Archives for September 2011

Lippi-Bekenntnisse – a different look at life in the GDR

September 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Lippi-Bekenntnisse - Unverblümte Plauderein über ein authentisches LebenIt is now 15 years ago that I made my first trip into what used to be East Berlin.  I was there to solve a problem with a computer belonging to someone who I have been in contact with ever since and recently visited at the Störtebeker Festspiele on the island Rügen – singer and television presenter Wolfgang Lippert.

I had only been living in Germany for a year and although I was aware of the significance of whose computer I was looking at in terms of how important the customer was for my employer, only recently have I discovered the significance of the person behind it for the former East Germany’s show business industry.  This I have to thank to his autobiography Lippi-Bekenntnisse.

Rather than being just another autobiography of a German celebrity, Lippi-Bekenntnisse gives an inside look into the way that the entertainment business worked in the GDR from someone who was part of it in quite a unique way.  Reading it made me realise how little I know about that part of Germany’s history. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Books, East Germany Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

St. Augustine’s Abbey

September 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

St. Augustine’s Abbey – oder auf deutsch die Abtei St. Augustinus – befindet sich in Canterbury, Kent in England. Genau gesagt liegt die Abtei, heute eine Ruine, an der Ecke Longport/Monastery Street innerhalb eines riesigen Anwesens. In der Nähe befindet sich die St. Martin’s Church und die St. Paul’s Church, sowie die Universität von Canterbury.

Wie gesagt, ist die Abtei heute eine Ruine. Das besondere an der St. Augustine’s Abbey ist, dass sie im Jahre 597 als erstes Kloster im südlichen England erbaut wurde. Augustinus gehörte zu den Benediktinermönchen und wurde vom Papst nach England als Missionar geschickt. Ein Teil des Klosters steht noch und von anderen stehen nur noch einzelne Wände oder Mauerteile, bzw. das was im Kloster einmal stand.

Ruins of St.Augustines Abbey with Canterbury Cathedral in the background - ©iStockphoto.com/AlexKozlov

St.Augustine's Abbey

Sie wurde im Jahr 1538 von Heinrich VIII geschlossen und später wurde ein Teil zum Palast für Anne von Kleve umgebaut.  Der Palast wurde vermutlich durch einem Sturm im Jahr 1703 wieder zerstört. [Read more…]

Filed Under: All Things British, Kirchen Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Leb’ wohl, Bio-Ethanol

September 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Ford Focus FlexifuelIt is now four years since I started driving a car powered by bio-ethanol.  Those four years ended yesterday when I returned the car to the dealer with only a few days left to run on the lease.

The car that I have replaced it with no longer runs on bio-ethanol (E85), although it does use the new E10 fuel.

So how have those four years been and why did I switch back?

Well, whilst on the one hand it was nice to try something new [Read more…]

Filed Under: Bio-Ethanol, Cars Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

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