Meet the Swans

Mamma and Pappa swan are just looking out for their babies while they hang out at the garden together as a family. Site-seeing, I guess.

English Breakfast

A few weeks ago, I went to London. While there, I met three very cool Italians. We were walking around looking for breakfast when I took this picture of this pair eating their breakfast in front of the cafe/diner that we chose to eat at.

Fruits

One thing I love about walking around the city in the summer time, besides surviving each and every bicycle attach, is to see the fruit and vegetable stands outside. I never ever shop at them because I don't like to spend money on food, but I like them.

Summertime

Hannover is not a great city for tourism. We have a few things here that are fun to see, but I don't think that they draw a lot of world-wide visits. Therefore, there are not swarms of college students hefting humungous backpacks, suntanned middle-aged couples walking hand-in-hand, or even so many of the other more camouflaged tourist-types. However, in the summer, we have our own swarms. Bikes. Bikes come out of cellars, apartments, attics, and asses, it would appear. Its great, if you have a bike, because Hannover really is a very biker-friendly city. However, this means danger for the bipeds as bikes whip and zip past at Autobahn-speeds. Sometimes, it's enough to make a grown man crap his drawers in broad daylight. But I'm an American. The narrow streets, nearness with which people pass, and the ridiculous speeds sometimes frighten 'us'. 'We' like our wide open streets and sidewalks and, though most would not admit it, being required by "the idiot in front of you" to pass at a relative velocity of only 5-8mph makes a lot of us feel just a little bit safer. The sidewalks are divided and Germans know where they're supposed to keep their wheels (or their feet) so if you follow the rules travel is generally safe.

The only thing the summer seems to have brought more of than bikes (and skirts [just kidding]) are bike locks. They are on every bike and bike rack, which makes sense. They are also wrapped around nearly everything which is fixed to the ground with no more than 6 degrees of seperation. Reminds me of a song... "The bike locks connected to the conduit. The conduit's connected to the 'lectric meter. The 'lectric meter's connected to the leg bone. The leg bone's connected to the ankle bone. The ankle bone's connected to the..."

Lift

In Hamburg, in the tunnel, there are the elevators to carry cars, bicycles, and even people to the surface. These elevators are from the side opposite the city. This is obviously not just one photo, I took three from the exact same spot using a tripod and then put them together in this manner that I found to be interesting. The photos are not preprocessed or cropped, just put into one picture.

Waiting

This woman was at the harbor in Hamburg, just waiting on the column where you tie up the boats (I have no idea what it's called.) Who or what is she waiting for? I didn't ask but it looks like she's waiting for someone to come in on a boat.

Tunnel

In Hamburg, there is a tunnel that goes under the Harbor. You can see the tunnel part here. On either end of the tunnel, there are stairs and a couple elevators. This is the framework for the elevators on the "city" side of the harbor.

Books and Wine

Could there be anything in the world more fine?

Feliz Cumpleaños, Patricia.


Sorry to be so late today. It is very difficult to do studio work without proper studio equipment.

The view from above

This is an inner courtyard of the Hannover Rathaus. [An outside view of the Rathaus] The Rathaus is a government building in Hannover that also has a bit of tourist stuff. Inside there are four large models of Hannover. Each of the 10'x10' models depicts the city at a different point in its history. Visitors also have the ability to ride in an elevator that goes to the top of the dome. The elevator is a little bit frightening because it is not just an angled elevator, it changes its path as it goes. When you get on, you can look up through the cieling and see the tracks above you and they are not straight. They also do not follow the curve of the dome. They are very squiggly-wiggly.

Two friends, and I went there a couple weeks ago and I made this shot. It was the first time I had ever been up in the tower of the Rathaus even though it is one of only 3 or 4 tourist activities to do in Hannover. The view of the town is pretty good because the Rathaus is one of the tallest buildings in town, but there's not really all that many 'spectacular' things to see from up there either.

Waiting

This dog was just chilling in an awesome car in Lübeck when W and I were there. Then we went to a restaurant that didn't server either Marzipan (almond-paste candy) or Ducksteiner (locally-brewed beer), the two things we wanted in Lübeck. The two things besides what I want everywhere I go: eternal happiness and loads of free money. Eventually we got the Marzipan, which was kind of silly, since neither of us liked Marzipan in the first place. Through some powers of awesome, we managed to pick out Marzipan candies we actually did like. In fact, W, whose hatred of Marzipan before we got some was quite strong, became addicted to the stuff. I don't know that he really ever went through withdrawl, but he really craved it at a couple points the next couple days.

Closing down the carnival

The last night of Schützenfest, W and I went with two other people and W and one of them rode a ride and we went to a beer tent and had several Lüttje Lage. I actually don't know if that's how its spelled, but they are a Hannover specialty. You take a large shot of dark beer and a small shot of schnapps. Together. You have to hold the oversized shot glass and the undersized shotglass in a certain way with the same hand and drink them, hopefully without spilling it all down the front of yourself.

Anyway, W and I sent the ladies home after the fest close and we stuck around to make some photos. Basically, this was the only decent one I got because the conditions were not lending themselves to photo-making. I am very happy with this one though. It's the empty festival, which is a strange sort of thing.

Tree

Here is one of the twisted, exotic-looking trees in Herrenhäuser Garten. There are several other shots on this site from herrenhäuser as well. Check out the archives.

Concert in the Underground

This dude was just chillin, playing the Violin in a London Tube Station with a convenient backdrop, if you ask me.

Schützenfest #1

The Hannover Schützenfest, or Marksmens' Festival, ended last week. Actually it was almost 9 days ago now. Schützenfest is an annual festival held in many towns all over Germany. It seems to be the main summertime festival in Hannover. This year, I went twice to check it out. It's a lot like a county fair or a student event at Rose except with more Germans, more beer, fewer hotdogs, and less of that big climbing wall that comes in behind Speed on the back of a truck.

The main attractions at the festival for me are always (1) a different place to walk around in public relaxing, chatting, and drinking beers with friends, (2) shooting- and dart-style carnival games, (3) beer tents, and (4) crepes and Schmalzkuchen, which are little balls of doughnutty-type confection in a paper cone completely and totally covered in powdered sugar. I learned on Sunday that it is impossible to share a cone of Schmalzkuchen with someone without both parties covering the front of their shirts and/or pants with powdered sugar. (Just expect it.)

Hooked

In Hamburg, there are a few streets where there are Persian Rug Dealers. They have doorways that are approximately the same height off the ground as...I don't know. Almost the same as the back of a truck. I guess that would make it easy for loading/unloading. In front of one of the doorways, there was this hook.

The Tunnel

Location: Hamburg Tunnel under the harbor
Date: 7-7-06

I wish I could show the picture against a white border because against these dark colors, its a bit too dark. Against white...its quite nice. You could get four pieces of white paper and make a border that you hold up to your screen. You'll see the improvement.

The Rose

There was a Rose, for which he sought.
'Gainst all logic, his feelings fought
To show that Rose that he did care.

Past the thorns he chased the bloom,
Knowing well, could be joy or doom.
To gain her love, he took that dare.

"Dearest Rose, you're looking fine.
Though forbidd'n, I'd make you mine,
I want for you what you want best.

When I look, you smile and wink.
With high hopes, it makes me think,
That it is here our hearts both rest."

And so the fool extends his hand,
Careful where his fingers land.
As he reaches, she's to-and-fro.

She pricks his hand and he withdraws.
A drop of blood quickly down'rd falls.
She makes a sign that he should go.

As he leaves, per her desire,
His wounded heart stings with fire.
She calls in his retreat,
------"I'll see you soon."

Do not enter - or something like that...

Another forbidden entry sign.
This is looking across the gate of a lock in Hamburg. Actually, its about 30m down the sidewalk from the picture of the "dogs are forbidden" sign.

Private Property

"Private property, keep dogs off!" (Or something to that same effect.)

I am happy with the picture, just because it appeals to me. Also, it strikes me as very American, that sign. I guess having grown up in The States, I am used to the idea that I should stay off of people's yards and only walk on sidewalks or streets and should only play in the grass in parks. Perhaps it is all a misconception, but, the rules here seem to be a little more flexible: Respect someone else's property, but that doesn't necessarily mean stay far away from it.

This picture is also from Hamburg along one of the canals in the Hafenstadt (or Speicherstadt).

Fries and Cancer Sticks

This one is also shot in Hamburg but nothing about it is particularly Hamburgesque. Cigarette machines are pretty German/European and who doesn't love a bouquet of French Fries?

I just like this picture. Giant french fries are funny.

Hamburg

Pat and I went to Hamburg last Friday. Hamburg is a city with a very large harbor. Besides being famous for The Reeperbahn, the local red-light district, Hamburg is famous as a harbor city.

Roots

Peace.

Swan

Peace.

Holocaust Memorial

This was an exteremely trippy memorial that I saw when I went to Berlin last week.

Peace.

Zeus

That's my dog, Zeus. He lives with the rest of my family in the States.

Peace.

take a seat

Peace.

Motorcycle

Peace.

Leap of Faith

Its like the only barrier to soaring through that blue and white sky is that little bush.

Jump.

Vergiss mich nicht.

Peace.

To the Rescue

Peace.

Travelling

There's something really awesome about sitting on the floor of the train with your buddies heading off to destinations you've never before explored.

Peace.