Mäed ja linnud

Vahetevahel siin ikka juhtub ka midagi nii, et ma saan rohkem kui korra kuus midagi meie blogisse kirjutada.
Muidu üldjoontes läheb ikka vaikselt ning mitte-midagi-suurt-toimuvalt... mina kodus, vaatan US Openit ning Jörg tööl, teenib raha. Ehk siis tööjaotusega on meil kõik korras veel ;) Ei, tegelikult siis, minu pool on suhteliselt igavaks kujunenud juba, aga kui muud teha ei ole siis ma saan vähemalt rahulikult saksa grammatikat õppida.
Eelmine nädalavahetus, kui igavus siin tõesti juba lihtsalt jalust niitis, siis me käisime pisikesel matkal... ehk siis parkisime auto, jalutasime kuskil 2 km läbi metsa ning üle mäe väikese järve juurde ning pärast tagasi. Täiesti vahva oli ju, aga jah, see loodus on siin ikka omamoodi, ehk siis ka kõige vaiksemal hetkel kuuled kuskil autot sõitmas või rongi tuututamas :) Metsas pead vaatama, et mingid hobiratturid sulle otsa ei sõida ning muidugi tuleb kõigile, kes vastu tulevad "head päeva" soovida, sest nii siin on kombeks. Ma võin seda siis kunagi Eestis ka praktiseerida ning marjuliste-mammidele "tere, head päeva teilegi" öelda, kujutan ette, et ainus, mis ma tagasi saan on üks väga uuristav pilk ning mõte "kes sa oled?". Aga jah, meie päevaks plaanitud reisist ei tulnud midagi suurt välja, sest loodusest oli asi ikka väga kaugel... eriti pärast seda kui me avastasime, et sihtmärk järve ääres oli ühel poolt vaja raudtee ületada ning teiseltpoolt autotee.
Aga põhiline põhjus, miks ma selle kirjutamise taaskord käsile võtsin on meie teisipäevane väljasõit. Ehk siis, Jörgi ning tema töökaaslaste väljasõit - minult paluti vaid väikest teenet, mille ma muidugi pikemalt mõtlemata täita lubasin. Asi siis selles, et igal aastal korraldavad nad seal väljasõite ning see aasta oli siis Jörgi, tema ülemuse ning Tobiase kord. Mulle muidugi meeldivad hommikud, mis algavad kell 5.45 kohvi keetmisega, et täita kaks suurt termost ning lõppevad sellega, et poolel teel linnast välja tuleb kahel ullikesel meelde, et kaamera jäi nüüd ikka küll täiesti koju. Aga jah, üks mis kindel, ma olen ikka kolm korda parem kaardilugeja kui Jörg, sest sihtkohta jõudmiseks tegime (või siis vastutav autojuht) vähemalt kolm seadusevastast tagasipööret ;)
Vahva oli muidugi see, et me kunagi leidsime väga hea korteri, mida pakuti üüriks, kuskil eraldatud paigas nimega Kandern... nüüd me sõitsime läbi sealt ning minu jaoks omandas eraldatus Saksamaal täiesti uue mõõtme - seal ei olnud ikka kohe mitte midagi teha ning küla lõppes enam-vähem enne ära kui õieti pihtagi oli hakanud. Et siis sinna me ei koli, üks mis kindel. Aga me isegi jõudsime õigeks ajaks õigesse kohta ning minu "kolleeg", kes pidi samuti tegema sama väiksese teene, ehk siis vastutama hommikusöögi eest keset metsa, kuhu teised matkates jõudsid, ootas meid juba. Ach ja, üks asi veel, et... anna meestele auto ning käänuline tee ja kõik leiavad, et nad on rallisõitjad (tee Kandernist Steinenisse) - oli mul hommikul paha pärast seda sõitu, see polnud pooltki nii hull kui õhtul, kui kõht täis ning tekkis tahtmine selle paberkoti järgi seal istmetaskus ;) Aga seda ei olnud siiski vaja, väääga hea :)
Et siis see teene, oleks keegi mulle siis öelnud, et see teene kujutab endast 100 kõrgusemeetri kaugusel asuvat kohta, kus hommikusööki pakutakse ;) Ma see on ju juba pea 1/3 suurest Munamäest, mis ma siis vapralt pidin üles ronima asju üles ning pärast otseloomulikult ka alla tassides (ning vihjeks, siis ühest korrast ei piisanud, et kõike alla saada... mh...) ;). Ning ei olnud mingi kilomeetri peale see tõus ära jagatud, 500m piisab ka neile treenitud mägede inimestele siin, aga mina... kannatasin, aga hakkama sain, võite uhked olla mu üle, mina olen igatahes ;)
Seltskond oli vahva ning isegi ilm oli ilus ja puha, päike ning minu jaoks see ikka veel imestust tekitav fakt, et on võimalik olla pealpool pilvi :) Kui välja arvata see, et kõik olid väga elevil selle Frau Frauenhofferi fakti pärast, mis andis palju rohkem tähelepanu, kui vaja, siis läks päev hästi :) Ning muidugi see, et on olemas tasuta lõunad, ehk siis selle mäkkeronimise vaeva eest sain šveitslaste kulul süüa :D Ning päeva põhieesmärk oli jõuda linnuparki (või siis tuletusena sõnast loomaaed, linnuaeda ;)). Mitte et ma oleks olnud väga valmis vaatama 8 euro eest sookurgi ja muidu kurgi, aga neil oli seal ka röövlindude show. Kus üks bioloog, siis laseb erinevatel kotkastel ning öökullidel lennata ning inimeste kohal manöövreid sooritada. Peaks mainima, et öökullid võtsid küll umbes nii madala lennu, et mõnel meesterahval kaabu pähe ei jäänud ning kondor arvas üldse, et ta maanduks nagu kivi keset publikut :D Mille peale soovitati ümberistuvatel inimestel end liigutada, sest muidu too arvavab, et "näe, surnud, süüa saab, süüa saab". Aga kuna meil pilte ei olnud millegagi teha, siis peame ootama kuni Jörgi töökaaslased meile mõned saadavad. Senikauaks võin jagada veebilehte, kus on samuti see Vogelshow näha piltide näol: www.vogelpark-steinen.de Lõpuks said tahtjad ka Uhule pai teha, me sellest loobusime, sest nii palju linnusõbrad me ka nüüd pole :)
Muud olulist ning vahvat siin nii väga juhtunud ei olegi... homme algab kolmepäevane nädalavahetus kell 7.30 sellega, et taibust Jörg kutsus selleks kellast elektriku ventilaatorit vaatama :D Minul on iga päev vaba päev nii, et eks ta ise teab, miks ta niisuguse kellaaja leidis sobiva olevat oma paljuoodatud vabal päeval ;) Kuigi ma arvan, et tal ei ole ühtegi head põhjust selleks :)
Nädalavahetuseks plaane pole, ainult Jörgi sünnipäeva järeltähistamine pühapäeva pärastlõunal, sest nüüd on vanemad ka reisilt tagasi ja saab kõik ühel ajal kokku kutsuda :)
Eks ma püüan järgmine nädal jälle anda ülevaate tähtsamatest juhtunud sündmustest :)
Seniks tsauki!
- M -

20 päeva Saksamaal, algus on tehtud

Edaspidi siis nüüd eesti keeles :)
Lõpuks ometi jõuan ma siis selleni, et siia ka midagi kirjutada - pärast laastavat kommentaari, et meie blogi on allakäinud ;) Ega muidu ei saagi ju midagi tehtud kui keegi näpuga ei näita, mis tegemata on. Nii et, aitäh tead-küll-kes ;)
Ma olen juba lausa 20 päeva siin olnud, tundub igatahes palju pikema ajana, isegi ei tea miks, aga jah, nii see on. Pagasi ülekaalu eest maksmine (ehk viimaste EEKide kulutamine), Easyjeti pardakompuutrite restartimine ning isegi meie kolmepäevane puhkus põhja-Saksas, kojusõit läbi teeeeerve kauni suure ning tol hetkel ka lõputuna tundunud Saksamaa on kaugel kuskil... aga ega ma nüüd ikka nii palju siin teinud ka ei ole ju. Kuigi ühes olen nüüd veendunud, et pikalt kodus istumine ei sobi ikka mulle, mõnel päeval kui mitte midagi enam teha pole (ehk siis ma olen lõpetanud taaskordse koristusringi selles "suuuuures" korteris), istuks ja vaataks telekat, aga see idee teostamine lõppeb umbes 20 minutit pärast selle idee tekkimist - kas siis sellepärast, et sealt tuleb ainult mingi intelligentsete inimeste call-in show umbes, et - Monika isal on 5 tütart, Lala, Lolo, Lulu ja Lele, mis on viienda tütre nimi? - Küsimus on õhus umbes 2.5 tundi ja helistades võid võita lausa 5000 euri... imekspandav on kuidas selline asi on võimalik, et endast lugupidav meesterahvas igal päeval tv-s tõmbleb ning karjub, et ta kohe võtab kõne vastu, ainult helista. Oeh, sellised masendavad hetked panevad mind vahel isegi A-rühmast ning Knight Riderist puudust tundma :) Aga saame üle ning umm... vahetame kanalit, kus ikka veel räägitakse minuga ainult saksa keeles, kaua ma viitsin päevas aktiivselt kaasa mõelda ning midagi pean ju ka õhtuks jätma, kui ka päriselt vaatamist väärt sarjad tulevad - ei, mitte need kurikuulsad seebikad ;) Aga jah, nii palju siis minu kurvast elust teleka ees :D Hetkel on õnneks US Open algamas, tennist igal ajal ning Osaka käib veel, nii et elu on päris ilus.
Ma siiski loodan, et varsti, väga varsti, tuleks vastused mu tööotsingute tulemustele, täiesti wow oli kui palju siin teha annab, kui vaid otsid. Hetkel on CV ning motivatsioonikiri (võttis ikka aega ja lausa kaks pead, eriti seda vanemat pead, et see valmis saada...) teele saadetud mitmele avatud otsingule Novartisest, pea iga päev surfan üle kõik ülejäänud valikud, mis mul lesezeichen, umm... mis sõna see siis on... bookmarkides :) See meeldib mulle ka, et arvuti suhtleb minuga saksa keeles, ehk siis igasugused hoiatuseaknad, mis vahel eikuskilt ilmuvad on et, hmm, und jetzt...
Muidu läheb hästi, kui vaid igavus ei tapaks... ning mida rohkem ma igavlen, seda vähem ma tehtud saan, ei viitsigi nagu enam kuskilt alustada, seetõttu on väga hea, et ma Jörgiga koos igal hommikul üles tõusen, siis on põhjus ennast püsti ajada vähemalt (süüa saab :D). Ei, tegelikult ka, niikaua kui ma suudan midagi asjalikku välja mõelda ning ära teha on väga hea, aga kui see laiskus jälle ligi pressib, siis on ikka hullupööra raske millegagi pihta hakata.
Täna on meil siin ju tähtis päev, Jörgil on sünnipäev :) Wohoo, see tähendab kooki saab... ehm, siis kui ma küpsetan, see tähendab. Pean ainult välja mõtlema, et mis sorti kooki, kui keegi nüüd arvab, et ma viitsin pool päeva kokata ning mässata, siis eiiii taha. Aga sinnani on veel aega kui kook valmis peab olema, mis tähendab, et mul on veel aega välja mõelda, kui palju ma viitsin ;) Ühe koogiga ta juba läks täna hommikul, küpsetas siin eile suure hoolega, loodetavasti tuli siis ka hea - minu jaoks siiski see päris ei olnud, eriti pärast seda glasuurikorda, mis sinna peale sai :) Aga ma ei pidanud seda ju sööma ka ;) See on siin muidugi väga hea, et kui süüa teha ei viitsi siis kuskilt pakist tuleb midagi, millele vee lisades maitseb nagu päris söök (kui samal ajal veel silmad kinni panna kui süüa), siis on kohe nagu päris ;) Siiani, oleme püüdnud neid paki-asju vältida, kuna ma ju nii tubli ja kokkan iga päev, või siis ülepäeva, sest mul pole aimugi kui palju teha ning tihtipeale jääb pool järgmiseks päevaks :)
Mis veel...? Ilmad on siis ilusad, võrreldes sellega, mis ma olen kuulnud kodus olevat, siis siin on meil kohe täiesti suvi veel. Ehk saab siis nädalavahetusel veel randa, Jörg ujuma ning mina, niisama ilus olema ;) Seekord püüame siis samme mitte seada sinna regiooni, kus lehvib vikerkaarevärvides imepisike (kaugelt nähtamatu) lipp ning kus kõik mehed Jörgile meelalt naeratavad (he-he-he, mul oli lõbus igatahes :) ).
Ma olen nüüd vist kõik olulise info siia kirja saanud, ei tee ju palju siin neil päevil, ainult ootan... ootan, et saaks tööle, sest raha läheb siia ning sinna ja vaimne tervis nüristub mittemidagi tehes. Nii et, kui kellelgi ka midagi teha ei ole, siis võib mulle pöialt hoida :) Siis saab jõulukinki, muidu ei saa (päriselt ka) ;).
Kes oleks iial arvanud, et ma juba 8.30 nii palju olen jõudnud valmis kribada :) Aga mul on ju veel meile ka vaja vastata, nii et liigun edasi oma tegevusega.
Kõigile soojad tervitused, suured kallid ning kõike kõige paremat soovides,
- M -

Holidays revisited, pt. 2

Well, well, well, I am also writing something for this blog again - after I-dunno-how-many weeks have passed without a post :) But now that I am a husband, I have new responsibilities - which include keeping the blog up to date and writing about the second week of our holiday :)

It's barely been a week since I had to fly home, but a 5-days-workweek puts one back into everyday life quite fast. But of course I can still recall what has happened a few days back and one thing I can tell for sure: the second week was not a lazy honeymoon :) We did so many things, we visited so many places once again, it was a great second holiday week :)

First of all we had to visit a lot of offices and ministries during that week - thanks to her new name Monika needs a new passport, a new ID card, a new bankcard, to name just the most important. New passport and new ID also means: new pictures :) So those also had to be made. We also needed to get papers and documents translated and signed by notars in order to get the marriage also accepted in Germany and in order to prepare for Monika to live here in Freiburg. But this we all managed very well, so that there's just a few minor things left to do for Monika now while I am back in Germany already.
One funny thing is that she had to sign with her new name now quite often: Monika Astašov-Frauenhoffer. And this is one looooong name, I can tell you :) It even is too long for the bankcard to entirely fit onto it ;) And also it is hard for her to sign papers where there's not that much room for the signature ;) But I guess by now she got used to the signature already - so many things had to be signed in this one week :)

Besides all the office-and-ministry-hopping, we did other things, too, of course. For example, we got our wedding pictures from the photographer. They look rather nice - I am going to show them to my family today later on and then we'll order a few reprints :)

Then we've been to more museums, which meant that we spent more time walking in the old town of Tallinn. But the museums there are quite good, quality- and informationwise. I learned a lot, especially loved the Tallinn City Museum which was 4 stories high and told about every detail of the city's long and interesting history. Another one we've visited has been the Dominiiklaste Klooster, an old monastery in the heart of the old town of Tallinn.


We've been under the city even, examining the historical passages which had been built during the 17th century and had been used also by the Soviets as bunkers.



What the "newlyweds" also did was to watch a romantic movie together, of course :) We went to the cinema, checked what they offered, and as no other movie was playing at that time, we decided to see... Die Hard 4.0 ;) It was quite a fun movie I think - but then again, I am a guy. But my wife - mhm :) - also seemed to like it :) Just the ending was a bit weird - Bruce Willis jumping onto a jetfighter and the whole Autobahn crumbling to pieces and all... but still a good old-school action movie which I'd recommend seeing.

I also got my ring in that 2nd week - it was too big when we married, so right after signing the papers we went to the goldsmith. Even before we had the wedding dinner at Olde Hansa ;) But on Thursday I finally got it and it is on my finger ever since - I love it :) It gets scratched every now and then at work a bit, but nevertheless it is such a beautiful ring.

On Thursday evening we also did something special: we explored the nearby nature around Monika's home. Bears had been seen quite close up before I came and also after I left Estonia, so we thought we can discover maybe traces of them. But we did not, this I can tell beforehand :)
Her mum wanted to check the forest with us, but we didn't enter it as some fox was barking at us very aggressively, most likely defending its territory or its babies. So we decided to go to the riverside instead - which proved to be well worth a replacement :) On the way there we saw a snake on the path. We thought it was dead until we pushed it a bit with a stick. It moved out of the way then and we could move on :)

At the riverside we checked the beavers's dams

and made pictures when Monika's mum suddenly told that she sees a beaver swimming into our direction. So we sat down in the grass next to the river and kept very quiet and so we could see this animal from very close up - I've never been that close to a wild animal before, I think :)




There were more coming and swimming along the river later on and we sat in the grass for almost two hours, I think, it was such a sight to see all of the beavers :) The only not-so-good thing about it were the mosquitos and flies who discovered a new food source in us ;) But we sat bravely and we also managed to fend off all the tics before they could bite us :) When we went back home the sun was already about to set, but it was well worth the time spent on the river - despite all the bugbites we had to cope with on the next day.

On Sunday I flew home. This time without trouble, without having to run. There was lots of time, both on the flights and on the ground, so that I could finish the 150 pages of my book which I had with. I had a bit of delay on the second flight and thus reached Basel at about 21:45. So I went home, talked a bit to Monika, went to bed, and the next workday morning started way too early already :-D

So much for now. Now I gotta ask Monika if she can add the pictures to the post :)

See you,
J.

Little overview of things happened

Sooo... no one bothers to write anymore or what is the case here... most likely it is more about not having much time and one of us actually has work to do, this means that I have some time here now to keep everyone, who is interested, posted about our long holiday.
The holiday started off with not the best way when the German side of holiday-ers were delayed with the first flight from Basel to Berlin (have to ask him for a very lively description about panicking and running and convincing the people of Easyjet in Berlin), but they made it to the second flight from Berlin to Tallinn, so weee, the holiday could start. I never would have thought it is possible to do so much in seven days. First evening was about dropping Jörg's parents off to their appartment in Old Town, showing them around a bit and then we came here to get ready for the next day, which was already quite long and exhausting.
So first day was the day of the Noorte laulupidu (Youth songfestival), which started already at nine in town with a parade (for us it was like 6.45 morning with first question after the alarm, what kind of holiday is this ;) ). But everyone liked it, was very much fun and lots of happening. First checked the thing in the center of town and at one point started walking also to the song festival place. As it was a sunny day (well, it was all week, but Jörg's mum had promised sunshine while she is here), then we had coffee and cake in Kadriorg. Checked out the castles there and joined then the parade again. And to cut the long story a bit shorter, then the festival itself is here, the people who sang and the people who checked them singing, very much impressive sight for the foreigners :)

On the same day we also managed walking to Pirita and a bit around in the Old Town... and then the day ended, with very early night as everyone was dead-tired.
The second day, Monday, we used to walking around in Old Town, like upper Old Town and then again down, and basically saw everything in less than a day, oh dear was it a hot day and my sunburn from the day before didn't really get any proper rest. But as it came out then his parents had checked things themselves the evening before, so finally I had more navigators who knew where to go (unlike the second generation of the same family who still is a bit lost with the streets :) ). But this was also the day when the Germans were easily impressed by our big pancakes, which no one really managed to finish, but everyone liked :) That evening we ended the day a bit earlier to get some more sleep and then start again the next morning.
On Tuesday, 3rd of July, we went to the Open Air Museum... well, of course when taking the trolli-buss, then the ugliest of them all has to come, the one which talks back the loudest and through which you can see, doesn't matter which side you look at it ;) True Estonia... indeed. Somehow it was another very warm day, so walking for half a day, it really got to me at least. In the end I couldn't really care less what is happening there... just walked with other people who made a brave face and checked our old houses :) On the way back to town on the bus there was the ticket checking control, my first one of this year, but gave the others the impression that we're checked here often :) Of course... I don't remember much more of this day... just feeling mega-tired in the end of the day again...
The next day we took a bit easier, at least our foto-log does not show many pictures of the day. Was more like a tourist-shopping and museum kind of day? Maybe I'm helped out with this day ;) I truly do not remember.
Thursday, 5th of July, this was a very much of a fun day :D This is the day when we had the car, which was exactly this nice and shiny as it shows on the picture:

This means it was even more fun for the co-driver (me), when the driver (Jörg) made some untrustworthy maneuvers in the town traffic, or at the highway, or when we almost crashed the car in Rakvere :) But all ended well and I bet everyone was happy once the car was returned in the next morning :) When I think back on the day, then it was like it has always been when we have drove around - I the co-driver would like to have some hints about where exactly are we going so I know when and what to check on the map, and he, the driver, just drivers a bit too fast, so he misses half the exits of the highway ;) But in the end, I think we saw most of the things we wanted to - drove on the seaside, in the forest (saw deer and rabbit), managed to find both of the manors, Palmse and Sagadi, and even the waterfall on the way back, and everyone also liked the fortress in Rakvere, spent rather much time there :) And in the evening it was grilling time here at our place, of course it had to be windy and all so the south people were freezing, but in the end it turned out to be a very nice day, which everyone liked :)
Friday, the 6th of July, 2007, that's now officially OUR DAY as we signed the papers and now are married :) And for anyone who might be wondering then, no, we are not the losers who did not get the 7.7.7, we didn't even want this :) The registration was very nice and everyone who wants to see pictures can ask me in a week or so, then I have the official pictures :) Until then I guess I put this here:

No one should feel left out for not knowing or not asked to be there, this was just something for us and the parent. There will be a bigger thing happening, then all the friends will be notified, no worries :)
Everyone asks if it feels different now... well, like a very good friend told - there is no me and you anymore, now there's us :) Still feels rather the same otherwise :)
On Saturday, 7th of July, we sent the German parents back home and when walking around in Old Town and basically all over the town saw many people heading to a wedding or coming from a wedding... in the evening had a nice little get-together with my best and closest friends, thank you all for this and for coming - we're very happy over friends like this! :)
Sigh... that is so much I have written... have to ask if I get some help covering the second week :)
See you soon and have a nice summer everyone, here the sunshine is back, weeeee! :)
- M -

Long time, no post...

I guess it is my turn now to fill everyone in what has been happening. If anyone would have asked that few days ago, I would have written a loooong story here, but now- it feels so easy and like there's not much to tell.
Yes, I know, there have been things happening. For example, I managed my MSc thesis and walked away with a grade which I never would have expected (in a positive way ;) ). And then there was the graduation, a lovely day. When it actually got me, the thought that now it is all done. No more going to uni and going to lab... that this is all behind me. Now that seems still a bit of an intimidating idea that all needs to be started over again, but there is hope that I will manage. And if not, then I am making a internet-promise that I will not be found flipping burgers with the Turkish people :) Nothing against the people who do it, but well, still hoping things turn out to be a bit better and all this studying will pay off.
Other than all this I do not think I have many things to tell... I am ill, basically in bed with fever and cold, in the middle of a summer - what else could have happened?! Hopefully it goes away soon, mighty annoying and the feeling sucks. Outside it is really lovely summer at the moment, a bit too hot at times, however still makes one want to be in the garden enjoying the brief time when we have actual warmth and all. Now when I think of it, then my summer will be prolonged I guess and the following years will look a bit different, weatherwise :) This does not mean that I will not miss everything there is to my Estonian summers :)
Should be doing something for the application I need to give in before next Sunday, but the idea of reading things which are like with point and all - this is too much at the moment for the ill Monika who is so on a holiday ;) Yes, I know, that sooner or later I will have to, but knowing me... it will so be later than any sooner than needed... people truly never change, even when they try so hard.
I wish everyone a bit of sun and free time to enjoy it! And I try to post some graduation pictures, as soon as I see some which I actually like :)

- M -