With rare exception almost every Westerner remembers where they were and what they were doing when the planes struck the World Trade Center in New York City on 11 September 2001. I remember being at a teaching colleague´s home near Bad Krozingen discussing work when one of her friends called her up and told us… Continue reading The need to understand
Category: History
Bodies on the beach
Let´s talk about what we struggle to discuss, what we find difficult to comprehend…the Tunisia beach attack. 24-year-old student Serfeddine Rezgui was shot dead by Tunisian police after he attacked a beach of international Western tourists killing, at last count, 39 people. His bullets did not distinguish between nationalities as unarmed vacationing Brits, Germans, Irish,… Continue reading Bodies on the beach
The enemy electronic
Yesterday I wrote a post in this blog asking for feedback, asking for requests as to what should appear in these posts… Hank Broomfield, an old friend from my youth, (Yes, I had one!), wrote he was satisfied but being the visual guy he is he wanted pictures. (When I figure out how…) Sumit Panigrahi,… Continue reading The enemy electronic
USA: Unlimited sadness allowed
I am just one voice. A Canadian resident in Switzerland with unimpressive credentials and thus uninspiring credibility. I am far removed from the problems in America and thus unlikely to restrain America from its determination to self-destruct, a determination that is as old as the history of the United States itself. The news out of… Continue reading USA: Unlimited sadness allowed
The desire for an Amish paradise
I like the Amish. The Amish are the Christian sect that separated from the Mennonites in 17th century Europe and began emigrating to North America in search of religious freedom in the 18th century. Now living exclusively in Canada and the United States, the Amish are known for their plain attire and simple living, the… Continue reading The desire for an Amish paradise
Down and out across Switzerland
Zürich Hauptbahnhof, yesterday. Clean-shaven, showered, red backpack from Canada on one shoulder, pulling a new suitcase along on its smoothly running wheels and extendable handle, clean white short sleeved shirt, blue jeans, black leather shoes. Not your image of a homeless man? I approached the station´s Bahnhofshilfe (train station assistance) office and inquired if the lady… Continue reading Down and out across Switzerland
Victims of the Machine
I always enjoy my visits to Freiburg im Breisgau, because it means being reunited with old friends: Gregg: solid, reliable, practical Rolf: deep thinker under a devil-may-care exterior Reggie: compassionate, wise, honest Mark: the only man to be confused with Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead both in looks and attitude Jason: wild Peter Pan… Continue reading Victims of the Machine
Blood, sweat, tears and toil
Today marks the 70th anniversary of the D-Day Landings, the largest seaborne invasion in history. 5,000 landing and assault craft, 289 escort vessels, 277 minesweepers, 160,000 troops crossed the English Channel, 10,000 hit – 4,414 dead Allied soldiers, 1,000 German soldiers dead, over 3,000 civilian casualities. Southsea Beach and Portsmouth Harbour were vital embarkation points… Continue reading Blood, sweat, tears and toil
Skip to the loo
Day Two in England and I remain truly a stranger in a strange land. Today I travelled to Winchester…what a prize! First rule of travelling in England: People do NOT talk to strangers on the train, especially in the morning… Such a contrast to life in Montreal where there are bus drivers who spontaneously break… Continue reading Skip to the loo
No-smile zones
A place is neither good or bad of itself. It is our perceptions of that place that give it its reputation. Some places naturally excel due to their inherant beauty, like Venice, Bruges or Florence. Other places may not leap to mind immediately as tourist destinations, but the warmth and intimacy of their people make the… Continue reading No-smile zones