Showing posts with label Russia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Russia. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 4, 2017

Love Locks of Cologne and elsewhere


I’ve probably discovered the first love lock in 2005 or 2006. I use to cross the Hohenzollernbrücke in Cologne (that’s the bridge next to the cathedral or Kölner Dom and the Main Railway Station) several times a year, as I park my car on the other side of the Rhine, called Schäl Sick (Cologne dialect for wrong side). Once I’ve seen a lock right next to an inlet to the railway track and thought that someone had deliberately latched it there, in order to be able to fix his bike outside of the fence or something like this. I had not paid attention to an engraving. Now I know that this must have been the first love lock, because why would someone leave a padlock at the bridge and carry the chain? It was in later years that I recognized the growing number of locks.

Enamored couples have their names engraved on a padlock and latch it to the railing of the Hohenzollern Bridge to swear eternal love and fidelity, and then the key is thrown into the Rhine. How romantic!



And some criticism: "What kind of society is this, in which the symbol for love is a padlock?"  
 
The estimates of the amount of locks and their weight diverge. The highest estimate for the number of love locks has been 300,000, while the highest weight had been estimated around 46 metric tons. I think more realistic are 160,000 love locks weighing 22 metric tons. It seems much, but actually isn’t as one empty boxcar weighs as much. Therefore it is quite unlikely that the love locks pose a risk to the bridge’s statics.

The love locks have a touristic relevance, as many visitors specifically come to Cologne to put their love locks on the bridge, and often come back for a second and third time, for example on occasion of the wedding anniversary. But space becomes scarce for to put new locks. Some locks have been placed, where safety reasons might lead to removal [2].

 


Times gone by ... 
 
A foot bridge in Kiew


At the quay in Arkhangelsk
 


Buenos Aires, the old harbor


 Buenos Aires, the old harbor

And back to Cologne

Links:
[1] http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2009/04/die-liebesschlosser-von-koln.html
[2] http://www.ksta.de/koeln/-sote-liebesschloesser-duerfen-haengen-bleiben-1152350


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Sunday, October 12, 2014

The Very Basic Guide to Languages of Central Asia


I had in mind to write on each language of some of the countries (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan), I've just visited in Central Asia, but ... you'd fare much better, if you concentrate to spend more time on the the Very Basic Guide to Russian, as Russian is still more widely spoken in these countries than English let's say in Germany or France. On the other hand, I'd like to give a few handy examples of the Central Asian languages.

Uzbek
Peace be with you (a common greeting) - assalomu alaykum
Hello! - salom!
Good bye! - Xayr! (x is pronounced like ch in Scottish Loch or German Ach!)
Welcome! - xush kelibsiz
Please - iltimos!
Thanks! - rahmat (don't forget to voice the h)
I come from - men ... dan keldim
I am from the the US - men Amerikadanman
Who? - Kim? (so don't just answer Kim but Kim Jong Un, if you want to talk about the North Korean dictator)
Sorry - kelchirasiz
Yes - ha
No - yoq

Turkmen
Hello! - salom!
Good bye! - sag bol
Welcome - koş geldiniz
Please - baş ustyüne
Thank you! - sag bol! (!)
Yes - hawa
No - yöq
I am from the the US - men Amerikadanman (as in Uzbek!)

Kyrgyz
Hello - salam
How are you? - kandaisiz?
Fine, thank you - jakshuh, raxmat
Please - suranych or otunuch
Thank you - rahmat
Yes - ooba
No - jok
I'm sorry - korushkoncho
Goodbye - jakshuh kalgula
You're welcome -echteke emes
(Not as close as Uzbek and Turkmen!)

PS. Mistakes are my mistakes!

Links:
The Very Basic Guide to French http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2014/05/the-very-basic-guide-to-french.html 

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Graffiti in Russia



Actually I haven’t seen much graffiti in Russia, far less in the Ukraine and none in Moldovia. But I’ll show you the hidden treasures from Arkhangelsk.


Near the little church, where wedding pictures are shot


On the kai of the beach front


At the stairs to the beach




Related links for this travel:

From Church to Swimming Hall and back again  http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/03/from-church-to-swimming-hall-and-back.html

Odessa's Opera  http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/03/odessas-opera.html

Travel and Toilets  http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/03/travel-and-toilets.html

Red Square (Красная Площадь)  http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/03/red-square.html

Cafe Pushkin and Coffee Mania  http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/cafe-pushkin-and-coffee-mania.html

The Monastery of Sergiev Posad  http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/the-monastery-of-sergiev-posad.html

Black Sea and Arkadia Beach  http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/black-sea-and-arkadia-beach.html

The Wooden Church of Izhma  http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/the-wooden-church-of-izhma.html

On Renting a Car in Arkhangelsk  http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/on-renting-car-in-arkhangelsk.html

Outskirts of Kiev  http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/outskirts-of-kiev.html

Statues of old Old Comrades or Leaders  http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/statues-of-old-old-comrades-or-leaders.html

New Logic or No Interest in Business  http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/new-logic-or-no-interest-in-business.html

The Burnt Muffin  http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/11/the-burnt-muffin.html

Love locks from the Black to the White Sea  http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/11/love-locks-from-black-to-white-sea.html

Antoniyevo-Siysky Monastery (Антониево-Сийский монастырь)  http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/10/antoniyevo-siysky-monastery.html

On changing Moldovan Lei in Odessa  http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/10/on-changing-moldovan-lei-in-odessa.html

The Very Basic Guide to Russian  http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/10/the-very-basic-guide-to-russian.html

Crime and Punishment (St. Petersburg)  http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/10/crime-and-punishment.html

Hram Ilias – the hidden silence near the Red Place in Moscow  http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/10/hram-ilias-hidden-silence-near-red.html

Kishinev – the prologue of this year’s travels (2012)  http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/10/kishinev-prologue-of-this-years-travels.html



Monday, March 25, 2013

From Church to Swimming Hall and back again



Do you think that's cazy? Well it is, but also it isn't. During the Chrutshev era churches were changed to swimming halls (1963). In the post Stalin era sports were pushed and churches had large halls that one could use to build a swimming hall. I'll show you one in St. Petersburg that changed back into church again.

The Lutheran Church off Nevsky Prospekt

On Nevsky Prospekt you stumble upon the Lutheran church, which has a statue of Goethe in front. The church had connections to Germany and there had been ceremonies in German, because the church served the Germans in St. Petersburg. Nowadays the church again has closer ties with Germany as you can see in the picture with our former president.




200 years of the German Evangelical-Lutheran Community St. Petri (St. Peter)


The church as a swimming hall



First Lady Mrs. Wulff, President Wulff and the Pastor

During the Stalin era the congregation has been deported to Siberia, which has been depicted in frescoes in the krypt of the church.




Deported into the Siberian forests

Down there you can also have look at the old basin. The church main hall now rests on a construction, which has been driven through the basin.




Construction through the basin under the church's main hall

You can also look at the old superintendents and construction plans of the church, which has been founded at the wish of Empress Katharina the Great.




Pictures of the superintendents on the wall

There's an exhibition on the second floor. You oversee the assembly hall, the old seats of the swimming hall, and exhibits. If the organist plays, just sit down, relax, and listen to fugues by Bach, Telemann, and others or the songs that would be sung next Sunday. Such a pity that the organ is new, but the old one, thought to be the largest an most beautiful of Russia, had been destroyed. The sound of the new one is very good, however.



Interior of the main hall with seats of the swimming hall


From the exhibition



Interior with organ

The Lutheran Church is well worth a visit, especially as it is central, but off the beaten track, so off the beaten track that even Lonely Planet doesn't mention the church.


Related links for this travel:

Odessa's Opera http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/03/odessas-opera.html  

Travel and Toilets http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/03/travel-and-toilets.html  

Red Square (Красная Площадь) http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/03/red-square.html  

Cafe Pushkin and Coffee Mania http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/cafe-pushkin-and-coffee-mania.html  

The Monastery of Sergiev Posad http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/the-monastery-of-sergiev-posad.html  

Black Sea and Arkadia Beach http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/black-sea-and-arkadia-beach.html  

The Wooden Church of Izhma http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/the-wooden-church-of-izhma.html  

On Renting a Car in Arkhangelsk http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/on-renting-car-in-arkhangelsk.html  

Outskirts of Kiev http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/outskirts-of-kiev.html 
Statues of old Old Comrades or Leaders http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/statues-of-old-old-comrades-or-leaders.html  

New Logic or No Interest in Business http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/new-logic-or-no-interest-in-business.html  

The Burnt Muffin http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/11/the-burnt-muffin.html  

Love locks from the Black to the White Sea http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/11/love-locks-from-black-to-white-sea.html  

Antoniyevo-Siysky Monastery (Антониево-Сийский монастырь) http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/10/antoniyevo-siysky-monastery.html  

On changing Moldovan Lei in Odessa http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/10/on-changing-moldovan-lei-in-odessa.html  

The Very Basic Guide to Russian http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/10/the-very-basic-guide-to-russian.html  

Crime and Punishment (St. Petersburg) http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/10/crime-and-punishment.html  

Hram Ilias – the hidden silence near the Red Place in Moscow http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/10/hram-ilias-hidden-silence-near-red.html  

Kishinev – the prologue of this year’s travels (2012) http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/10/kishinev-prologue-of-this-years-travels.html   
  



Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Odessa's Opera



I went to Odessa's opera immediately after arriving in Odessa and went there several times as the place sees lots of people.


My very first impression of Odessa's opera

My friends went to the opera during the evening to watch the Barber of Sevilla and where delighted. I nearly went, too, as a bystander in the ticket row translated the title as the Butcher of Sevilla. Now, someone could think of the opera being butchered, but that wasn't the case.

During daytime there are lots of marriage parties, who come to the opera in stretch limousines and have there official photographing done there. Needless to say, it's professional photographing on the grand day.


Some kitsch in front of the opera


The whole scene

There's a park behind houses and the opera. One can sit in the garden of one of the cafés and have some coffee or tea and then look at the marriage parties, who also take photographs right next to you.


Picture shooting on the park


Line-up of stretch limos

One evening the opera had changed into the headquarters of the Gestapo. Maybe in the wake of Inglourious Basterds they were shooting a movie about the 2nd World War.


The opera as headquarters of the Gestapo


Related links for this travel:

Travel and Toilets http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/03/travel-and-toilets.html  

Red Square (Красная Площадь) http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/03/red-square.html  

Cafe Pushkin and Coffee Mania http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/cafe-pushkin-and-coffee-mania.html  

The Monastery of Sergiev Posad http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/the-monastery-of-sergiev-posad.html  

Black Sea and Arkadia Beach http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/black-sea-and-arkadia-beach.html  

The Wooden Church of Izhma http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/the-wooden-church-of-izhma.html

On Renting a Car in Arkhangelsk http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/on-renting-car-in-arkhangelsk.html  

Outskirts of Kiev http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/outskirts-of-kiev.html  

Statues of old Old Comrades or Leaders http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/statues-of-old-old-comrades-or-leaders.html  

New Logic or No Interest in Business http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/new-logic-or-no-interest-in-business.html  

The Burnt Muffin http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/11/the-burnt-muffin.html  

Love locks from the Black to the White Sea http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/11/love-locks-from-black-to-white-sea.html  

Antoniyevo-Siysky Monastery (Антониево-Сийский монастырь) http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/10/antoniyevo-siysky-monastery.html  

On changing Moldovan Lei in Odessa http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/10/on-changing-moldovan-lei-in-odessa.html  

The Very Basic Guide to Russian http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/10/the-very-basic-guide-to-russian.html  

Crime and Punishment (St. Petersburg) http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/10/crime-and-punishment.html  

Hram Ilias – the hidden silence near the Red Place in Moscow http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/10/hram-ilias-hidden-silence-near-red.html  

Kishinev – the prologue of this year’s travels (2012)  http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/10/kishinev-prologue-of-this-years-travels.html   





Sunday, March 3, 2013

Travel and Toilets



While travelling you have the need of toilets. Sightseeing means you have to look for restrooms. Maybe you take a rest at a coffeehouse, a tea garden, a restaurant and look for restrooms there. Maybe you look for other alternatives. After the train ride from Kishinev to Odessa I thought to give the problem special attention as the first half of the journey the train didn't have a toilet, but you had to use the loo at one of the railway stations. It was very basic, the hole was big and might swallow slimmer people than myself.


Moldovia Railway Station - don't fall inside


Train from Odessa to Kiev - it is robust, looks a bit rusty, but is has been clean


The railway station at Sergiev Posad - no, not what you might think, it's clean, but a used and damaged


A restaurant at Sergiev Posad - OK some unfinished work, but quality and cleanliness of this lavatory are superb


These pictures were't shot inside the Tzar's quarter or at the villa of an oil magnate but in the toilet of the Arkhangelsk car sale Laura, where we rented the car. Besides a toilet there's also a bidet.


At Antoniyevo-Siysky Monastery (Антониево-Сийский монастырь) we were quite surprised to find an indication to a water closet ...


... but alas it had only been close to the water.


A coffeeshop in St. Petersburg - a little untidy, but clean



Related links for this travel:

Red Square (Красная Площадь) http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/03/red-square.html  

Cafe Pushkin and Coffee Mania http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/cafe-pushkin-and-coffee-mania.html

The Monastery of Sergiev Posad http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/the-monastery-of-sergiev-posad.html

Black Sea and Arkadia Beach http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/black-sea-and-arkadia-beach.html  

The Wooden Church of Izhma http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/the-wooden-church-of-izhma.html  

On Renting a Car in Arkhangelsk http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/on-renting-car-in-arkhangelsk.html  

Outskirts of Kiev http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/outskirts-of-kiev.html  

Statues of old Old Comrades or Leaders http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/statues-of-old-old-comrades-or-leaders.html  

New Logic or No Interest in Business http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2013/02/new-logic-or-no-interest-in-business.html

The Burnt Muffin http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/11/the-burnt-muffin.html  

Love locks from the Black to the White Sea http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/11/love-locks-from-black-to-white-sea.html

Antoniyevo-Siysky Monastery (Антониево-Сийский монастырь) http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/10/antoniyevo-siysky-monastery.html

On changing Moldovan Lei in Odessa http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/10/on-changing-moldovan-lei-in-odessa.html

The Very Basic Guide to Russian http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/10/the-very-basic-guide-to-russian.html  

Crime and Punishment (St. Petersburg) http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/10/crime-and-punishment.html

Hram Ilias – the hidden silence near the Red Place in Moscow http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/10/hram-ilias-hidden-silence-near-red.html

Kishinev – the prologue of this year’s travels (2012)http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2012/10/kishinev-prologue-of-this-years-travels.html