Fortunately I always carry my camera with me!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Jamon serrano
I went shopping the other day, and the couple waiting in front of me in the line to pay had bought a whole "jamon serrano".
Fortunately I always carry my camera with me!
Fortunately I always carry my camera with me!
Women parking lots
In Germany there are parking lots only for women… and no!!! They are not bigger than usually.
These special parking lots are located in areas that are particularly well illuminated and close to doors and exits, so that the risk of being raped or robbed in a parking house becomes lower.
This sign looks like it is forbidding women to get in...
These special parking lots are located in areas that are particularly well illuminated and close to doors and exits, so that the risk of being raped or robbed in a parking house becomes lower.
This sign looks like it is forbidding women to get in...
Christmas Tree
A group of several circumstances (such as the skyrocketing flight ticket prices, work, boyfriend, and more) developed in me staying in Germany over the past Christmas. Nothing to regret, considering the fact that I was more or less “adopted” by my boyfriend’s family and, that my little brother came over to visit me.
It was not the first time I was in Germany over Christmas, but it was indeed the first time that I was given the chance to closely participate in the German traditions. The last time I stayed in Germany over Christmas was when I was Erasmus student. All my friends went back to their families in their respective countries, and I was left behind in Germany with a couple of Brazilian students who invited me to a Brazilian version of Christmas.
During this last German Christmas I got to eat a lot of raclette (vegetables or little pieces of meat covered with melted cheese) and of course to see a lot of Christmas trees.
The tradition of the Christmas tree is a big thing in this corner of the world. Even its origins are supposed to be in Germany. And because of all the Christmas trees that I have been seen here and there that I started asking myself what is actually the meaning it. What does it symbolize? I was amazed to realize that no one could give me an answer to this question: it is scary how often we just do things, because everybody does them, and because we have been thought to also do them… and in many cases we never stop thinking of the reason of it.
My boyfriend asked me this Christmas if we should buy a Christmas tree. I told him, that I don’t think it makes much of a sense to kill a tree just to decorate your living room for a couple of weeks, hang some glass balls over it, and then throw the tree away because Christmas is over. He didn’t quite get my point and therefore bought himself a tree after all. Almost every evening he would light the candles that decorated it, and then admire it and talk about how beautiful the tree was. He was really proud of him. He told me, that there is even a special day during Christmas when people go to their friends’ home in order to see their trees.
But again, what is all this about? According to our favorite information source Wikipedia, the Christmas tree tradition originated in Germany…. Well, I already said that before. However it is not clear how all started. It seems like the current tradition is a mix of several events and sub-traditions that have been combined over the years.
The Wikipedia mentions for example that Saint Boniface, a “British” missionary trying to christianize the pagan “Germans”, stopped a child sacrifice to the God Thor by knocking off the tree where the child was going to killed. Legend has it that a small fir sprang up in the place where the other tree was and that Boniface told the “Germans” that the tree represented Christ.
Other legend refer to an ancient Persian tradition (Yaldaa Sarve) in which a cypress tree is decorated with colorful silk strips in which wishes are written and little offerings (apples, nuts, etc.) so that the prayers are answer. Persians used the cypress as a symbol of hardship and endurance. The legend goes that the German monk Martin Luther might have know this practice and introduce it in Germany. Because cypress trees are rare in Germany, a pine tree was instead adopted.
Once Christmas is over, the trees have to be thrown away. This simple sentence is not that simple if you put it into practice. Consider that almost every German family has a Christmas tree in their home. Can you imagine the nightmare it might be for the garbage collectors, if everyone would throw their trees away whenever they feel like? For this reason there are given days and places to get rid of your tree.
>>>> Special tree-trash-bag, so that your apartment will not be covered by the tree's needles
>>>> Special place where you can get rid of your tree
It was not the first time I was in Germany over Christmas, but it was indeed the first time that I was given the chance to closely participate in the German traditions. The last time I stayed in Germany over Christmas was when I was Erasmus student. All my friends went back to their families in their respective countries, and I was left behind in Germany with a couple of Brazilian students who invited me to a Brazilian version of Christmas.
During this last German Christmas I got to eat a lot of raclette (vegetables or little pieces of meat covered with melted cheese) and of course to see a lot of Christmas trees.
The tradition of the Christmas tree is a big thing in this corner of the world. Even its origins are supposed to be in Germany. And because of all the Christmas trees that I have been seen here and there that I started asking myself what is actually the meaning it. What does it symbolize? I was amazed to realize that no one could give me an answer to this question: it is scary how often we just do things, because everybody does them, and because we have been thought to also do them… and in many cases we never stop thinking of the reason of it.
My boyfriend asked me this Christmas if we should buy a Christmas tree. I told him, that I don’t think it makes much of a sense to kill a tree just to decorate your living room for a couple of weeks, hang some glass balls over it, and then throw the tree away because Christmas is over. He didn’t quite get my point and therefore bought himself a tree after all. Almost every evening he would light the candles that decorated it, and then admire it and talk about how beautiful the tree was. He was really proud of him. He told me, that there is even a special day during Christmas when people go to their friends’ home in order to see their trees.
But again, what is all this about? According to our favorite information source Wikipedia, the Christmas tree tradition originated in Germany…. Well, I already said that before. However it is not clear how all started. It seems like the current tradition is a mix of several events and sub-traditions that have been combined over the years.
The Wikipedia mentions for example that Saint Boniface, a “British” missionary trying to christianize the pagan “Germans”, stopped a child sacrifice to the God Thor by knocking off the tree where the child was going to killed. Legend has it that a small fir sprang up in the place where the other tree was and that Boniface told the “Germans” that the tree represented Christ.
Other legend refer to an ancient Persian tradition (Yaldaa Sarve) in which a cypress tree is decorated with colorful silk strips in which wishes are written and little offerings (apples, nuts, etc.) so that the prayers are answer. Persians used the cypress as a symbol of hardship and endurance. The legend goes that the German monk Martin Luther might have know this practice and introduce it in Germany. Because cypress trees are rare in Germany, a pine tree was instead adopted.
Once Christmas is over, the trees have to be thrown away. This simple sentence is not that simple if you put it into practice. Consider that almost every German family has a Christmas tree in their home. Can you imagine the nightmare it might be for the garbage collectors, if everyone would throw their trees away whenever they feel like? For this reason there are given days and places to get rid of your tree.
>>>> Special tree-trash-bag, so that your apartment will not be covered by the tree's needles
>>>> Special place where you can get rid of your tree
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