After we’ve seen all those beautiful cars, how about some airplanes? Big ones, Small ones, not as many as cars but there were quite a bit and people had the chance to buy a sightseeing flight in a plane of their choice.

And of course, what are Classic Days without the opportunity to show what’s yours by driving your car with maximum speed on a closed airfield.

Related posts:

1. Classic Days 2010 – Part 01

Schönhagen, an airport about 30km from the border of Berlin, place of event of this years Classic Days 2010 with over 100 classic autos from the past 60 years.

I have to admit, I’m not a car-lover and I have no idea which car is the best car of all time but, it was quite interesting so see all these different models on one place, especially the ones you only get to see in magazines these days.

Related posts:

1. Classic Days 2010 – Part 02

The third Asian festival this year, the Japan Festival Berlin-Steglitz (located in the Steglitz district of Berlin), but this time it was more like a little Japanese market rather than a festival. Tables loaded with all kinds of Japanese goods. Figures, books, Japanese snacks and foods, chopsticks and ramen bowls, all those things you wouldn’t find at your local supermarket.

I tried a japanese lemonade called Ramune, it tasted a bit like Sprite, but less sweet.
It also had a very pungent cough syrup after-taste.

Related posts:

1. Cherry Blossom Festival Berlin
2. Festival of Lights, Berlin in a different Light

And again I visited Berlin’s Gardens of the World because last weekend they celebrated the “Asian Dragon Festival”. It was quite interesting to see an original Chinese dragon carried by 15 helpers performing different figures. They also demonstrate a Chinese dragon kite, but only a small version of the normally 80meters long monsters.

The dragons are seen as wise, benevolent and bringers of good fortune. The heads are all individually hand painted, each one is unique with its own “character”.

They all feature:

• Deer horns
• Tigers eyes
• Catfish whiskers
• And a humans beard

Related posts:

1. Cherry Blossom Festival Berlin

I’m a big fan of the Japanese Sakura Trees and their Cherry Blossom Festival but sadly I don’t have the time to travel 12 hours just to watch them bloom.

So I visited the Japanese Garden of Berlin’s Gardens of the World and it seems that I wasn’t the only one who had that idea.

Related posts:

1. Asian Dragon Festival Berlin
2. Japan Festival Berlin-Steglitz
3. Festival of Lights, Berlin in a different Light

A Renaissance Festival is fun for the whole family and every year around Easter, the knights are back in town. With fire-eaters, blacksmiths, knights, jugglers and jesters everything you need to feel like you are back in Medieval Times.

All over the place you can smell the scent of freshly baked bread, cold beer and roasted sausages. A minnesinger is playing his lute and somewhere you can here the sounds of jousting knights.

Related posts:

1. Narrentag 2010 – Part 01 – The Beginning

After the Narrenbaum was erected, the city was ready for the big Night Parade. Led by a couple of marching bands, thousands of different Narren (as I said yesterday, Narren are something like a jester or Joker) ran through the city. Jumping, laughing, whip lashing and tangerine throwing, it was a fascinating moment.

Every city has their own traditional costumes, first you will see the city of Rottweil with their Federhannes, Schantle and Gschell. If you can sing a well known carnival quote, you will be rewarded with a handful of candy.

* * *

The second city (hope you have umlauts enabled) is Überlingen with their Hänsele. A whip slashing and cap stealing Narr, their long noses are spayed with perfume and if you don’t watch out, they will brush you face with it.

* * *

The third city is Oberndorf, with their Hansel, Schantele and Narro. A basket full of tangerines and a rod full of pretzels and if you are a lucky one, they will throw one of these yummy things towards you.

* * *

The last city is Elzach with their Schuttig, a bunch of grimly, Soublodere swinging Narren. A Soublodere is a ballooned bladder of a pig on a stick, sounds yukky and yes it is.

Well, every one of these Schuttig has carried a torch and at the end they have sparked a big fire to celebrate the end of the first day.

Related posts:

1. Narrentag 2010 – Part 01 – The Beginning

Last weekend, I took a plane to Stuttgart , to watch an event which only takes place every 3-4 years, the Narrentag (which probably means something like “Day of the Jester”), organized by one of four famous carnival cities; Rottweil, Oberndorf, Elzach and Überlingen, all of them part of the Viererbund, a union between these four cities since 1958.

This year the parade took place in Oberndorf (Black Forest), about 1 hour away from Stuttgart.

As an opening ceremony, a decorated tree, the Narrenbaum, was erected, as a symbol that the Narrentag has officially begun.

The Event-President tries to shoot the cannon

The Guild of Craftsmen and their Narrenbaum

It requires a lot of strength to raise this tree

Done!

Some words to the crowd, "Welcome and Enjoy!"

A lonly Narr (Jester), An Überlinger Hänsele

Free beer for everyone!

Related posts:

1. Narrentag 2010 – Part 02 – The Night

I’m a bit late but, I hope you all had a great start into the new year! It’s still cold outside and the snow is about 20 cm high. It’s pretty rare for Berlin and I can’t remember the last time we had so much snow, even with temperatures around -15°C  (+5.0 °F).

Anyway! I wish you all the best for 2010!

No related posts.

Merry Christmas Everyone

It’s Christmas Eve in Berlin, people celebrating this day with their families and relatives, singing Christmas songs and giving presents (yep today, not tomorrow). Therefore and for the last time of this year I will show you some fancy Christmas decorations.

Kommandantenhaus, Unter den Linden 1

Rathaus Spandau (Townhall Spandau)

Berlin Hauptbahnhof (Central Station)

Related posts:

1. Coca Cola Christmas Truck Tour in Berlin
2. Brandenburg Gate Christmas Tree
3. Sony Center’s Blue Garden