Looking back at 2013

I have been neglected this blog, since a couple months now, just realise this post was in my draft since the first of January 2014, so with a bit of delay here it is....

Looking back at 2013:

• January: Starting the year with walks in charming company on Dun Laoghaire pier.
• St Patrick in Düsseldorf -  My first steps as a contractor.
• Tea parties.
• H-cup final ASM defeat in Dublin.
• DIY and shelves.
• Bourkes Pub.
One of my favourite in Limerick, excellent provider of gigs.
• Summer in Cambridge.
• Airport, airport and more planes.
Between fortnight trip to Germany, then UK, and France, 2013 have been dominated by airflight to the point of sickness. Not good for my carbon footprint.
• Trip to London: Science Museum
• Electric Picnic 2013
Back to the Electric Picnic, to celebrate a special anniversary <3
• The Dubliners in Whelans.
• Depeche Mode in O2.
• Heatwave in Ireland. Snorkel in Clare.
• Forbidden Fruit
• Jerry Fish.
Somehow I miss his circus in the EP, so now I am in chase mode to catch up on his performances.
• New socks - so popular someone steals them from me.
• Dublin beaches.
Thanks to the heatwave, my transition from the west coast to the east coast beaches was easy :D
• Dublin Zoo.
• Saying goodbye to Limerick.
I finally moved all my stuff out of limerick city, where I first moved to Ireland 8 years ago.
• Starting as a student again - Statistics in UCD
Here it is the big one, back on the student benches for one year. UCD campus:
Back in ampitheatre:
First homeworks:
• Enjoying Dublin.
I am still in discovery mode with this city.
• Cats time.
• Introducing my girlfriend to my beloved Auvergne.

German Architecture

Another weekend walking in the streets of Düsseldorf.

First I headed in direction the Reinturm... this very high tower (240.5 meters) dominating the landscape of the city:

Reinturm

It is a telecommunication tower, but there is an observatory deck and a restaurant at the top.

To my surprise i discovered just beside it, some very interesting buildings, in the mediaharbor

Neuer Zollhof

Designed by American architect Frank O. Gehry, build between 1996 and 1999.

Neuer Zollhof

Neuer Zollhof C and B

Neuer Zollhof B

Neuer Zollhof B

On the opposite side, a building seemed to be under invasion:

Building invasion

Climbing all over the place

Climbing invaders.

And there is also the Colorium:

MediaHarbor

Colorium

Tetris anyone ??

Maybe not

aA

Fog over the tower

The old crane of the harbour

Neuer Zollhof C

The End

Additional infos:

• More information on Neuer Zollhof. 
• Structurae.

First steps in Düsseldorf...

So here it is, I am in Germany since a week, and I made my first steps into the old Düsseldorf

Düsseldorf

Tram... decent public transport....

Beer anyone ?

Cycling lane ... where to go ?

Useful bike

statue ??

I think I need a drink

Pierre Boulle

what ?

dusse

place

Symmetry

Speeding on the Rhine

x

Rhine

Rhine

Statue

Playing petanque ... maybe 

Mario the plumber meddling with chinese dragons ?

So what are my first impressions:

• A great sense of order and organisation, seriously, I walked in a market and even the potatoes were neatly stacked, and organised by size.
• The all city is full of bike, you can't walk 5 meters without seeing a bike parked in the street, or having one passing you. Great to see so many people using bike. Bike theft does not seem to be a big concern since most bike get attached with very simple locks, and seems to stay here for weeks.
• The city is very pedestrian and cycle friendly, it's really a great feel and great to see,
• There is very efficient public transport system, mainly tram bus also buses.
• Even when walking in the medieval part, the city looks new and neat, but this might be due to the fact that they had to rebuild almost everything after the bombing.
• Traffic lights, are pedestrian friendly, as compared to their Irish counterpart, which does leave you barely the time to cross the street before giving way to car ( I sometimes wonder how slower, older people have time to cross). As a result there is no jaywalking, people are very obedient - it seems crossing at a red light is frown upon as it shows a bad example to kids.