Sculpture, the public art in Germany & England

Hamburg, Germany

I was looking for the Hans Hummel figures around Hamburg. Before Hamburg had a municipal water system, water carriers worked in the city. Johann Wilhelm Bentz (1787-1854) was the last carrier with a bad temper. Local children used to tease him "Hummel, Hummel" (bumblebee for German) and he couldn't run after them so he would just yell "Mors, Mors" ( bad word!!)




I spent 2 weeks at the InterContinental Hotel, just across the Lake Alster. Every morning, I came out from my hotel, said "Good Morning" to this colourful Hans Hummel figure, and walked on the trail that goes around the lake to my office.



This was around the city center.

At the train interchange station

Berlin, Germany

Berlin is the capital city of Germany, named after a bear as “Bar” means bear in German. Besides the flag and coat of arms of Berlin, Berlin International File Festival – one of the worlds’s leading and most reputable media event is famous with the golden bear statue.

Bear is a mascot of Berlin, everywhere on the streets and these are the bears I met :

This bear is different from the standing up bear.

In one of the souvenior shop near Brandenburg Gate, I found this 22 cms tall Berlin bear in Malaysia costume. It is painted tropical rainforest background with hibiscus (national flower of Malaysia), two hornbills and Jalur Gemilang (flag of Malaysia).

55 Euro ( RM 250) is a little too expensive although i really love to bring it back with me.

Bath, England

Bath is a situated 150km west of London. Big Dar and I were at Bath summer 2008 and met a few King Bladud's Pigs. It was a public art event to display 109 decorated pig sculptires around Bath providing residents and visitors with artistic enjoyment.

"Pigabyte" displayed at Orange Grove was sponsored by Backup Direct, a Bath based IT company for small and medium businesses.

"Goldie" displayed near Abbey Churchyard sponsered by Goldies Sing For Life, 47 members of Bath Male Choir. They started the weekly session in Bath in January 2008, and now in the third year. "Goldies" as it has become fondly known, bring smiles each week to hundreds of elderly, isolated and lonely people across the West of England with their fun singing sessions.

The pigs have now all gone from the streets and been sold at auction, for the benefit of Bath's Two Tunnels Project.

柏林围墙

今天，你要怎么知道自已是走在东柏林还是西柏林？看看交通灯就知道了.

东柏林的绿灯，造型和一般的红绿灯没什么两样．

西柏林的绿灯, 是不是比较可爱?　

东柏林的红灯．

西柏林的红灯．

我在２００８年的夏天到了德国．有好几个地方都让我印象十分深刻，而柏林围墙就是其中的一个．

开始上历史课了! 以下我当时拍下的照片和自维基百科的资料

名称：柏林围墙

外形:　155 公里长，3至4尺高

开始建造：1961年, 以铁丝网为材料, 后来被更换位砖墙

目的：德国首都柏林在世界第二次大战以後被分割為东柏林與西柏林，东德為了隔絕東德人民投向西德，於是沿著邊界在己方的領土上建立圍牆，將西柏林整個包圍起來。

逃亡:在該牆建立後，有人採用跳樓、挖地道、游泳等方式翻越柏林圍牆，共有5043人成功地逃入西柏林，3221人被逮捕，239人死亡，260人受傷。


倒塌：1989年11约9日, 新東德政府開始計劃放鬆對東德人民的旅遊限制，但由於當時東德的中央政治局委員君特．沙博夫斯基（Günter Schabowski）對上級命令的誤解，錯誤地宣佈柏林圍牆即刻開放，導致數以萬計的市民走上街頭，拆毀圍牆，整個德國陷入極度興奮狀態。

柏林围墙附近的一家纪念品小商店里头卖了不少围墙倒塌的石头，小砖块，壁画等等．．．

On my own way to Hamburg Lubeck Airport, Germany

After a few trips to UK and experiences in France and Holland, again, I stepped into Europe and this time, my destination was Germany. I flied in from London Stansted Airport to Hamburg Lubeck Airport that approximately took 1.5 hours.

I was quite relax because my wonderful friend, WT did all the enquiries with tourist information counter, reading the train map, finding out the bus route and time table, planning for the places to visit etc. But I felt the real stress when we said goodbye at Berlin bus station and I had to get myself to Hamburg Lubeck Airport by train. I made three stops for interchange at Messe Nord (1630) – Sudkreuz (1730) – Buchen (1930) – Lubeck (2000).

I dare not sleep. I was alert all the time so that I won’t miss the stops. I analyzed the train map to make sure I’m taking the right train. I memorized the train number, platform number and departure time in order to be on time at the right place. I was so stressful, worried, tension and not fun at all. That wasn’t what I want for a holiday and my white hair was growing because of that. Furthermore, I can’t speak nor read German. If something bad happen, I might miss my flight to pay off the expensive lesson learnt. At that moment, I strongly felt how important WT is and so nice to have a travel partner like WT with me.

Well, the train arrived at Lubeck Airport Station and a few passengers went down the train. I couldn’t see the station signboard and I was in my nap mode. Inside the train, there were still a lot of passengers with big bags and luggages. I assumed that the station was not Lubeck Airport Station. The train stared to move again… a girl sitting in front of me told me that the station was Lubeck Airport Station!!! And we were now heading to the next station - Lubeck City Center!!!

I planned to take a taxi from Lubeck City Center Station to Lubeck Airport Station. Thank God the girl suggested a better idea. She asked me to take the next train from Lubeck City Center Station back to Lubeck Airport Station that take around 15 minutes only. Waited for the next train and finally I made it to Lubeck Aiport and flied back to London via Ryan Air.

Snowing 下雪了

Hi everyone, i'm very happy today because i see SNOW!!!

看到雪了! 那天是2008年, 10月29日, 万圣节的前两天.

我在英国的 Guildford．虽然不是真正的下雪，但至少我看到因为昨夜与清晨的天气太冷，汽车上白茫茫的小冰雪花．

带着大大的兴奋和喜悦, 我在第二天放工后，到当地的室内溜冰场溜冰庆祝!　

The next day, i went to an indoor sport complex for ice skating.

I was born and grown up in Malaysia, a country with only sun, no snow!!! I haven been waiting for snow back in 2006, i stayed in London until 17th December, still no snow, and i left Heathrow Airport with a very reluctant heart.

我在阳光普照的马来西亚出生长大，２４年从来没体验过下雪的滋味. ２００６年在英国伦敦第一次感受冬天，等到１２月１７号要回国的那天，还是没下雪．我带着小小的不甘心和失落感，乘上马航班机，离开希斯罗机场．

In 2007, no chance for me to travel in winter.

2007 年的冬天，那里也没去．

2008, 21st Nov ( 2 days before my 25th birthday) , i see snow when i walked out from my hotel, 820am，　i'm very happy it's snowing!!! i look at the sky, and snow keep falling on my face. i can hardly open my eye yet i can feel the snow and even taste the snow...

２００８年，１１月２１日，我２５岁生日的前两天，八点二十分早上，我从湖边的酒店里走出来，准备去公司上班，外面正在下雪！！！我抬起头，轻轻冷冷的雪花落在我的脸上，挣不开眼睛来．我感觉到雪，甚至可以张开口地吃到雪．．．　　

撑着伞, 快快乐乐地上班去,嘴里还可以呼出冷冷的小白烟.

2008 first snow in Hamburg, also my life time first snow.

气象局说说，那场是２００８年德国汉堡的第一场雪，也是我人生的中的第一场雪．

I just love to reach my hand out in the air and let the snow collected on my hand, i love snow, i love winter.... walking to the office in a snowing morning, i just wish that my umbrella will be full of snow and turn into white umbrella!　

I write my name and Big Dar's name on car covered by snow, i just want people to know, i'm shuen, i see snow... it's snowing!

柏林的宿舍旅馆／背包旅馆

我第一次到德国，不是为了公干，而是和一位朋友一起背包旅行．我从英国伦敦出发，搭上了廉价航空RYAN AIR, 和他在德国的汉堡会合，第二天才乘巴士到首都柏林．

因为自费，没有星级的酒店或公寓，我们就住在很简单的宿舍旅馆／背包旅馆　－AO Hostel.

我们准备登记，住宿率还挺高的．



在一旁的小小会客室，还有上网设备．





经过长长的走廊，就是我们的房间啦！



我最喜欢大大的窗，所以选了靠窗的单人床．



窗外



还有一个高高在上的电视机．



只是房里的厕所和冲凉间小了一点，不过还算麻雀虽小，五脏俱全！


住宿费也包括了自由餐式早餐


和我最喜欢的果汁!!!　一天的旅程要开始了！！！