I am not asking that question, but merely repeating what I can hear coming from loud speakers - this morning there is random 80's and 90's pop rock playing, it seems to be a different genre every morning, or rather every time I sit on these chesterfield sofas! Blondie right now.. oh wow, what a tune - caaallll meeeee ;)
Yesterday was the best day so far here in Germany, I say Germany of course because we ventured out of Berlin - we walked to the hautbahnhof in Berlin (the main station, there are several in the city inluding rather large underground (U-Bahn) stations - and rather easily managed to acquire a group ticket (of six, myself - four other students and Roger Hargreaves) to Leipzig Hautbahnhof. Also, I do know we have only technically been here 2 and a bit days but still, it was a great day. We arrived in Leipzig around 1pm, a rather late arrival if I can say! we met with Erasmus Schröter and his wife and spent a few hours in his "packing and framing" studio - including several powerpoint presentations and talks about his past and current work.
I shall talk more about this later as I now fancy getting some breakfast and i'm getting distracted by "eye candy" - typical, I need a strong coffee.
Wednesday, 24 February 2010
it's snowing in Berlin
08:10 – 24/0210
It’s snowing in Berlin.
After a lengthy late night tour of the city on our first day (including the Reichstag, the view from what can only be described as an observatory was spectacular) I am now sat here, ever so slightly annoyed because although there is a wireless internet connection available to guests – my computer seems to refuse to connect. Despite this I am definitely not in anything comparable to a “bad” mood, these “Chesterfield” sofas are comfortable, I can smell breakfast being cooked, and I managed to have a wash before the rush – WIN! ...internet talk aside I guess I was too eager to be out and about to sleep any longer.
Last night me, some fellow students (including two Erasmus students from Conneticut and New York, respectively) and Roger who I know as our contextual studies lecturer, dined in the Moon Thai restaurant just a short walk from the hostel – after such a long day (getting up at 6am to get ready for the journey, three train rides, a tube journey in London and in Berlin... and a flight of course, I guess we were hungry! I didn’t want to focus on food in this blog since well, i’m an art student and what should art students write about? I’ll give you one guess, we saw a fair bit of it in the Reichstag last night!
It amazes me the amount of what we know as “graffiti” just placed anywhere and everywhere in this part of Berlin, not so much where the hostel is situated but more down friedrichstrasse (forgive me, I cannot do the correct character) – and beyond. It is impressive, and nice to see that a city such as this is cultural rich but also “arty”. Today the students can either choose to visit Leipzig and possibly Dessau with Roger, to visit a relatively well known and practising photographer’s studio or have a talk with him, one of the two! I can’t quite recall right now. I’ll be sure to correct myself in a later post today if I am incorrect!
It’s still snowing in Berlin... 08:20am, better wrap up warm for the long and informative day ahead.
It’s snowing in Berlin.
After a lengthy late night tour of the city on our first day (including the Reichstag, the view from what can only be described as an observatory was spectacular) I am now sat here, ever so slightly annoyed because although there is a wireless internet connection available to guests – my computer seems to refuse to connect. Despite this I am definitely not in anything comparable to a “bad” mood, these “Chesterfield” sofas are comfortable, I can smell breakfast being cooked, and I managed to have a wash before the rush – WIN! ...internet talk aside I guess I was too eager to be out and about to sleep any longer.
Last night me, some fellow students (including two Erasmus students from Conneticut and New York, respectively) and Roger who I know as our contextual studies lecturer, dined in the Moon Thai restaurant just a short walk from the hostel – after such a long day (getting up at 6am to get ready for the journey, three train rides, a tube journey in London and in Berlin... and a flight of course, I guess we were hungry! I didn’t want to focus on food in this blog since well, i’m an art student and what should art students write about? I’ll give you one guess, we saw a fair bit of it in the Reichstag last night!
It amazes me the amount of what we know as “graffiti” just placed anywhere and everywhere in this part of Berlin, not so much where the hostel is situated but more down friedrichstrasse (forgive me, I cannot do the correct character) – and beyond. It is impressive, and nice to see that a city such as this is cultural rich but also “arty”. Today the students can either choose to visit Leipzig and possibly Dessau with Roger, to visit a relatively well known and practising photographer’s studio or have a talk with him, one of the two! I can’t quite recall right now. I’ll be sure to correct myself in a later post today if I am incorrect!
It’s still snowing in Berlin... 08:20am, better wrap up warm for the long and informative day ahead.
internet finally
second day in to the trip and I finally figured out how to get wireless internet... after todays lengthy trip today to Leipzig I shall wait until the morning to post what I had typed prior to this about today....
13:25
So before takeoff I was typing an update for this blog using my phone, but I was rather abruptly ordered to “TURN THAT OFF” – of course I know the deal, phones have to be off during takeoff – but I was still annoyed. Apparently the flight takes just under an hour and a half, we took off at 13:20 and taking into account the time different we should be landing around 4pm local time – great, just in time for something authentic t eat.
Talking about something to eat, at the airport I couldn’t help notice the severe lacking of food places for those with specific dietary need – i.e. lactose, dairy, wheat, gluten intolerances. I am rather unfortunately all of the above, with dairy and lactose being the worst offenders – and it seemed that everywhere in the departure lounge only sold foods with cheese or mayonnaise included. Sure, this blog isn’t somewhere I want to bombard the reader with complaints but I thought in this day and age where everyone and their cousin seems to be vegan, vegetarian or other there would at least be somewhere less offending than what I found.
All around me I can hear German natives talking amongst themselves, are they going home? Returning for work? ...or maybe both? I guess it’s a novelty to see a grown up woman such as myself coming close to tears while the plane we’re strapped in to is taking off, I am not a fan of such things!
I am already thinking about what lies in store for us during this trip. It has been confirmed that those who wish to do so can visit Erasmus Schröter’s studio in the city, his work is based around the difference between eastern and western Germany, communism and many other things. Many examples of his work can be found online – I would link some but since I am sat on a plane and there is no wireless internet funnily enough – I can’t! I’m personally quite intrigued with his work. It will be interesting to hear about his work from the horses’ mouth, so to speak!
I don’t know whether anyone on this trip has had the chance to visit a working studio, nevermind that of a well known practicing artist such as Schröter's.
One of the hostesses on this flight is now advertising and trying to sell “smokeless cigarettes” - 6€ a packet, I’m sure smokers can handle 1.5hrs without nicotine. 13:50 – this flight is dragging a little bit, I have no idea where we are right now – possibly over France? All I can think about is getting to the hostel and getting my camera out to take advantage of the new surroundings, checking out the local area and getting some food!
So before takeoff I was typing an update for this blog using my phone, but I was rather abruptly ordered to “TURN THAT OFF” – of course I know the deal, phones have to be off during takeoff – but I was still annoyed. Apparently the flight takes just under an hour and a half, we took off at 13:20 and taking into account the time different we should be landing around 4pm local time – great, just in time for something authentic t eat.
Talking about something to eat, at the airport I couldn’t help notice the severe lacking of food places for those with specific dietary need – i.e. lactose, dairy, wheat, gluten intolerances. I am rather unfortunately all of the above, with dairy and lactose being the worst offenders – and it seemed that everywhere in the departure lounge only sold foods with cheese or mayonnaise included. Sure, this blog isn’t somewhere I want to bombard the reader with complaints but I thought in this day and age where everyone and their cousin seems to be vegan, vegetarian or other there would at least be somewhere less offending than what I found.
All around me I can hear German natives talking amongst themselves, are they going home? Returning for work? ...or maybe both? I guess it’s a novelty to see a grown up woman such as myself coming close to tears while the plane we’re strapped in to is taking off, I am not a fan of such things!
I am already thinking about what lies in store for us during this trip. It has been confirmed that those who wish to do so can visit Erasmus Schröter’s studio in the city, his work is based around the difference between eastern and western Germany, communism and many other things. Many examples of his work can be found online – I would link some but since I am sat on a plane and there is no wireless internet funnily enough – I can’t! I’m personally quite intrigued with his work. It will be interesting to hear about his work from the horses’ mouth, so to speak!
I don’t know whether anyone on this trip has had the chance to visit a working studio, nevermind that of a well known practicing artist such as Schröter's.
One of the hostesses on this flight is now advertising and trying to sell “smokeless cigarettes” - 6€ a packet, I’m sure smokers can handle 1.5hrs without nicotine. 13:50 – this flight is dragging a little bit, I have no idea where we are right now – possibly over France? All I can think about is getting to the hostel and getting my camera out to take advantage of the new surroundings, checking out the local area and getting some food!
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
Flight Day
08:10 to London Victoria
08:40am - so the journey begins, I am currently sat in close proximity to a train lavatory whilst on my way to London Victoria – why? I guess I am embarking on something known as a “Euro Trip” but without the alcohol and other “enjoyments”. From Victoria I shall be making my way to Liverpool St, via the winding tunnels that lie underneath London – to catch a train to Stansted Airport – where am I going, or rather, were are we going you ask? Berlin of course! As the countryside passes by like one green and brown blur I am sat here informing Microsoft Word 2007 that I am going to Berlin, and oh how happy I am to say it. Fellow commuters sat around me have no idea, there’s a beautiful dog to my left whose “job” is to keep his friend and perhaps owner on the correct track – he is a guide dog, and as I am sat on this train which is taking me to my first destination I can’t help but ask myself... why did I pack so much into this trolley?!? It weighs a ton! No, actually what I am asking myself is whether anyone will be reading this when I finally and internet connection so I can post it to my blog – why am I sat on a train typing rather loudly and I guess annoying everyone else (other than the dog who just lay down, from this angle he looks just like a miniature lion).
08:45am – the train is slowing down, I think it is nearly at Bromley South, the interchange where I usually disembark in order to catch a connection to University. I don’t know why I am sharing this, I guess I am feeling quite contemplative since there is nothing else to do – type or stare into space, no one is talking, this is quite possibly the quietest train journey I have ever partook in, and I don’t mind one bit. “We will shortly be arriving at Bromley South” – oh so I was 5 minutes premature, it is now 08:50, wow – time sure is passing quickly (sarcasm). The train is so full right now, you know when it’s uncomfortably full and all you can feel is eyes in the back of your head from those who have to stand... at least the dog, who I shall name as “Gregory” since I do not know and will never know his true name, is in relatively high spirits. My spell check is telling me to change the last sentence to “at least the dog, which I shall name” – but isn’t the dog a being? “who” is much better suited surely?
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