BBC News headline today: TOP TEN EMIGRATION COUNTRIES FOR UK CITIZENS - 2004 & 2005

TOP TEN EMIGRATION COUNTRIES FOR UK CITIZENS
2004 & 2005 (No wonder!!)

Australia - 71,000

Spain - 58,000

France - 42,000

New Zealand - 30,000

USA - 25,000

Canada - 17,000

Netherlands - 8,000

UAE - 7,000

Germany - 6,000

South Africa - 6,000

Kommt, lasst uns Bekanntschaft schließen. Lasst die Dinger schlichter fließen. Lasst uns in Liebe leben. Niemand überlebt die Welt. Yunus Emre.

For days now I have been commenting on this website:

http://www.walesworldnation.welshblogs.co.uk
Jeff Rees has his good views and thoughts for Wales even though I do not always agree.

No limits / one must be able to bear the consequences

Es gibt keine Grenzen. Nicht für den Gedanken, nicht für die Gefühle. Die Angst setzt die Grenzen.“
– Ingmar Bergman

„Wenn man Vertrauen in die eigenen Gefühle hat, wenn man an seine schöpferische Erfindungsgabe glaubt, muß man völlig inkonsequent sein. Doch das ist nicht alles. Man muß auch in der Lage sein, die Konsequenzen seiner Empfindungen zu tragen, und zwar immer.“
– Ingmar Bergman

I like those thoughts. I learnt today of the death of I. B. Yes, there are no limits, not for the thoughts, not for the feelings. Fear sets the limits.

Landcape, stunning.

A landscape comprises the visible features of an area of land, including physical elements and weather conditions, and human elements, for instance human activity. Landscape may also signify the objects around one in a building.

Stunning < to stun = to surprise

Andrei Pleşu: "the topic of the magic far-away, of the attractive otherness, constitutes - for the European world - a determining topic

"If Europeans today have the feeling of being at a turning point of their history, where the weight of their continent and the future of their civilisation are being played at the same time, this represents concomitantly a force and a weakness. A force: its humanism enables it to pose and try to solve the problems that Europe is currently confronting, just like the rest of the world: environmental protection, fight against all forms of alienation and exclusion, quality of the life and cultural blooming. A weakness: its desire for unification and the efforts it makes in this direction exceed in effect the awareness of its diversities." (Mikhail Narinski and Alexandre Tchoubarian)

Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru // Thoughts from the Baltic Sea

Sut mae? Wie geht's? How are you?

Was just thinking about my visits to the National Eisteddfod of Wales from 1992 onwards. My first was the Aberystwyth one - when I could not speak any Welsh - and after that I went about six times and spoke Welsh. After 2000 I went four times.

This is the biggest highlight in the Welsh calendar - happening NOW - & it is like the landscape of Wales - amazing. There is so much talent! Welsh people are good musicians, esp. singers. After all my criticisms I feel it is necessary to write about my good memories: Pafiliwn, Pabell y Dysgwyr, Dafydd Iwan, Bryn Terfel, Sian Cothi, Cymru a'r Byd.
I am interested in Welsh novels and stories and in Welsh literature abroad.

I THINK WITH EXPERIENCES AND ILL HEALTH FOR A LONG TIME MY VIEWS HAD CHANGED. I HAD TO EXPERIENCE HOSPITALS & LOSING JOBS.....seeing I got no help when I needed it from the government or the country. INDIVIDUAL FRIENDS WERE ALWAYS VERY NICE!!

HEDDWCH! Frieden! Peace for all!

One should admit that it is easier to pretend in front of others than in front of oneself

It is summer time in Wales and for about five days it has not been raining. I have been swimming in the sea and going to the beaches. I know I really ended this Blog, sometimes I just note some little things. Ciao - out in the sun again!

Kas putnam ir spârni, Tas cilvçkam ir draudzîba- Tâ paceï pâri zemes putekïiem. (Zenta Maurina)"Was für den Vogel die Kraft der Schwingen, ist für den Menschen die Freundschaft: Sie erhebt ihn über den Staub der Erde" .

There is a Wales Baltic Society in Cardiff, there used to be a German Society in Cardiff also. In Germany a few people learn Welsh and are interested in the Welsh culture. The real everyday life is often something different. I support those efforts, however - against all odds.

Wales matters - does Wales matter!???

Also found this interesting link:

http://wales-elects2007.co.uk/wales_elects2007/welsh_blog_roundup/index.html

Wales in Europe

I came across a fantastic Blog yesterday, the owner of which is a very friendly Welshman called Jeff Rees. He asks questions about his own country in a similar way that I question life in Wales. He is concerned about Wales's international reputation.

He compares Wales with other countries such as Latvia, Estonia, Sweden, Ireland and pinpoints out what is lacking in Wales. Latvia & Wales for example are difficult to compare. Even Latvia was a communist country, it is now a much more advanced country than Wales!!
I think a big problem in Wales are the people who are responsible (government, cultural institutions - they want to play safe only for themselves!! I have learnt this now) and also how the administration is done.

Please read Jeff Rees's Blog. It gives you much better figures and infos about the current state of Wales.

So long as I am here - not much longer I shall enjoy the beauty of the mountains and Aberdyfi beach!! Too much commitment does not help & I much prefer a nice summer in Barcelona or Stockholm than a summer with nasty people, expensive way of life and low standards in Wales!!

MAE HI MOR DDRWG GYDA FI! Welsh for: I am so sorry!!

Photo of me in Tallinn - I much prefer it to CARDIFF!!!

I'm much too lazy To give up Besides it would be too soon Because there's always a way

This song is Grönemeyer's declaration of how he intends to go on despite the pain he feels over the loss of his wife. Even if life isn't fair ("Das Leben ist nicht fair"), Grönemeyer says that's no excuse to give up and points out his wife's qualities and her own refusal to give in. Things like this inspire me to make life as good as possible for me and all people that matter and need help - I do not like the arrogant and selfish, jeolous, etc...


DER WEG - Deutsch
THE WAY - English
I can no longer see
Don't believe my eyes any more
Can hardly believe
Feelings all turned around
I'm much too lazy
To give up
Besides it would be too soon
Because there's always a way
Flooded with sun
Every frustration

My short Blog

RYDYM NI GYDA THI AR Y FFORDD, O! DDUW
Rydym ni gyda thi ar y ffordd, O! Dduw. Nid un yn eistedd ar orsedd ydwyt Ti ond un sy'n cyd-gerdded gyda ni, gan droedio trwy'r tywyllwch a'r gwlybaniaeth, ac ar y ffordd diarffordd yn y niwl, ac ar daith ddibendraw. Rydym ni gyda thi ar y ffordd, O! Dduw, oherwydd nid un yn trigo mewn eglwysi wyt Ti ond un sy'n teithio gyda ni mewn pryder amdanom am na fedrwn ddewis rhwng llwybr encil a difodiant. Rhodia gyda ni, a gad i ni O! Dduw, gyd-deithio gyda'n gilydd. Rydym ni gyda thi ar y ffordd, O! Dduw, er nad ydym yn dy adnabod yn llwyr ar hyd y daith. A phob amser, rwyt Ti'n cuddio, mewn deilen rhosyn, yng ngwên crwydryn yn crwydro gyda ni gan ein cyfarwyddo i gerdded a chwilio amdanat Ti. Rydym ni gyda thi ar y ffordd, O! Dduw er mwyn i'r ffordd a'i nod fod yn un gyda thi.
(Cyfieithiad Annette Angharad Strauch o gerdd Dorothy Soelle - diwinydd o'r Almaen )

I intended to write a good Blog about Wales and about my experiences but a good friend thinks many of the Welsh people would mind me saying my sincere views and gossip about it in pubs and most of all attack me and beat me up. I never intended to insult anyone, the Blog served me as a diary last winter when I felt a lonely in the Welsh town I live. S. Minwel Tibbott and Gwen Jones were very good friends and taught me about the culture. Eirian Arwyn Jones helped me with the language problems. Delwyn Tibbott I owe a lot to because he corrected my M.A. thesis in European Ethnology ten years ago, also Alun and Celia Jones from Aberystwyth were very kind. I like Emyr who works in the shop in the Library in Aberystwyth. Cynwil Williams inspired me to read intellectual writers and with thoughts on religion, philosophy and psychology. I used to go to Capel y Crwys in Cardiff and once lived in a chaplaincy house in Cathays w ith students. I wonder what happened to Peter Clark for example?

I cannot help that I had nothing better to write here. Life for me in Wales has been nothing but difficult. I have deleted much many people worldwide would have liked to read but I respect my friend's feelings who said if you do well in the States, people love you but if you do well in Wales and you do not belong to a certain group they hate you. I had good times in the past in Wales, most important for many is that I speak the Welsh language - mae hi'n dda, ond ife? I was thinking about food in Wales, the prices are very high. There are a few supermarket chains like ASDA, Tesco, Morrissons (smaller) but I hardly ever go there. In general I do not like chains. I prefer the small shops but even those are chains now such as Spar or Londis. Marks and Spencer (cheapish clothes but good undies) sell nice food, esp. the sandwiches. Waitrose is a good shop. Lidl is another chain and I said I detest those but thanks to Lidl I survived while I lived in Aberystwyth. The price is okay – and I like certain types of food from there: yoghurt, frozen fish (even though I do not like frozen food really, but fish is okay – and the fish you buy in the local shop in Aber now seems to be frozen, too - and I said before that even though we live near the sea they do not sell fresh seafood from Aberystwyth / heaven knows why not). Lidl. Mmmh. Six years at University and now I still enjoy the joys of Lidl in Wales – great! They have good Chianti DOCG!
If in Wales somebody asks you if you fancy a cheese sandwhich they most likely mean Cheddar cheese – always Cheddar. I think in England it is similar. I do not want to criticize if this is too much for the faint-hearted. It is just an observation. Oh, I have tried smoked cheese - and in the Royal Welsh Show they sell very good Welsh cheeses. The problem is who of the people in Wales buy these cheeses? They are so expensive and they cannot afford buying them. Tourists bring home Welsh cheese I am sure. The few tourist that go there.

Tea – you think in Great Britain people drink the best tea in the world. I can recommend Twinings Teas. Personally, I like Earl Grey. Many people I have met buy the cheapest tea bags and dump those into a mug add milk, sugar according to taste and that is your cup of tea. They drink a loveless brew – absolutely tasteless. The tea suits the lifestyle! I like hot tea, not warm.
Sometimes a PG or Tetleys is very good – esp. with full fat milk, the one with the blue lid on the top of the plastic bottles (gone are the days of the milkmen unfortunately). In the Sunday Times, I read that people have started to become interested in White Tea in Britain…but the Style magazine was probably writing about people in London, Kensington perhaps. On the continent some people drink yellow tea now more and more. I have not tried it myself.
Assam Towkok Second Flush, Darjeeling First Flush, Orange Pekoe – Java OP Superior Malabar, English Five o’clock tea, Welsh five o’clock tea, green teas such as China Royal Jasmine Curls, lemon vanilla white tea, aroma black teas: pineapple mango strawberry cream, banana walnut, raspberry yoghurt, autumn tea, marzipan, O’Connors Cream, Easter tea, Sacher mixture, wild cherry, Rooitea – honeybush, fruit teas like strawberry kiwi, Kalimba Pitahya, cherry banana flip, Mambo No5 – pineapple yoghurt or herbal teas? No sign of Ayurveda with more wellness breaks. No – and you can tell when you look at the people. TV dinners are common and children do not learn to socialize, they learn all about crisps and get bad teeth. Fast food I have not really mentioned but I do not go to places like Burger King or Mac Donalds.

So, I shall now end my Blog: Thelandscapeisstunningtherestyoucanforget - but there are many other stunning landscapes in the world. Certainly I can recommend a trip to Wales, the beaches, the Eisteddfod with the great choir music,
St Fagans Open Air Museum, the mountains - Welshcakes, Scones, Cardiff and smaller towns by the sea.

The Blog was intended only to write down some of my personal observations - and what I have experienced MYSELF, I need to say this again and again. I worry about the ill people, the old age citizens, parents not having enough time for their children and too expensive kindergardens for the little ones, about crime and the police not helping the ordinary people, the lack of recreation possibilities for the teenagers, double standards, no socialising, the law, etc. Other people are not my problem even though I care for real friends. I worry about the above in case something happens to me. I admire the voluntary workers and people who care about the environment. Only once experienced being very ill one can understand and treasure the wealth of every minute, being without pain, the ability to work, just feeling sad about any form of wasting time because life is so fragile.

You are what you do – and I try to do the best. I detest jealous people and I love those who are a good example and support and above all those who show an interest. How often do I hear ‘So what!’ or just sigh.

The title of my Blog is provocative I admit but I preferred it to Reddragonblogspot, Leekblogspot, Brainsbitterblogspot, Calonlanblogspot, Rainblogspot, Welshlifeblogspot, ForeignerinWalesblogspot, Welshlearnersblogspot, etc.

The landscape is stunning is the second part of the title which is a positive thing to say, and in all countries you can forget a lot or you can be disappointed about. I want to forget my past bad experiences, having a good outlook and enjoying my life in Wales or wherever else I shall one day live.

It is good to speak a country’s language I believe but one must not overemphasize the importance of it. It can get on one’s nerves! What matters above all is what is in your heart and how you can live well with and for other people of all classes, ages, nationalities, disabilities, backgrounds, etc!! Hwyl fawr. I shall greet King Arthur and Iolo Morganwg when I see them. Only pulling your leg but some people cannot take it apparently.

My parallel to Judy's story

IT’S the blog that captures the mood of the moment for thousands of middle-class families — and could make its author’s fortune according to an article in the Times. Judith O’Reilly launched Wife in the North, an online chronicle of her battles with three children, two elderly parents and an absentee husband while living in a northern hamlet, with the nearest town half an hour’s drive away. O’Reilly found an audience on the internet before breaking into the traditional media. I am very interested in Judy's story. I experience something similar in a tiny Welsh town where people are friendly but where I feel I do not belong. For a while it is okay. I moved here a little over two years ago because of my partner. People would tell me to leave but now it is not so easy. I will work in projects and have a plan so nothing is a problem. Life in rural Wales has been a shock to the system. Cardiff suited me better. Originally I am from Germany and I have lived in Cardiff. I am more used to the city life. There is no-one here who has anything in common with me. I deleted much what I had written, including many photographs I had so painstakingly uploaded. I have come to the conclusion it is not worth mentioning my experiences to anybody in form of a Blog. I still like the idea of a Blog as a personal voice on the Internet. I started it to sort out my thoughts. It is good though to communicate through a Blog.

Welsh culture abroad

At a mediaeval festival in mid-Germany a year ago in August I used the Welsh flag, books from Wales because an image of a photographer from Wales could be obtained after buying a ticket. The money earned was used for restoration work of Hanstein Castle. People were very interested. They asked questions about Wales, Aberystwyth, the weather, the castles. We were also offering visitors Welshcakes and scones. It was a lot of hard work, also advertising the event. I enjoyed it at the time but I won't do anything like this about Wales again - let the Welsh Tourist Board promote their wonderful country or the people who are getting paid a lot of money. I have contact to people interested in Wales in Europe and who speak Welsh. Sometimes there are meetings on the continent.

Fat not fit

Unfortunately Nordic Walking is not well-known in Wales yet. For the BBC website I just wrote an article about it yesterday. People in Wales (I was the same for a while) from what I experienced are very unfit, too fat ;) and do not do enough sports. Nordic Walking is easy to learn. There are a few instructors in South Wales mainly. There are huge health benefits related to Nordic Walking. People in Wales - you can do Nordic Walking in your stunning landscape!

Shall I really bother? My plan was to ask the Assembly and do something like that in mid-Wales - but a friend has just put me off. This is as it is!!! I am not motivated anymore. Karen Owen from the Barefoot Studio in Cowbridge was very co-operative but how do I find the time, money to do all this? I feel I am always on my own there. I wanted to discuss this with a local doctor who is interested.

My old job

I really celebrate the end of ANW in the National Library of Wales a year ago!! Martin Locock - the boss was a weak team leader. He was only interested in the work but not in the people who did most of the work. The Archives Network Wales website contains standardised descriptions of the extent, type and scope of collections of documents held by Record Offices, universities and other bodies in Wales. It also provides links to further information and access details for the repositories. It is an index to sources rather than a source itself. I enjoyed the project itself - and fair play, an old collegue Seri Crawley still keeps in touch. Rhys M. Jones and Richard Burman - all different characters - were okay. After my operation the boss would not even help me with my office equipment - and I was not supposed to carry anything heavy.

When you are ill do not die

One knows about the problems related to the health system in Wales so I do not want to mention anything. My treatment was not good in Wales. I finally had to have an emergency operation on the continent - otherwise I would be dead // maybe paralysed (Cauda Equina) now. I had several mass disc prolapses! Very painful.

Der Bandscheibenvorfall ist eine Erkrankung der Wirbelsäule, bei der Teile der Bandscheibe in den Spinalnerven- oder Rückenmarkskanal vortreten. Bei mir lagen fünf Jahre akute Probleme vor, die nicht durch Physiotherapie beseitigt werden konnten. Dazu schreibe ich morgen mehr, denn ich darf gar nicht so lange sitzen und BLOGGEN, gell, ist ja alles schlecht für den Rücken!!

Life is different

Dieses Bild nahm die Studentin Anne aus Stuttgart bzw. Leipzig im Februar auf, mit der wir eine schöne Wanderung vom Strand in Aberdyfi nach Tywyn unternahmen. Leider bekamen wir in Tywyn nicht in einem Restaurant den gewünschten Kaffee. Ich kenne dieses Erlebnis. In Abergele wollte ich mal ein Bier trinken und die Bedienung sagte mir, dass ich erst etwas essen müsste. Doch ich kenne meinen Körper und weiss, ob ich den Alkohol vertrage - und come on, one beer! Wir hätten erst ein Hauptgericht bestellen müssen. An einem Kaffee verdienten sie angeblich nicht genug. Vor meinem Lunch las ich ein paar Blogs über das Leben in GB, aber Wales kann man nicht mit London vergleichen. Natürlich ist nicht alles schlecht! No way. Ich habe einfach nur sehr negative Erfahungen gemacht.
An diesem Sonntag mit Mark und Anne in Tywyn bekamen wir in einem Pub dann unseren Kaffee umsonst. Der Pub hatte seinen letzten Tag. Die Miete war unbezahlbar geworden und der Pub musste schliessen.
Im Januar brannte in einer anderen walisischen Stadt - a friend is scared we could be attacked if I mention the name - noch die Weihnachtsbeleuchtung. Um halb fünf werden die Bürgersteige hochgeklappt, Cafes geschlossen. Innerhalb eines Jahres haben acht Geschäfte dicht gemacht. Es gibt zwei Läden, die ich durchaus mag: die Spektrum Galerie, wo man schönen Schmuck kaufen kann und Ian Snow, dort gibt es Geschenkartikel, Kleidung, etc. Ist nett zum Stöbern. In dieser Stadt gibt es eine Sportanlage. Es ist aber nicht leicht, Mitglied zu werden. Seit 2 Jahren versuche ich es schon, doch die Einführungskurse an den Geräten kommen einfach nicht zustande; es wird einem nicht abgesagt. So lasse ich es bleiben und gehe lieber selber wandern oder schwimme im Meer. Von Power Plate hat in Wales kaum einer etwas gehört. Es gibt 1 x Kieser Training in London. Ich hatte meine Bedenken geäussert und e-mails an die Verwaltung der Stadt geschickt. Der Bürgermeister fühlte sich leider zu Unrecht angegriffen und setzte diesen Artikel in die lokale Zeitung:

Mayor defends town against visitor's attack
PEOPLE defecate in the streets of X, and whilst its landscape is stunning, the rest of the town is forgettable, the town council has been told. Councillors received a letter from a German woman who had stayed in X for a while and was not pleased with what she saw. Annette Strauch’s complaints included untidy streets, high council tax, high rates causing shops to close, and drunken people screaming in the streets at night. “The Christmas lights are still on in town in the middle of Jan-uary - what a waste of energy,” she said. She added that the most appalling thing was young peo-ple defecating in front of the X Museum a few days before Christmas. “This is not very nice at all and I have never experienced it anywhere on the continent in such a small town. “The landscape is stunning but the rest you can forget. “Other people feel the same, it is so sad.” The Mayor of X hit back at the harsh opinions, and has responded personally to the critic including that lower taxes would be at cost to other services. “I took exception to her com-ments about street cleaning. “The person responsible for street cleaning is very hard working and diligent, for instance I know he was on the streets at 4am on New Year’s Day, cleaning up after the pre-vious evening‘s celebrations. “Some of the party-goers were still on their way home when he began his shift. “Not only is he on his own for street cleaning in X, but he has many other tasks to perform in the surrounding villages. “I agree having the Christmas lights still on is a waste of energy but under current Health and Safety regulations, the Chamber of Trade has to rely on Powys County Council providing a skilled person to take them down.” Cllr Dunn also highlighted that the empty shops might be empty for a number of reasons. Regarding the drunken people at night, Cllr Dunn said: “This is a great cause for concern for us all and there is little doubt it does happen. “However it is the minority of people who conduct them-selves in this way, although with the type of behaviour we are talking about, it only takes a few to upset the majority.” The suggestion that young people defecated outside the Tabernacle appalled the mayor, he said: “I share your disgust although I don’t know what can be done about it.” Ending his letter to Ms Strauch, Cllr Dunn said: “How-ever I do not agree with a lot of your conclusions and was a lit-tle saddened by the fact that you ended ... with the words “the landscape is stunning but the rest you can forget.” “I still love this town and have no intention of forgetting it,” he concluded.

Annwyl Cymru? Dim i fi!!

Bore da, das heisst hier guten Morgen. Good morning - in Wales? One must either be on holiday, be a multi-millionaire where money is no object or a native I guess otherwise life can be very difficult. It is a beautiful country, it has a rich history - no doubt. There are many friendly people but all in all - my personal experiences: not good! It depends what one wants of life I believe. I know other Germans who live in Wales and are really happy there. I ALWAYS LOVED GOING TO WALES - LIVING HERE WAS DIFFERENT TO WHEN I CAME AND STAYED A FEW WEEKS MANY SUMMERS. I was looking for a good job six years ago after my good education and the ability to speak the country's language; I wanted to rent a decent flat, modern, dry and tidy, quiet - no digs in my age, no digs at any age. LIVING IN RURAL WALES WAS HARDER FOR ME THAN LIVING IN CARDIFF.

Gut?? Also wirklich. Was ist hier gut? What is good here? Like the officer from the social security who surprisingly visited me a year ago at my home asked - why am I in Wales? What am I still doing here? He said to me I was better off moving to another European country!

Einen guten Morgen habe ich meistens nur noch, wenn ich in einem anderen Land aufwache. Wie im vergangenen Jahr: Deutschland, Frankreich, Spanien, Ungarn, Dänemark... Lettland, Estland.

Ich hatte viel Zeit zum Reisen, nachdem mein dreijähriger Arbeitsvertrag in der National Library of Wales im Archives Network Wales Projekt zuende ging. Das war auch ein Projekt....Das Geld war okay, die Arbeit war anfänglich interessant, doch die Kollegen, dazu werde ich wohl auch noch viel schreiben..., unglaublich!

Seit fast 6 Jahren lebe ich nun schon in diesem Land der Kelten, aber inzwischen gefällt es mir überhaupt nicht mehr. Alles ist teuer, das Essen ist schlecht, es regnet fast täglich. Niedrige Standards. HILFE!!!!!!!!

Mein Partner lebt hier. Das erklärt, warum ich (noch) - wir (noch) hier sind, okay!!

Im Leben kann man nicht IMMER von allem davonlaufen, wenn die Dinge mal etwas schwer sind. Natürlich muss man sich auch nichts antun, was man nicht will. Ich habe mein Leben selbst in der Hand. Es sind nur manchmal die Umstände, die es einem schwer machen.

I could have either run away always or stick it out. Sticking it out has cost me some feeling in my backside because I was not treated properly in Bronglais hospital three years ago. I had to fly to Germany where I had an emergency op.

In Deutschland, wo ich herkomme, gibt es Probleme, hier, in, Frankreich, Spanien, überall, aber mit 35 - vielleicht recht spät, geht es mir um eine bestimmte Lebensqualität!! Quality of life!

Das liegt vielleicht daran, weil ich vor drei Jahren eine Notoperation / Bandscheiben in Göttingen hatte. Hab ich ja gerade oben auf Englisch erwähnt.

In Göttingen?? Ist das denn in Wales?? Nee, das ist meine alte Heimatstadt, Geburtsort und Universitätsstadt in Niedersachsen. Wäre ich nicht von hier weggegangen, dann wäre ich wohl tot. Scheisse. Das habe ich noch immer nicht richtig verarbeitet. Die OP ist gut gelaufen, dank Dr. Bock und Prof. Verheggen im Klinikum in Göttingen. Danach hatte ich eine Reha in Bad Sooden Allendorf in der Hohen Meissner Klinik. Das war klasse. Die Therapeuten waren kompetent, der ganze Service war hervorragend. Gut, dass es in Deutschland so ein gutes Krankenkassensystem gibt.
Nur schade, dass sich in Deutschland immer alle aufregen. Na ja, viele kennen eben einen hohen Standard, den sie leider als selbstverständlich ansehen. In Germany I find people are not grateful enough, they take everything for granted and they moan more easily about problems that are no real problems. They should try and live in Wales for a month. Europe - officially, even though the locals do not think it is Europe - many of them, not all.

Mich reizte Großbritannien aber schon immer. Immer - das bedeutet eher, seitdem ich anfing, Englisch zu lernen. Die Landschaft hier ist wunderschön mit weiten Wiesen, auf denen überall Schafe umherlaufen und breiten Sandstränden, es gibt auch schöne Wanderwege.

Saufen, das können sie hier, oder die Leute sind kirchlich, was nicht dasselbe ist, wie christlich. Kampftrinken.

Am Arsch der Welt fühle ich mich!! Ich lebe in Machynlleth - seit zwei Jahren.

Die Bus- und Bahnverbindungen sind sehr schlecht. Es gibt auch kein Sozialsystem im ganzen Land, die Polizei ist nicht dein Freund und Helfer. Ich bin 35 Jahre alt, sehr lebensfroh und habe gerne Kontakt zu vielen Leuten - auf der ganzen Welt, daher meine Idee zu diesem Blog.

Ich habe die Sprache des Landes, Walisisch, Cymraeg, gelernt, doch es hat mir nicht viel weitergeholfen, ausser das Lesen der Literatur des Landes im Original, obwohl ja das meiste auf Englisch geschrieben und veröffentlicht wird.

Ich sehne mich so dringend nach einem Caffe Latte Macchiato und einem Wellnesstag!!

Obwohl Wellness aus dem Englischen kommt, wird es auf der Insel im Vergleich zu anderen europäischen Landern doch sehr selten praktiziert. Die Briten scheinen nach wie vor eine sehr verklemmte und prüde Einstellung zur Sauna zu haben. Die Schwimmbäder sind wie auf dem Kontinent in den 60er Jahren und teilweise sehr, sehr unsauber.

Also, ich muss hier bald weg, aber ich möchte von meinen unglaublichen Erfahrungen berichten!

Have a cup of tea oder ein gutes Glas Rotwein - and join me...........Ich muss das alles irgendwie niederschreiben - und es passiert so viel!
P.S. Der neue Song von Herbert Grönemeyer gefällt mir sehr gut. Zieh deinen Weg - das ist mein Lebensmotto - you can do anything and everything!! Weil es mir so wichtig ist, hier der Liedtext ich komme darauf noch einmal zurück!!:
Zieh deinen Weg" von Grönemeyer aus seinem neuen Album "12"
Zieh deinen Weg
Folg deinen eigenen Regeln
Zieh deinenWeg
Keine Angst vor Richtig und Falsch
Wer die Wahrheit kennt
Ist niemals überlegen
Vertritt deinen Punkt
Aber zeug immer von Respekt
Verrat dich nicht
Beharrlichkeit ist eine Tugend
Verstell dich nicht
Verfolge still dein Ziel
Spiegel dich

Zeig Verständnis
Aber verstehe nicht zu gut
Lüge nicht
Geh dem Kummer nicht entgegen
Prüfe dich
Ob du weißt, wovon du sprichst
Zweifel nicht
Jeder Berg lässt sich bewegen
Gib nie auf
Sei bereit fürs große Glück

A great text by Herbert Grönemeyer!

Every mountain can be moved!!! Never give up. Do not be afraid to make yourself ridiculous. Never let people take away your smile. Always say what you think.