Frankfurt: Goethe's House

Goethe was born here in 1749 in Frankfurt

I don't know much about Johann Wolfgang Goethe, I didn't study German nor am I familiar with his works. But I have visited the house he was born in 1749, in Frankfurt.

A portrait of the young Goethe

It's located near the subway station Willy Brandt Platz station and a few minutes' walk away -- near a Lululemon store! is the house.

It was sadly razed to the ground during the air raids in World War II -- but not before the items in the house were safely stored elsewhere. The house had to be rebuilt after the war and was painstakingly restored the best they could.

The furniture in the house isn't the original ones from the house as they had sold it in the late 1770s, but they are from the same period. A guide in the museum pointed out that the beautiful grandfather clock on the first floor was owned by Goethe's father's friend. And for the record, it has today's date -- May 8, 2019! Every 15 minutes it has a lively chime.

The Goethe family was pretty well off and this is already evident in the kitchen that had two maids and a cook. The kitchen even had a pump to a well -- they did not have to get water from a public well.

A lavish dining room in the house

Each room was tastefully decorated with wallpaper and beautiful furniture and chandeliers to match. There was a supposed "birth room" where Goethe was apparently born in, a dark green room, and there's even a puppet room with a small wooden stage for puppets to have a show.

There are a few keyboards, including an upright clavichord, and a room full of paintings that Goethe collected. These furnishing details give a great insight into what life was like in Frankfurt (for the wealthy) in the 18th century.

It was Goethe's grandmother, Cornelia Goethe who acquired the house in 1733 and Goethe was born there 16 years later. In 1755 Goethe's father Johann Caspar Goethe renovates the home into a prestigious residence, but Goethe leaves for Weimar 20 years later.

The grandfather clock that has 2019 on it!

It is quite evident that Goethe lived a comfortable life here and by the age of 25 became a literary celebrity following the success of his first novel, The Sorrows of Young Werther in 1774. He was quite accomplished -- not only did Goethe write novels and poems, but also literary criticism, studied law and was an accomplished artist whose drawings, some 2,600 of them still exist.

Goethehaus
Großer Hirschgraben 23-25
60311 Frankfurt am Main
 

Gargantuan Subway Web

Look familiar? This subway station is for line 6 in Beijing

When I arrived in Beijing in April 2007, there were only three subway lines -- 1, 2 and 13.

Now there are 22, some of which are feeder routes to help commuters get to the main subway lines. The bad part about transferring lines is that it can take as long as 10 minutes to get to the other line.

The complicated map of Beijing's subway system

I once went to Wudaokou and it took at least 10 minutes to walk several long corridors and up escalators before getting to line 13. I had to do the same thing coming back to my hotel.

Something worth noting is that the subway lines are operated by five different companies: the state-owned Beijing Mass Transit Railway Operation Corp, Beijing MTR Corp, Beijing MTR Operation Administration, Beijing Public Transport Tramway, and Beijing Capital Metro.

Beijing MTR Corp is a joint venture between MTR and state-owned enterprise Beijing Capital Group.

So it was interesting to see some subway station platforms look very similar to the ones in Hong Kong. Inside the carriages looked similar down to the stickers on the door windows telling people not to mind the gap and not eat or drink.

If this is a no waiting zone, where do we wait for the train?

We almost felt like we were in Hong Kong -- almost.

In the stations there is very little regard for people in terms of enough space to wait on the platform to having escalators and not stairs for commuters to get around. It's hardly about "caring for life's journeys", as the MTR slogan goes.

Nevertheless we found this sign curious. If it's a no waiting zone, how are we supposed to wait for the next train?

Beijing Not Completely Cashless

It's so easy to buy things with your phone -- if you have WeChat Pay or AliPay

Last year I had a heck of a time buying things in cash when I visited Beijing because I didn't have WeChat Pay or AliPay. I remember going to JNBY, a domestic fashion brand and buying a dress there at their outlet in Sanlitun Village, and having to give exact change because they didn't have any cash whatsoever.

You can even take the subway by using your smartphone

But this time paying in cash was not a problem. It turns out in July, China's central bank issued a directive that the yuan was the country's legal currency and no units or individuals should refuse payment in cash.

During this trip some places would ask if we would pay by Weixin (WeChat) or cash, and we'd reply the latter; otherwise they would just accept cash no problem.

In subway stations you had to add money into the card using a machine instead of asking the person in the ticket booth to do it for you. However, at Beijing Capital International Airport (T3), the person there will help you add money to your card with cash.

Some people don't even use the Beijing subway card to ride the metro -- they use an app on their phone that they scan at the turnstile. 

There were only two instances where we had a slight problem -- two restaurants I went to expected us to order our food using WeChat. In one case my friend who lives in Beijing did the ordering (and paying) on WeChat at Beijing WTown -- in Miyun district, way outside of Beijing!

But getting a McFlurry required cold, hard cash

But in the other instance at a dumpling shop in a shopping mall in Wudaokou, we told them we didn't have WeChat so they took our order using a little handheld device and we paid in cash.

And then late one night my friend had a craving for a McFlurry -- even though we had just eaten a full-on dinner -- and made a pit stop at McDonald's near our hotel.

The thing is, their electronic payment system wasn't working so people had to pay in cash! They had to turn away several customers who only had money in their smartphones...
 

Security, Everywhere

Beyond these gates is Zhongnanhai, the headquarters of the CPC

It was nice to be back in Beijing, a city I had lived in for three years.

However the growing anxiety over safety is growing more paranoid. Before the Olympics 10 years ago, it was mandated that everyone had to have their bags scanned in machines before entering the subway system.

We assumed it would just be for the Olympics, but no, the practice continued. At the time the roped off area was large enough so that some people with bags could slip through, but this later tightened up and everyone had to have their bags checked.

Intense security checks just before entering Tiananmen Square

During rush hour, those not carrying anything could go into a faster line. Kind of discriminates against women...

Then this year security was stepped up even more with metal detectors at every subway entrance -- and if that's not enough, some even have staff with metal detector paddles just in case the metal detectors weren't enough.

Many of the people manning these security check points are young people, which makes me think this is a make-work project for kids who couldn't find a job or aren't university graduates.

Twice this week my friend had to open up his bag to be checked because the person manning the screening machine saw a bottle in his bag. He had to demonstrate it was cologne and not some kind of Molotov cocktail in a black flask.

The young people are just doing their job, but it is a hassle. Not even New York or Paris have these kinds of security checks.

The square wasn't packed, but there was lots of surveillance

Security was extreme near Tiananmen Square when we visited on Tuesday. Our plan was to walk east from Xidan along Chang'An Avenue, make a pit stop at Tiananmen Square and then head to Wangfujing.

Before we were even close to Tiananmen Square, we encountered one of many check points. Everyone was corralled into a single file metal maze so that there was no getting out of the line. Citizens had to have their ID cards scanned into a machine, while foreigners like us had our passports checked.

After that check point we passed by a brightly coloured building with the Communist Party of China round logo at the top and the Chinese sign below "Xinhuamen (新华门)" or "New China Gate" which is actually the entrance to Zhongnanhai, the headquarters of the CPC and where Xi Jinping, the General Secretary of the Communist Party works. Too bad we weren't allowed in.

The biggest check point just before Tiananmen Square had its own stand, complete with digital messages on a ticker tape screen, saying people had to go through checks for safety reasons, complete with screening our bags.

Food trucks like these sell snacks, drinks and souvenirs

Finally we made it into Tiananmen Square, where parts of it were covered with floral designs for Mid-Autumn and/or National Day. These decorations give a lively atmosphere, but gone were the residents who flew kites in the large open space. We only saw one person attempting to fly a kite.

Swept off the street were the migrant workers selling Chinese flags and snacks like water and popsicles. They were replaced with mini food trucks on the square selling the flags, Pocky sticks, cookies and a variety of drinks.

For some reason Mao Zedong's mausoleum wasn't open -- it was barricaded off and looked dark inside. Maybe he was getting a touch-up.

Who knows how many undercover policemen were in the square, but definitely lots of cameras at every lamp post...
 

No ID, No Subway Ride in Urumqi

Some passengers got to try out the new subway in Urumqi yesterday

Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang will have its first metro system up and running by the end of the year and already the government has stated that Uyghurs need to produce their identification cards before they can buy tickets.

This is in addition to other regulations that Uyghurs need to produce their ID when buying train tickets and long-distance bus rides (since last March).

If you are caught using someone else's ID card, you can be fined between 50 to 200 yuan (US$7.90-$31.70).

Uyghurs need to show ID to buy subway tickets

Maya Wang, a senior researcher for Human Rights Watch, says the requirement is "part of an ever tightening web of surveillance and control in Xinjiang".

The government claims violence is rooted from Islamic extremists and separatists, but Uyghur advocates say it's the government's repression of religious freedom and unfair ethnic policies in the region that have resulted in resentment and violence.

Han Chinese authorities have been increasing security and surveillance measures throughout the region since 2016, including thousands of newly installed street-corner police stations.

These days Urumqi residents often have to provide their ID or undergo facial scans at the city's numerous security check points.

"Think of how many checkpoints an Urumqi resident must go through every day," Wang says. "And you are already required to use your real name for intra-city travel."

Security continues to be very strict in Xinjiang

All this monitoring using the latest technology coupled with heavy policing has resulted in what critics describe as a "massive police state".

It's so extreme that in some stations, no liquid, not even water is allowed, according to one resident who wished to remain anonymous.

"I think everyone is already mentally prepared for how strict the subways will be," he said.

It really doesn't have to be this extreme, but the heightened security measures in that region just make tensions between Han Chinese and Uyghurs even worse. When will the mistrust end?

Picture of the Day: Beijing Subway Map

So many subway lines make Beijing more accessible to more commuters

When I arrived in Beijing in 2007, there were maybe three subway lines -- Line 1, Line 2 and Line 13.

By the time I left three years later, there were perhaps seven lines.

Now there are some 15 lines.

This is the most updated map that's found in the city's subway stations.

When you go in, you still have to put your bag through an X-ray machine and they make sure everyone does this. However, those not carrying bags can bypass checks completely in some stations, so if someone did have a bomb or weapon on their person, they would not be discovered...

But I digress...

I met a friend for lunch whose office is near Beijing West Railway Station on the new Line 7. She asked me to meet her at Wanzi station, the stop before the railway station.

So from Dongsishitiao, I went south on Line 2 until I reached Chongwenmen, then transferred to Line 5 down one stop to Ciqikou, then transferred again to Line 7 going west.

Transferring from one line to another can entail a pretty big trek that could be over five minutes long, going down a long tunnel then up some stairs and then down to the platform.

Examining the subway map further, you can see many of the lines are actually a few stops just so that a commuter can transfer to another line. Imagine having to transfer from one end of town to the other -- the maze of passageways to go through everyday must entail a lot of exercise to say the least!

After lunch with my friend I went back down to Wanzi station and was surprised to find that not only did my bag go through the X-ray machine, but I was also being checked over with an electronic paddle!

Guess this is the next step in subway security...

NY Commute a TurnStyle Experience

This way to shop and eat at TurnStyle in Columbus Circle

The subway system in New York is over 112 years old, and in serious need of a makeover if it had the money.

However, it's good to see some improvements made at Columbus Circle. One part of the station was empty for the longest time, and in March the space was revamped with US$14.5 million into a shopping/eating area with the clever name of TurnStyle.

A series of eateries and shops line the corridor

It's a funky area with coffee shops, boutiques, eateries selling take-out food from doughnuts to salads and sushi rolls, fresh juices and cute greeting cards.

The long narrow corridor is colourful and looks like a hit with the hipster crowd, and of course for those commuters looking for a bite to eat before or after work.

The vast majority of the shops are independents, with Starbucks thrown in for good measure, but it was not completely packed. The variety made wandering the area fun and inviting.

The space is colourful and fun to wander

Obviously the MTR Corporation in Hong Kong thought of this concept ages ago when it designed its stations 40 years ago, but it's good to see New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority offering more than just a hot and dull commute.

Remembering Bill Cunningham, Fashion Fan

Bill Cunningham taking pictures of people attending New York Fashion Week

I was dreading this day would come and it did. New York Times fashion photographer Bill Cunningham has passed away at 87.

He had been hospitalized recently following a stroke.

Every Saturday evening Hong Kong time I looked forward to watching his video reports, narrated slideshows of the latest trends he saw on the streets of New York.

Sitting in the front row at a Carolina Herrera show

He had a scratchy voice, but full of energy and wit, describing people as "crazy kids" and what they wore, but he had such enthusiasm talking about what he saw, and put it into historical context, that it made me realize that fashion isn't just about what's on the catwalk -- it's about what people are wearing on the street.

For him, fashion shows gave people ideas of how to interpret what the trends are but in their own way. And it also made me see that there are people out there who are individualistic, who aren't afraid to make their own fashion statement.

Or he would notice the changing of the seasons, or colour themes, like everyone wearing black and white stripes, or pink, or leather biker jackets, or fur collars. It was amazing how he would find so many people wearing similar things.

From his video reports showing fashion trends on the streets

Through Bill I became more observant about what other people wore too and saw trends there were happening in Hong Kong too.

I was mesmerized by him after watching the 2010 documentary, Bill Cunningham New York by Richard Press. The director followed Bill as he photographed people and put his columns together.

He always ensured there was a space between him and the subject -- he would photograph the high society ladies, but would never eat with them -- not even a glass of water. He was very ethical, and also true to himself.

When he was young, fashion was always his thing. His family was worried about him being so passionate about it, but he started by opening a millinery shop where he made hats, and would do jobs on the side to pay the bills.

Practically everyone was a subject for Bill to photograph

He did have high profile clients come in, but when hats began to go out of fashion, he picked up the camera instead and started writing about fashion. It was then that he discovered fashion on the street as the story he should be covering, with the pictures to prove it.

When my cousin lived in New York, he bumped into Bill once and had a picture taken with him; another friend who loves fashion, also saw him one wintry day. My brother recalls seeing on the subway a few months ago.

While Bill loved fashion, he himself was not a fashion plate. He lived very simply, wearing a shirt, his denim workman jacket he got in France, a pair of khakis and comfortable shoes, riding on his bicycle.

One of Bill's columns in the New York Times

His studio apartment above Carnegie Hall up until 2010 was filled with filing cabinets of negatives and pictures... one wonders what will happen to all those images...

Once the Metropolitan Museum of Art asked to exhibit his photographs and he declined; But I hope there will be some kind of dedication to Bill somewhere in New York -- like 57th Street and 5th Avenue where he used to stalk?

Thank you Bill, for being inclusive and enthusiastic about fashion. You've encouraged me to look at it with fresh eyes and greater appreciation. We will miss you.

Paris is Crying

The Arc de Triomphe was a remembrance of those who fought for democracy

It is shocking what happened in Paris -- so far 128 people killed and hundreds injured after coordinated attacks were made on the City of Lights.

Bars, restaurants, a concert and football match were targeted and Islamic State has claimed responsibility.

We will find out more in the coming days, but we find this particularly sad having visited the city only a few months ago.

Practically everyone we came in contact with was very warm and welcoming, and the city wasn't too difficult to get around by metro (aside from the taxi strike against Uber the day we arrived). Paris has such history and culture, that one cannot help but appreciate how it influences the rest of the world.

There are too many questions now, but in the meantime we pray for Paris and its people, and hope this is not the start of more horrific things to come.

No More Spooky Subways

Some colourful zombies wandering around on campus for Halloween

If you're ever in Beijing, please don't wear ghoulish costumes that may freak people out in the subway.

That's according to new rules where the Chinese capital has issued guidelines on wearing "bizarre dress" and "horror makeup" inside the train network.

While the new rules didn't explicitly impose a ban, it didn't specify a punishment for violations, nor did it explain why these new rules were coming out now.

No more scaring passengers on subway trains

"Some costumes will cause panic, thus posing a threat to security [within the station]. So we discourage people from wearing them even though they are not banned," said Liang Jianwei, deputy head of Beijing's transport police.

Last year Beijing temporarily banned costumes on trains ahead of Halloween, which is becoming increasingly popular with young people.

However other Chinese cities have had problems with Halloween costumes, like a 31-year-old man who looked like a zombie and created chaos in Shanghai's subway station, running around with a scarred face and "attacking" terrified passengers.

Meanwhile a three-year-old Shanghainese girl was terrified when she encountered four people dressed up as nurses with what looked like bloodstained faces on a subway train.

While Halloween is a relatively new concept for mainlanders, they will have to understand that dressing up like this is only for one night out of the year, while those keen to scare others should save the frights for their friends and like minded party goers, not on public transport...