So many topics….

….so little time, and even less internet. First order of business: changed the picture on the blog, thought this was appropriate. Obviously, it is appropriate because I’m traveling by bike. Also, it is shot by the Deutsches Eck in Koblenz, where the Mosel runs into the Rhein – for the oenophiles out there, this is to you what the Bombardero is to Maradona worshipers, except more German. And if you don’t know what an oenophile is, well that’s like saying ….saying…saying….fool, you just ignant! Back to what I was actually talking about, Deutsches Eck literally means “German corner” which really can’t be more than a glorified and amplified version of Willis’ corner – a visual guide, if you will?
Next order of business: The Karadzic arrest. This is fantastic news, very glad to hear it. And while we’re talking about international warrants from the Hague – beautiful and hospitable city, but a different blog post – I just want to laud the ICC for bringing charges against Omar……, the leader of Sudan. I know there’s a lot of criticism because haters are saying it could endanger the peace in Darfur, but really – what peace are they talking about? And indictments against civil war leaders in Uganda and more analogously in Sierra Leone (against then-President Robert Taylor) actually sped along conflict resolution and helped put both countries back on the path to stability and, inshalla, prosperity. And have you noticed who most those haters criticizing the indictment are? Let’s see… we have Mugabe in Zimbabwe, the Chinese government, the Russian government, Ghaddafi, Mubarak in Egypt – all democratic leaders whose human rights and rule-of-law records are beyond reproach. It baffles me what they could possibly be objecting to, they could never end up in that kind of a situation….
Finally, I’ll turn my attention to films. I’ve been “in” the cinema twice in the last two nights and saw two somewhat morbid but very good and touching films. Yesterday I saw a German-Japanese that carries the title “Kirschlblueten / Hanami.” Those are the German and Japanese words for cherry blossoms, respectively. At least I think that’s what hanami means, but I won’t know for certain until I ask Mrs. Liss, one of many questions I plan to ask her after this film. Also, one of the characters in the film claims that homelessness in Japan is a choice, which seems absurd: is this a cultural prejudice against society’s weakest members, or is the social safety net actually that strong?
The reason I put the in in quotation marks above is that last night, my parents and I went to Kino am See (“cinema at the lake”) here in Zurich, which is an open-air cinema that is temporarily installed during the summer, so weren’t technically in the cinema at all. Beyond the screen, which is folded upwards during the performance from its normal horizontal position on the lake, the area includes outdoor restaurants and bars by some of the best caterers and restaurants in Zurich. Although performances don’t begin until after 10 pm at this time of year, the gates open at 6.30 and the general admission means that by the time we arrived at 6.45, most of the seats had already been reserved with place cards, sweatshirts, blankets, bags, etc. However, you can leave again and return later for the performance, although we chose to eat there, overlooking the lake and watching the sunset, which colored the cumulus clouds above the distant peaks of the high alps (3000+ meters) in brilliant hues of yellow, orange, lilac and purple. During the performance itself the sky was clear, so that you could not only see lights shining around the lake and the romantically lit commercial ferries on the lake (part of the public transportation system, like trams and subways), but a beautiful star-studded sky above. I know other cities have outdoor films in the summer (London’s Cinema on the Green, DC’s Cinema on the Mall, whatever it’s called in NYC) but I doubt that the backdrop is as stunning, or that the organization is as relaxed yet perfectly executed as in Zurich. The movie we watched was “The Bucket List”, which like “Kirschblueten” is about fulfilling one’s lifelong dreams before passing away, both covering a time span of about 6 months, both witty and touching in their dialogue and action.
That’s all for now.