Archive for November, 2007

Danke Fans, mit euch zur Euro 2008

Published on 22 November 2007 in Germany and Western Europe. 0 Comments

em2008The qualifying round for UEFA Euro 2008 finished last night. The most preferred game to watch was of course England vs. Croatia, which unfortunately was not broadcast live on German TV. I had the choice of Germany vs. Wales or France vs. Ukraine, and I chose to watch the former.

What a stale game. It was thrill-less and score-less. Podolski, the star performer in the previous game, was criticised by the commentators as “funktioniert nicht” (not functioning). Germany qualified long time ago and Wales was definitely out, but still the players shouldn’t treat it as a “friendly match”, especially when Germany was playing at home in front of 60,000 fans in Frankfurt! I was glad that I didn’t get tickets, because it’s definitely not fun sitting outdoor at 0 degree for 3 hours watching a silly match. Perhaps the players knew that they have disappointed the fans, and so they pulled out a banner after the game: “Danke Fans, mit euch zur Euro 2008″ (Thank you fans, with you we go to Euro 2008) to try to comfort the supporters.

em2008-1

It was a pity that I couldn’t watch the England game live, which was so exciting and heart-gripping. Now England fans realise that Eriksson was not so bad afterall when comparing to McClaren. What a mockery. Who will be (or should be) the next coach? The British media are offering many suggestions. The Times suggested that Klinsmann will be a good choice - “Saviour of English football required — even if he is German.”

Hey Brits, are you out of your mind? Despite that Klinsi refused to stay as Germany’s national coach after World Cup 2006, he’s still regarded highly here. I don’t think he is interested or dares to commit this act of treason by heading your national team. Globalisation doesn’t mean that nationalism is fading out.

Bonjour Russland

Published on 18 November 2007 in Arts, Europe and Germany. 0 Comments

Repin 17October

Painting on top: Ilya Yefimovich Repin, Demonstration on October 17, 1905. The State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg

Probably the most important arts exhibition in Germany this year (you can tell from the patrons - German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel and the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin), Bonjour Russland which is now being held in kunst palast in Duesseldorf brings together 120 masterpieces from French and Russian artists during the late 19th century to early 20th century.

I am not very familiar with Russian artists and this exhibition offers me a glimpse into their talents of blending French artistic influence and Russian cultural heritage, especially during a period of drastic political changes, into some very exquisite and impressive works.

I never liked cubism, but this is an exception:

Altman-akhmatova

Painted by Nathan Altman, Portrait of Anna Akhmatova, 1914.

This one has the same dazzling effect as Klimt’s works.

maliavinpeaswomandancing

Painted by Philip Maliavin, Peasant Women Dancing. 1900s. The Russian Museum, St. Petersburg.

9 November

Published on 9 November 2007 in Germany. 0 Comments

On this day:

1918: Establishment of Weimar Republic

1938: Kristallnacht - first Nazi pogrom against Jews

1989: Fall of Berlin Wall

Ludwig II: Murder or Suicide?

Published on 8 November 2007 in Germany, Movies and Travel. 0 Comments

For over a century Mad King Ludwig II’s (1845-86) death was a topic of debate between two camps: his supporters who claimed that he had been murdered, and the official stand and his family the Wittelsbach House who believed that (and upheld today) that the king committed suicide and refused to have his body exhumed.

ludwigIIBavarian King Ludwig II was most famous for his construction of fairy tale castles, namely Linderhof, Neuschwanstein and Chiemsee. He came to the throne at the age of 18, and had never been properly trained nor educated to take up the post. He was a romantic introvert, a great Wagner fan, and had little interests in politics. He spent huge amount of money building castles to fulfill his dreams and serve as his refuge. The Bavarian government, worrying that the king would ruin the country financially, finally disposed him by claiming that he was mad, based on medical report by doctors who had never diagnosed Ludwig in person. He was then grounded in a small castle near Lake Starnberg. Three days later, he was found “drowned” with his doctor in the lake. Since then there had been many theories about what had really happened;

  • ludwigdeathThe king might be trying to escape by swimming across the lake, but he suffered from heart attack as he had become overweight throughout the years and drowned.
  • He might have become too disheartened and decided to kill himself. 
  • He might have been assassinated by the Bavarian government who feared that he would return to power.

Now Der Spiegel has an article about new evidence pointing that the king might probably have been shot. A banker has given a statement that 50 years ago he saw a bullet-ridden coat which had been worn by Ludwig II on the day he died. But the coat has been destroyed by fire. This new evidence, apart from fanning the never-ending debate, doesn’t seem to help much in solving the puzzle.

Perhaps for the historians the truth is important. But the king had once said, “I want to remain a mystery for the world and for myself”. And so maybe we should respect his wish and let his death forever remain an enigma. This serves to remind us how tragic his life had been, and how much wonders his so-called “madness” had generated for his kingdom and people from all over the world.

neuschwanstein1

P.S.

Visconti made a 4-hour movie about the king called “Ludwig” in 1972.

緣份的故事2則

Published on 7 November 2007 in Life and Thoughts. 0 Comments

在釋迦牟尼佛和十大弟子的故事中有提到 …

有一天祂對著所有弟子在講經說法, 忽然他叫起了阿難說 “你拿一個桶子, 到前方五里路遠的一個小村莊, 向一個在井邊洗衣服的老婦人要一桶水回來. 記得態度要客氣和善一點…..阿難點點頭, 拿著空桶子, 往世尊指示的方向去要水. 他想說, 這麼容易的事, 一定輕易就能辦妥世尊所交待的任務. 走到了那村莊, 真有位白髮蒼蒼的老婦在井邊洗衣服. 阿難很有禮貌的向這位老婦恭敬的作揖, 說:“老人家阿老人家, 可以跟你要一桶水嗎?” 那老婦一抬起頭望向這年輕人,不由怒從心生…很生氣的說:“不行! 這口井只能給這村子裡的人使用, 任何人是不被允許的!” 接著就把阿難給趕走了,任由阿難苦苦哀求也不為所動!阿難無奈, 只有帶著空桶回去. 他將他所遭遇的種種情形,娓娓的向世尊和在場的弟子道來…世尊點點頭, 示意阿難坐下, 接著祂叫舍利弗去.舍利弗一樣走阿走到了那村莊, 一樣見到那個白髮蒼蒼的老婦還在井邊洗衣服.舍利弗一樣很有禮貌的向這位老婦人, 說: ”老人家阿老人家,可以跟你要一桶水嗎?”那老婦一抬起頭望向這年輕人,不由得心花怒放…彷彿見了一個很投緣的親人很高興的說:“行!行! 來來, 我來幫你打水.” 打好一桶水給舍利弗後, 又叫他等一下,老婦人匆忙的回家拿一些齋食叫舍利弗帶著路上吃. 他帶了整桶水回去, 將他所遇到的種種情形,也娓娓的向世尊和在場的弟子道來…世尊點點頭一樣示意, 舍利弗坐下. 阿難和在場弟子就很納悶,疑惑,問世尊是何種因緣造成阿難和舍利弗這兩人有這麼大的差別. 世尊開示說道: 在遠劫前的一世,這位老婦淪為畜牲道是隻老鼠, 牠死在路邊被烈日豔陽暴曬著.阿難那時候是個趕貨經商的賈人, 見到這隻死老鼠, 心中起了嫌惡之心, 掩鼻而過.舍利弗那時是個正要赴京趕考的讀書人, 見到這隻死老鼠,心中起了憐憫之心, 順手捧把泥土將牠掩蓋.經久遠劫以後, 現在他們見了面, 產生這樣不同的差別待遇... 

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從前有個書生，和未婚妻約好在某年某月某日結婚。 到那一天，未婚妻卻嫁給了別人，書生受此打擊，一病不起。 家人用盡各種辦法都無能為力，眼看書生奄奄一息。 這時，路過一游方僧人，得知情況，決定點化一下他。 僧人到他床前，從懷裡摸出一面鏡子叫書生看。 書生看到茫茫大海，一名遇害的女子一絲不掛地躺在海灘上…路過一人，看一眼，搖搖頭，走了…又路過一人，將衣服脫下，給女屍蓋上，走了…再路過一人，過去，挖個坑，小心翼翼把屍體掩埋了…疑惑間，畫面切換，書生看到自己的未婚妻…洞房花燭，被她丈夫掀起蓋頭的瞬間…書生不明所以…僧人解釋道，那具海灘上的女屍就是你未婚妻的前世。 你是第2個路過的人，曾給過她一件衣服，她今生和你相戀，只為還你一個情。 但是她最終要報答一生一世的人，是最後那個把她掩埋的人，那人就是她現在的丈夫。書生大悟，唰地從床上坐起，病癒 !  

Goodbye Deutschland! Die Auswanderer

Published on 6 November 2007 in Germany. 1 Comment

goodbye deutschlandThis is a popular TV programme which follows different German families who emigrate to foreign countries, documenting their experiences from preparation to landing and settlement in the new home. Sometimes you just have to admire the “courage” of some of them - no skills, no money, but just a dream to live in a foreign place, and off they went. Will they succeed? I don’t know. I hope they will.

Movie reviews

Published on 5 November 2007 in Movies and Music. 1 Comment

spiceYoung adamamores perrosgadjo dilo

Politiki Kouzina

Also called “A touch of spice” in english, it’s a Greek movie directed by Tassos Boulmetis about a Greek boy Fanis who learnt about spices and life from his grandfather when he was a child living in Istanbul. Political changes forced the boy and his parents to move to Athens, and he had then lost touch with his grandfather. The movie was divided into starter, main course and dessert section, each telling a different stage of life of Fanis. A dinner does not necessarily end with a sweet dessert, so is life.

Young Adam

Directed by David Mackenzie. Set in 1950s Glasgow, Ewan McGregor starred as a bleak, brooding drifter who hooked up with all women around him and had no real goals in life. One day he discovered a dead female body in the sea while he was working on the barge, and only he knew the truth behind her death. The movie explored the dark side of human character, and McGregor was fantastic.

Amores perroes

First movie by Alejandro González Iñárritu consisting of 3 intertwining mini stories. Absolutely grasping and forceful. The violence, hatred, loss, betrayal, poverty and hopelessness portrayed in the film just simply leave you stunned.

Gadjo Dilo

Directed by Tom Gatlif, it’s about a Frenchman who went to Romania in quest for a gypsy singer. There he found love and much more. Last episode of Gatlif’s trilogy of Romanian people. Very exotic.

malenaMalèna

Surprise surpise, this is the movie which touched me most. Directed by Giuseppe Tornatore (Cinema Paradiso), the film was set against the background of WWII in a Sicilian town in 1940s. A boy in his puberty age fell in love with the most beautiful woman in town and he followed her everywhere, witnessing her being tortured by fate. The boy had never spoken to the woman except in the end when he wished her good luck. But she remained his most cherished memories for his whole life. Monica Bellucci was glamorous and gorgeous. The song used in the movie - Lina Termini’s “Ma L’amore No” became my recent favourite. You can listen to the song from here.