Bag Packed

My Bag is Packed

I've already packed my bag for the flight to Liverpool tomorrow then later to Silsden. As you know, I should be flying back from Provence in the south of France today, but due to my fall the Doc did not allow that.

Hannelore and Peter called me from Claviers yesterday evening to get the latest. They also told me that they went to visit friends on Tuesday who have a house at Cannes overlooking the bay. They also have a boat so they spent the day swanning around the Cannes coast and enjoying a picnic. My seat on the boat was empty! The friends said they would repeat it the next time I am there. Nice of them!

Packing a bag for England is not quite the same as just getting back from a boat tour around Cannes, but I feel I really need a break from my corner of the world and routine.  I hope the airport hassle and security over-the-top do not spoil the flight.

Barry 'n Pam are picking me up and I am looking forward to relaxing in their superb garden tomorrow. My Doc only gave me the 'All Clear' for me to fly to Blighty on Tuesday morning, so I have been busy contacting people about visits and travel plans. I'm sure it will all work out.

In case you have forgotten what Silsden looks like, here are a couple of old photos. I shall be back on the 3 July so there will be no posts to this blog until after that date. Have fun everyone and enjoy the next few weeks!

Shopping

Shopping as therapy!


Thanks to all who sent messages in response to my fall. Very much appreciated. Last Wednesday was the worst day. I should have been on the flight to Nice, but I was still in Berlin. I felt depressed, slow, didn't  know what I wanted to do and very tired after not sleeping properly for a week.

I took all the tablets prescribed and slowly noticed an improvement. I began to sleep in more than two hour sessions, but could still not sleep lying on my bed! Good job I have a nice leather sofa!


Today I had my first physi session with the 'Boss'. He is blind but you would never know it when you meet him. The session was perfect and I hope he helps me in the remaining four meetings. He has a perfect mix between talking to you and probing, finding the problems and giving the right treatment.

Then I went to my local shopping area, checked my bank account, smiled, and went shopping as therapy! It worked. First stop was a department store with very fine mens perfumes! A heavy overdosing on the Hugo Boss range which started from €74 per bottle began the process of 'spirit uplifting'!

A saunter to the next aisle and I added on overdose of Wolfgang Joop coming in at nearly the same price! The depression began to lift. I have learnt not to mix too many and only stay in the finer,  expensive range - and that is what I did.

I moved two floors above to the 'Gentlemen's Department'. They were having a sale. I looked through a number of clothes then found two things I decided I had to have both for quality and reduced price. The first was an 'Esprit' sweater in a simple classic design, and cream coloured. Perfect for my mood!

Then, with the help of an 'elderly assistant', I found the last 'Rovers and Lakes' shirt in classic blue and white stripes.  I paid €19,00 in total! The full price was €59,00! It pays to shop around, but then again I was just in the right store at the right time - as opposed to being in the wrong street at the wrong time a week ago when I had my fall!

I then went into a store selling everything to do with electronic gadgets. I found an electronic weighting machine reduced to €9,- and thought this really was my day. I wandered around the store and found the laptop section.

Oh la la....a special offer of a laptop from Compaq Presario and at the crazy prize of  €299,-.  I decided this last generation laptop was not really the machine I was looking for. Let's see what is on offer in July/August when I return from the UK.

Finally, a photo of breakfast on my balcony this morning. Just the right temperature and conditions to enjoy a simple but traditional breakfast before I set off to my doctors and shopping as therapy!

A Fall

A Fall and Results

The final day in May brought the worst thing. I meet Lee and Gerry in the afternoon but in the evening a thunderstorm started. We were at S-U-Bahn Friedrichstrasse and crossed the road. The lights changed to red for us as we got to the middle section for pedestrians.

I didn't notice a stone was higher than the others and tripped over. My head narrowly missed going under the wheel of a car. I fell to the the right damaging my foot and calf. I stopped my head hitting the ground by taking the fall on my outstretched arms. Ski-fall training but the street is harder than snow!

For the first few days I only noted problems with my foot-leg which slowly went away. It was replaced with a growing pain in my back which moved into my shoulders and back of my neck. By Saturday I could not sleep and was in permanent pain.

My German teacher gave me a stick to help me to walk slowly, my chin stayed on my chest so I could not see anything in the middle/higher vision range. I also found my old neck support and pain killers. You can see them here.

I went to the Doc this morning. He put me on a course of tablets to relax the tense muscles in the shoulders and neck, plus a course of physiotherapy. If that doesn't show signs of working by early next week then it will be hospital :-(

I called Hannelore and Peter in France to cancel my holiday there. They were very understanding and told me to come later in the year when I am better. Here is a pic of what I am missing plus my new tablets!


What a way to end one month and start another!

June

June and Things


June started with summer weather and visitors from Blighty. A very nice time with them all. It offers to be a quiet month based on travel of different kinds. Teaching at the institute has dried up and my private students want less help due to travel and business trips.

May was a very mixed month. My bicycle was stolen, Asus Laptop died, tea and coffee pots broke, kettle burnt out, my rucksack developed large holes and other small annoying things happened.

On the other hand, I bought a nice birthday present and had fun learning how to set up a W-Lan radio. I also had some interesting days out, cycle tours and more than one birthday meal!

Who has a birthday in June? My i-Mac is 4 years old today. I wonder if it will outlive my Asus? On the 19th June my father would have been 99 and my mother 93. They shared the same day.Teresa has her 'over 50' birthday on 23 June.  Hermann will be 74 on the 25th and that's it until July.

Happy Birthday to each and all and have a great day!

Breakfast

Special Breakfast

The day after the Herren Tag bicycle tour, we went to the Reichstag for breakfast. Not a bad way to start the day.  The Reichstag, in case you don't know, is the home of the German Parliament and just opposite the Chancellors office, which is very close to the President's Palace.

The building was re-designed in the 1990's, after re-unification, and Norman Fosters design was accepted. It includes a large glass dome with circular walkways open to the public.


 You can enter the building by registering for a conducted tour, or for a meal in the restaurant opposite the dome.

Andrew and the lads wanted the second option, so I organised it for them. They invited me to join them as their way of saying thanks for my help. I quickly and gratefully accepted.

They even got there before I did. Through the security check then into the lift to the dome and restaurant. We sat on the east facing terrace = into the morning sun. Wonderful! The service was first class as was the breakfast.

They took a lot of photos and I took a few.

After breakfast, Andrew wanted to walk to Brandenburger Tür, which we did, then on to Friedrichstrasse and eventually to Lafayette, which I think is his favourite store. Then to Checkpoint Charlie and finally to Karlshorst to return the bicycles.

Having done that, they decided to have a beer at the Havana Bar opposite S-Bahn Karlshorst. One beer led to another, and another....and even to thoughts of food!

I could not resist taking a photo of Andrew trying to consume his lunch. He managed most of it!

I headed home and they headed into Berlin for more fun + more beer! I really enjoyed my time with them and banter with each other.

One thing I noticed was how often they used a Blackberry to send messages. I think I am too old for this 'cultural development'! I prefer to talk face to face.

Visitors -3

Visitors - 3 

Andrew, Andrew and Kevin flew into Berlin on 1 June. I met them at the airport and took them by train to Karlshorst to pick up bicycles I had hired for them. Of course, they stopped for a beer or two on the way. And so the pattern of the next few days was set!

The first Andrew is my nephew, the second is a works colleague and Kevin was at Lancaster University with non-nephew Andrew. They are all chums and decided to leave their respective wives and children to sample a few days built around Herren Tag.

There is no equivalent in either the English language or culture. In secular society it is Mens Day, not Fathers Day, and a public holiday. It is day for men to 'bond' as modern sociologists would probably say.

Nowadays, many men bring their wife and children and there are special festivals for all the family. Traditionally the men would set off on horses and carts, which they had decorated with grasses and flowers, for a gentle round of drinking and eating which would last all day! Not bad!

Nephew Andrew experienced this about five years ago and wanted a second shot - but with some chums this time. And so they duly arrived and next day they met my Mugglesee Gang at Erkner and off we went.




There were 12 of us from 4 nationalities and languages, but most communication was in English. We stopped at Waltersdorf for beer and Wurst (grilled sausage with mustard) where I took some photos. We then cycled north to Rudersdorf  and Lake Steinspitz where we had a picnic - more photos.

More cycling north took us to Strausburg, where the ladies disappeared into a cafe and the lads into a beer garden for ..... yes, you guessed right, for beer. Later we took a tour around the north of the lake then through woods to Spitzmühle, for more beer and sausages.



 The day ended to the south of the lake at Eggersdorf where there is a popular Middle Ages Festival. More beer and sausages and then again -more beer. As the sun set, the happy gang cycled to S-Bahn Petershagen Nord to catch the S-Bahn back to Berlin. What a day!

Visitors-2

Visitors - 2


We met on a fresh hot sunny 1st June. That evening we had a thunderstorm of classic proportions - and then sun, blue sky and heat returned as if nothing had happened!

I met Lee and Gerry at Alexander Platz plus all the band. We all piled into an S-Bahn heading to Strausberg. It was full of workers returning home. I smiled as I saw the look of surprise on their faces at seeing so many English speakers in the wagon.

We finally arrived at Fredersdorf. There followed a ten minute walk into the village. The concert was held in the sports hall of the village school. Refreshments were on hand as soon as the musicians arrived.

I sat with Lee and Gerry and some interesting 'Brits' with interesting political opinions about what was wrong with the country. I listened with pointed ears for I do not get the chance to hear such views.

The clothes and instruments finally arrived, so all moved into the sports hall for a practice run before the big event. At that point I took these photos. I really like the one of Gerry blowing into a large metal instrument while smiling! Unfortunately I had to leave the concert early but I really liked what I heard.



I hope to see Lee and Gerry again when I visit England in a few weeks.

Visitors-1

Visitors-1

Lee and Gerry arrived in town and we met on 31 May. She is Alan and Lynne's daughter - and my 'god-daughter'! She became a professional musician and now plays in a 'wind band'.


The band was on a tour of 4 German cities. Berlin was the last stop. It was great to see her after so many years. I liked Gerry as soon as we met. A very open personality and he can speak some German!

We met on a warm day which threated rain storms in  the evening.  It was then that I had my accident, but more of that later.


We went through the central tourist area of Berlin, and I took them to a typical Berlin restaurant near to the British Embassy.



We had some really 'solid food' which in fact I could not finish. Lee had the same problem, but the food was good - just too much of it.

Here are a few photos of that pleasant evening. Next day I went with them to their concert east of Berlin.

Marga

Marga visit

Marga came to visit me on 29th May. I've talked about her before on this blog so no need to introduce her again. It was a pleasant sunny Sunday, and ideal for her to explore where I live.

We talked about such a day the last time we met. I bought a replacement bicycle for the one that was stolen, so lent her my 'chic' one. She hadn't been on a bicycle for 34 years and was nervous at first. She just needed time and all the old skills came back.

We ate a The Bömische Restaurant near to my flat. It was her choice for she doesn't have such a restaurant where she lives. Then to explore the southern part my area. It was the first to be built following the construction of a racecourse  for the Kaiser's son. It has some interesting villas and houses built for artists.

Next we went to the section built to house the 'next generation of money' which moved into the area. It has many nice family houses with gardens and tree lined streets. It also has a barracks built in 1934/5 to train officers. At the end of the complex is the Officers Mess. The Capitulation of Germany was signed there on 8th May 1945. It is now a museum and well worth a visit.



We continued our tour by cycling north to see where I used to live then west into the 'poor' part where I now live: -) This includes a section of housing built by the DDR government in the 1970's, hence it's name of being the 'poor' part.

We ended the tour back at my place for coffee, cakes and a drink. A very pleasant day and Marga wants to return to try out cycling again and tour the museum We plan to do this in July.