The White Raven Fesitival

Where does it happen: The International Youth Library in Munich. http://www.ijb.de/wrfestival/de/HM_2%20VA%20Programm/Abendveranstaltungen_5JMM.htm

What are the events for: Children & adults; workshops, talks and book readings by authors themselves.

This is a festival that provides a face-to-face forum for writers, illustrators, and storytellers to meet with their readers. It is the festival that "book spirits" gather. Although only few sessions were in German, I could still feel that delightful atmosphere and sparkles when these kindred spirits clink into each other.

The festival is still going on (until 20th) and here are some writers that I have clinked into so far.

Uri Orlev: A survivor of holocaust and renown writer. 

The talk with his translator. I asked him, "Have you forgiven them?" He said, "I'll never forgive them for killing my mother, but both of us, the German and Jew have to think,  why did we let it happen? 
He asked me whether I was from Japan. I said, "No, Taiwan. I told you this morning." And he said, "I'm old!"
I like him, a lovely, forgetful old man.

Bernard Beckett: A writer from New Zealand

  

Before the talk, he looks a little bit nervous.

I asked him how to get rid of the annoying voice of the target reader from your head. He said, try to enjoy what you are writing and ignore the voice. 

For more introduction of their works,  click on the following link to my other blog, Couscous Story House, for details
http://couscousstoryhouse.blogspot.de/

A white rose in their history: Lugwig Maximilian University of Munich

The roses were laid to tell them that they are still remembered.
The rock by the side is a German way to tell the death, I come to visit. 

The inscription of the message to the world, for which, they paid their lives.  

Who were they? and what did they do? you may ask....

These were also my questions when I joined the American group to visit the White Rose Memorial Site in Lugwig Maximilian University (University of Munich). From Bob (a professor from Appalachian State University), I learned the story about this brutal and secretive crackdown on those activists (professors and students) who dared to stand up for justice.

Their anti-Nazi leaflets were  made and spread at the cost of their lives. But, it has also become the evidence of their courage and their everlasting influences to next generations. It reminded me of Tien-An-Men Massacre in China. I was quite emotional when I saw the pictures displayed in the site although I don't read any German.

Who were they? 6 students and professors. The youngest of them, Sophie Scholl, was only 21 when she was beheaded.

I was deeply moved by how the youth, who in general is considered naive and immature, repeatedly prove themselves to be the power that shapes their nations. I respect that power and hope to witness that power happens in my own country, too.

The university is like a museum. This is the place where the leaflets were spread. 

A group of people just finished their visit and stood outside for some discussions.

The entrance of the memorial site.

The Chinese translation of the event.

I checked out the movie made based on this story centered on Sophie Shroll from Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8RIMpuTexg&feature=colike. 

I hope you'll watch it and and be moved.

Nuremberg

I was lucky to join the retreat of SCBWI German Chapter to Nuremberg. It was a great opportunity for me to meet some members here and also tour around the city.

My first impression of Nuremberg is, "wow, this is prettier than Prague." It got all the picturesque sites, the river, the cathedrals, the museums, the famous people (Durer vs Kafa) but in a smaller space. Just imagine moving all the wonderful things that we saw in Prague to a smaller place. So, in a shorter time, you are surprised again and again. The trip in Nuremberg is a roller coaster ride, while the Prague one is a slower ride like "It's a Small World" in Disney Land.

It's hard to believe that over 90% of the buildings there were rebuilt after WWII. The war almost smashed the entire city, but the rebuilt revived it in such a way that hardly any trace of the war was visible.
Follow my pics to see what I found.

The Durer's house. You get to see the way people live 500 years ago.

Durer's wife gave us an English guide to her house. Do you see the big key ring and keys she is wearing around her waist? Only the most important person in the house can "hold the keys."

From Durer's window looking out. He was lucky. He got the see the castle, the fortress, the wall around the city.

The beautiful river. There is a small island in the middle.

From the top, the water comes out of the angels' trumpets (well, very normal), but....did you see the other places? Ha, you are blushing!

They have the bell tower, too. But, the figures do't move like the Munich's.

Venders practically occupied the roads.

Durer's interactive exhibits can be seen everywhere.They ask questions for you to answer. I could have answered that if the questions were in English.

Who can blame them?  Modern technology really makes our lives easier.

From the German National Museum back to the old town.

I don't remember why they built this but I do remember a lucky ring was tied to it and you'll get your luck if you touch it and I did.  

Here is the link for you if you want to know more about the city. http://www.historische-meile.nuernberg.de/englisch/e_start.htm

the most famous beer garden: Hofbrauhaus Biergarten

It is the "must go" beer garden and what you get is, of course, people and noises. The beer is not as good as the one we got in Prague and the food...ok.  The most important is the people you go with. We had a wonderful time.

The international fellows

Not a toast. A piece of ham!

Some soft-bread dessert with apply sauce.

                                                                The famous sign. HB.

                                             The house was very noisy, but I took a quiet pic.

funning findings in Prague: updated

I'm sorry that the last post was crashed. Here is a new version of what I observed in Prague.

Military related ads are quite common in Prague. Here is one on a wall of a restaurant.

I quite like butts.

It's quite clear what this shop is, isn't it? 

The eye-ball-shaped street lights. Like aliens looking down.

Dolls with ugly and weird faces. 

How erotic! You can actually see her boobs. 

A front look.

More funny faces.

The weather was so hot, the water trucks were out cooling people down by shooting out mists.

Another obvious sculpture for a shop.

People keeps saying: look at the part he put his "thing!" Do you see it?

ways to get around

To get around in Prague, you have many choices, depending on how much money you have and what mood you are in. You can choose to get around by....

By this funny looking multi-cycle? It's good for a small group, but hey, who is leading the way? No wonder they got stuck on the street! 

By this fancy convertible: it's good for both old and new money.

By segways: not only in Prague. they are everywhere in any tourist site. 

By boat: you can even stay at a botel like this one. 

Bey Wagon: for fairy tale lovers.

Of course you can always stroll along like most people do, and get yourself some ice-cream when you are tired like this boy. Yum!

The Parade