Summer in the City

One gets to do various things when hanging out with different kinds of people. This weekend was packed of activities again.

Friday evening started with the amazing event “Shorts on Wheels”  – an event organised by bike-promoting community in Cologne in cooperation with some movie people or I don’t even know who. Anyway, people gathered at some rather industrial looking place before dark, on bikes to take a tour to different places in town where a large wall could be used to show a short film. All in all there where four destinations and the thing was that nobody but the organisers knew where the next stop would be. I mean, we were told at the previous one where next one was and there were most probably people at the front who showed the way. The films were crappy at first, but fortunately really short, so one did not have to suffer too long, especially the one about a Fight on a Swedish beach – I really do not know who needs this kind of film. It may have social significance, however with unattractive people in unattractive places who cares to be interested. It did look like some amateurs had shot it with their phone cameras. Anyway, absolutely unimpressive. But films got better when the tour advanced and the last two were definitely the highlights. For me especially the one “Sur Elise” also because it was in French.

But the feeling and atmosphere were great. Never before have I ridden a bike in a company of 700 other people. Sometimes in Estonia I have been thinking of joining organised bike tours or participating in a competition, but have always been a bit afraid of the crowd. Anyway, it was nice and easy. Makes you a bit arrogant and absent-minded towards traffic lights though, while we were in the group, traffic was stopped for cars, streetcars etc when we passed. When I pedalled home, I noticed that I tended not to pay any attention to traffic lights as did some other people, who most probably were coming from that same event.

I have taken up using my bike a lot in the city recently and really love it. Makes shopping and getting around so much easier. As a result, I have become a strong supporter of “get the cars out of the city”. In Köln, they should stay on the other side of the Gürtel (kind of a circular road which runs around the extended city centre). This is utopia, I know, but anyway.

On Sunday, Edelweisspiraten music festival, an open air fest, in honour of Edelweisspiraten, a rebel youth movement in Nazi Germany. Good performers, very nice atmosphere and perfect weather. I have been there once before, in my other life. People said some years ago some of the pirates were still alive and visited the fest, by now most probably all have passed away.

On top of everything else there were French Film Days in Cologne. I wanted to visit them much more, but no time – had to work like a horse. No complaints, indeed, you win some you lose some. And being a freelance, you have no days off, as my dearly beloved son dared to tell me not long ago. Oh well, he might even be right! After the music festival I went to the cinema. Paris pied nus. I can’t help it, but I do like the French movies. Or was this one belgian? I have forgotten and can’t be bothered to check. At first the film seemed too slow to my liking but actually it wasn’t. In the end, it was absurd, comic, sad and very, very warm at the same time. And said that even when you are “only 88” you may still faire l’amour avec un homme sympa.

As I have already started the post, I have to overflow the Internet with everything I have done recently, otherwise I never get it done. The news is – I have been rather sporty. In fact I had a burning desire to write about it long ago already, just to blow my own trumpet and show off, but I tried to hold myself back, knowing that more often than not my good initiatives die rather sooner than later.

However, now I may proudly present my results – since mid-April, I have been running, ok, jogging would be the more correct term to use, more or less regularly twice a week (I was hoping for 3 times a week at first but lets stay real). I still move rather slowly, I guess, like an 80-year old recovering from a heart attack, but I’m doing it. It has become easier and speedier though and I am as happy as can be.

The other thing – some time ago I started a 30-days of yoga programme on the Internet. And yesterday, I did the 30^th day. It took me longer than 30 days, that is true, but I did my yoga at least 5, sometimes even 6 times a week or every day. So, I managed to finish and will continue with the next – 30-day yoga camp. Somehow its seems I have become better in self-discipline. Its hight time, isn’t it?