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© Copyright
2000 - 2008
Flashlight
All rights reserved.
Impressum
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12/31/2008, Wednesday, 19:24, Meike, Reykjavik, Iceland
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 Imagine Peace...!
Another year over...
From our window we have a look on the Imagine Peace Tower on Viðey Island, Reykjavik. It is a memorial to John Lennon from his widow, Yoko Ono. It consists of a tall "tower of light" and the power for the lights is provided by Iceland's geothermal energy grid. The tower lit every year from October 9th, Lennon's birthday, through December 8th, the date he was shot. And it is lit for New Year’s Eve today, too.
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Imagine Peace Tower on Viðey Island, Reykjavik,
from our window |
Happy Christmas
(War is over)
John Lennon
“So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
...
And so happy Christmas
For black and for white
For yellow and red ones
Let's stop all the fight
A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
...
War is over over
If you want it
War is over
Now...”
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We wish you all a happy, healthy, successful
and peaceful New Year
with wise decisions and some fun as well!
We hope you can make your wishes come true!
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12/30/2008, Tuesday, 17:16, Meike, Reykjavik, Iceland
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What do you want to teach your opponent’s children?
You are a teacher. Children (and adults) learn by experiencing your actions and the consequences of your actions. So you are a teacher - if you want to or not. You teach your own children. And you teach your opponent’s children, too.
So if you have to make decisions which influence your opponent’s live, have in mind what his children learn from and about you.
Do you really want to teach them to be afraid of you, maybe even hate you? Or do you want to teach them that you are an honourable neighbour who is able to solve conflicts in a non-violent, intelligent way?
When they grew up, based upon which education would you like them to make decisions which could influence your own children’s live?
So be a responsible teacher for your own children and your opponent’s children as well.
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12/26/2008, Friday, 17:24, Meike, Reykjavik, Iceland
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Kind of surreal
Did I mention before that I like ships? (Yes, yes, I know...) We went for our traditional Christmas excursion to the harbour of Reykjavik where we haven’t been so far. It was like wandering around in a film set - somehow fascinating...
... kind of surreal - especially when we got a sudden heavy hailstorm and the Icelandic coast guard marched past.
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12/25/2008, Thursday, 12:55, Meike, Reykjavik, Iceland
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O Christmas Spirit, where art thou?
I somehow don’t get it this year - the Christmas Spirit...
It started when they removed the Halloween decoration from the shops in Ottawa and replaced it with Christmas decoration within one night. And it go worse in Boston where we got an overdose Christmas songs at the airport waiting for our connection flight. When my eyeballs turned into different directions and had the strong desire to jump out to stick into my ears I knew, Christmas spirit could be a challenge for me this year.
Please understand me right, I love the idea of Christmas! Friends and families coming together, having a peaceful and enjoyable time together after spending some time to think about what would make their loved ones the most happy. I really like that!
And I definitely have a very special personal relationship to Santa Clause!
Anyway when I was on my search of an unusual picture for our Christmas cards and this one of an nuclear explosion at the Christmas Island got the biggest part of my attention I was almost sure: Maybe I somehow don’t get it this year - the Christmas Spirit...
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12/24/2008, Wednesday, 12:25, Meike, Reykjavik, Iceland
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Icelandic Christmas tradition: The Yule Lads, #13
The last Yule Lad Kertasníkir (Candle-Beggar) arriving today fancies candle lights and follows children in order to steal their candles which were made of dripping and thus edible.
And some days ago we have really even seen Santa in Reykjavik! (Or it was a Yule Lad dressed up to have easier access to whatever he desires).
Anyway he drove away with his four-wheel-drive all-terrain reindeer.
And I found some nice pictures and information from Christmas around the world here: Christmas worldwide!
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12/23/2008, Tuesday, 22:57, Meike, Reykjavik, Iceland
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Icelandic Christmas tradition: The Yule Lads, #12
Ketkrókur (Meat-Hook) likes smoked lamb very much and uses a hook to steal meat from the stove through the chimney.
During the last days it was not easy for the Yule Lads (or anybody else) to find their ways... Maybe that’s the reason why we haven’t seen many of the Yule Lads so far.
Now we got “a little” rain and the best (or only) choice is to swim to your destination... Poor Giljagaur!
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12/22/2008, Monday, 20:21, Meike, Reykjavik, Iceland
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Asmundur Sveinsson at the Asmundarsafn Reykjavik Art Museum
We visited one of Reykjavik’s Art museums and had a look at the work of Asmundur Sveinsson. Very impressive! I really don’t say that often, so this is a rare opportunity to hear it - or read it: If I would have an own living room, I would like some of his art in it!
Now you know what I want for Christmas, Santa - if it is the living room or the art is up to you!
(Just kidding - you already know what would make me happy!)
the “Bon Voyage”
Icelandic Christmas tradition: The Yule Lads, #11
Today we wait for the arrival of Gáttaþefur (Door-Sniffer) who has an abnormally large and very sensitive nose and an acute sense of smell which he uses to locate all kinds of things, especially food, standing in doorways of houses.
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12/21/2008, Sunday, 17:12, Meike, Reykjavik, Iceland
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Icelandic Christmas tradition: The Yule Lads, #10
Yule Lad Gluggagægir (Window-Peeper or Peeping Tom) is extremely curious. He is a voyeur who would look through windows in search of things to steal and makes faces to scare the children.
Perhaps they would like Santa more... At least they are well-educated (12/11/2008, 12:56).
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12/20/2008, Saturday, 16:18, Meike, Reykjavik, Iceland
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Icelandic Christmas tradition: The Yule Lads, #9
Because of his constant hunger today’s Yule Lad Bjúgnakrækir (Sausage-Swiper or Sausage-Picker) hides in the rafters and snatch sausages that were being smoked.
And I think this nice guy is on his search of Yule Lad #2, Giljagaur, who should be around since several days now. Or is it maybe Giljagaur himself?
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12/19/2008, Friday, 18:27, Meike, Reykjavik, Iceland
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“Walking” in a winter-wonder-world
Got some snow ... gasp ... had got to go to the supermarket ... gasp ... on the way ... gasp ... had to play... gasp ... a bit ... gasp ... are home now again ... gasp ... need higher boots...
Icelandic Christmas tradition: The Yule Lads, #8
Skyrgámur (Skyr-Gobbler) has an affinity for gourmet food and steals skyr (an Icelandic cultured dairy product, a type of fresh cheese) from the larders.
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12/18/2008, Thursday, 16:42, Meike, Reykjavik, Iceland
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Icelandic Christmas tradition: The Yule Lads, #7
Today arrives Hurðaskellir (Door-Slammer) who hides in dark corners and likes to tease the people and slams doors, especially during the night to wake everybody up.
And the nights are looong here in these days!
Today’s sun rose at 11:20 AM (!) and we had something they call “daylight” for a bit more than 4 hours which we couldn’t see because it was snowing that much. And it is not even the “shortest” day! But we know the moonlight pretty well now - and snow - what is kind of romantic....
 Click here for Reykjavik, Iceland Sunrise, sunset, dawn and dusk times!
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12/17/2008, Wednesday, 19:40, Meike, Reykjavik, Iceland
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That is Iceland..., Part 2
Hey, we have an underfloor heating for our parking spot! Never have had that before! Ok, we don’t have a car, but the heating is cool - or better: hot!
And it doesn’t even cost lots of energy because there is plenty of hot water coming form the boreholes. And because it is used to heat the walkways in Reykjavik here and there, too, walking around in wintertime is much saver!
Icelandic Christmas tradition: The Yule Lads, #6
Next Yule Lad is Askasleikir (Bowl-Licker). He hides under beds waiting for someone to put down their 'askur' (a type of bowl with a lid), which he then steals. He always arrives late to get to the food rests left by the children and finish the food from their bowls.
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12/16/2008, Tuesday, 23:33, Meike, Reykjavik, Iceland
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Icelandic Christmas tradition: The Yule Lads, #5
Pottaskefill (Pot-Scraper or Pot-Cleaner) is the 5th Yule Lad. He steals leftovers from pots and consumes the burnt layers of food from the pots and leaves them shining clean...
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12/15/2008, Monday, 23:32, Meike, Reykjavik, Iceland
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“Still Canadian...” or/and “Supermarkets are scary places...”
our way to the supermarket
Ok, keep in mind that we spent 12 months in Canada... There is still a lot Canadian behaviour in the back of our brains - probably more than we realized in Canada.
So we Canadians don’t touch someone we don’t know! Never! And if someone crosses our way in a wide aisle of a supermarket we look at a shelve as if there is the most interesting discovery in it - till she/he could comfortably go her/his way. And if we really have to come closer than 1.5m to someone, we say “Sorry!” and smile. Always! Yes, always!
So the first visit in one of Reykjavik’s supermarkets was a kid of culture-shock. Just in the vegetable section I was touched more often than I was in the last couple of years. Not mean or unfriendly, just ... a bit ... um... pushy. I was ... a bit ... um ... surprised. Maybe the narrow aisles are a reason for all the pushing. Andreas told me later that when he had tried to have a look at the potatoes he suddenly was almost diving into them because “someone wanted to have a look at the carrots...”
Well, we will get used to it...
The second time I was equipped with a shopping basket - a popular push-device. Brave I carried it into the vegetable-device. And, yes, this time was better. Maybe it was because I was holding my basket awkwardly over some boxes with apples to keep it and me out of the way of busy buyers, or because I was murmuring “Laukur...” while trying to figure out some prices... But I was smiled at - twice! And moreover, someone really said “Sorry!” for pushing me - ok, maybe because I excused myself for staying in his way so he had to push...
But anyway it is getting better somehow!
And we learned that the physical comfortable distance for Icelander is very, very little! Maybe that’s because they like each other that much, or it has another very important interpersonal positive aspect. It just takes a bit getting used to - we are adaptive.
Icelandic Christmas tradition: The Yule Lads, #4
Today came Þvörusleikir (Spoon-Licker or Ladle-Licker) who is extremely thin due to malnutrition. He concentrates on finding pots with something well tasting and licks the ladles.
Maybe he is afraid of Icelandic supermarkets... or is suffering from the financial crisis as so many Icelanders.
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12/14/2008, Sunday, 21:44, Meike, Reykjavik, Iceland
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My wonderful first Hasi-Day in Iceland...!
We spent a very, very nice day at the Perlan, a landmark building here in Reykjavik. The pulchritudinous (learned a new descriptive vocabulary) view from the viewing deck on the fourth floor let us almost forget that is was -7°C chilling cold. And Öskjuhlíð, the park around, has good chances to climb the ladder of my happy places. Oh, and we have seen our first geyser there, too!
Icelandic Christmas tradition: The Yule Lads, #3
Yule Lad of the day is Stúfur (Stump or Stubby) who is abnormally short. He steals pans to eat the crust left on them and is extremely attracted to the contents of the kitchens, and does not miss a chance to snatch something to eat.
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12/13/2008, Saturday, 17:57, Meike, Reykjavik, Iceland
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Icelandic Christmas tradition: The Yule Lads, #2
Today’s Yule Lad is Giljagaur (Gully Gawk) who hides in gullies, waiting for an opportunity to rush for the cowshed and steal milk.
Hm, the best gullies to hide in I have seen were in Dartmouth, Canada. I didn’t try it by myself but the entries were huge and provided a comfortable entry and exit. But not a lot cows there. So it has advantages and disadvantages, Giljagaur.
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12/12/2008, Friday, Meike, Reykjavik, Iceland
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23:16
Icelandic Christmas tradition: The Yule Lads, #1
Iceland has its Christmas tradition all of its own. Instead of Santa we will be visited by the Yule Lads this year! The Yule Lads originate from Icelandic folklore.
They are traditionally said to be the sons of the mountain-dwelling horrible hag Grýla and the troll Leppalúði. Additionally, the Yule Lads are often depicted with the Yuletide Cat, a beast that, according to folklore, eats children that don't receive new clothes in time for Christmas.
The Yule Lads were originally portrayed as being mischievous, or even criminal, pranksters that would steal from, or in other way harass the population. During the Advent, they come down from the mountain, one a day, until Christmas Eve. Then they return one by one.
In modern times the Yule Lads have been depicted as taking on a more benevolent role comparable to Santa Claus and other related figures and putting small gifts (or potatoes if the child has misbehaved) into shoes placed by children into their windows the last thirteen nights before Christmas Eve.
That might explain the potatoes which protesters placed in front of Iceland’s Parliament a few days ago.
So today the first Yule Lad to arrive in civilized areas is Stekkjastaur (Sheep-Cote Clod) who heads directly for the sheep cot to have fun with harassing the sheep, but is impaired by his stiff peg-legs. I haven’t seen him so far, maybe not enough sheep around.
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16:41
Gorgeous moonrise in Reykjavik
Here are some pictures I took from the full moon rising over the mountains a few minutes ago. It was just beautiful!
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01:52
Pink hopping in Iceland
This singing-hopping-and-clapping-event in Kringlan, Iceland’s second biggest shopping mall, made my day today, um... yesterday. Very cute!
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12/11/2008, Thursday, Meike, Reykjavik, Iceland
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13:12
Our Human Rights event
Our celebration of the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights event in the WGS-School was a big success! Hundreds of presents were given away and we got a great feedback!
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12:56
UNICEF’s Study about early childhood education
A league table of early childhood education and care in economically advanced countries shows that Iceland reached the second place after Sweden with 9 out of 10 benchmarks achieved!
“This Report Card discusses the opportunities and risks involved in the child care transition, and proposes internationally applicable benchmarks for early childhood care and education – a set of minimum standards for protecting the rights of children in their most vulnerable and formative years.
The table below shows which countries are currently meeting the suggested standards, and summarizes this first attempt to evaluate and compare early childhood services in the 25 OECD countries in which data have been collected.”
UNICEF, The child care transition, Innocenti Report Card 8, 2008
UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre, Florence.
The United Nations Children’s Fund, 2008
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12/09/2008, Tuesday, 17:57, Meike, Reykjavik, Iceland
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Happy Birthday,
United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights!
The 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights occurs tomorrow, on December 10, 2008.
For some people it is a question of rights, and for some of us a question of duties.
So I say: If all of us consider the realization of the Human Rights as our personal Human Duty, we can change the world to the better!
Worth a try, isn’t it?
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Eleanor Roosevelt holding the
United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Spanish
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Read more:
P.S.: When you come around the WGS-School tomorrow, you will find some presents from us for you to celebrate the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights! Enjoy!
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12/08/2008, Monday, 11:39, Meike, Reykjavik, Iceland
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“That is Iceland...!”
Whenever we arrive in a new home the first thing we do is to clean the whole room to feel a bit more “at home”. That’s what we did here too. But when we turned the tap on we were surprised by a very “unpleasant” smell. Then we left the hot (and I mean hot!) water running for a while in the hope that it would clean the drain a bit and the smell would clear away. It didn’t... So Andreas went down to ask the nice lady who did the check-in with us for some “serious cleaning agents” while I was trying not to move away from the open window. I was contemplating her statement that this would be drinkable water...
He tried to talk in a very silent voice so surrounding people couldn’t hear - not to embarrass her on her first day.
“The sink smells a little bit ... disgusting... Maybe I have to use an hard... extreme... cleaning stuff...” She smiled, he looked confused.
Trying to restrain a laughter she asked “Does it smell like rotten eggs?“.
And on his “...hm...yes...?” she answered with an introducing gesture “That is Iceland...!”
At least she could console us a bit with the declaration that the water is “geothermal water...”
Later on our cleaning tour we found a label which reinforced her explanation. And the water even really seems to be drinkable... And after some research in the internet we found that it is probably one of the cleanest, healthiest world-wide...
And a relation-tip-side-note: Never ever look at your spouse as if she / he would have had a hot shower in Iceland! Think at rose-scented spring-flowers! Come on, you can do it! Try harder!
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12/05/2008, Friday, 12:55, Meike, Reykjavik, Iceland
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Some social studies
Here are two studies I found which might be interesting for you. Both have advocates and critics - so form your own opinion about them and use whatever you can use.
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12/04/2008, Thursday, 20:37, Meike, Reykjavik, Iceland
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Awesome coast of Reykjavik
Today we went for a little walk and found this rough beautiful spot:
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12/03/2008, Wednesday, Meike, Reykjavik, Iceland
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10:21
Convention on Cluster Munitions
More than 100 nations have subscribed to the Declaration of the Wellington Conference on Cluster Munitions.
“Countries that ratify the convention are obliged "never under any circumstances to":
(a) Use cluster munitions;
(b) Develop, produce, otherwise acquire, stockpile, retain or transfer to anyone, directly or indirectly, cluster munitions;
(c) Assist, encourage or induce anyone to engage in any activity prohibited to a State Party under this Convention.”
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09:54
German Handball in Iceland...?!
Ok, after almost 70 TV channels in Canada the 7 in Reykjavik are a little less, especially because two of them seem to show religious shows or test pattern without exception. Additional there is one British news channel broadcasting international news.
But there are three channels which broadcast US shows and series and sometimes good movies - in English with Icelandic subtitles - very useful! Probably that’s an explanation why so many Icelander speak such a good English.
Aaand there is the sport channel which broadcasted ... tatah ... German Handball! “Die Woche - Handball kompakt”! We couldn’t believe our eyes! So if you ever wanted so watch the game between Hamburger SV vs Flensburg Something or Minden vs Großwallstadt explained by an Icelandic commentator, yesterday was your chance! Very strange!
Hamburger SV...!
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12/02/2008, Tuesday, 18:41, Meike, Reykjavik, Iceland
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Very little, tiny, short review...
After one year of Canada we spent some time for a personal review. How did this first year of travel changed us? What did we learn in which city? Which were the good and which the bad experiences? And what did we like best? Maybe we should write a book...!
Anyway, here is my new personal, very incomplete, but completely undemocratic and absolutely undiplomatic comparison of the cities we have lived in:
(5 = great, 1 = poor, between = between)
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Hamb.
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Halifax / Dart.
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St Ste.
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Toron.
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Otta.
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people caring about each other
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2
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4
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3
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2
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3
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people taking care of themselves
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3
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4
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4
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4
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4
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average relaxation of people
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2
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4
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3
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2
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4
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people singing in supermarkets
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1.1
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4
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2
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2
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3
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nature nearby
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2
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4
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3
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3
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4
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silence
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3
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3
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4
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2
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4
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wild animals
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2
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4
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3
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2
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4
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dog education / behaviour
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2
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4
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3
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3
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3
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weather (general)
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2
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4
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4
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4
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4
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quality and quantity of public art
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2
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2
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2
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4
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3
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shopping possibilities and general friendliness of staff
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2
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3
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2
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3
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4
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public transportation
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3
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3
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1.1
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3
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3
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internationality
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3
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3
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2
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4
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3
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general loveliness
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3
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4
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3
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3
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4
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result
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32.1
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50
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39.1
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41
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47
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And some final pictures...:
my best Indian Summer picture
symbol of silence in Ottawa
my happy place in Ottawa
We will be back!
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12/01/2008, Monday, 15:40, Meike, Reykjavik, Iceland
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Travel rough, arrival save... (again)
So it is done, we survived another emigration!
with a heavy heart waiting for the taxi
getting rid of the snow at the airport of Ottawa - Canadian style
After 1:20 hours delay our tiny plane arrived from Quebec. The good-humoured stewardess announces via speaker that two planes were broken and they had to run... I like to hear those things - after we landed!
snowy Canada from above
And I would call our approach for a landing kind of rough. I lost contact to my seat three times...! More than I ordered...
At this point I felt much better...
Andreas in Boston waiting for the connecting flight
me in Boston
(chin is still healing, see 11/06/2008)
And when I saw the covering next to my seat in the Icelandair plane
I wanted the two broken planes from Air Canada back...!
first view on the mountains of ...
Reykjavic, Iceland!
Yay, it was worth it!
(And nobody sent in a correct guess for our “Where do we go next - Quiz”. Most frequent given answer was Tokyo. Maybe next time.)
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11/23/2008, Sunday, 21:54, Meike, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Where do we go next - Quiz
Even if we feel so much welcome here in Canada, we will leave soon... Here is a new tip for you:
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11/21/2008, Friday, 19:12, Meike, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Honourable e-mail
Two days after publishing here that we would leave Canada we got a very friendly and surprising e-mail from the Honourable Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario, with among others information about possibilities of immigration to Canada! That is so, so sweet!
And since you are brave reader of our blog you have to live with two more of my tree pictures.
To warm hearts - we had chilling Wind Chill -16°C yesterday evening...
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11/18/2008, Tuesday, 21:57, Meike, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Where do we go next - Quiz
Actually we had no no correct answers on our quiz so far! Seems to be a challenge! So here is the first hint:
- It is a city on the coast.
There are some very nice links to maps in the knowledge section of our link page. Have fun!
(Oh and please understand that we can not answer each mail with a guess individually. We will honour the first candidate with the correct answer here on the blog! So keep on trying.)
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11/17/2008, Monday, 13:21, Meike, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Wow, we are busy...!
The WGS school
We are opening our first school these days!
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Education leads to understanding, understanding leads to tolerance, tolerance leads to communication - and communication leads to peace.
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Actually that keeps us working day and night right now- and it is worth it! I publish more details pretty soon!
Moving on, learning more
And... even if it breaks my little heart... it is time for us to move on again, to learn more! So we are leaving Canada pretty soon.
That’s why we have a little quiz for you:
The first one of you who guesses the right city, where we spend the next time, will be honoured here in the blog! Yes, I’ll give little hints from time to time.
(Excluded from the quiz is everybody whom we told where we go, employees of the hotel and airlines, and everybody working for an intelligence service. And just one guess per person.)
One of the many reasons why I love Canada so much - even if it looks a bit different now...:
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11/06/2008, Thursday, 19:35, Meike, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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The seasons seem to be very short here in Ottawa.
After we had winter last week...
... we have summerlike 18°C (eighteen!) now again!
P.S.: Just to answer some e-mails of appreciated caring readers before they arrive... Yes, I have had the band aid on my chin before I tried swinging. No, I wouldn’t consider myself very motor skill gifted, my brain works fortunately much better.
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11/04/2008, Tuesday, 20:07, Meike, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Scream, bang, tap, tap tap...
Last Sunday we had the chance to attend a local football game! Very impressive, especially auditive.
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11/01/2008, Saturday, 15:15, Meike, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Our first Canadian Halloween... or “Are you Halloweeners...?”
the first Halloween decoration we have seen
Two months ago when we arrived in Ottawa we found a party decoration store on one of our fist discovery tours. Of course we went in an found ourselves in the midst of spooky skeletons, scythes, shiny ghosts, more masks and costumes than I have ever seen before, and other masses of strange decoration.
A friendly sales person headed for us and asked “Are you Halloweeners...?”. That made me think about the undiscovered facets of my personality again. Is there a Halloweener somewhere hidden deep inside waiting to be freed? Well, the concept of Trick-or-Treat sounded more as kind of attempted extortion to me and I’m not a big fan of skeletons, graves and all kind of cruelty in front gardens. So I told her that I might become one. But I have to admit that I was excited about all the impressing stuff in the store and before we left, we bought a sparkling hat for Andreas.
and these plastic bags for leaves where a very cute idea...
During the last weeks we have seen a lot of Halloween decoration and I have to state that I really started to like it! Smiling pumpkins, ghosts and straw men everywhere, just the graves and such needs getting used to.
And yesterday we celebrated our first Canadian Halloween! So at about 7 pm we went for a walk and marvelled the beautiful decorated houses and well-behaved and lovingly dressed little princesses, bugs, elephants, cats and much more, who were busy knocking on doors in the hope of candy, supervised by their just as excited parents. Very, very sweet!
my favourite Halloween decoration in the neighbourhood
P.S.:
And I have to mention that yesterday I won a Halloween costume contest as well... Maybe there is as a matter of fact a tiny but growing Halloweener somewhere ...?! Could be...
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10/29/2008, Wednesday, 14:38, Meike, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Indian What...?!
Just keep in mind that some days ago we had some beautiful T-shirt weather. So we were a bit excited when the weather forecast announced up to 30 cm snow for last night in Ottawa. Well, the big advantage of Canadian weather forecasts is that if they promise you snow - you get snow!
So late at night we took a walk in the middle of the first big snow storm of the season what was really wonderful - and cold, and wet, but wonderful... And in the next days we are supposed to have nice cozy weather again.
Indian ... um ... Autumn?
Behind freezing me you can still see some Indian Summer...!
Indian ... hm ... Winter - this morning
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10/28/2008, Tuesday, Meike, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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19:12
Interest in groundwater
Yesterday the UNESCO published the first world map of underground transboundary aquifers. More...
“During the past decades the interest in groundwater increased considerably due to water shortage problems on local, regional and even global levels. The use of groundwater is considered as an appropriate way out of regional water crises caused by population growth and economic development but the knowledge of this hidden resource is still weak in many places and investments in groundwater management and protection are insufficient. “
World-wide Hydrogeological Mapping and Assessment Programme (WHYMAP)
17:44
Reactions on “Oh Ottawa” from 10/26/2008, Sunday, 22:07
Tree FAQs - Frequently answered questions about trees...!
Ok, now I know that some of you want to see some of my tree pictures! Here we go... Here are some!
And yes, I’m glad that you love trees like me. And no, I don’t hug trees so far, maybe I should try - so far I just hug people, dogs, stuffed animals, pillows, laptops,... And yes, I take videos of trees as well, but I couldn’t convince my camera to take good enough movies to publish them - I need a real video camera at some point. And no, I don’t sell tree pictures, maybe worth a thought in the future... And yes, I have some information about the question why Indian summer is called Indian Summer.
And no, the snake didn’t bite, it was very nice and well behaved - of course, it is Canadian...!
P.S.: If you use our contact form, please be sure to fill in your correct e-mail address. Otherwise I can’t answer at all!
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10/27/2008, Monday, 19:06, Meike, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Squirrel party in the neighbourhood...
Find three kinds of squirrels (and a dove) in this picture living (more or less) peacefully together.
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10/26/2008, Sunday, 22:07, Meike, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Oh Ottawa...
Ottawa in autumn is just gorgeous! I took hundreds of pictures from Indian Summer trees...
And we had the chance to visit the Black Rapide Lock at the beautiful Rideau Canal.
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10/22/2008, Wednesday, 15:22, Meike, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Another of Ottawa’s cuties in yellow-black...
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10/17/2008, Friday, 21:46, Meike, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Andreas: “A snake!”, Meike: “A snake! A snake! Wow...! A snaaake...!”
Because the weather is still nice we have gone for a little walk in our beautiful “backyard”. At some point we heard a rustling 1 1/2 meters from our feet. Curious as we are we had a look what caused the rustling and there it was: About 80 cm long and well dressed in trendy yellow-black.
Of course I wanted to take a video (my new hobby) and after the first second of filming Andreas (who stood right-angled to my actress and me) moved - and instead of take flight in the opposite direction the snake snaked high speed towards me! I have no idea why she did so (lots of animals do so for some reason, sometimes I like it more, sometimes less) and so my movie turned involuntarily into an action-movie very fast. Unfortunately I lost the snake out of the focus while hopping backwards through the coppice. But at least the sound is very entertaining...!
Andreas and snake
me and snake,
me holding a high-high-tech-snake-defence-tool McAndreas has tinkered and put into my hands, just for the case...
(And, no, my pants are not open, that is the bag of our camera fixed on my belt!)
gorgeous beauty
Another unusual experience! Isn’t that great, we really have snakes in the neighbourhood! Can’t wait to see some again!
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10/15/2008, Wednesday, 09:27, Meike, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Canadian federal election
After the cancellation of four federal by-elections yesterday the 2008 Canadian federal election was held to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 40th Canadian Parliament. Canadian voters have chosen to give Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Conservatives a minority mandate and the Liberals have got their lowest level of popular support since the election of 1867.
The election campaigns were pretty much interesting for us because they differed in several ways from the German election campaigns. The television spots were partly very much focussed on the failings of the political opponent, which sometimes gave the impression you had to chose the lesser of some evils, what was kind of strange - and somewhat unfriendly... so non-Canadian.
A wider difference was the street advertisement: The streets were not sign posted with dozens of same oversized passport photographs - just some few signs at intersections with names - but no reasons on them mentioned why to vote for them.
And very much different were the many signs in the front gardens of many private houses:
By the way: Isn’t this a lovely street...?!
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10/13/2008, Monday, 21:04, Meike, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Time for one of my open letters again!
Actually I planned to write an entry about today’s Canadian Thanksgiving day. There is so much we are thankful for in Canada...!
Additional topic should have been the Canadian Oktoberfest which takes place right now.
And then an article in the Washington Time about one of Washington Time about one of Senator McCains recent word choices draw my attention.
Usually I try not to get involved too much in political election campaigns officially because I am convinced that in free and democratic countries most people make in the majority of cases the right decisions.
And because being able to choose an appropriate and respectful choice of words is sometimes even more important than the content, Senator McCains’ recent meaningful mistake was the last in a row of questionable choices which made me decide: It is time for one of my open letters again!
P.S.: And I have sent a copy of this letter to Senator Obama as well.
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Subject: Open Letter
Dear Senator McCain,
As many others I appreciated that you finally promised to run a respectful campaign in the weeks to come.
I’m founder of the international peace project “World’s Greatest Smile” which is supported by 14 Nobel Laureates including the peace Nobel Laureate the Dalai Lama. The aim of the “World’s Greatest Smile” is to enhance peaceful and effective communication.
And as a human being which is very much interested in a peaceful future for our children and us I listen carefully to the content of what politicians have to say.
Besides that from the view of an expert in communication I’m pretty much focused on the form, because this can make an intelligent content sound bad and vice versa. Especially in the candidates debates it is highly interested to hear and see which candidates uses which strategies and which easy and effective techniques you surprisingly have missed.
And now you said you would whip Senator Obama’s “you-know-what” in this debate...
Probably you meant that in a figurative sense so the content was that you like to have an intense debate.
The form was a choice which will hopefully be noticed from voters as a big and meaningful mistake. Some people will even understand that in a black-white-history context. You have enough experience and are probably responsible enough to understand that this was a statement which is far out of the acceptable limits.
You like me are supposable of the opinion that to announce physical violence is not the way of a role mode you want to be. Politicians should be and act as persons people can model themselves on, don’t you think so?
I hope you can and will correct your word choice in the near future.
Voters hopefully make their decision on a content basis - and furthermore carefully notice the form basis because both factors are important for a save future for all of us.
Sincerely,
Meike Duch
_______________________________________
“World’s Greatest Smile” project
www.worlds-greatest-smile.com
mail (at) worlds-greatest-smile.com
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10/12/2008, Sunday, 13:16, Meike, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Awesome day at Dow’s Lake
Yesterday we made an excursion to Ottawa’s beautiful Dow’s Lake. Sooo many smiling people, lots of dear dogs, a bridal couple tossing leaf over each other, children laughing rolling down a hill... Oh, and I had the chance to play with two adorable beagle puppies... Altogether definitely one of my best days ever!
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10/10/2008, Friday, 11:41, Meike, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Nobel Peace Prize 2008
Since two years we expected former president of Finland, United Nations diplomat and mediator Martti Ahtisaari to be awarded the
Nobel Peace Prize for his outstanding contributions to conflict prevention and resolution. And today, finally, he received this great and meaningful award!
Martti Ahtisaari was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2008 "for his important efforts, on several continents and over more than three decades, to resolve international conflicts".
For the past twenty years, Martti Ahtisaari has figured prominently in endeavours to resolve several serious and long-lasting conflicts. In 1989-90 he played a significant part in the establishment of Namibia’s independence; in 2005 he and his organization Crisis Management Initiative (CMI) were central to the solution of the complicated Aceh question in Indonesia. In 1999 and again in 2005-07, he sought under especially difficult circumstances to find a solution to the conflict in Kosovo. In 2008, through the CMI and in cooperation with other institutions, Ahtisaari has tried to help find a peaceful conclusion to the problems in Iraq. Martti Ahtisaari has also made constructive contributions to the resolution of conflicts in Northern Ireland, in Central Asia, and on the Horn of Africa.
We cordially congratulate you, Martti Ahtisaari, on your well-deserved award!
The Nobel Peace Prize 2008
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10/09/2008, Thursday, 17:07, Meike, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Basic Norwegian
For all our readers who might like to know some Norwegian vocabularies tomorrow morning 11 a.m. CET (9 a.m. GMT)
- Hello! - Hallo! Goddag! Hei!
- Good morning! - God morgen!
- How are you? - Hvordan står det til?
- Very good, thanks! - Bare bra, takk!
- What is your name? - Hva er navnet ditt? Hva heter du?
- My name is... - Jeg heter... Mitt navn er... Eg heiter...
- Thank you very much! - Tusen takk!
- Yes - Ja
- Please! - Vær så snill! Vennligst!
- See you later! - Ser deg senere!
And after that you probably need no more vocabularies for a (little) while being busy with hoping and dancing... Enjoy!
(No responsibility is taken for the correctness of this information.)
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10/08/2008, Wednesday, 21:50, Meike, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Aww, part III
Just imagine... In Ottawa even the litter bins are cute...
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10/02/2008, Thursday, 19:49, Meike, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Aww, part II
one of our beloved cute neighbours
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09/26/2008, Friday, 22:57, Meike, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Aww...
Andreas surprised me with a beautiful Wednesday-afternoon-Picknick. Singing birds, sunshine, 26°C, view on a river - what else do you need to be happy?
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09/23/2008, Tuesday, 18:54, Meike, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Awesome Autumn
After having one of the coldest winters in Halifax, the first spring since decades in Dartmouth (whatever that means but lots of people told us so), the wettest summer ever in Toronto, we seem to get the most beautiful autumn in Ottawa now!
the very first beginning of Indian Summer
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09/15/2008, Monday, 19:47, Meike, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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“Our wild backyard”
When I was having a look on some satellite images from our new neighbourhood here in Ottawa there seemed to be an interesting spot nearby. So we made a short excursion and found this:
(detail of the picture above)
Ok, no swimming today...
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09/10/2008, Wednesday, 23:52, Meike, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Scientists-go-round
When we meet Physics Nobel Laureate Frank Wilczek the first time several years ago he already spoke about today’s historic day in physics.
The first beam in the LHC (Large Hadron Collider) at CERN successfully steered around the 27 kilometres of the world’s most powerful particle accelerator! The organization has 20 European member states and scientists and engineers representing 80 nationalities working together to find out what happens when big kids play - or let’s say what particles they find, and what holds all the stars together, and much more.
I wonder what cool things happen when even more organizations make their big kids work together on a global playground.
And here is a rap explaining what this is all bout: Large Hadron Rap ...!
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09/08/2008, Monday, 16:14, Meike, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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“If you don’t find it here - you don’t need it...!” (Andreas)
The Ottawa region was named after the Odawa First Nations, meaning “traders”...
Maybe that has nothing to do with it, but... besides living in a quiet, quiet neighbourhood we just have to walk a few hundred meters to be right in one of the most extensive malls I have ever seen. Think of a shop for any wired thing - and you will probably find it here, besides a curling hall, an indoor golf club, a shop for artistically decorating cakes, zoo shops with puppy training, computer shops, dutch grocery, a party decoration shop with Halloween stuff (from cute little glowing ghosts with changing colours to uh), a pet hotel, outdoor equipment with rubber geese, and much much more.
Candy store...!...!
Want to spend a night here, too? Me personally not right in this aisle - but they have aisles with cereals, dried fruits and all kind of delicious treasures, as well.
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09/04/2008, Thursday, 12:03, Meike, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Ottawa - first impressions
After we spent three months downtown Toronto - right in the middle of busy everything - we decided to stay a bit in a outlying district of Ottawa this time. Singing children and crickets are the loudest sounds most of the time - isn’t that nice...
We had some excursions around our new home and among others found “The field”.
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09/02/2008, Tuesday, 12:51, Meike, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Bye bye Toronto! Hello Ottawa!
After nine months in Canada here is our new personal, completely undemocratic and absolutely undiplomatic comparison. This time I let Andreas co-decide and we differed in some points - but discussing the ranking we had an interesting review on the last time. We laughed a lot!
(5 = great, 1 = poor, between = between)
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Hamburg
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Halifax /
Dartmouth
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St Stephen
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Toronto
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internationality
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2
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2
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2
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4.9
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museums *1
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2
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3 (*1)
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2
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2 (*1)
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felt air quality
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3
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4
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4
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2
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shopping
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3
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3
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1.1
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4
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liveliness in the eyes of people
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3
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4
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3
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2
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parks *2
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3
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4 (*2)
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2
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4 (*2)
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favourite food
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4
every month different
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4
raisin muffins
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3
trail mix
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4
indian cookies
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quality of street performers *3
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2
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3 (*3)
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1 (*3)
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4 (*3)
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free sport facilities
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2
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2
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1.1
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4
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squirrels quality *4
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3
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4 (*4)
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3
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4 (*4)
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seeming competency of police officers
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2
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3
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2
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4
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average friendliness
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2
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4
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4
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3
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ships *5
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4
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4
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1.1 (*5)
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3
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result
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35
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44
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29.3
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44.9
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*1
Halifax: not a lot of exhibits but lovingly presented
Toronto: lots and lots of rare and expensive exhibits - if you find them
*2
Halifax: beautiful
Toronto: lots
*3
Halifax: ACDC on a panpipe
St Stephen: just haven’t seen any
Toronto: very international
*4
Halifax: cuteness
Toronto: quantity
*5
St Stephen: just haven’t seen many
And here some leftover pictures I wanted to share:
One of my favourite places in Toronto: Chinatown
Oh and I have to mention that we had the wettest summer in record in Toronto! There has never been so much rain than in the three months when we were there... I read somewhere that we had 24 days with thunderstorms, some of them with several per day.
This is the CN Tower in one of the rare moments when you were not soaked looking upwards.
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08/30/2008, Saturday, 19:57, Meike, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Travelling on
After tree months in Toronto it’s time for us to move on tomorrow. And the winner this time is: Ottawa! Yay!
So today we had a long last Toronto excursion: CN Tower, harbour, Rogers Center, Eaton Center, the PATH, everything...
We found this communication advice in a multi-storey car park downtown Toronto. Maybe worth a try...
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08/29/2008, Friday, 21:31, Meike, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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More fur = less fur...
The squirrels here in Toronto are huge - and we see lots and lots of them every day.
This dove seemed to like one of them very much...
... So did this bird of prey (I assume it’s a hawk?) in a park downtown Toronto.
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08/28/2008, Thursday, 19:16, Meike, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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More furry love...
We found this at a University of Toronto building.
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08/27/2008, Wednesday, 15:59, Meike, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Hairy love
When we were sitting on the lawn in a nearby park watching a combination of baseball and frisbee and some other games this huge cutie came along and enthusiastically embodies his desire to play, cuddle, love us... We were overwhelmed...
One of the watering places for best friends, humans upstairs, dogs downstairs - sometimes topsy-turvy.
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08/22/2008, Friday, 23:14, Meike, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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BuskerFest
We decided to take some hours off this afternoon to visit the famous Toronto BuskerFest, which takes place every August and takes place in support of Epilepsy Toronto.
Street performers from across Canada, the US, England, Australia, Hungary, Sweden, the Netherlands, Argentina and Japan perform for over 50.000 spectators. You could watch comedians, contortionists, musicians, magicians, sword swallowers, fire jugglers, acrobats, aerial artists and others.
And this happy guy brought on stage by balloons...
... turned out to be Mookie Morris who was voted out off the top 5 of the Canadian Idol TV-show last week. Today he sang for the enthusiastic crowd on BuskerFest.
And on our way back home we passed the flags in front of the Royal Canadian Military Institute half-mast because of the three dead Canadian soldiers who were killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan this week.
We are back in reality...
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08/20/2008, Wednesday, 19:30, Meike, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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New... new... new!
We worked in the last weeks (actually months and even years) intensely on the enhancement of the World’s Greatest Smile to make it more effective and influential. And now we are almost ready to tell you about our latest new exciting, great, and fun project within the World’s Greatest Smile!
So stay tuned, we are almost ready to publish!
We just need to prepare the website, find even more volunteers and co-workers and some tiny things besides that.
Oh and yes, we need definitely some (or one) very good sponsors or/and donators to realize the new project!
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07/31/2008, Thursday, 23:31, Meike, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Metallike smile...
We found this smiling hydrant in a street nearby.
P.S.: And I like the expression ‘metallike’ - kind of readable ambiguity...
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07/24/2008, Thursday, 15:51, Meike, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Highlights of “my last days”
Have been ill for several days now, so my highlights are somewhat minimalist.
I was roared by a racoon when I was brushing my teeth at night! At least I hope it was a racoon - it sounded like a grizzly! I’m not used to be roared at while brushing anything - and we are still downtown, so this was a very new and unexpected experience...
I can easily drink 5 litres per day, and cold Camomile tea with the taste of Champion soup tastes better than it sounds.
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07/15/2008, Tuesday, 07:19, Meike, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Another speedy speed visit at the museum
When we visited the China exhibition some weeks ago we had some live music there (Dirty Dancing...! What else...?) in the ROM, the Royal Ontario Museum. So we were curious what to expect next. This time we saw some more cultures (unfortunately without any music at all), and more dishes than I ever expected to see...
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07/09/2008, Tuesday, 13:11, Meike, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Language resources
I polished up our language resources section a bit.
 These are the languages we have so far and you can help by adding the translation of another language: Click here!
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07/05/2008, Saturday, 20:36, Meike, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Another continent...
And some new cultures again... After a week with a lot (!) of work we decided to take a few hours off and spent some time on the “Toronto’s Afrofest 2008” today. Lots of music, art, food, happy people...
And on our way home I found even more Africa on two sidewalk flagstones...
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07/01/2008, Tuesday, 22:40, Meike, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Happy Birthday, Canada!
Today is Canada Day!
On July 1st 1867 the British colonies joined Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Province of Canada into a federation.
So it is Canada’s 141st birthday, yay!
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06/27/2008, Friday, 15:29, Meike, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Some of the highlights of this week:
And we found this inhabited sparrow nest.
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06/24/2008, Tuesday, 22:07, Meike, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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New neighbours...
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06/22/2008, Sunday, 20:39, Meike, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Miigwech (again)
for offering me the possibility to attend the Toronto Pow Wow!
I was looking forward to this weekend for many, many weeks...:
Yesterday - on National Aboriginal Day - we had the honour to take part in the Toronto’s largest Outdoor Pow Wow!
What an experience! Very, very impressing in many ways! Lots of dancing, singing and drumming, lots of nice people on all kinds of shades, celebrating together and just enjoyed themselves.
I have to admit that I pointed on something (even twice) and fortunately remembered before I did it the third time that it might considered rude - and nodded appropriate in the direction I wanted to show from then on. ...I promise to learn more! At least I didn’t make any pictures during Flag, Prayer or Honour songs.
So imagine a park filled with more than thousand people, lots of them children, after 6 hours of dancing, singing and drumming. And now imagine someone announcing that the tons of gifts on blankets are free gifts for everybody to take along. What pictures come up to your mind?
Alan Manitowabi, Arena Director
Ok, the picture which came up to my mind was exchanged by a looong line (later even three lines because there were so many people) of polite and patiently waiting people who took a present each and thanked the event’s volunteers afterwards.
Free Giveaway
And even if you didn’t stay in line for a present (we didn’t because we didn’t bring any presents by ourselves, but I think now, we were not even supposed to bring some...) people came around and gave you one. So we ended up with a honey-soap for Andreas and a rose body lotion for me - what was perfect because we couldn’t transport a huge stiffed animal, picture frame, or some of the other presents anyway. So someone really knew what he did...
Anyway I spent some of the very best hours here in Toronto on Na-Me-Res’ Pow Wow.
Miigwech and Giga-waabamin miinawaa!
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06/19/2008, Thursday, 21:31, Meike, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Art of the
Perfect universal companionship
Ok, I almost had no time (or did I finally become modest) to tell you about our first bigger art exhibitions in favour of the World’s Greatest Smile.
Rezzable Productions and the Not Possible In Real Life group (NPIRL) have joined forces to hold a large-scale two month extravaganza loosely themed around “The Garden of NPIRL Delights” in the 3D virtual world “Second Life”.
My (Second Life name: Yeti Bing) exhibition is called “Perfect universal companionship”.
It describes how different creatures (aliens, robots, a dragon, a dwarf and many more...) work peacefully together to run the solar system and the earth within it. Is shows how different beings can cooperate with each other and create a system that works in a perfect way for a comparatively long time. It means that the variety of inner and outer appearance can even enhance the cooperation and teamwork and brings the overall result to perfect.
And you can be part of the team – wear your free avatar! (You can get it in the “Perfect universal companionship” - exhibition.) Have fun!
“Perfect universal companionship”
Venus
Jupiter
Mars
Mercury
Earth
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06/18/2008, Wednesday, 20:53, Meike, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Where is Korea...?!
After our shoes dried now (mine took three days for that) we decided to take our cold out to a more water proved place and had a short excursion to the ROM, the Royal Ontario Museum, again today.
This time we visited the exhibition about Native Americans (which was astonishing small!).
Then went to “China”...
The Imperial Palace Hall - full-scale reconstruction represents the corner of a large palace hall in the imperial style of the Qing dynasty (1644 - 1912). All parts were made in China and shipped to Toronto.
After we couldn’t find “Korea” somehow...
... we ended in “Japan”.
And because our time was limited the only thing we saw from Greek and Cyprus was a video in Sign Language.
Next time more...
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06/16/2008, Monday, 17:19, Meike, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Thunderstorm the first, second, third, fourth, fifth...
After we recovered a bit from our cold we planed to spend the afternoon at the Luminato, Toronto Festival of Art & Creativity 2008 yesterday. At noon we had a thunderstorm so we decided to wait a bit... and even waited till the second thunderstorm was over as well. Then we hurried to the harbour to find out that if we want to find something artful or creative there, we have to do it by ourselves because everybody went home - what was probably a bright decision because we stood in the middle of thunderstorm number three.
This is supposed to be daylight...
We searched shelter in the PATH, Toronto’s underground walkway.
When we found out again we found ourselves right in the Filipino Singing Idol contest. Did you ever wanted to hear a great Filipino singer perform Italian love songs? If you didn’t, you should - this was really great!
Filipino Singing Idol contest - my best 20 minutes in Toronto so far!
When everybody started to stare at the sky instead of the stage we discovered that it is time to run again, because thunderstorm number four prepared to flood the city.
Thunderstorm number four: Now it is proven - you can’t get wetter than wet.
When we arriver at home we were soaked, dirty and cold. The sun was shining almost sarcastically - dry humour.
That gave us the chance to hop under the shower just before thunderstorm number five started it’s show...!
P.S.: I read that Vancouver has six thunderstorms per year. Hm... Vancouver?!
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06/12/2008, Thursday, 20:38, Meike, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Historic apology and another Open Letter
Yesterday was an historic day in the history of our new home country Canada and maybe even in the history world wide.
At a ceremony in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper finally apologized for more than a century of abuse and cultural loss involving Indian residential schools.
This was a big step in the right direction! We hope much more steps will follow on a journey to peace! And we hope that more and more politicians (and others) will follow this path.
So it is time again for an Open Letter I wrote last night:
Dear Mr. Stephen Harper,
Dear Mr. Phil Fontaine,
We were deeply moved about your meeting yesterday and both of your future oriented speeches.
Thank you, Mr. Stephen Harper, for your exemplary apology!
Miigwech, Mr. Phil Fontaine, for your exemplary acceptance of the apology!
We are looking forward to your upcoming work together on ending this racial nightmare. And we are very confident of your future partnership! You could cause a change in the lives of so many people in Canada and even more in many other countries. Please take your chance and continue be a role model in this case for politicians around the world!
Sincerely yours,
Meike Duch
Mr. Stephen Harper, an apology, well done!
“We now recognize that it was wrong to separate children from rich and vibrant cultures and traditions, that it created a void in many lives and communities, and we apologize for having done this.
We now recognize that, in separating children from their families, we undermined the ability of many to adequately parent their own children and sowed the seeds for generations to follow and we apologize for having done this.
We now recognize that, far too often, these institutions gave rise to abuse or neglect and were inadequately controlled, and we apologize for failing to protect you.
Not only did you suffer these abuses as children, but as you became parents, you were powerless to protect your own children from suffering the same experience, and for this we are sorry.
... The Government of Canada sincerely apologizes and asks the forgiveness of the aboriginal peoples of this country for failing them so profoundly. We are sorry.
In moving towards healing, reconciliation and resolution of the sad legacy of Indian residential schools, implementation of the Indian residential schools settlement agreement began on September 19, 2007.
Years of work by survivors, communities, and aboriginal organizations culminated in an agreement that gives us a new beginning and an opportunity to move forward together in partnership.”
Text of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's apology to Canada's natives
Mr. Phil Fontaine, an acceptance of an apology, well done, as well!
“The memories of residential schools sometimes cuts like merciless knives at our souls.
... This day will help us to put that pain behind us.
... The attempt to erase our identity hurt us deeply, but it also hurt all Canadians and impoverished the character of this nation. We must not falter in our duty now. Emboldened by the this spectacle of history it is possible to end our racial nightmare together.''
Phil Fontaine, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, the national organization representing First Nations citizens in Canada
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06/11/2008, Wednesday, 19:12, Meike, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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New experiment on ourselves
Yes, the Torontonian cold viruses work, too. So now we successfully proved that we can have a cold at around -20°C in Halifax and at +33° in Toronto.
I feel that we should stop these experiments some day... Just a thought.
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06/07/2008, Sunday, 16:55, Meike, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Street life
There was a “rolling street festivity” today on Bloor Street. It has been in Korea Town earlier and when it arrived in our area we went there and had some fun.
If you were very sweet they let you drown the lifesaver even if you didn’t hit the red aim with the ball. Probably he has one of the best jobs today, swimming in a bathtub at over 30°C.
Lots of booths selling all kind of cuddly toys, jewellery, hats, books and much more...
You could even get a massage.
And we have seen one of the most amazing street performances we have seen since years!
No glue, just balance...!
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06/04/2008, Thursday, 12:14, Meike, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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All roads lead to ROM
Even if I have been to Toronto before, my stays were always too short to visit the ROM, the Royal Ontario Museum. The ROM is the largest museum in Canada and the fifth largest museum in North America. It is containing more than six million items and over 40 galleries.
Yesterday we took the time and went there. Because it is just a couple of minutes from our new home and there is much too much to see for one visit we decided to concentrate on the dinosaurs this time and come back frequently. So far we can say: Amazing building, amazing exhibitions! We are looking forward to our next visit.
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06/03/2008, Tuesday, 14:18, Meike, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Toronto, finally
After we found out that our first accommodation in Toronto was just too far outside (and as a small comfort we found out that we rented some very expensive dirt, too) we spent some time to find a new home. And now we are very happy in a very, very cute street right downtown and just a few meters from the famous Royal Ontario Museum!
The structure of Toronto is fascinating! Huge but interesting designed buildings and gorgeous little streets with beautiful little houses and lots of green right side by side.
Our street...!
Did you expect a street like this downtown? Oh, and yes, the building on the right is a Tibetan Temple.
Lake Ontario before our first bigger thunder storm in Toronto.
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05/29/2008, Thursday, 11:47, Meike, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Hello Toronto!
Yes, we did it and arrived in Toronto yesterday!
Did I ever mention our weather when travelling...?!
Lots of moose warnings on the way, great, isn’t it?!
friendly bus driver greeting all other drivers of bigger vehicles
(like all bus drivers did)
me in Montreal
huge Squirrel in Montreal
first view on Lake Ontario
big apple...
first view on Toronto |
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Bye bye, St Stephen!
Actually I love St Stephen! People were treating us from the very first day as if we were best neighbours since years. Having a nice chat with us on the street, glowingly waving from cars, windows and greeting friendliest when you met them, explaining us everything enthusiastically whenever we needed any information, and gave always much more than you could expect! I have to admit that I cried my when we decided to leave, I had to yield to reason.
Ok, here are some pictures from St Stephen I wanted to post...
“May Peace Prevail On Earth”, right behind the Canadian-US border
new hobby
picture taken by Andreas
Andreas on one of our favourite trails...
...and me
me in peaceful place
Andreas in search of cocoa
And our helpful innkeeper John.
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05/22/2008, Thursday, 21:05, Meike, St Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada
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Green and shades of beige
Green
After we discovered that the water we drink since a week colours everything it encounters green we decided to buy our drinking water here... And cause it is somewhat difficult to drink from a 10 litre canister (yes, I tried it) I really drink out of a mug instead out of my beloved water bottle.
Shades of beige
Yesterday we made an excursion to the flood area of St Stephen to think some projects through:
This area is flooded at high tide.
This as well.
Quotations of the day:
“It murmurs everywhere below me...”
“Be careful, here are everywhere ho...!”
(the “...les” was somehow drowned)
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05/20/2008, Tuesday, 23:01, Meike, St Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada
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And that is where the fun ends - well, not really
Even if I really like St Stephen - and especially the people here who are so cute - it seems that we have to travel on pretty soon. We have just internet access for one of our computers, and even that just temporary with a very slooo...o...o(!)...ow connection. Moreover one of our mice died (relax, the computer mouse), it seems that it fell down a few time too often. And so unfortunately here we can’t work nearly as effective as we used to work and that’s why we have to leave earlier than we want to.
(Ok, this might be just funny for German speaking readers...)
(Spass = fun)
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05/16/2008, Friday, 10:34, Meike, St Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada
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Daily life in St Stephen
Every day most of the time we still work at the computer, here in our newest office in front of the public library to use the internet there...
And besides that if we find the time we explore the surroundings:
Andreas and the footprint of ... um ...well ...
This is the official “Walking Trail” of St Stephen.
And rescued a bug from the rising tide flowing in.
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05/15/2008, Tuesday, 10:28, Meike, St Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada
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We found two new friends
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05/14/2008, Wednesday, 21:49, Meike, St Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada
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Trying to get and use the new opportunities
We are still challenged with our computer which seems to be the only one in North America not being able to use wireless internet. But at least it tries to assist as much as it can.
And even watching the change of tides is fascinating and St Stephen is really beautiful (on our way to the supermarket we were greeted with smiling “Hi!”s, “How are you?”s and several variants of nice greetings), soon it is time again to decide where to go next. There are some exciting possibilities.
Probably we will not go by car...
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05/13/2008, Tuesday, 22:20, Meike, St Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada
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Computer co-operation
Finally I found a possibility to transfer the web site from our “web site computer” to the other one which is willing to use it’s wireless internet function today. Hopefully just a temporary solution for the moment. We have to upgrade our “web site computer” at some point.
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World’s Greatest Smile
