Thursday, March 21, 2013

David's Meisterwerk

One of the big events of this trip was nephew David's completion of his meisterwerk for the Master Craftsman program at Handwerkskammer Wiesbaden. This is a big deal for David who came into this program after years pursuing a university degree, working as a bartender and eventually finding his way to Germany to work as an apprentice in his uncle George's cabinet making shop. He discovered that he loved working with wood and began the program a little older and wiser and probably more motivated than many of his peers.

The final project was a custom designed piece that included various elements of design, cabinet making and joinery to demonstrate the full capabilities of the student in all aspects of furniture making. There were many exceptional pieces among the 15 or so student works, but David's desk stood out with a simple outward design that reveals it's complex yet elegant inner functionality as it is opened up. The beautiful design and execution of his piece, along with David's unique story of coming from America to Germany put him in the limelight as he was interviewed by one of the school officials in front of a live audience at the reception celebrating the completion of the projects. David was asked about various aspects of the design, his experience and his future plans, including moving back to the US to pursue his vocation.





Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Hearing German

The last couple of days we've been visiting various aunts, uncles and cousins of Barb, so my German is getting a decent workout. Initially, I was understanding many of the words, but totally missing the broader meaning and not getting the story. But little by little, my brain stops taking the extra step of translating everything to English and I start to hear in German! This gives me back a little brain power to decipher things and after a day or two I can actually follow some of the conversation. But taking part in the conversation is another step and I am often at a loss for words to express myself. It's hard, stopping and starting and hearing things coming out all wrong and messy, but you just hack away because it's the only way to develop fluency. It also helps if you have an uncle handy who is knowledgeable in multiple languages, (including ancient Greek!) and is always ready to explain it all…




Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Brotchen

I don't know what it is about the bread here, but oh, so good and the variety is just mind-boggling. Even coming from Berkeley, where we have lots of bakeries and breads to choose from, the choices here are overwhelming. In town, there seem to be several bakeries in every block and every grocery store has one. We have fresh brotchen every day for breakfast, thanks to our wonderful hosts who go out every morning to fetch them! Then, of course, there's no shortage of things to put on your bread…


Monday, March 18, 2013

Wanderwege

Back in the hamlet of Lenzhahn (near Idstein), one of our daily treats is a walk in the woods of the surrounding Taunus mountains, serene with fresh fallen snow casting a soft foggy light deep into the woods with a quietness and stillness that almost makes you want to whisper so as not to wake up anything that might be sleeping.



Sunday, March 17, 2013

Kaffee & Käsekuchen

We spend a typically delightful German afternoon enjoying cappuccinos, cheesecake and children.

Zak takes a second helping from Mimi… Kalyan is bored stiff.

Chiron and Malachi turn up the volume.

Twisty treppe

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Bremen Rathaus

A tour of the Rathaus (town hall) of Bremen was quite interesting. Bremen is one of the few remaining city-states in Germany (along with Hamburg and Berlin), so this serves at the seat for the president of the senate as well as the mayor, who happen to be the same person. The Rathaus was built in 1405-1409, and thanks to citizens who boarded it up in the 1940's, it survived bombing during the Second World War that destroyed more than half of the city.

The Bremen Cathedral as seen from the Rathaus.

The famous Town Musicians of Bremen, the donkey, dog, cat and rooster who escaped their fates on the farm and went to Bremen to seek freedom and become musicians.
Exterior of the Rathaus

Interior of the Rathaus.

Friday, March 15, 2013