2010-06-27 -> 30 Stockholm, Sweden
Sunday 2010-06-27
Today we drive from Eskilstuna to Stockholm. There we Stay in a former Prison which is now a nice Youth hostel. After the Check in we make our way to the City center. Relaxing and randomly walking around in Stockholm at this wonderful sunny Sunday and having some nice Dinner in a Restaurant in the evening.
Monday 2010-06-28
Stockholm has a Stadium which is build inside a huge Sphere. On the outside of that Spherical Building is a lift which is also Sphere shaped. From the top we enjoy a amazing panoramic view over the Beautiful City on this sunny day. Oli and me join a “hop on hop off” Boat trip around the islands where Stockholm is located.
Tuesday 2010-06-29
Oli and me go to Skansen. Skansen is a kind of Theme park, Zoo, Museum, Cultural Centre Park. The Park was Founded over a hundred Years ago. There are heaps of very Old wooden houses that have been brought there from Lapland. In the houses are People dressed in Traditional cloth and showing and presenting the live in Sweden how it was century’s ago. The Zoo part of the park was very interesting as it is limited to Scandinavian Animals. There we got to see some Reindeer, Moose and Bears. Skansen is by far the most family friendly, stylish and nice Park I have ever seen cause it is so different from all the Disney plastic fake stuff and shows Culture in a “hands on” experience way. I like the fact that things you see there are real and original and not a “fake” copy cause the original is to worthy.
In the evening Oli and me drive to a place close to Nykoping and build up a Tent for the night.
Wensday 2010-06-30
The last night in Sweden was short. We get up at 4am, have a quick shower and put the tent back in the car. We drive to the Airport and return the car after refuelling it. Everything went very smooth. Not a minute to late we got in the plane.
Back in Germany my Dad picks us up.
Was a short and great holiday.
2010-06-24 -> 26 Midsummer in Eskilstuna, Sweden
Together with Oliver we do a Trip to visit Ken and Jenny for Midsummer.
Thursday 2010-06-24
We get up very early in the morning and take Bus to the Airport Frankfurt Hahn. The Flight time is just an hour and a half before we arrive in Skanska Sweden. From there we take a car that we hire. We are lucky to get a brand new VW Golf at a the Car Rental store.
With the Car we drive to Nykopen and have a small snack before we continue the ride to Eskilstuna. Ken whom I meet in Australia lives there with his girlfriend Jenny. They have a nice flat where they recently moved in. Ken “plays” the tour guide for us tourists and shows the beautiful parts and Snak, Coffe and Ice-cream locations in his hometown.
Friday 2010-06-25
Yeah Midsummer is today! Oli and me sleept very Well at Jenny and Ken s apartment. They have prepared heaps of delicious Swedish food and cake for the Midsummer celebration. They also invited some of their friends to a house party. In the Afternoon we drove to a castle where there see traditional Swedish midsummer celebrations. People were dressed in Traditional cloth, played music and sang while dancing at a maypole. We also joined the dance which was greater fun than I expected.
Nearby the Castle is a lake with a beach. We had some BBQ there and played the game Kubb.
Kens friends where so nice to invite us to a Party at their place for the evening. We played Guitar Heros and a Karaoke game called Sing star. Great fun!
Saturday 2010-06-26
Today we go to a nice Swedish Buffet at a Restaurant called Mary’s http://www.maryscafe.se/erbjudande.html. It is a bit outside of Eskilstuna and we would have never found it without Ken and Jenny. Was a very nice atmosphere. Felt like being at a private celebration in a big farmers family. We hear the rumour that Swedish girls jump over fences on this day and pick seven different flowers. So did we.
It is quite a hot and sunny day so we drive to a lake nearby and relax in the Sun.
Tags: Eskilstuna, Midsummer, Stockholm, Sweden
2010-06-04 -> 06 Nürburg
This weekend I rock again like last year at the festival rock-am-ring.com . this year the weather is really great. Amazing sunshine and warm temperatures up to 29°C.
Friday 2010-06-04
This time I do not Camp on the Campgrounds. I found a nice group of people who drive from Koblenz to Nürburg each day and return each night. So we can sleep in our own beds and enjoy a clean shower in the morning. We leave Koblenz at around half past three and arrived an hour later at the Festival. The first act I watched was “Ellie Goulding”. At the same Stage played “one republic”. I quite like the music, but I was really looking forward to listen to Kate Nash. Oliver and Me had unsuccessfully tried to get Tickets for a concert of her in Cologne. When she came on Stage a girl next to me said “wow she is ugly”. That sounded quite mean but the makeup and the cloth were perfect for a “bad taste party”. The music didn’t sound good live either so we left before the end of the performance to go to “Jay-Z” – Not my music taste at all but I like to stick with the group. They didn’t enjoy “Jay-Z” to much either so we went to get some drinks and food before going back to the First stage to listen to “Sportfreunde Stiller”. They definitely rocked the house. Was a really great performance and the crowd loved it.
The next and last act for today was “Jan Delay & disco no. 1″. He definitely knows how to animate a crowd. Was a amazing atmosphere. After that we took the way out of the Festival and drove home.
Saturday 2010-06-05
Today we had a bit of a confusion who is driving with who to get to the Ring. We arrived between 6 and 7pm. So the first Band we watched was “Gossip”. The vocalist “Beth Ditto” was dressing in her black bathing suite on stage. Quite an attitude cause she is “vollschlank” as we say in German. Next act was “30 seconds to mars”. The singer looked quite familiar to me. A quick look at IMDB showed me that I knew Jared Leto from the movies Fight Club, Lord of War, Requiem for a Dream and Alexander. He was a quite talkative Singer that really tried several different things to make the crowed go “crazy – fucking nuts crazy”. When he stage dived and told the security that the crow surfing people are allowed to get on stage he really connected to the people and they went crazy. Was a great show. Last act for today was “Muse”. In terms of the show it was quite different. They hardly said any word to the crowed and just performed their Music. With quite a big effort. They had a laser show, some live mixed visuals on the screen and for one of the last songs a hot air balloon in shape of a UFO where one artist was performing some twists and turns hanging on the balloon over the crowd. How spectacular is that.
Sunday 2010-06-06
A hard rain welcomed us as we arrived at “Rock am Ring” today. To watch the Acts we like to see we had to jump between the Alternastage and the Centerstage back and forth. Starting at the Alternastage with “Donots” followd by “Bullet for my Valentine” on the Centerstage of course and back to the Alternastage to see “Bad Religion” back again to the Centerstage to see “Rise Against” and one more time to the Alternastage to see “Him” and finally the Clubstage to watch “Die Sterne”. What a day.
Tags: festival rar germany 2010
2009-12-12 – 2010-02-17 Hong Kong
Tags: 2010, Food, Hong Kong, Lightpaint
2009-08-29 – 31 Köln, Koblenz, Kaub
On Saturday Jen arrives in Cologne. I am happy to see her again. She showed me around in Australia and I am glad I can return the favor. We had some Pretzels in the Train station, dropped her luggage in the Car and had a Lunch at “früh Kölsch” Brewery. Strengthen by the hearty food we climbed the Cologne Dom. Over 500 stair steps lead upwards in a narrow stairway. The View is great and it is amazing to be finally up there. I have lived about five years close to the Building and never went up to the top. They also Drilled a new entrance through the Walls of the Dom. Couldn’t imagine how thick the Walls actually are. We went on a short shopping tour and I got some stuff at Muij Cologne. In Australia I had told Jen about a nice Tea House in Cologne that she was curious to try now. We walked there but unfortunately it is closed down. Lucky us we could get a nice Coffee right opposite of the Place.
From there we went back to the Car and went to a Beergarden / Bar / Rock Club – The Underground. After some Drinks we went for a Cocktail nearby at the Rubin Rot. As it is getting late and We had a long exiting day we drove to Koblenz to stay overnight.2009-08-30 Sunday
Next morning we drove to Kaub where the Castle / Tollstation “Pfalzgrafenstein” stands right in the middle of the River Rhine. Unfortunate some Biker had a accident and the road there was closed for a while. So we took the Car on a ferry to the other side of the Rhine, drove up the river to the next ferry stop and back to the left side of the Rhine. The Castle is in a good condition and really interesting to see. We got some Lunch nearby and drove back down the river to the Castle “Marksburg” We got a quick 25 min Tour cause it was already late and they closed soon. Still it was great to see this Castle that has never been demolished. There is a Whine fest going on in Winningen where Jen used the Chance to try some Local whine. From there we went to Koblenz to have a look a the German Corner and the Rhine Promenade. Got some delicious Ice cream at my favorite place E Gelo SiA. From there we went to a Billiard / Sports Bar and had some Billiard games. Back home we had Dinner at my Place with a nice conversation with my Parents.
2009-08-31 Monday
Monday we went to the Fort Ehrenbreitstein . Had to learn that they had Tours only on the Weekend and many Places are closed, also through Renovation. So we got some Time to get a Coffe in the City at “Cafe Extrablatt”. There we meet Sandra, a former Classmate of me. For Lunch we went to Maximilians Brauwiesen in Lahnstein befor we had a Tea close to the Trainstation and Jen took the Train to Rotterdam. Was a pretty stuffed, exiting, exhausting, relaxing, amazing, great time at constantly perfect weather.
♦ 2009-06-11 | ♦ 2009-08-29 | ♦2009-08-30 | ♦ 2009-08-31
2009-08-19 – 23 Cologne – Gamescon
Awesome times, I am back in Cologne. Last night I had a long nice talk with Christine – my former flatmate. I am Staying in the same flat as I was during my study here – just in Oli’s room. It’s so weird to be back. Seeing all these places bring up so many great memories.
2009-08-20 Thursday
Got up early to be at the Convention in Time.
Was at the Business Area – quite interesting. All full of locked up meeting rooms.
The “Public” entertainment area is great fun. Today is a special day only for Business people but it is already crowded.
I sneaked in the Game Developers Congress and watched a Speech of Victor Antonov, who I knew from the FMX in 2005.
Also I checked out some Game Developer Company’s and Picked the one I want to apply at. Used the rest of the time to try out some new games I am curious about.
In the evening I had a long and good conversation with my former Flatmate Christine.
2009-08-21 Friday
Today are some “Jobs and Career” talkes. Very interesting talks from some Human resource Staff. Gave me the Chance to introduce myself and speak to them face to face.
Also I go to one Job Interview I have in Düsseldorf.
In the Evening I catch up with Oliver and go for a Movie.
2009-08-22 Saturday
The “Jobs and Career” talkes continue and I use the opportunity and apply for Game Design and 3D Modeling jobs at different Companys.
2009-08-23 Sunday
The last day of the Convention. I use it to wander around and speak to several people from different Organizations that are concerned about Youth Protection, Education and also Parents and Teacher information. Presenting my Diploma Spot with my Phone and Networking for later.
Was a great Time. Have big hope to get a Job in the Game Industry soon. Already got two dates for Job interviews.
2009-08-01 Leipzig Game Convention
Today I got up very early to take the train to Leipzig. There is a big Game Convention at the exhibition Center. On the Train I had a very nice and long conversation with a cafe owner who runs his business in Arabia.
Got a bed in a four share room in a Youth hostel close to the Train station in Leipzig. It’s located between a sex store and a store for pot smokers. Will be staying in a German Youth hostel be interesting to stay in a German Hostel this time. The place costs about twice as much as in Australia.
Leipzig looks very nice from my first glance. Just a shame that so many of the beautiful old brick buildings are empty and careless in a bad shape.
The games convention itself is rather empty. I am aware of a bigger Convention in about two three weeks in Cologne. Still It’s quite a disappointment. It semed that the organisation tried to fill huge spaces with activities like human bowling or indoor cart racing. I spoke to some Games Publisher and Developers. They told me to apply online or to go to the recruiting panel on the exhibition in Cologne.
Still I had the chance to show some of my work to interested people from the youth protection organizations and press.
Tags: 2009, Gamesconvention, Germany, Leipzig
2009-07-04 Bonn Rheinkultur
2009-06-11 to 14 Scheer, Wangen, Zürich and back
In the last Days I was driving to South Germany. Set up a exhibition of my mother in Wangen and meet my relatives in Scheer. Also I drove to Zürich, Swiss to meed a great friend of mine. It is so much fun to drive on the Autobahn again. Didnt know how much I missed that.
♦ 2009-06-11 | ♦ 2009-06-12 | ♦2009-06-13 | ♦ 2009-06-14
2009-06-09 Koblenz
Today I took a time laps video of our weather going crazy. Storm, Sunshine, Storm, Sunshine – Sunset.