It's finally over...

Who would have thought seven minutes of video could be so taxing? Especially, unscripted video. But, I have to admit: it has been tough.

Not that Bonn has been an issue. She's been a perfect lady about all this. Every day a venue or story seemed to just be staring me in the face. And, I'm even prepared to say that I feel a closer bond to the city - who wouldn't, after a week of intimate videos together?

Looking at the commercial side of things: on average we've had 17 viewers a video. Not quite the numbers we or our sponsors were hoping for. Clearly, the project still needs time to achieve full acceptance with the audience. Still, I think this is going to take the world by storm. Payment for the series can be done by direct cash transfer to our office account.

So far, I've had one reader request to keep going with the videos - but that was "for the rest of my life" (no, it wasn't my girlfriend!). Otherwise, the overwhelming majority of just so euro readers have insisted that I stop the project immediately. Mainly because Youtube videos from the streets of Bonn just don't seem dramatic or newsy enough.

So, it's finally over. Or is it? One thing is for sure: we've done an outtakes video - c'mon you know you want to.

The "just so euro" Video Week

We promised it - here it is. The "just so euro" Video Week has begun.
Fun for all the family in 4:3 format for all our American fans.

Here's what's it's all about:



For all the updated videos click here or join us on Facebook.

What is reality?

This is the question Bonn's students and thespians will be asking innocent passers-by this week. A series of quirky, ad-hoc performances called Reality Test will hit the streets of the city in an effort to challenge locals about their idea of reality. The whole thing is sponsored by Theater Bonn and the fringe ensemble.

The focus of the project is the "Test Centre" on Bonn's Market square. Each night up until July 2nd, live music, open-mic action and the much maligned poetry slams, are all on the programme here. Certainly the vernissage party thingo there went down well on Saturday night.

Sure... you could say this is another example of the fact that when you have a warm roof over your head and safe food on the table, you can worry about the more philosophical things in life. It's often the way here in Germany, hence the mountains of random euro stuff to have filled the pages at jse/Euroblog over the last five years. Sometimes it can be a bit lame, other times a bit too challenging: the main thing is, people are doing stuff. Living hand to mouth is just so out clearly. That's something only I do, I suspect.

Still, I'm a big fan of doing this sort of thing in Bonn. Especially if it makes old ladies - who would otherwise only go to Bonn market place to buy white asparagus - drop their groceries and FINALLY TAKE NOTICE OF THE CITY'S YOUTH!

Ode to "the Crazies"

My number of remaining days in Berlin is coming down into single figures. So, it's only right that at this juncture I take time out to thank the fantastic mix of "crazies" (Ger: Spinner) that make this city what it is. There's a guy that lives near us that always writes messages about ravens. I really don't know what he wants to tell us. Here's a translation of his latest poem:

Gondel Gukolya Abraxas

In April/May 1993 I found a half-dead "raven",
because of my nut tree which is not allowed
to be harvested. But then it was!

I have a sneaking suspicion there could be a hidden sexual or political reference in there somewhere. Any help you could give me would be much appreciated.

Of course the personal stories of these people are often sad ones. Their behaviour may be because of earlier (or ongoing) drug use or alcoholism - their lives may well have been spent mainly on the streets. Most visitors to Berlin will have seen them in the train, just circling the city on the Ringbahn spouting wisdom to anyone who cares to listen. After five years here, I still always just stand up and move off when I feel my personal space is being encroached upon. I really must try to talk to one of them one day. Schwach von mir, sehr schwach.

what's that sound?

I've talked about it before. It's tricky to know what to do on Sundays in Germany. Things are always shut, and the weather generally isn't very good. In Berlin though, thankfully, there's always SOMETHING going on. Today for instance I was just moseying around my local area when I stumbled across a cheeky sound installation in an ex water reservoir ....as you do!

The project inside, from Belgian artist Pierre Berthet, was called "extended drops". Set up around the inner walls of a barely-lit, labyrinth-like water reservoir, the first thing I realised was: this was going to be spooky. In the end, after being bombarded with low rumbles and high-pitched twangs for 20 minutes, I was confused as to how the sounds were even being made. This is what the flyer said:"...steel wires cross the room and are attached to membranes on loudspeakers and special resonators on the reservoir walls. The anologue drops and the resulting electronic pulses create a wide rhythmic and sound spectrum - a seemingly timeless, atmospherically-rich combination of tones in space."

Yes, well... There was only one thing to do after all that ofcourse. Head outside into the sunshine for an ice cream.

Street art

Even my dad's into Berlin's street art. And he's "no supporter of vandalism". In fact, "he won't stand for it". But the thing is, street art in Berlin is just so crazy, that everyone just gets into it eventually.

At the moment, there's a new street art bandit in town who seems to have a real thing about drawing birds. For weeks now I've been spotting pictures of flying fauna of all shapes and sizes on walls in the east. Credit to the guy (or girl), he or she doesn't seem to have one particular bird. Each bird gets a look-in - keeping things very politically correct.

But I am struggling to find the meaning of this recurring badge to be honest. The classic, the yellow fist, always had a sense of rebellion about it. This street artist just seems to really like birds though. I feel like Jake in Eureka Street - wondering about the meaning of a street message, which maybe isn't meant to be understood.

But for me, you still can't go past this massive mural from Blu on the south side of the river, right where the old border between east and west used to run. It's political, historical AND a logistical masterpiece. It's a once off though - that's probably for the best because if he started doing this on every apartment building wall in Berlin he'd probably get into a spot of bother.

Elections: Berlin-style

I know it's the hottest day on record, I know it's the middle of the World Cup and Germany is surprising even itself with it's own performances...but there is actually something more important right now.

Germany has to pick a new President. Well, better said - the Federal Convention has to. Politicians from the German Parliament and representatives from the states will cast their secret ballots on Wednesday, June 30. The two prime candidates for the election are Joachim Gauck (backed by the Greens and SPD) and Christian Wulff (put forward by CDU/CSU and the FDP).

The election is necessary after the former German President Horst Köhler resigned on the 31st of May, following controversy about his statements regarding the German army.