Disorientating Time

It was a dark week for Cyprus. Just as dark from the hot streets of Mexico City. Though thousands of miles away I felt as connected to Cyprus as ever which seemed to make the issue of Cyprus even harder to understand. I was in one of the world’s largest economies while my country’s economy was melting. The fact that I was not ‘living it’ in Cyprus did nothing to diminish how awful it felt to know that thousands could/would lose their savings through no fault of their own (whose fault it is, is another issue completely, and most likely for another blog). In fact, part of me wanted to be in Cyprus to… to… to do what? Demonstrate? Line up at the banks and queue? What could you do?

The time difference between Mexico and Cyprus is eight hours (seven with daylight saving time). I found it disorientating that I would wake aup and skype with my friends at 9am while in Cyprus it would already be 5pm. ‘Hi Steph’ I said cheerily while skyping with my friend in Frankfurt (the irony) on the Saturday morning after the Cypriot government announced all banks would close and would deduct 6.75% or 9.9% from accounts.

‘You haven’t heard?’ he said upset.

‘Heard what?’ And he began to recount glumly what was going on.

It startled me that this would become a normal occurrence; I would wake up and go to work planning my day or on Saturdays begin my weekend while everyone in Cyprus, eight hours ahead, was tired, stressed and living in constant panic having experienced the day’s events unfold. It was like peeking into the future. I would get the morning news from Cyprus as I was going to bed and when I went to work in the morning, I would read how the day unfolded… and have no one to discuss it with. They were either all in bed by the time I got home or were tired of talking about it.

Unlike in Germany, London or Geneva I would hear Greek spoken on the streets and it was nice knowing that there was always a Greek community around me. There was always someone you could grab who you could share some joke and understand your culture. In Mexico I heard a variance of Spanish that I found hard to follow. I was used to hearing European Spanish. Bar-the-lona not Bar-se-lona. This only accentuated how far and cut off from Europe and Cyprus I was. But if I did come across Brazilians or Argentines (who more recently in 2001 had their savings taken by the government), then they listened and discussed gladly, with an open ear and sympathetic heart. By listening and relating, they became my new people in a place, so far from home, so hot under the sun.

I had to include the image above. I just think this slogan is original and sums up everything about the people are feeling in Cyprus (without offending anyone. And though I understand people are agree I do not think painting a small mustache on European leader’s faces helps anyone or wins any friends. Don’t you agree?).

Note: I did not want this to be my first post from Mexico. But, until now I did not feel like writing. Write about what exactly when all my thoughts are with Cyprus right now; unwanted by Europe, drifting like a leaf in the sea; just like the song says. Next time… I promise something spicy from Mexico City.

Have a good weekend and all the best to Cyprus in these crucial days ahead.

Lenny Kravitz at Paleo

The Paleo festival has finally come to Geneva, or should I say Nyon.I can't say I was always a fan of festivals; having associated them with people who like to slide around in mud, wear cheap straw hats and dance as if they were intentionally trying to be bad dancers. I'm much more a 'sipping gin&tonic by the lake on a veranda' than wearing khakis and walking around dirt in sandals. However, after seeing the Gossip at the Caribana, really enjoying it; I decided to put down the gin&tonic, leave the veranda, put my Khakis on (from the Gap at least) and make my way with VeryBusy to Paleo.

Now, VeryBusy had bought tickets to see the Cure and Lenny Kravitz months ago and had completely forgotten about them. So it was with a hint of slumber that I went to the festival. The first night we saw the Cure, who were true rockers but other than Friday, (or as I referred to it, 'the Monday,Tuesday song') I knew none of them. Then having not done my research, I missed seeing Natacha Atlas, missed getting tickets for Sting or for Garbage. So I was determined to have fun seeing Lenny Kravitz two night later.

I cannot say I was disappointed. Lenny, who I think was high as a kite when performing put on a great show, knowing how to play up to the audience, and at 48, looks even better than he did when he first started. What surprised me though was that I didn't realize what a fan I was until I had seen him live. Kravitz has been around since I was a kid that I was never really aware that I was humming to his songs all these years (others than Fly Away, which he closed the show with, and American Women which is one of my favourites). 

A weekend trip to London

So I was in London last week visiting Millionaire2B. London, is all hustle and bustle now before the Olympics and the amount of tourists were swarming around the hot streets like bees around honey. The constant din of different languages spoken created a constant and pleasant buzz. 

The best way to get around LDN is by public transport. But, wow... how expensive it has become. On the Continent never would we pay the prices a LDNer pays. An Oyster card was practically around 20 UKP. While in Milan 30 EUR would get you a monthly transport pass; in Geneva it would cost around 70 CHF. The monthly costs for a London pass cost around 170 UKP. With conditions; only for zone 1-2. Twice a week. While holding your shopping. With a parrot on your shoulder. Wearing pin-stripe while walking sideways. I do like London, but what are these prices. The French would be shocked! How do I know? I asked them while in Paris... but more on that later. 

But at least I got a chance to walk around and take some snaps.

The Everyday Must have Guide

Things you should always have on you:

Paracetamol – for those annoying tension headaches

Water – for your skin – and the quench your thirst

Chewing gum – for when you have nothing to do

Breath mint – for when you might kiss someone

Tissues – for those spontaneous sneezes… Gesundheit!

Things you should do:

Keep your shirt tucked in – for those business meeting or in case you bump into someone important like the President or Britney Spears

Have gelled hair – as above

Wear sunglasses – to protect against the sun and look mysterious and a tad CIA-ish

Things you should never do:

Eat Onions during lunch - for when you might kiss someone

Park in a haphazard way – speeding tickets I can understand, parking tickets I cannot!

Things you should never ever do:

Write lists like these. People don't care about advice you give them.

Read lists like these. People don't know what they are talking about.

Hipstamatic Nicosia

Nicosia. With my Hipstamatic. On a chilly December night. Just within the walled city.

Zara home opens in FFM

Perfect German city?

What city represents the country? Can ever one city fully embody the country it’s in? When we say France we really mean Paris, and Vienna is more or less Austria minus the snow. But does a city like London ever represent the UK? Didn’t the Guardian newspaper have a debate asking is London bad for Britain? Does Athens represent Greece or is Greece represented in the blue of its sea and thousands islands. And if you had to choose one city to represent the country which one do you choose? Tel Aviv or Jerusalem? NYC or LA? Rio or Sao Paolo?

And that’s the question that I asked here in Germany. Which city is quintessentially German and represents Germany? The answer is; none. They are all far too different and divergent to fully embody Germany – but rather embody different tastes of German culture, history and lifestyle that make up this country. So to sum up, there is no typical German city. Below I explain why.

Frankfurt: the most international city in Germany and one of the most multicultural in Europe. People come here to work not to party – although invariably they have to party during the weekend to let off steam. Serious, smart and sleek, Frankfurt is that commercial capital city that works and generate revenue for Germany (notably Berlin and the bankrupt EU states like the PIGS). The money comes from banks and only became Europe’s financial hub after WWII. New money that was make with working hard and serious but not nouveau riche. There is a lot of money is a small amount of space and as the city runs from east to west along the Main you can easy get around the city limits by bike – which is rather pleasant on a good day

Hamburg: similar to Frankfurt in the sense that it is steeped in cash – but Germany’s second city is old money – we are talking – Hanseatic League money – where the city of owned by about 10 families who have always had cash it is no longer an issue. It is classy more than classic and definitely not flashy (cue Munich). The city is low key with grand building by the lake and port. A wonderful city for shopping and only under two hours from Berlin. It rivals Munich for the second city status but in more recent years its profile has grown and is a serious contender for pleasant European city breaks. Viva Hamburg.

Munich: the opposite of Hamburg. More Italian in style, similar to Austria but the capital of Bavaria has a very distinct culture. Ferraris, Porches and the like fill the streets and avenues and you would not be wrong for feeling closer to the Med. Flashy and bling-bling would be a way to describe Munich with people wearing expensive sunglasses and designer gear.

Cologne: Germans love this city. For the carnival, for the bars and because this is the most relaxed part of Germany which also happens to be Germany’s gay capital.

Dusseldorf: Germany’s Florida – where old people go to retire and also German’s fashion capital – spread along the Rhine it is trendy and friendly. It is also an international hub though not like Frankfurt which is swimming in expats. There you need to integrate further into the German way of life.

Berlin: currently everyone’s favourite city… Berlin is undergoing a revival. Capital to a country of 82m Berlin only has around 3m inhabitants and is by far Germany’s largest city. A haven for artists, street fairs, anything new and innovative, it is the place to be in Germany (so I am told). Poor by sexy is the city’s slogan and recognizes that though it has a lot to offer it has 20% unemployment and generates almost no revenue for Germany.

Other cities that deserve a mention: Stuttgart, Mainz, Dresden, Leipzig, Bonn, Hannover, Bremen and Nurnberg.