A Little Light Music

For the fourth time Munsterplatz in Bonn will be the scene of a major water, light and laser show set to music.

This years show, under the title 'Elements in Emotion', runs from 26 September through to 5 October and begins each evening at 8pm.

In 2007 this free show attracted some 100,000 visitors in just ten days and has quickly become a yearly tradition not to be missed by many residents and tourists alike.  As before there are three parts to the evening – 'Classic Fantasy', 'Rock/Pop' and 'Rhine German' but star of the show will as ever be the water jets leaping up to 25 metres into the Bonn night sky.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Meet Paddington!

Saturday sees the 11th British days & Country Fair at Burg Linn near Krefeld.

BEN has visited this in the past and can vouch for a fun day out with the chance to watch hammer throwing and Wild hawks before taking a cup of tea and a marmalade sandwich with Paddington Bear.

Details of the Fair at: Countryfair

MeetInBonn is arranging a group visit on Saturday (13 Sept):  MeetInBonn"

Popularity: 6% [?]

What’s so funny?

What's amusing these  gentlemen (& lady)  in Kessenich ? 

On my way to the bus Stop on
Saturday evening I saw a large group of people watching as someone tied rope
around some poor vagrants neck and hoisted him up a ladder to be deposited on
top of the local pub sign.  Vigilante
Law?  Perhaps someone caught cattle-rustilng in the Kottenforst ?  Even ‘cattle' singular would be optimistic these
days though. 

On closer inspection it was
not a man but a straw doll;  and the vigilante was a local fireman.  A German couple asked me, of all people, what
was going on – so, being totally clueless, I did the sensible thing and found
someone to ask.

The straw man actually had
a name – Paias, from the french for strawsack so I found out.  It seems the whole tradition goes back to French
occupation days in the Rhineland.  In
Cologne his name by the way would be ‘Nubbel'.   Here in in Bonn  it's the youth of Kessenich (or in this case a youthful fireman) who are
responsible for setting ‘Paias' on his perch before the Karthäuser Hof'.   I was told by the locals that he represents
a drunk who's hiding from his wife – but maybe that's a tradition/problem specific to
Kessenich?!.  Anyway, Paias remains on
his perch to oversee the Kirmes. 
Traditionally all the mishaps and trouble that occur during the
Kirmes are attributed to him, and  after
everyone has happily been causing mishap and trouble, he's dragged down and
burnt, buried or drowned in the Rhine. 
Vigilante Law after all then…

 

 

 

 

Popularity: 6% [?]

“We were not expecting that!”

The words of bewilderment from ‘Britains Got Talent’ host
Simon Cowell were echoed throughout Britain on 17 March 2007.  Paul
Potts, erstwhile supermarket shelf-filler and  car-phone salesman had 
just shuffled nervously onstage in his  £ 35 suit from Tesco, announced
"I'm going to sing Opera" – and changed his life.

The gob-smacked expressions on the faces of judges Cowell, Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan needed no words.  Indeed, their dumbfounded images made such an impression that Deutsche Telekom have since used the excerpt from Britains answer to 'Deutschland sucht den Superstar' in a tv advert.  The spot shows  Potts  backstage nervously awaiting his big moment – Cut to the bored judges faces as another ‘wanna-be’ star enters the ‘lions den’ in front of them – cut to repeated shots of amazed 'members of the public' staring in disbelief at their iPods and mobile phones as Potts takes his shot at the Pavorotti favourite.  Telekom has received a deluge of calls since from viewers asking who the wonderful man was in their opera advert. 

 

It’s true that Potts has a wonderful voice, but so do many other would be opera stars.  What makes/made him unique is that he seems so extraordinarily ordinary:  Mother a Supermarket cashier, father a bus driver.  A broken collar-bone was sustained whilst out riding his bicycle.  Ever the shy man, Potts met his wife Julie-Ann via an Internet chat-line.  Clearly his whole persona seems based on being a sort of ‘Everyman’ nobody.  But what now?  The album has been at number one in 13 different countries and Paul Potts is a worldstar. 

 

In the thoughtful portrait covering Pott’s first CD  ‘One Chance’ he sports a waistcoat and a cool expression more becoming of a snooker player after a good opening break.  There is talk too on his official website of teeth capping.  In short, the essence of what made Paul Potts truly special is in danger of disappearing. 

 

The Telekom advert finishes with the words: “Life gives us unique moments.  Great that we can share them”  Truly such unique moments are fleeting, and also truly, the electronic media enables us to catch them and replay them forever.  But the very essence that makes the moment special is that it is so transitory.  Paul Potts the opera star is now here – but at the expense of Paul Potts the  Everyman from yesterday.  Is that really so bad?  The fairytale of Paul Potts success gives every one of us the feeling that whatever our own personal dream it COULD come true. 

If Paul Potts, with his awkward smile and crooked teeth did, it then why not me?

As the latest version of the fairytale goes: "There once was an ugly duckling…" –   he went on to become a swan and sell a million records. 

 

In case you missed it, here is the video that started it all – I dare anyone to watch it without getting a lump in their throat:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLF9iEXnBRo

 

 

Popularity: 5% [?]

Summer in the Kottenforst

A deers gotta do what a deers gotta do – and in this guys case it's sunbathe all day.

The animals in Waldau were a popular attraction for families out for a stroll in the Summer heat on Sunday afternoon.

 

Popularity: 4% [?]

One Team…

The eagle eyed might have spotted this slogan on the side of the German Football Team bus.

A German colleague has put me right on this 'misunderstanding' – it actually means 'One goal PER PLAYER'  So that explains the 3-2 win over Turkey.  Did you hear the screams when storms cut the television picture?  Luckily we didn't miss any goals here in Germany but British screens were blank when Klose scored late on and Austrian viewers actually missed THREE of the goals.

Watch out for the flags on German cars getting bigger!!!

 

 

Popularity: 4% [?]

Summer Jazz 2008

Actually, on Sunday, the Seatown Seven were playing on the south lawn of the Kunsthalle but hopefully future concerts will be back where they truly belong – on the roof.  The free Summer Garden concerts courtesy of General Anzeiger have become a tradition in recent years and there are lots more to come.

 

 

 

 

General Anzeiger 'Sommergarten' Programme 2008:

July

  6  Barrelhouse Jazzband

20  Old Merry Tale Jazzband & Thomas Gerdiken

August

 3  Lee Lozowick Band (Blues)

17 Max Klinker Swing Quartett

31  Soren Leyers Swingtet

 

All concerts from 10.30am to 1pm and FREE entrance on Art Museum Roof (KKH).

- exact location subject to change (weather and Museumsplatz concerts permitting) 

 

 

Popularity: 4% [?]

Walk in Siebengebirge

Benoit  has planned a leisurely walk in the Siebengebirge for Meet In Bonn and anyone else in need of some fresh air.

Walk starts from the Sealife Centre in Königswinter on Sunday (22 June) 1pm.

For more details members can check MeetIn

Non MIB'ers can contact Benoit via us:  english.network@gmx.de (by Friday evening latest)

Popularity: 4% [?]

4th Hammer Highland Games

This weekend sees the 4th Hammer Highland Games taking place in Hamm.

Putting the Stone, Sheaf Toss (not Sheep Toss!) and naturally, Tossing the caber are on the event list – along with lots of music and other attractions.  And its free too!

More: 
Highland Games

Popularity: 5% [?]

UN Conference in Bonn

 

One Nature – One World – One Future.

 

 {mosimage}

Cop9 isn't a giant super-robot panda hired to hunt down Arnie in the next 'Total Recall', it's The working name of a Conference currently taking place on the UN Campus here in Bonn.  To be exact it's the  9th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and runs until 30 May.

The Conference is a chance for the global community to discuss measures against the ongoing destruction of nature and there are a number of exhibitions and events on-Campus. For more details visit: UN Conference

Popularity: 4% [?]

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