Germany

A World without Boundaries

A picture dedicated to those who strive for a better world

Berlin Wall
Remnant of the Berlin wall at Potsdamer Platz (Jun 2006)

Berlin Album
Please click BERLIN ALBUM for more images from the city

Wild Boars!

The bronze Florentine wild boar "Porcellino" at the Mercato Nuovo is probably not a must-see for visitors who flock to the city but its popularity is clearly reflected by its shinny snout, stroked for bringing good luck and to ensure a return to Florence in the future. There are also several copies (see link) of the sculpture around the world. The beast in front of the Moderna Museet in Stockholm certainly looks identical and there is a similar one in front of Deutsches Jagd- und Fischereimuseum in Munich. This group of wild boars does seem to roam over the continent!

Porcellino
Il Porcellino, Mercato Nuovo, Florence

Wild Boar Stockholm
Moderna Museet, Stockholm

Wild Boar Munich
Deutsches Jagd- und Fischereimuseum, Munich

Please click HERE for my collection of SCULPTURES!

Vintage Vehicles in Munich

Like all the other central squares in cities and towns, the bustling Marienplatz of Munich is the perfect stage for major public events. During my recent visit, I came across this unusual gathering of vintage vehicles by MAN AG, a Munich-based engineering company. Munich was the first stop of the MAN on the road again tour, in conjunction with the company's 250th birthday.

Munich MAN AG 1Munich MAN AG 2
Vintage vehicle show in Munich by MAN AG (06/06/2008)

Walking Man

If you happen to stroll along Leopoldstrasse in Munich, be prepare to meet the gigantic Walking Man. Hidden from tourist maps, this 17-metre-tall bold white sculpture belongs to the Munich Re Group, a large reinsurance company, that also owns the office building behind it.

Walking Man Munich 1

Walking Man Munich 2
Walking Man by Jonathan Borofsky in front of the Munich Re office building at Leopoldstrasse (06/2008)

Excerpted from Munich Re Group (Source):
Walking Man, 1995 The area in front of the building on Leopoldstrasse is dominated by the sculpture "Walking Man". The 17-metre-tall, 16-tonne figure by the American artist Jonathan Borofsky, with its dynamic, out-reaching form, stands in contrast to the strictly geometric pattern of the facade behind it. As it strides out, the sculpture gives the impression of striving forward and serves as a symbol for a society geared to performance and dynamism.
© Munich Re, Munich


Bayerische Motoren Werke

Bavaria of Germany is, of course, also famous for its Bavarian Motor Works (Bayerische Motoren Werke). Housed in a ultramodern megastructure, the BMW World (BMW Welt) in Munich is a magnet for automobile enthusiasts and also a showcase of art and technology.

BMW Welt
BMW WeltBMW Welt
BMW World (BMW Welt): the exhibits (06/2008)

BMW
Clockwise from top left: BMW Headquarters and BMW World, BMW World close-up, BMW Headquarters close-up, the glass double cones of BMW World (06/2008)

Neuschwanstein Castle

A day trip from Munich brought me to this unmissable castle in Europe. Once a private refuge of King Ludwig II of Bavaria, today the castle receives 1.3 million visitors annually, with around 6,000 visitors a day In the summer. My visit was not timed with the most excellent weather but a few snapshots to share as usual.

Neuschwanstein Castle 1
Neuschwanstein Castle, as viewed from the Marie's Bridge (Marienbrücke) (06/2008)

Neuschwanstein Castle 2
Castle tower disappearing into the mist (06/2008)

CLICK HERE FOR MORE PICTURES

Animals and Finance

Advanced Financial Economics exam question:
What do the bull, the bear and the bird have to do with financial markets?

Frankfurt bull bear

Frankfurt bull bear
The bull and the bear in front of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (2006)

External links:
  • Wikipedia: Bull market and Bear market
  • Investopedia: Where did the bull and bear market get their names?

Birds and Ampelmann

Two birds and Ampelmännchen's new niche in the capitalist world.

Ampelmann
Somewhere in Berlin (07/2006)

Related link:
Ampelmann website

Ampelmännchen

Not merely a quirky variant of his austere counterparts, the little traffic light man is also a witness to history and has affecting story of his own to tell.

Ampelmaennchen
A pedestrian traffic light in Berlin featuring Ampelmännchen (07/2006)

CLICK HERE FOR MORE PICTURES OF BERLIN

Related links:
Wikipedia: Ampelmännchen
Expatica: Striding forward
Why the Ampelmännchen?