Remember the nice photos I posted of my newly setup veggie bed?
Well, the arugula has been eaten by a dozen caterpillars a few months ago. They looked beautiful, grass green with bright yellow stripes on their back. When I discovered them it was much too late. A woman from the local gardening society told me that they would turn into beautiful butterflies. Little bastards!
They also ate the Kailan (Chinese greens). The Japanese cucumber and string beans climbed up the bamboo sticks and look pretty, but there is not a single pickle nor bean in sight.
The surprising winners are the cocktail tomatoes and carrots from seeds I bought in Germany. Thirty juicy and sweet tomatoes and a dozen small but very orange carrots. I also put supermarket ginger into the ground and it sprouted. However the lemon grass, which was such a success in Dubai, withered and died.
I knew it would happen. Gardening is about learning and sticking with the winners. It takes time and experience. Next year my compost will be ready and I will dig it into the very clayie veggie bed. Every morning I will search for caterpillars. I will construct a raised bed, because tropical downpours will turn level veggie beds into ponds (with tiny cute frogs). And I will plant German carrots and tomatoes and maybe have a second go at Japanese cucumbers.
While the caterpillars munch the rest of my veggies, I watch a BBC series Around the world in 80 gardens. It’s enlightening. Gardening is like religion, so different around the world, but the concept is the same, we all like it and it makes us happy, in a weird BDSM kind of way.
I have been fifteen years in Hong Kong, but having this little garden around the house has been such a pleasure and new discovery. The veggie garden is a work in progress, but the rest, the so-called weeds, the plants that just sprout up after each rain, they are so pretty. The ones I like, I transplant to prime spots where they will strive and grow.
Whereas gardening in Dubai was about watering thrice a day, gardening in Hong Kong is about cutting down plants you don’t like at least once a month. I feel like Tarzan in a jungle with a machete… ok, huge -made in Germany- garden scissors. I also spray myself with “Deep Woods” mosquito repellent. It lasts for about 15 minutes until a colony of these little devils break out in laughter and descent on me.
And then they are the palm-sized spiders, and the creepy crawlies in the compost pile, and at least three geckos inside the house. I was raised by a mum who threw the spiders from the ceilings under our bath tub to eat the silver fish. Nature is about balance, and we are a part of it.
Little man and I observed our bedroom gecko tonight. George the Slow climbed up the wall, ambled past the curtains, and then stumbled behind the TV. The insect population in our bedroom will be kept at a minimum, my task in the equilibrium will be to wipe the gecko shit away.
Tomorrow little man and I will leave for Berlin where we will take care of my Dad’s garden. He is in hospital and half of his right foot is amputated, but in spite of this, and because of this, his tiny allotment garden is Eden and I will help my mum to take care of it. I am so ready for the pleasure of a temperate garden in summer. A bit of grass cutting and watering, how hard can it be?
Oma, Opa, little man, and I are gearing up for the big festivities. Today we bought a tree, and thanks to Opa’s negotiating skills for a very good price (“I may be old but I am not stupid, young man. On the 24th you have to sell them all at half price anyway. I give you twenty Euros, not more.”), gifts for little man are carefully hidden away, and tomorrow we will pick up a goose for our Christmas dinner from a farm outside Berlin. We are all set.
A Peaceful and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all!
So, I am watching German TV this morning, and one of the perks in Dubai is having a giant satellite dish on the roof that catches three German TV channels (illegally of course). It’s the ninth of November and twenty years ago the Wall was opened. But today, a pretty and young TV reporter stands at Bornholmer Strasse a former border crossing between East and West Berlin. I can see it’s cold, it rains, truly November weather in Berlin. She tells a story about the former border crossing, about the few pieces of Wall that are still standing, and the information post with audio in eight languages (she presses the Chinese button) about its history.
In my mind images of my mother and me enduring border crossings between East and West to visit my grandma twenty-five years ago pop up. None of them pleasurable.
Suddenly, this young reporter, trying to look cheerful despite the early morning rain (did I already tell you that November is not a good month in Berlin?). Says that she is VERY happy to have a guest this morning (camera moves a little to the left) the former sergeant (or was he general, and truly who really cares?) of the border crossing.
I am thinking… WTF?
Close up of a very spritely looking seventy-plus year old with white hair in dark green anorak (he still likes army colors).
Pretty reporter asks green anorak “What happened twenty years ago?”
All I could think of was again “WTF?”
Not enough that this cowardly career asshole is obviously enjoying a cushy state pension, he gets invited to comment to an anniversary that should have nothing to do with him.
While I looked around for the remote control to put an end to this farce, I am thinking… how can you… how in the world can you interview this guy… without throwing up on his army green anorak?
She looked younger than me, probably she never had to endure a East-West border crossing? Why? WTF? Why?
I stood on the Wall twenty years ago. It was like a dream then and it is like a dream now. I will never forget the joy and wonder when my teenage world came to an end. And I will never forget the totalitarian regime my grandma had to endure. Never forget my visits to see her. And the terrible border crossings.
My grandma was so beautiful. She had this wonderful wise smile. Unfortunately, she died four years too early to see it, but I think she would have been very happy.
Twenty years ago my English teacher at school was a little late. We sat around in front of the class room. We were not really surprised that he was late. He was someone who enjoyed the finer things in life, and eight 0′clock in the morning was not his most favorite time. Still, we loved him, because he was a a very good teacher (“You are not learning for the next test, but for life!”), and he loved Shakespeare.
He turned up half an hour late.
We: Mr. Streetcastle! (that was Mr. Strassburg’s English name) Why are you late again?”
He: Haven’t you heard?
We: No, what happened?
He: The Wall is open!
We (stunned with open eyes and mouth)
He: I can’t believe that you haven’t heard! I was up all night. I was in East Berlin with my bicycle. Everything is going to change now!
Of course we saw the many East German people in Hungarian embassies, of course we saw the many people walking through East German streets demonstrating, of course we loved Mr. Gorbachev, but somehow the ninth of November still came as a surprise.
We spun dreams of a wonderful future with Mr. Streetcastle for an hour or so, afterwards we sat through the rest of the school day, then wen went home to our families, and then most of us went to the Wall to see thousands and thousands of East Berliner to stream to West Berlin.
In the evening, my boyfriend and I tried to cross to East Berlin at Checkpoint Charly. Checkpoint Charly was one of the most famous border crossings between East and West Berlin, but West Berliner were not allowed to use it. It was reserved for Americans, foreigners etc. but we thought on this day, surely we could cross there, in the middle of Berlin, to the other side, to the heart of Berlin?
No. A green uniform stopped us. We took the underground train to another border crossing.
In the twenty years since then, a lot of people had to adjust their hopes, and change didn’t come easy for many of them. But hearing the many dreadful stories of East Germans trying to find freedom in their country and not getting it until twenty years ago made it all worthwile.
It’s a true day of celebration for Germany. And I hope you have a smile on your face and remember the joyful pictures you saw on TV that day, twenty years ago.
I went to the hairdresser’s today, which was a pleasant enough experience, until they told me the price I had to pay. I did a sharp inhale while trying to get my credit card out of the wallet. I still have to get used to the fact that Berlin is not the half-forgotten and cheap place it used to be when I grew up here.
Afterward I wandered into the Hackesche Hoefe, where tourists faithfully completed their sightseeing programs despite the heat.
The Hackesche Hoefe are a complex of apartment and commercial buildings around eight inner courtyards, which were built in 1906. It’s touristy, but very pretty to look at, especially because of the beautiful tiles at many of the facades.
It also gives a glimpse into Berlin’s history. Many of the older neighborhoods in Berlin have similar architecture. Shops, restaurants, apartments, various commercial enterprises, and even theaters are close together in a single building complex made accessible by passages and courtyards.
From the street these courtyards are hidden, but it pays to be a bit nosy and peek through gateways to sometimes discover wonderful green courtyards or interesting businesses. Not surprisingly, these old neighborhoods are by far the most lively and attractive in Berlin.
PS: On the way back I pondered why it is that places underground are even hotter on a hot day than those above ground… oh hell
My ass hurts and my legs are sore, but it was still a fun excursion. Yesterday, I cycled 20 miles through the countryside south of Berlin, and by the end of the day was surprised that my ass hadn’t fused with the saddle. The distance was a bit ambitious for someone who doesn’t own bicycle pants, but what’s a few days of waddling like a duck in exchange for feeling a sense of accomplishment.
The best part was that I didn’t need to dodge cars and trucks. South of Berlin is something very cool, a network of over 200 kilometers (125 miles) of dedicated paths for skaters and cyclists, called Flaeming-Skate. There are several long circuits that go through forests and fields and pass little villages and towns. There are even restaurants and hotels along the way that specifically target skaters and cyclists.
I had been to the area before, but with a car. While riding in a car you miss 90% of what lies along the way. You don’t see the windmill half hidden by trees, you don’t smell the pine trees and flowers, you don’t realize that the road climbs a 580 feet hill (and on the plus side also descends it on the other side…wheeeeeee!).
And in a car you would just swoosh by the many plum trees laden with ripe, juicy fruits. The area around Berlin is famous for its picturesque country roads lined with trees, often several hundred years old. Some of them are fruit trees – cherry, apple, pear, and plum – and the best part is that whoever comes by can pick them.
Two kilos of plums gathered in my bicycle basket was enough for a whole tray of plum tart … yummy!
Little Man and I said goodbye to Hong Kong this week. Seeing your previous life packed up wasn’t easy, but luckily we were too busy to get sentimental. The packers needed a whole day to pack our belongings into boxes, and afterwards I was surprised how small the apartment looked. The furniture and clutter made it look big and full of life, after it was gone, it was a tiny, empty, worn-out shell.
This is for you astronaut and for me:
It can hold a pregnant woman in labour.
Yesterday, little man and I woke at 2 am local German time. We used the early hour to craft “Cutie the Beauty” for Oma and Opa’s Christmas tree.
She is made out of scrap paper, has wonderful blue wings, and little man is especially proud of her goldie locks.
Santa Claus visited us already, and I hope he arrives at your home in time :). I wish you all a Peaceful and Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy 2009!
Just came back from Kiss me Kate at the Komische Oper in Berlin (same production as above). They had free drinks and snacks during the intermission. How can I not give a glowing review?
They normally do Operetta at Komische Oper, and it was refreshing to see a musical done in a different mold than the unadventurous productions that tour the world. I loved it!
It is very interesting to read the next day commentaries for a political event you actually went to. The analyzing, spinning, and criticizing. In the end, very little of what the person said and what happened is transported to the greater public. This makes me glad that I went to the Siegessäule, although I didn’t see as much of Barack Obama as people watching his speech live on TV (it was broadcasted live throughout Germany with simultaneous translation).
[The view was limited. Lol.]
I saw and listened to my fellow spectators on the way to the Siegessäule, to the people standing around me during the speech, and to people’s reactions afterwards. And of course, I heard Barack Obama’s speech. I didn’t see him though. It was very crowded, people stood close together, and I was standing very far away from the stage. A glimpse of him on a large video screen was all I got.
Some commentators in political forums wrote that they suspect the crowd was large because there were live performances by two bands before the speech. Lol! Do you really think people in Berlin come out in the hundreds of thousands (estimates range from 200,000 to 250,000 people) just to listen to relatively unknown bands playing cover versions? I didn’t realize that they were live acts until the singer tried to rouse the crowd by screaming “Berlin!” through the microphone. All he got was a short stunned silence. Most people were not listening to the music but chatting with people around them. The sound quality of the music was also relatively bad. It was a different sound system than for the actual speech, which I was able to hear loud and clear.
It was interesting to see who came to listen to Barack Obama. They were mostly young people of the intellectual type. Students, young professionals in business garb directly from the office, and most surprisingly quite a large number of young families with their children. Also a relatively large percentage of tourists and visitors. I had thought that the turn-out would be small, because a lot of Berliners have left the city to spend the summer holidays somewhere else, but tourists from all over Germany and Europe filled the gap. There was also a relatively high percentage of black people, more than you would see on a normal day walking down a street in Berlin. When Barack Obama mentioned his Kenyan heritage and his father, there was cheering and I saw some Kenyan flags being waved.
And to set some of the speculations straight that I have read on the Internet, the people in front of the Siegessäule listening to Barrack Obama understood English, they understood what he said. His speech was also broadcasted live on local radio with German translation, and people not speaking English had the opportunity to listen to the translation on the radio, but where I stood, no one needed to.
Why did people come to see him speak, and was it preposterous for a presidential candidate as opposed to an elected president to come to Berlin? Let me first say that people in Germany and Europe fully understand that Barack Obama hasn’t been elected yet, and that Senator McCain may turn out to be the next president of the United States. Would they like to see Barack Obama elected? You bet. I don’t think it’s a secret that the present American president is disliked by most people in Europe, and a lot of that dislike rubs off on Senator McCain. In Europe, party affiliation has traditionally a much higher importance than in the US. That said, I would also have gone to a speech by Senator McCain, but I don’t think that many of the people standing around me last evening would have done the same. People in Europe want to see change in American foreign policy, and John McCain does not represent that.
However, it wasn’t a rally by fervent European Obama supporters either, far from it. I think, most people were like me, they so far had only heard edited sound bites of him and wanted to judge for themselves what the potential next American president is like. I think curiosity and wanting to make him feel welcome in Berlin were the main reasons why people showed up.
The main interest in Germany is in Barack Obama’s plans for foreign policy. It went down well with the crowd that he called himself a fellow citizen of the world. People in Europe know full well that the next American president, whoever he will be, will always put American interests first, but even if interests and opinions differ, I got away with the message that Barrack Obama will care about the rest of the world, that he will listen to what people outside of America think, and will, even if opinions differ, leave communication channels open and don’t resort to open disrespect and insults, like the last administration did.
He would also ask other democratic states around the world for more assistance, and the how’s and why’s of that is where I see the most potential for difference in opinions between Germany and the US. I hope Senator Obama would be more open for discussions than the current administration.
In line with the above, I don’t think it was assumptive for a presidential candidate to make a speech in front of a big crowd (his biggest so far) in a foreign country. Yes, the speech was in large parts a campaign speech, as much directed to the people in Berlin as to American voters, but people outside of the US are as interested to hear what the potential next American president has to say as Americans, for the simple reason that America’s policies will affect them. We can’t vote for or against him, but we at least want to hear what lies ahead should he be elected. Senator Obama mentioned the interconnection in many areas of today’s world, and it’s good to hear that at least one presidential candidate is aware that the world moves closer and closer together, and even the United States does not operate in a vacuum. Americans have been and will be affected by what goes on outside of their country, and the rest of the world will be affected by American policy. In that respect his speech in Berlin was appropriate. Maybe it wasn’t the way things got done before, but times are changing, rapidly. I would love to see Senator McCain come as well. If a presidential candidate visits foreign countries, it doesn’t say that he doesn’t care about domestic issues.
Barack Obama’s visits were undoubtedly intended to show American voters that despite his lack of experience in the international arena, he can make a good figure abroad. I think he proved that. It would be nice to be able to judge Senator McCain’s abilities in that respect as well.
Senator Obama’s speech touched on a lot of issues, it was a well thought out, but it was not a crowd pleaser. He didn’t say “Ich bin ein Berliner”, we got to hear “I love America”. Not that I am saying that he should have repeated President Kennedy’s famous sentence, nor that Senator Obama should not love America. It was all appropriate for the circumstances, it was a very good speech, but it wasn’t a historic one. Go here for a full transcript or here to watch it.
Barack Obama’s speech was full of visions for a better world, and it was interesting to see the different reactions from people standing around me. A few cheered, but the majority was silently asking “how?”. Yes, we all want to see a world in unity, looking out for people less fortunate, but people in Germany will wait and see how much of it is fluffy talk and how much of it will lead to concrete policies, should Barack Obama become the next American president. People here know as well as the people in the US that campaign speeches are full of promises that are not always held. The speech had very few details, and I am hoping to hear more specifics as the actual election comes closer. An American president who works together with allies to make the world a better place is a vision I like very much, but I am old enough to know that it won’t be easy.
See, Europeans are more similar to Americans than everyone thinks. We are as jaded about politics as you are. I hope that will change. It may surprise you, but I will make a vote recommendation for Americans reading this: GO VOTE! For Barack Obama or John McCain, it doesn’t matter as long as you are voting at all. I think it is a great privilege to live in a democratic country, and not only have we the right to vote but the responsibility. If you do not participate in the most basic form of democracy, may be you don’t deserve to live in one. The voter turnout for the last federal election in Germany was 77.7%. Try to beat us!
[People going home]
Also see the short video I posted on youtube and in the previous post.
1. I have so loved your posts on German and Hong Kong culture and history. What do you love most and what do you dislike most about each place and how did you end up in Hong Kong?
I went to Hong Kong pretty much on a whim after I had finished my university degree in London. I didn’t have a job offer, and was not sure if I would stay for long. I will never forget the first day in Hong Kong. I was badly jet lagged, but the city had such vibrancy that I couldn’t stop walking through the streets and taking it all in. During the first few months I sent out hundreds of job applications, but didn’t have much luck. Most foreigners who work here were transferred within their organizations, and a German applying for a job directly in Hong Kong was out of the ordinary. But just as my tourist visa was about to expire, one of the companies I had applied to and interviewed with offered me a position, and I have been here ever since.
What do I love about Hong Kong? The vibrancy of the street life, just taking a stroll through any of the old neighborhoods at any time of the day is an experience. There are always people on the street, and there is always something interesting to see. The food! Eating out is an integral part of Hong Kong’s culture. From small hole-in-the-wall take-aways to multi-storey restaurants, from the local Cantonese cuisine to delicacies from all around the world, everything is available. I also love the enterprising spirit of Hongkongers. There are so many small shops, restaurants, and companies in Hong Kong, started by people with can-do attitude, and it gives the city an incredible level of energy.
What I don’t like is the slavish adherence to progress, or what is perceived as such. For me progress is a rise in quality of life, and that can’t be achieved by simply building new skyscrapers or shopping malls. However, people’s attitudes are beginning to change more and more. They worry about preservation of their cultural heritage and the environment. I just wish the government here would pay more attention to their concerns.
Berlin is my home city, so I am terribly biased, but I love that the city has its own way. If you travel around Germany and as your last stop go to Berlin, you notice it immediately. It’s not tidy, it’s not terribly pretty – although it has some wonderful areas – , and Berliners can sometimes be extremely straight-forward … ok, rude. But the city ticks to its own beat, and that’s wonderful.
It comes from a mix of different attitudes, I suppose. Firstly, Berliners have a big dose of stoicism (“Uns kann jarnischt”- Nothing can really touch us), which comes from the city’s turbulent history, and that it has survived through it all. Secondly, Berliners are a pretty tolerant bunch. It’s a good place to start something new and out of the ordinary, because chances are that Berliners will not only let you, but also protect it. Thirdly, having money doesn’t necessarily earn you respect in Berlin. So a Gucci handbag won’t buy you any cloud. People will know immediately that you are a) probably from Munich and b) have serious self-esteem issues. Which btw is the direct opposite to Hong Kong, where the right brand name handbag makes the girl.
What I don’t like about Berlin is the passive attitude of some of its people. Berliners are good at complaining about how hard their life is, and blaming others for it. Sometimes I just want to scream to their faces that they live in unbelievable luxury and comfort compared to most other people on this planet, and that it’s no use blaming others for something they have to change themselves.
2. What place in the world have you not yet been to that you are dying to see and experience and why that place?
There are many places I haven’t yet seen and would love to visit. But there is one very special place that I hope to see soon and that is Burma. All I have read about the country, about its culture, the diversity of its landscape, about its history and people, have been incredibly interesting and have wet my appetite. However, I have made the pledge to myself that I only want to see it as a free and democratic country.
If you are of the reading type, I urge you to read some of Aung San Suu Kyi’s books. Her book “Letters from Burma”, a relatively slim anthology of articles she wrote for a Japanese newspaper, is a good starting point to learn about ordinary life in Burma, and how it is affected by the present military regime. She is a very good writer, and Burma almost leaps from the book’s pages. Her official website has a lot of historic and current information as well, and I find the reports on the site from recent visitors to the country especially interesting. Also reading Amitav Gosh’s “Glass Palace” is a good start to learn about Burma’s history in a very entertaining way.
I don’t know if you all have seen the recent news. There are mass demonstrations on Rangoon’s streets, because the people have had enough of the repressive rule of the military junta. The demonstrations were started by Buddhist monks, but ordinary people have quickly joined the protests. The police has tried to stop the protest by firing live ammunition. But people have regrouped, and so far every day has seen new protests.
I know it sounds very bleak, but I don’t think the Burmese people can expect much help from the outside world. Burma’s big neighbors, China and India, are more interested in the country’s rich oil and gas reserves than in the well-being of its people, and the US and Europe will probably just up the rhetoric a bit. I am hoping that the Burmese will be strong enough to bring change by themselves, and I am hoping that a few people in the military junta will go against their own and stop the current bloodshed.
In 1989, Aung San Suu Kyi was democratically elected as her country’s political leader. In the same year the Berlin Wall fell. Change can come very quickly and unsuspected. I hope that now is such a time in Burma, because I would like to visit sooner rather than later.
3. You’ve just joined the sensational new girl band ‘mamaya.’ what kind of music do we play? What is your place in the band? And what should we wear?
The new musical sensation “Mamaya” would play an eclectic mix of rock, jazz, and anything else that strikes our fancy and current mood. People would never know what to expect when going to our concerts. My place in the band wouldn’t matter too much, because I would need to be dubbed anyway. The only musical instrument I play is my stereo, and singing isn’t my forte either. Maybe with a little electronic magic, I could be a background singer?
So why did they choose me for the hottest band in town? Because my hair is wild and I can shake my ass to the beat. Also I am not afraid to get half-nekkid on stage. We all wear the sensational Lime dress in different shades and pair it off with some fancy Birkenstock thong sandals. When the crowd goes wild, we throw our Birkis into the audience, and dance barefoot.
4. What is your favorite book from your childhood and which character in it would you be?
When I was a child, I devoured every Astrid Lindgren book I could get my hands on, and my most favorite character was Pippi Longstocking or Langstrumpf, as she is called in German. I also loved the Swedish movie adaptations of the series. I wanted to be just like her, free-spirited, strong, and witty. Best of all, she didn’t have to take shit from grown-ups… one cool girl!
5. I see you have postsecret linked in your sidebar. What secrets on the site are you most drawn to?
There aren’t any special kinds of secrets that I am drawn to, I find them all very interesting. Everyone of us has secrets, and I find the idea of creating a place for them to be seen wonderful. I am hoping that the people writing to post secret get some solace and empowerment out of it.
I also find it fascinating to see the different human emotions shining through these messages, good and bad ones. I think most of these emotions are honest, and honesty is always interesting.
Thank you so much, Lime, for sending me these questions. I had so much fun answering them. If some of you would like to be interviewed by me, please tell me in a comment.
