Eisenach & Wartburg

After Christmas we went to visit my grandma who lives in Eisenach, a town in Thuringia.

The first afternoon, we spent on main shopping street - Karlstraße - offering all the goods you need: clothes, food, perfumes, coffee, flowers, decoration, ...

Friday morning, we drove and walked uphill to the castle named Wartburg that was founded on the border of the territories of Louis the Springer who founded the castle in 1068.

As the territories were enlarged, the Wartburg became its centre and siege of the Landgraves of Thuringia. It also developed as a centre of political, social and cultural life. In 1207, the Minstrel's Contest (Sängerkrieg) took place there and famous minstrels like Walter von der Vogelweide und Wolfram von Eschenbach competed against each other. In the 19th century, Richard Wagner used this event for his opera Tannhäuser.

Another famous person is St. Elisabeth of Hungary who lived there from 1211 to 1228. When she arrived, she was 4 years old and was raised to marry Ludwig IV of Thuringia. At the age of 14, the marriage took place and in the following years she gave birth to three children. After her husband died in the crusade, she left to live in Marburg. Elisabeth was known for her kindness and charitable work. She founded a lot of hospitals and always took care of the poor. It is said that over 100 wonders took place around her and within four years after her death she was proclaimed saint by the Pope.

After the mid 15th century the importance of the Wartburg declined which made it a perfect hiding place for Martin Luther. In 1517, Martin Luther criticized the Roman Catholic Church with 95 thesis that he hang on the castle church of Wittenberg. Later he was declared outlaw. Frederick the Wise - Elector of Saxony - was a supporter of him and offered him the safety of the castle. Martin Luther used his 10 months there to translate the Bible into German and by this unifying the German people with a common language and liberating it from Latin spoken masses.

The next event of historic importance was the first Wartburg Festival in 1817. More than 450 students of newly founded fraternities celebrated the victory over Napoleon in 1813. They also wanted to end conservatism and to have a united Germany as there were about three hundred scattered states at that time. The colors of the German flag were used there derived from the uniform of the Lützow Free Corps - black from the uniform, red from facings and gold from buttons - who fought against Napoleon in the Battle of the Nations at Leipzig.

Today, the Wartburg is UNESCO World Heritage Site that receives visitors from all over the world.

New Palace Schleissheim

Just some kilometers away from my home, there are the palaces of Schleissheim. 

I went with one of my visitors to see the New Palace. Construction of it was started at the beginning of the 18th century, but then the Elector Prince ran out of money and stayed some time in exile in Paris. When he returned the work continued, but of the huge outlined plans - only the major wing was realized. 

The interior was decorated by German and Italian artists.

Sala terrena

Grand hall

The palace already became a public building in the 19th century featuring a lot of paintings and so it continues today.

Grand gallery

The Elector princes of the House of Wittelsbach lived in the palace and so several of the apartments are still furbished in the original looks.

Empress' Bedroom

On the premises, there is more to see the next time I go there: the Old Palace, the Lustheim Palace and the Court Garden that is still featuring a baroque style.

So if you would like to see these palaces with me, just come and visit me.

AIESEC Alumni International Meeting Moscow

At the end of the week, I attended the AIESEC Alumni International Meeting. For four days we have had the chance to get to know Russia, several companies and many active and former AIESECers. Germany was represented by 9 delegates.

On Thursday, it started with several lectures on the Russian economy followed by a panel discussion. In the evening, we joined the 64th International Congress for dinner, Alumni Hall of Fame and Russian Night. After awarding several alumni for their work, the cultural programme with dances, music and culinary stalls started.

Also the next day was orchestrated by the Russian alumni and we went to the Skolkovo School of Management. There we could participate in two workshop rounds by the partners of the International Congress - I joined the Legacy of Sochi (PwC) and Industry and Government Relations (Sun InBev). In between, Evgeniya introduced several Russian alumni and their businesses.

The weekend was dedicated to the progress of the international organisation - the international board prepared several lectures and worshops on alumni programmes, membership and communication. In the evening, we got ready for the gala dinner that took place at Afiamall. The dinner hall was towered by big matroschkas who witnessed together with us the handover of the UBS awards to the best AIESEC countries.

On the last day, we had a sleep in - finally! Then Michaela from AIESEC International gave a speech on the alumni strategy. The closing was very emotional and we thanked the organising committee for a unforgettable event.

I had to leave early as my flight was scheduled for departure in the afternoon - to get to Domodedovo I had to take the metro and then the AeroExpress. I missed the one I wanted to catch seeing just the taillights. Nonetheless, I made it in time to check-in, had a fast lane through security and then nearly missed the flight as my gate was hidden behind a long queue of passengers on the way to Vienna. 

Moscow IV: Cosmos

Another important topic for Russia is the space or better cosmos. The Soviet Republic was the first country to send a dog and then a man in the space.

In Moscow, these events together with a lot of others are remembered in the Cosmonautics Museum that is below the Monument "To the Conquerors of Space". The monument was built after the launch of Sputnik.

To the Conquerors of Space

The museum features exhibits, replicas and photos from all the space missions, training centers and satellites.

Soyuz capsule

inside MIR

Still today Russia's space programme is important internationally. Especially after the NASA abandoned their shuttle programme and now the space flights from Baikonur (Kazakhstan) supply the international space station ISS.

Moscow III: Tsaritsyno

Tsaritsyno is a palace built by Catherine the Great in a park in Kolomenskoye that she bought from Prince Kantemir - a gambler - in late 18th century. She changed the name to Tsaritsyno meaning Empress' village.

Singing fountain in the park

In the park, there nicely arranged flowerbeds, fountains, statues and several buildings besides the big palace.

One is the Church of our Lady - that looks normal from outside, but is richly decorated on the inside.

Church of our Lady

interior

The palace was not finished during her lifetime as she had problems with the architects and ran out of money.  The ensemble of buildings was made of red brick and white was used a decorative colour. 

patterned bridge

After more than 200 years, the palace and surroundings were woken up from their sleep by the mayor of Moscow who released funds to complete the inside. Now the interior is decorated nicely, parts are given to different exhibitions and a tourist structure is established.

palace

stairway

golden ballroom

Only service and English speaking staff & signs are lacking. Nowhere at the cashiers desk it was saying that you have to pay a photo license. Then 15 min into the palace you stand in a beautiful golden ballroom and you get your camera out. Before you are able to make more than two photos the attendants harrass you for the license. So from now on you try to make some sneak pictures with your iPhone camera. 

At another museum I even unpacked my big camera in front of the cashier to get hold of my purse. But she did not ask whether I need a license, so when I was told by her colleague I had to go back and get one. I got quite furious that day. 

Court yard to Khlebny Dom (kitchen house)

After the palace I went through the park where a lot of squirrels were running about.

Saying goodbye to the park

A day on the Dacha

Today, I took an elektritschka to Zhavoronki in the west of Moscow to visit my friend Alla. The first train I took was not going the whole way which I found out only after standing for 10 minutes at a stop and my connection passing by. I got off and changed platforms and hopped on a later train.

 elektritschka

Alla picked me up at the train station from where we took a marshrutka (minibus) to the Dacha. A dacha is a home either for weekends, the warm season or the whole year that is located just outside the big towns in the country side. Most of them are made from wood and lack some luxury of modern life (warm water, indoor toilets/ bathrooms) but they bring you back in touch with nature. The garden around them gives space for planting fruits and vegetables of your choice. It reminded me a lot of the weekend home of my childhood days.

old dacha

Alla's grandparents live in the old dacha all year round. Behind it, Alla's parents built a new one for themselves and Alla, her husband and the little baby Leo. They just use it for the summer and will return to the city by the end of September.

Alla in front of the new dacha

Alla's mom and grandma fed me well with home-grown fruits and vegetables and I drank several cups of tea. In between, we talked in German, Russian and English - whatever suited us. After lunch, Alla and I went for a stroll in the nearby wood and she took some nice pictures of me.

me back in touch with nature

 lake

Leo, Alla's son, spends a wonderful time here being taken care of by three generations and so he smiled a lot at me.

garden flower 

In the evening, I bid farewell to all and promised to return the next time I come to Moscow. 

Moscow II: Advertising & Shopping

Every culture is different and influences also the marketing. While metro stations in Moscow were kept to their natural beauty, also the advertisement in alleys leading from one stop to another and in the escalator tubes still kept a low profile. Really overwhelming were the street art graffiti advertisement when you left the underground.

Apple, BMW, Subway, McDonald's --> all interesting brands were sprayed on the asphalt trying to guide your feet one way or another. Besides this, big billboards are the other method of choice to communicate products to the customer. There we talk 21st century - with LCD screens at the big crossroads.

But after all this luring where do the Russians shop? This as usual very much depends on the size of purse. There are street markets and mini markets for grocery shopping.

Next up the line, you will find shopping malls with all the brands and supermarkets you know from Europe for the middle class.

And then there are the shopping temples of the rich and famous.

ZUM - department store on Petrovka Street

Exclusive shopping passage on Petrovka Street

One exclusice shopping district leads on Petrovka Street from the Bolshoi Theatre to the pedestrian strip of Stoleshnikov Lane that is line with stores of Cartier, Escada and Chanel.

Escada

Cartier

And then there is Gostiny Dvor - the old merchant arcades that are the historic start of the nowadays shopping centres. The neoclassical building was started in the late 18th century and finished in 1830. The glass roof was added in the 1995 renovations and today it is used in a trade fair and exhibition style.

So your shopping options are various but never forget that you are in the most expensive city in Europe (#4 in the world)! Especially if you are German - we are not used to those prices. There 13 European cities among the TOP 50 most expensive ones in the world - but no German!:-) Even Munich feels quite expensive from time to time.