i might have been playing with my camera's fancy features.
31.7.08
deutsches essen?
more on what i'm eating. i eat alot, by the way.
i've been trying to increase my fish intake (omega-3 fatty acids may or may not be good for you, but i'm pretty sure fish is). my solution has been herring and sardines. quite tasty for coming from a can. i'm guessing this is pretty german from the amount of pickles and fish in the supermarket.
to accompany, a lovely hefe-weizen weißbier. i've decided i really like hefeweizens and not too much else so far.
ok, not quite german: turkish melon. interesting taste, almost exactly like a cucumber, but a little bit sweet. not really what i wanted when i bought it, but it's tasty with vinegar and sugar.
noodles with tomato-onion sauce. i really don't know why people buy tomato sauce in a jar. it doesn't taste anything like the real thing, and not in a good way.
typical german beer. i've decided i really don't like it. pilseners are much more like regular american beer (i think, i can't say i've had much american beer). i've got some other types to try though and i hope they will be more interesting.
i've been trying to increase my fish intake (omega-3 fatty acids may or may not be good for you, but i'm pretty sure fish is). my solution has been herring and sardines. quite tasty for coming from a can. i'm guessing this is pretty german from the amount of pickles and fish in the supermarket.
to accompany, a lovely hefe-weizen weißbier. i've decided i really like hefeweizens and not too much else so far.
ok, not quite german: turkish melon. interesting taste, almost exactly like a cucumber, but a little bit sweet. not really what i wanted when i bought it, but it's tasty with vinegar and sugar.
noodles with tomato-onion sauce. i really don't know why people buy tomato sauce in a jar. it doesn't taste anything like the real thing, and not in a good way.
typical german beer. i've decided i really don't like it. pilseners are much more like regular american beer (i think, i can't say i've had much american beer). i've got some other types to try though and i hope they will be more interesting.
29.7.08
frischmarkt
germany is amazing.
der frishmarkt, also der wochenendemarkt on the wochenende, is wonderful. first, it's a pretty nice size and 3 times a week, which means one could, in theory, have fresh things every day.
early mornings on tuesday and thursday mean few people and lots of fresh produce. there are 10-20 stands around in the market place with all kinds of different things. on saturdays there are a LOT of people here. i feels a little like a carnival. there aren't a lot of street food items, but there is usually one guy selling bratwürste and brötchen. of course, you can always duck into the nearest bakery.
the plaza gets cleared out around 2 pm to let the cafés put out their tables and chairs. there isn't much that does on here when there isn't a market, but i think on holidays there may be more special events.
der frishmarkt, also der wochenendemarkt on the wochenende, is wonderful. first, it's a pretty nice size and 3 times a week, which means one could, in theory, have fresh things every day.
early mornings on tuesday and thursday mean few people and lots of fresh produce. there are 10-20 stands around in the market place with all kinds of different things. on saturdays there are a LOT of people here. i feels a little like a carnival. there aren't a lot of street food items, but there is usually one guy selling bratwürste and brötchen. of course, you can always duck into the nearest bakery.
the plaza gets cleared out around 2 pm to let the cafés put out their tables and chairs. there isn't much that does on here when there isn't a market, but i think on holidays there may be more special events.
das wetter: sommer erwärmung
it's officially hot. 30º+ for the past few days (despite the taunting 29º my weather monitor says). the humidity (schwüligkeit or feuchtigkeit; i like the former for reasons that would probably only be obvious to people who know german) isn't nearly as bad as nashville, but has become a limiting factor in ausblicken--i honestly can't think of the english word for that.
these goats—they actually look more like dogs! i was shocked for a minute when i saw them—discovered some shade by the roadside:
these goats—they actually look more like dogs! i was shocked for a minute when i saw them—discovered some shade by the roadside:
wandern in göttingen
after work yesterday, some exploring of the countryside was in order.
firstly, for mom, a taste of the botanical garden:
butterfly bush is everywhere here in kleingartens and just around. the botanical garden had a huge stand of it.
the church in nikolausberg i mentioned earlier:
i wandered up the hill to nikolausberg and explored some of the city i hadn't seen before. the church is at the very top of the hill. i didn't go inside, but it looks very quaint from out. like most churches in small villages around here. incidentally, göttingen is mostly protestant. there is apparently only one catholic church here and that is right in the city.
a very detailed map of the surrounding countryside. these maps are everywhere! apparently wandern is a favorite pasttime of people in germany and the government helps out as much as possible. most of the routes go along farm land and through the forests that are typically found on the hills and ridges where farming isn't feasable. while there are plenty of opportunities here for fresh air, don't count on being alone. it seems like even in remote areas, there are always people out walking, running, or biking.
rieswarte. warte, watchtower, at the top of a hill next to:
a lot of farmland in the roringen valley (roringen in the distance). it was pretty desolate out here actually. i was hoping to find some more pflaumen, but no luck.
firstly, for mom, a taste of the botanical garden:
butterfly bush is everywhere here in kleingartens and just around. the botanical garden had a huge stand of it.the church in nikolausberg i mentioned earlier:
i wandered up the hill to nikolausberg and explored some of the city i hadn't seen before. the church is at the very top of the hill. i didn't go inside, but it looks very quaint from out. like most churches in small villages around here. incidentally, göttingen is mostly protestant. there is apparently only one catholic church here and that is right in the city.
a very detailed map of the surrounding countryside. these maps are everywhere! apparently wandern is a favorite pasttime of people in germany and the government helps out as much as possible. most of the routes go along farm land and through the forests that are typically found on the hills and ridges where farming isn't feasable. while there are plenty of opportunities here for fresh air, don't count on being alone. it seems like even in remote areas, there are always people out walking, running, or biking.
rieswarte. warte, watchtower, at the top of a hill next to:
a lot of farmland in the roringen valley (roringen in the distance). it was pretty desolate out here actually. i was hoping to find some more pflaumen, but no luck.
ferienbauernhof
funny thing: http://www.hansa-milch.de/ferienbauernhof.php
the company i get my milk from (i was looking them up to see what the conditions are for the cows) has ranches that let you stay there. i wonder if tours of the milking facility are included?
the company i get my milk from (i was looking them up to see what the conditions are for the cows) has ranches that let you stay there. i wonder if tours of the milking facility are included?
laugenbrezeltragödie
the tragedy is this: i was so obsessed with devouring my pumpkin seed and cheese pretzel that i forgot to take a picture of it. no fear though. there will be more!
27.7.08
wasserschatz in weende
discovered this week in weende:
the future home of a youth advocacy group currently in renovation. surrounding the house is a stream and in the back is a large park--perfect place for reading on a hot summer day.
the weendespring is the source of this little stream which runs elegantly through the city--in between houses and occasionally disappearing for a block.
this little path runs along the stream for a block or two and is a cool walk during summer.
weende is really nice (map). i think it's my perfect ideal of a small, european, community focused community. it is a little sad that it is right next to the industrial part of the city (western part along the river and rail line).
the future home of a youth advocacy group currently in renovation. surrounding the house is a stream and in the back is a large park--perfect place for reading on a hot summer day.
the weendespring is the source of this little stream which runs elegantly through the city--in between houses and occasionally disappearing for a block.
this little path runs along the stream for a block or two and is a cool walk during summer.weende is really nice (map). i think it's my perfect ideal of a small, european, community focused community. it is a little sad that it is right next to the industrial part of the city (western part along the river and rail line).
samstags in der stadt
what would saturday be without a nice bike/walk through the streets of the innenstadt (inner or old city area--filled with small shop with apartments above)? how is it that nashville (or any us city really) survives without nice little fachgeschäfte (small, specialized shops, usually with handmade items) and a big fußgangerzone (no driving area). abundance of german words because i find it pathetic that these things don't exist in the us.
obstkorbchen: small shop with fresh and dried fruit, nuts, vegetables.
delicious turkish pastries. i regret not getting the feta and spinach one, but there is always next weekend!
ice cream is everywhere here in the summer. as it heats up, everyone seems to have a cone in hand. this is my half-devoured stracciatella (which i never knew the name origin of--i really want to try both of the alternative meanings!). the panna cotta was sublime, however, and will probably get my .80 € next time (compare to 3 $ for maggie moos!)
obstkorbchen: small shop with fresh and dried fruit, nuts, vegetables.
delicious turkish pastries. i regret not getting the feta and spinach one, but there is always next weekend!
ice cream is everywhere here in the summer. as it heats up, everyone seems to have a cone in hand. this is my half-devoured stracciatella (which i never knew the name origin of--i really want to try both of the alternative meanings!). the panna cotta was sublime, however, and will probably get my .80 € next time (compare to 3 $ for maggie moos!)
schöner obstgarten und bismarkturm über göttingen
i discovered this little public orchard a while ago and decided to revisit this weekend to see if the apples were ready. unfortunately, i remembered about 5 varieties in that i don't really like apples very much. the ones i tried were ok. unindustrialized apple cultivars have a distinctly wilder flavor, and these were quite pleasantly adventurous. you definitely remember that apples are in the rose family anyway.
i forget the name, but this was one that was particularly tasty.
not far away and on the way back to town is the bismarkturm, named for otto von bismark who apparently has some history in göttingen. i should have taken a picture of the informational panel, but i forgot. it must have been built sometime in the late 1800s. it looks very sleek and well built, but retains the kind of old-world charm lacking in american monuments and buildings.
looking down. some 50 meters?
i think someday i want my ivory tower to be built like this...
i forget the name, but this was one that was particularly tasty.
not far away and on the way back to town is the bismarkturm, named for otto von bismark who apparently has some history in göttingen. i should have taken a picture of the informational panel, but i forgot. it must have been built sometime in the late 1800s. it looks very sleek and well built, but retains the kind of old-world charm lacking in american monuments and buildings.
looking down. some 50 meters?
i think someday i want my ivory tower to be built like this...
abenteueren in herberhausen
i don't know where deutchers go on saturdays but, the streets in little towns like herberhausen are absolutely empty. it's actually very nice--i'm not complaining. it's just strange to be able to bike around on the main street of a small town with out having to dodge zippy little german cars.
herberhausen is a sleepy (on saturday anyway) little town in the middle of the luttertal--the valley along the lutter river (tal = val = valley--i think anyway)
the lutter starts in the hills above herberhausen and runs right through the town.
from above. there are many such german villages i've found so far--most smaller than this.
herberhausen is a sleepy (on saturday anyway) little town in the middle of the luttertal--the valley along the lutter river (tal = val = valley--i think anyway)
the lutter starts in the hills above herberhausen and runs right through the town.
from above. there are many such german villages i've found so far--most smaller than this.
pflaumen bei nikolausberg
delicious. sweet and juicy, but still a little tart and mostly undisturbed by bugs (i’m not sure what the clear drops are. maybe crystallized sugar, but it didn’t really taste like much). i was so happy to find these. i’ve been wondering where all the plums are here. the kirschpflaumen that i’ve found are good, but i’ve been dying for real plums too. these were in the middle of a few fields on a hill just below nikalousberg (below)--near the MPI. it’s a nice little hilltop town with a lot of old houses and supposedly a very old and nice church.
also, i really really need a limb cutter or a light bulb clamp. maybe a reverse version of ‘the claw’ (think toy story):
26.7.08
lecherer käse
käse is something i'm always a fan of, but here it's even better because it's so much cheaper and there are lots of local varieties as well as the full range of french, dutch, swiss, spanish, italian, etc varieties.
after my gorgonzola pizza adventure monday, i decided i very much needed to get some kind of blauschimmelkäse (again, i'm in love with the german work-making convention. it's so rewarding to find out that words you've made up actually exist!). fortunately on thursday at the wochenmarkt i discovered this delicious looking käse, which i can't remember the name of but i believe is dutch. regardless, it is delicious. creamy and heavier than crumbled american blue, but with a lighter flavor--perfect for morning snacking while delaying going to work!
in addition i got some geräuchte (smoked) gouda that is interesting. not as good as the goat gouda i had last week though. but i really really like goat gouda.
i've also been eating a lot of meals with 'creamig' (i assume creamy? it is creamy anyway. i don't know why they don't say 'sahnig') schafskäse that is udderly delicious. with cooked tomatoes and onions, it is perfect. or alone. at 12 am.
my only negative käse experience here so far as been with handkäse. so in general i will try anything at least once, and i thought this would be an interesting thing when i saw it in the grocery. it looked like a little roll of camembert or something, but i couldn't really tell what it was. got home, took a bite and had to spit it out because it was so offensive. the texture is something like dryed out jello and the flavor is basically spoiled milk. i don't know if i got a bad one or what but i'm not going to try it again without some instruction--if at all.
also, one of my favorate käsesorten is quark! for never liking riccota or cottage cheese, it find it amazing that i like this so much. amazing on bread either savory or sweet (yum, with honey).
after my gorgonzola pizza adventure monday, i decided i very much needed to get some kind of blauschimmelkäse (again, i'm in love with the german work-making convention. it's so rewarding to find out that words you've made up actually exist!). fortunately on thursday at the wochenmarkt i discovered this delicious looking käse, which i can't remember the name of but i believe is dutch. regardless, it is delicious. creamy and heavier than crumbled american blue, but with a lighter flavor--perfect for morning snacking while delaying going to work!in addition i got some geräuchte (smoked) gouda that is interesting. not as good as the goat gouda i had last week though. but i really really like goat gouda.
i've also been eating a lot of meals with 'creamig' (i assume creamy? it is creamy anyway. i don't know why they don't say 'sahnig') schafskäse that is udderly delicious. with cooked tomatoes and onions, it is perfect. or alone. at 12 am.
my only negative käse experience here so far as been with handkäse. so in general i will try anything at least once, and i thought this would be an interesting thing when i saw it in the grocery. it looked like a little roll of camembert or something, but i couldn't really tell what it was. got home, took a bite and had to spit it out because it was so offensive. the texture is something like dryed out jello and the flavor is basically spoiled milk. i don't know if i got a bad one or what but i'm not going to try it again without some instruction--if at all.
also, one of my favorate käsesorten is quark! for never liking riccota or cottage cheese, it find it amazing that i like this so much. amazing on bread either savory or sweet (yum, with honey).
25.7.08
flüsse in göttingen
i've come across several rivers in my travels:
die leine:
it runs through most of the valley and there is an amazing set of paths that let you bike along side of it. the leineradweg is a nice way to get around between bovendon and rosdorf.
it passes on the west of the city and there is a nice forest area right next to it. people come here to fish sometimes and also that most important of deutsch freizeitaktivität: wandern.
in places close to the city, the river has been tamed. there are a couple of water level stations and a few manmade lakes.
through town runs a canal that actually comes from the hills to the east of time. this mill is at the very edge. i don't know what it was used for, but i think it is a restaurant now.
i think pretty much every european city/village has next to or near it a river. it really makes for a nice system and pretty, quaint towns.
die leine:
it runs through most of the valley and there is an amazing set of paths that let you bike along side of it. the leineradweg is a nice way to get around between bovendon and rosdorf.
it passes on the west of the city and there is a nice forest area right next to it. people come here to fish sometimes and also that most important of deutsch freizeitaktivität: wandern.
in places close to the city, the river has been tamed. there are a couple of water level stations and a few manmade lakes.
through town runs a canal that actually comes from the hills to the east of time. this mill is at the very edge. i don't know what it was used for, but i think it is a restaurant now.i think pretty much every european city/village has next to or near it a river. it really makes for a nice system and pretty, quaint towns.
aussprache 1
pronunciation guide for non-deutsch speakers:
deutsch, just like der deutsche volk, is very consistent. unlike english, once you know the individual sounds, you can sagen any word in the language, solange it hasn't been taken from französisch.
vowels!:
a = ahh!
e = ueh? (not quite a 'ooo' but not a 'ahh' either)
i = eee!
o = oh?!
u = ooo? (not 'oh' or 'ew'. more what you'd say if you were confronted with a plate of warm cookies and some milk. followed by 'nom nom nom')
ä = eh?!
ö = between eew! and ahh! this is hard to get right with u. think 'ahh' in hut or gut. but a little bit of 'eew' in goo.
ü = the hardest of all. a deep ewww. like you've just stepped on a huge slug.
ae, oe, ue all are the same as ä, ö, and ü but easier to type.
eu = oi!
äu = oi!
ei = sounds like our i
ie = sounds like our e (these are easy, just say the second letter! always, always works.)
ai = also like our i
au = ow! as in, i'm hurt!
don't see alone (non diphthongs): ue, ui, ea, ua, ia
i had fun compiling this. although i'm not sure it's exactly right. someone is going to roll their eyes because i haven't used proper terms (lower fricative blah blah blah). consonants to come.
deutsch, just like der deutsche volk, is very consistent. unlike english, once you know the individual sounds, you can sagen any word in the language, solange it hasn't been taken from französisch.
vowels!:
a = ahh!
e = ueh? (not quite a 'ooo' but not a 'ahh' either)
i = eee!
o = oh?!
u = ooo? (not 'oh' or 'ew'. more what you'd say if you were confronted with a plate of warm cookies and some milk. followed by 'nom nom nom')
ä = eh?!
ö = between eew! and ahh! this is hard to get right with u. think 'ahh' in hut or gut. but a little bit of 'eew' in goo.
ü = the hardest of all. a deep ewww. like you've just stepped on a huge slug.
ae, oe, ue all are the same as ä, ö, and ü but easier to type.
eu = oi!
äu = oi!
ei = sounds like our i
ie = sounds like our e (these are easy, just say the second letter! always, always works.)
ai = also like our i
au = ow! as in, i'm hurt!
don't see alone (non diphthongs): ue, ui, ea, ua, ia
i had fun compiling this. although i'm not sure it's exactly right. someone is going to roll their eyes because i haven't used proper terms (lower fricative blah blah blah). consonants to come.
heute zu essen
this is actually food from this week or so:
rice+lentils, sauteed tomato and onion, schafskäse (white cheese from sheep soaked in brine--extremely good)
früchte der erde: kirschpflaumen (cherry plums--think cherry tomatoes but with plums), äpfel (very good, sweet but not mushy), and beet leaves (might have stolen those..) and horseradish leaves (i saw someone taking them and i was curious). turns out, horseradish is not really edible and sugar beet leaves are not as good as red beets. too bad. the pflaumen were hard earned: never ever fight ants for fruit. especially if they are well armed with formic acid and you are poorly defended with, tada, flipflops.
apple tree from which i got the apples. apple trees are much nicer than cherries i've decided because they stay low to the ground.
plantain. i've decided i really really don't like plantain at all. maybe i'm not cooking it well, but i've decided i'm not going to try again. i'll wait till i get to a tropical country and see how they do it.
and the total sum meal: rice (mixed wild and basmati), steamed leaves (later trashed), and plantain (choked down somehow).
rice+lentils, sauteed tomato and onion, schafskäse (white cheese from sheep soaked in brine--extremely good)
früchte der erde: kirschpflaumen (cherry plums--think cherry tomatoes but with plums), äpfel (very good, sweet but not mushy), and beet leaves (might have stolen those..) and horseradish leaves (i saw someone taking them and i was curious). turns out, horseradish is not really edible and sugar beet leaves are not as good as red beets. too bad. the pflaumen were hard earned: never ever fight ants for fruit. especially if they are well armed with formic acid and you are poorly defended with, tada, flipflops.
apple tree from which i got the apples. apple trees are much nicer than cherries i've decided because they stay low to the ground.
plantain. i've decided i really really don't like plantain at all. maybe i'm not cooking it well, but i've decided i'm not going to try again. i'll wait till i get to a tropical country and see how they do it.
and the total sum meal: rice (mixed wild and basmati), steamed leaves (later trashed), and plantain (choked down somehow).
abendteuer der woche
adventure of the week: windräder jagen (mehr). so i never finished the story from last time, mainly because i was so unsuccessful in my first pursuits. however! i have acheived success beyond my (not quite) wildest imagination, as you can see:
i've known about these for a while and, as i've said, i went looking for them one saturday afternoon with very dismal results. i got probably within 500 meters of an entire wind farm (as i learned on google maps later), but i considered myself pretty lost at the time and i didn't want to really get lost in a foreign forest with no food and no way to get help and such. but the second time around, i pushed forward, despite only wearing sandals and sunset quickly approaching. fortunately, i was well rewarded. and the way down (340 m at that) was a lot easier than the way up.
a path leading into the forest. it was a little spooky. almost blair witch style. this forest is weird because it's been planted so all the trees are in perfect rows and you can't see for more than a few meters.
this particular bunch had about 5 windräder in clumps. they were actually quite small compared to the one i saw south of town, but still impressive.
of course, the entire time i had my bike with me. it got to be a little annoying when walking through the forest, but i was definitely happy when i got to the top of hill and didn't have to walk back to leave. the ride around turned out to be, in total, 28 miles or 45.5 km. pretty intense, but enjoyable nonetheless. however, next time i do this, i'm definitely going to wear real shoes.
i've known about these for a while and, as i've said, i went looking for them one saturday afternoon with very dismal results. i got probably within 500 meters of an entire wind farm (as i learned on google maps later), but i considered myself pretty lost at the time and i didn't want to really get lost in a foreign forest with no food and no way to get help and such. but the second time around, i pushed forward, despite only wearing sandals and sunset quickly approaching. fortunately, i was well rewarded. and the way down (340 m at that) was a lot easier than the way up.
a path leading into the forest. it was a little spooky. almost blair witch style. this forest is weird because it's been planted so all the trees are in perfect rows and you can't see for more than a few meters.
this particular bunch had about 5 windräder in clumps. they were actually quite small compared to the one i saw south of town, but still impressive.
of course, the entire time i had my bike with me. it got to be a little annoying when walking through the forest, but i was definitely happy when i got to the top of hill and didn't have to walk back to leave. the ride around turned out to be, in total, 28 miles or 45.5 km. pretty intense, but enjoyable nonetheless. however, next time i do this, i'm definitely going to wear real shoes.
23.7.08
mehr TEDs
more good things to see: suburbia. this guy is hilarious. or maybe i'm just immature. everytime i hear the word 'clusterfuck' i can't help breaking out in hysterics. it's just perfect. he also makes fun of 'wineos'--presumably the audience and despots. i might have caused a stir by laughing out loud. 'theoretical pedestrians' and such. and nature 'band-aids'.
NO REALLY! what it. it's hilarious even if you don't care at all about the horrible rape of land and people that is suburbia.
also very good: green is the new black. this lady has a lot of attitude and is really convinced of her message. i kind of want to meet her. her delivery is rough, but i agree that she has the attitude and message to take on al gore and steve jobs.
really, all of these are good. i'm just going to sit here and watch them all day because my experiment time was gobbled up. sigh.
NO REALLY! what it. it's hilarious even if you don't care at all about the horrible rape of land and people that is suburbia.
also very good: green is the new black. this lady has a lot of attitude and is really convinced of her message. i kind of want to meet her. her delivery is rough, but i agree that she has the attitude and message to take on al gore and steve jobs.
really, all of these are good. i'm just going to sit here and watch them all day because my experiment time was gobbled up. sigh.
22.7.08
gutes essen
michael pollan! interestingly, i think i've had this idea several times. most recently wondering why on earth cherries would put so much of their fruit out of reach if they wanted us to spread them around. also, in reference to why i'm willing to try some fruits i see randomly, but not others (not always sucessful however).
i'm a little obsessed! when you have an hour: see this! it takes a while, but it is quite awesome. props to google.
btw, people looking for birthday gifts... books are beautiful. michael pollan has many. i want them all :P.
also (via lisa): conservative organics? no matter what your pollitical alliance (although i'm fairly sure everyone here is more to the left), we can all find a reason to support locally-grown, non-industrial, non-Farm Bill-supported food.
speaking of which: barack obama's view. i'm not sure i like it or believe it. somehow i just don't think it's going to change anytime soon, although if he really wanted to target big industry and lobbists, the farm bill would get my vote for 1st on the chopping block.
i'm a little obsessed! when you have an hour: see this! it takes a while, but it is quite awesome. props to google.
btw, people looking for birthday gifts... books are beautiful. michael pollan has many. i want them all :P.
also (via lisa): conservative organics? no matter what your pollitical alliance (although i'm fairly sure everyone here is more to the left), we can all find a reason to support locally-grown, non-industrial, non-Farm Bill-supported food.
speaking of which: barack obama's view. i'm not sure i like it or believe it. somehow i just don't think it's going to change anytime soon, although if he really wanted to target big industry and lobbists, the farm bill would get my vote for 1st on the chopping block.
deutschland macht grün
deutschers are kind of obsessed with getting off the top 10 list of CO2 producers. interestingly, germany is currently the largest global producer of wind power, with almost double the current production capacity in the united states (despite much less land and less open space). just in my area, which is hemmed in with low hills and widely populated, there are at least 5 sets of 3-5 windmills, and i saw a lot more on the train ride here. the north of germany is much flatter than the middle or alpine-approaching area, and i think there is a lot more wind and wind-power there.
from afar they look small, but these things are really quite huge.
generally they are located away from cities--i've heard because of noise, flitting shadows, and the general annoyance of having a huge tower next to your house. these are about 30 minutes away from my apt by bike.
and some people (like me) think wind is just fun.
i haven't seen as much solar power here, but apparently it is a big deal as well. a little unexpected given the latitude and the rainy/overcast summers here.
from afar they look small, but these things are really quite huge.generally they are located away from cities--i've heard because of noise, flitting shadows, and the general annoyance of having a huge tower next to your house. these are about 30 minutes away from my apt by bike.
and some people (like me) think wind is just fun.
i haven't seen as much solar power here, but apparently it is a big deal as well. a little unexpected given the latitude and the rainy/overcast summers here.
grüner welt
in the pursuit of a greener world:
http://noimpactman.typepad.com/blog/2008/07/the-first-step.html
looking back 2-3 years ago, even 1, i've made a lot of small changes in my life. from the amount of meat i eat to how i get around to how long i spend in the shower. and yet, every week i seem to think of something new that i'd like to encorporate into my life. and i do. and i wonder how on earth i managed before.
http://www.bestlifeonline.com/cms/publish/health-fitness/Our_oceans_are_turning_into_plastic_are_we_2.shtml
another site/article that i've only recently read but i've known about for a lot time. really scary stuff. it makes me want to wear a gas mask and never eat anything i haven't personally grown. well, not that i haven't had that desire for a long time. but now it's just coming out more often.
one of my goals for this year is to learn more about environmental problems that are going to loom large in the 21st century--not just focusing on global warming which seems to have utterly captivated the press and people's imaginations recently. ironically, we could almost thank the 100 billions lbs of plastic produced per year (45 billion kg of plastic = roughly 38 billion kg of carbon) for sequestering a very small portion of the united states' carbon output. sigh.
http://noimpactman.typepad.com/blog/2008/07/the-first-step.html
looking back 2-3 years ago, even 1, i've made a lot of small changes in my life. from the amount of meat i eat to how i get around to how long i spend in the shower. and yet, every week i seem to think of something new that i'd like to encorporate into my life. and i do. and i wonder how on earth i managed before.
http://www.bestlifeonline.com/cms/publish/health-fitness/Our_oceans_are_turning_into_plastic_are_we_2.shtml
another site/article that i've only recently read but i've known about for a lot time. really scary stuff. it makes me want to wear a gas mask and never eat anything i haven't personally grown. well, not that i haven't had that desire for a long time. but now it's just coming out more often.
one of my goals for this year is to learn more about environmental problems that are going to loom large in the 21st century--not just focusing on global warming which seems to have utterly captivated the press and people's imaginations recently. ironically, we could almost thank the 100 billions lbs of plastic produced per year (45 billion kg of plastic = roughly 38 billion kg of carbon) for sequestering a very small portion of the united states' carbon output. sigh.
wäsche
also (i'm on a roll today--don't stop me), i did laundry today, which was quite an adventure. not nearly as bad as i thought it would be, but certainly painful on the wallet. 2.80 € for a wash and 0.80 € for just 12 minutes of drying. total yesterday of 7.20 €. ouch. that's 11.50 $. insane. would have cost me only 4 $ at vandy. so i've decided that from now on i'm going to try to stretch clothes as long as i can without washing (but also without smelling). should be a little easier since it never gets above 25 ºC here. also, i might try hand washing some things.. time to go look that up.
after 2 dry cycles, i decided i would save my money and bring my wäsche nach hause and trocken it there. the results below:
i might have run out of room at some point. also, note the vegetable hiding place.
(again, out of room. the lamp acts as an occasional drying rack. the bathroom is even more full of hanging clothes.)
as you might guess, the apartment smelled strongly of wet clothes and pizza for the rest of the night. but everything is dry now! works pretty well, i just need to do laundry more often or take smaller loads. i was almost out of hangers by the end of it.
after 2 dry cycles, i decided i would save my money and bring my wäsche nach hause and trocken it there. the results below:
i might have run out of room at some point. also, note the vegetable hiding place.
(again, out of room. the lamp acts as an occasional drying rack. the bathroom is even more full of hanging clothes.)as you might guess, the apartment smelled strongly of wet clothes and pizza for the rest of the night. but everything is dry now! works pretty well, i just need to do laundry more often or take smaller loads. i was almost out of hangers by the end of it.
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