Let's Hear It For Honesty , Culture and Style

Last night I deleted my video Nanny State Britannia from here and from YouTube .The reason being it had been taken and  used by a very nasty American warmongering group and not only that but as their own work .So having asked for help from YouTube, I decided to delete and reload plus write this explanation. Quite a few people had seen it and many found it very funny. So it's back on YouTube. It's a sign of the times when creepy groups sink so low, but having done my home work on them they are the pitz .

Let's hope UK cease emulating USA .We do have a history ,culture and style . Let's not throw such away in the rush to get rich quick by any means. Meanwhile Ms V fights back against the slimeball thieves .

Modern Art and Architecture In Luxemburg

Last week I flew to Luxemburg and had a fantastic time . The first day was hectic but what I really did enjoy was the ultra modern architecture and art to be found around the Philharmonie.This film gives you some idea . The MUDAM is a museum I could spend hours in. Designed by sino-american architect I.M Pei  this building, layout, exhibits can only be described as spectacular.
Not only does the  MUDAM house works it also displays the actual city, old and new through the most unusual use of glass and carefully placed massive windows which 'frame' that which is outside ..........

Aer Lingus Win The Easter Sunday Egg.

It was a strange Easter Sunday .Began in Belfast where I had to catch a bus to Dublin Airport . Easy , but once on the motorway (fortunately near to Dublin ) a tyre blew 'big time' . The driver was great and handled all well .There we sat and waited until another bus came, parked with care as passengers plus luggage were safely moved. At terminal two more great food and then the Berlin flight left promptly . The weather was lovely as was sun down ,arriving early at SXL at 20-40hrs. This was a bonus as the next leg of the journey was by train where due to work on the track there was more swapping and changing and many confused visitors. Therefore the prize for smooth journey , problem free goes to Aer Lingus .Second goes to the Irish Bus Company .

Bushmills Coleraine Port Rush To Walk With Giants.

The above shows an action packed day around the Antrim Coast enjoying that which can be found here , sun , sea , sand ,fine whiskey , fine food and so much fun. When in Giant Country it tends to be ultra special.

Berlin ,Belfast ,Bushmills ,Rathlin Island

If you wish to go across the sea , go to Ireland , and what better route than this. Each may have a different starting point but once you reach Belfast and travel north , believe me the nearer you are to 'paradise found'. Only one way to find out --- try it .
AerLingus fly to Belfast from London .However should you fly to Dublin with them take the train or bus up to Belfast .
Warning .Antrim is so magical it keeps drawing one back .You have been warned .

Frederick The Great & The Titanic Centre .

Frederick the Great was born in Berlin and this year the Germans are marking the 300th birthday of this astonishing man. All over the city one sees such posters advertising the huge exhibition at the German Historical Museum.( 21st March -29th July) See above. They read Frederick the Great - respected, revered, reviled.

If you are in Berlin try to couple this with a visit to Sans Souci ,Potsdamm.

Then over the waters to Belfast where the Titanic Centre opens to the public on March 31st to mark the 100years since this ship, built in Belfast and deemed unsinkable , set sail to encounter an iceberg. To give you some idea look at the interactive site by visiting :-

www.titanicbelfast.com

It will have you rushing to book a flight and your entrance fee.

Both cities are spectacular,offer much and are ultra friendly. Likewise they have superb transport services. No prizes for guessing who is off to both events as soon as possible.

'Stars' and Planets

Berlin was like high summer today and the skies those one sees in a travel brochure . Blue was the colour but one couldn't have been 'blue' . The Echo awards were to be held at night and my favourite landmark took on a radiant blue to light up the night sky. The crowds waiting to see those whose names meant very little to me were many and very lively . I managed but a few photographs ,enjoying the atmosphere & most of all the buzz of two planets (Venus and Jupiter) visible to the naked eye and able to be filmed .Thus said my awards go to the Funkturm which has been a shining light for many a year and these two planets (see second video) even longer. Can one measure such time? The 'beautiful 'people come and go but planets remain and long may the Funkturm .

Saint Patrick's Day , Berlin 2012

Great weather , terrific costumes , fun, indeed all you could wish for on this day which was the focal point of The St Patrick's Festival Berlin 2012.Organized by the Irish community it was as lively as a sack full of leprechauns....... Enjoy the pictures.

ITB Berlin Day 1 For The Public

Well was it worth visiting ? Yes for sure. Did I see everything ? No way .With so many countries present just too much in a day.
It was simply wonderful and great to see how much Germany is doing to promote all it has to offer in tourism .
Britain and Ireland were excellent, though I have to say how surprised I was that there was no mention of the Olympic games and The Queen's Diamond Jubilee.
Wandering with certain countries as 'must sees' was my solution and it worked. Tomorrow is the closing day , so a last chance for any one reading this to go and see, savour and sip the best of many destinations. Confession, I sipped quite a lot .
*the music track for this film is a little short but :- .a) sunny is asscociated with holidays and Sunnyside Of The Street is a favourite number of mine. So no apologies .Merely one word - ENJOY

Berlin ITB 2012

 

This years ITB began this week . Here you see the Messe Berlin decked out in all it's glory . Will I be going ? Sincerely hope so . Open to the publc Saturday and Sunday this week if it's like previous years it will make for a fascinating day out . Let's see.

Crazy Upside Down House In Germany .

If your Saturday has been as strange as mine then 'Lucky You '. Miss V, Helena Mikas merged into an 'Alice in Wonderland' figure at this amazing Upside Down House in Trassenheide ,Usedom Germany . As you'll see from the video, all things were possible and never has cleaning been so much fun ! Washing hair and jumping around were curious if not bizarre . What fun. Herr Paul who helped design this place is amazing and his eye for detail and illusion is superb. For a superb experience it takes some beating.

Route 66 With Otto Hamborg and The 5pezielleTakter

Route 66 is a very well known number but this rendition takes some beating . Heard at Die Eins on Sunday it gave me and many more a buzz.
My tip :- If you are planning a Berlin City break do try and combine with a live performance .

The BVG Strike 18th February 2012

Yesterday the BVG went on strike from early morning until 19:00hr .As usual fair warning was given and the SBahn kept on working since this is a part of the DB .
Q) Do I support such action ? A )100% yes. Q) Why my support ? A) The workers at the BVG are not just good, they are excellent and provide a round the clock punctual service, with I may add ,intelligence, courtesy and manners .
Q) So what's special about this ? A) They make it possible to live minus a car and even the most elderly,incapacitated person can get out and about . They also deal effeciently with the undesirables who at times seek to upset other passengers.
Q) So why is this so wonderful ? A) It's wonderful to travel home in the early hours on public transport with no sense of danger .As a matter of fact when I made a list of reasons as to why I should make Berlin my home , BVG was number one reason .They take pride in their work and represent what is good about Germany.I have no need to run a car.
Q) Do I know what they earn ? A) No but whatever it's not a fortune with expenses , and golden handshakes .
Q) Why talk of golden handshakes ? A) This strike on the 18th came one day after the resignation of the German President .
It took this man long enough to depart and for sure he was not representing the best of Germany . His enormous salary had amazing perks and privilege. What is more , this post is such that even when no longer President the lavish salary and perks continue for the individual's life .
Could one BVG worker say such ? Indeed could any ordinary employee ? As has been seen, many disgraced politicians have little to fear .They get an even better paid position within the EU plus wondrous perks. Today I had to laugh on hearing a song entitled 'Money's Getting Cheaper', played at a Jazz Brunch
Q) So what am I saying here ? A) That minus the people who vote, no government can be in power. That should read No government can serve . Sadly few even consider the public once they are elected . save to tell them there is no money and they must do without . My point is, as long as those at the top get such payments ( for life ) expenses and goods , then all have the right to strike for a decent wage .In reality best that all are paid as the public and once no longer in the post , no more payment . Those disgraced should go immediately as indeed ordinary people have to . On no account should tarnished politicians or public figures be appointed to the EU. Who knows, such measures could increase the value of money.

62nd International Film Festival Berlin.

Having missed the first week of the flim festival it was great to be able to get tickets for five films .
The images above show which. I enjoyed all save for the last. Un Mundo Secreto ,made in Mexico was extremely repetitive and featured so much indiscriminate sex it had one yawning .
The others were all excellent and I for one am hoping DVD's will be available . My favourite? Wandeukyi ( Punch). Made in Korea this film has the lot and I can recommend . Superb casting , life and humour it's a winner .
So if any one has wondered why I haven't been posting here's the answer . Getting tickets, fitting into one's routine then criss crossing the city between the cinemas is time consuming but enormous fun . February is not a wonderful month weather wise so why not make a note to visit the Berlin Ineternational Film Festival next year .

Dr Feelgood in Berlin 2012. (German tour)

Thursday night was 'Dr Feelgood' night and oh did they bring 'heat' to a bitterly cold city when they played to a packed house at Quasimodo.The event was made even more of such by John 'The Big Figure Martin' on drums .A fact not taken up by the rolling credits. So let's hear it for John . Take a look at their link on my blog. These guys are on the road so much it's absolutely astonishing how they find the energy. Sadly Germany only gets to see them every two years. France, Switzerland etc are luckier . Final words :-

When I see Dr Feelgood ,I feel good and proud to be British .They are the tops .

Breaking the Ice On the Spree

The coat does my figure no favours but it did keep me warm as I spent hours down along the River Spree which was so iced over that at regular intervals a boat came to break it up . When this happened huge slabs of ice came rolling along in a domino effect .I have called this an Icenami . I wouldn't have swapped these few hours for any warmer clime . Look at the sky , the sun, the beauty. It has the lot . Including deliberate spelling error .Can you spot it ?

Berlin's Big Freeze

The movie says it all and yes it was fun . I for one actually prefer this to sweltering summer . Spot the error and let me know . Now I know why Friedrich Hundertwasser had so much fun with this concept .

Vienna Sightseeing

City breaks are alwys popular and whilst it's low season an ideal time to get a bargain with most good airlines and hotels .
Vienna is a city I can recommend (even though it comes with a warning re not so good for none smokers). The amount of places to see and marvel at is astonishing. Culture is rich and although it's but week since I returned but I'm longing to return.

Viennese Snowglobes

Herr Perzy is the third generation of his family to carry on this wonderful historical workshop and museum in Vienna .Here you see him with his daughter at the astonishingly magical spot at Schumanngasse Strasse 87 Vienna . Talking with them was fascinating .
Seeing examples of their work and going around the museum on a 1 to 1 basis fulfilled my every dream.If you visit Vienna call in.
My filming was not it's best but this warrants a spot. Don't blame the Pansonic,I was akin to a snowglobe "All Shook Up "

A Viennese Vorspeisen.

This is but a starter so to speak.Vienna had much on offer and it gave my Panasonic Lumix plenty to do.
What can I say , except the journey there and back was excellent . My hotel likewise .Vienna public transport akin to Berlin ie cheap ,and first class. People are very friendly . The snowdome museum and factory owned and run by Herr Perzy ( 3rd generation) warrants it's own posting. For any visiting this place it's a must see.
Perhaps my most novel experience was being in Vienna and eating at Mc Donalds. Their NS policy saved me. Eating in smoke filled places makes me ill , plus stinky clothes are not my thing. Vienna flouts the EU rule big time. However as you'll see I made up for this once home in Berlin after a concert in Potsdamm. Would I return ? For sure . McDonalds is there and doing without too much food harms nobody .Seriously, there is so much yet to see .