Germany | Fotoeins Fotografie

Posts from the ‘Germany’ category

Easter (Xmas) eggs, Miniatur Wunderland, Speicherstadt, Hamburg, Germany, fotoeins.com

Hamburg: Miniature Wonderland’s Christmas eggs

Above/featured: “Stranded.”

Since 2001, Miniatur Wunderland has been delighting children of all ages in the northern German city of Hamburg with the world’s largest miniature railway set, attracting a total of 12 million visitors so far. After many visits to the city over the last decade, I’ve somehow managed to stay away, but it’s finally high time curiosity wins the day.

The Urban Dictionary describes “easter eggs” as: “hidden items placed in a movie, television show, or otherwise visual media for close watchers”; see also here. Plenty of details in the form of “easter eggs” await visitors at various sections in the museum. With a few shorts weeks before Christmas, the designers have cleverly inserted many Santa Claus and other Christmas- or winter-related figures throughout the entire venue.

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Wurstkuchl, Regensburg, Bayern, Germany, fotoeins.com

Regensburg: Wurstkuchl, historic sausage kitchen

It must be midday, and time for lunch. There’s a queue more than twenty deep for the takeaway- or takeout-counter, as people walk away with a long thin grilled sausage sitting snug in an undersized oval bun. Next to the Döner, I’m also fond of the “Bratwurst”, or grilled pork sausage.

Along the Danube promenade in Regenburg’s Old Town is the historical sausage kitchen, formally “Die Historische Wurstkuchl zu Regensburg”, better known as “Wurstkuchl”. The Wurstkuchl is known as the oldest running grilled-sausage stand in the world, with the presence of a stand serving food to labourers from town and visitors from the river since the 12th-century (A,B).

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Wiki/CC3: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datei:Bernd_das_Brot_Erfurt_by_Stepro.jpg

Erfurt: five KiKa character sculptures

Erfurt is the capital city for the state of Thuringia (Landeshauptstadt Thüringen) and is included among many in the Historic Highlights of Germany. As a self-described hub for children’s media, Erfurt is headquarters for the German Children’s Channel, or KInderKAnal, better known in short as KIKA. In commemoration of the channel’s tenth anniversary in 2007, sculptures representing well-loved KIKA characters sprung to “life” around town.

Kids of all ages can now cross the city looking for KIKA characters. My personal favourite is Bernd das Brot (Bernd the bread), a grumpy loaf and reluctant star of late-night tedium … “in the KIKA lounge …” It’s easy to assume I would’ve incorporated a part of the KIKA lineup as part of my early German-language instruction. The truth is there were too many late-nights in my dark one-room apartment with a small television for illumination, and more often than not, crusty Bernd was present (on continuous loop). Like a loaf of bread’s “heel” or end piece that’s undesired and ignored, it’s always there if you need it …

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Altstadt, Inn river, Inn, Innstadt, Passau, Bayern, Bavaria, Germany, fotoeins.com

Passau: the town of Three Rivers (Dreiflüssestadt)

Next to the Austrian border in the southeastern corner of Germany lies the Bavarian town of Passau. At the city’s so-called ‘Ortspitze’, three rivers converge: the black Ilz from the north, the green Inn from the south, and the blue Danube from the west. The unique setting provides the city with the nickname or moniker “Bavarian Venice.” Facing east and up and over the hills in the distance is Austria.

With a few short hours of late-autumn and winter daylight, I chase the remaining light on foot through a bitter windchill. The following pictures show it’s worth the effort and the sacrifice of comfort: “always for the shot(s).”

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Hennes, 1. FC Köln, Köln, Cologne, North Rhine Westphalia, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, Deutschland, fotoeins.com

My Cologne: 1. FC Köln, Stadium, Anthem

Above/featured: “Hennes”, mascot for 1. FC Köln (GO4KÖLN, Breitestr. 36). Photo, 16 Jun 2023 (X70).

“Gute Laune, Laute Stimme”: the “EffZeh” (F-C) experience has me hooked.

I’m among men and women, young and old, swimming in a sea of red and white, and surrounded by full-volume chanting. Not only is it a big deal to procure a “Stehplatz” (standing spot) for under €20, but to be present in the stadium’s standing-only terraces is a big thrill. The terraces are present in German football stadia but banned in England (for historical reasons). I’m convinced I’m going to memorize their famous fan anthem as quickly as possible.

Founded on 13 February 1948, the football (soccer) team 1. FC Köln plays out of the Müngersdorfer Stadion, known also as the sponsored Rhein-Energie-Stadion (Rhine Energy Stadium) in Cologne. The stadium’s maximum capacity is about fifty-thousand, and the football side regularly sells out their home matches. The team’s mascot is a billy goat (Geissbock) for its steadfast stubborn perseverance; the team’s nickname is The Billy Goats. I’m also convinced there’s another “Kölle” verbal pun. “Geist-bock” is a compound noun consisting of “Geist” for (team-, fan-) spirit, and “Bock” for the people’s stubborn steadfast support. Various generations of “Hennes”, the mascot goat, have appeared on the sideline for home matches, and the mascot is prominent in the team badge’s and familiar red-and-white home kit (jersey).

The English version of the Bundesliga website highlights the team, reminding us they were the first ever champions of the newly established Bundesliga for the 1963-1964 season.