North and South

I thought it might be time to change the look of my livejournal. Back to the basics more or less...
First I intended to use the grey scale but I changed it to brown colours. It looked less depressing.

But now to something completely different (the new love part in the header).

To all those Germans and others who've been afflicted with Charles Dickens during their English lessons.
At least I suffered from. We had to read Hard Times. The first thing I did, I went to the book store and bought the German translation of it. To tell the truth, it didn't make the story any better. Since I left school I even tried to read Oliver Twist and David Copperfield. But every time I started I only managed to read a couple of chapters. Even with the film versions I never reached the end. I don't like the way he describes things.

But I'm absolutely fond of Jane Austen novels or those by the Bronte sisters. Well, my English teachers are not to thank for that.
After I left school I thought it might be a good thing to practise English and to improve my vocabulary with watching English videos. No DVD at that time.
It must have been around 1996 when I stumbled over this marvellous BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice at the store that sold OV videos here in Germany. And after I had bought my first DVD player about five years ago and had made a trip to London I bought there at the BBC store my copy of Pride and Prejudice on DVD.

A friend of mine whom I had lent my Jane Austen DVDs recently recommended a BBC production of North and South. First I thought it was a new adaptation of this mini serie with Patrick Swayze.
'No' she said. 'If you like Pride and Prejudice you will fall for North and South.'
She was absolutely right. North and South is brilliant and I think slightly (but only slightly) better than Pride and Prejudice. And I've downloaded the e-book at Gutenberg.org and started reading right away.

As the German version (my friend had lent me her DVD) is cut (I really don't know why they did that) I bought the English copy which is about 30 minutes longer. And I bought Wives and Daughters as well. It is the second adaptation (chronologically the first) of an Elizabeth Gaskell novel.
I was astonished to learn from the extras on this DVD that she was a contemporary of Charles Dickens. I don't want to think about the possibility how much better I might have liked my English lessons if we had to read e.g. North and South. And Gaskell describes the social grievances as detailed as Dickens but without his brutal 'Gothic' touch. 'I'm sorry' to all the Dickens fans out there but I think her the better novelist.

So if you like Pride and Prejudice and like a good (love) story you must see North and South.

Here is the BBC web site and here are Gaskell's novels as e-books on Gutenberg.org.

And if you are in Germany make sure to watch the British version because, the DVD has subtitles, the Germany dubbing could be better and it is uncut.

And now I'm going back to watch episodes 3 and 4 for the umpteenth time.

A Happy New Year to all of you.

WM 2006

Well, the football world championship 2006 casts the first big signs at the skyscrapers in Frankfurt.
    I believe since a good month most of the shops go crazy with the upcoming event. I’ve witnessed some smaller and bigger lapses in taste.
Unfortunately I don’t have a mobile phone with a photo device, so I’m not able to document all these things.
But you can buy (if you think it’s necessary):
- a cutting board in a design of a football field.
- slippers with the official logo (there are also slips)
- hand knitted pullovers in green with the field borders stitched on in white
- the mascot “Goleo” in different sizes. Btw the factory, which makes the animal, is unable to pay, so much for the success of this toy.
And there are also the usual suspects like football shirts, scarves, hats, big gloves, make-up kits etc. etc. etc.


And some of the ideas show no taste at all.
For example the FIFA demanded that everyone in Germany who used the letters “WM 2006” or something similar should pay a high royalty to them. Strictly speaking that meant also the organisers of a chess world championship would have to pay the FIFA. It seems the FIFA thinks “L’état c’est moi”.
But the court put the kibosh on it. YA!


I’m determined not to be affected by this commerce. Even if I have to admit that I did play with the idea to buy a pair of slippers (I needed a new pair and the ones with the logo were the cheapest). But I overcame the temptation!
And I don’t have a ticket nor did I apply for one. I refuse to strip myself with all my personal data just to be able to apply and maybe and possibly get a ticket. You even had to pay in advance. This is an interest free credit for the FIFA for about half a year. Someone calculated that they would gain about 10 Mio Euros with this procedure.


I’ll be anxious to know what mayhem the security with the personalised tickets causes. Because the big sponsors refuse to personalise their ticket allocation, i.e. the VIP-tickets. It could be that the high society is not allowed to enter the stadiums. Could you picture that? Well, I don’t. They will get in but the mass of the “unimportant” ticket holders will have those problems.
I believe there will be some reports about such situations (if they occur) in the newspapers.


But I won’t be able to escape the whole event, lucky me, the “big” games in Frankfurt are on weekends or in the evening so I’ll be able to get home by train without being too much affected.
As my neighbours are German and Italian, I picture myself sitting on the balcony and listening to the “UUUUHS” and “AAAAHS” and “GOOOAAAL” while they’re watching TV.
There’s no need to watch the game yourself, because you get all the information through the sounds you hear.


So put a good face on the matter.

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Had I thought I wouldn't be affected with the first football game in Frankfurt? Well; I am, sort of. The Römerberg is at the moment completely (mostly) taken over by English football fans. As the game starts on Saturday, 10th at 3 p.m. they have around 50 hours to sing (better to chant) and shout.
I was pleased to see that the police showed a low profile so the things didn’t get out of hand. The German police are assisted by British police forces (Metropolitan Police and London Police).
British and Germans police combined are a wonderful motive to take photos. Some of the Japanese and Chinese tourists make excessive use of that possibility.

But they fans still shout. It's impossible to understand what they chant. Maybe I should ask them what they are shouting. How will they make it until Saturday afternoon?

There are also some Paraguayan fans who are demanding for German girls. And a lonely trumpet sounds through the streets.

All this seems so interesting that the first TV-stations make their first reports about all this. 
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Ok, I give up. By now the Römerberg is completely taken over by English football fans. All you can see is white and red. The Sun and another company have send two double decker buses and you can be photographed with two pretty and well endowed girls (I wouldn't mind two well endowed men but as it is I skipped the photo).

The fans still have 26 hours until first match, they'll be pissed when the match starts.
And I gave in in another way my lunch was a sandwich today. I thought about going to Subways but that would have meant to fight a way through the fan crowds. So I went to an original English sandwich shop, Hitchcock’s. It way better than Subways and no English fans at all.

So football’s coming home!

Cheers!
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The Römerberg is back to normal. At least until the 21th. I don’t think the fans of Togo and South Korea will make such a whirl like the English, even if I’ve already spotted some Korean fans. Time for the pub owners to restock their beer supply. But on Wednesday week the town will drown in orange, and blue-white. The next big game is The Nederland’s vs. Argentina, which means that I’ll have to decide between

Huup, Holland, Huup!

Or

Argentina, Argentina!

Yesterday has been a nation wide shopping Sunday (in Germany shops normally remain closed on Sundays, I wonder how North-Americans or British tourist cope with that) I was hunting for a German flag. It turned out to be a little bit difficult. It seemed the only possibility to get hold of a flag was to buy the whole shop. Maybe they wanted to balance their budget through that. That’s what I dislike about the whole event.

But I have one now. And without the shop. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Finally, the Koreans had conquered the Römerberg. Their drums sounded through the streets. But that’s gone now. The major part of the place has been closed down because of the reception of the South Korean prime minister and her entourage. Petra Roth stood atop of the main staircase laid-out with a red carpet. 

Because of that I had some difficulties to get to lunch. (Lucky the reception for Prince William had been on a Saturday by the Roland Koch, so no screaming teenagers then.) I wanted to cross the Römerberg right at the moment when the prime minister arrived. About six black cars and two large busses.

I don’t think there’s any danger of a reception for any Iranian politician. But maybe the Portuguese president will come that Saturday. So I won’t be there even if forced to.

 

To tell the truth I don’t like Petra Roth very much, not because of her political orientation but as a person. At the several occasions I meet her, she didn’t come across very warmly. She has more effect when you see her on TV than in reality. Maybe that’s because she is short, about a half a foot shorter than I am.

But with Roland Koch it’s quite the opposite. On TV he resembles more the proverbial “Honigkuchenpferd”. But if you actually meet him he seems to be somewhat charming. (But that doesn’t extend to his political side. >:-])
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It's really peaceful and quiet. Might change next Wednesday when the Dutch fans invade Frankfurt.

So nothing really new. I've just seen the first Portuguese fans with there dark red shirts.

The games have been boring especially Brazil. Maybe it's heating up with the round of the "last sixteen"
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Now you have not only to plan around your family obligations but also around the football world cup.

I believe you could cope with the three fans on the Römerberg who played tangos. But with the cheering crowds walking to the Main to get to the Main Arena for the broadcast of this day’s game Germany vs. Ecuador, I think that could ruin the happiest day in your life. Just think, you step out of the registry office and you are greeted with shouting fans. Not my idea of a wedding day!

The Dutch team for tomorrow’s game in the Waldstation must have been arrived. Because my boss told me he was almost run over by the Dutch team bus.

Not sights of Dutch fans but an Argentine looking for tickets.

And tomorrow there’ll be a be reception on the Römerberg for the Dutch crown prince and his wife. As she’s a born Argentine I wonder for whom she’ll cheer (i. e. if she does cheer). 
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Finally I managed to take my photo with me and here are some impressions from the Römerberg.













It’s completely taken over by Dutch football fans (some Argentine mingled within). Their party might not be as big as the one the English fans made but it’s as peaceful and in the same good spirits. (The whole place spells like pub!) The Justicia on the fountain lost her sword to the English… I wonder what will be missing after the Dutch have left. That’s it for now.
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This morning in the Underground trains there where several flyers against the „support“ of prostitution. I’m not certain why they handed them out. Maybe because of tomorrow’s football game Brazil vs. France.

But then I wonder why the text had been in German, English and Spanish? German and English all right, but Spanish?

Maybe they hadn’t considered that Brazil is the only non-Spanish speaking country in South-America. Any way if the game will be as boring as the other Brazilian ones…

My only hope is that their fans are better at throwing a party on the Römerberg than their team did in the arenas.

Sunday week the whole event will be history. No mayor difficulties, only some smaller delays.

This evening I’ll go shopping. I don’t want to risk my finger nails because of that game Germany vs. Argentina. It sounds good, but even big names (i.e. Brazil) do not guarantee a good game.