Typhoon Fung-Wong

Another typhoon is coming straight for me. I've known since I got to Taiwan that it was developing, and it hasn't disappointed. It has become stronger than the original forcast and has adjusted its course to be a direct hit on where I am located. I think it is going to be Category 3 upon arrival on the east coast. At least I'm on the west coast of the island, so it won't be quite as mad when it gets here, but it should still be exciting. I bought some food and water for the room today at Costco, just in case.

Taiwan is the island to the upper left of the eye.

Germany with Julia

In May Julia finally got a chance to go with me to Germany. Now I'm finally getting a chance to upload a few pictures of the trip. It took being isolated in my hotel room during my current trip to get it done. I made some collages because there were so many pics to choose from. During the trip, we went to many places in northern Germany, including a trip to some islands in the North Sea. Later we went to Berlin for a weekend and attended an airshow before seeing other attractions.

In Hamburg, we did some walking and shopping.

This meal at Seehof was definitely worth a pic.

North Sea shoreline.

Bicycling on an island in the North Sea, called Hooge.

No visit is complete without going to Lubeck.

Some very fortunate chickens, who call this organic farm their home.

Yup, still trying to catch everything.

A highlight at the airshow was seeing the A380 up close.

Berlin collage.

Mölln

I spent one Sunday in May in the city of Mölln.

A view from a tower on a hill.

Rooftops.
A bicycle flea market

Capturing an outdoor concert at the town square over a beer.

All aboard for the dinner cruise.

He couldn't scrub the graffiti off of his front gate posts.

For mini-golf, everyone gets to go.

Canola

Right now, the landscape of northern Germany is painted yellow with canola.

Ok, enough yellow.

Charlie Wilson's War

I was just on a non-stop KLM flight from Bangkok to Amsterdam which follows pretty close to the path I drew below. After take-off I had dinner, then slept all the way across India, which was about four hours. When I woke up, I didn't know where we were, but I looked out and saw a line of light on the ground across our path, continuing with a few zigs and zags as far as I could see to the horizon. Looking at the flight map on my monitor, I realized I was looking at the India-Pakistan border. It was completely lit, and prabably completely guarded. If only our borders were that secure.


After waking up I decided to watch a movie. I thought Charlie Wilson's War might be good, although I didn't really look into what it was about. I relied more on the names in the cast.

The movie turned out to be how a relatively unknown congressman from Texas managed to secure large sums of money to covertly help Afghanistan defeat the Russians. He made it possible for them to obtain Russian weapons in order to down the Russian helicopters and destroy the tanks, weakening the Soviets and thus helping to end the Cold War. I enjoyed the movie, as I remembered that time period in the 80's. What I didn't think about, until it was over, was where I actually was when I watched the movie, which was directly over Afghanistan - just seven miles away, straight up.

Siberia

On the way to Taiwan we took a more northerly and westerly route than I ever had before. That put us over northern Alaska and Siberia. Following are some pics I got over Siberia, approximately at the X on the route I drew. Pretty desolate. I wouldn't want to do anything wrong in Russia.

I didn't get any pics over Alaska - the window shade patrol was going by.

Traveling Home

The trip home offered a few more opportunities for pictures.

The ING Renault F1 car on display in Amsterdam

Strands of icebergs in the Atlantic
Clouds casting shadows on sheets of ice
An iceberg up close
We had company up there - another plane, maybe 1000 ft. lower, flew right under us.
Clouds dot the landscape with shadows near Detroit

Dinner Time

Here are some scenes involving one of the best activities that can be done when in Germany......dining.

The peaceful dining areas at the hotel, Alte Schule.

Below is the Niederegger coffee shop which sits above their gift shop in Lubeck. Niederegger makes some of the best known and most widely distributed marzipan in the world. Outside the window across the street sits a famous landmark, the staircase of the Rathous (town hall).

Inside the gift shop.

This plate is the main course of a specially arranged four course dinner at Lenz Restaurant in the outskirts of Hamburg. The item between the beef and potato is calf cheek; great flavor, interesting texture. To the far left, we have morel mushrooms, and next is white asparagus, a specialty of northern Germany - all part of the main course.

The Seehof restaurant, shown below, has it's own deer farm. Venison is definitely on the menu!

The deer graze in the fields just outside the establishment, waiting anxiously to see if they will be invited to dinner.

The restaurant also has a place to stay, and is located on this lake.