Topic: Europe

Above the River Rhine: Germania - the German Statue of Liberty

Germania – Lady Guardian over the River Rhine

28.04.2014

The Niederwald Monument – another Statue of Liberty

Her body mass index may cause reason for concern: at a height of 12,35 metres and a weight of 32 tonnes, she may well be considered obese. Any serious physician would long have thrown in the towel over a patient so negligently indulgent as to tolerate an unbelievable BMI of 210! In Germania’s case, she’s innocent. She was designed as a symbol of prowess and was thus cast in virtually indestructible iron bronze – to make her last forever. Planning and building phases together took twelve years.

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Spraying water: A horseback rider on an Icelandic shore.

Iceland: An adventurous Sheep Gathering Experience

8.04.2014

Iceland horses are cute to look at and known as most pacific creatures. They also feature a kinetic characteristic unique to them: Their ability to shift into an auxiliary gait called „toelta“ offers a heart-warming sight and ideally transmits a pleasant feeling throughout every rider’s body. Due to Iceland’s isolated location, the genetic foundations of these pretty horses have not been shaken; their sturdy physique and adorable mentality remained unaltered ever since slender viking ships brought them ashore more than eleven hundred years ago. Why not exchange four wheels spun by noisy mechanical horse powers against four legs and a few happy neighs at the speed of one single leisurely HP lollop style? To explore the country by pollution-free means and to watch the fluffy blond manes flying from a horseback perspective, is a challenge rewarding like no other.

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Interior: The Historic Town Hall Wuppertal is a treat for eyes and ears.

Germany: Wuppertal’s Historic Town Hall

31.03.2014

Up and above

For an international meeting planners’ audience not familiar with Germany, the city of Wuppertal may not come to mind instantaneously when looking for a destination suitable for a glitzy function. If they knew, what Wuppertal – pretty close to Duesseldorf and Cologne and their airports – had in stock, they would surely be envious of its 350,000 inhabitants and its numerous visitors and might rapidly change their attitude. The town, embedded in the lovely scenery of the Bergisches Land situated in the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia, may rather be associated with down-to-earth features. But especially for these two cases of the „elevated“ variety, quite the opposite is true.

The most extraordinary attraction is perhaps the suspended monorail inaugurated in 1901 and in operation for public transport since. It’s most stunning property may be this one:

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A tailor cutting a pattern. Fashion and Couture: There are many creative minds active in Berlin.

Berlin: A City on the Catwalk

15.01.2014

From 1961 to 1989 Berlin, divided into East and West since 1945, was scarred with an invincible concrete wall topped with multiple rolls of impenetrable barbed wire. Armed Vopos, the East German ‘people’s’ policemen equipped with a licence to kill, controlled from their watchtowers the so-called ‘death strip’ passing between the two Germanies; none of the GDR’s involuntary citizens were to escape the socialist paradise imposed on them. Inhabitants of West Berlin belonging to the Federal Republic were better off – and seemingly unimpressed by their severed freedom. Although fenced in, neither their positive attitude, nor their special sense of humour could be suffocated – nor their creativity be paralysed by the circumstances.

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The Palace Meersburg used to be the seat of Prince Bishops.

Meersburg: A fine Palace by Lake Constance

10.01.2014

It goes without saying that, since there is a New Palace Meersburg, there had to be an Old Palace Meersburg first. The latter was neither a spacious nor a representative enough residence for the then-ruling Prince-Bishops of Constance, who were advised to change address to Meersburg after Constance had become protestant. More distinguished quarters were asked for and they decided for a handsome annex befitting their elevated status (that was in 1710). Later, further posh extensions added another layer of glamour to the building. Now of stunning grandeur and in line even with prime princely requirements, the new Baroque structure became a magnificent venue of unseen splendour – and a fashionable meeting point for the influential and powerful of their time.

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