A Museum With a Difference .

Did you know that the city of Berlin is created from 78 Villages. As is usually the way , such places are full of fascinating places and history. Today I saw a few.Notable being Biesdorf and Mahlsdorf . Rather than write lots I'll suggest you try and go to the Gründerzeit Museum in Mahlsdorf . Here's a link .http://www.berlin-hidden-places.com/sachindex_en/museen_galerien/hellers_gruendermus_en.htm
The weekend of the 1st August there will be special celebrations with grill , drinks ,lots of items in the museum and grounds etc ...... It's easy to get to on the SBahn . Another tip is ,try the village of Biesdorf .Not far from Mahlsdorf ,it has a wonderful icecream parlour / restaurant . Situated one minute from S Bahn Biesdorf , Eiszeit it is at 194,Oberfeldstrasse . Well designed ,this place will not disappoint . Nor will the music captured on video below .

Classical Accordion in Berlin...

As graduates of the S Prokofiev Donetsk State Academy of Music [Ukraine] Alexander Burdyug and Andrey Fesenko are excellent musicians . Today they were in Wilmersdorfer Strasse and I was riveted. This piece ,a Csardas,was a 'special' for me .( Another present ?) Apologies for singing at the onset .Please understand that having to stand as still as possible in order to film music proves virtually impossible for yours truly and oh how I longed to dance ! I'm at a loss as to why this instrument is not taken 'seriously' in the musical world .It requires considerable talent and produces a wonderful sound .
Note ) If you go to my links and YouTube and Helena you'll find a second short video . As well as giving me the green light to use their music they suggested I put their email address should anyone out there be interested . It is :-
burdyug2005@mail.ru

The Silly Season Down At the Doctors.

In UK summer is often referred to as 'the silly season' .That is to say the press is full of lighthearted articles. All things ridiculous are news , and why not ? It sure beats death , gloom and doom. Here's my contribution . At top left you see Acki Hoffmann who once again remembered my passion for snow domes and last night brought me this lovely little gem from Vienna . Thank you Dr H . Bottom left is a very slippery character well known in Germany --Dr Tikkle ! One minute there I was at a fountain with an American taking my photo and whoosh Dr T pounced . Bottom row middle and right you see two members of Dr Feelgood making me 'feel good' on my birthday . Top right a new fashion ... a tie worn as an accessory with a dress .This unusual item I saw in Brugge and liked for it's skull pattern . Quite effective . Then below you see two really crazy shots which illustrate the need for a camera always at the ready .
On the way back from Luxembourg my train stopped at Bullay, a station which claims to be environmentally friendly.REALLY ..what do I see by the track but a man 'watering' the grass . Aha maybe he was saving on H2O It has been very hot in Germany so how green can you get ?
As Dr F would sing a real ------"Down at The Doctors "

Beside The Seaside in Belgium .

Last weekend in order to enjoy cooler weather plus sea air,an escape from the heat of Berlin was called for . It was also designated as my second birthday by one who pointed out that, if the Queen can have two such dates , why not Miss V ?
Belgium was the destination . It didn't disappoint and was a weekend to remember . We stayed in Brugge ,a splendid medieval city often referred to as 'the Venice of the North'. It has a remarkable history. Here are but a few pictures showing some of the architecture .Take a tip and make a boat ride along the canal. This will enchant you. Ah yes, for this second festival I received, a) another fascinating snow dome and b) 6 packs of Boots cucumber wipes .Great stuff .Later off to Ostend to be beside the seaside .Sands, the North Sea , boats , wonderful cuisine , especially sea food and yes I got to swim .Dr Feelgood on the 10th and Belgium on the 17th . You cant get better than that .....................................................................

and you can get better than this .Never mind ,for a laugh it's rather good .

Out Of Luxembourg & Dr Feelgood

That nightmare journey to Luxembourg was worth every moment of hell !
On the 10th July I boarded a special train and feeling akin to Meryl Streep set off for Fond-de-Gras,Blues Express Music Venue There was no Robert Redford but, a Robert Kane.[vocalist and harmonica player Dr Feelgood] He and the band made sure I got the best ever birthday present of my life ! A special rendition of Hog for You Baby. My ideal Happy Birthday. Their entire programme was brilliant and thanks to Panasonic , captured leaving me over the moon ? For sure am still up there !

Forget Route 66 This was Route 666 !

Yesterday was a day from hell which had me almost believing Germany had been taken over by some alien power where all in transit were affected . It began with the train from Berlin to Cologne being delayed ...then diverted and how ! Seemingly all trains were and a one hour stretch took over 3 hours . Air conditioning failed, all failed and things did get worse. At Hannover the chaos having spread ,I was advised to change trains . This entailed running in temps of 37^C only to find the door close . More running to a still open door .Inside still no air con. It limped into Cologne station many hours late .There the train for Luxembourg was also very late and minus air con . This train was to break down ! Not once but twice ... Very late indeed it crawled into Luxembourg station . More running for the small train for Petange . Boarding this I thought at last "nearly there" . NOT TO BE ... Three thugs decided they would make life hell for the conductor .In telling them to leave the train a fight broke out which lasted ages .Yes I did get pictures of it. The Police had to come ,thus the train was stopped . All had to get off and , you've guessed ,wait for another.
My arrival at Petange was very late 10-30 pm and no taxis .. The owner of a cafe not only gave me water he took me to my hotel in his car .A true Samaritan . He , his daughter and dog were lovely .Today it's my birthday .I've survived another year plus a day I'll never forget .

The Game Ain't Over Til the Final Whistle !

What a day ! A match the like of which I can't recall. Berlin went crazy .
Football fever is as hot as the weather , and that is HOT ! I've got my whistle so lets hope have cause to blow it until the WM Final.[the chocolate doughnut was yummy ]
After the match more fun thanks to Kat Baloun and friends .Have made some great videos which will be uploaded onto both my YouTube accounts .

Roll Over Beethoven -Countdown Has Begun

The first of July already .. hard to believe. My countdown is a 'countup' and it has begun.

On the 10th July I get to see Dr Feelgood in Luxembourg... and , celebrate my birthday at the same time . Excited , yes ! The group have sent a couple of emails saying that 'Hog For You Baby ', my favourite number ,is going to be played .

Last night I rolled over from June to July by going to Kleine Weltlaterne where Otto Hamborg and the Very Special VierTakter went on to play as five .It was a foot stamping evening .

Bergmannstrasse & WM Both Winners !

What a weekend ! Great weather - fabulous football and from Friday to Sunday Bergmannstrasse Festival , where the best act of all was Phil Bates . When it comes to the music scene Britain scores big time.The collage gives a flavour , but for me the video of Phil Bates is tops . I've now got my work cut out to upload many of his numbers onto YouTube [ & with permission ] Kat Baloun gave a wonderful performance as did Los Reyes Del KO and so many more .

Berlin - London - Berlin

On Tuesday I flew to London with BA . The weather was fabulous as indeed was the city . Suffice to say it was my best visit ever in the capital . This collage is made up of shots showing some of the lovely architecture , food , and , of course the red white and blue much in evidence . On Wednesday it was fun watching the world cup on screen at Heathrow Terminal 5.
Once in flight the BA crew were good enough to find out the progress of the German game .At that stage 0-0 .We landed and cleared entry in time to go to the main hall where another screen kept all happy with the second half . A win to Germany and time for home .The big wheel of the Deutsche Französiche Volkesfest plus a full moon saying welcome back .
It felt good , very good indeed.
My eating out tips for London :-
For a delightful lunch try Orrery Epicerie at 55 ,Marylebone High Street tel 02076168000.
You can see two examples of their excellent food .
At night why not try Savoir Faire at 42 New Oxford Street .The Can Can Dancer represents this superb restaurant .tel 02074360707

Miss Vixen's Bike Gets It's Own Tattoo

Bike riding is very popular in Berlin and a much used mode of travel . Sadly cycle theft has become all too popular . Hence the Berlin Police have created many programmes to advise the public , deter thieves and aid tracing of stolen bikes . This week they are at various locations through out the city .Today it was Charlottenburg Station . From 12:00 noon to 18:00 hours they worked by coding bikes and , all for free. You simply turned up with passport or ID card , a service bill with your address and the bill for the cycle . I had shredded mine but was 'accepted' ... They had me for honest ! To see the queue was a strange sight. Other than supermarket checkouts,it's not a daily occurrence in this country .

A Weekend in Metz and Strasbourg

Last weekend I went to Metz and Strasbourg . Two cities which are French yet both have a German history and influence. The journey was pleasant and we soon reached Metz, a truly delightful place with great flair and atmosphere . On Saturday after a light breakfast off to the newly opened Pompidou Centre -- an astonishing structure housing much to experience. Metz is best described as a tiny French jewel set in a band of German gold . Take my word for it that a holiday here [however small] will never disappoint . On Sunday on to Strasbourg . It's some time since my last visit but this city is timeless. Steeped in history ,culture and style the links with Germany are very strong. It's beautiful and impressive. Should the weekly lottery ticket prove successful Strasbourg would be my ideal second home. The small movie made from stills gives you some idea and who knows it may tempt you to make a long weekend. Real video later . watch this space !

Helen Thomas . Punished for An Opinion .

Why should Helen Thomas resign over voicing her opinion( when asked mark you ) over the recent Israeli attacks and just why isn't her apology enough ?
See what I mean re Israel . They are always the aggrieved party , ( or so they believe ) ,never the aggressor . What a joke .
I don't see them saying sorry or backing down over the nine aid workers killed .
Nor are they allowing basic essential goods to be imported into Gaza .
Indeed they are ruthless and deny another people the right to life . Deja vu the Warsaw ghetto ?
It is a war crime to starve others out yet guess what , seemingly OK if it's Israel doing it . Shame on them . Helen you have said sorry and let that be .
To the Rabi who believes you should know your history, I say he too should know the commandments , especially :-
thou shalt not kill , thou shall not steal , thou shall not covet thy neighbours house , thou shall not bear false witness .........
It seems the Israeli faction will use anything as a smoke screen to shield their disgusting behaviour in Gaza and in International waters .

Question - Where is Blair ?

Where I wonder is a certain Mr Tony Blair ? He who couldn't wait to invade Iraq on trumped up charges over non existent weapons. He who delivered slick oily speeches informing one and all of his desire for freedom , democracy etc. How odd therefore, the same Blair ( Bliar ) take your pick of handle , as Peace Envoy for the Middle East ,is now ,silent as the graves created by his bombs on Iraq .
Israel openly and, in international waters ,commits more aggressive actions against humanitarian aid ships .Nine aid workers are killed , others injured and even more taken away by armed forces .The world is outraged .This is not 'hearsay' , this is seen and on record. Yet as ever the Israelis lie and are unrepentant. The world ,especially Germany dare not forget history , yet Israel is selective as it seeks to employ methods and tactics all too close to those used in Warsaw Poland during World War 2 . The UN,terrified of standing up to this nation of bullies is impotent and does nothing .Deja Vu the League Of Nations .
I'm proud to see that many British public took to the streets to voice their opinion and that the British government has promised nineteen million pounds in aid to Gaza . These people deserve it for their suffering is terrible .
I can but reiterate how disgusting that a race once horribly persecuted by the Nazis ,now dishes out the same barbaric, inhuman treatment to Palestinians whilst the world stands by .They did it in Lebanon . Israeli war crimes are way too many .
Footnote :- remove Blair from this post .It's a farce .

Picnic in Preußisches Park Wilmersdorf Berlin

On a hot summers day should you want to escape the city ,but haven't the time to travel far , then Preußiches Park in Wilmersdorf is just the spot. With it's 55,000qm , there is more than enough room for a flea market, large cafe .walk ways, , areas for sport and relaxation. Plus the Asian community of the city have made it a meeting point . Here they play badminton , cards , give massage , talk , and socialize . So should you ,with closed eyes, lean back and listen , you could be absolutely any where but a huge German city . Two really good pals ( seen here ) D & D ,telephoned and asked me to join them there . Joined later by three more ,one a former duck egg farmer in Thailand --- we ate our fill of some very unusual and delicious food . What struck me was how there were so many people , yet it didn't feel crowded and how friendly everybody was . A lesson there for all politicians .Leave people to enjoy their lives and peace is the reward. [By the way that's not Ms V attacking D . We are following orders of the other D who wanted such a mad shot ]

Summer In The City

Upon abdication of the ghastly Schimmel Palace I didn't just lose my title as Schimmel Königen , but a great deal of clothing . Until of late things have been too hectic to get around to replacement shopping plus I have to find items that are to my liking as opposed to 'will do'

Suffice to say the day's arrived as has summer .Here's a little collage showing just a few of my finds . One pair of summer boots , a pair of beautiful heeled sandles, a leisure dress , one little grey top ,ideal for cyling . The wonderful part being there was no need to trail all over the city . Joachim Friedrich Str /Westfälische Strasse had the lot . Mind you I can think of some who'd say a visit to the Brain Centre Berlin would have been more in keeping . Yes, that is a real place ... see attached shot .

All in all ,it was a marvellous afternoon .

Miss Vixen's Kitchen .

Should you,:-
a ) want to be healthy, b) prepare an interesting meal with ultra minimum time effort and expense. Or maybe both. If so look above and read on .

Starter :- seaweed salad with sesame sauce and kimchi ( optional )

Main course :- One pkt Ruccola (rocket salad ) washed and dried,with 100g shrimp , 4 or 5 chopped cherry tomatoes , three chopped sun dried tomatoes, tbsp pine nuts , 3 chopped spring onions, half sliced avocado, lime juice , balsamico cream dressing to taste AND 6 fresh scallops . ( lightly season then cook for 1 min each side in a little hot butter or olive oil .)
It's simplicity and simply delicious .

Vivre la Musique , Vivre la Culture.

To date , this week has been one round of music ,books and art . On Sunday there was the great parade at Berlin's Carnival of Culture. It was packed and oh so lively, with great food , music and fun for all . Monday marked the start of the VI .International Organ Improvisations Festival at the Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtnis Kirche in Berlin. With a different programme each night , plus organ workshops during the day it's been a time challenge but worthwhile . Then a packet arrived containing Book Of Clouds by Chloe Aridjis. This lives up to the reviews and all I can add is ..if you don't know Berlin, buy this book , read and you'll be arranging your flight. If , on the other hand ,you are familiar with this unusual city ,buy the novel, read and note " yes it is just so ". A sensational work ,it's already had me miss stops on the UBahn . Last night down to the Kleine Weltlaterne for more music .Otto Hamborg and the Very Special Viertakter , were but three yet dynamic as ever. Two small takes from their programme .Will add more to YouTube . Tonight ..... a French organist is playing so, vivre la France ,vivre la musique,vivre la culture! Et vivre Berlin .

The Elegance Of The Hedgehog.

The most wonderful film I've ever seen . Based on the book,'The Elegance Of The Hedgehog' by Muriel Barberry ,it's simply beautiful and no words can describe the superb casting , acting and camera work. I wont spoil it for you but report that here is a movie where one is drawn in and experiences every emotion. Set in an elegant Parisian apartment block it centres around the lives and interaction of three characters who live there. Renee a middle aged woman, and Paloma ,a twelve year old girl. Both misfits within their respective 'worlds' they have much in common and then along comes Mr Ozu a Japanese man. Never a fan of blockbusters, it's small films such as this that do it for me. Having seen the original version with German subtitles this much I can say .. I'll view again. Look out for it and let me know your views .For sure , the characters will remain with you when the movie is over . Well they have with me since hedgehogs and foxes have a special relationship ! Happy cinema going .

The Magic of Mist

When, with the best of intentions,you set about your long overdue work, it's great. When however ,you find yourself side tracked by the magical appearance of mist ,beware. For many it's merely low cloud ,others a curse since this silvery grey chiffon shroud swirls around obliterating the sky,sun.and landmarks. To this 'club' I do not belong. Not so much a thief, rather a talented window dresser, mist had slowly enveloped Berlin's steely structure,the Funkturm, to create a spectre. See the viewings for May Day weekend and compare . No panoramic view from the top today but a trigger to my favourite childhood story ,The Bowl Of Mist. "A hill full a hole full but you cannot get a bowl full."
Which leaves me with two thoughts :-

a)The joy of seeing something again is often enhanced by our temporary loss.

b) I wonder if the Berlin Tourist board would try a first by creating a Mist Dome made using this landmark .