Masters

Plantation Masters

Back to my Louisiana trip. All the land north of New Orleans on both sides of the Mississippi were covered by sugar plantations. Life was very good - if you were a master and lived in the plantation house.

I visited the 'Laura Plantation' for it is run by a historical trust which offers tours and preserves the buildings. It is called 'Laura' after the name of one of the women owners covering five generations in one family. Laura was either No. 4 or 5. 

They were originally French. A lot is known about the plantation, and daily life there, because she wrote books when she was an old women and living in Paris.  

There is information about income, costs and profits made by the slaves working the plantation. Profits were very large and enabled families, like Laura's, to live in style in the plantation house and in their house in New Orleans - and in Paris! 

Here are photos of me outside the plantation house, the main bedroom, the living room, dining room and the nursery. You can compare to how the slaves lived in my next post!

Neuruppin

Fontanestadt Neuruppin

Yesterday I went to Neuruppin with Oldie Hermann. All planned late because of the weather. It changed here suddenly from 30° C to 16°C and with cloud over the weekend. We worked out a route involving 3 S-Bahns and a regional train to get there.

A pleasant journey as I remembered that I had been there with Marita about ten years ago, but in her car! The town is built on the west side of a long lake called Ruppinersee. Its modern claim to fame is a writer called Theodore Fontane.

He was born there. I have a photo of the front of his birthplace. It is his parents chemist's shop! He was a busy student and also became a chemist but his passion was writing.

 Later he moved to London where he worked as a journalist. On his return to Germany he published a series of books that made him famous.

The one that all school children have to read, or so Hermann told me, is the one about his travels around the German Federal Sate of Brandenburg.

In German it is just called Land-Brandenburg, or Mark-Brandenburg based on its Roman name. This is not to be confused with the city called Stadt-Brandenburg, which I recently visited.

On arrival yesterday, I went to the tourist office and got some information and a nice clear map of the old town making up the centre near to the lake front. After a coffee, we set off to explore the old centre.

Actually it is not old for it burnt down a number of times, so in the early 1800's, the King told a famous architect called Schinkel to prepare plans for a new centre. This architect was also responsible for a lot of building  in Berlin after the end of the Napoleonic Wars.

Parallel wide streets with imposing buildings became the style of the old centre. Fontane was born in the town after re-building and becoming a military and administrative centre. In 1945, the Red Army used it as its main base north-west of Berlin until 1990-91.

The photographs show Fantane's birth-house, me in front of a statue of him, the old Kloster-Church on the lake front, the promenade on the bank of the lake and the Tempelgarten. We had a very nice lunch at a family restaurant opposite the Kloster-Church. Local fish -- of course!

Sorry, Andrea but I forgot to have a photo of me eating again :-)) I know you like these!

Bernau Fest

Bernau Hussite Fest 

I went to the Hussite Fest at Bernau today. I have been there before and even posted reports and photos on this blog. I haven't been for a couple of years, so I decided to go. The catalyst was Bernd and Kathryn who live near Bernau. Bernd and I worked in Berau for a number of years and we still keep in touch.

Bernd and Kathryn were also looking after a group of students from the USA. They are on a European tour which includes five weeks in Germany. All are studying architecture and most came from a university in Idaho.  I was able to chat to a few as we watched the procession.

Every year on the second Saturday of June, the good people of Bernau organise and host three days of festivities under the guise of celebrating the towns victory over a rather ragtag army of supporters of Jan Huss who were galloping around the area hoping to find food, drink and any gold objects lacking a clear owner! Actually, it is a big tourist attraction and brings in lots of money for local hotels and restaurants, and places that sell beer!

I like it for the fun and good spirits, as well as the beer and wurst!  The procession tells the story of the grounding of the town by 'Albrecht the Bear', its expansion, then problems of the plague (Black Death)  and war between the Catholic church and the new protestant rulers of north Germany.

 It reduced the population of the town by 80%, but the survivors pushed ahead and slowly rebuilt the town and added many features over the centuries. It also says something about the history of Land Brandenburg and the later Kingdom of Prussia.

There are lots of stalls selling many things related to the events - particularly local wurst and beer. I sampled both before I returned to Berlin. A nice day.

Tomorrow I am off to Neuruppin, before I settle in front of my TV to watch the German national football team play its first match in the World Championship in South Africa.

Beckmann Oldies

Frau Beckmann's Oldies

Yesterday I had a really great day in Warnemünde with Frau Beckmann's Oldies. She is retired but works part-time in the Bau-Haus Museum, along with Oldie Hermann and many other Oldies you can see in the photos. 


She likes to organise things - and people! - so given the sudden change in weather, telephones rang and 13 Oldies met at Berlin Haupbahnhof (Main Station) for a day of fun, sun and frolics in Warnemünde.

Warnemünde is on the Baltic Sea, called Ostsee in German, and north of Rostock. You may remember I was there two weeks ago with Hans. Two of the Oldies left the group at Rostock to explore the town so the rest of us landed in Warnemünde. This word means the mouth (Münde) of the river Warne. Easy isn't it!

From there you can take ferries to Denmark and to Sweden (which I did a few years ago)  - as you can see in the photos - when two crossed at the mouth of the river/harbour.  When we arrived the weather was rather overcast although in Berlin it was hot and sunny. There was a belt of cold cloud rolling in from the sea and hanging over the town. In mid-afternoon the sun broke through and everyone started to smile!

We walked all over the place stopping at the local market, small side roads with interesting little shops and cafes, then to the main area in front of Hotel Neptune. Later we went to the restaurant on the top floor (19th) and had some refreshments.

I took some photos of the town from the top floor with ships heading out and the beach and other parts of the town visible in the photo. We spent the whole day together and it was really nice to exchange views and share the day with so many nice women!

Late Card

Late Card

When I got home from seeing the Aga Khan collection, I checked my mail box. I discovered the usual junk and an envelope with handwriting I knew.


It was postmarked Cambridge and bore the writing of my dear sister - La Paulina! It was a birthday card! Nice, but my birthday was three weeks earlier when I was in Baton Rouge.


Then I realised she must have reasoned that I was in Amiland and decided to post it when she thought I would get back. Isn't the power of reasoning great!


I really liked the text and decided to share the smile with you. I like the punchline which allows her to share the qualities of the 'birthday boy' = Me! I think you can read the text and share in the smile.

Martin Gropius

Martin Gropius Bau

Last Thursday I went to Martin Gropius Bau to see an exhibition of Islamic Art from the Aga Khan collection. It closed yesterday and will move to a permanent site in Toronto in Canada. That's why I decided to move myself and see it here rather than fly to Canada!

Martin Gropius Bau is a big museum not far from Potsdamer Platz and opposite the Preusischer Landstag,  which is a building housing Berlin's parliament. This should not  be confused with the Rotes Rathaus in Alaxander Platz which houses Berlin's government. I hope you are all paying attention and this is clear :-)

When I got there I was surprised to see hundreds of people in a long queue. When I asked about this I discovered it was for the Frida Kahlo exhibition on the first floor. My exhibition was on the second floor and there was no queue.

It was very well presented and easy to follow the time line from the time of the prophet Mohammed but I wondered why it all stopped in 1858, when the British exiled the last Moghul Emperor to Burma. It was as if Islamic art suddenly stopped then. Of course it is an arbitrary cut-off point.

Well worth a visit the next time you go to Toronto!

Nice life

Nice life for some!

Here is a photo of me with a picture of New Orleans in the background showing the river with plantations marked on each side. This was in the 'golden time' from 1800 to 1850 when the world demand for sugar boomed and with it the number of plantations, and demand for slaves to work on the sugar plantations.

Most of the big plantation houses shown on the map no longer exist. Some were destroyed in the civil war, some burnt down, others fell apart from neglect but some survive to the east of New Orleans.

Move up-river from Kenner (where I cycled to) and from Gramercy to White Castle you find six houses that have survived. It is known locally as the Plantation Parade. Continue further north into Louisiana and you will see more plantation house. A few are in private hands but most are maintained by local historical societies or preservation foundations.

They are all 'grand' but perhaps the 'jewel' is still Oak Valley Plantation with its famous entrance through 28 oak trees. It is claimed to be the most photographed and often used as a backdrop for TV series or films.

It is owned by a foundation led by two sisters from the family who built it in 1839. You can even sleep there and dine in the restaurant. I didn't ask the prices when I was there!

I don't think the slaves who lived there had it quite so grand, but more about that in my next post about the Laura Plantation.

Streetcar

A Streetcar Named John!

A short brisk walk from Tony and Rita's house brings you to St. Charles Avenue. It is on the tourist map with Bourbon Street and other 'must' visit places. A streetcar line runs along St. Charles Avenue. Here is a photo. It is one of three lines and takes you straight to the centre where you can walk across Canal Street into Bourbon Street and so enter and explore the delights of the French Quarter.

I got a tourist pass so was able to use the public transport system for a week on that ticket and so spent happy hours touring around the city and crossing on the ferry to explore Algiers on the south bank of the Mississippi.

On one of my excursions I went into the Civil War museum. I had a strong sense of the civil war, slavery and the plantation culture and economy throughout my stay in the south of Louisiana. Certainly more so than on any of my previous trips to the USA. The exhibits focussed more on the misery and experiences of the ordinary soldier, than I expected, with many examples of how families lived and died then!

Coming from Tony and Rita's, you cross over St. Charles Avenue and walk south into Audubon Park with its Zoo and public sport places. See photos. It is on the north bank of the river and very popular with the more active inhabitants such as Tony, who plays football there each week. I really liked wandering or cycling through it and always ended up chatting to strangers during breaks to relax on a park bench.

On one side of the park are big mansions and one was for sale. I asked a passer-by what it cost. He told me if I had 3 million dollars I could have it. I smiled and said, "Is that all!" I had 50 dollars in my pocket at the time - I should have left it as a deposit :-)

Jazz Fest

The famous Jazz Fest

Just north of 'Mid-City' you will find a green area called ' Fair Ground Race Track'. It is the city racetrack for horses and there you can enjoy the 'New Orleans Jazz Fest' each end of April/start of May. It is held over two weekends and started in 1964.

It has now become an institution where musicians gladly present their musical skills. We all went on the last day, Sunday 2 May. As you know, I am a classical music fan but I grew up in the post war world of US dominance, including its music.

I can remember the late 1950's/early 1960's  of Fats Domino, Bill Haley, Big Bands and Elvis Presley. A range of 'cruisers' led by Frank Sinatra and the local UK grown rock and rollers with strange names.

All influenced local UK bands particularly the Rolling Stone and the Beatles. Not least of these influences was B.B.King and 'The Blues'.

The racecourse area was divided into different musical areas ranging from the big open air section to smaller venues in large tents. You could just wander around from one musical event to the next with stops for tasty snacks. See Tony snacking!

I wandered around the area all the time for I didn't want to miss anything. There is a pic of me with Tony at the main afternoon bash of Van Morrison and his band. I have never liked him or his music but I was impressed by his band. They came across as very professional and played more jazz and improvisation than I ever remembered from his records.

His audience was huge and mostly over 50. They came with well organised mobile seats, large picnic hampers, large bottles and even larger 'joints'! I had visions of them in the Hippy Days of the late 1960's and early 1970's from such thing  as their clothes and how they behaved. They were re-living their collective teenage pasts!

Unfortunately the organisers had put on so many classic acts at the same time to end the shows. I ran around trying to see The Neville Brothers, B.B. King, The Radiators, Maze, Ritchie Havens (another voice from my/our younger days, Trish!) Big Chief and the Big Dolls, and the strangely named Barry Grunch.

I settled for B.B.King and Ritchie Havens with some good sprinting from me between their songs so that I wouldn't miss anything.

And so as night fell we all left the ground and moved back to our hotels or homes in New Orleans. I'm glad that I had the opportunity to attend and take part in such a remarkable musical experience.

The rest of you have to do it too, before we all exit this mortal coil! I shall never forget it.

Hammock time

Hammock time 

Tony and Rita have a very nice house in 'Up Town'. This is near to Tulane University where Tony is a Professor. I should have written 'was' for he is now busy moving the family to London where he has taken a Professorship at London University in a new department.

We just had to enjoy the evenings in the hammock on the verandah of their house. Here are a few shots of us. Also of us when we cleaned up the front of the house. He was having a farewell party for university friends and professors so we all pitched in and cleaned it up ready for the guests.

I attacked the front garden and removed a lot of overgrown green foliage, grass and tree branches. Bevan joined in and helped us clean up the front steps with a hose and we were very happy with the results. We earned our rest and recuperation - in a glass!

The party was a big success and I enjoyed meeting so many of his fellow Profs and friends.