On my mission...

... to eliminate stereotypes I deal with "Germans don't have a sense of humour" today. I was at a wedding in Frankfurt, Germany last weekend. It was in fact my cousin's wedding (Jörn and Sonja on the left). I realised that my preparations were mediocre at best when my boss asked my if I had written my speech. It is not a German tradition that the broom's best man holds a humorous speech. Nevertheless the wedding was very nice and very funny. Funny especially because of a special comedy programme (Schmitts Reisen). Thanks for that, Sandra, well done! I also learned that a 83 year old guest was forced to change her travel itinerary this year because her children were concerned about her well being during air travel. So she's only up to short flights to Bulgaria and the Czech Republic this year. She travels on her own btw.

Living in London for almost a year and a half now my present had to be English somehow. So invited Sonja and Jörn to London for a concert and gave them the first season of Green Wing to get them used to British humour. He's a doctor in a hosptial and she a physiotherapist.

The later the hour the more unusual the dancing becomes.

Moving House

I have to say that my idea - and in fact my experience - of moving house is somehow different from what I experienced yesterday. Christina, however, pointed out that they only had two people helping during there last move - and they had lived on the second floor then. So, no problem. Right, I started as the only member of the team filling cardboard boxes with books and files. No worries, I loved the breakfast :-)

Due to my remarkable skills in logistics we managed to get all the staff in the van (proof pictured with Christina and Martin). And off they went to Oxford. Bye-bye guys, hope you have a good time.

Rain and city ponds

In one of my first blogs I argued that the stereotypes a lot of people have with regard to Britain and especially British weather were untrue. Well, the facts remain, London had more sunny hours than Madrid in 2006 and I still haven't experienced a lot of of rainy miles while cycling through the city.



It does, however, rain in London as it does in any other European city from time to time. So you would expect a reasonable sewage system. The pictures on the top and left prove otherwise.

I have passed this spot (Southwark Street close to Borough Market) regularly and it always looks like this after a shower. There is either a gully that is constantly blocked or there is no fall that would allow the water flow towards it. I mean, this is not a puddle it comes closer to a pond - and it's not the only spot on my way to work. I only cycle 15 minutes btw.