Cool Blue Ice

Switched Blog to Wordpress

2011-06-15T04:29:00.002-06:00

Hello Everyone...

For technical reasons Blogger.com (and many other things Google related) is/are blocked in China. Because I need access there, I have switched my blog to the following address:

http://coolblueice.com/

Please use that URL in the future.

I hope to see you soon on my new site!

Many thanks...

RJ

Germany's Father's Day ... A far cry from the US Version.

2011-06-06T13:10:00.007-06:00

Today is Monday, 06 June, 2011. I’m just coming off a holiday weekend and am recovering just a bit. Thursday was Ascension Day, Father’s Day, Man’s Day, Männertag, or Herrentag, depending on which part of Germany one comes from and has little in common with the “Father’s Day” to which I’m accustomed in the US.

Always held 39 days after Easter, falling on a Thursday this year gave most Germans a four-day weekend. (Like in the US, many people opt to take Friday off as well when a holiday falls on a Thursday.)

Originating in the Middle Ages to commemorate the Christian (especially Catholic I think… but am not sure) belief that Christ rose to heaven on the 40^th day of Easter. By the 19^th century the holiday had “evolved” in Germany as a “Sauftag” (drinking day) for men, regardless of their fatherhood status.

The day is still observed as a religious holiday, so most Germans get the day off and many churches offer services. But by far, it’s more of a party day (especially for men) than anything else.

Certainly not all German men get (and please excuse my French here) shit-faced-drunk on this day, but there are a lot who do. Men traditionally venture into the woods with a decorated wooden cart full of beer and food, or they might choose to bike ride through the countryside.

Traditionally, the “women folk” stay home, but this has changed a lot in recent years, I am told.

This was my first experience with the holiday. I joined my cousin and three friends (one female) for a ‘starter beer’, then on to a bike ride from the North-east Berlin Hönow area, through the country-side and woods to Altlandsberg.

Here we have our "starter beer" before beginning our ride:

Then we hit the road (bike path through the woods) on our way to Altlandsberg:

Altlandsberg was interesting as the city tower had a nesting pair of storks at the top (the small town’s claim to fame):

Also in Altlandsberg, we enjoyed a couple of beers and “white asparagus cake” which was topped with a hollandaise sauce. The sauce is normal as a topping for white asparagus, but I had never previously eaten asparagus in a cake (more like a cobbler). The “Foodies” among you out there may be familiar with this treat, but it was a pleasant new experience for me. (I apologize for having no photo of the cake… I ate it too quickly.)

After the beer break there, we rode south to Eggersdorf where we had a couple more beers (of course) at an outdoor Männertag celebration:

While mainly consisting of men, there were a good number of women and even children on the “fahrradwege” (bike paths) the entire distance as well.

The round trip bike ride was probably only about twenty miles, but that was enough given that we were doing a little eating and beer drinking along the way.

Probably the single thing that jumped out at me the most was that people on the bike path and streets were actually quite friendly toward each other, good naturedly ringing their bike bells at each other while passing by as a “mock warning”… but always with smiles on their faces.

I only point that out as an outside observer who has noticed many Germans (particularly the Berliners) seem to exhibit a lot of hostility toward each other on a day-to-day basis. The good natured spirit of the day was a welcomed change from what I normally see. (I can’t imagine the beer had anything to do with that… wink.)

Naturally this is only one guy’s observation of one Männertag celebration in Germany. Were you to participate in this holiday yourself, your “mileage might vary.”

But what a fun day it was! As an American, I couldn’t help but think of how this holiday would be so politically incorrect in the US on so many levels. I think we could stand to loosen up a bit.

Don't forget, this was only on Thursday. The entire weekend that followed was a festive weekend for Germany. There were many local events (not related to "Father's Day") for the remainder of the weekend, so everyone had the chance to "play".

Bis zum nächsten Mal! (Until next time...)

Berlin's "Gespenstermauer" (Ghost Wall)

2011-06-02T16:43:00.026-06:00

One of Berlin's more charming stories is that of the "Gespenstermauer" (Ghost Wall) near Oranienburger Straße 41. I just had a little "experience" there myself.

We'll get to that in a minute, but first let's look at a couple of other things on the street I visited on 1 June, 2011.

First, let's look at the Neue Synagoge (New Synagogue). The term "New" is simply part of the name, as the building was actually completed in 1866. The unique Moorish style made the building one of Berlin's most important architectural landmarks of the late 19th century. It was the largest Synagogue in Berlin at the time, with seating for over 3000.

There's not enough space here to really get into the rich (and tragic) history of the building, but a brief summery would include its near destruction on "Kristallnacht" (9 Nov, 1938). The Nazi crowd ransacked the building and set it ablaze. As morning arrived a single brave Berlin police officer informed the crowd it was his duty to protect the landmark. Drawing his pistol, he stated he intended to carry out his duty regardless of the consequences. This action dispersed the crowd long enough for firefighters to put out the blaze. The building was safe for the time being.

Unfortunately, the building was almost completely destroyed by Allied bombing later in the war. The building more or less laid in ruins until after German unification. Some parts of the building survived and were protected by various groups during this time. After the fall of the Berlin wall, reconstruction began. Most of the building is used as office space today, with only one small room used for religious services.

Here's a video with a bit more detail:

Next, take a look at the old post office just down the street called the Postfuhramt. Completed in 1881, it was once Berlin's main post office. One look at the photo will illustrate the beauty of the building's neo-Gothic brickwork... and how huge the building is. In addition to the space necessary for normal postal work, the building contained a stable for 300 horses and sleeping quarters for the drivers.

Today an art museum resides in the building. Note the upside down car on the steps displayed as "art" for a current exhibition, giving a clue that the art exhibits there lean toward the abstract.

Ok... So now we come to the part of my post today that I promised you... It my little story on the "Ghost Wall" in Berlin (near Oranienburger Straße 41) where two small children's spirits are often reported being seen 'out of the corner of your eye' as they dash out of the wall and into the street. (I didn't see them, darn it.)

Even if they remain unseen, legend has it that those leaving a penny in a crack in the brick wall will have a wish granted by the two children's spirits. The two provisions are that (1) the wish must be simple enough for these two small spirits to accomplish and (2) the wish must not be selfish.

So I thought, "Why not give it a try?"... Below you can see where I inserted my penny.

After inserting my penny into the wall and taking a couple of photos, it dawned on me that I had yet to make my wish...

The first thing that popped into my head was to simply wish that the two young spirits would bring a smile to the face of the next person who happened to walk by.

At that point, I stepped back to take a photo a few feet from the wall. Just as I snapped the photo, a woman approached me and without saying a word pointed to an address in a tourist guidebook.

Since I had located the Ghost Wall by its address, I knew exactly where I was and could see the address the woman was seeking was just a building or two further down the street.

That allowed me instruct the woman where to find her address (in German... thank you very much). She thanked me whole heatedly and guess what?... She gave me a big smile!

That was probably just a coincidence.... Don't you think? ;-)

Until next time!

Memorial Church on Berlin's Ku'damm

2011-05-27T01:19:00.005-06:00

Took the S-Bahn to Berlin's Ku'damm yesterday. Upon arrival, I was confused because the landmark Memorial Church (Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche) was nowhere to be found.

I was certain I was at the correct location, but the building simply wasn't there. What the heck???

Finally, I figured out the Church is under repair and is covered by a temporary glass and steel facade, making it appear to be a modern (agreeably ugly) office building. Cover will be removed when repairs are complete in 2012.

Photo on left is the new 'look'. Photo on right is the real thing.

Until next time!

Weekend Bike Rides

2011-05-23T01:51:00.009-06:00

I took two nice long bike rides over the weekend, both of them starting at my home in Mahlsdorf. On Saturday I rode south to Köpenick and the nearby Müggelsee. (The largest lake in Berlin. In German 'See' means Lake... not Sea.)

Where the Spree River flows into the lake, the waterway narrows. At this point is a pedestrian tunnel, making it easy to cross to the other side with a bike.

Once on the other side, I followed the Spree River back to Köpenick, stopping at my favorite refreshment place "Ele's Biergarten", where I peacefully sipped a Berliner Kindl and watched the world float by on the Spree.

On Sunday, I headed North past Hönow and into the nearby countryside. I love all the scenic bike paths that crisscross the area. I rode some distance (probably 4 or 5 miles) before passing under the "Berlin Ring", an Autobahn encircling Berlin.

After a few more miles (without map, compass, or GPS) I slowly working my way in a circle toward (what I hoped) was again Hönow. I asked directions only once from a woman riding by on here bike. I'm not sure if I really needed the help but I do enjoy asking directions in German, just for the practice. (The fact that the woman was pleasant and attractive probably didn't hurt anything either. ;-)

The road did indeed loop back to Hönow, so I completed a nice loop in about two hours. I still had not had my fill of riding (the weather was beautiful), so I just putzed around the local area, trying to piece together a map in my head for later reference.

That's all today!

Back in Berlin

2011-05-21T00:29:00.011-06:00

Blog?... What blog? Ok, so it has been a while since my last post. Let's see if I can do better in the coming months.

19 May 2011, was my first trip back to the city center.
.
The first photo is of the Berliner Dom on the Spree River, with the TV Tower in Alexander Platz in the background.

The second photos is the Museum of the Kennedys, located just in front of the Brandenburg Gate. I've yet to go inside, but will do so soon.

The Holocaust memorial always moves me. There are no signs explaining the meaning of the work... That is left entirely to the viewer.

New travel article on Spreewald in Germany

2010-04-22T10:24:00.006-06:00

Oh... I am sooo bad about getting my blog entries out. But today I just had to do it, as Associated Content just published one of my travel articles. It is on Spreewald just south of Berlin.

Check it out here: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2910590/spreewald_germanys_venice.html?cat=16 If you like it, a nice rating would be appreciated. (smile)

Winding down Fall 2009 Germany trip...

2010-01-04T02:44:00.005-07:00

Oh... How time flies! I'm just finishing up another three months in Germany where I enrolled in an intensive German class which was held 5 mornings a week for 4.25 hours a day. The basic rule was "no English allowed" for the other students and myself.

There certainly was a nice international mix in the class. One instructor is a native born Dresden resident. She has lived in Dresden all her life. The other is an Indian woman (although she was born in Great Britain).

Students in the class included those from Russia, Spain, Turkey, Moldova, Peru, Bangladesh, and a couple of others. We actually all became quite close during the course. There's no doubt in my mind I have made a few life-long friends.

Sadly my trip is winding down, however. I'm spending the last few days here in Berlin. Being used to the Colorado and California sunshine, it has been a little hard for me putting up with the "Chicago like" weather here in Germany... but all in all it has not been too bad.

This was my first experience spending New Year's Eve (called "Silvester" in Germany) here in Berlin. Everything seemed pretty normal until the stoke of midnight when the city virtually exploded with fireworks...

"Large caliber" fireworks are freely available over-the-counter here. Mix several hundred thousand Germans with too much alcohol and high explosive devices... What could go wrong THERE? (Ha!)

For a sample: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2h8JvtQjkU
Keep in mind this was just one small neighborhood in Berlin... Multiply this scene a factor of many thousands and you will get the idea.

For those seeming few Berliners who were not setting off their own fireworks, the plaza at Brandenburg Door was packed with almost a million people (so the news reported).

So... That pretty much wraps up this trip, as I'll be heading back to the States on Wednesday. It's time to begin planning my next trip. ;-)

German trip winding down

2009-06-22T01:03:00.003-06:00

Well, as much as I hate to admit it, my 09 trip to Germany is winding down. I arrived on 29 April and will be flying back into exile to the US on 30 June. Sigh!

I really do love Germany. I'm becoming increasingly fond of Dresden. At first it was just the physical beauty of the city, but like first dating a lovely woman mainly because of her appearance, given time one starts to appreciate the inner beauty as well.

I'm working on finding a way to actually move there. Stay tuned. ;-)

Earth Hour

2009-03-28T15:35:00.001-06:00

Just checking... How many of you out there are participating in Earth Hour?

Comments?

Dresden Germany

2009-02-18T19:13:00.005-07:00

Located halfway between modern Berlin and Prague, the small Slovic settlement named Dresden in 1206 has graced the gentle banks of the river Elba for the eight hundred years ever since. Under the ambitious 1670 to 1733 rule of Augustus the Strong, (so named for of his legendary physical strength), the name Dresden became synonymous with the art, culture, and Baroque architecture still defining the city today. Undertaking massive building projects, Augustus (and later his son) pummeled the city with stunning Baroque structures. Attracting artists and musicians from around Europe, Dresden rapidly became a cultural center rivaling those of France and Italy.

Despite heavy destruction during eighteenth and nineteenth century wars, Dresden doggedly rebuilt and remained a center for art, culture, and industry well into the twenty century. For many foreigners (especially those from west of the Atlantic) the city is even today a mystery, remembered mainly for the tragic and still controversial fire bombing by Great Brittan and the United States just weeks before the end of World War II. As part of Eastern Germany swallowed up by the Soviets after the war, Dresden fell off the radar of most of us in the west. Isolated from mainstream Europe and seemingly forgotten, Dresden fell into disrepair during the forty years under communist rule until German reunification in 1990.

Self proclaimed as one of Europe’s greenest cities (the OLD “green”, not the new), Dresden today boasts over sixty-two percent of its area are woods and green spaces. A young city with a median age of 45, the bustling streets are swarming with eager young students with no memory of communism. There are still plenty of thirty and forty-somethings (and older) who, while grateful for increased prosperity under capitalism, bring with them the shared sense of community responsibility necessary to survive more difficult times. Try finding a dentist in the US, for example, who makes house calls! You will find that in Dresden.

While taking enormous pride in its cultural heritage and unbelievably beautiful Baroque architecture, Dresden has woven modern shopping areas seamlessly into its cityscape. Compact in size, the visitor can wander easily between the historic beauty of old town and the trendy multi-cultural streets of the Neustat district. Museums abound, as does music, world class dining, and night life.

Despite an unemployment rate lingering around sixteen percent, Dresden is recovering, even thriving. Boasting a shining new light rail system, the S-Bahn would be the envy of any modern city. Now teaming with ten million (mostly German) tourists a year, this emerald destination is still “undiscovered” by most American and many European travelers. A foray here can earn one bragging rights for knowing a “best kept travel secret.”

©2008 Robert J Trede

My Bad

2009-02-13T13:24:00.003-07:00

Oh geeze... Has it really been two years since I last made an entry? My bad!

It's now Mid-February, 2009, so I have a lot of catching up to do. That includes the better part of a year in California and two summers in Germany.

By the way, I did get a pleasant surprise this morning when I was notified by Freelance Writterville (http://www.freelancewriterville.com) that I had won third place in a little writing contest on their website. Kudos are always nice. :-)

I'll be back soon, my friends!

RJ

Return from Hong Kong

2006-05-18T02:48:00.000-06:00

I just got back from Hong Kong last Sunday night (14 May, 2006). The flights went well enough. I probably was less tired as I walked through my doorway than I had been on previous trips of equal length/time. That was a pleasant surprise, although I seem to be taking longer to readjust myself to the time-zone here than I thought I would take.

After over a month there I still was not ready to return to the USA and Colorado. There are probably several reasons for that. The first is that I have lived in Colorado too long to see it as an “exciting” place to live. There is not doubt that Colorado is very conservative in nature compared with other places. There is also a notable lack of cultural diversity here. Having worked a few years in a job with took me to San Francisco relatively often, I’m convinced the “Bay Area” would be a better choice for me at this point in my life.

Back to my trip, I lived in the Panda Hotel in Hong Kong for the month I was there. Until the new airport was built, the Panda was the largest hotel in Hong Kong, having over 1000 rooms. While one of the new hotels close to the airport is now larger, the Panda still comes in at a respectable 2nd place, in terms of size.

The Panda is located in Tsuen Wan, a community located in the “New Territories”. While many of the newer hotels in Tsim Sha Tsui and Central are more elegant, I actually prefer staying at the Panda. Of course, the lower price at the Panda is a draw, but more importantly, the community where the Panda is located is much more of a “local” community than a “tourist” community (as are Tsim Sha Tsui and Central). I really like immersing myself in the local culture where ever I go, so it is much more pleasant for me to stay in an area which has many less tourists in it than some of the more “up scale” communities. In addition, once a person is away from the tourist areas, he/she has almost anything they need within a very few blocks of the hotel. I like being able to walk out of the hotel and find grocery stores, bakeries, local restaurants, and department stores within a minute or two. The tourist communities are full of… well… “tourist trap shops”, not to mention having no “local flavour”.

I came to Hong Kong for many reasons. One of which was for business. Attending trade fairs is not only enjoyable for me, but important to my business as well. Like many Asian countries, the level of technology is much more “state of the art” in Hong Kong than in the US. If I want to see what mobile phones, televisions, and consumer products will show up in the US two years from now, I come to Hong Kong. Like in Europe, the mobile phone technology is light years ahead of the USA.

I also had planned on taking the train up to Guangzhou in the Guangdong Providence for the Canton Trade Fair. “The Gods” seemed to be working against me, however, so I never made it there. As a start to my “travel troubles”, I had planned on obtaining a China visa when I arrived in Hong Kong. I had no idea that the Easter holiday would be observed by the China visa office, but it was. So I could not get a visa in time to attend the first session (first week) of the fair. That was really ok with me, as the products and companies I really wanted to see were all in the second week of the fair. When I tried to finalize my plans, however, it turned out the hotel reservation I had made did not work out… Instead of feeling frustrated, I decided just to recognize that sometimes do not work out as we had hoped. I decided just to accept my fate and not be upset. (This is a good way to be, I think. Getting upset at things we can not change really makes no sense if you think about it.)

Having said that, I was disappointed I could not see some of my friends and business acquaintances in Guangzhou. I was really looking forward to seeing my friends from Zhenmei Foods and Voyage Leather Products. One of the things which pleases me the most about doing business in China is the importance of personal relationships within business. Maintaining good personal relationships is not only pleasant, but also imperative when working with Chinese companies. This used to be true in the US as well, but I think we have lost this. That is unfortunate, in my opinion. In China, I feel a real “connection” with my business contacts and consider them my friends as well as my business partners.

While there is no doubt the people I meet in Hong Kong and China are genuinely sincere in their interactions with me, I am not always sure they strive to understand me as much as I do them. This is not a criticism of them as much as it is a simple observation. I get the distinct feeling Americans are looked upon as being “all the same”. I say this because I am often told that I do not behave “like a typical American”. While I take this to be a compliment, I also feel I would not be told this if Americans were looked upon as being individuals rather than as a “homogeneous group”. Still, I am not complaining, as it gives me pleasure to represent my country in a positive way.

Ok… as a “guy”, I can not resist writing a little about my impression of Hong Kong and Chinese women. I have been coming to the area for long enough that I think my observations are sound, and not those of someone seeing a culture for the first time. Of course, by speaking of Chinese women in general I run the risk of grouping them together as “all being the same”. That is not my intent. Like anyone, each Chinese woman is unique in herself as an individual person. Having said that, I am only speaking in general terms here, so I will have to take a few “short cuts”. In short, I really like Chinese women (generally speaking). Like so many other American guys, I have really grown tired of being thought of as “the enemy” by American women. (Sorry if I again appear to be placing an entire group of people into one “shoe box”.) I can only speak of my past experiences. Those experiences have been one of feeling very “under appreciated” by American women. (Come on guys… You know what I’m talking about.) On the other hand, so many Chinese women I meet seem to genuinely appreciate a man if he is well behaved, thoughtful, and sincere. I’m not trying to imply here that I have personal relationships with a lot of Chinese women. (Far from it.) I am instead making these statements based more on observations of how women interact with men in general in HK and China. I know this is a lot of writing just to get to one simple point… That is, I only wish to compliment the culture underlying Chinese women for showing a little appreciation for “a good man”. It is refreshing to see!

I will continue this later, as I really want to talk a little more about the culture I encounter when I go to HK and China, including the food, business environment, etc.