Perfectly Precise

As someone who has never owned a car and always biked to work... this message made me feel a bit smug. Usually, I am not like this, preferring to let others live (or drive) as they choose. Fortunately, two car households are still in the minority where we live. Even though people do love their cars, most people don't automatically get into their cars whenever they live their homes, but use their bicycles or public transport system as well.

Curious Sighting

A rare sunny dawn morning in Lübeck, Germany

A distinguished elderly gentleman in a suit walks along the city street wearing house slippers and carrying a large coat rack. What was the prelude to this story?

Early Moring Surprise

Typically, Sunday mornings are a time when we sleep in. A dear and loyal friend shows up at 11 o'clock with freshly baked bread rolls and the Sunday paper. (Yes, we are very spoilt.) This means that somewhere around ten to eleven one family member has to be awake enough to make the coffee and set the table. The rest of breakfast preparations is done once our friend arrives.

This morning I decided to get up early and go for a walk before breakfast. There was fog blanketing the streets and I wrongly presumed I'd be the only person wandering around. There were signs of life everywhere: people walking their dogs, fathers pushing baby carriages, couples walking arm-in-arm, tourists getting their last look of the city before flying home. I completely forgot that I was also once a member of early Sunday society.

I think I will become a member again.

Dudley Dursley Double

Sighted this afternoon, a Dudley double at the table across from us at a local restaurant. The same pug nose, body shape, rounded cheeks, greedy eyes, and sloppy table manners... I was tempted to look and see if he had a pig's tale.

The question is, is whether the Dudleys of this world become ugly through by being spoilt and over indulged by their parents, or did they become greedy and mean on their own?

A Tired Mother's Revenge

Just heard a hilarious story of a student party gone wild. Berlin. Student co-op. Facebook invite. 200 people show up. The night is long. And loud. Some fellows take to peeing in the inner courtyard. Disgruntled neighbour revenge herself by bombarding the peeing guests with dirty diapers out out her baby's diaper bin.

Obviously, desperate behaviour from a sleep deprived mother. Who of us hasn't been there sometime in our lives?

Suitcase: mixed message

Friend here (from Slovenia). Friend on her way from down south. Daughter in bed with a fever. Son far away but close in heart. Days flying by. To-Do list only getting longer. Soooo much to tell and yet, I fear I will forget so much. Still, you are also in my thoughts. This roller coaster ride will probably not stop before its over, but it will eventually reach gentler slopes. Promise.

Short Days and Sleepless Nights

Just bits and pieces of going-ons and mundane reflections...

Is it only me, or does your sleeping patterns change with time of year and increasing age? I used to hibernate in winter. Literally, sleep long and deeply through all the dark months. Now, I'm battling to get five or six hours a night. Sorry, this sounds like more a complaint than it does a reflection.

October is a month of quiet anticipation in Luebeck. No one starts with Christmas, but you can see that the shops and the marketplaces are itching to pull our their decorations and lighting out. I love this city for its music and lighting during Advent. I'm going to see if I can post a photo a day (ok, every few days) capturing the delight of the season.

We have an optics shop around the corner from us that is owned by a suppressed drama queen. For, let's face it, there is nothing more sobering than spending your days helping people to try on glasses. The only way the owner can let loose is in his choice of window decorations. He does really unique decorations so numerous and varied it is hard to know where to start. Oh, yes, how about the decoration he put up just for Halloween: a lifelike mannequin lying down with contorted limbs, covered with a white sheet, stained red as if from a bullet hole; pronouncing the victim one from a murder scene. The figure is outlined with chalk and glasses bejewel the "installation". Totally bizarre. The fact that the optics shop is right next store to a toy shop only makes me wonder how many traumatized kids are going to remember this window display for a long long time to come.

Happy Halloween everyone!

Christmas Wonderland

Luebeck is an old town even by European standards: the city was founded approximately 900 years ago. Its medieval architecture creates a perfect Christmas backdrop or cultural wonderland: music events, art exhibitions, Christmas market abound. I love this city at this time of year, for everyone tries to outdo each other, in a very northern, understated-but-fine manner.

Even the cynics/ Scrooges/ Bah-humbuggers, like me, have a hard time not to be cheered by the lighted candles, classical music, spicy smells, and people milling around enjoying each others’ company.

The owner of the stationary shop (groth) and his wife live above the shop. Every year, they invite a brass orchestra to play classical Christmas songs before the open windows of their apartment for the delight of all the passing shoppers. Every hour they play for 15 minutes and then go back into the apartment to presumably libate their lips with mulled wine. During the progression of hours, the music they play is fueled more and more with good cheer.

Christmas Mark in the town centre is in full swing. Mulled wine with shots of schnapps, roasted almonds, and traditional baked goods are sold to masses of Scandinavian tourist from dawn to dusk. Heavens, can those Scandinavians drink! I’ve heard they can even drink the Aussies under the table. (Now how is that for exposing two stereotypes?)

A local goldsmith brings his living room centre piece downstairs to his shop and and displays his finer pieces of jewelry around this amazing beast. Yes, aghast, it is a real stuffed reindeer. But done ever so tastefully, don’t you think?

(This post is part of my "Growing Up & Growing Old" project.)