Greetings ,
As I walked across a square in the city last week on my way to class, people were setting something up (1). Not one thing, a number of things. And not the 'normal' stands that we see at street festivals or the Christmas Market.
What was going on? We've had the usual festivals. True, Museums Embankment Festival (Museumsuferfest) was also setting up then but it's never right in the middle of the city...
I was curious. Had there been posters advertising something and I hadn't seen them?
It wasn't so important, but I wanted to know - because I'm a stickybeak (2).
In my last flat in Australia, I could see along the whole street from my windows. Not that I watched what everyone did every minute I was at home. But I learned which cars lived where and what time some people left for work (and arrived home). When people left their car lights on I went and told them so they could turn them off.
My flats in Germany have been good places for a stickybeak. In the first one, I had a busy street right outside. I saw lots of things, for example demonstrators (3), Iron Man Triathlon athletes, the Police pulling a beer bike (4) along with their car (they'd just taken the group riding it to the Police Station) and Naked Jörg.
From the second flat I saw things like when they used the grassy area on the other side of the street as a car park (one car got stuck in mud!) and people regularly walking their dogs. There was activity as workmen (and machines!) pulled down buildings at the back of the grassy area and then the work as they built the new buildings.
My new flat doesn't look at a street, but it shouldn't matter. I don't think I'll get out of practice 😉.
By the way, the building activity in the city was part of the Museum Embankment Festival. Korea was featured this year, which I learned while writing this.
Are you a stickybeak, too? Do you like to know what is going on when you see some activity? Are your neighbours too interested in what happens at your place. As always, I'd love to hear what you have to say ...
Enjoy the week ahead,
Andrea
(1) setting something up - putting the pieces of something together so you can use it
(2) stickybeak - this is an informal word used in Australia & New Zealand. It's a person who likes to know what is going on, asks questions or watches to find out. 'Beak' is an informal word for 'nose' - you are sticking your nose into things. Often it is negative, because the person is too curious and asks way too many questions. I hope I'm not like that 😳.
(3) demonstrators - people who are part of a demonstration
(4) beer bike - a little wagon with a driver at the front and behind him, two lines of seats that face each other. The people sitting on the seats have pedals like on bicycle. When they pedal, they move along. There is also a good supply of alcohol.
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