Goodbye 2010, Welcome 2011!

I would like to start the New Year right by posting one of my best pictures ever.

Bonn building stands out because of complex layout

If the producers of the American reality show “The Amazing Race” really want to separate the pros from the amateurs, they should make any room in the Deutsche Welle building in Bonn, Germany one of their pit stops.

Exactly one year ago today I first set foot on the headquarters of Germany’s international broadcaster, Deutsche Welle (DW), to take part in an online journalism workshop.

Rhine River area near the DW building

That building is located along the Rhine River, in the western German city of Bonn.

I wouldn’t dare roam the halls of the DW headquarters without an employee accompanying me.

That structure is one puzzling maze!

On the very first day of the workshop, our guide in Bonn actually had to show us how to get to our classroom.

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It was easy to understand why. Simply telling visitors to go to this floor and to that room wouldn’t work there.

But for me, that’s one of the charms of the DW headquarters.

The “complicated” layout sets it apart from the other buildings that I’ve been to. I can never say that it’s “just another building.”

French celebrate sexuality from Paris to Manila

On the grounds of the Louvre

Whether in Paris or in Manila, the French aren’t afraid to talk about sexuality.

When I was in the French capital, I saw depictions of nudity in places frequented by tourists.

I’d say that all of them were artistic.

On a train station (left) and near the Eiffel Tower (right)

The French are really good at expressing themselves through the arts.

I suppose that’s possible if you don’t let inhibitions shackle your creativity.

"Two Cobras" by Agnes Arellano

The Philippine capital

In Manila, Alliance Francaise de Manille and Galleria Duemila are currently holding the art exhibition “Conspirateurs du Plaisir” or “Conspirators of Pleasure.”

It features works of sculptors Agnes Arellano and Duddley Diaz and painter Fernando Modesto.

"Entwined, Shy" by Agnes Arellano

Their works reminded me of the depictions of nudity that I’d seen in Paris.

The Total Gallery of Alliance Francaise de Manille, where the works are presently displayed, seemed like a miniature Paris to me – everywhere I looked there were fine examples of artistic self-expression and French-speaking people.

More about the works tomorrow.

Germany marks 20th anniversary of reunification

Who says you can’t be in two places at the same time? Historical marker reminds visitors where the Berlin Wall once stood

Today Germany is celebrating the 20^th anniversary of German reunification, which ended about four decades of division after the Second World War.

I’m not there now, but I was there last year – the 20^th anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall.

The fall of the wall eventually led to the reunification of the democratic West Germany and the communist East Germany.

Here’s a bit of German history from our guide in Berlin:

English breakfast at a French restaurant

The breakfast wasn’t quite a feast for my stomach, but having that breakfast in Paris was indeed a feast for my eyes.

For some reason I didn’t feel full after having bread, eggs and ham for breakfast at a restaurant near the Gare du Nord railway station in Paris.

Probably because it lacked rice. It was, after all, an English breakfast.

Or maybe, it was because one breakfast wasn’t enough for me. I’m used to having three whenever I’m abroad, for extra energy.

Whatever the reason was, I didn’t really care. I feasted my eyes on the sights in the French capital.

Paris not all about Eiffel Tower

Paris is well-known for, among other things, its sidewalk cafes. I had only seen those before in movies, television shows and photographs.

But that morning, I saw the real thing in person.

Everything was there: the tables, the chairs and the colorful facade of the restaurant.

As seen in movies!

Random Berlin bus video

We were on our way to the Berlin Victory Column when I took this video of our guide and some of my fellow online journalism workshop participants.

Eiffel Tower picture baffles me

This most likely means that the older generation is giving the Eiffel Tower to the younger generation as a gift, right?

The first time I browsed through pictures taken during my Paris trip, I thought that the man symbolized the US and the boy, France.

Maybe it’s because of the hat, which seemed like Uncle Sam’s, even without the stars and stripes.

Then I remembered that the Eiffel Tower was not a gift of the US to France.

The Statue of Liberty was a gift (of France to the US), but not the Eiffel Tower, which was even dismissed as an eyesore during its construction in the late 19^th century.

Just thinking out loud.

€xp€nsiv€ toil€t in Cologn€

Have money, will pee.

I thought it was really pricey to use a toilet at Cologne’s main train station.

The fee, one euro, is equivalent to almost 60 Philippine pesos, which is quite a significant amount of money in a country where the average daily minimum wage is just over 300 pesos.

That rate, by the way, is for workers in the relatively well-off Metro Manila, the national capital region.

But the Philippines is obviously not Germany, and Germans are the richest people in Europe. No wonder they are the European paymasters. What’s one euro?

Perhaps one euro is too small a price to pay to take good care of my urinary bladder.

And at least, I was able to do it German-style.

Cologne's main station

Sex shops find their way to me in Paris

We could stay in Paris for only about 24 hours but we spent about a couple of hours just looking for our hotel. 

The hotel is not easy to find because up to now, when I look at Paris maps, I still find it hard to identify the street where the hotel is located. 

I never complained though. I didn’t mind getting lost in Paris. 

“Sexrendipity” 

Still, I felt the urgent need for us to find the hotel. After all, we had to personally confirm our reservation by 5 PM. 

Otherwise, we’d lose our rooms but still had to pay a certain amount. 

So we tried harder. A guy from Cambodia bought an overpriced Paris map (10 euros, I believe), the guy from Bangladesh used his French language skills to ask for directions and I tried to retrace our steps.    

During our frantic search for the hotel, we stumbled upon several sex shops. 

I got curious, and wondered what those shops offered to people. 

But I never thought of actually checking out what was inside because the priorities at the time were to find the hotel and see the Eiffel Tower after that. 

Yes, in Paris the most important thing is the Eiffel Tower. 

The green light seems to say "go!"

Berlin seems to be detached from the rest of Germany

The Brandenburg Gate and yours truly, November 2009

Berlin is the capital of Germany and not surprisingly, it contains many of the important structures in the country. 

For example, the Brandenburg Gate, the image shown on some of the German version of Euro coins, is found in Berlin. 

German coins showing the Brandenburg Gate

Aside from having many of the iconic German symbols, Berlin is also dynamic, prosperous and forward-looking. 

At first glance, Berlin seems to embody everything that’s German. 

Until you notice its geographical location: the German capital is closer to Poland than many of the country’s other major cities, such as Hamburg, Dresden and Leipzig. 

Berlin is about four-and-a-half hours away by train from the Bonn/Cologne area, my home away from home when I was in Germany late last year. 

On the other hand, Paris, the capital of neighboring France, is only about four hours away by train from Bonn/Cologne. 

Based on location alone, Berlin seems to be detached from the rest of Germany.

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