The Front Porch Swing

[Gracie]

Well, in our area, a big storm is coming with oodles of rain so I am pleased about that.

 

[BDBoop]

Well, in our area, a big storm is coming with oodles of rain so I am pleased about that.

That's a blessing. It's past time.

I've never lived so hard for spring as I am this year.

 

[Statistikhengst]

Good morning, fellow Porch-Swingers.

I have something special for all of you,which could have gone on it's own thread, but since boop has put together one hell of a fine gathering place, I thought to share here.

Love-padlocks, or showing your love in Germany​

Flowers? Sure, but...
Chocolates? Great, but...
Candlelight Dinner? Ooh-la-la, but...

Starting around 2008, a new craze appeared in Germany among young pairs: Love-padlocks.

There is a massive bridge in Cologne called the Hohenzoller-Bridge, which connects Cologne (west of the Rhine) with its suburbs (east of the Rhine) and is the entry port for the main train station and also the easiest way to get to the Kölner Dom (Cathedral). Young lovers often bring a lock with their names engraved onto it, attach it to a fence that runs along both sides of the bridge, and then they throw the keys into the Rhine river.

Here are some pics of "Liebesschlösser" (Love-Locks):

BTW, here is what the Hohenzoller-Bridge looks like:

Since then, the craze is catching on in many parts of Germany. Along the John F. Kennedy bridge in Bonn there are more and more locks practically every day.

The craze is not just in Germany: you can also see it in Poland and Austria and Hungary and even in Russia. Here is a love-padlock tree in Moscow:

And here is a video I made about 2 1/2 years ago on the Kennedybrücke (Kennedy-Bridge) in Bonn. I am sorry, it is often very windy on the bridge, so the audio quality is not good.

Getting our bearings here: the John F. Kennedy-Bridge is the middle bridge of three bridges that connect Bonn (on the west side of the Rhine river) with it's suburbs (on the east side of the Rhine), just as the Hohenzoller does for Cologne and it's suburbs.

Boringly enough, the other two bridges are called the North-Bridge (Nordbrücke) and the South-Bridge (Südbrücke). Since at this point on the map, the Rhine river runs an almost perfect N-S, we call the west side the left-side of the Rhine ("linksrheinisch"), and correspondingly, we call the east side the right-side of the Rhine ("rechtsrheinisch"), with the usual play on words like being in your "right" mind since you live on the "right" side and so... The suburb of Bonn on the right side of the Rhine is called "Beuel", which is where I live. They call this side also the "sunny side of the Rhine" because there is a very long and well built promenade that runs for miles along the right side and the sun always seems to shine there better - but not on the day when I made the film. RATS!

These designations are actually very important, for the Rhine runs N-S through a great deal of Germany, so the highway system (Autobahnsystem) usually does double highways to get anywhere along the Rhine river, with one major highway on the left side of the Rhine and another major highway on the right side. So, in case of a traffic problems on one side of the Rhine, you will often hear announcements on the radio like "bitte, fahren Sie Heute rechtsrheinish um Koblenz herum, da es linksrheinisch viel Stau gibt" (please travel the highway on the right-side of the Rhein around Koblenz because there are major traffic jams on the left side").


Compared to Cologne, there are not nearly as many locks on the bridge - yet - but the craze just started pretty recently and there is no chain link fence on the Kennedybridge like there is on the Hohenzoller-Bridge in Cologne. Again, sorry for the audio-quality, hope you enjoy the 4 minute video:



BTW, the famous bridge of Remagen, where American troops first entered the core of Germany in 1945, is just about 20 minutes away from where I made this film. I bet some of our older military guys here in USMB can appreciate that factoid.


If you think someone needs some warmth, some friendship, some love today, why not direct them to this posting?


Pretty neat, eh?

Have a great Thursday. Tikkun Olam,


-Stat

 

[Statistikhengst]

My fellow Porchers, this posting is AWESOME:


http://www.usmessageboard.com/middle-east-general/339632-made-in-israel-4.html#post8653779


Go watch the video, it is inspiring, what inventors and scientists are doing to improve life for all on our planet. This is just plain old awesome.

Now, I don't know this member (who posted that) yet, but I am definitely going to rep him for a quality posting. I think that once you watch it, you will know why.

Tikkun Olam, baby, Tikkun Olam. All the way.

 

[BDBoop]

Good morning, fellow Porch-Swingers.

I have something special for all of you,which could have gone on it's own thread, but since boop has put together one hell of a fine gathering place, I thought to share here.

Love-padlocks, or showing your love in Germany​

Flowers? Sure, but...
Chocolates? Great, but...
Candlelight Dinner? Ooh-la-la, but...

Starting around 2008, a new craze appeared in Germany among young pairs: Love-padlocks.

There is a massive bridge in Cologne called the Hohenzoller-Bridge, which connects Cologne (west of the Rhine) with its suburbs (east of the Rhine) and is the entry port for the main train station and also the easiest way to get to the Kölner Dom (Cathedral). Young lovers often bring a lock with their names engraved onto it, attach it to a fence that runs along both sides of the bridge, and then they throw the keys into the Rhine river.

Here are some pics of "Liebesschlösser" (Love-Locks):

BTW, here is what the Hohenzoller-Bridge looks like:

Since then, the craze is catching on in many parts of Germany. Along the John F. Kennedy bridge in Bonn there are more and more locks practically every day.

The craze is not just in Germany: you can also see it in Poland and Austria and Hungary and even in Russia. Here is a love-padlock tree in Moscow:

And here is a video I made about 2 1/2 years ago on the Kennedybrücke (Kennedy-Bridge) in Bonn. I am sorry, it is often very windy on the bridge, so the audio quality is not good.

Getting our bearings here: the John F. Kennedy-Bridge is the middle bridge of three bridges that connect Bonn (on the west side of the Rhine river) with it's suburbs (on the east side of the Rhine), just as the Hohenzoller does for Cologne and it's suburbs.

Boringly enough, the other two bridges are called the North-Bridge (Nordbrücke) and the South-Bridge (Südbrücke). Since at this point on the map, the Rhine river runs an almost perfect N-S, we call the west side the left-side of the Rhine ("linksrheinisch"), and correspondingly, we call the east side the right-side of the Rhine ("rechtsrheinisch"), with the usual play on words like being in your "right" mind since you live on the "right" side and so... The suburb of Bonn on the right side of the Rhine is called "Beuel", which is where I live. They call this side also the "sunny side of the Rhine" because there is a very long and well built promenade that runs for miles along the right side and the sun always seems to shine there better - but not on the day when I made the film. RATS!

These designations are actually very important, for the Rhine runs N-S through a great deal of Germany, so the highway system (Autobahnsystem) usually does double highways to get anywhere along the Rhine river, with one major highway on the left side of the Rhine and another major highway on the right side. So, in case of a traffic problems on one side of the Rhine, you will often hear announcements on the radio like "bitte, fahren Sie Heute rechtsrheinish um Koblenz herum, da es linksrheinisch viel Stau gibt" (please travel the highway on the right-side of the Rhein around Koblenz because there are major traffic jams on the left side").


Compared to Cologne, there are not nearly as many locks on the bridge - yet - but the craze just started pretty recently and there is no chain link fence on the Kennedybridge like there is on the Hohenzoller-Bridge in Cologne. Again, sorry for the audio-quality, hope you enjoy the 4 minute video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2KRd6z5kXY

BTW, the famous bridge of Remagen, where American troops first entered the core of Germany in 1945, is just about 20 minutes away from where I made this film. I bet some of our older military guys here in USMB can appreciate that factoid.


If you think someone needs some warmth, some friendship, some love today, why not direct them to this posting?


Pretty neat, eh?

Have a great Thursday. Tikkun Olam,


-Stat

I did! I did enjoy this video! Thanks for the share, even with the wind being a pain, it was wonderful. I liked the lock with the baby lock.

What a lovely idea.

 

[BDBoop]

My fellow Porchers, this posting is AWESOME:


http://www.usmessageboard.com/middle-east-general/339632-made-in-israel-4.html#post8653779


Go watch the video, it is inspiring, what inventors and scientists are doing to improve life for all on our planet. This is just plain old awesome.

Now, I don't know this member (who posted that) yet, but I am definitely going to rep him for a quality posting. I think that once you watch it, you will know why.

Tikkun Olam, baby, Tikkun Olam. All the way.

It really is. I'm sure it takes some adjustment time, learning how that chair handles in order to do stairs, but I should think it would so be worth it!

 

[Statistikhengst]

My fellow Porchers, this posting is AWESOME:


http://www.usmessageboard.com/middle-east-general/339632-made-in-israel-4.html#post8653779


Go watch the video, it is inspiring, what inventors and scientists are doing to improve life for all on our planet. This is just plain old awesome.

Now, I don't know this member (who posted that) yet, but I am definitely going to rep him for a quality posting. I think that once you watch it, you will know why.

Tikkun Olam, baby, Tikkun Olam. All the way.

It really is. I'm sure it takes some adjustment time, learning how that chair handles in order to do stairs, but I should think it would so be worth it!

I find people who can due this due to their condition (injury, born-that-way, etc) and who have not only adapted, but prevailed, as just awesome people. They should be an inspiration to all of us.

Kind of puts life in perspective.

 

[BDBoop]

That it does.

 

[BDBoop]

 

[Connery]

Good morning!!!!

 

[JakeStarkey]

Good morning.

 

[BDBoop]

Hi, guys! Hope you have a wonderful day. I'm doing the electric blanket huddle, myself.

 

[Statistikhengst]

Good morning.

Good morning, Jake!!

 

[bodecea]

Again...another beautiful morning in SoCal....even tho we need rain. But at least we've got the fresh air today.

 

[BDBoop]

Again...another beautiful morning in SoCal....even tho we need rain. But at least we've got the fresh air today.

Gratz on having air!

 

[Luddly Neddite]

@statistikhengst

Have you heard of these guys? This video just made my day.

ThePianoGuys - Let It Go (Disney's "Frozen") Vivaldi's Winter - YouTube

I LOVE this. Have it playing in another window.

I love Vivaldi and this is just wonderful.

But, aren't their fingers frozen?

 

[Luddly Neddite]

Again...another beautiful morning in SoCal....even tho we need rain. But at least we've got the fresh air today.

Beautiful here too. Rained during the night and I've been out watching the eagles fishing. Won't be long before there are chicks in the nest near us.

Decorah Eagles, Ustream.TV: Question of the Day Which is the male and which is the female? It is hard to tell the difference unless they are both on the ne...

 

[BDBoop]

@statistikhengst

Have you heard of these guys? This video just made my day.

ThePianoGuys - Let It Go (Disney's "Frozen") Vivaldi's Winter - YouTube

I LOVE this. Have it playing in another window.

I love Vivaldi and this is just wonderful.

But, aren't their fingers frozen?

I figured it for staging.

Watch the video when you get a chance. Their joy is contagious!

 

[Luddly Neddite]

@statistikhengst

Have you heard of these guys? This video just made my day.

ThePianoGuys - Let It Go (Disney's "Frozen") Vivaldi's Winter - YouTube

I LOVE this. Have it playing in another window.

I love Vivaldi and this is just wonderful.

But, aren't their fingers frozen?

I figured it for staging.

Watch the video when you get a chance. Their joy is contagious!

I thought the same thing but watch the very end where they show it from above and then the goofing.

I expected to see polar bears sitting around them, flapping their big paws together in applause.

 

[BDBoop]

I LOVE this. Have it playing in another window.

I love Vivaldi and this is just wonderful.

But, aren't their fingers frozen?

I figured it for staging.

Watch the video when you get a chance. Their joy is contagious!

I thought the same thing but watch the very end where they show it from above and then the goofing.

I expected to see polar bears sitting around them, flapping their big paws together in applause.

That would have been perfect!

Thanks to them, I now need to see the movie Frozen.