What a perfect timing – we’re back just when the monsoon stopped

Arrived Thursday around midnight (or very early Friday morning) with high spirits and loaded with energy after 3 weeks with friends and family in Copenhagen and Berlin. Thomas hasn’t been back in more than 3,5 years… he needed it…

In the taxi from the airport back to Tings we couldn’t help thinking about this first impression travelers get when the arrive in this beautiful country for the first time. Because of the road widening project it’s a city that looks more like a war zone than the Shangrila images most people have in mind… The person who is responsible for handling this important project in such a stupid way should be imprisoned.

TRAVELERS DON’T WORRY – IT’S NOT AS BAD AS I LOOKS!!!! And it’s only in Kathmandu.

Yesterday we spend our time hugging and kissing our local family and friends, unpacking and preparing up coming events (will be posted tomorrow). Everything in that daze you’re in because of the jet lag and all the impression from the previous weeks that pops up in an unconscious stream… no matter what you do you can’t stop comparing with Europe: Water, electricity, food, sounds, WiFi, smells… things that works smoothly in the west, but are hopeless in this part of the world.

The good thing is that we instantly started behaving as locals once we entered the gate… saving the electricity, propping the toilet paper in the bin next to the toilet… etc.

The funny thing is that we also compared everything while being in Europe… In  Berlin we couldn’t help wondering why you get the best Eisbein in Kathmandu and not in Germany. RESPECT TO WALTER’S MITHO MITHO…

As mentioned Thomas hasn’t been back since spring 2009. He was very positively surprised about returning to Copenhagen and Berlin – two of our five favorite cities in Europe (the other three are Amsterdam, Barcelona and Paris). And both places are fairly cheap too (especially Berlin).

 

Getting around on bike is cheap and the best way to visit these two cities, Couch Surfin’ or using Airb’n’b will get you good and cheap accommodation – and the possibility to shop in the Turkish Markets and cook yourself (we always stay in Kreuzberg in Berlin). And both places have a lot of free/very cheap offers on the cultural scene too…

 

Our biggest hits..

Grafitty Sightseeing in Berlin, Dos Palillos in Berlin, Dining out in Copenhagen in general and especially the evenings at Noerrebro, The XX (Kasper – thanks for introducing) , riding a bike in Copenhagen, The Turkish Market in Berlin, Anker Klause in Kotbusserdam, Bar Marques in Graefestrasse and Bei Slawinchen in Schönleinstrasse, En Kongelig Affaire starring Mads Mikkelsen, Overnight stay in Doha on our way back and of course seeing all our friends and family – (and you gave us the best food we’ve had in a very long time – WE LOVE YOUR HOME COOKING).

 

The biggest misses…

Gaining weight (too much good food and drinks), the new pavement on Koebmagergade (The main tourist road in down town Copenhagen now looks like the main road in an average country side village), Ma Poule’s Confit-de-Carnard Sandwich at the new Haut de Cuisene Market, age’ism in the Danish business world…. and all the friends we didn’t have time to see.

 

But the biggest thrill of them all

Dorjee, Jit, Gita, Shamilla, Rajkumar, Bijay, Aman, Bal and Barjej (our gartner) have run Tings smoothly… Our goal is to set up a small business that young and talented guys and girls can run without our 24/7 presence. And we are very close… you guys ROCKS!

Which brings us closer to our next project: Tings Yangon.

While being in Copenhagen we met up with friends who like what we do and wants to help us with our Myanmar project. So if things are not changing completely since our last visit in June the financial part should be solved. The only remaining issues before we go to Yangon again are the final legal issues regarding the new Foreign Investment Law. That is in the hands of President Thein Sein who rejected the latest draft… but only to get the parliament to make “some minor amendments” to make the law clearer and more flexible 

Since the draft Thein Sein rejected was OK everybody expects the final law to be better. We just have to be patient….

That leaves us time to focus on Tings in Kathmandu – and the Up Coming event: Poetry@Tings opening October 12th (more information on Facebook and this Blog tomorrow).

And then we – like the rest of Nepal – are looking forward to the biggest local festivals of them all. Dashain and Tihar. If you are on the way to Nepal you are lucky.

See you at Tings

Annette & Thomas

 

Travel Tip To Berlin
Break the categories… one way to do this is a Street Art in Berlin sight seeing.

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