Looking good...

Prague, looks like we're getting there - thanx for the beautiful evening. Had a good start into my conference and later on a nice stroll across Charles Bridge at dusk. Currently on the agenda: chilling out in the bar with great live music and a fresh czech beer. Na zdravi!

Prag, es geht doch - vielen Dank für den netten Empfang (nach erwähnten Anlaufschwierigkeiten)! Ich hatte heute einen guten Konferenzauftakt und danach einen tollen Abendspaziergang über Karlsbrücke und entlang der Moldau. Aktueller TOP: bei toller Livemusik und einem frischen tschechischen Bier in der Hotel-/Hostelbar entspannen. Daher: na zdravi!

Hanna

Breakfast in high spirits

Lest you think I were drinking in the morning, the three schnapps bottles are actually a reminder of a fantastic schnapps rating yesterday.

My two supervisors had invited the whole team onto an outing to a destillery. I had expected some nice spirits from a farmer's backroom family destillery. It was pretty much that - with one exception: the liquors were not only nice, but world class. In fact, the destillery has repeatedly been credited by Gault Millau as among the top destilleries in the world - the "Destillata". And my, I don't remember every single liquor of the selection of 23 that we sampled ( and no, I wasn't the least bit dipsy let alone hung over today), but they were all really good. Of course, they're meant to be enjoyed, not gulped down. So I guess these three delicacies will last a bit. Btw, I settled for apple-wild raspberry, Salzburg pear (both brandies) and a chocolate-chili liqueur. Mh...

So, off to enjoy a good breakfast on that public holiday before packing and then setting off on a trip to Jena and Berlin. Yeah! ;-)

1000+ km and some insights...

Wow, this week was really, really packed! And the insights I gained... :-)
As you can see from the post title, I seem to have covered quite some ground this past week - all by train, and as it happened to be, half of my starting trains were already late by about 15-20 minutes (and let's just forget some of the intermittent trains on my second trip this week, shall we?). Coincidentally, those were always the trains at the beginning of my trip... makes me wonder what exactly it is that keeps express trains away from Salzburg. Maybe an invisible force, antagonal to a gravitational pull, so to speak an antigravitational push? Whatever, I'm no physics person, as you might have guessed already. :-)

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Außenwirkung - ähm, ja?

Einmal mobile Lebensberatung, bitte!

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Idioms for foreigners...

The fortress and the Alps - my two favourite sights around there

Remind me again, when did I move here? Could it have been, like, roughly two weeks ago? And given the fact that this is a country where my mother tongue is spoken (at least theoretically) one MIGHT expect that my own way of speaking shouldn't have changed too much, right? Unless we're talking of social psychologist phenomena such as verbal mimicry. But hey, we're not talking about that anyways. Not here.

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Currencly...

Statistics among us would say that there's a high correlation between moving and sorting things beforehand. Being the rational person that I am, I would even go as far as proclaiming this to be a causal relationship (after empirical testing of that correlation and despite my dear stat prof's warnings that "correlations may, but need not describe causal relations"). And since my move to Salzburg is ever drawing closer, I am currently in the middle of yet another sorting adventure. The things you discover... ;-)

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If life throws lemons at you...

...make lemonade! At least that's what the famous proverb suggests... I'm trying my best, but I am slowly running out of squeezing power, not to mention the moderate lemonade uptake in the vicinity and my limited pantry size. Changes in ingredients would be greatly appreciated! ;-) Woa, life can be a bitch...

Hanna

21 sind genug...

... und ich glaube, besser als hier kann man es nicht ausdrücken: http://fc-foto.de/21872341

Hanna

A wedding worth remembering, pt. 2

Before I drag it out too long, I'll just present the main cornerstones of the day.
8:00 a.m. - everyone is hurly-burly and busy, busy, busy - especially in the main Steel mansion, since the master bathroom (spell: only one for everyone on the middle floor) was to be blocked for ongoing traffic starting at 8 a.m. due to hair dressing appointments
Ich mach's kurz und langweile euch nicht mit hohlem Gefasel. Stattdessen, die wichtigsten TOPs in der Form "kurz und knackig".
10:15 a.m. - the bride is almost ready for presentation. Almost.
10:15 - die Braut is fast fertig. Fast.

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A wedding worth remembering, pt. 1

THE festivity of the year in my family was history 13 days ago, but only now do I find the time to aptly cover it. While I did not anticipate my brother's wedding to be a traditional one beforehand (because we were all looking forward to a joyful celebration with the greater family and circle of friends), in retrospect, it was a fantastic festivity, filled with just the right mixture of emotions as well as both more traditional rituals and modern customs.
DAS Fest des Jahres in der stählernen und kochenden Sippschaft ist seit nunmehr 13 Tagen vorbei, und doch finde ich erst heute (nacht) die Ruhe und Zeit, es angemessen zu würdigen. Obwohl ich ursprünglich kein traditionelles Fest mit allem Brimbamborium erwartete (dem Brautpaar war wichtig, dass es eine schöne Feier wird im Kreise der Familie und Freunde), war diese Hochzeit im Rückblick eine fantastische Feier, mit genau der richtigen Mischung aus Emotionen und sowohl alter Bräuche als auch neuerer Rituale.

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And so-and-so and over-head...

Ah, welcome my friends to another round of "I don't know how to put it, but I'll just simply assume that my translation will work". Oh yeah.

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Opposites attract

The picture above was taken merely 6 days ago, on what I have taken to calling Ash Friday. Well, not really. But kind of. :-P And after taking a look at todays perfectly blue sky, the difference couldn't be more obvious: vapor trails dissecting the atmosphere as if someone had been slashing it to shreds. Guess, there's some catching up to do. :-)

Das obige Bild stammt von vor 6 Tagen, von diesem Ereignis, das man auch als Aschfreitag bezeichnen könnte. Achtung Konjunktiv - ich nenn es trotz allem nicht so. Dann müsste ich zum Ausgleich ja auch den Vulkan richtig benennen können. Oh je, Eyafjallajökull - und ich bin mir schon bei der Schreibweise unsicher. Wo ist Google, wenn man es mal wirklich braucht? Wie auch immer, heute scheint bestes Flugwetter zu sein und der Himmel sieht aus, als ob ihn jemand mit Kondensstreifen zerhäckselt hätte. Wohl bekomm's! ;-)

Hanna

That's how the cookie crumbles...

So we're still waiting. There's going to be no flight for us tomorrow. However, we'll still be here for another day in the hope of hopefully catching a flight on Sunday. But till then, slowing down should be bearable, at least during Happy hour in our dear hotel bar. :-P

Also... Wir sitzen immer noch in Bad Soden und warten noch bis Sonntag, ob wir dann nicht doch noch einen Flug bekommen. Falls ja, gehts auf nach Kanada, falls nicht, nutzen wir den hoffentlich entspannteren Zugverkehr. Bis dahin harren wir der Dinge und versuchen, die Entschleunigung mit Hilfe von Spaziergängen, Schlafen und leckeren Mai Tais in der Hotelbar zur Happy Hour zu unterstützen. ;-)

Hanna

The seasoned traveler's guide to exciting travel

1. Überlass die Planung anderen - so bleibt jeder Tag spannend!
1. Leave the planning to others - and every day will be an adventure!
2. Schaufele dir die Zeit vor der Reise mit vielerlei Aufgaben zu - warum nicht heute einen neuen Rekord im Packen aufstellen?
2. Stuff as much tasks and to-dos into the days and weeks before your departure - why not break your own record in packing today?
3. Sport ist Mord - oder die einzig wahre Entspannung? Egal wie, Endphase für Wettkampfvorbereitung? Wann, wenn nicht jetzt?
3. Sports will kill - or are they the only true path to relaxation? Whatever holds true, what better time to finalize competition preparation than right now?
4. Diffuse Wehwehchen - nie waren grundlose Zahnschmerzen willkommener und niemals sonst bringen einen Ohrenschmerzen so gut unter Druck.
4. Diffuse ailments - tooth aches without apparent cause were never more welcome and there's no better time for ear pains to really put you under pressure.
5. Naturgewalten - welch besseren Zeitpunkt für Vulkanausbrüche gibt es? Ja, auch mein Flug ist gecanceld, aber trotzdem bin ich schon auf dem Weg zum Flughafen. Mal sehen, vielleicht können wir ja per Anhalter bei jemandem mitfliegen.;-)
5. Natural forces - what better point in time is there for a volcano outbreak? Even better, for one of epic dimensions and unforeseen consequences AND unpronounceable names (Eyjafjallajökull, anyone?)? Oh yeah, my flight has been canceled as well. As all the other flights leaving or arriving in Frankfurt Airport. In fact, the airport has been closed down this morning and it's not sure, when the next flights will leave at all. Currently, we're staying in a hotel close to Frankfurt and will wait, what the morning brings. Keep your fingers crossed for good news, please! Anybody know of some passing boats with destination Canada? Give me a hint, would you? ;-)
Sodenn, bis die Tage!
Hanna

Me loves the mailman...

Finally, finally, finally....
Waiting is worth it, that's for sure. Once more I was assured of that notion last saturday, when I came home and found a letter from Berlin - and enclosed was an awesome, funny and unique invitation to a greeeaaaat event!!! Happy... for them. And can't wait to get the parties (yes, plural!) started... the two of them know better (about their relatives) than to do their nuptials without having a proper "Polterabend" (go to Leo.org to find out more about this custom). Oh, the fun we'll have... ;-)

card design by unknown designer friend,
pictures by the Hanna herself ;-)

Endlich hat die Warterei ein Ende... der Postbote hatte ein Einsehen und brachte mir am Wochenende eine wunderschöne, lustige und originelle Einladung zur anstehenden Hochzeit zweier Neu-Hauptstädter. ;-) Da zeigt sich wieder mal - was lange währt, wird endlich gut (ob das nun die Einladung oder Hochzeit meint, bleibt eurer Interpretation überlassen). Wie auch immer, ich freue mich schon auf die Feiereien (jaja, wir reden hier im Plural!), denn bevor gehochzeitet wird, wird auch ordentlich gepoltert. Da kennen die beiden ihre Verwandschaft wohl besser und haben es vorgezogen, Überraschungen polternder Art von der Hochzeit fernzuhalten. Das wird ein Spaß... ;-)

Sodenn, zurück zum Tagesgeschäft...

Hanna

Shattered

Ufff... Ich bin eben innerhalb von 1.5 Stunden 3.3 km geschwommen. Die letzten zusätzlichen 12 mal 25 m Sprint in Lagenreihenfolge? Hab ich nach der vierten Bahn den anderen überlassen. Die Wade hat's gedankt und sich wieder entkräuselt. B-) und ansonsten? Beim Versuch, die Nährstoffvorräte aufzufüllen ist mir doch tatsächlich eben der Kiefer leicht verkrampft. Ob mir das was sagen soll? *kopfkratz*

Abgesehen davon: versteht irgendwer von euch den Sinn von solchen Aktionen wie auf obigem Foto? Kraft und ggf. Frust kann man ja auch mit anderen Mitteln rauslassen (siehe obiges Beispiel). Leute gibt's...

Hanna

The old year can keep this one...

Some days are the kind where you know right away that it would've been a better bet to stay in bed than trying to wrench anything good out of it. Other times, you only find out piece by piece that these 24 hours were simply not meant for you. Granted, most days are quite ok, if not even splendid. Still, from time to time it's your turn to suck it up and go with it. And so did I...

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The Christmas spirits...

... come in all shapes and sizes.
Here's an overview, gained by means of empirical research in the present metropolis.
1) the spirited spirit
Can often be encountered in the later hours of the day, this time of the year usually around the 10th-12th hour. (I'm talking old times, so don't you look at me like that and exclaim "10 o'clock!!! Ohmahgawd!") In high season (NOW) this specimen is especially easy to spot in and around christmas markets. Don't ask me how I got to know, I just know. So how to tell them apart from, say, talkative spirits (see below)? For once, the spirited spirit almost always exhibits a distinctly colored nose, mainly in the longer-wavelength color spectrum. Also, many individuals appear to be undergoing gravity enhancement, specifically in the chin area, which causes speech to slur (in a continuum from imperceptible to hard-to-miss). However, such spirited spirits may display all sorts of temper, from mildly affectionate to die-hard aggressive. I had the pleasure to encounter one of the affectionate kind yesterday. He was kind enough to even give away one of his three cups of mulled wine that he just got for his daughter, her boyfriend and himself (turned out, that he later gave away his own cup). Nice chap, although communication was a bit hindered by above mentioned gravity boost.
2) the talkative spirit
May come in combination with 1) and is usually quite easy to tolerate and get along with - as long as you have an email address to deal out (never mind that that email account might be full pretty soon again). Btw, that was NOT my account or my initiative (the email thing).
3) the spirit that appears out of nowhere
Not to be mistaken with 1) or 2), this spirit is the kind that you don't even in your wildest dreams anticipate. Nay, even when facing you they don't trigger the slightest premonition of what is about to come. So imagine my surprise, when (while sitting in a café and talking animatedly with two good friends) this guy turns around, faces us and suddenly asks us whether we know about "women soccer". - Well, y...e....ssss. Turns out spirit no.3 is a die-hard fan of the local women's soccer team (which, coincidentally, is really good and plays in the first national league - in women soccer, of course) and he.just.witnessed.them.playing.the.best.game.of.the.season.yet. Duh. And when you compare the men's team with that - they're nothing, those eggheads. (his verdict). So, yeah, you're right. And I'm still wondering how we qualified to be his talking partners in a full café. Maybe we looked so inviting? Or maybe my facial expression of sincere understanding was just too good to be faked? Turns out that my expression code for "sincere understanding" closely resembles the one for "what the heck? I don't get this!".
All in all, I wonder if we were holding an invisible sign yesterday that said "Yeah, please talk to us - all of you have 2 hours to try your luck! First come, first serve. Oh yeah, and don't forget to bring a good any story. Mulled wine appreciated."

Anyways, how are the spirits in your corner of the world? Alas, I'm still waiting for the real Christmas spirit to arrive, but I have an inkling that I felt some of it swish by today. Gotta go and look out for it now... lest I miss it!

Hanna

Once again... just like every year

Ja, es ist wieder einmal soweit... freut euch, Kinder, es ist Feuerzangenbowle-Zeit! ;-)
 

Momentan ist Halbzeit und der Saal füllt sich langsam wieder mit Cineasten, die eifrigst bestrebt sind, ihren Flüssigkeitshaushalt ausgewogen zu halten. Sprich, im Foyer vor dem Hörsaal gibt es leckere Feuerzangenbowle (passend zum Film, nech?) käuflich zu erwerben und die Veranstalter können sich wahrlich nicht über zu geringe Nachfrage beschweren. ;-)

In dem Sinne: Prosit!

Hanna

9/11 - the exuberant one

My friends, this is a great day.
Just 20 years ago, the wall came down and freedom finally reached the 16 Million people in the former GDR. I can not even begin to fathom the extent to which this day has affected my life. Without the peaceful revolution, without the fall of the Berlin Wall and the opening of the borders, without reunification of GDR and FRG into what I now call my home country, without all of this - I have no clue where I would be and what I might be doing now.

But some things are for sure...

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