Panorama-1

I am going to show a panorama of Beijing in 2 parts. I spent one of my last days exploring the area to the north of The Forbidden City. Exactly opposite the North Gate is Jingshan Park.




In the middle is a hill topped with a small pagoda. The hill is not natural. It was built at the command of the same Emporer who ordered the park to be built.





It is the highest point in Beijing and ideal for taking photos of the inner city. I decided to take a series of pics covering 360° in 14 shots.  The first 6 are here.







I started with the view to the north of the city then moved towards the east, to the south where we can see views to the Forbidden City. The rest will be in the next post to this blog.

Marga cooking

Yesterday Marga visited to show me how to cook with a wok. We had a great afternoon and evening.


She brought lots of sauces and spices and explained which ones should be used with which vegetables.






We started with cake and coffee and lots of chatting to catch up on news. Then we prepared the vegetables.  Just before we started to cook we celebrated with a glass of Rotkapchen Sekt. Very nice!


I acted as assistant as she cooked and made notes about what went with what and which! The results were very tasty. We added water and Chardonay to the food on the table and then tried all the dishes. Delicious!

Here is to you liebe Andrea until we meet to enjoy some food, and a drink, next week:-)

Beijing Flat

Ian and Birgit found this flat shortly after their arrival in Beijing. It is in the south-east of the centre of the city and just south of the main business and embassy area.




The 'expat' colony is just to the north as is Metro Line 1, which links to all the main connecting Metro lines.

It is easy to connect and travel to all parts of the city from where they live. Their flat is on the third floor of a modern high rise block of flats. It has gardens and trees to soften the high rise image and it is only a few minutes walk to a Metro station.




A large underground shopping centre, with restaurants, is also only a few minutes walk away. I had some interesting adventures and meals there :-)

The flat was open plan and pleasant to be in. It had all the usual internet, large TV facilities typical of such a flat. This is typical for the new middle class type of flat in the city.

             It had two bedrooms with a hobby room that could double as a bedroom. Birgit did most of her Manderin Chinese homework there.

There was a large room composed of dining section and sitting room with sofas and TV opening onto a large window offering a view onto trees, a small garden and the next high rise block of flats.

The kitchen was modern, as was the bathroom with in-built washing machine. I particularly like the ceiling to floor curtain to separate the shower section from the toilet and washbasin parts. Very practical.



Here are the photos so you can see for yourself. I really enjoyed living in this flat with its relaxed atmosphere. I miss it.

My Hosts

I am now settled into routine in Berlin but still missing Beijing. I think I always shall.

Just got news from Ian and Birgit that they are leaving for Australia on 15th November. Sad, but I understand their reasons. It also has to do with family and parents who are not getting any younger:-)

Thought it was time to show you what they look like. I have just sent out lots of E-mails, with photo attachments of my stay in and around Beijing, so I decided to share some with you on my blog.

Let's start with Ian and Birgit for without them I would never have gone to the capital of the Peoples Republic of China.

They are both keep-fit enthusiasts as we can see this from the photo of Birgit....but the one of Ian shows him in his classic 'relaxing' pose. We old 'Sussex-Wallahs' know it well!  Thanks to both for a wonderful experience.

U-Day

Today is a public holiday. It marks the unification of East and West Germany in 1990. The 'U' in my title means unification.  The sun shone and the sky was blue. Very nice day!

I met a couple of Oldies and off we went to Berlins largest lake. We were not alone. Hundreds if not thousands of families and Oldies had the same idea. It was interesting to see how the people celebrated this important day 21 years after the event.

Not surprisingly, a lot of the time was spent in sitting, eating and drinking! Here are a few photos I took of the locals celebrating - mainly through the mouth :-)

One is of me about to eat a delicious fish dish. It is just for you Andrea so you can see that I have not stopped eating on my days out!

It was a very pleasant relaxing day. We ended it in alocal bar having a cool beer. That comment is just for you Jan!

Day in B-burg

I had a very pleasant time in Brandenburg yesterday. The weather was again exceptional for the start of October. Heike met me at the railway station and we walked to an Italian restuarant near her home.

Friends were waiting and after greetings we went in to our reserved table. Next to me sat a couple who had just returned from Hong Kong, so we had a lot to talk about comparing their visit with mine in Beijing.

On my other side sat a very nice lady who helps Heike to learn Spanish. That is her first language for she comes from Chile. We talked about her very interesting past. She had to flee Chile in 1973 with her husband and six young children. The fled from the military coup into Argentina, then to Europe where the government of the DDR offered them asylum. I remember that period very well.

The food was as good as the company and conversation. We emerged into the late afternoon sun and walked into the Alt Stadt then to the island with the original settlement of Brandenburg. We went into the cathedral to look at an exhibition. Heike and I then walked along the river and into a Gasthof next to a yacht/boat harbour. We watched the sun settle towards the river as we sipped a cool drink.

As dusk arrived I was back at the railway station then on my way to Berlin. Many thanks Heike for such a pleasant, relaxing day.

Hot walk

Phew, but it is unusually hot at the moment. Tomorrow may be even hotter before the onset of autumn from Tuesday. I went on a walk with nine other people (mainly oldies) today. Ideal weather and a very nice atmosphere in the group.

We went to a place I had never been to before. It is called 'Natur-Park Schöneberger-Südgelände'. It has been created in an area that was a railway station/repair yard in the days of steam trains. The tracks were left and 'nature' has just grown over them. I liked seeing large trees growing out of the old tracks.

One of the group studied biology years ago so was able to tell us more about the flora and fauna we saw. I found it very interesting to hear where a plant came from, and how it spreads using the wind or animals or birds to move to other areas - or even to other parts of the world.












We later walked to a hill made from the rubble of Berlin houses cleared after the war. On top there is the Wilhelm-Förster Sternwarte = an observatory. Not the right time to see the stars but interesting to discover the place.

We ended with a two hour meal (as usual :-)))  in the garden of a restaurant.  Now to pack my bag for Brandenburg tomorrow.

October 2011

October starts tomorrow with hot sunny weather - just like today. It is forecast to stay sunny until next Tuesday when autumn will arrive.

Tomorrow I am going on a walk to the south-east of the city to look at flora and fauna. On Sunday I am going to the city of Brandenburg to meet Heike and some of her friends. Lot of chat, food and a concert - I think it is music by Bach. Should be nice. Next Monday is a public holiday here to celebrate the re-unification of Germany in 1990. I wonder who and how it will be celebrated?

Life looks like settling into a regular pattern, very much like last autumn. I am still missing life in Beijing and noting how it has affected how I view life back in Berlin. Must avoid falling into a boring routine which looks very much the pattern until the end of the year.

Talking of year end, for the religious in Europe it ends with a celebration called Christmas. I noted this week that all my local supermarkets have now started to sell Christmas products. I think people will be so 'cheesed off' by this that they will increasingly turn away from this religious humbug - it would also be good if they stopped buying this rubbish in protest! Nice idea :-)

Now who has a birthday in October? Nephew Andrew will be 34 on the 5th, which he shares with Birgit in Beijing who will be 49 on that day. Nephew Warren will be 35 on the 12th, his mother ( my sister Frances) will be 65 on the 14th. Back in Berlin, Harro will be 65 on the 17th, Marita hits 60 on the 21st, my ex-neighbour will be 93 on the 22nd, Dianne in Keighley hits the big one of 65 on the 27th and Tanja in London hits 48 on the 31st to end this birthday month. Happy Birthday to each and all and have a great day with your nearest and dearest.

Shopping again

I have slowly got back into life in Berlin and went to my Oldie Fitness Group session this morning. They were all pleased to see me and asked lots of questions as we stretched and relaxed. It was nice to see them again.

Later I went to my Photoshop Gang session to find I was too early and Stefan wasn't there. I talked to Marco, who also works there, about DSLR cameras. We looked around the internet and got more information. My search was prompted by an advertisement for a Canon DSLR camera in one of the big electrical store chains.

I got lots of information from the Wikepedia web page and from linked pages reviewing the camera. I decided to buy it. There were two reasons. First, the special offer price and second, if I did not buy now I would probably waste the money on food and booze :-(

I returned home, got the money from under my mattress and left for the store. Nice help and advice in the store and so I arrived home to open the box. What a surprise. All the operating instructions were in German, French, Italian, Dutch or Spanish. Nothing in English. In addition I got three CDs about the camera .... but not in English.


I think I shall need next week to read all this stuff before I put the bits together and try to take a shot. Watch this space for results. I had been thinking about buying such an entry-to-DSLR-camera for some time, but talking to Ian in Beijing was the catalyst in doing something rather than talking about it.

Back in Berlin

I'm back in Berlin and shaking off jet lag and sleeping problems.

I had a wonderful time in Beijing and area and wanted to stay. Huge thanks to Birgit and Ian for putting me up...and putting up with me!

On arrival they gently took me around the area where they live, got me a travel card and another card to pay for food at a local 'meal market' where lots of local workers dropped in. How well I remember the 'jiaozi' ladies there :-)

After that, I started to organise my daily trips and travels. I started with sights in the city, then in the second week I booked tours to the mountains and countryside. In my last week I saw all the sights in the city I had't seen in my first week.

I saw many amazing places, scenes and buildings, but walking on the Great Wall of China in the middle of the second week was perhaps the most memorable event. Here is a photo to show that I made it to the top of a very high point.

On my return, I bought a wok and have started to cook delicious vegetarian meals. Ian and Birgit gave me the book to guide me in my new cooking adventure. I have already started work on the 465 photographs I took and will post selected ones to this blog during October.

September 2011

I finished teaching at the institute yesterday and now have a few days for/to myself. I had a Manderin Chinese lesson this morning. Mainly pronunciation and writing down the main words and phrases I shall need to be polite.

My teacher also wrote words on a card to show to people when I need help. Not a bad tip when you visit a land where you can't speak or read the language.

I shall start packing on Sunday. Heike is coming in the afternoon to take me to the airport. My non-stop flight leaves at 7:30 pm and takes almost 9 hours to reach Beijing. Ian and Birgit will be waiting for me and take me to their flat in south-central Beijing. I must remember to take my camera!

I shall not be posting to this blog until my return at the end of September. My nearest and dearest have my e-mail addresses should they wish to tell me how much they miss me :-)

Who has a birthday while I am away? Charlotte will be 20 and about to go to Sussex University on 6 September. A day she shares with Nevand who will be 6. My liebe Andrea will be 26 on the 8th, nephew Stephen in Cambridge will be 41 on the 22nd, Robert 33 on the 23rd and Sylvana 51 on the 25th. Stephen's Papa will be another year older on 27th, nephew Jefferson hits 38 on the 29th and ends this birthday month.   HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO EACH AND ALL!

Biesdorf

The evening before I went to Chorin, I went to Schloss Biesdorf. 


I met Johanna and family and Jutta. A friend of theirs was giving a concert to showcase his very talented 19 year old daughter.


She played five instruments from baroque to jazz. Amazing! She is going to university to study music when the next term/semester starts.

The concert was free and many people brought a picnic hamper with them ... and wine! 


It was a pleasant warm evening as the sun went down on a lot of happy people listening to a wide range of music. 

Chorin

Yesterday I went to Closter Chorin for a concert. It was great!  The evening before I sat in the garden of Schloß Biesdorf.


 It was the home of Herr Siemens many years ago.  Now it is a museum and centre for artistic events. I met Jutta, Johanna and about eight other family members and friends. We listened to a young lady playing five instruments accompanied by her father. A very pleasant evening.

Yesterday the music was presented by the Deutsche Streicherphilharmonie ( The German String Orchestra) directed by Michael Sanderling.  The programme was (1)  Felix Mendelssohn, Streichersinfonie Nr.1, which he wrote when he was only 16. Amazing ... when I was 16, I was gazing out of the window wonder what it was all about!

It was followed by 'An English Suite' written by Hubert Parry. Very English indeed. He is famous for his church music in the late Victorian Period. This piece is pure 'English' of spring on the Sussex Downs, tea with scones, news of the Empire in The Times and all being well with the world. The weather was also perfect.

After the break, we enjoyed a remarkable talent called Da Sol. He was born in Korea in 1989 and didn't get his hands on a piano until he was 11 years old. Then he really made up for lost time. Although rather small in stature he made up for this with a strength of playing, which surprised most listeners, as he interpreted Chopin's Piano Concert Nr. 1.

The audience was very appreciative of all the music and performers and gave all and each a lot of applause - but then very well deserved.  The combination of music, warm sunny weather with clear blue skies and performance skills was perfect. A day to remember for a long time.

The location also played an important part. Closter Chorin was build about 1250AD as the Germans moved eastwards and settled into Slavic speaking land. It was built on a lake north of Berlin. It was famous for its hospital and discovery and use of herbs in treating ailments and diseases.

It continued this work for three hundred plus years until it was closed and sold off in the Reformation. Fortunately, all the health cure recipes had been written down over the years and so were used in other centres for treating the ill and infirm.

What a pity that almost no tourists know about this centre for music for it is only an hours journey north of Berlin.  Just a reminder that there is more than Checkpoint Charlie to see when you visit Berlin - particularly in summer.

Closter Chorin was built on the shores of a lake in a wonderful forest. Calm and quite, which is perfect for recuperation after an illness and treatment.  Also a great setting for classical music. Hundreds came to enjoy the combination --- as you can see from the photos!

Topping Danlap

I've done it again!   I can hear Sven saying, "No, not another one!" Yes, and I really enjoyed it.


The story begins thus: Once upon a time in a galaxy far away, our hero called John bought a laptop.He did it to learn more about such machines and also make it available to Jan for his studies. But Jan had also bought a laptop, so what to do?

He started to use it for teaching, including at the institute where he worked, and lo....it came to pass that he added a projector and all were very happy to use the equipment so John made a profit on his investment :-)

One day Daniel arrived in Berlin to learn German and Jan asked John if he could loan said laptop to Daniel. This he did and all were exceedingly happy. One year passed and Daniel returned the machine before he returned to Brazil.

Poor laptop looked well worn and tired but John put it back to work and earned more money. Nice!  Poor laptop got older and slower and could not keep up with pace of technology. Things began to malfunction and this morning poor laptop died. Oh no, I can hear you all cry!

Yes, so John had to remove parts of poor laptop before he hands it to a dealer and makes €30,-. Here are two photos of poor old trusty laptop giving up its valuable bits before being sold off for scrap!

Szczecin

The first Saturday this month I went to Szczecin.  'Oldie' Hermann was my travel companion. A good choice for it turned out that he knew the city very well and could show me the main sights.

Szczecin has in interesting history and is part of the story of German settlement in the old slavic speaking areas of what is now the east of Germany and Poland. It was the seat of a 'Furst' - this is usually translated as Duke - who ruled Pommern/Pomerania.

 It figures in the expansion east under Frederick the Great and the first division of Poland. It also formed part of the later state of Preussen/Prussia. When the borders were changed in 1945, it was incorporated into the new Polish state and  formed one of its two major port-cities. The other is Gdansk.

It was bombed extensively by UK-USA planes in the last war, particularly the port area and inner city were destroyed. Some fine old buildings survived, including some which were later renovated and restored to their original appearance. I was particularly interested to photo these.

The white building is the Furst's city palace and the large and imposing buildings go back to the Preussen days and the founding of Germany in 1871. They were used either for government, administrative, police or education - and they still are!

There is a really nice part of the inner city on high ground overlooking the river. People call it the balcony of the city. There are some nice restaurants there and we had lunch in one with a nice view of the river.

The weather was warm and sunny so there were lots of tourists. It was also in the school holiday period so I noticed a lots of families with young children. As usual, the local people were as pleasant and friendly as I remember Polish people were to me on my holidays there many years ago.

Emily

Last week I played host to Emily and her sons. She is a close friend of one of my friends in Brighton and asked me to show her around Berlin.

A really interesting time for me for they asked to see sights that are not on the tourist maps. Quite a challenge!

I did it and they liked the mix of seeing the usual tourist things and wandering off the beaten tourist track. When I had to teach they did the tourist bits and we went to Potsdam on their last day.

That evening they left for Budapest. That was the next part of their five country tour. I am sure they will have had a great time there. It is a really interesting city and well worth a visit.

Busy

Busy, busy since my return from England. It started with a series of calls from the Institute asking me to teach through August. I accepted for it will pay for my China trip :-)

Yesterday I was in Glashütte to enjoy a cello concert. It was given by Milka and others who are learning the cello. It was nice to see her again with husband Sven and their children. A great time. The bonus was that their little boy let me pick him up and cuddle him. When I put him down, he wanted more cuddles. How to melt one's heart!

On Saturday I went to a workshop for teachers. It was about English as a Lingua Franca. There is a new academic movement exploring this and slowly we are getting books with teaching tips for practical work. It was really interesting and I learnt a few new things. Can't be bad!

Just been to the dentist. Trying to save the root of a tooth. Not sure about having it out rather than risk having dental treatment in Beijing. We decided to wait and see how I reacted to treatment this week. Perhaps the wisest decision.

This week I'm teaching each day, tomorrow is an 'oldie' meeting to eat chicken and chat! On Friday I have been invited to an evening concert in Schloss Biesdorf. This is followed by another concert in Kloster Chorin to the north of Berlin on Saturday. Another busy week!

Raining

It really is raining here. The last couple of weeks in July were very wet. It is the school holidays so not very nice for the kids and families who don't have the money to escape to warmer climes. They have to spend their holiday period here. Not nice to have so much rain!

Shirley is celebrating her birthday with family and friends as I write these words. Hope you are having a great time Shirley. Jan is thinking of packing and driving to north Spain on Wednesday to join Arancha. They are then going to the south to spend some time alone on the beach, swimming and having fun. Great! They deserve it.

I am still waiting for Daniel to get this act together. He has sent me e-mails for a week and we still haven't met. He is over from Brazil to visit friends and his old haunts in Berlin. At the moment he is in the Baltic states so hopefully we can meet when he returns.

Very busy month coming up. I am suddenly 'flavour of the month' at the institute. Another student asked to have lessons only from me. I will be teaching there three days a week throughout August. Can't complain for the money will cover my next travel plans!

Supposed to be going on as bicycle tour tomorrow with five oldies. I wonder if we shall do this given the weather. Watch this space. Now where did I put my large umbrella?