Bridges of Berlin: Rosa-Luxemburg-Steg

Categories: After-work quickies (Berlin photography) · Berlin Through Frog Eyes · bridges of Berlin · Culture Vulture · customer service · Existentialism · Photography · politics · Social Condition · Through Frog Eyes · Urban ExplorationLeave a comment

Or as the proper title should be: Lichtensteinbrücke Re-discovered, since I already wrote about this particular bridge. Berlin is one of the few metropolitan cities that I did not fall in love with instantly, like Vienna, Paris, Prague, or Delhi. It is a rough city with scorching summers and winters that make you aware of every little bone in your body. The bus drivers are rude, the racism is prevalent, it is incredibly difficult to find an affordable apartment for under 900EUR/month, and so on, BUT if you are into art, photography and theatre, it is incredible. Not to mention…

Citizenship: One Step Closer

Categories: a woman's strength · Berlin Through Frog Eyes · Culture Vulture · Existentialism · Midlife Crossroads · Philippines · politics · Social Condition · Through Frog EyesLeave a comment

As you may have noticed from my blogging absence this week, I have been caught up in a whirlwind of activity and incidents. Running around between physiotherapy, psychotherapy, the assorted government offices to submit requirements, and studying for the German citizenship test was a lot to chew. I am supposed to be resting and recovering but everything happened this week, on top of helping my daughter pack up for her great exodus today. Why do I attract crazy situations wherein everything happens at the same time? I had wished for a luxurious recovery time for my aching fractured shoulder, but…

The Demise of Elegant Statesmanship

Categories: a woman's strength · Culture Vulture · Existentialism · Midlife Crossroads · politics · Social Condition · Through Frog EyesLeave a comment

Gone are the days of elegant statesmanship of Margaret Thatcher, Winston. Churchill, Michail Gorbachev, Nelson Mandela, and Barack Obama. They held the national interests in the forefront, built bridges their predecessors burned, but also took the necessary risks to break down dividing barriers in world politics, and initiate trailblazer social reforms with quintessential elegance to their power. They had vision, determination, and were not afraid of sharp criticism, and carried the voice of the people against all odds. Mind you, they were certainly not beloved by all, but their ability to bring their country forward and become unprecedented global players…

A Politically Correct Christmas

Categories: Christmas Season · Creative Writing · Existentialism · politics · Social ConditionLeave a comment

‘Twas the night before Christmas and Santa’s a wreck… How to live in a world that’s politically correct? His workers no longer would answer to “Elves”,“Vertically Challenged” they were calling themselves.And labor conditions at the north poleWere alleged by the union to stifle the soul.Four reindeer had vanished, without much propriety,Released to the wilds by the Humane Society.And equal employment had made it quite clearThat Santa had better not use just reindeer.So Dancer and Donner, Comet and Cupid,Were replaced with 4 pigs, and you know that looked stupid!The runners had been removed from his sleigh;The ruts were termed dangerous by…

Taxi! (Berlin): Murat

Categories: Berlin Through Frog Eyes · commuter life · Culture Vulture · Existentialism · Photography · politics · Social Condition · Taxi Drivers of BerlinLeave a comment

Thanks to an endless number of car crashes, a demonstration and traffic jams around Berlin, my bus never arrived and I was utterly exhausted. So it was that I came to meet Murat and listened to his story. This Palestinian driver spent most of his childhood running from bombs, bullets and death threats and was born in a refugee camp in Lebanon. His parents settled down in the new host country and tried to make the most of their new life. For better or for worse, Murat’s father entered politics from 1965-68, exposing himself to all kinds of danger, until…

Election 2017: Germany vs. Germany

Categories: Berlin Through Frog Eyes · Culture Vulture · politics · the political frogLeave a comment

Over 61 million Germans are expected to exercise their right to vote today, as the political parties declare a campaign ceasefire and allow the democratic process to take place. The indomitable Chancellor Angela Merkel from the Christian Democratic Party is seeking her fourth term, hoping to lead Germany and the rest of the European Union into an unprecedented new era that witnesses Brexit. Has she bitten off more than she can chew? Her incumbent term has been anything but uneventful, and I would venture to say that it might have been her most unpopular term yet, beginning with the refugee…