Bunker Kralenriede – Führung 3. Oktober 2014

Keep calm!

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In Braunschweig, very few bunkers remain in original condition. The city center was dotted with bunkers during WWII, however most of them were taken down after the war. Others were turned into apartment buildings, none of which still look like bunkers to this day, of course. Bunker Kralenriede is one of the few that remained untouched. Organized by KulturTeam, monthly tours are available for those interested in taking a peek inside Bunker Kralenriede.

The tour lasts about 1 1/2 hours, costs 7€, and is led by a well-informed local (i.e. a Braunschweiger). Though the bunker was not built below ground, it felt about 10 Degrees chillier inside. That's the first thing I noticed upon entering, in addition to feeling a tad spooked out. The second thing I noticed was Rauchen verboten! (Smoking not permitted!) written on almost every wall in an unfamiliar typeface.

The bunker has a simple layout: ground floor, 1st floor and 2nd floor. Each floor looks identical to the next and consists of long hallways lined with 6 sq. metre rooms. Unbelievably, 20 people fit in each of these rooms, sometimes for days at a time. Despite having vents that allowed fresh air to enter the bunker, ventilation was horrible and made worse by the perpetually foul state of the washrooms.

Only German women and children were allowed in the bunker. Foreigners and Jews were not permitted to enter. Bunker Kralenriede was mainly for residents in the local area, and most people kept a few of their belongings inside the bunker as there were periods of time when the alarms went off frequently.



The photos below show stairs leading to one of the bunker's main entrances, as well as the actual door at that entrance. Our tour guide explained that once the door was closed, it remained closed until it was safe to open again. Oftentimes, people who hadn't entered the bunker in time desperately waited at this door in hopes of being let in. The sheer thought of this makes my heart sink.

Nowadays, musicians make use of Bunker Kralenriede by renting out the space for practice sessions. I've shared this with a few people I know and I've either gotten a raised eyebrow or a shrug of the shoulders. So long as the musicians are comfortable with it, why shouldn't it be tolerated?



Situated in the neighbourhood of Kralenriede, it's hard to notice the unassuming bunker at first since it's surrounded by normal houses on a residential street. Here's a photo of the bunker taken from outside.

While it isn't the most positive time in history to reflect on, my visit to Bunker Kralenriede was admittedly fascinating. The past cannot be changed. As such, I think it's necessary for one to know a thing or two about the place where one lives or the place one calls home, even if this place is temporary. I can't think of a more worthwhile activity to have done on the Tag der Deutschen Einheit (Day of German Unity) earlier this month. *proudly waves German flag in the air*

Pascuals in Europe Pt. II

One of the major disadvantages of living abroad is that you see your family on average once per year, depending on how far away you are from them. I've accepted and lived with this fact for a few years now, but saying goodbye after spending time together has not gotten easier. It never does. Who likes goodbyes, anyway?! I hate 'em. But so ist das Leben.

I'm thankful and blessed to be able to have spent my summer hols with my family in Europe just this past month. In 2012, we visited Rome and Paris together. This year, on Mama Pascual's request, we visited London, Amsterdam, BS and Berlin. The obvious highlight for me was showing my family the city where I live, Braunschweig aka BS, and Germany in general. After all, I've come to call Germany home. Though it felt absolutely surreal while my family was in town, I loved every minute of it. Now whenever I talk about my life, they'll actually be able to picture it, which makes me genuinely happy beyond words.

30. Braunschweiger Drachenfest (Kite Festival)

I just recently learned that festivals involving kites are common in Germany, and that they usually take place in the autumn. We had our own wee Kite Festival here in BS earlier this month and I made sure not to miss it! It was a crisp, clear-skied and sunny Sonntag. My memory of the day is vivid because we had had a week of straight raininess prior to this day. Living here has taught me never to take the sun for granted! In the spring and autumn it's typical to get days on end of cloudy and wet dreariness.



They were selling kites at the actual festival and would ya check out the leggy kite in the photo above?! Seeing that kite "flying" in the air was an absolute hoot. The other kites were cute and colourful but not as amusing or mighty. Overall 'twas a splendid afternoon but I didn't linger about because shortly upon arriving, I lost our camera's lens cap. Doh!!

Typography in Braunschweig

A few months ago, I did a post called #TYPELOVE #PARIS. Well it's about time I featured some of the kool-lookin' typography here in our little city! The typefaces they use on public buildings here are just so unlike the typefaces I grew up seeing in North America. Dare I say they have better taste o'er here? ...with a preference for classicism, I might add.

The Best Seafood Pizza I've Ever Had

The title's cliché, I know! But there's no other way I can describe this pizza except that it was the best damn seafood pizza I've ever had! Mind you, I can't remember the last time I'd ordered a seafood pizza before I recently had this one at Guido's (hee hee). I love how the folks at Guido's pride themselves in not stinging out on the ingredients. I mean, this pie was loaded with good-quality calamari, shrimp and mussels and though pieces of fish would have also been good, I was heartily satisfied! Best of all, it didn't have any of that imitation fake crab sh.t on it! Peep my first Guido's blog post here.

[2013] Wintertime in Braunschweig

Enough food-y pics already, here's a glimpse of what it looks like these days in little ol' BS. It's strange. Some days are chilly and snowy (never lower than -5°C) while other days are rather mild. Ah well, I ain't complaining! The winters here don't even come close to the crazy cold I grew up with in Toronto! We've had a few slushy days (the extra-challenging-to-bike-in-the-snow days) but other than that... ! Just want to point out one thing I love about these photos: one glimpse and you already know it can't be anywhere in North America. Hate to hashtag this but #livintheeuropeanlifestylehellyeah.

Traditional German Dinners

It's about time I visually documented some traditional German dishes we've cooked up over the past year! To tell the truth, we rarely even cook German food at home. On average, maybe once every 1-2 months? I personally don't crave it very often, but I must admit, some dishes are indeed comforting. As you can see, potatoes and meat are favoured ingredients in the German kitchen. As well, the following dishes are typically eaten here for lunch or dinner. Props to the bf for sharing his culture with me...



Grünkohl mit Pinkel ― Wow, is this dish a fave amongst Germans especially during the autumn and winter months! It's essentially kale cooked in a broth with bacon, potatoes and sausages. Hearty fo' sho! It's only popular in certain areas of Germany and here in Braunschweig, they call it Braunkohl (go figure). The sausages are eaten with mustard. An accessible yet "only for acquired tastes" kinda dish.



Schnitzel + Kartoffeln + Senfsoße ― Well, well, well. Schnitzel is mighty popular all over this area of Europe... in Austria and many Eastern European countries, for example. Schnitzel can be found on the menus of pretty much every German restaurant. Pork is most common, but schnitzel made of chicken or veal isn't out of the ordinary. Paired with boiled potatoes in a mustard sauce (interesting but I think I still prefer good ol' ketchup), this dish couldn't be more German. What's missing? Greens aka veggies!



Currywurst + Pommes ― Over a year ago, I introduced the Currywurst to you guys here. That was the first and last time we ever made it at home. Why? Simply because one can get it any/everywhere here, and it's decently cheap. I think you really gotta love sausages (like the Germans do) in order to truly appreciate this dish. Unfortunately, I've never been a huge sausage fan so even a curry sauce won't sway me into preparing this dish over a stir-fry or sth. Mm, the sudden craving for Swiss Chalet fries!



Fischstäbchen + Rahmspinat + Kartoffelbrei ― Fish sticks are equally loved here as they are in North America, though they're prepared in different ways: paired with potatoes and veg, baked in casseroles, eaten with plain ol' ketchup, eaten in bread rolls, etc. We just prepared it the way André remembers eating it often as a kid... fish sticks with creamed spinach and mashed potatoes (and jazzed up with fried onions on top)! Creamed spinach can be found in the frozen food section of any supermarket.



Kartoffelpuffer + Apfelmus ― They're super oily, admittedly delicious and easy peasy to make. The supermarkets sell bags of grated potatoes where you can simply pat them into pancakes and fry 'em up yourself (which is what we did here). My first instinct was to dip them in ketchup (how Canadian) but when I first tried them with applesauce, I became a believer! For more flavour, fry them in LARDDD!



Wurst + Sauerkraut + Kartoffelbrei ― Just another classic combo of German ingredients on one platter. The Germans really do live up to the stereotype of eating sausages all the time. Pairing sausages with sauerkraut and potatoes is also very common. Sauerkraut's OK but I couldn't eat it that often. SOUR!



Strammer Max ― Here's something you'd never find in Canada! A slice of bread topped off with a big fat slice of Leberkäse and a fried egg. Big whoop. Leberkase is by all means not my favourite food in the world, as I find it salty and I don't like its hot-doggy texture. This was the bf's dish and I only tasted it out of curiosity. There are many other variations of Strammer Max (don't ask me why they call it that) of which I have no desire to try. Ah well. You win some and you lose some.

CS Cooking Event - Braunschweig - Turkish Food

As a proud CSer, whenever possible I try to participate in the local CS events in Braunschweig. It's quite a community o'er here and I've met so many people from all over the world who also participate in/support the CS concept! One of the most recent events I took part in was this Turkish food cooking extravaganza. A special thank-you to Banu for organizing the event, as well as sharing her culture with us. What could be kooler than preparing a meal together with random people? Love these kinda things!



The first dish we made was grape leaves stuffed with minced meat and rice. Called Sarma in Turkish, this dish took forever and a day to prepare. After cooking the rice and meat half-way through, as well as soaking the grape leaves in warm water (to get the saltiness out), we then proceeded to wrap the grape leaves. Just a warning for ya'll: one must have patience to embark on this task, for it takes a long@ss time to individually wrap each and every delicate little grape leaf. Thankfully, Banu taught us all how to do it properly. And in a strange sorta way, I actually found it to be rather therapeutic.



We were 6 peeps in total, though the event was open to all CSers interested in coming. In the photo above, from left to right there's Palani (holding a knife sharpener), Bastian (holding a knife) and Björn (crossing his arms). Patrick, Banu and I also were also part of the cooking crew. The second dish we made was Banu's version of hummus, called Nohut Ezmesi in Turkish. I'm a big hummus fan and my version usually contains a bit of yogourt, but we didn't use any in this recipe. We did, however, use a lot of tahini and mashed garlic. Later, Banu topped the hummus off with minced meat, evoo & paprika.



The third and final dish we prepared was lentil "patties," (not sure what they're called in English) or, Mercimek Köftesi in Turkish. This was my favourite of all the dishes we prepared because I'd never tasted anything like it! In addition to lentils, it consists mainly of bulgar with spices, tomato paste and green onions added to the mix. Once the mixture had been made, we all used our hands to shape the Mercimek Köftesi into oblong pieces and then, it was ready to be served! The photo above shows us snacking on the Mercimek Köftesi while making them into funny little "patties." So good!!!

Nohut Ezmesi / Hummus

Mercimek Köftesi / Lentil Patties

Sarma / Stuffed Grape Leaves

Here's how my dinner plate looked... a work of art, no?! Oh, how effing delicious and wonderful it was. The plain yogourt was mainly to dip the grape leaves in, but I pretty much dipped everything into it. Banu said our selection of small dishes was called Mezze, of which different varieties are served all over the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Was definitely a great experience and a fun time!

Life as a Canadian in Germany

Thinking of moving to Germany? If so, then regardless of what country you're from, I hope you'll find the following points useful to know. As seen through the eyes of a Canadian living in a small German city called Braunschweig (pop. 250 500), here's some insight on everything I've observed thus far.

[image courtesy of http://archives.canadianpressroom.com]

Geography

• Take a train ride anywhere in Germany and catch a glimpse of the German countryside: picturesque, pristine and proper. Not to mention, greeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen.
• The concept of space and land is madd small. Depending on where one lives in Germany, drive a few hours west, east or south and you'll end up in another country (traveling advantage #1).
• The North American concept of a "suburb" simply does not exist here. Drive a half hour outside of any city's "city centre" and you'll end up in a different city, town or village altogether.
• Most towns and cities are laid out in a circular pattern as opposed to a grid pattern. An iconic church and market square is usually located dead smack in the middle of the city centre.

Climate

• The climate in this part of Germany (the north) is very similar to the weather I grew up with in Toronto. Here in BS, however, we get wayyy more cloudy and rainy days all throughout the year. The summers also don't seem to get as hot (e.g. we never had over 30°C days last summer).

Politics

• I won't pretend I know much about German politics, but my experience with government officials so far isn't positive. I believe the system is &*$#ing bureaucratic and excessively complicated.

Economy / Infrastructure

• Germany's economy depends on its automobile industry. On this note, I've come to notice that technical jobs (e.g. engineers) are seen as more respectable than all other types of jobs.
• Hands-on jobs (e.g. chefs) and jobs in the trades (e.g. plumbers) aren't paid well. Pity!
• Hoorah for the bike culture!! Most cities, towns and villages in Germany are bike-friendly. Love love effing love that there are bike lanes everywhere!!! This has honestly changed my (previous commuter) lifestyle by 360° and I couldn't feel/be healther/happier. You ready to ditch your car?

Religion

• Don't declare that you're "Catholic" on your papers here, even if you are. You'll have to pay 8%-9% of your income tax to the church or community to which you belong. That is heaps!!!

Languages

• Most people under the age of 30 can speak basic English. Still, it's nothing like the Netherlands or the Scandinavian countries, where even the elderly folks can speak a basic level of English. 
• There's a high demand for English teachers all over the country because people of all ages desire to either learn or to improve their English (*nudge *nudge to all you native speakers).

Education

• Having "papers" are very important. Employers, for example, are more interested in the certificates or diplomas proving you've completed a course or that you've obtained a degree. 
• Huge difference between the uni students in Germany vs. the uni students in North America: here, tuition costs are affordable. Uni students aren't caught up in a never-ending cycle of debt.

Culture

• Hands-down, Germany is not an immigrant country like Canada, Australia, the US, etc. Contrary to the society I grew up in, it just isn't a "mixed bag" of cultures here. The largest number of immigrants here come from Turkey. I just kind of miss seeing other Filipino people around :(
• Generally speaking, Germany is less open to new ideas and change in comparison to countries like Canada. For example, people seem to prefer stabile jobs over entrepreneurialism. Yuck.
• "New" ideas catch on 10-15 years later (the bubble tea fad just arrived here a few years ago).
• It's true, most Germans (not all!) have a standoffish, direct approach. I'm talking specifically about people you'd meet in public. You might consider it rude - but don't take it personally.

Food

• Good Asian food (e.g. a proper bowl of pho or bibimbap) is damn hard to find, unless you live in a big city. But even then, I have yet to try mind-blowing Asian food in Berlin or Hamburg.
• It seems to me that Germans have a salt tooth. Their Asian food, for example, is super salty!
• Germans aren't big fans of peanut butter. Though they do enjoy their Erdnussflips. Strange, eh?
• All the ice cream people eat here is really Italian-style gelato. And you can get a scoop from any ol' ice cream shop for as little as 0,70€ - much cheaper than a scoop from Laura Secord!
• Sadly, ain't no Tim Horton's-style cheap coffee joints here. A cappuccino goes for at least 2€.
• German fast food = döner or currywurst. McDonald's and Burger Kings are less frequented.
• There's a little bakery on every corner. People love buying fresh bread rolls in the morning.
• Rather than a few humungous superstores in town, there are little supermarkets everywhere.

Fashion

• One word: BLAND. I hate to be blunt but seriously, the styles here are really effing bland.
• People seem scared to rock anything super colourful or out of the ordinary. Scurred folk!!!

Miscellaneous

• Drinking in public is legal. That's right, l-e-g-a-l. Feel free to ride your bike with a beer in hand.
• All abandoned empties will be snatched up! You pay a fund for them when you purchase them, of which you can get back so long as they're returned. So save all your empty bottles and cans! 
• People are more open about sex and sexuality in general. The women in my fitness classes get naked in the change rooms like it's nothing at all. Kids see boobs on TV at early ages.
• Strangers (mostly old folk) on the street can and will scream at you! If you're biking on the wrong side, or do anything at all that they deem to be inappropriate, be prepared to get an earful!
• Tell people you have a driver's license but can't drive a standard car and you will be made fun of.
• Only on New Year's are Germans allowed to go buck wild. It'd call it absolute anarchy for 24 hours straight. People light fireworks and party on the streets the entire night and into the a.m. 

As a Canadian expat in Germany, naturally, the thing I miss the most is multiculturalism. It's much more evident in Berlin, but not so much in our little city. I just miss being able to eat every type of cuisine in the world all in one city (and being able to grab a Jamaican patty at my whim). Having said that, however, I've gained experiences here I'd never have the chance to do anywhere else. Over the past year I've learned to speak German and damn proud of it! In the future, I picture myself forever living in various countries. For me, experiencing different cultures is a lifelong thing. #staypassionate

Badsha - Braunschweig - Buffet

Hot damn there's good Indian food in lil ol' Braunschweig! Once a month this resto called Badsha has an all-day Indian buffet for only 9,90 Euros ― a sweet deal! Here's my 1st plate :) Of their selection of curries, my fave was the paneer/chickpea one. Call me a sucker for anything paneer-related. Fresh naan bread kept arriving at our table too, though it's not pictured on my plate. Random sidenote: the food was awesome and everyone enjoyed but for some reason I fell ill that night :( Boo me!

Fuckes Bäckerei ― Schokoladen-Croissant

This croissant was by no means out-of-this-world. Plus, when I bought it I was told it was cappuccino-flavoured. That's the main reason why I bought it! But when we toasted it for brekky the next morning and cut it in two, I had a feeling it was just your regular chocolate croissant. Lo and behold, it was just your regular chocolate croissant. Flaky and much better than a mass-produced Penny Markt croissant, but mehh. I like you, Fuckes Bäckerei. Let's hope I'm not disappointed the next time I pay you a visit.