March, 2013

Got invited by my step-Father-in-Law to join him at the St. Patrick’s Day parade today. Who doesn’t like a parade? So I went down and joined him, finding a decent spot on Yonge Street just up from Queen and took all of the following shots:

County Down Flag Bearer

St. Patrick Banner

St. Michael’s Drummers

People Waving on a Float

Pair of Belgian Horses Pulling a Float

Musical Performers on a Float

Mayor Rob Ford

Kiss Me I’m Irish Tie

Irish Flag Glasses

Irish Flag Bearer

Irish Dancers

Irish County Flag Bearers

Green Hula Hooper

Flag Bearer at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Fisherman on a Float

Fiddler and Bagpiper

David Roy at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Sea Life Berlin is a fairly small, and largely child-oriented aquarium. Good but not spectacular. The best part is the “Aquadom” which is a 25 metre tall cylindrical acrylic glass aquarium with built-in transparent elevator. Here’s a selection of pics from both:

Berlin Aquadom: Fish by Sea Urchin

Berlin Aquadom: Jellyfish

Berlin Aquadom: People Taking Pictures within the AquaDom

Berlin Aquadom: Two-banded Sea-breams

Berlin Aquadom

Finally a chance to properly have a look around the immediate neighbourhood around the hotel I am staying at. Turns out my hotel is two blocks inside what was the Eastern Zone from Checkpoint Charlie, so I had to go and take a few pictures:

Checkpoint Charlie from the Eastern Side

You Are Entering the Non-Profit Sector Art Display

Replica of Checkpoint Charlie Sign

Painted Wall Portions

Painted Portion of The Wall by Checkpoint Charlie Museum

More Walls to Tear Down

I took a couple of pictures while visiting the HQ for eBay Deutschland, where I have been working as a consultant for the past few days. Here’s a shot of one of their buildings:

eBay Deutschland Building

…and they have one of the iconic Berlin Bears in the courtyard:

eBay Berlin Bear

On the way back the hotel the sun was setting and adding a golden colour to everything. The taxi driver obliged me and managed to stop in places where I could snap some good shots through the windscreen. Here are the results:

Victory Column (Siegessaule)

Brandenburg Gate

I pass this landmark just about every day while I am in Munich: the Müllersches Volksbad, which is a public bathhouse. Love its classic Art Nouveau clockface:

Art Nouveau Clockface, Munich