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.

Cats

I really do miss having a pet - when i was a kid, we used to always have at least a dog. Well in the meantime I think some cats will do....

Not that they bother .... 

Posing ... 

Interested ... 

Playful .. a bit .. 

Wanting attention ... 

Scaarrryyyy ... 

Looking back at 2012

For me it was a quite busy year marked, by gigs, loads of them, from the Bundoran Sea Session to the Electric Picnic, 2 Ham Sandwich gigs in Dolans, multiple session in Bourkes bar, Nouvelle Vague, a fantastic Franz Ferdinand, and it ended with The Dubliners in Vicar Street.

Motto...

Diving wise, though the year started well, I did not diving as much as anticipated. I did spend a bit more time on the water, between the surfing/body-boarding session, and the arrival of the Volvo Ocean Race in Galway.

My parents came to visit me, and i use it as an excuse for an escapade to Northern Ireland and beautiful Donegal.

And i finally saw ASM Clermont Auvergne win in Ireland against an Irish team ( first time in my seven years here, after 2 confrontation against Munster, and 4 against Leinster ).

I've also started tweeting

my year on twitter

and taking more picture on instagram.

2012 on instagram...

My top 10 of the Year:
1. The Electric Picnic 2012.
2. Trip to Northern Ireland and Donegal with my parents.
3. Fanz Ferdinand gig in Dolans.
4. Leaving my job in Shannon.
5. My friend Cedric visit to Ireland to see the Leinster vs ASM game in Dublin.
6. Discovering twitter.
7. Learning python - I now I am a geek.
8. Snorkelling and body boarding session on the Clare beaches.
9. Gigs, pubs and restaurants with my friends <3 p="p">10. Bundoran Sea Session




2012 also marked my 7 years in Ireland  ... talking about the Seven Year itch...  I left my job.... time for new adventures... roll on 2013.

Reeling the years - 2012

Almost forgot that post this year, so lets go for another spin of reeling the years. I actually think since i've been round the 5 year cycle, I will not do the post next year.

The idea is very simple and based on a simple question: Where was I 5 years ago, 10, 15 ...etc ?

Previous post were: 2011,  2010, 2009 and 2008.

2007: Limerick, Ireland

Limerick

Third year in Ireland, and still living in  Dooradoyle but soon i moved to live in the city centre.

This is also the first time I am seeing the ASM playing in Thomond park against Munster...

Le Renard in Thomond Park.

Note: on the following pictures, there might be some imprecision with the year it was taken ( it was around that, but it's grand)

2002: Grenoble, France:
Third year in Grenoble, working full steam in analog layout.
And I have starting scuba-diving in Marseille with that crazy guy:

The Master showing off ... 

1997: Clermont-Ferrand, France
In CPGE... eating mathematics and physics ..... amongst other things

L'inversion

1992: Hauterive, France
Le Lycée, en premiere scientifique...

1987: Hauterive, France
College Victor Hugo

Not the right year ... this one was 1990...

1982: Hauterive, France

Guess where ....

1977: Hauterive, France
One year old .... happy days ...

Who is this ?

My 2012 movember

mymovember, a photo by TOF2006 on Flickr.

In summary:
- Gigs (RSAG, Ham Sandwich, Hermitage Green ... )
- Choucroute
- Turf fires, pub and whiskey
- Dublin findings includes Choucroute
- A mow
- Some ginger beer and half nurphys.

Ham Sandwich in Dolans - December 2012

So i was in back in Dolans for another taste of the brilliant Ham Sandwich.

They had the nice addition of 2 trumpets this time, to go along with confettis and ballons antics, and they were amazing as usual.

The crowd was enthusiastic, or as Podge McNamee put it " a bizarrely amazing crowd"

Ham Sandwich on the main stage

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Additional pictures on Shane Serrano tumblr : here