Tag Archives: Germany
speaking of crime
My mother forwarded me a link today to a New York Times story about Tatort, a German police drama that’s been running since 1970. 1970! Almost 40 years! My parents watch the Cologne version at home, with subtitles, but I … Continue reading
state visit
Definitely the most exciting thing to happen all week: Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid a visit to Bild. Last year the original blueprints for the buildings at Auschwitz turned up in Berlin and ended up in Bild’s hands; today … Continue reading
all the crime that’s fit to print
Germany seems like it should be a reasonably peaceful place. But when you work at a tabloid, you read about all sorts of unpleasant things. A few days ago a guy allegedly murdered the mother of his baby and her … Continue reading
a little light evening entertainment
When the Washington National Opera wants to entertain the masses with the gift of free opera, it chooses Porgy and Bess or The Barber of Seville. (Coming up Sept 12.) Easy to follow, lovable. Catchy tunes. So what does the … Continue reading
döner kebap, how I love thee
Ah, the classic evening meal of cheapskates in Berlin: It’s a döner im Brot. It’s kind of a variation on a gyro – mystery meat shaved off a rotating hunk o’ broily goodness, stuffed in bread with sauce, slaw, onions, … Continue reading
running fast
The world championships in track & field were in Berlin last week. I kept forgetting to watch them on TV, so what I saw – the grand total – was the men’s high jump final, about five minutes of men’s … Continue reading
ladies and gents
Have you ever seen a less helpful label on a bathroom? First you have to figure out that it *is* a bathroom and not, say, a top editor’s office or a supply closet. Then you have to figure out if … Continue reading
finally, the first day at work
At last! Today I started work at Bild-Zeitung, far and away the highest-circulation newspaper in Germany. It sells on the order of 4 million copies a day. USA Today, the top U.S. paper, has a little over 2 million circulation. … Continue reading
norovirus
After more than a week of gastrointestinal distress, I finally got a verdict: norovirus. I don’t recommend it. The good news is that I’m going to finally start my fellowship this week. You know, the reason I came over here. … Continue reading
countdown: mauerfall
I just caught a segment on German public TV called “Countdown: Mauerfall.” Mauer = wall; Fall = fall. It’s totally cool – they’re counting down to November 9, the day the Berlin Wall fell, by showing TV news from that … Continue reading