Schnapps

 I was thinking about it checking the pictures of our trip to Austria: there were lots of schnapps being sold in tourists shops. One of the many drinks I failed to try during our time there. I'm not sure if I would have liked anyway, but I'm curious. And I also like the name, it's snappy and kind of cool in an aloof yet joyful way. It makes you want to celebrate. I understand it is a spirit common to the Germanic world, not merely Austria. But I don't remember drinking any in the past. Any amateurs of schnapps among my readers? Worth a try? I need to add it to my bucket list in any case.

Unfamiliar Thriller

As I have a fair deal of free time on my hands, I have been waching a lot of spy thrillers. I discovered one recently, an eight episodes long German TV series set in Berlin, called Unfamiliar. So far it is very solid, violent and brutal like I like them, but very sober in its diaplay of violence at the same time. The plot is intelligent, does not go on melodramatic streaks or shiock value for the sake of it. It's also a nice change to see a spy stories set in contemporary Germany and not shortly before or during World War II. It's still traditional in many ways: the antagonist is a Russian agent. But then some things never change. So yes, I am going to binge watch this.

Wismar and Nosferatu

 Halloween is a long time away, yet I often get in a spooky mood these days. I am already anticipating and preparing myself mentally. So I stumbled upon a BBC article about the city of Wismar, which was used for the filming of the original Nosferatu (and its remakes). Being a big fan of Dracula, which is of course the source material of the horror classic, I think I should visit the city one day. From the pictures I saw, it looks like a warm and friendly place, very quaint, utterly unsinister, but I guess that's what can make it eerie. I have been wanting to make horror pilgrimages in various places associated with classic scary stories. I haven't really made much if any headways, but Wismar is definitely on my list.

Les marchés de Noël

 Photo prise par mes parents à Québec, lors du marché de Noël allemand l'an dernier. Un calendrier de l'Avent géant en bois. Les marchés de Noël, c'est une tradition de l'Avent que j'aime beaucoup, bien que j'y aille rarement. Il y en a un ici dans notre petite ville, un très local et pas exotique. Il aura lieu cette semaine et nous ne sommes toujours pas certains d'y aller.

Ingolstadt

For today's third(!) countdown to Halloween post, I am revisiting another horror classic, or rather one of its setting. We all know of Transylvania and at least one of its eerie castles, but there is another horror classic which settings have been far less featured and celebrated. I am talking of the German city of Ingolstadt. Never heard of it? You probably did, or the name must ring bells. In Mary Shelley's  Frankenstein, it is where the titular character goes to study medicine, makes his famous discovery and creates the monster. So it should be on every horror afficionado on their list holiday destinations. Or macabre pilgrimage. You can find its tourist webpage here. In any case, when people think of old Gothic horror stories, they should remember that they're not all in castle ruins, they also take places in the students' laboratories in old Germanic cities. So Ingolstadt, birthplace of the Creature, this is my homage to you.

Antique Sword

No, no, I'm not talking about Excalibur, the mythical sword of all mythical swords But it could be, even if it is not exactly in the right place for Excalibur to be. I read this news that got me really intrigued: they found a 3,000-year-old bronze sword in Germany, in excellent state of preservation. In pristine state in fact: the report says it almost still shines. It reminds me of a certain novel. But my literary tastes notwithstanding, I find the news simply intriguing. Antique magical swords are just a staple trope in myths and legends, it feels surreal when one just appears in real life. Because when they are in this perfect state, shining and all, it feels like it's a magical sword. I don't know, maybe I'm getting carried away, because of my wild imagination. What do you think?

Trains écolos en Allemagne

Voici une petite nouvelle dans la grosse Presse qui m'a bien fait plaisir: afin d'atteindre la carboneutralité, une compagnie ferroviaire allemande utilise de la vaisselle réutilisable dans ses trains. Je me réjouis de ça pas tant pour des raisons environnementales (quoique c'est bien), mais pour une raison de propreté. La quantité de déchets qu'on peut trouver dans un train me décourage toujours beaucoup. C'est mon moyen de transport préféré, alors qu'on améliore certains de ses aspects me réjouis beaucoup. Et j'espère ouvoir revisiter l'Allemagne et y voyager en train.

Le marché de Noël

 Je partage encore une fois une photo du marché allemand de Noël que mes parents ont visité à Québec. Avec des chandelles géantes. Pas mal mieux que le marché de Noël que l'on a visité la semaine dernière et qui était d'une laideur...

Marché de Noël à Québec

 Photo prise au marché de Noël allemand à Québec par mes parents.

Calendrier de l'Avent géant

Ma mère et mon pèreont fait une visite à Québec, je crois qu'ils y sont encore. Mais enfin bref, ils sont allés dans un marché de Noël, un marché allemand comme il y en a pleins ces temps-ci partout, sauf peut-être en Allemagne. Mon père m'a envoyé plusieurs photos, dont celle-ci d'un calendrier de l'Avent en bois(?) gigantesque. Je n'en sais pas plus, mais je trouve ça magnifique.

Mysterious Train

 I found this picture on the National Geographic Traveller UK's Facebook page, a few weeks ago. But from what I read the picture might have been taken in Germany. I don't care one bit about the walking couple one bit. What caught my attention is the steam train in the background. Wherever it is, I want to go there. So I am going to plan our next UK holiday trying to solve this mystery: where is that train? And if it is in Germany, well... I will try to convince my wife to go there.

Une coupe en métal

Mon frère PJ a acheté cette coupe en métal à Berlin il y a presque dix ans. Je la partage ici aujourd'hui parce que je suis retombé dessus par hasard. Je n'ai jamais eu de coupe en métal jusqu'ici, mais j'ai toujours aimé de quoi elles ont l'air, surtout celles qui sont pseudo-médiévales comme celle-ci. Je trouve qu'elles ont de la gueule. Cela dit, je suis sceptique quand au goût de ce qu'on boit: me métal doit l'affecter au moins un peu et pas à son avantage.

The Devil's Bridge

Sometimes when I log on (in?) my laptop, either my personal one or my work computer, I see such lovely and picuresque picture, from some part of the world, and it makes me want to visit it. So yesterday, I discovered, thanks to Windows 10 a bridge in Germany called Rakotzbrücke, or "Devil's Bridge". It is a beautiful bridge in beautiful surroundings, but never mind that. It's the name I love. If I ever take holidays in Germany again, I want to go there. And I understand Devil's Bridge is a common term applied to many different bridges of a particular nature, but it's this one I want to see.

Saint George against the Dragon

Happy Saint George's Day everyone! The patron saint of England and English people, even though he never set foot here. To celebrate and pay homage to him, here is a picture of a statue representing the famous combat against the dragon, the part of his legend that made him famous. My father took it in Berlin. Very dramatic, as you can see. As if we were witnessing it.

Char berlinois

Mon père a pris cette photo à Berlin lors de leur voyage (à ma mère et lui) en 2018. Je ne suis pas trop certain si c'est une voiture très, très ancienne, une invention moderne qui essaie d'avoir l'air d'une voiture ancienne (du néotrad version char) ou autre chose. Dans tous les cas, c'est une voiture assez élégante.

Saint George's Day

Happy Saint George's Day everyone! The day that is ending is the celebration of the patron saint of England. Which is ironically not celebrated much here, if at all. But on this blog, we give Saint George the respect he deserves. Mainly because he is the most famous dragon slayer. My father took this picture in Berlin, of all places. I blogged about it before. It is a monument to his most famous exploit. I thought it was fitting to show a portrait of the saint/hero in action. But I should blog more about him in the upcoming days, because we might celebrate Saint George properly this weekend.

The dragon fought by Saint George

My father took this picture in Berlin. You cannot see it well, but this is a detail of of a larger statue of Saint George fighting the Dragon.This is of course the dragon and it is one of the best, one of the scariest, one of the most beautiful (as in magnificently ugly) dragon I have ever seen. I know it is not Saint George's Day yet, but it will be soon, in less than a month, and this is a good enough excuse to share this picture. This dragon is a proper fiend and the kind of monster that inhabits the dreams and nightmares of men.

Le mystère des deux boxeurs

Mes parents sont revenus de leur voyage à Berlin, où ils ont pris quelques photos. J'en ai déjà partagé quelques unes sur ce blogue récemment. Celle-ci m'intrigue beaucoup. Je ne sais pas si j'aime ou je n'aime pas. Quand j'ai demandé à mon père ce que ça représentait, il m'a répondu deux boxeurs. Merci, mais j'avais deviné. Je me questionnais en fait si ces deux boxeurs, un bleu et un rouge, n'avaient pas une signification profonde, représentaient autre chose, comme l'Allemagne de l'Ouest et l'Allemagne de l'est avant la réunification. Mon instinct me dit que c'est sans doute une métaphore du genre. Quelqu'un le sait ou a une autre hypothèse?

Masque mystérieux (de théâtre?)

Je n'ai jamais mis les pieds à Berlin, mais déjà je commence à découvrir la ville grâce aux photos que mon père m'envoie. Je ne connais pas toujours le contexte et les détails, mais il y a là des images saisissantes. Comme cette sculpture de masque, envoyée aujourd'hui. On dirait un masque de tragédie grecque, le genre qu'on portait à une certaine époque sur scène. Il est assez impressionnant et j'ai voulu le partager ici.

"Save water, drink Champagne"

And now for a public service announcement. My parents are on holidays in Berlin and my father took this picture. I have seen the exact same message on internet memes, but never in the flesh, so to speak, on a chalkboard on the pavement. As a meme, it is kind of funny, on display like this in the real world, I actually find it hilarious. I don't know why. Maybe because it looks more real? Maybe because it is in Berlin and I rarely think of German as particularly funny people (and I know it is a stupid prejudice I have). Anyway, Champagne is not my drink of choice, albeit I can enjoy it, like I can enjoy any fizzy drink in the right circumstances. But I'm ready to do my share to save water and drink Champagne, if it needs to be done. What about you?