'll see what else the day in Cannes might bring.

La joie de vivre (en Provence)

Enjoying life is easy in Provence, the sun basked country in south France, between mountains and the meditarranean sea. But there are different ways of doing so. In Cannes, especially in summer, you can see and study quite a few of them.
For instance, I hardly ever before saw as many ugly rich from all over the world, dressed up in the most ridiculous ways, paying hundreds of euros each day to lounge on the beach close to the boulevard la croissette, in front of posh hotels with the most fashionable and expensive shops, being served huge hamburgers and chips with icecold coke in champagne buckets, and in the evenings chilling in the casino or one of the many exclusive clubs, after a dinner in the crowded streets of old town suquet or along the harbour at small tables loaden with regional delicacies. You can easily spend 1000 euros per day or more. Per person.
I rather prefer the life Franck and I live here. We had a late breakfast at La Taverne Lucullus, of local titbits for free to go with our drinks, and live on fresh fruit and veggies from the local markets. Well, yeah, some local wine, too, and beer plus lots of cigarettes for my host.
Besides, we took long walks along the beaches and around town. Today, we'll take the car and explore the countryside north of Cannes. The plan is to camp in the wilderness close to river Siagne. Fruits and lots of water will help us survive. Looking forward to a weekend of calm and beautiful nature. :)

First day in Cannes

Franck, my host, showed me around all the must-see places in his town yesterday. We went up and down the famous La Croisette, had a glimpse onto the festival hall where the stars and starlets meet in May, jumped into the blue (but slightly dirty) ocean waves, climbed up the narrow streets to the castle, browsed the market for the best peaches, cooked dinner together and had it with baguette, olives, and rose wine from ther vineyards close by, and still found energy enough to join the couchsurfing meeting at the Morrison pub later in the evening.
I admit I was a bit tired when we returned home around midnight, but not too much to have a last glass of rose on the balcony, underneath the almost full moon and the stars.
Franck had offered me his bedroom, and stayed on the couch in his livingroom (that much to couchsurfing), so this morning the rising sun woke me up, shoining through the window facing east. I had to close the shutters soon, since the heat was taking over.
Such a nice way of starting the day! Coffee and orange juice on the balcony, and I'm ready for another day in Cannes.

Aaaaah, la belle France!

Here I am, sitting on the balcony, looking over the roofs of Cannes onto the blue mediterranean sea, having black coffee, fresh croissants, and nice chats with my host Franck.
In a few minutes we'll be off to the beach and some strolling around the city.
It's quite different from rainy, cold, and alsacian Strasbourg, where I changed trains and spent some hours waiting for the luxury train taking me down south whilst sleeping.
Franck is calling, c ya later.

Ready to go

Clothes are washed and packed, half my luggage will be left in Stuttgart, tickets are bought - I'm ready to go.
Rain started this afternoon, and will go on falling (in Strasbourg as well as in Stuttgart) all through tomorrow. Nevertheless I'll have a great time in Alsace on Tuesday, before climbing into the night train taking me down the Rhone all the way to Marseille and further to Cannes.
Emil will be looked after by Anna and Alex. Today, Alex was allowed to strike him softly. Good boy, this shy tomcat!

Remember - and never forget!

More dates to remember this last week: the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In Stuttgart, Anstifter called for action on August 6th to commemorate these cruel killings of hundredthousands of Japanese. Never again!
But still, whilst in China olympic games start, another war is killing people in Georgia. Will this world ever be one of peace, freedom, diversity, respect for each other, without war, faim, thirst, and killing for money?
Never give up fighting for a better world!

A day to remember

Many people thought so yesterday, and thousands got married at that special day. Well, I can't blame them: I did so myself. 39 years ago.
Yesterday was not as nice as Thursday had been. The visit to the doctors went well, I was given new medicine that's supposed to cure my chronical sinusitis once and for all. (Cross your fingers!) But rain, clouds and cold temperatures had taken over. No chance to enjoy a sunbath in the garden, go for a swim, or to either summer festival or Zwiebelfest (onion festival) in Esslingen.
But I met Acidrongeur aka Franck in google-chat, and we decided to join the CS-meeting in the mountains above Cannes for the long weekend of 15th to 17th August. Now if I had known, I would have brought sleeping bag, anti-mosquito spray, and the likes from Berlin. Now I'll have to go shopping and get some here. Hopefully Alex can lend me his sleepingbag, at least. He's back early from his hiking trip, because of the weather.
Anna and Volker are off buying goodies for a bbq this evening. In the rain. And the cold. What a summer!

080808 08:08:08

What a date and time! I luv it! ;)
On to yesterday: Vacation in Stuttgart started as per usual, with going to the doctors. ;)
And of course my dentist was quite happy, but only quite. So I'll have to go back to see him in two weeks time. Today it'll be another doctor, to have a check-up on my ears. Yeah well, age and old bones...
It was nice to walk around Vaihingen center and its shops, though. It really felt like holidays, strolling around leasurely, sun bathing in the garden, small lunch with tomatoes, basil, italian country bread, and great red wine from Lidl (sigh - I hate shopping at Lidl because of their working conditions, but it's the only place I know of to sell Barcelino).
In the evening I went downtown to the summer festival, meeting up with couchsurfers. White booths along the opera lake, music for free, food and drinks galore - but too expensive. Hrrmmmphhhh.
Found some Sevillian tortas at Königstraße and went for them instead. Ahhhh, Andalucia! I miss it.
But Provence next week will be great as well. Anna and Volker had meant to spend their vacation there, and had bought some books about it. I forgot how lovely south France is. Cannes, les Calanques, Grasse, the blue sea, mountains, old villages and towns... :)

On vacation

Oh dear, all those days (and nights) I did not write anything on my blog :(
Well, life has been very busy with lots of work at ver.di archive (the boys were on vacation, lucky them), and evenings plus weekends either out enjoying some music outdoors or in getting the flat and myself ready to go to Stuttgart and further to Cannes.
Now it's my turn to go on holidays. I managed to squeeze all I need for three weeks into the backpack, lovely new stuff size six (and one four!), and a few old books included. I just love the shop at Crellestr. 9 where they give away all those books for free!
Anna met us at the station shortly before midnight - ICE was late, as always. Now Emil is happily checking his Vaihingen home, and I'm getting ready for Stuttgart summer festival.
Alex is off on vacation with Annelie, after having accomplished his diploma thesis last month, hoping for hiking weather in the Alps, Volker is back home in Strassdorf with his granny, and Anna is working in her office. She's head of the law office in Böblingen since last week. More responsibility and more work, but she loves it. I'm so proud!