Goodness time flies! Now more than ever do I realize how our perception of time depends so much on our own senses, or rather the extent to which they are engaged. While it's unsettling to feel that life is racing by, it's reassuring to think that this can only be good sign.
My goal of making more frequent posts was definitely a big fail! Who even reads these blogs!? Well, for those of you who do, here is a recap of my last two months, starting with Winter break. It seems silly to write about things that happened two months ago, but why not, if it feels like just yesterday...
CHRISTMAS
How to evoke the beauty and charm of a traditional northern German Christmas in the Remde household. The ambiance of this holiday was nothing short of magical. It felt great to be in the good company of family and friends again. Thanks to the many hours my Auntie Phyllis spent laboring away in the kitchen, Meghan and I were spoiled with one impeccable meal after the next; a true gastronomical delight. Dinners included sauerkraut with four kinds of sausages, venison with red cabbage and dumplings, and half a Turkey with all the usual bells and whistles.The table spread was of Martha Steward like extravagance and the ornamentation straight from a Norman Rockwell painting. Talk about engaging your senses! We were ravished to participate in these traditions, which have accumulated and multiplied over the years. One of my favorite moments must have been coming back from an evening stroll around the calm and snowy neighborhood of Oldenburg on Christmas eve to sing songs around the tree that was radiating with warmth and soothing candlelight. Either that, or drinking delicious East Frisian tee with an assortment of homemade cookies while listening to traditional Bavarian folk music after decorating the "Tannenbaum." I think that's the most I've ever used the word "traditional" in one paragraph, but it certainly sums up Christmas with the Remdes.
BENELUX
Jumping to before Christmas was my trip to Benelux with Meghan, who continues to be my partner in crime. If there was any time not to be traveling by train, this was it. A snow storm had inconveniently set in shortly before we left on our trip, resulting in blocked airports and canceled trains all over Europe. To make a long story short, a voyage that normally should have taken three hours turned into twelve. The combination of temperatures well below zero and the incessant delays made for long miserable hours of waiting outside in the freezing cold. Thank god for the hot chocolate and coffee dispensers! The train stations in the Netherlands were even kind enough to give away hot drinks for free, probably feeling sorry for the travelers that were stuck outside so shortly before Christmas. I always knew the Dutch were personable.
The first destination of the trip was Brussels, where we spent three nights. There wasn't a speck of sunshine the entire time and we got terribly lost while searching for the youth hostel, but other than that it was an interesting visit. We squeezed in as much sightseeing as possible in three days, including the overrated Mannequin Pis, the impressive Musical Instrument and Modern art museums, and the notorious Delirium bar, which was great minus the whole suffocating in smoke part. Of course a trip to Belgium isn't complete without the "dégustation" of its world famous waffles and fries, which we just couldn't pass up. When it comes to fries, I must say the city lives up to its reputation. We didn't dive too deeply into the world of waffles, but the one we bought from a street vendor was as sweet and satisfying as imaginable. Perhaps it was all mental, but it works for me! Apart from that, we toured the official buildings of the European Union, including the Commission and Parliament. So, I finally saw the "capital" of Europe. If things go as planned, I'll be working (or at least interning) there one day.
After Belgium we headed to the Netherlands, where we spent one night in the quaint town of Breda. My friend, who I met during my internship in D.C., had invited us to her house for a short visit. We spent the evening with her and some of her college friends in a bar downtown. It was fun but the amount of smoke and the overcrowdedness was somehow overwhelming. Am I getting too old for this?! Either that or I'm getting way too comfortable with the relaxed lifestyle and wide open spaces of the Vosges.
FANTASTIC FILM FESTIVAL
This event merits an entry of its own, but I might as well continue while I'm on a roll! Every February, Gérardmer hosts the "Festival Fanstastique." Believe it or not, it's the third biggest film festival of France. The themes for this year were schizophrenia, claustrophopia, paranoia, and other little joys of existence. The Festival attract tens of thousands of tourists, including occasional minor celebrities, usually members of the Jury or actors from the films. This was a big change of pace One of my colleagues hooked it up and scored Imanta and I jobs as volonteers, so we got see as many movies as we could for free. We were both given work schedules, including full night shifts, but the people in charge were pretty lax about everything, so we could come and go as we pleased.
My goal of making more frequent posts was definitely a big fail! Who even reads these blogs!? Well, for those of you who do, here is a recap of my last two months, starting with Winter break. It seems silly to write about things that happened two months ago, but why not, if it feels like just yesterday...
CHRISTMAS
How to evoke the beauty and charm of a traditional northern German Christmas in the Remde household. The ambiance of this holiday was nothing short of magical. It felt great to be in the good company of family and friends again. Thanks to the many hours my Auntie Phyllis spent laboring away in the kitchen, Meghan and I were spoiled with one impeccable meal after the next; a true gastronomical delight. Dinners included sauerkraut with four kinds of sausages, venison with red cabbage and dumplings, and half a Turkey with all the usual bells and whistles.The table spread was of Martha Steward like extravagance and the ornamentation straight from a Norman Rockwell painting. Talk about engaging your senses! We were ravished to participate in these traditions, which have accumulated and multiplied over the years. One of my favorite moments must have been coming back from an evening stroll around the calm and snowy neighborhood of Oldenburg on Christmas eve to sing songs around the tree that was radiating with warmth and soothing candlelight. Either that, or drinking delicious East Frisian tee with an assortment of homemade cookies while listening to traditional Bavarian folk music after decorating the "Tannenbaum." I think that's the most I've ever used the word "traditional" in one paragraph, but it certainly sums up Christmas with the Remdes.
BENELUX
Jumping to before Christmas was my trip to Benelux with Meghan, who continues to be my partner in crime. If there was any time not to be traveling by train, this was it. A snow storm had inconveniently set in shortly before we left on our trip, resulting in blocked airports and canceled trains all over Europe. To make a long story short, a voyage that normally should have taken three hours turned into twelve. The combination of temperatures well below zero and the incessant delays made for long miserable hours of waiting outside in the freezing cold. Thank god for the hot chocolate and coffee dispensers! The train stations in the Netherlands were even kind enough to give away hot drinks for free, probably feeling sorry for the travelers that were stuck outside so shortly before Christmas. I always knew the Dutch were personable.
The first destination of the trip was Brussels, where we spent three nights. There wasn't a speck of sunshine the entire time and we got terribly lost while searching for the youth hostel, but other than that it was an interesting visit. We squeezed in as much sightseeing as possible in three days, including the overrated Mannequin Pis, the impressive Musical Instrument and Modern art museums, and the notorious Delirium bar, which was great minus the whole suffocating in smoke part. Of course a trip to Belgium isn't complete without the "dégustation" of its world famous waffles and fries, which we just couldn't pass up. When it comes to fries, I must say the city lives up to its reputation. We didn't dive too deeply into the world of waffles, but the one we bought from a street vendor was as sweet and satisfying as imaginable. Perhaps it was all mental, but it works for me! Apart from that, we toured the official buildings of the European Union, including the Commission and Parliament. So, I finally saw the "capital" of Europe. If things go as planned, I'll be working (or at least interning) there one day.
After Belgium we headed to the Netherlands, where we spent one night in the quaint town of Breda. My friend, who I met during my internship in D.C., had invited us to her house for a short visit. We spent the evening with her and some of her college friends in a bar downtown. It was fun but the amount of smoke and the overcrowdedness was somehow overwhelming. Am I getting too old for this?! Either that or I'm getting way too comfortable with the relaxed lifestyle and wide open spaces of the Vosges.
FANTASTIC FILM FESTIVAL
This event merits an entry of its own, but I might as well continue while I'm on a roll! Every February, Gérardmer hosts the "Festival Fanstastique." Believe it or not, it's the third biggest film festival of France. The themes for this year were schizophrenia, claustrophopia, paranoia, and other little joys of existence. The Festival attract tens of thousands of tourists, including occasional minor celebrities, usually members of the Jury or actors from the films. This was a big change of pace One of my colleagues hooked it up and scored Imanta and I jobs as volonteers, so we got see as many movies as we could for free. We were both given work schedules, including full night shifts, but the people in charge were pretty lax about everything, so we could come and go as we pleased.
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