April 2019 – justbluedutch

Neptunbrunnen in Berlin

April 29, 2019September 15, 2020BERLIN, EXPAT TRAVELS, GERMANY, LOCAL SIGHTINGS1 Comment

Berlin is a beautiful city. It is world renowned for its history and eccentricity, its dark past and colors. It’s hard to describe Berlin to someone who has never been to this important city because what you will see in this place needs to be experienced, or rather personally and visually perceived. Photographs doesn’t even do justice. But anyway, I am trying to document every memory that I had from my Berlin visits and this post is another story.

What catches your eyes from a place?

I love marveling through sculptures and statues and relocating here in Germany really paved way for me to see these wonderful works of art. I have high respect for artists who did Sculptures, and I admire the craft and creativity behind every piece, be it out of stone, bronze or ice and other material. Take for example the eye-catching “Bittersweet Marriage Carousel “, in Nürnberg , Trains to Life, Trains to Death, or the unique Cannons with Lion-heads , these are actually some of my favourites, not to mention that aside from their interesting story behind it that is worth telling, they are also built with a reason.

From our last visit to Berlin last Easter, I discovered another beautiful fountain with lots of statues in it and it didn’t only made me admire, it made me linger and stay a bit more longer.It is hard to focus when I keep on running after my daughter who keep on climbing the statues. The first time we saw it, the fountain was empty, but on the next day, there was water in it became more interesting. Also, it was busy and crowded. So many tourists, and everyone wants to photograph it.It was actually hard and I can’t get a good angle to photograph the whole fountain but I did try my best. One thing I love to to do while visiting a different place is to really get into details and not just the top sights to see.

Anyway, Neptunbrunnen or Neptun Fountain is so explicit beautiful. It has so many details it that it really invites me to linger some more. The facial expression and the allegory of the statues really made me think what does it mean. Common in many fountains, it has a great combination of two elements– statues (figures) and water, they have a great “flow” together. The sound of music beside art can never be beaten. The “Neptunbrunnen“(or Neptune Fountain) is located in Alexanderplatz, in the large square where the “Fernsehen Turm“(Television Tower) , St.Mary’s Church (Marienkirche) and the old Red Town Hall ( or Rathaus) is also located . The location is really a plus. Locals called it Forckenbecken which I don’t know why .

Stay a bit longer and linger in Neptune’s Fountain

We discover it by chance because our hotel was located just nearby Alexanderplatz and Nikolaiviertel but during our first visit, it was cloudy, windy and grey so I didn’t enjoy it much. Early spring in Berlin can be chilly and and grey so its also very good to schedule the time of your visit.

Tiny little details of Neptunbrunnen in Berlin

Neptun Fountain in Berlin was built in 1891 and was designed by Reinhold Begas but it was Architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel who suggested the construction of it as a gift to Emperor Wilhelm II of Berlin.If you know the Roman Gods then i’m sure you are quite familiar with the name Neptune, or Neptuno, the God of fresh waters in Roman religion.He is the counterpart of the Greek God “Poseidon“. In Greek mythology, Neptune was the brother of Jupiter and Pluto. These three brothers ruled over the realms of Heaven, the earthly world, and the Underworld.

This fountain is quite large that it took me two visits to fully see every detail. If you got a kid then don’t try to tell them to get off from it because you will not succeed. They will climb over it.Many times. All over again.It has sharp edges especially the horns of the animals so I cannot leave my daughter alone poking through the statues.

There are so many figures and interesting details that can be seen in this fountain like crocodiles, goat, fishes,octopus, giant turtles and odd looking little boys. With Neptune in the center, it’s surrounded with four women symbolizing the four main rivers in Prussia – the Elbe ( figure with fruits and ears of corn), the Rhine ( figure with the fishnet and grapes ), the Vistula ( figure with wooden blocks that symbolizes forests) and the Oder ( figure with goats and animal skins) . The Vistula is now in Poland where it forms the border between Germany and Poland. Its a good thing that it was not completely destroyed. It survived wars and renovations.

Details of the women symbolizing the Rivers of Prussia

If you’re planning to visit Berlin and this is your thing then make sure to visit and take a closer look at this fountain and I’m sure you’ll not regret it.
The Neptun Fountain is located in the Mitte district, right on Alexanderplatz. The Berlin TV Tower is also in the same square with a height of 368 M and is the main landmark so when you spot the tower then you are headed on the right direction.If you want to see the Berlin panorama then you can go up the tower on a tour. If you walk a few meters you are at the World Time clock as well.Berlin has so many facets and I am hoping I have all the time to write every single detail that fascinated me. I am also happy that through this Blog, I could be able to share with you my thoughts about this place.

Address : Rathausstrasse 1, 10178 Berlin within the vicinity of TV Tower

Connections : S+U Alexanderplatz station ( S5,S7,S75,U5,U8,U2) By Bus : 100,200,248, (S+U Alexanderplatz station), N5,N65 (U Alexanderplatz station) By Tram : M2,M4,M5,M6 ( S+U Alexanderplatz Station)

Until then and stay tuned for more interesting sights in my Berlin trip! Tschüss!

The diameter is 18 m (59 ft), the height is 10 m (33 ft).^{[citation needed]}

There was another well-known Neptunbrunnen in Breslau (nicknamed “Gabeljürge” or “Georgie Fork” by the locals), but it was destroyed during World War II and the city was later transferred to Poland

Flying Soon : Airbus Citybus flight taxi

April 27, 2019Bavaria, Ingolstadt, LOCAL SIGHTINGS, MY EXPAT LIFE3 Comments

The Airbus Citybus flight Taxi launched in Ingolstadt, Germany

This is actually a late post but I am glad I had the chance to witness and took some photos from my phone during the incredible show-off or demonstration of the futuristic Airbus “Flugtaxi”or flight taxi happened last month here in Ingolstadt in Bavaria. I am planning to create a series of posts about recent local sightings we have here in our old town of Ingolstadt and what a cool way to start this series with this eye-catching CityAirbus Taxi!

Have you ever imagined riding in a electrically-driven Cityairbus taxi? Take note, it flies without any Pilot with an approximate speed of 120 km/hour.

As an Expat here in Germany , I am already happy that we have a great network of high speed trains for long distance travel, the Autobahn, excellent road system and public transportation is amazing compared to other countries. I am saying this because in my home country, traffic is really a headache and public transportation is a nightmare.So when I see something like this, I can’t help but to be curious.

Will it really fly? How safe it is? and the most important thing is that “Is it really for public or only the rich and famous can afford it?

Anyway, I came home from work and I saw in my feed a photo of a gigantic drone parked in front of our local Rathaus (or City or Hall ). It happened to be the public demonstration of Airbus Flugtaxi! I headed quickly to see it by my own eyes and yes,it was really impressive. It looked like the ones I’m seeing in futuristic movies, those drones and sleek automobiles flying in the sky like jet planes.

Airbus “Flugtaxi”launch in Ingolstadt in Bavaria

It looks very modern and something like “toys for the big guys”. I’ve flown twice with Emirates A380, the biggest commercial airplane so far and it already feels huge, but this one, only has 4 seats compared to 853 seats with 8 rotors which takes off and lands vertically !I think that soon, we will really fly soon in the nearest future now that prototypes are being analyzed, tested, and Airbus has now presented its Air taxi and test flights will be done as tests going on further. In the not too distant future, electric air taxis will be operated manually or autonomously in the city.

The pilot project in the Bavarian city is supported by the Ingolstadt Technical University, the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt and various companies, including Audi.

As a press release, the test flights will be announced soon and its just a matter of time. The maiden flight is planned at the airport in the German city of Manching near Ingolstadt – about 60 km away from the development site at Airbus Helicopters in Donauwörth. Once this happened, I am sure I will write about it here in my Blog but for now, thinking about the Airbus Flugtaxis is already a step to the futuristic life ahead of us all.

What is your opinion about City Airbus Taxis? Do you think this will solve all traffic dilemmas?

Tschüss !

One fine day in Utrecht

April 26, 2019April 26, 2019Utrecht4 Comments

Last Easter we had the chance once again to visit the Netherlands !It’s been two years in a row now that we’ve spent our Easter break in our second home in Europe, the bike capital of the world, the place where Tulips are goddess of beauty and pancakes are eaten for dinner! See, I always look forward going to Holland in Springtime for so many reasons. One, I’m still over the moon by the colors of Spring which I can only see in the Netherlands. Last year we have visited the Keukenhof in Lisse and I must say it again that it is really the most beautiful Spring garden in the world! If you won’t agree with me then you must see it by your own eyes to believe. Actually, we went to Holland right after we visited Berlin which is just 4 hours away by train on a direct Intercity train. I am glad that we made the right choice for this place because it turned out to be an amazing place add to the fact that we are having a wonderful spring weather in the spring capital of Europe!

Looking down on Manholes in Utrecht, Netherlands

We arrived in Utrecht at around 11 a.m . First thing I did was to look down for some manholes to ponder. I didn’t see much but I found some. Most of the shops are already open from 10 a.m on Maundy Thursday. Utrecht is the 4th largest city in the Netherlands, located 50 km southeast of Amsterdam and only takes about half an hour by train. Netherlands has a great train network so Utrecht is easily accessible from Schiphol central station. Trains runs very frequently so the ride is really quick.What I find unique in the Netherlands is their scanning gate system in the train station which is really impressive and have better control of the passengers.

Dutch gable houses: Every angle is different wherever you look

Feels like Amsterdam

For me, Utrecht is a mini version of Amsterdam, less chaotic, trendy but less crazy, but can also be full of frantic crowds, and also very touristy. It’s a great family get-away because it has everything for young and old. The crowds can be so diversed and multi-cultural. Along the canal areas I saw rows of coffee shops and you know that they don’t sell the ordinary Cappucino or Latte! Looking very “Dutch” is Oudegracht’s full of “Fiets” or bicycles. Only in Holland you can see this bicycle fever (ever!). Netherlands is really the country of bicycles. In Germany, people also cycle a lot but I’ve never seen the same amount of bicycles than in Holland! Of course, with the unique “Gezellig ” flair of the two major canals that runs through the city center, the Oudegracht and Nieuwegracht, a daytrip in Utrecht is a great escape from big cities like Amsterdam or Rotterdam. It’s Easter break so the whole canal area was full of people, relaxing,chilling, and basking in the sun.There was so much activity going on around. Never a dull moment and time really flies so fast. But be warned though, if you’ve never been to the Netherlands,brave yourself when cycling and watch out for other cyclists! Aside from the fact that the roads are smaller, most streets in the city center is one-way.

Holland blooms are such a typical sight in early Spring
The colors of Holland
Spring flowers in Holland
Getting high with flowers in Bloemarkt

Canals of Utrecht

I am really looking forward to spend time exploring the canals of Utrecht. While walking, I was taken back to the time when we are in Amsterdam’s Prinsengracht and the Red light District areas. With the long rows of cafes, shops, boutiques and restaurants along the canals, visitors can have a nice walk. Time flies so fast and it’s really cozy strolling around. This is a feature that is unique for the city of Utrecht. Utrecht is a small city and compact so exploring it doesn’t take that long and walking is the best way to explore it so make sure that you wear comfortable shoes. But because we had a toddler with us, we took our time going with her phase. I just realized that my daughter walked as much as we did even from our days in Berlin. The stone boulders and poles became her jump poles and playground. My daughter was fascinated by the ducks along the canal banks and she wanted to feed them with coins!

Oudegracht on a fine Spring sunny afternoon

It is never boring to walk along Oudegracht with rows of houses because everywhere I look is so pretty! I took so many photos because every angle is just different, and as usual, they are never aligned!

Domtoren ( or Dom Tower)

As soon as we exited the mall, ( I totally forgot its name..) which was adjacent to the the Utrecht central station we follow the crowds leading further to the canal area which directly led as to the iconic Domtoren (or Dom Tower).Built of design by John of Hainaut and is the tallest church tower (112.5 meters) in the Netherlands. It was completed in 1382 and the tallest belfry in the country. I’ve heard about this church before but seeing it for real is really great.The exterior of the church tower is heavily renovated from the time of our visit but still on operations so its still accessible for visitors. I’ve heard that renovations are expected to be completed by 2022.

The Tower contains 14 bells that weigh 32 tons and what makes it unique is that its still rung by a group of dedicated ringers or the Utrecht Klokkenluiders Gilde. There are two chapels in the tower; the Egmond chapel and the St. Michael’s chapel. Take note that you can only visit the Dom on a one hour tour. If you are in a hurry, you can still enjoy its exterior facade.

Beautiful cloister hallway
Some quiet time in the church’s garden

Website : http://www.domkerk.nl/

Nijntje Museum ( or Miffy Museum) and Centraal Museum

Actually, the main reasons why we visited Utrecht is to see the Nijntje Museum ( or Miffy Museum) .I’ve been longing to see this museum for a long time because of my four year old daughter.She had a blast in Berlin in the Legoland Discovery Center, going crazy over lego and the indoor playground, but inside Miffy Museum she had a total world of fun and interactive learning. Miffy Museum is the pride of the Netherlands in memory of its creator Dick Bruna. Seeing the museum, I can say that this place is definitely true to his words–” I create a world that children fill with their own imagination”. For once, I think the Netherlands has the most wonderful museum for young children and adults.

Play pretend cooking in Miffy’s Kitchen
Endless fun and learning possibilities
Little Van Gogh
Outdoor fun

Adjacent to Miffy Museum is the Centraal Museum which houses the great works of local artists such as Joachim Wtewael and Gerard Van Honthorst. Another interesting feature is the “Utrecht ship” located in the cellar of the museum.It’s located in front of Miffy museum. There was a cozy Cafe in the corner of the Museum which you can enjoy a quick bite and enjoy the beautiful gardens.The souvenir shop can be found in the main entrance of the Museum.

Website : https://nijntjemuseum.nl

St. Martin’s Cathedral (Domkerk)

We walked a bit further and we discovered the beautiful Labyrinth gardens in St.Martin’s Cathedral (Domkerk) .St.Martin’s cathedral is the main cathedral in Utrecht and once connected to the Dom Tower but due to the collapse of its nave from the Tornado in 1674, the two building have been separated.This church was once the largest church in the Netherlands.What remains of the interior is still of high quality and extremely ornate with many vaulted arches and colorful stained glass windows. This is the lone church in the Netherlands that has a close resemblance to the style of the Gothic architecture.The building has a sole 367 ft tower named Dom tower which is Utrecht’s landmark. I was rather surprised to see the serene green surroundings inside the square of the cathedral. It has a fountain in the middle and the naves creates a remarkable shadow from the afternoon sun that creates a very relaxing atmosphere. Unlike the other Dom that we’ve visited, the garden has no graves, only a Labyrinth that my daughter loves.

Nice wall art found in the streets of Utrecht

As we are getting tired from walking around 2 o’clock afternoon, we decided to look for a place to sit down and have a drink. We followed the train back to the canal areas and wander through the narrow streets. The crowds are still on frenzy and there were now street musicians playing along the canals. Super ” Gezellig “!

I don’t know its name but it looks yummy!

Grabbing an ice cream, we sat by the benches facing the canal and just enjoyed the view, languishing on the coziness of Dutch life. People of different skin enjoying every single moment of leisure and I know, I am not the only one who became a storyteller after visiting this wonderful little city in the Netherlands.

Indeed, it was one fine day in Utrecht.