Postcard from Weil

All things must come to an end.

2009-01-10T12:07:00.001+01:00

I'm going to be concentrating on my other blog from now on for the forseeable future.

2009-01-02T11:56:00.003+01:00

Today is a holiday at the company where I work, but I had to get up early this morning anyway to go to the doctor's for my routine INR blood test. The reading today was 2.4, which is just where it needs to be, i.e. between 2 and 3. Could have done with an extra couple of hours' kip, but I'm up now, so I'd better do something useful. Like washing clothes, or something.

New Year's Day walk

2009-01-01T20:59:00.003+01:00

Got up rather late today...

Then I went for a walk to clear the cobwebs, and also took a few arty photos. Felt much better for it. This one - with industrial Basel in the background - won't make it on the tourist brochures, but that's why I like it.

The big freeze

2008-12-31T23:30:00.002+01:00

Looks like it could be below freezing for a good few days from around the coming weekend onwards. Reminds me of my year abroad in Germersheim in Rheinland-Pfalz in 96/97 when January was virtually a whole month with temperatures below minus all the way through. Day and night.

Single of the Year

2008-12-31T22:52:00.007+01:00

Right, I've made my decision, and it's a draw between three songs, though the first one is by Reamonn. What you would call an "Ohrwurm" in German. Very simple, very successful.

2008-12-31T20:48:00.003+01:00

Spending a quiet New Year's Eve tonight. I sort of missed the boat as regards "Silvester" parties. My girl friend is snowboarding in Austria at the moment. I would have loved to have joined her and her friends, but I had to work till midday, and it takes at least seven hours to get to where she is. Thoeretically doable, but practically not.

After lunch today, I went to Pickwicks and had a few beers with some friends. That was a lot of fun, as I'd been looking forward to that "skool's out" feeling on NYE for a long time.. Friends at Pickwicks were all planning to return to the pub later tonight, but I have no energy for that. No worries, though. Did that make any sense?

Happy New Year, everyone!

Smoking

2008-12-28T14:03:00.007+01:00

For a country that prides itself so much on its thoroughness and meticulousness, Germany has a blind spot when it comes to laws on smoking in public places. After years and plenty of chances to get it right, resultant anti-smoking legislation is proving ineffective.

When the state of Baden-Württemberg pushed through a law on 1 August 2007 immediately restricting smoking in bars, there was an audible whining and gnashing of teeth among publicans. Instead of regarding the new legislation as a chance to welcome people who previously were maybe discouraged from going out more often, the general tenor was that this would sound the death knell for many pubs and bars across the land. Admittedly, I can sympathise to a certain extent with owners of small Eckkneipen whose livings depend on clientele who enjoy a Pils and a cigarette and whose bars are too small to apply segregation between smokers and non-smokers. Following an amendment to the law in mid-2008 to allow bars with an area of 70m2 or less to operate as smokers' bars, these businesses are now allowed to continue as they were. However, all other bars must either be fully non-smoking or have clearly separated areas for smokers. Since there are no bars in Weil which fall into the "70m2" category, you would expect them all to apply the rule of law to the book. This is Germany, after all.

Wrong.

And I'll give you a couple of examples. After going on a walk on Boxing Day, my parents and I had a bite to eat in an establishment in Friedlingen. The restaurant in question had a smoker's and non-smoker's area. As none of us smoke, we entered the latter room. However, it soon became apparent that the smoking area wasn't properly segregated from our area. There was just a flimsy partition separating the two which remained open near the bar. Consequently, we didn't immediately smell the cigarette fumes being exhaled by the waitress and her friends opposite, but we did eventually inhale them. What's more, in order to access the toilets, we non-smokers had to walk through the smoking area. What a joke. Like the proverbial fig leaf.

Anti-smoking legislation in other countries is meant to protect bar workers as much as clientele from cigarette fumes. However, a different rule of thumb applies here, as it seems most publicans and bar staff smoke themselves. Sure, that's an over-generalisation, but as an outsider, you do get the impression that many publicans here have their own vested interest in actively encouraging smoking in their establishments. Take a certain pub in Weil (I'm naming no names) where people smoke despite the fact that doing so is illegal. I used to frequent the place, but after seeing the husband and wife team who run the place both smoking in full view of their customers, I am loathe to return there. They might as well apply to run the pub as a "smokers' club" and have done with it, as far as I'm concerned. Happily, I have more important things to worry about than to grass them up to the police. I just boycott them instead.

Smoking was banned in pubs in England a few years back, and apart from a few lone crusaders who defied the law at the beginning, the transition to smoke-less pubs has been pretty smooth. So, if we can do it, why can't the Germans?

And why can't the Swiss either? The inhabitants of the canton of Basel-Stadt recently voted in favour of smoke-free pubs and restaurant, but the powerful publicans' lobby in Basel has managed to put back the date the new law will come into effect, meaning that pubs won't be totally smoke-free until 1 April 2010, instead of 1 January 2009. What a joke.

Photo of the year

2008-12-27T13:48:00.007+01:00

If I chose one photo which I feel sums up 2008 the best from my point of view, it would have to be this one. It was taken early in the the first half of the Euro 2008 match in Basel on 11 June between Switzerland and Turkey barely minutes before the one of the heaviest thunder storms I've experienced in recent times.

From a personal point of view, 2008 has been one of the most eventful years of my life. I started the year working as freelancer, my knee was operated on early in January, I worked in Zurich for four months, I subsequently decided to abort the freelance adventure in order to work in a proper "day job" again, I contracted deep-vein thrombosis in my lower left leg (this problem is still being treated), plus my social life took off to an extent I'd never even dreamed about only months previously.

I like the above photo because of its foreboding and - excuse the pun - electric atmosphere. I remember watching the match in question on television in my living room in Weil and noticing the big, black cloud that was looming from the north prior to kick-off. With the storm cell arriving from that direction, the rain hit us bit earlier. In fact, it was probably already pelting down outside in Weil when that photo was taken.

Looking back now, it brings back memories both specifically of the summer of 2008 and of the year as a whole, and the changes in both my professional and personal life. In other words, 2008 was a very turbulent year, and I don't necessarily mean that in a negative sense. Looking ahead to 2009, I would say I'm a lot happier than I was at the same time 12 months ago. Not that I was terribly unhappy back then, but just that things just seem clearer now. And I feel more fulfilled. Having said that, goodness knows what lies in store in 2009.

2008-12-27T11:23:00.003+01:00

Another considerable amount of time has again passed since my last post. The Christmas rush was the culprit this time, not to mention a social life that's unexpectedly taken off in recent months. Oh how I yearn for weekends alone at home, doing nothing.. Well, not really, but it was nice last week to be able to wind down a bit over the last few days. My parents were here over Xmas - the second time they've spent the festive season with me here in Weil, though the first time since 2004. We didn't do much, but that was just fine. We ate well, had some good wine, went on afternoon strolls, chatted or just lounged on the sofa and watched telly.

After being here for a week, they've now gone home. Their flight back from Geneva to Blackpool was scheduled for take-off at 9.45 this morning. This meant they had to take the taxi at 4.15 a.m. to Basel SBB, from where they took the first train out at 4.57. They made their connection to Geneva Airport via Delémont without any problem and got to the airport at 7.55. As I write, I think they will probably already have landed in Blackpool.

Weekend in Walldorf

2008-12-02T09:11:00.007+01:00

Went to Walldorf last weekend to visit friends John and Bérénice. After arriving at midday on the Saturday, we went together to watch FC Astoria Walldorf play VfL Kirchheim/Teck in the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg. The home side won 3-1, scoreline that doesn't quite reflect FCA's dominance of the match. A good time was had by all.

We then took the train to Ladenburg to take in the traditional Christmas market, before heading back to Walldorf for a couple of drinks later that evening. On top of the beer and mulled wine we'd had earlier on.. (Whoops)

The evening ended at John's old local, known unofficially by all of us as "Geoff's" - a place I've visited many a time over the last eight years or so. Geoff the Irish manager no longer runs the place. His estranged wife does instead. After handing over the reins - as it were - Geoff managed another hostelry nearby. However, that venture ended prematurely, and Geoff has gradually gone off the radar since. According to John, no one really knows where he is now and what he's doing. It's all a bit of a sad story, really.

Saturday

2008-11-17T22:42:00.013+01:00

This Saturday past was a lovely day.

My five Swiss cousins all have busy lives, which means that it's not often that they spend a whole day all together in one place. However, to celebrate their dad's (and my uncle's) 75th birthday, they thought the best present they could give would be to go on walk with all the family. The date of 15 November had been arranged a while in advance, and I'd also been invited along.

Anyway, the plan was to go on the chair lift late on Saturday morning from Oberdorf in Canton Solothurn up to the Weissenstein mountain and then walk on from there. Unfortunately, the lift is currently undergoing maintenance work, so we reverted to Plan B and walked up the mountain instead. It wasn't too hard a walk, however. We made it to the top after an hour and a half, and the handful of relatives who'd made it up by car (yes, there's a road going up) had prepared a mini-barbecue for us. The photo below is the view from where we ate.

We then walked down the other side of the hill and finished the walk in Canton Berne and the French-speaking village of Corcelles, where we ended up at the "Restaurant de l'étrier d'argent" (The Silver Stirrup). The people there - who spoke both Swiss German and French - served us copious amounts of fillet of steak which we then fried ourselves in pans on the table. Simply delicious.

200th post

2008-11-13T23:07:00.001+01:00

Hard to believe but this really is my 200th blog entry. If you consider that I launched this blog back in September 2006, 200 posts begins to sound somewhat less impressive. However, apart from a few prolific moments now and then, I've really never been one of those professional bloggers who feel inadequate if they don't blog at least once a day. The reason I started the blog in the first place was to amuse myself, provide my family back home with some news, and keep an archive of daily life. If I inadvertently amused other people in the process, then so much the better.

If I ever stopped enjoying writing my blog, then I'd pack it in immediately. Thankfully, this isn't the case yet, although some of you may have noticed my other blog about German wine which I tentatively started, then scrapped, and then started again. My intention recently has been to devote more energies to the wine blog, though I've been suffering from writer's block recently - plus I haven't been tasting too much wine either. Maybe I'll get a second wind though, as it were.

Over the past 12 months, I've undergone a number of upheavals in my professional life. At the end of 2007 I turned freelance and began working from home. However, by the end of August, I was getting tired of working from home and the isolation was sending me potty. So I then decided to rejoin the company I worked for from 2000 to 2006. Not the most original of choices, but hopefully familiarity will not breed contempt this time.

Go-karting

2008-11-08T20:54:00.003+01:00

Went go-karting last night with friends in Lörrach-Brombach. The track was situated in an old tennis hall on the edge of Brombach. Was a bit of a trek from the Bahnhof to reach, but we all got there on time for our 8 p.m. Friday night slot.

I'd been go-karting briefly a few weeks ago at another venue in Haagen - my first ever time - and had been virtually the slowest. This time, I was ranked 7th out of 12, which is an improvement, I suppose.

A palatable truth

2008-10-28T20:17:00.005+01:00

I've always liked to think that my palate is fairly discerning, at least when it comes to wine. For example, I can taste (and usually smell) the difference between a Pinot Noir and a Cabernet Sauvignon, or a Merlot and a Syrah (Shiraz). And I've been privileged to have have drunk some incredible wines in my time. The moment that always stands out for me - and which probably was one of those "epiphany" moments - was reverently sipping a Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese in the drawing room of Von Buhl Estate back in early 1997 and just being lost for words.

On the other hand, I think my palate is fairly robust as well. For example, I regularly use tabasco as a condiment, I love hot Indian food, I love pickled foods, and I also love nibbling on bone-dry Nairn's Scottish oat cakes. On their own.

My new recent discovery, however, is chocolate with 99% cocoa:

I must say, I've never cared for chocolate that much and have never really had a sweet tooth either. I usually much prefer cheese - and especially Stilton.

However, the prospect of eating chocolate with "99% cacao" seemed like an experiment worth trying. As dark chocolates go, you can't get much darker than that. Truly hardcore stuff. On the pack, consumers are advised that they should first try chocolate with 70% cocoa, then some with 85%, before trying the 99%. But I just went in at the top.

It certainly is an acquired taste. I almost gagged when I bit off the first piece. However, after successively breaking off little bits of the chocolate for about a week or so, I finally started appreciating it. You have to let the chocolate almost melt on your tongue, as it were. Behind the astringency and bitter tannins, you gradually detect lovely, delicate fruit flavours. It's an educative experience, I would say. A small piece is nice with coffee, and I can imagine it would go well with red wine, too. Come to think of it, the similarities with wine are uncanny.

Even better though: it's apparently good for me as well. Consumed in moderation, all those antioxidants it contains supposedly help to lower blood pressure, plus the seratonins also help to give me a dose of the old happy gas, even when its dull and dreary outside. Fantastic!

Thrombosis

2008-10-20T22:59:00.000+02:00

Almost four weeks ago I was diagnosed with deep-vein thrombosis in my lower left leg. Luckily, the clot was below the knee. Apparently, the risk of the clot rising up the body would have been greater had it occurred higher up the leg. Neither the doctors nor myself are unsure how exactly the thrombosis developed. A subsequent blood test showed that my blood wasn't particularly predisposed to thrombosis. But anyhow, I have since been taking medication in order to get rid of it.

I first went on a two-week course of Heparin injections to thin the blood. Unfortunately, this didn't change much. So now I'm on a three month course of Marcumar tablets. I also have to wear a compression stocking on the affected leg. So far, the Marcumar seems to be taking effect ok. I have been paying regular visits to the doctor to have blood tests in order to monitor the therapy. Today's test showed that everything's going according to plan, and the interval before my next blood test has now been lengthened to a week (as opposed to previously three/four days a time).

Of course, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned by the whole thing. However, now I'm undergoing the right therapy with the right medication, I'm confident the thrombosis will have disappeared by the end of the three months. The main thing is that I keep mobile with regular walks, and avoid sitting and standing still for extremely long periods.

Golden October

2008-10-12T22:40:00.014+02:00

The world's scariest beer

2008-09-19T09:31:00.005+02:00

This beer was kindly supplied by friend Rob from Heidelberg, who was in Poland a few weeks ago. At 7% vol alc., it packed quite a punch, but, my word, what a label.

Anyone for rounders?

2008-09-14T19:24:00.007+02:00

I never thought I would play the game of rounders, but I've now done so twice in eight days. Not what I was planning, and not much good for my street cred either, but this is what happens when you're having fun.

Last Saturday I went to the Basel expat pub crawl which started off at Bar Rouge at around 8.30-9 o'clock and ended up at Redrocks at around 3-30-4 o'clock in the morning. Although I didn't know a single soul there to begin with, I soon started mingling. To cut the story of a long night short, I got to know quite a few new faces, some of whom meet every Sunday at Margaretenpark in Basel for a spot of post-hangover rounders - the "best sport in the world", according to the girl who suggested it to me. Now, I'm not sure I would concur with that verdict. It is, after all, a bit of a girly game. However, this is mixed rounders, so it's not all prancing round a few sticks. It's definitely a good laugh anyway, and it gets me out of the house on a Sunday afternoon.
....
In other news, I also went on a bike tour on Wednesday night with some of the same people plus some new faces. The route took us through Muttenz, Pratteln, Augst, Birsfelden and back to Basel and was around 25 km long. Our final destination was the Irish Pub, Paddy Reilly's, where we all drank a well-earned beer.
....
Friends John and Berenice was over here yesterday to take in the Altwiler Stroßefescht here in Weil. Unfortunately, it was raining the proverbial cats and dogs, but we had a great time nonetheless. In a quick change of plan due to the weather, we ventured into Basel, joined up with former colleague Karl-Heinz, and then watched FCB beat FC Luzern 2-0 at a slippery St. Jakob-Park (goals from Huggel and Chipperfield), before hitting the fest in Weil shortly before 9 o'clock. As soon as we arrived in the Notehobler tent, we got stuck in immediately with our 1-litre glasses of Spaten Oktoberfestbier and joined in with some timeless classics, before moving on later to the odd glass or four of Korn from our mate at the Trebbin bar. Oh dear. (Trebbin is one of Weil's twin towns, incidentally.)

After John and Berenice left at around midday today, I read the paper and then played the aforementioned game of rounders. A cracking weekend all round, really.

It's been a Weil...

2008-09-01T09:20:00.003+02:00

Well, just like last year, August has been rather quiet on the blogging front. There were mitigating circumstances this time, in that I had food poisoning for a good while. I'd never had food poisoning before, and wouldn't recommend it. However, I'm now more or less back to my old self.

Admittedly, August isn't the most eventful of months either. I did go to the Klosterbergfest on Friday evening evening in Basel, though. Very impressed, I was too. The theme of this annual street festival is decidedly latin (Brazilian), but also oriental. The only drawback was that it became slightly overcrowded once the sun went down.

2008-08-10T15:10:00.004+02:00

I'm sat writing this on my balcony on another warm summer's afternoon. Probably too hot for cycling - I did that yesterday when there was a cooling breeze (past Haltingen, Binzen, Fischingen, a meander through Efringen-Kirchen, along the B3 up to the point level with Blansingen, and then back) - so will probably go for a walk later, or something. Then again, there's German Cup action this evening, with Rot-Weiss Erfurt at home to Bayern live on telly. Have watched some of the Olympics, of course, though I missed Great Britain's first gold medal performance today (Nicole Cooke won the women's cycling road race).

In other news, I've got in contact with some people in Basel on the English-speaking expat website for Switzerland who go on nice leisurely bike rides together in and around Basel. They meet every Wednesday evening (while it's still light). This week they're going to explore the Petite Camargue, so I think I might tag along.

The dog days of August

2008-08-06T16:17:00.002+02:00

Eeugh, it's hot.

Heat

2008-07-27T22:10:00.002+02:00

And that doesn't just sum up today's weather.

Courtesy of modern technology, I was able to watch the film of the same name on BBC3 last night. I must admit that this movie, produced in 1995 and starring both Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, has to be my favourite film of all time.

Hieber's

2008-07-26T19:53:00.004+02:00

Hieber's Frische Center is a very local supermarket. In fact, there are actually only 10 Hieber stores, all of which are located down in this, the most southwesterly corner of Germany. I never bothered to shop there, however, despite its very good reputation. Other supermarkets were always nearer.

Today, though, I cycled across town to the Weil store at the end of the afternoon to get a few "extras". What struck me first was the range and freshness of the fruit and veg on offer. Most "bog standard" German supermarkets tend to neglect this freshness aspect. Any British expats reading this would probably agree with me that people are spoilt by the selection and quality of supermarkets in the UK. Nevertheless, what you don't expect are swarms of fruit flies buzzing around piles of bruised, sweaty and sometimes rotten tomatoes costing EUR 1.49 per kilo - a common occurrence at the supermarket across the road from where I live here in Weil. What a refreshing change it was today then to see pristine tomatoes, succulent strawberries, healthy-looking onions and a mind-boggling selection of potatoes. Hecky Nora, this sounds like a plug.

In the end, I bought more than I was intending to get, but I suppose it'll all keep. Places like that lure you into purchasing stuff you wouldn't normally consume. Like buying chili peppers. I hardly ever purchase chili peppers, but they were red and fiery and... well, I just couldn't resist. Oh, and a bottle of 2005 Weiler Schlipf Spätburgunder "CS" from Weingut Schneider.

Oh, and I heard some time ago that the Lörrach store has a system where people who are single and "on the look out" can take yellow baskets instead of the normal-coloured ones to signify their, ahem, status. How to find love in the supermarket aisles... I should give it a try one of these days.

Another shopping arcade?

2008-07-25T11:57:00.001+02:00

I present to you the Rhein-Arcaden. MFI, an Essen-based company specialising in shopping centre developments, presented this model to Weil's movers and shakers on Tuesday evening. This construction would supposedly replace the current Kaufring and also stretch as far as the Bahnhofstraße. It looks huuuge, but it's shape is also quite elegant. The final stop for the extended tram line from Basel would be incorporated into the building. This sounds like quite an ingenious idea. MFI say they would like the town to decide by November whether they want this new shopping centre. Construction on the project would then commence in autumn 2009, with completion scheduled for late 2011.

For the town authorities, this opens up a whole can of worms, of course. Firstly, you have the question of whether a town such as Weil actually needs such a complex. Second, is the project at all viable? Will it attract enough custom from outlying areas in Basel and Alsace? If it does, how will Weil cope with the extra traffic? Won't it rob the town's small businesses of their custom? On the basis of the model presented, it also looks as if the front of Hotel Leopoldshöhe will be hemmed in by a glassy shopping centre facade. What will the hotel's management think of that? More to the point, the Rebhus restaurant situated opposite would even have to be razed to the ground to make way for the diggers. Questions, questions, questions...

Personally, the main problem I see is the extra congestion on the roads this centre would generate. Don't get me wrong, this looks quites an exciting project. It could potentially revitalise Weil and give the town the focal point it has so far lacked. However, I anticipate a lot of gnashing and grinding of teeth among Weil's decision-makers before the project even gets close to the implementation stage.

This and that

2008-07-24T10:59:00.011+02:00

Have just returned to Weil after spending a week at home in England with my parents. It was a lazy few days, but sometimes it's nice to just relax. The weather wasn't exactly brilliant - with high winds, prolonged showers and rather parky temperatures - but, let's face it, summer on the Lancashire coast wouldn't be the same without it. The weather began to perk up at the weekend, and was favourable enough for us to have a very enjoyable barbecue with family and friends in our back garden during the course of the Sunday. This has become somewhat of an annual event and has been nicknamed Bombero by my Dad, which is named after El Bombero, the Spanish red wine that he traditionally serves to our guests. At 15% alc., it's not for the faint hearted. Anyway, the sun finally shone that afternoon, and one or two of us were slightly jaded by the evening, thanks to that and the combination of home-brewed bitter and potent wine. A great time was had by all though.

Now it's back to the grind here in Weil. I finally left the flat yesterday evening, when I took the bus to the old part of town and walked up to the vineyards. In a repeat of my effort 12 months ago, I took some pics of the sunset.

Evening stroll

2008-07-15T09:01:00.003+02:00

I ventured out last night for a brisk walk on my own, down to the old Landesgartenschau (garden show) grounds via Laguna and back. I needed to stretch the old legs, although I think I may have picked up mild shin splints. It might have had something to do with running to catch the train on Saturday. I don't think it's too serious, but I'd better keep an eye on it.

Bastille Day

2008-07-14T21:51:00.003+02:00

The day when France has a day off, but no one's striking. Thanks to our French friends, it's also the day when Weil's Eiscafes (ice cream parlours) rake in the money.

Nadal-Federer

2008-07-13T21:54:00.002+02:00

Bit of a delayed reaction, this, but I don't think I've seen better sport than what I saw last Sunday evening when Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer fought it out on Centre Court for the Wimbledon title. What a match.

Bläserfest

2008-07-10T11:29:00.006+02:00

Last Saturday evening, I treated myself to a break from translating and ventured out to the Bläserfest on the Rathausplatz in the Weil. This was the fifth year this event was taking place, and this time it was bigger and better than all the other previous years. Not only had the town organised the usual stage with seating and beer and drinks stands on the main square in front of the civic hall, but they had also invited around a dozen local wineries and wine cooperatives to set their own respective "mini-bars" there.

What's more, there were two other minor stages outside the Insel supermarket and on the side of Hauptstraße not far from my own abode. This latter venue was well within earshot on the Friday night, basically featuring successive local brass bands. I had to work most of that day, but the music was much more soothing than the Europop that is set to blare out from there this coming Saturday on Kindertag.

Anyway, a lot of credit goes to the organisers of the event. No admission was charged - thanks to the subsidies from certain local sponsors. The ambiance on Saturday night was very pleasant, refined and relaxed. The theme of the evening was Cuban music. This helped to attract a slightly younger audience than one would otherwise have expected at a brass music event - but none of those Fasnacht hoi polloi.

2008-07-10T10:44:00.002+02:00

After the joys of Euro 2008 - sorry UEFA EURO 2008™ - I thought I might experience withdrawal pangs, but the translation work has been coming thick and fast these past two weeks, so I've had little time to dwell.

But now I would like to allow myself just one more postscript.

First, the quality of the football during the tournament was very good, except when Greece was playing. I wouldn't go as far as saying that it was the best tournament ever. I remember Euro 2000 was also praised to high heaven. Perhaps we'll have a better idea of how good it really was when we look back on it in a few years' time.

Second, I suppose Turkey's performance has to go down as the main surprise. I quite warmed to them in the end, and they were a touch unlucky against Germany.

Third, here's a short list of players who particularly caught my eye or surprised me:
Arda Turan (Turkey) - electrifying whenever the manager let him play
Ümit Korkmaz (Austria) - ditto
Hamit Altintop (Turkey) - played at right back early on, then as the second striker in the second half versus the Czechs, then in midfield against the Germans.
Yuri Zhirkov (Russia)

Actually, that's just four players, but I don't mean players that whose good performances weren't necessarily a surprise, e.g. Arshavin, Villa, Xavi, Sneijder, Modric.

Actually, Lukas Podolski was also a surprise, in that he spent the whole of the 2007/2008 season on the bench at Bayern, yet then goes an scares the life out of defenders like Carvalho and Bosingwa. Same applies to Schweinsteiger to a certain extent, I suppose.

Euro 2008 - some thoughts

2008-06-28T15:43:00.008+02:00

First things first: what a relief it was not to have to go through the stress of having follow England through yet more pain and agony in a major tournament. Some people here mentioned to me that it was a shame that England weren't there, but I don't think so. They wouldn't have survived the group stages anyway.

Owing to my work commitments in Zurich and being glued to the television watching football during the rest of the time, there was little chance to do more important chores. Now I'm playing 'catch-up' somewhat. Yet I wouldn't have had it any other way!

What with the cooler, inclement weather during the first week or so, the tournament started slowly. However, the Switzerland-Turkey match 'lit the blue touch paper', as it were, and we haven't looked back since. As I was about to settle down at home to watch that match, I could see the big black cloud coming from the north and knew what was about the happen. It poured down in Weil first, and then torrential rain reached Basel. After Hakan Yakin's comedy goal, some might have thought that the match might be called off. However, the sky started clearing above Weil at about that point in the game, so I knew there was nothing to worry about...

The unexpected trip to Geneva to watch Turkey-Czech Republic will stay long in the memory, as will last Saturday's party in Basel with the Dutch.

In general, I belive that tomorrow's two finalists are the best two teams in the tournament. True, the Germans almost had a nightmare against Turkey, but you should never discount them - as the Portuguese discovered. My tip to win the tournament was Germany in the first place. Before the Spain-Russia match, I thought that Russia would be potentially the trickier opponent for Herr Luuurve and his boys, but now Spain look very, very good. Be that as it may, I'm going to stick with my original prediction.

Whatever happens, it will be quite loud outside my flat from around 10.30 p.m. tomorrow. I knew what was going to happen after the Germany-Turkey match, so I took the conscious decision to watch the match in Zurich with some friends and stay overnight there. Given that Germany won, the gamble paid off.

The Hauptstraße in Weil not far from my flat shortly after the Germany-Turkey match. [Photo scanned from the Badische Zeitung of Friday 27 June.]

Tschüss Zürich

2008-06-28T12:49:00.003+02:00

After four months of commuting to Zurich three days a week, I am now - as of this weekend - starting up my home business again as a translator. My time there in the translation department of a bank came about unexpectedly at a time when I had just turned freelance at the beginning of this year. It was a great professional opportunity and I'm very glad I committed myself to it.

It was sad to say goodbye to my colleagues, I must say. They are a fantastic bunch of people, and I'll miss them. We had a little 'drinks & nibbles' party on my final day, Thursday, where they presented me, among other things, with a Switzerland football shirt which they had all signed on the back with a black marker pen! What a lovely gesture.

Ausnahmezustand

2008-06-23T20:42:00.027+02:00

A hard word to translate. Literally, it means 'state of emergency', but in the context of what happened on Basel's streets on Saturday, "the whole town went mental" would be a more accurate translation.

And indeed, Basel was well and truly in Ausnahmezustand.

With the Netherlands playing Russia in the quarter-finals later that day at the 'Joggeli', thousands of Dutch (180,000 was the 'official' estimate) had descended on Basel. Perry from Heidelberg, who was also at the Spargelmarkt earlier this month, came down to sample the atmosphere with me. It was one heck of a day. Now, Fasnacht is one thing, but what I witnessed on Saturday reminded me more of the Love Parade. The mayhem began when we travelled into town shortly before 4 p.m., as our bus was packed with Oranje fans. This was no surprise, since Perry had reported that the Dutch were getting on the train at all the minor stops from Freiburg onwards while he was on the regional train to Weil.

Shortly after reaching Claraplatz, we realised the enormity of what was happening. Ahead of us was a sea of orange, winding its way over the bridge and into Grossbasel. We therefore decided to veer left along Rhygasse in the direction of the Wettstein Bridge. However, we then changed our plan and stopped off at the Fischerstube, where we enjoyed a beer and some food and observed the raucous chanting of our Dutch friends. From there, we headed down to the Rhine and took the ferry across to the Münster. I'd never ever gone across the river like this, so it was a novelty for me, too.

We had another beer on the promontory behind the Münster and then walked down to Marktplatz, and then eventually to Barfüsserplatz via the old town. During this trek, we got the distinct impression that the Dutch numbers were being swelled by pseudo-Oranje Swiss who had jumped on the bandwagon.

After yet another beer, we walked back to the Gare du Nord at the German station, which is where we watched the match (with Karl-Heinz as well). Pity Holland lost, but Russia were the better side.

Anyway, in this case, I think the images here speaks louder than the words.

"Türkiye!"

2008-06-22T19:15:00.008+02:00

One thing has followed another this week and I've consequently barely had time to update this blog. I'd better start in chronological order...

Saturday 14 June
Friend Rob drives down the previous day from Heidelberg to stay a couple of nights in Lörrach at the flat of his girlfriend's sister. Both his girlfriend, Melanie, and her sister Sabine, are up in Hamburg at a hen do. Sabine gives Rob the keys to the flat while she's away.. I meet Rob for a beer that afternoon in Lörrach town centre. Afterwards, we travel into Basel, where we meet another friend Karl-Heinz. The three of us then watch the Spain-Sweden match down by the 'Riviera', i.e. on the big screen by the side of the Rhine.

The real reason why Rob is down here is that he is due to travel to Geneva the next day to watch the decisive Turkey-Czech Republic Group A match with Scott, who lives in Zurich. However, Scott suddenly texts Rob that afternoon to say that he's torn his Achilles playing football (he's a goalkeeper, btw) and will now be doubtful for the trip to Geneva. He asks whether I would like to buy his ticket off him and go to Geneva instead. I basically say yes, I'd like to. During the course of that evening, text messages are sent to and fro - the upshot of which is that Scott might still be fit to go to Geneva after all.

Sunday 15 June
While I'm nursing a hangover late in the morning, Scott calls me to say that he definitely can't go and asks again whether I want to take the ticket. I'm admittedly slightly somewhat wrong-footed by this, as I ultimately wasn't expecting to go. However, I shower quickly, have something to eat and then leave to meet Rob and Scott at Basel SBB station. Scott manages to get to Basel from Zurich to hand over the tickets to us - a gesture very much appreciated. As is his wont, crutches are not the only props Scott has brought (see photo). Rob and I then bid our farewells to Scott and we eventually leave on the train to Geneva at 14.03.

Well, we could hardly have picked a more dramatic match to go to. Turkey come back from 0-2 down to win 3-2, with the winning goal coming in injury time. We have great seats in the main stand and have perfect views of all the goals bar one. We even spot Arsène Wenger at pitchside before the match giving an interview to Al Jazeera. The atmosphere is fantastic and the noise from the Turkish end of the ground is deafening at times.

After the match, we head home on the special train leaving at quarter past midnight and eventually arrive back in Basel , at 3.05 in the morning. Due to it being a match day in Basel as well (Switzerland beat Portugal 2-0), trams are still running at that time of the morning. We're therefore able able to get to Basel Badischer Bahnhof, from where we take taxis back to Weil and Lörrach respectively.

Thursday 19 June
After a busy day of work in Zurich, I head back to Basel with scores of German and Portuguese fans on the train who are on their way to watch the Germany-Portugal quarter-final, either at the ground itself or at one of the town's various public viewing venues.

Basel SBB station is packed with fans arriving. I pass almost a dozen ticket touts who are openly advertising their 'wares'. I notice that the English touts are conspicuous by the fact that they're the one without signs. Perhaps they see themselves as "better-quality" touts who have no need for such props.

My original plan was to meet Karl-Heinz and watch the match at on one of the big screens in town. The both of us quickly discount that idea when we see the thousands (of mainly Germans) who are already squashed together like sardines on Münsterplatz. We opt to take the tram back to the Badischer Bf and watch the match at the Gare du Nord. That turns out to be a good choice, given that we're but a short walk from the platform for our respective trains back home. Still, my train only leaves after a 25-minute delay due to the numbers of Germans trying to get on after the match. K-H is less fortunate: he is unable to get on his train in the commotion and only manages to get back home at 2 a.m.

The above is a very rushed synopsis, but hopefully I'll be able to add some more personal impressions over the coming days. However, my next entry though will be devoted to yesterday's extraordinary Oranje-tinted events in downtown Basel. There'll be photos too.

Ok. Italy-Spain is starting now.. Will it be another sleepless night in Weil? [beep beep, honk honk]

Basel or Basle

2008-06-22T15:16:00.003+02:00

Right then, I'd like to get something out of the way.

Some of you might have wondered why I have insisted up till now on writing 'Basle' instead of 'Basel'. It was because 'Basle' is, strictly speaking, still the UK spelling (pronounced "Baarl", an anglicised version of the French 'Bâle'). However, I have to admit that, other than on this blog - and like most other English-speaking ex-pats living here - I normally pronounce and spell the city's name as 'Basel'. This, of course, is the common usage among locals and within German-speaking regions. People in the US also spell it like that.

In recent years, 'Basel' has increasingly also become the more recognised English spelling. Switzerland's two big banks, UBS and Credit Suisse, have been spelling it as 'Basel' in their English correspondence for many years now. Basel Tourismus, the local tourist board, even asked the BIS (Bank for International Settlements) to use 'Basel II' instead of 'Basle II' when referring to the Revised International Capital Framework which it published in 2004.

Using 'Basle' for this blog was a self-conscious attempt on my part, I'm afraid, to cling on to something which, to my mind, now sounds slightly twee and outdated, and "ever so British". I suppose I was trying to be a bit contrary but also demonstrably non-American. But sod that. With immediate effect, I shall now be writing Basel instead!

2008-06-14T10:19:00.003+02:00

Well, well, well... What a couple of matches we saw yesterday evening. First Romania hold Italy to a 1-1 draw in a highly entertaining encounter in Zurich, then the Dutch crush the French 4-1. We now have the potentially hilarious situation of France and Italy both going out should Romania beat the Dutch in their final match. Holland have already won the group, so it's not as if they have to try against the Romanians.

Incidentally, a Portuguese camera crew interviewed me on the Mittlere Brücke yesterday as I was on my way to watch the Romania-Italy match. The interviewer - quite an attractive young lady - asked me in English about whether I lived in Basle and what I liked about the city. I'm afraid I wasn't exactly "plugged in" at the time and proceeded to give her some mindnumbingly boring spiel about it being nice place as it had a river, that it was easy to get from a to b and that it was just, er, lovely. Oh dear oh dear.. After giving this 30-second soundbite, I asked her and her two cameramen what channel they worked for. It's supposedly this one. I can't say I'd heard of it, but I'm no Portuguese television expert. I don't think my interview made the final cut on there anyway.

Footy-related musings and WLAN

2008-06-13T15:42:00.003+02:00

Two things to comment on today.

Firstly, the football. My favourites to win, Germany, came unstuck yesterday rather against dark horses Croatia. I only saw the last 15 minutes of the match, but they didn't play well yesterday, by all accounts. So far, there have been some good performances from the likes of Spain, Holland, Croatia and Portugal, but it's too early to say who might win this tournament. Not a very technical analysis, this, but there you go... I'm particular interested in the outcome of the decisive Czech Rep - Turkey match, as I have a feeling one of these two teams might yet surprise people despite neither of them convincing in their first matches. If Turkey is that team, I shall be bracing myself for the car horn fanfares...

Now it's the weekend, I think some of this "public viewing" malarky might be in order. Maybe in Basle.

Secondly, a PC expert came round today in order to sort out a wireless Internet connection for my laptop. It was a harder task than he thought, which made me feel vindicated in the knowledge that it wasn't a case of me being computer illiterate after all. The technician first came to the conclusion that it must be Norton Security playing up, but eventually the trick was keying in my so-called MAC address, and it finally worked. Halleluja. Now, the same should theoretically work with my desktop PC as well.

Something in the air tonight....

2008-06-09T15:24:00.018+02:00

Instead of staying in Weil and taking in the kick-off to Euro 2008, I chose to head up to Walldorf near Heidelberg to stay with friends John and Bérénice and enjoy the town's annual asparagus festival. I know, it doesn't exactly sound like rip-roaring fun, but believe me, it was..

First, though, we drove to the village of Rotenberg (near the town of Rauenberg) to watch friend Paul and his band, The Peejays, play a gig at the "Internationales Hoffest", which - as the German name suggests - took place in a courtyard. Since it featured Paul, who hails from Swansea, I suppose the event could rightfully claim to call itself "international". It was the first time I'd seen or heard any of their music, but I must say I was impressed. After a short trip to a local supermarket to purchase a bottle of local wine from Wiesloch, Walldorf's neighbouring wine-growing village, we returned to John and Bérénice's flat, where we settled down to watch the opening match of Euro 2008, with Switzerland of course losing 0-1.

Afterwards, we went out to the fest. Apart from my hosts, I was also accompanied by Kathryn, Perry, Rob, Melanie and her friend Daniela.

Being a rich town - thanks to tax revenues from IT giant SAP - Walldorf's councillors are in the enviable position of being to able to throw money around on expensive infrastructure-related projects and other stuff like artistic blue lights in the paving stones of the pedestrian area and meaningless fountains and slabs of stone masquerading as art. Our Oberbürgermeister Dietz could only dream of having such a large cheque book to play with.

Anyway, true to form, the Spargelmarkt is pretty impressive - with excellent seating arrangements under numerous giant parasols in front of a large stage where... wait for it... "Phil", the dedicated Phil Collins and Genesis cover band enthralled the masses with a set that ranged from Sussudio to Jesus, He Knows Me.

Gig in Rotenberg

Fest

"Phil"

Art Basel 2008

2008-06-06T23:04:00.008+02:00

Went with former colleague Andrea to Art Basel this early evening to browse around the weird and wonderful examples of contemporary art. We first wondered round the main gallery, then the Art Unlimited section in the adjacent building. To be honest, I think we were half looking at the artifacts and half people-watching. We then met Andrea's boy friend David, and the three of us had a drink together at Bar Rouge. All in all, a nice interlude before the football begins in earnest tomorrow.

Vorfreude

2008-06-05T22:53:00.009+02:00

As some of you will have realised, United winning the Champions League recently means more to me than anything that may happen over the next three weeks. However, walking through Basle (or Basel, to use the German and American spelling) this evening, I think yours truly experienced the first feelings of Vorfreude (pleasant anticipation).

Eeeek!

Plastic fans

Safina vs. Kuznetsova at Roland Garros on the "big" screen (I assume the surface area of that screen will be enlarged for the football matches?); plus Mr Alexander Frei in the background, every Irish, English and Turkish fan's favourite player.

Penalty kings

Come on England!

2008-06-01T16:45:00.008+02:00

Euro 2008 is but six days away, and the excitement is building here.

Well, to be honest, working in an office at the end of Bahnhofstrasse near the lake in Zurich three days a week and then whizzing back by train every evening through Basle means that I haven't been in downtown Basle for a good while; apart from in Mr Pickwick's Pub on Steinenvorstadt last Thursday night!

If I had, I would have noticed the big screens being erected on both sides of the Mittlere Brücke as well as the construction of temporary seating on the Kleinbasel banks of the river on both sides of the bridge. I would also have noticed this above me had I been walking on the main shopping street, Freie Strasse. It's part of a project by some bloke called Littmann, who had the idea of covering ("over-hanging") parts of the Basle Euro 2008 "fan boulevard" with fabric sheets showing arty murals so that they look like the sky above if you squint your eyes. Or something. Hence the name Stadthimmel. It sounds impressive, although the sheets which I saw above Steinenvorstadt on Thursday night were rather sparse and therefore rather underwhelming. They just looked like random rain shelters. I think the view along Freie Strasse and other parts of town will be better though.

As for the footy itself, well, I'd be hard pushed to pick a winner. Germany are rightly one of the favourites. However, from what I saw of them yesterday vs. Serbia (2-1 to Germany despite Nemanja Vidic's sturdy enforcing), their defence looks surprisingly fallible. Metzelder has been crocked most of last season and seems to be struggling to resume normal service in his double-act with Per Mertesacker in the centre. Ballack is in the form of his life though. You can see he's improved an added notch in all aspects of the game since joining Chelsea from Bayern.

In general, I would say the enthusiasm here in Germany for Euro 2008 is similar to the hype in England before the 1998 World Cup. Back then, football auf der Insel had become "trendy" for the first ever time following the euphoria that surrounded the England team at Euro 96; until Stefan Kuntz and co. won as usual. The 2006 World Cup in Germany was comparable in that it also involved a host nation suddenly realising that their team was actually quite good after several years of playing crap. The only difference back then is that we had Baddiel & Skinner and they had, ahem, Xavier Naidoo.

Now we also have a situation here in Germany where Fussball isn't just the Opium des Volks (we knew that already) but also respectable in all strata of society. What's more, we now have the phenomenon of public viewing. Sorry, Public Viewing.

Early bird

2008-05-31T20:46:00.004+02:00

After feeling more than a bit lethargic on Friday, so I went to bed early and got up really early for a change (around 5.15). I don't usually do this on my free days, but I was ready for something different. I had a bite to eat for breakfast and then left to go on an early-morning walk. However, a rain shower started literally just as I left the flat, so I went back inside, had a shower myself, and then left the flat a bit later (around 6.45) when the shower had stopped. Here are a couple of impressions of my walk, including the "signature shot" from the vineyards (don't say I'm not original):

St. Jakob-Stadion as seen from Weil

2008-05-31T10:10:00.008+02:00

While we're on a Euro 2008 theme, spot FC Basel's ground. Photo taken at 7.25 this morning.

Public viewing this, public viewing that..

2008-05-31T09:20:00.003+02:00

Rebblütenfest

2008-05-30T19:37:00.003+02:00

Worth mentioning a new event in Weil's cultural calendar, the Rebblütenfes t. The Rebblüte - the blossoming of the grape vines - invariably occurs at the end of May/beginning of June. I may go along on my own tomorrow afternoon and see what's going on. Local wineries from Weil and elsewhere are going to be setting up stall along the wine route from Altweil all the way to Ötlingen.

What a refreshing change

2008-05-30T14:47:00.007+02:00

Took the 17.28 back to Basle from Zurich yesterday evening and chose to sit in the random second-class carriage situated at the rear of the train behind a series of first-class wagons. The train must have been standing in the sun all afternoon, as this air-conditioning-less carriage was like a furnace inside. Most people opened the window, however, and - shock horror - left them open for the whole duration of the journey. Not one whine from anyone about nasty draughts.

This was in stark contrast to the normal scene on the train I usually catch from Weil in the morning. No air conditioning either, but all windows firmly shut despite the fact that the temperature feels like 30C inside. A lot of people are even wearing coats, as if they're scared they may catch a cold. What is wrong with these people? It's a good job the train only takes a few minutes to reach Basle. I may try to open a window one morning and see what the reaction is. I suspect such move will not be greeted with universal approval.

Interesting article

2008-05-25T14:39:00.002+02:00

I heard about this in the German media a couple of weeks ago, and it was inevitable it would reach the UK press sooner or later.

Eurovision

2008-05-25T11:19:00.002+02:00

Spent the night in last night watching the Eurovision Song Contest on BBC1. I only watch it because of Terry Wogan's commentary. He came out with some classics again this year, especially during the "musical" interlude between the acts and the results of the voting.

Not many people in the UK ever took Eurovision that seriously, in the view of the voting which, in Wogan's words, "never ceases to amaze, astonish and amuse". However, now the doyen of Eurovision broadcasters is threatening to throw in the towel after what he believes to be "political voting" which has turned the competition into an even bigger farce than it already was. Eurovision is quickly turning into a play-thing of the old Eastern bloc countries, who generally cast the top votes among themselves, thus rendering the chances of any Western European participants winning in future very slim at best. My favourite ditty by far last night was the French entry, a controversial entry in France itself due to the fact that it was sung in English. It garnered 47 points compared to eventual winners Russia's 272 points, but that was no surprise. I missed the German and UK acts, but they came joint last with Poland on 14 points. Oh dear.

Champions of Europe

2008-05-22T20:49:00.007+02:00

Apologies for going off-topic, but it would be remiss of me not to mention Manchester United's triumph in Moscow last night.

I had been prevaricating for a good week or so as to whether I should watch the match back at my local in Basle or with friends Stu and Kath plus a bunch of their friends in Zurich. The Zurich plan - which I eventually favoured - was to go to a gig by Newton Faulkner starting at 7 p.m. at the Mascotte theatre and then watch the final on the big screen at the same venue at 8.45. I would then stay over at Stu and Kath's after the game. The idea behind this would be that the concert might help to settle my nerves beforehand and that it would be easier in general given that I was working in Zurich again the following day anyway.

Now, I'd never heard of the aforementioned musician, but his gig was really good and I was suitably impressed and entertained. After his final song - a one-man cover version of Bohemian Rhapsody - the big screen dropped down about 5 minutes before kick-off.

I normally get quite nervous watching big matches involving United, but the music had mellowed me to a certain extent by the time this particular match began. United's free-flowing football and dominance of Chelsea in the first half settled my nerves even more - until Chelsea's undeserved equaliser at the stroke of half-time, that is. Throughout most of the second half, I was shaking my head and fearing the worse. Chelsea built up the pressure while United lost the initiative and reverted to the counter-attacking tactics they had adopted for most of the previous away knockout ties. However, despite a scare when Drogba and Lampard both hit the woodwork, Ferdinand and Vidic held firm in the centre of defence. Vidic was probably United's best player.

United were better in extra-time and could have (should have) won it, but Giggs stabbed at Evra's cross with the outside of his left peg instead of burying it.

As Stu and Kath would confirm, I was quite impassive during the shootout. Was too drained to react much when Chelsea's John Terry missed what would have been the deciding penalty, and then in the moment of victory my watch almost came off, so the final release was somewhat of a delayed reaction.

Anyway, I spoke to my Liverpool-supporting father yesterday evening. He crowed on something about United being lucky, conveniently forgetting to mention the fact that Chelsea's goal was the result of two spawny deflections. True, Chelsea were definitely the better side from minutes 46 to 90, but both teams had their chances and 1-1 was a fair result after 120 minutes.

The only downside to a momentous night was the bar turning the TV off as soon as the match was over. Cue frantic persuasion for them to put the screen back on, to no avail, and then the surreal experience of seeing United lift the cup on the revolving 80s disco ball above the dance floor.

Laptop

2008-05-17T11:19:00.002+02:00

Bought my first ever laptop this morning! It's an HP. It may take a while I navigate my way round it, but I'm quite excited.

When I returned to my flat this morning, I could hear the strains of "When the saints come marching it" being played by a brass band on the Hauptstraße. No idea why, though it may have been some promotional stuff for Circus Knie who are currently stopping off in Weil for a few performances. I heard that the main attraction of the show is the human cannonball. An American called John Taylor flies some 200 kph in the air, apparently.

2008-05-16T20:30:00.004+02:00

Currently playing a bit of catch-up with this blog after to my enforced hiatus of the last few weeks due to a dying computer, a long weekend with with my parents in northwest England, and then work commitments.

One good thing during this period has been the weather, which has been warm and bright. Everything is lush and green now, and the commuting to Zurich and back has become more enjoyable thanks to the lovely sunny views out of train windows. Some people like to open up their laptops and work on the train, but in the morning especially, I tend to either daydream or listen to some podcasts on my iPod. I seem to read a bit more on the way home though. If I had a laptop, I'm not sure whether I would want to take it on trains that often.

Anyway, here's the aforementioned lushness and greenness as depicted in a couple photos I took early in the morning above Weil last Saturday.

2008-05-16T19:39:00.002+02:00

As soon as I got back to Weil in the late-afternoon of 6 May, I took my computer to the PC specialist shop situated opposite the Kaufring supermarket and explained the situation. Thankfully, the man there was able to rectify the problem within a couple of days, but said that the PC was making funny whirring noises and that I should think about replacing it if it gave me more trouble. At home the next day, I saved the essential contents of the entire hard drive on to my external hard drive - a process with took from morning till evening.

In the meantime, although the PC is working again, its cooling fan sometimes makes such a racket that I'm barely able to work on it. Thankfully, the noise has died down now this evening, but I'm definitely aiming to buy a laptop as a back-up system as soon as possible.

Anyway, on a lighter note, my trip back to Blighty was to mark my aunt's 60th birthday. Over 30 friends and relatives came together at the Clifton Arm's Hotel in Lytham on Sunday 4 May for lunch. The event was really enjoyable and it was genuinely great to catch up with so many people whom I hadn't seen for years and years. A real family reunion, it was.

Das Leben ist kein Wunschkonzert

2008-05-10T17:28:00.003+02:00

This is my favourite German phrase at present. In the UK, a Wunschkonzert is normally a musical request programme, i.e. something along the lines of Radio 4's Desert Island Discs. In this context, the phrase means, "Life is anything but a picnic". And it's a phrase I've kept recalling to myself over the last few weeks.

Being freelance, but currently working part time until the end of June as a member of staff at a bank in Zurich three days a week, means that I'm commuting a lot at the moment. However, it also puts me in the happy position of not being overly obliged to work from home for other clients at least until July. With Euro 2008 taking up most of June in Basle, I definitely don't want to be stuck in my flat busting a gut over long weekends after having commuted to and from Zurich during the week. I did, however, make an exception on the final weekend in April, when I agreed to help out my former employer, bmp translations, at short notice. Given that the material I had to translate - a brochure about Basle - was interesting and would earn me an extra few bob, I set about working over the weekend on it. It literally took four days of sitting in front of the PC to knock up the translation, but I was more than satisfied with the end product when I emailed the text back to bmp late at night before commuting to Zurich the next day.

That afternoon in Zurich, Susan from bmp called me to say that the file I'd sent just contained funny symbols and assorted gobbledygook. She therefore asked me to resend the file when I got back that evening. No problem, I thought. Probably some gremlin which I could sort out when I returned home, and there was still time as the deadline wasn't until the next day anyway.

So, I got back home, switched the PC on, and... oh, what's that strange and loud noise it's making? I switched the PC off and tried to boot it up again. However, I was confronted with the following sinister-looking error message (a picture of which I thought I would keep for posterity):

Basically, the message gave me five options to choose from. I tried them all, but the PC simply wouldn't boot. All that would appear was a dark grey screen. A view into Windows oblivion, so to speak. I left the machine on overnight, but the same dark screen continued to stare at me when I switched the screen on the next morning.

Now, obviously, my nerves were a bit frayed at this point, and I'd hardly had any sleep when I woke up at around 5.30 the next morning. I'd been unable to resend my translation, plus the version of the translation I'd saved on to my external hard drive was only half-finished, since I'd forgotten to save the definitive version there. The only thing for it was to turn up at bmp's offices with the external hard drive first thing that morning and explain the situation. Of course, I apologised profusely. But to my relief, Susan took the news calmly and said it was just one of those things. She would have to translate the remainder of the brochure quickly that day and wrap up the job herself. I uploaded the unfinished version from the external hard drive, bid my farewells and rushed to Basel SBB to catch the train to Zurich, where I arrived an hour later than usual.

This drama cost me half of what I would have earned on the translation, and it was naturally frustrating that some of my work has gone to waste. However, my biggest worry was my PC. Given that I was working in Zurich and due to fly to the UK on 1 May, a public holiday, I wouldn't be able to do anything about the computer until I returned to Weil from the UK on the evening of 6 May. [To be continued..]

This and that

2008-04-20T17:09:00.004+02:00

So, the weekend that's about to come to an end was a quiet one. However, here's some flotsam and jetsam.

I went into Basle on Friday night for a couple of pints with Karl-Heinz and Simonetta, two translators from CLS where I used to work until the end of 2006. I hadn't seen Simonetta for a long time, so it was good to catch up with her. Both of them told me about the latest goings-on at my old place of work and we basically had a good laugh.

The weather was fairly good on Saturday, as has also been the case today. I just pottered around, got some food in at the shops, made large meal of the day at midday and then ventured into Basle again at teatime to watch the Blackburn-Man United match.

Went on a bike ride today round the outskirts of Haltingen, then towards home via Friedlingen. Spring also finally seems to have sprung, which is nice.

SC Freiburg 2 - 0 Carl Zeiss Jena

2008-04-13T21:49:00.004+02:00

Went to Freiburg today with two good friends, Karl-Heinz and Pete, to watch some second division football at Sportclub Freiburg. Attendance 14,050.

Jena scuppered Freiburg's promotion chances last season with a last-minute equaliser, so today was a bit of pay-back time for SCF. Not only that, but Freiburg disastrously lost 0-5 the previous Sunday at the home of anarchy that is St. Pauli. (Here is a fact well known to followers of German football, and quoted in, ahem, Wikipedia: "St. Pauli opens its home matches with AC/DC's Hells' Bells, and after every home goal Song 2 by Blur is played, turning the stadium into a giant mosh pit." Evidently no room for Freiburg's pretty passes with eleven hairy-ar*ed cloggers with a skull and cross-bones on their shirts chasing them.

For the first time in ages, we stood in the Nordtribüne instead of sitting elsewhere. Being the typical English-style fans we are, we arrived only a few minutes before kick-off, which meant that we had to settle for standing room at ground level right behind the goal - given that German fans arrive hours before the match to grab the best sun benches.. sorry, terrace spaces.

The match itself was a fairly entertaining affair and Freiburg were well worth their win. One of the notable features of standing in the Nordtribüne was that the crowd were egged on by some bloke with a microphone who stood on a few cardboard boxes about 10 yards from us. He would start each chant through his loudspeaker, then the crowd would follow suit. Not very spontaneous, if you ask me. This cheerleader was facing the crowd during the whole 90 minutes (although I noticed that someone else came on and replaced the original one for the second half). The first one probably got bored. Such a phenomenon is fairly recent and dates back to around 2001/2002 when the more dedicated (or extreme) fans of most Bundesliga clubs began to form Ultra groups - a way of mimicking Italian football supporters and their various groupings. I don't wish to cast judgment on such fans, but only to say that English football does pretty well without them. But then again, English fans are rather more spontaneous.

Incidentally, Jögi Löw, the Germany manager, was at the match today. He supposedly has a house on the outskirts of Freiburg in Freiburg-St. Georgen.

Another notable fact was that the flamboyantly monikered Alain Junior Olle Olle came on for Freiburg some time during the second half. He is from Cameroon and was signed from Uruguay's Nacional during the winter break.

To cap off the day, United beat Arsenal thanks to a stunning free-kick from Owen Hargreaves.

Opulence

2008-04-05T23:06:00.005+02:00

I went into Basle this afternoon to have a quick look round "Baselworld - The Watch and Jewellery Show" (I must say, as a humble native English speaker, I'm glad "jewellery" has been written the British way and not subsided to the US spelling that is all-pervading in this day and age.) Anyway, there was quite a bit of opulence on show around town. Every year I'm fascinated by the business people who come to Basle for this annual trade fair - all dressed to kill in their suits and chunky watches. Supposedly, this is the world's most important trade fair for the watch and jewellery industry, so no expense is spared. Here are some photos I took of the to-ings and fro-ings on Messeplatz.

Fait accompli

2008-04-04T19:24:00.003+02:00

Wolfgang Dietz, Oberbürgermeister of Weil, is set to be re-elected for another term as mayor this coming Sunday. It hasn't exactly been the most hotly contested of mayoral races, though that's because no one else actually bothered to throw their hat into the ring and take on Herr Dietz at the ballot box. However, such electoral processes must follow protocol, come what may, so Sunday will still see a vote taking place - but just for one candidate. How quaint. I wonder what the voter turn-out will be like?

I thought about putting my name forward, but I've decided to devote more time to my family.

2008-03-30T19:51:00.002+02:00

It wasn't just "fluish symptoms" I had last week but full-blown influenza. Probably the nastiest bout I've experienced in many a year. After last Monday's post, I felt progressively worse and had to skip work for the rest of the week. It was only yesterday afternoon that I began to feel a bit better (after going to bed the previous evening with a temperature). This improvement has continued over the course of today. However, I still feel weak walking around, as I obviously still need to build up some strength.

White Easter

2008-03-24T11:58:00.004+01:00

What with Easter being so early this year, Mother Nature decided to sprinkle some of the snow she couldn't be bothered chucking down over Christmas. Admittedly, it was really just a sprinkling in the strictest sense of the term, but the weather has been rather freezing and uninspiring these past few days. So much for blooming almond trees... Just as well that I've been kept busy translating various wine tasting notes. Other than that, I've been struck down with fluish symptoms, so I've been cooped up at home for virtually the past 72 hours.

2008-03-17T20:12:00.003+01:00

I read the following item of news with satisfaction today:

Änderungen zum 17. März 2008
Am 17. März 2008 stellt Sat.1 sein Abendprogramm um. Im Zuge dessen werden die Sat.1 News, die von da an Sat.1 Nachrichten heißen (außer sonntags), werktags von 20:00 Uhr bis 20:15 Uhr ausgestrahlt. Neuer Moderator für die Werktagsausgaben wird N24-Chefredakteur Peter Limbourg sein. Die Wochenendausgaben werden weiterhin um 18:30 Uhr beginnen und von Katja Losch und Heiko Paluschka moderiert. Des Weiteren werden die Nachrichten aus einem neuen Studio gesendet. (Quelle: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sat.1_News)

Basically, the flagship news programme on Sat.1 is to be renamed "Sat.1 Nachrichten" - like it used to be before the pernicious influence of "Denglisch" meant it had to be rebranded as "Sat.1 News". I mean, why replace a perfectly functional German word with "news" [sorry, News...] in the first place? Finally someone has seen sense.

Mandelbaum

2008-03-16T20:04:00.009+01:00

I thought I would sit outside the Sparkasse on Saturday (as you do..) and take this photo of the almond tree by the entrance. For me, it's always the first tangible sign that winter will soon be on the way out. It also reminds me of the vineyards of the Pfalz where countless such trees blossom at this time of the year.

2008-03-11T21:40:00.004+01:00

Some rather shocking local news. On Sunday at around 1.30 p.m. a 49-year-old man stabbed his wife to death in Haltingen during a domestic row. The couple's two sons, aged 16 and 20, witnessed the incident and alarmed the police, who later arrested the man shortly afterwards in his car. While I was walking up through the vineyards to Ötlingen last Sunday lunchtime, I saw a police car racing from the Binzen motorway exit towards Haltingen, siren blazing, and a helicopter hovering over Haltingen. This explains it.

Beziehungsdrama endet tödlich

49-Jähriger ersticht Ehefrau in Haltingen / Ehemann hat Tat eingeräumt /Sohn alarmierte Polizei

Weil am Rhein-Haltingen (mib). Am Sonntag hat ein 49-jähriger Mann seine Ehefrau in der Hermann-Brian-Straße so schwer mit einem Messer verletzt, dass sie noch in der gemeinsamen Wohnung starb.

Mitansehen mussten diese Bluttat zwei Kinder des Paares, die sich in der Wohnung aufgehalten haben.

Es war am Sonntag gegen 13.30 Uhr, als der Einsatzzentrale der Polizeidirektion Lörrach mitgeteilt wurde, dass es in besagter Wohnung zu einer lautstarken Auseinandersetzung gekommen ist. Die ersten Feststellungen ergaben, dass der 49-jährige Mann mit einem Messer auf seine Ehefrau eingestochen hat.

Zwischen dem Ehepaar kam es in der Wohnung, in der sich auch die gemeinsamen Kinder, 16 und 20 Jahre alt, aufhielten, zu einem heftigen Streit. Grund war eine schon länger anhaltende Ehekrise. Im Verlaufe des Streits stach der Mann mit einem Messer auf seine Frau ein, die daraufhin zusammenbrach.

Der Familienvater verließ laut Polizeiangaben das Haus und der 16-jährige Sohn alarmierte die Polizei. Diese leitete eine Fahndung nach dem Flüchtigen ein und nahm ihn kurze Zeit später mit seinem Auto fest.

Das Beziehungsdrama hat gestern die Haltinger tief erschüttert. Viele konnten nicht so recht glauben, dass so etwas auch bei uns passieren könne. Für die Ehefrau kam jegliche ärztliche Hilfe zu spät: Sie starb auf dem Transport zum wartenden Rettungshubschrauber. Todesursache war die Stichverletzung, wie die gestrige Obduktion im Institut für Rechtsmedizin in Freiburg ergab.

Neben Notärzten und Hilfsdienst war auch die Haltinger Feuerwehr im Einsatz und richtete für den angeforderten Rettungshubschrauber einen provisorischen Landeplatz in der Weinbergstraße ein.

Die Staatsanwaltschaft Lörrach hat gegen den 49-jährigen Familienvater und Ehemann der getöteten Frau Haftbefehl wegen Totschlags beantragt. Das Amtsgericht Lörrach hat dem Antrag entsprochen und den Mann, der von Nachbarn als liebenswert und freundlich beschrieben, in Untersuchungshaft genommen.

Der Festgenommene hat zwischenzeitlich eingeräumt, auf seine Frau eingestochen zu haben, teilten gestern die Staatsanwaltschaft und die Polizeidirektion Lörrach in einer gemeinsamen Presseerklärung mit.

Muusloch

2008-03-09T21:30:00.011+01:00

I took the chance to get out for a relaxing Sunday walk today. Caught the train to Haltingen and then walked up the hill to Ötlingen where I had a Schorle outdoors on the terrace at the Gasthaus zum Ochsen ("Ox Inn"). Afterwards, I walked a few metres along the village road to the Muusloch - which was just opening, so I stayed a while and had a Viertele of Weißburgunder sat under the pergola by the entrance [hic].

It was a pleasant hour and a half I spent up there in Ötlingen. One feature in the village which caught my attention was the series of artist murals and sculptures along the length of the village road outside houses. This arty theme is currently the village's leitmotif - and is seemingly all the work of just a handful of locals.

Actually, I've just spotted this (could be interesting...):

Sonntag, 13. Apr 2008
15:00 Uhr Das „ART“-Dorf Ötlingen - neu
Sigrid Droguet wird auf ihrer Tour durch Ötlingen von alten Herrenhäusern und deren Geschichte erzählen, Sie durch versteckte Winkel von Ötlingen führen und Ihnen dabei auch die „Art”-Galerie entlang der Dorfstraße erläutern.
Treffpunkt: Vor dem Gasthaus Ochsen

Quo vadis - eh?

2008-03-09T10:10:00.004+01:00

I didn't study Latin at school, although I wouldn't necessarily say this has put me at a disadvantage in life. Learning French was hard enough, but at least that's a language I can use. Much to my genuine surprise then when I first came to Germany at how frequently certain set phrases in Latin appear in an everyday context such as the written press.

Quo vadis - or, "Where are you going?" - is one that's always puzzled me. Thanks to my knowledge of French, I was always aware enough to realise what it would roughly mean. However, the phrase seems to crop up everywhere, though most commonly in German-language newspaper headlines, and I increasingly get the impression it's plonked in there because the headline writer is too lazy to think up something more original. For example, you see an article about FC Basel - for example, an analysis looking at what the remainder of the season holds in store for Switzerland's best supported football club. The headline would look something like this: "FCB - Quo vadis?" I think it's safe to say that that sort of thing is not done by Fleet Street journalists.

Carpe diem is another one which appears a lot here in Germany. It's one of those terms Germans like to use in English, but which usually illicit blank looks on the part of English native speakers. In fact, I had to look up its meaning again (i.e. "Seize the day") just now in that, ahem, authoritative Internet resource, Wikipedia. " It has a nice meaning, though, I must admit. "Carpee Dee-em!"

Rude awakening

2008-03-08T08:41:00.003+01:00

I know this is Germany, the country where school starts at 7.40 in the morning, but it really does take the biscuit when you have someone clearing the leaves and debris with a noisy suction machine along the path next to your bedroom window at 7.15 a.m. on a Saturday morning. I know that a lot of my neighbours are pensioners who tend to wake up at the crack of dawn anyway, but can't a job like that be done some time between Monday and Friday?

Yours,

Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells

Mosquito

2008-03-02T22:17:00.003+01:00

Unbelievable for this time of the year, but I was bitten four times in total by a pesky mosquito on two successive nights while sleeping last week. To my satisfaction, I killed the midge in question on Friday morning in the kitchen. Now, some people might say this is all to do with climate change, but I say the reason is probably that January and February weren't cold enough, plus the neighbours opposite have a pond in their garden. Still, it's the first time I've been bitten by midges in February.

Weil gives the green light

2008-03-01T17:35:00.004+01:00

Yesterday evening, Weil's councillors finally approved the tram extension from Basle to Weil, the result being 22 to 10 votes in favour of giving the project the green light. Amid all the excitement, it almost escaped everyone's attention that Oberbürgermeister Dietz abstained from casting his vote. Supposedly, he decided not to vote out of respect for his Christian Democrat colleagues, most of whom were against the motion.

The turning point in this whole saga came a week and a half ago, when Willi Stächele - who is due to become in the next finance minister for Baden-Württemberg next July - turned up at the town hall in person to confirm that the state would make a significant contribution to funding the project. This came as a huge relief, and certainly what Weil had been hoping for. Dietz subsequently intimated that the state of the town's accounts was now a little better than previously assumed and that Weil may yet be able to close the gap in financing that was originally the cause of so much prevarication on the German side.

Anyway, if all goes to plan, Weil should have a tram link direct to Basel from the beginning of 2012.

Queuing

2008-02-27T22:16:00.005+01:00

A couple of months ago, I received a comment on this blog from someone in Weil who expressed the wish that I write more about my view as an Englishman of life in Germany. In reply, I said I would see what I can do.

I must admit that, up till now, I've consciously avoided going on big treatises in this blog about Germany and the Germans. It has a lot to do with the fact that I'm half-German myself anyway, although I was born and grew up in the UK. After having spent a total of nine years living in the Fatherland (or, technically speaking, the Mutterland), I'm certainly used to living here and have learned to adapt to (or accept) certain aspects of German life which didn't come naturally to me before.

For example:

1. I respect the house rules in my apartment block, such as "quiet times" forbidding loud music, farting and such like. Most of the time.
2. I am more direct with other people than I used to be. (Having said this, I still follow the rules of British etiquette most of the time, and I am still rather too wortkarg for my own good when trying to woo the opposite sex.)
3. I've picked up German dialect: "gleeechfolls" anyone?

On the other hand:

1. I don't necessarily think German bread is superior to bread in other countries.
2. I don't normally do Kaffee und Kuchen and still prefer a nice cuppa (milk, no sugar).
3. I like opening windows in trains (the older models without air con) when the weather is 35C and don't think the cooling draft will do me any harm.

However, one thing that I cannot and will never adjust to is the teutonic idea of queuing.

Now, I think plenty of young contemporary Germans have spent their obligatory six months learning English on the South Coast or in London and have reported back to their parents about strange people waiting orderly in lines at post offices, banks and the like. "Seeehr seltsam!"

You see, in Germany queuing is regarded as a weakness. Instead, Darwin's theory of the survival of the fittest is played out here on a daily basis. You wait at the bus stop with a score of other people. Bus arrives. Regardless who was waiting before you, average German must get on bus as quickly as possible and will take no prisoners in his/her mission to claim last free seat... If you are slow (or British), you resign yourself to letting the frenzy die down and get on the bus last - smiling smugly as you know you're now annoying everyone who got on the bus first a few minutes previously.

Just the other day I was pushed unceremoniously out of the way by some hoodie at the Badischer Bahnhof while waiting to get on the bus. My crime, I suspect, was trying to be competitive and joining in the scrum. I just sighed and let the idiot through. That'll teach me. It's just not worth getting hot under the collar about any more.

I find the younger and older generations are the worst - the younger because they don't know any better; the older because they couldn't care less anymore. Supermarket cash desks are where this game is most traditionally played out. This account describes what happens far better than I could...

Decision put on hold

2008-02-19T17:50:00.003+01:00

After Basel-Stadt's cantonal government suddenly upped its financial support today at the death for the tram project, Weil has decided to postpone its final decision till 29 February. The Germans say they need extra time to assess the new offer. Oh well, at least they haven't said no.

Still kaputt

2008-02-19T17:43:00.003+01:00

The electrician from Siemens left just now after inspecting the fridge. It took him about 3 seconds to tell me that motor was dead and needed replacing. This would take two and half hours, however. He'll be able to do it on Thursday morning, i.e. the day after tomorrow, but may be able to fit it in tomorrow. He'll call me again tomorrow. Thankfully, the cost of repairing the fridge won't be too bad, all things considered. Definitely worth it compared to shelling out for a new fridge.

To tram or not to tram?

2008-02-19T08:47:00.009+01:00

Sorry, that sounds like one of those awful advertising slogans in "English" which only German-speaking marketing gurus could think up. Be that as it may, today could be a historic day in the life of the "border triangle" down here. Weil's councillors will decide today whether they want tram no. 8 to be extended all the way to Weil. They need to notify Basle of their decision by tonight at the latest. Wait any much longer and Berne will revoke its offer of financial support for the project. There has been a lot of hefty discussion about this question of financing over the last few weeks, with more twists and turns than Weil's über-roundabout. If you want some truly blinkered views from the Swiss about this whole affair, check this forum. It looks like the recriminations could soon begin.

Essentially, I'm in favour of the tram. However , it takes two to tango - and if the verdict from Weil is negative tonight, it'll be like sticking two fingers up at Basle's self-styled ideal of a trinational metrobasel area. In my opinion, metrobasel being a project conceived in Basle sums up the fundamental problem. No one seems to mention metrobasel here in Germany. How ever much Basle tries to persuade Weil of the fantastic prospect of having a tram, there seems to be a misunderstanding of each other's position and motives. And however much the individuals on the above-mentioned forum reason otherwise, the overriding impression I have is that this is a Basle project, so Basle should put its money where its mouth is.

[Postscript: Not that I'm suggesting that the decision-makers in Weil are against the project, but Weil as a town had a rather serious debt problem when I first moved here. The current Oberbürgermeister looks like he's succeeding in getting the books in order, then the Swiss come with their ambitious plans and you can understand the misgivings on the German side. Hopefully the state of Baden-Württemberg as a whole, i.e. Stuttgart, will agree to provide more funds.

Incidentally, someone in the above-mentioned forum wondered why Weil could afford the finance the pedestrian bridge over to the France but not this. Afforded it?! I don't think Weil would have been able to even contemplate building that bridge without the help of money from other private and public sources.]

kaputt

2008-02-16T21:46:00.004+01:00

Not only have I had the 'flu over the last two to three days, but I woke up today to find that my fridge had ceased to function. It's a good job that it's nice and cold outside at the moment so I can put one or two perishable items on the balcony. Hopefully I can get the problem resolved within a few days.

Carnival

2008-02-12T23:29:00.003+01:00

After finishing work for the day, I headed into Basle at the end of the afternoon for a couple of hours strolling past all the Fasnacht goings-on. Tuesday during Fasnacht is traditionally the day for Basler children to dress up and put on their Waggis masks. But it's more than just that. Being squeezed in between the two procession days on Monday and Wednesday, it's also quite an anarchic day when anything goes - from the piccolo players winding their way through the narrow streets of the Basle's old town, to the parent Waggis pulling their little Waggis (some barely aged older than two or three) through Marktplatz; from the Ladärneusstellig (exhibition of lanterns) on Münsterplatz, to the Guggekonzerte in the evening when thousands gather in Basle's three main squares for the official Guggemusik concerts. Talking of Guggemusik, the whole of the city centre is transformed into one big procession again at around 7 p.m. when the various bands march and play downtown on their way to their respective gigs.

I find it hard to convey to my friends who live further afield what Fasnacht is really like, as most of them haven't experienced it, albeit Morgestraich. Fasnacht is a lot more than just the set-piece event that is Morgestraich. It has a lot to do with the atmosphere around town.

And a contentious election poster, which appeared in 2007 (see below), is the sujet of this lantern on Münsterplatz:

Morgestraich

2008-02-11T06:16:00.001+01:00

After missing the last two years - 2006 due to half a metre of snow; 2007 due to laziness - I got up in the early hours today to get to Basle for Morgestraich. I watched the spectacle at Barfüsserplatz. Ideally, Marktplatz is preferable, because you get the countdown to 4 a.m., but the crowds were so packed I stayed put where I was. I later walked up to Münsterplatz and then down to the Mittlere Brücke, across the Rhine, through Kleinbasel and home.

Glorious weather

2008-02-09T20:40:00.000+01:00

At this time of the year, the sun is still shining at a low enough trajectory in the morning for it to brighten up half of my flat in brilliant light. It's lovely way to start the day. Anyway, I started today slowly, did some work on the computer until lunch, watched some telly after lunch, then went on a walk in the sun. I walked as far as Alt-Weil, where preparations were afoot for the official opening of Buurefasnacht. I stopped and took a couple of photos of the scene. This year's Weiler Fasnacht has so far been a non-event as far as I'm concerned, and I'll be missing the main procession tomorrow to watch Manchester United vs. Manchester City and the minute's silence in memory of the victims of the Munich air disaster 50 years ago.

Freiburg vs. Osnabrück

2008-02-03T20:12:00.000+01:00

Ended 1-1 (attendance 12,000; poor considering that the capacity of the Dreisamstadion - sorry "Badenova-Stadion" - is 25,000). After what was a rather intense working week, I thought I'd go and take in some second division football in Freiburg. It wasn't the best of matches, although Jonathan Pitroipa scored a good goal in the first half. Freiburg didn't really push on like they should have after the break and needlessly let the game run away from them.

Modehaus Ermuth

2008-01-26T14:09:00.000+01:00

Went into this shop - one of Weil's rare fashion stores - this afternoon to see if there were any decent winter coats. I suspect it's already almost the end of the season for proper winter fashion, but the winter coat I bought from the same shop over seven years ago is past its sell-by date and starting to look slightly shabby. What I was simply looking for was something warm and, if possible, waterproof. As expected, they had a good collection of other clothes, but coats that caught my eye were few and far between. And the ones that did were more suited for milder weather. On two separate occasions, respective friendly sales assistants asked me whether I required any help, and - as is my wont when looking for clothes - I bottled it and applied the conventional blocking tactic: "Danke, nein, ich schaue nur.." ["No, I'm just looking, thanks."]. My attention span when buying clothes is minimal at the best of times, and I quickly felt the urge to leave the store. By the way, this isn't meant as a critique of Modehaus Ermuth, but just as a way of illustrating how all my motivation evaporates as soon as I enter a clothes shop. It's not that I don't want to cut a sartorially impressive figure - it's just that I'm too choosy and can't be bothered unless I have drawn up a point-by-point plan of what I want beforehand.

And the reason why I'm telling you this...? No idea!

A couple of random photos

2008-01-22T21:41:00.000+01:00

Taken on a short walk a couple of days ago (without my crutches). I can manage on my own two feet now but I still have to be very careful, and the knee aches a lot if it gets tired. But anyway, I got out and enjoyed one or two late afternoon rays of sun and took these pics. One of them is of a train. It's not that I've turned into a trainspotter, but the picture is notable because it is a Swiss train on the line between Weil and Lörrach - which must be one of the few dedicated, self-containing train lines in the world that runs exclusively within the borders of one country but with the national trains of another country. To liven up the picture, there's also some teenage graffiti if you look more closely. The other photo is of one of the artistic remnants of the Landesgartenschau (Baden-Württemberg garden show) that took place here in 1999.

The sound of drums

2008-01-19T15:36:00.000+01:00

I'm doing a spot of work at home this Saturday afternoon and have the window open, what with the outside temperature being a very mild 15C today. And I can hear drum beats in the distance! I assume the sound is being made by Swiss Fasnacht groups practicing down in the woody meadows along the River Wiese where the German/Swiss border runs. They tend to rehearse their repertoire down there as it's a fair distance from any built-up areas. It still makes a heck of a racket though, and can usually be heard clearly by anyone walking up Tüllinger Hill in Weil this time of the year.

2008-01-18T22:48:00.000+01:00

I must say, I felt quite smug when I opened the envelope containing my annual electricity statement today to learn that I'd saved 482 kg of CO2 during the past year. No idea how you can quantify such things in weight, given that CO2 is a colourless, odourless gas. Anyway, the block of flats I moved into four and a half years ago apparently uses electricity from renewable sources, i.e. hydroelectric plants situated relatively nearby. Not that I had any say in the matter, but it's nice to know.

Our OB's New Year interview

2008-01-16T20:50:00.000+01:00

Our revered Oberbürgermeister Herr Dietz gave a series of e-mail interviews to the Badische Zeitung recently. Here's the first one he gave (in German, of course). The remaining three interviews (dated 9, 10 and 11 January) can be located in the Aktuell section of the website. I must say, he seems to be doing an alright job, our Herr Dietz. He's due to stand for re-election this coming April, though I'm not sure whether anyone will bother to stand against him. At least no one has thrown their hat into the ring so far.

Anyway, that reminds me: one of my pet hates as translator is when German speakers complain when I use the word "current" as the English for the German adjective "aktuell". It's because they mistakenly think that "aktuell" must mean "actual" (which, in German, is usually translated with the adjectives "effektiv", "eigentlich" or "tatsächlich"). It's just another example of what the French call faux amis ("false friends"), but it's one that particularly irritates.

Arthroscopy

2008-01-13T00:47:00.000+01:00

I got back home on Thursday 10th Jan after having spent somewhat of a rollercoaster 24 hours and a bit at the Praxisklinik Rennbahn in Muttenz, where Dr Joneleit performed an arthroscopy on my left knee. On arrival there just before 8 in the morning, I was then led to my room where my blood pressure was measured and other formalities completed. A nurse then shaved the hair on and around my knee, while I talked briefly with Dr Joneleit about the operation and agreed that I would stay conscious during the procedure so that he could explain to me what he was doing. The head anaesthetist finally give me a sedative pill and I was led into the operating theatre.

My anaesthetic - called an SDA - was administered via a spinal injection. It's similar to an epidural, but the injection point is slightly lower down the spine. Electrodes were attached to my chest and arms and then one of the nurses put a heated blanket over my chest. Before I knew it, Dr Joneleit had punctured two holes in my knee and I could follow the operation on the screen. He explained what he was doing as he went along. I was conscious of what he was saying, but I didn't register fully. Maybe this was because of the sedative and also because my upper body was shivering uncontrollably during the whole course of the operation, despite the warm blanket.

After the operation, I was trolleyed back into my room, where I lay for much of the remainder of the day and night with a couple of drips (pain-killers and such like) hanging above me and a thin pipe leading out of my knee siphoning off blood into a small plastic receptacle dangling below my bed.

The effects of the anaesthetic - mostly drowsiness - didn't fully wear off until the early evening. I then ate a pizza for tea, which I had chosen quickly from a menu shown to me just before my operation that morning. Fully sated, I settled down in bed and watched Bundesliga Klassiker 1996/97 on DSF. At that point, the nurse on the night shift, Bianca from Schopfheim (D), made her first appearance and - looking up at the DSF footage on television - mentioned to me that Erik Meijer, erstwhile Liverpool benchwarmer and Alemannia Aachen 2nd Division legend but who was a real star for Leverkusen with Ulf Kirsten back then in 1997, had spent the night after an operation in the very same bed I was now in. She said he was a laugh a minute. I raised a weary yet wry smile in response.

Early next morning, the doctor came in and removed the drips and pulled the blood siphon out. After breakfast with half a dozen other patients, I had physio, where I tentatively tested out my left knee and found that I could already put some weight on it. I then collected my belongings and left for home.

It's now been four days since the operation and I'm feeling fine. I have to take various tablets and inject myself once a day with some anti-thrombosis medication, but I think I may be able to discard the crutches sooner rather than later.

Outlook for 2008

2008-01-07T20:52:00.000+01:00

So, what does 2008 hold in store for Weil?

Well, firstly we will have a decision being taken one way or the other next month as to whether Weil wishes to give the go-ahead to Basle's tram no. 8 being extended from its current terminus at Kleinhüningen to the centre of Weil. The argument for approving such a project is that this is a unique opportunity to improve Weil's public transport infrastructure. On the other hand, the costs of extending the line could turn out to be too prohibitive for the town, despite the fact that Basle has agreed to fund the lion's share. Some people also believe that the benefits of such an extension are weighed disproportionately towards Basle, in that it would relieve the Swiss city - and especially Kleinhüningen - but wouldn't solve the daily traffic problems in Weil, Haltingen and towards Eimeldingen, Binzen and the hinterland of the Kandertal. Their argument is that the town should work, first and foremost, to improve the local S-Bahn infrastructure and bus services. Personally, though, I'm in favour of the tram line. If they don't approve it next month, then the Swiss funds which have been set aside for the project will be used for something else.

Then we have the ongoing debate about Sunday shopping. "Weil-aktiv", the local association entrusted with representing Weil's commerical and advertising interests, has proposed a number of Sundays this year on which shops in the centre of Weil could conceivably take place. However, a considerable number of shop-owners are supposedly against the plans and want to "keep Sunday special". This issue came to a head late in 2007 when Weil-aktiv's chairwoman Antje Lambert was openly criticised by a prominent Weil shop-owner for acting in the interests of the big supermarkets and not bothering to consult the owners of the smaller shops (* see below). Frau Lambert then surprisingly announced that she would be leaving her post to pursue a new career in Karlsruhe, so it's now very unclear what's going to happen.

This summer of course sees Euro 2008 taking place in Switzerland and Austria, with Basle one of the major venues. I'm looking forward to watching some of the matches at the public viewing area down at Grün 99/Laguna. I'm looking forward to the Czechs coming here. And the banter with the Portuguese could be interesting. And maybe even Jogi Löw's team will be in Basle come quarter-final time. That could also be interesting. As will the Switzerland-Turkey match.

I can't think of anything else of note concerning the town, but from a personal point of view, I would like to perhaps attend one or two of the local tours which people from the town hall organise every so often. It could be an interesting way to learn new things about Weil and meet new people at the same time.

[Edit *: I translated this roughly from a report in the Weiler Zeitung on 19 December 2007.]

2008-01-02T20:11:00.000+01:00

At my local supermarket, items such as toiletries or stationery are situated in separate areas with their own dedicated cash desks. A pain in the neck, if you ask me, because it means extra queuing (don't worry, I'll tackle the issue of German "queues" at a later date). Whenever I buy something in the toiletries (& cosmetics) section in particular - e.g. toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, shower gel - I thank the woman at the cash till and, by way of bidding farewell, say either "tschüß", "adje/ade" (like adieu but pronounced in the local manner), "auf Wiedersehen" or even "uf Widerluege" - though I only say the latter if the sun is shining and I've a skip in my step and feel like a native. Why does the woman then always insist on saying something different? For example, I say adje one day and she counters with tschüß. The next time, I say tschüß but she reverts to adje. Then the third time, I try to be more formal and say auf Wiedersehen and get an uf Widerluege in return. This is what dialect does to people, I suspect.

Happy New Year

2008-01-01T14:28:00.000+01:00

Let's hope 2008 is a good year for everyone.

I saw the new year in with my friends Pete and Nicole, their two children Vincent and Lewis, plus Pete's parents, at their house in Blansingen. They also kindly let me stay the night. Owing to the icy weather this morning, Nicole advised me not to walk down the steep hill to the station in Kleinkems and instead dropped me off by car at Efringen-Kirchen Bf. I stayed on the train until Basle because I needed to buy some food at the station.

If you include my year abroad in the Südpfalz in 1996/97, I've lived in this country for nearly nine years, yet there are certain local peculiarities I'm still learning about. For example, I went to Basle yesterday to renew my public transport ticket for 2008 and had to queue for over an hour to do so. No problem, I thought, the shops in Weil will probably still be open until at least 5 p.m. Wrong. They closed at 2 p.m. By the time I had returned home and eaten lunch, it was already too late. It's funny because I did notice at the time how busy with shoppers the Hauptstraße was yesterday morning and then how quiet it suddenly became from early afternoon onwards.... Yours truly left the flat at around 4 p.m. with the aim of getting some provisions in, blithely unaware that the supermarket was already closed. On New Year's Eve I've always either been in the UK or visiting friends in Heidelberg, so I had never really clocked that the shops closed so early on Silvester in Germany. I should really have known, given that it was New Year's Eve. It would have saved me an unscheduled trip to Switzerland this morning.

Dinner for One

2007-12-31T15:45:00.000+01:00

"Same procedure", but not in the UK.

It is a curiosity that this, the most frequently repeated programme in German television history, is an English-language sketch broadcast every New Year's Eve. It's an even greater oddity that this programme has never been shown in the UK despite enjoying a cult following of millions in Germany.

I first heard of the programme during my year abroad in Germersheim in 1996/97 and must say that I was rather nonplussed when my school colleagues told me about it. Even more bewilderingly, the programme's ubiquitous phrase - "Same procedure as every year" - has pride of place in most Germans' consciousness and has even made its way into everyday parlance. Lots of Germans have uttered these words to me over the ensuing years, and if I hadn't heard of the sketch, I wouldn't have had a clue what they were on about.

I finally watched the programme in question on New Year's Eve in 2005. We Brits found it mildly amusing, but our German friends could barely contain their chuckle muscles.

Frohe Weihnachten!

2007-12-26T17:25:00.000+01:00

More reports from Weil coming soon.

2007-12-16T21:05:00.000+01:00

Well, I don't think it was my blog entry that precipitated this, but it looks like this is a story that will run and run. After reading the article attached (scanned from our free newspaper Der Sonntag), I would probably sympathise a little with owners of pubs that only have one small room to welcome their guests. On the other hand, I would venture the opinion that an important reason why some non-smokers are staying away from certain pubs is that they know that these pubs are "smoking pubs" which are reluctantly abiding by the law (or not, as the case may be). Reputation is everything.

"Public viewing" in Weil?

2007-12-15T10:05:00.000+01:00

I don't mean "people-watching" or some state-sponsored Stasi-esque ruse. I mean watching football matches with thousands of others on a field somewhere in Weil.

According to today's Weiler Zeitung, the Dreiländergarten down at the old garden show grounds here in Weil could be the venue for the public showing of matches on a giant screen at Euro 2008 next summer. With Basle's designated "public viewing" venues looking woefully ill-equipped to cope with the 100,000 people expected to visit the city on each match day, the organisers are looking at the possibility of setting up additional venues over the border. Weil has been earmarked as one of these venues.

Anyway, you read it here first.

Rauchen verboten

2007-12-14T10:31:00.001+01:00

On 1 August 2007 smoking inside public bars and restaurants was banned in Baden-Württemberg. This unleashed a predictable backlash in the local press from a significant minority of local publicans and restaurant owners who complained that they would lose custom as a result of the ban. (I'm a non-smoker, by the way.) Personally, I view such reactions as short-sighted yammering. Have they thought of the custom they might potentially miss out on from non-smokers who might otherwise stay at home? Anyway, there is a particular pub in Weil which I have frequented every now and again over the last seven years. The last time I visited the bar was early November for an evening meal. To my surprise, not only were a number of fellow guests smoking happily away but the owners behind the bar were doing the same. Now, I've had a "grin and bear it" attitude to smoking in pubs in the past, i.e. it was simply a fact of life that by going into such an establishment you had to expect some people there might be smoking. However, once countries like the Republic of Ireland and Italy took the step a few years ago to ban smoking inside public establishments, I did hope that a similar ban might eventually come into effect here - not that I thought that this would occur any time in the near future. Hence my utter surprise when the politicians in Stuttgart suddenly decided to introduce the ban on the quiet last August - and my subsequent dismay that certain people here are still flouting the rules.

My quiet reaction that evening in November was to decide that the pub in question would not be getting my custom again if this state of affairs didn't change. Now it seems that a number of other disgruntled patrons may have taken the matter further and complained to the town hall. What's more, a number of eating and drinking establishments that were complying with the new laws have complained to the town hall regarding the "competitive disadvantage" they are suffering at the hands of their less law-abiding colleagues! The Weiler Zeitung last week reported that, as a result of these complaints, the town hall sent stern letters to a number of establishments, making it clear in no uncertain terms of their obligation to observe the no-smoking law.

I wonder whether the people at my local drinking hole have now got the message.

I suppose it's good that at least there is a no-smoking law in force here - unlike in Basle where a powerful publican's lobby ensures a rather smoky status quo.

Schwimmen

2007-12-09T14:54:00.000+01:00

Just come back from doing something I very rarely do: swim. With Laguna Badeland, Weil has a popular swimming complex that draws in the punters from far and wide. French is spoken there as much as German, such are the numbers of Alsatiens who use it. I don't mean Alsatians of the canine variety. However, the adult price for one measly hour there is EUR 4.50. This is because of the variety of watery attractions offered, i.e. not merely a rectangle swimming pool but also water slides, wave machines and the whole (water) works.... It's the nearest thing I've seen to the Sandcastle in Blackpool.

My original intention was to go there and do a few lengths of the pool, until I found out that there is an indoor venue in Lörrach open from September to April - a simple no-frills swimming pool costing a euro less, and with no time limit. I did a reconnoitre of the place on my bike yesterday, and it seemed quite decent, so I went again today to have a swim. After fumbling around at the ticket machine and the turnstile, I managed to get in the modern and mixed changing rooms (wahey). I say "mixed", but it was a really a sheep-pen system in which you changed in privacy and then moved on to the lockers and put your belongings away. After some more fumbling around - this time with the locker - and wondering where the exit to the pool was, I finally made it out.

I've never been the best of swimmers and certainly can't do the alternate breathing style. Whenever I try to put my head underwater while doing the breaststroke, I come up spluttering full of chlorine. It's just not worth it, so I gently swim to the other end of the pool getting overtaken by the more proficient swimmers. My crawl is simply a wild flailing of arms. It has to be because my nose has to stay above water at all times. Not very effective, but at least it gave me a good work-out today. Swimming exercises all the muscles in your body like no other activity. I'm now quite tired this afternoon, though I expect getting up at 4.45 to watch the boxing didn't help.

Stopped in the 10th round

2007-12-09T07:28:00.000+01:00

It was not to be for Ricky Hatton. Mayweather was the better, more clinical fighter. The "Hitman"
was the boxer moving forward, but the American is a slippery character and didn't offer much to aim at. Hatton couldn't make many clean hits and kept getting countered with good point-taking shots.

Anyway, it was still good to get up early to watch it and not having to pay Rupert Murdoch for the pleasure of doing so. I didn't really sleep all that well - after being woken up by hammering noises from the neighbours at 1 in the morning. Don't know what that was all about. Perhaps they thought they'd do a spot of DIY in the early hours.

Eight and a half hours to go,,,

2007-12-08T20:27:00.000+01:00

...to the main event of the evening in Las Vegas (at 5 a.m. CET): Ricky Hatton vs. Floyd Mayweather. What's more, RTL here in Germany are showing it live and free! The last time I got this excited about boxing was when Hagler and Hearns slugged it out at Caesar's Palace back in the Eighties. The Hagler-Hearns-Duran-Leonard quartet embodied a golden era for boxing. (How pretentious did that last sentence sound?) I just hope this morning's fight lives up to the hype.

Right, time for bed.

A big ask

2007-12-07T10:46:00.000+01:00

I'm currently reading John Humphry's excellent book "Lost for words - the mangling and manipulating of the English language". This has got me thinking about my own linguistic pet hates:

Firstly could people please stop using the phrase "big ask"? This is one of those insidious little ticks that have entered English language usage, with the verb "to ask" suddenly morphing into a noun. In particular, during ITV's otherwise solid coverage of the Rugby World Cup I noticed that a number of studio pundits insisted on using this phrase time and again. As the "Urban Dictionary" website tells us, "big ask" is generally used in sporting or business contexts. This makes sense, because rugby players tend to become businessmen after their playing careers and have subsequently picked up the phrase through their personal contact with corporate jargon.

Here's something else: the verb "to engage". This is not a case of misuse as such, but when used in a certain way "engage" is a verb that can irritate. Case in point: Kelly Holmes, the British women's Olympic 800m champion advertising a project to promote sport in schools. She was interviewed on television and must have used the phrase "engage young people" at least six times in the space of two minutes. There being plenty of perfectly good alternatives Ms Holmes could have chosen, such as "get young people involved", "attract young people to sport" or "get young people participating", etc. Thanks again to business jargon, the "engage young people" usage of the verb is becoming more common. Ms Holmes probably heard the phrase being bandied around by sports functionaries such as Lord Coe and thought she'd flog it to death herself. Though I suppose that the spirit of the project is ultimately all that matters and that I'm becoming more intolerant the older I get.

Euro 2008 draw

2007-12-06T10:22:00.000+01:00

All things considered, I was satisfied with the draw for next summer's group phase matches in Basle featuring Switzerland versus the Czech Republic, Turkey and Portugal. Of course, the Switzerland-Turkey fixture has security implications owing to events of recent histor y, but I'm optimistic that the many thousands of Turks who'll be in town for the match will want to give a better account of themselves for fear of a repeat of the truly shocking backlash they suffered two years ago.
As far as I know, Czech fans are like the Scandinavians in that they drink lots of beer but are harmless. Fans of the Portuguese national team are also quite amenable, so I've heard. With no prospect of the nasty English making people's lives difficult, at least the head of Basle police should now be able to sleep soundly at night.

2007-12-01T22:28:00.000+01:00

Lots of my neighbours have already put up their Christmas lights. A couple of houses opposite even resemble the Blackpool Illuminations, such is the extent of the lighting on their respective facades. My flat, on the other hand, is conspicuous for its lack of seasonal lighting. I may go to the Weihnachtsmarkt on Lindenplatz here in Weil tomorrow to shop around for something "Christmassy". Or I may just have a Glühwein instead.

In the morning chill

2007-11-29T22:22:00.000+01:00

I decided to capture at bit of the early morning atmosphere in Switzerland's third largest city with my camera today. After alighting the no. 55 bus at Claraplatz, I walked to the Mittlere Brücke, took my gloves off and took a few pictures. The temperature was still below zero when I took the the photos - I think the resultant images convey this. The fourth photo was taken in the courtyard of Basle City Hall.

Schneider's Kirchenstück 2006

2007-11-25T12:31:00.000+01:00

My friends give me my fair share of stick about this but I am a bit of wine anorak, especially when it comes to German wine. Or is that just my way of saying I'm a wine bore?!

Anyway, as a once-in-a-blue-moon treat I cracked open one of the bottles down in the cellar of Château Blogger and had some of it with my evening meal. It was a lovely wine, although I thought it was a bit reticent and needed more air - which is why I've saved a bit of it for this evening. Ideally, a white wine like this would benefit from decanting, but unless you're going to down the lot in one sitting, that's unpractical. I have a few more bottles left of this wine and I intend to lay these down for some time to come.

Apart from the wine itself, the label on the bottle caught the eye: simple and minimalist yet it has all the basic information you need about the wine you're about to drink (vineyard name, grape variety, wine region, village, year, winemaker). The label at the back which you can't see in the photograph should technically be the "front" label. It contains all the details a wine producer in Germany is legally obliged to disclose, such as the wine's official category - in this case a "QbA" or Qualitätswein - and the official certification number (or AP Nr.). By cunningly relegating such sundries to a mini-label at the "back" of the bottle, the wine producer is adhering to legal stipulations but can still produce an uncluttered, customer-friendly "front" label.

2007-11-22T23:06:00.000+01:00

I got terribly worked up yesterday morning about an article in the Basle edition of Switzerland's daily free paper "20 Minuten". The police chief of the Canton of Basel-Land had gone on the record to say that he hoped England would not make it to the finals as it would guarantee a peaceful tournament next summer. I can accept it if someone wants England to lose; it's a fact of life here on the "continent", although lots of Swiss do support England as if they were their second national team. But his opinion was seemingly based on nothing but the usual lazy prejudices that still get spouted around about English supporters in this part of the world. Grr.

As for the England football team itself, the less said the better. For my own selfish personal reasons, I'm deeply disappointed that England won't be taking part at Euro 2008 because the tournament is taking place in my own backyard, so to speak. Once I get over this disappointment, however, I hope that watching a major tournament as a neutral will be enjoyable in its own way. After all, there is a precedent: the 1994 World Cup in the USA - the last tournament England failed to qualify for - was one of my favourite World Cups. I still remember the buzz I felt of surreptitiously switching on the small telly upstairs at my parents' house at midnight to catch belters like Romania vs. Colombia and USA vs. Colombia.

20 November

2007-11-20T23:54:00.000+01:00

To commemorate my birthday, here's one of my most recent boring arty photos taken last Sunday.