03 to 09 May 2015
Before I started my life's journey in the corporate world, I had dreamed of travelling abroad and Europe was always on my old bucket list of "must-see" places - except for one place there, Germany!
Somehow, history books, documentary films that featured the lost WWII and several action movies had governed my young mind and feelings about the place and its people then.
Little did I know that after spending five challenging and yet exciting years at the University, I would find myself sitting next to a desktop computer and working for a German company and a German leader. What a coincidence I said! I planned to look for another job however, being an amateur Computer Engineer at that time, I told myself that I cannot be too choosy.
Relating my work experience in details on a German company in the Philippines and with a German leader would fill-up another three pages of paper, at least, and so to make the long story short - I would say, "I had a baptism of fire", on my early years at the office.
I still work for the same company now and for almost fourteen years. Wen, Sangapulo ket Uppat nga Tawen, Gayyem!. My former German leader has retired but he still visits me at the office once in while.
I get accustomed to German rules at the office and after working for such a long period of time, my old perception about Germany and the German people had changed completely.
Whenever someone speaks of Germany now, I always imagine a well organized and highly systematic (high-tech) place, very efficient and extremely professional people, good-natured, well-mannered and well-disciplined citizens.
My former German leader would always hand his camera to me and I would download his photos onto compact disks when he comes back to Manila from his travel in Germany, so for the longest time, I already had ideas on how Germany looks like - the green fields, nice landscapes and the building architectures - combination of modern skyscrapers and ancient baroque cathedrals.
Since then, Germany has always been on my new bucket list of "must-see" places - to explore and discover someday!
Seeing Germany remained a dream for me not until February when I got a notice from the management of a training in Bremen that I need to attend. My dream of travelling to Europe will soon turn into reality.
On the 3rd of May, I traveled to Germany from Manila. It was a business trip. Unlike my usual trips to neighboring countries like Hong Kong, Singapore, S. Korea and Indonesia, travelling to Europe, Bremen in particular, is a long haul flight. I had three connecting flights and the total flight time from Manila to Bremen is approximately 17 hours. My total travel time including lay-by at the airport terminals and road trips would approximate to 24 hours.
Somehow, history books, documentary films that featured the lost WWII and several action movies had governed my young mind and feelings about the place and its people then.
Little did I know that after spending five challenging and yet exciting years at the University, I would find myself sitting next to a desktop computer and working for a German company and a German leader. What a coincidence I said! I planned to look for another job however, being an amateur Computer Engineer at that time, I told myself that I cannot be too choosy.
Relating my work experience in details on a German company in the Philippines and with a German leader would fill-up another three pages of paper, at least, and so to make the long story short - I would say, "I had a baptism of fire", on my early years at the office.
I still work for the same company now and for almost fourteen years. Wen, Sangapulo ket Uppat nga Tawen, Gayyem!. My former German leader has retired but he still visits me at the office once in while.
I get accustomed to German rules at the office and after working for such a long period of time, my old perception about Germany and the German people had changed completely.
Whenever someone speaks of Germany now, I always imagine a well organized and highly systematic (high-tech) place, very efficient and extremely professional people, good-natured, well-mannered and well-disciplined citizens.
My former German leader would always hand his camera to me and I would download his photos onto compact disks when he comes back to Manila from his travel in Germany, so for the longest time, I already had ideas on how Germany looks like - the green fields, nice landscapes and the building architectures - combination of modern skyscrapers and ancient baroque cathedrals.
Since then, Germany has always been on my new bucket list of "must-see" places - to explore and discover someday!
Seeing Germany remained a dream for me not until February when I got a notice from the management of a training in Bremen that I need to attend. My dream of travelling to Europe will soon turn into reality.
On the 3rd of May, I traveled to Germany from Manila. It was a business trip. Unlike my usual trips to neighboring countries like Hong Kong, Singapore, S. Korea and Indonesia, travelling to Europe, Bremen in particular, is a long haul flight. I had three connecting flights and the total flight time from Manila to Bremen is approximately 17 hours. My total travel time including lay-by at the airport terminals and road trips would approximate to 24 hours.
I arrived safely at Bremen airport at 1230H on the 3rd of May.
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| Bremen Airport |
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| Atlantic Bremen Airport Hotel |
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| City Hall and St. Peter's Cathedral |
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| City Hall |
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| St. Peter's Cathedral Facade |
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| St. Peter's Cathedral Interior |
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| Pulpit and Pipe Organ |
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| Bremen Central Station |
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| Statue of Roland |
The standing figure is 5.47 m tall, and stands on a 60 cm rostrum. A supporting column, crowned by a baldachin, brings the combined height to 10.21 m. The statue was carved in limestone from Elm, and was commissioned by the city fathers to replace a wooden one burnt in 1366 by Prince-Archbishop Albert II. It confronts the church as a representation of city rights opposed to the territorial claims of the prince-archbishop.
Statues of Roland appear in numerous cities of the former Holy Roman Empire, as emblems of city liberties, Stadtrechte. The Roland statue at Bremen is the oldest surviving example. From Bremen the symbol of civic liberty and freedom spread to other cities and has become a symbol of the new Europe. Since 1973, it is protected by the monument protection act. In July 2004, along with the town hall, the statue was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Read More.
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| The Bremen Town Musicians statue (Photo source: http://www.bremen-tourism.de/bronze-statue-at-the-town-hall) |
In the story a donkey, a dog, a cat, and a rooster (or hen), all past their prime years in life and usefulness on their respective farms, were soon to be discarded or mistreated by their masters. One by one they leave their homes and set out together. They decide to go to Bremen, known for its freedom, to live without owners and become musicians there. ("Something better than death we can find anywhere.")
On the way to Bremen, they see a lighted cottage; they look inside and see four robbers enjoying their ill-gotten gains. Standing on each other's backs, they decide to scare the robbers away by standing on each other and making a din; the men run for their lives, not knowing what the strange sound is. The animals take possession of the house, eat a good meal, and settle in for the evening.
Later that night, the robbers return and send one of their members in to investigate. He sees the Cat's eyes shining in the darkness and the robber thinks he is seeing the coals of the fire. He reaches over to light his candle. Things happen in quick succession; the Cat scratches his face with her claws, the Dog bites him on the leg, the Donkey kicks him with his hooves, and the Rooster crows and chases him out the door, screaming. He tells his companions that he was beset by a horrible witch who scratched him with her long fingernails (the Cat), an ogre with a knife (the Dog), a giant who had hit him with his club (the Donkey), and worst of all, the judge who screamed in his voice from the rooftop (the Rooster). The robbers abandon the cottage to the strange creatures who have taken it, where the animals live happily for the rest of their days.
An alternate version involves the animals' master(s) being deprived of his livelihood (because the thieves stole his money and/or destroyed his farm or mill) and having to send his animals away, unable to take care of them any further. After the animals dispatch the thieves, they take the ill-gotten gains back to their master so he can rebuild. Other versions involve at least one wild, non-livestock animal, such as a lizard, helping the domestic animals out in dispatching the thieves. Read more.
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| Bremer Bank |
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| A building on Böttcherstraße (Photo source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/B%C3%B6ttcherstra%C3%9Fe4.jpg) |
On the third day of my training, I had a quick walk at the park infront of the hotel. It was around 7 degrees centigrade at that time.
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| Morning Walk at the Park |
I had a chance to see the Parkhotel after attending a wedding.
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| The Parkhotel in the Bürgerpark |
I joined Christine for dinner together with few colleagues, one of whom was from Thailand at the Chili Club.
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| Dinner at Chili Club |
My impression about Germany ten years ago, had been changed completely and now I keep on telling myself "I should see Germany once again...".
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