Sternfahrt Hamburg 2008

For many years I join the thousands and ten-thousands of cyclists in the Sternfahrt of my hometown Hamburg. From several meetings points of the Hamburg border and of outside people drive downtown, merging at one point or the other.
The purpose used to be and still is to show a way of non-pollution transportation and to demonstrate for better bicycle conditions, which are very, very necessary. For most of us it is a huge fun Sunday trip with meeting up old and new friends, travelling to our beautiful city and - if coming from the south - crossing over the great harbour bridge. I'll show some pictures later on.

Great spectacle, great fun, all kinds of people from kids to old ones, from stylish-dressed racing biker to low-tech somekind of wheel-driver.

The most astonishing participant this year was definitly this huge parrot.

At first sight I thought it was a stuffed toy animal - but no way, this big bird travels with his human compagnon all through Germany. Last month he got stolen, but due to police, radio and televion was given back to his happy owner.
He sits free on the handle bar and seems to enjoy his bicycle rides.

Here is another shot, because he was really amazing.

By the way, the nice bicycle in the background with the Namibian flag is mine :-) .

Glimpse on Monday

Monday Ellen's 2. Kreativtag (Day of Creativity) is taking place. I'm eagerly taking photos, working on them, crafting .......
My presence on her 1. Kreativtag was more than humble. Although I won't finish all planned projects this time I will be able to present my summertime-blogpost. :-)
On Monday you will know why I choose this photo for a preview. Stay tuned.

Tagged by Hélène

Hélène tagged me.
I turned a meme down early in my blogging days and have the same sentiments again. Because Hélène is a special virtual friend of mine and because the questions are not too personal to answer on a public platform like a blog I'll go for it.

1. What was I doing 10 years ago?
Not so much different things than now, although I always want to change my life. Which I did quite a bit in between :-).
June 10 years ago the end of the schoolyear was in sight with all the work for a teacher. 10 years ago I was living in the same little house in the forest like now.
One huge, amazing, never believed 10 years ago thing changed: Back then I was smoking cigarettes like an engine. Terrible addicted, 40 sticks a day. Starting the day with them and ending with them. In 2000 I quit. The hardest thing I ever did. It was so hard, that I did not start again, because I never ever wanted to go through it again. Now I'm a very happy non-smoker.

2. 5 things on today's to-do list?
Writing reports for the term-papers. Watering the flowers. Prep tomorrows classes. Writing this post (hasn't been on the list before, I have so much other internet stuff to do these days). Working on my *psssst* for Ellen's Kreativtag coming (too) soon (for me).

3. Snacks I enjoy
What is meant by that? The small meals? Today that would be selfmade asparagus soup. I live in asparagus country. For lunch (the biggest meal in Germany) I have very often this delicious vegetable in May and June. I save the boiling water and also boil out the peel to have more liquid for my yummy soup. This I have as my evening "snack".
If those little unnessesary fattening things one munches inbetween are meant: I try to cut them down to nothing because I finally want to loose some of those kilos gained during the quit-smoking-process.
But I do eat ice-cream almost daily now-a-days. I rather loose slowly the weight and keep it low instead of binging on all the things I prohibited myself to eat . No good with that kind of strategy for me.

4. Things I'd do if I were a billionaire?
No idea, how many zeros a billion has. For sure enough to keep, let's say, 2 or 3 millions for myself. Maybe 4. Enough to quit the payroll job. Enough for my house in the Provence and an apartment of my own in Hamburg on the riverside. And a travel-car plus money for my long-distance travels.
The remains I would give to organisations which work towards global fairness in all regards. When I don't have the payroll anymore I could make myself smarter on those topics including nature and not only put money in but also effort.


5. Places I have lived?
Poppenbüttel, Hamburg
Benzonia, Michigan, USA
Zermatt, Switzerland
downtown Hamburg
Maschen, south of Hamburg
Zurich, Switzerland
village south of Hamburg


Whoever wants to pick up this meme is heartly welcomed.
:-Tally-:

Sunday Morning

This sunday morning



looking for peace
recognizing it



looking for joy
recognizing the beauty in it

pour Ellen