Holstentor, the old City Gate of Lübeck, Germany

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Under Holstentor, Museum for City History, Luebeck, Germany

Holstentor, the symbol of Lübeck, the old City Gate that is today a Museum for City History.
Photos © Jan-Erik Nilsson, Cheryl M. Cordeiro for CMC, 2009

Like a chubby and sombre looking Cinderella castle, the most striking landmark that draws your attention in the Hanseatic town of Lübeck is its City Gate or Holstentor, which is today the Museum for City History.

Cheryl Marie Cordeiro at the Holstentor, Luebeck, Germany

A view of Holstentorplatz, the garden, beyond the arches of the Gate

In front of Holstentor, which is today islanded by two asphalt roads going into the heart of town, is a beautifully preened garden with a display of cannons.

Walk a straight line from Holstentor, along Holstentor street where you can enjoy some of the town’s larger shopping malls, and you’ll find yourself promptly at Marktplatz , a cozy place for a languid cup of coffee.

The entrance to the museum of Holstentor is almost inconspicuous, with its small arched doorway built in a heavy stone frame. One could feel the personality of the place, its aura, what it was meant to do when it was built, as one walked into the cavern, to the ticketing counter.
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Dining at Zimmermann’s Lübecker Hanse, Germany

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Zimmermann\'s Lübecker Hanse, Luebeck, Germany

Zimmermann’s Lübecker Hanse, Kolk 3-7, Lübeck.
Photos © Jan-Erik Nilsson, Cheryl M. Cordeiro for CMC, 2009

Walking distance from the Marktplatz of Lübeck, Germany, right in the middle of the An der Undertrave and An der Obertrave, about a hundred meters into the Old Town or the Kolk, you’ll find one of the most romantic coves of the city. The buildings in this historic spot are conserved in their original form from the Medieval times. It is here, along the narrow, charming cobbled streets of the Old Town that you’ll find Zimmermann’s Lübecker Hanse, a restaurant with warm dark wooden interiors and service captains that will bend the menu backwards for you, if you so wish it.

Kolk, Luebeck, Le Trou, Lübecker Hanse and Theater Figuren Museum, Germany

Kolk, a cozy part of the city with heritage merchant houses.

The restaurant is located along the same street as the city’s Theater Figuren Museum, a puppet museum that houses more than a thousand theatre pupppets from 3 continents. Puppets from Europe, Africa and Asia are displayed and more impressive, they have been collected from different centuries.

Luebeck, Theater Figuren Museum, TFM Kolk 14, Germany

A few meters ahead from Lübecker Hanse is the Theater Figuren Museum (TFM).

Just a quick note and digression from the Lübecker Hanse to the theatre puppet museum across the street; the puppets on display were fantastic to behold, everything from glove and finger puppets, to stick puppets and marionettes. Shadow figures, the kind that I’ve become familiar with whilst growing up in Southeast-Asia were also on display.

Merchant house of the Theater Figuren Museum, Luebeck, Germany

400 year old merchant houses line this street, where the Lübeck Theater Figuren Museum is found.

What I found most interesting with the puppets was how the puppets reflected each country and its culture in its make, with culture specific facial features, clothes and expressions, where it is known today via behavioural research that facial expressions are hardly global in nature, even though we are all humans. Chinese theater puppets were more than distinct and distinguishable in dress, make-up and style of make, from an Italian carnival puppet, and African stick puppets, I thought, came absolutely in their own world.

Menu, Zimmermann\'s Lübecker Hanse, Luebeck, Germany

Outside the door, to the right, a display of handwritten menus from Zimmermann’s Lübecker Hanse.

When it comes to Zimmermann’s Lübecker Hanse that sits in this idyllic quarter of the medieval town, the first tantalizing eye candy is really the hand-written menus, written in German and displayed in a signboard against the rustic white painted walls, outside of the restaurant.

Front cover, menu, Lübecker Hanse, Luebeck

Front cover of the menu, Zimmermann’s Lübecker Hanse.

And if anyone wondered if the cozy tavernous interior of this restaurant is as warm and personal in service as the hand-written menus, then they would be delighted to know that, it is.

The weather was uncertain on the day of our visit, with a brief downpour that got us all drenched. What I really wanted was a steaming cup of hot chocolate when I first settled on a cushioned seat at the restaurant. But they had no hot chocolate listed on the menu.
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Harley Weekend 2009, Lübeck, Germany

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Lotto King Karl and the Barmbek Dreamboys, Luebeck, Germany

Lotto King Karl and the Barmbek Dreamboys at Marktplatz Lübeck, Germany.
Photo © Jan-Erik Nilsson for CMC, 2009

The city of Lübeck isn’t large, which is why it’s mind blowing for exploring tourists to witness the 250,000 inhabitants of this city put up this splendid, attention drawing show of Harley Davidsons over the weekend, complete with a search for a Miss and Mr Harley-Lübeck on Sunday night!

Big Harry und die Schlosserband, Lübeck, Germany

Performing on stage, Big Harry und die Schlosserband for the Harley Weekend, Lübeck, Germany.

It seemed the entire city of Lübeck was decked out and planned for hosting the Harley Weekend, with events taking place in different corners of the city, from Schrangen / Ecke Karstadt in the middle of the city to its waterways at Walhalbinsel, An der Untertrave and An der Obertrave. Events began as early as 1 pm on Friday the 21st of August to 5 pm on Sunday the 23rd of August, 2009. Most roadshows and motorbike demonstrations took place at Wahlhalbinsel, a spacious area located near the Media Docks building on the Northern Peninsula Wall in the port of Lübeck.

Bratwurst on grill, Lübeck, Germany, Marktplatz

Your choice of bratwurst on the barbeque grill.

At 6 pm Friday evening in Marktplatz, the crowd had already begun to gather for the evening’s open air concert beginning with Big Harry and the Schlosserband who played mostly country covers for the evening and Lotto King and the Barmbek Dreamboys, who had fans singing along and swaying from side to side with their rock music. The atmosphere was mostly friendly, nothing too punkish or rockish about it, giving you a chance to rub shoulders with tough looking leather clad bikers and get to know their softer side.

Fruit punches in bowls, Marktplatz, Luebeck, Germany

Fruit punches in bowls, Marktplatz, Luebeck, Germany.

The Marktplatz location was great for this particular outdoor Harley concert because it had so many peripheral cafés such as the Niederegger in the arcade not more than 300 m from the main stage, where those who prefer coffee and dessert can sit and listen to the music. Pints of beer can also be had at the Niederegger or other cafés around the same area.

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Niederegger Arkadencafé: history over coffee, in Lübeck, Germany

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Niederegger Arkadencafé, Luebeck, Germany

The Niederegger Arkandencafé in Luebeck, Germany.
Photo © Jan-Erik Nilsson and Cheryl M. Cordeiro for CMC, 2009

The Niederegger Arkadencafé in Lübeck makes for the perfect place to sit, relax and soak in the impressions and history of this cozy town. The café itself has a long standing history, beginning in 1806, founded by Johann Georg Niederegger.

Niederegger Arkadencafé, Lübeck, Germany, Marketplace

A view of the Niederegger Arkadencafé, from the market square looking in.

The café is located right at the Markt or the market place, which is a large buzzing square lined with cobbled stones, next to the Town Hall. The market place itself is ancient in terms of existence and use, where excavations of the site as recently as in the 1990s showed that the square had been in continuous use since prehistoric times and might have even been considered a sacred place of worship in times before Christianity.

Niederegger Arkadencafé, Lübeck, Germany, Marketplace, pillar

History as it shows up on the pillars and walls of the arcade and market place.

The buildings surrounding the square feature architectural designs from eras gone by, the copper roofs, concrete pillars and bricks all marked by moving in history, through time.

Niederegger Arkadencafé, Lübeck, Germany, Marketplace, inside out

The outdoor section of the café that faces the market square.

Our visit to Lübeck coincided with the Harley Davidson weekend in the small town, so the café was filled with people waiting in anticipation for the Harley concert that was to begin at about 6 pm that evening, in the square.

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Pickings by the sea, the Swedish west coast

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Cheryl Marie Cordeiro, wild apples, Swedish west coast

Wild apple picks along the beach, the Swedish west coast.
Photo © Jan-Erik Nilsson for CMC, 2009

Some early autumn leaves are already hitting the ground, hinting at the upcoming fall. The weather however, is still warm for an explorative outing to the beach along the Swedish west coast – and I took the opportunity to enjoy the seabreeze, coming upon some surprise finds!

Cheryl Marie Cordeiro, landscape Swedish west coast

Against some dramatic rocks by the beach. I’m wearing a purple knit top purchased from Liang Court in Singapore, more than a decade ago. Bay Trading white shorts and a brown knit shrug from DKNY, New York, strewn and camouflaged on the rocks to the right.

As a first time visitor to Sweden a few years ago, I found it surprising that there are very few white sandy beaches, ones that stretched for miles. What characterises the Swedish west coast rather, are large boulders that create a dramatic sand coloured landscape, moulded by weathering in time.

Rock formation, Swedish west coast

An example of a dramatic rock formation found along the Swedish west coast. How much time will pass before the little one gives in to the weight of the larger, if ever? The formation was assembled here for us to ponder, by a melting glacier at the end if the last ice age some 10,000 years ago.

Instead of dismay, I found myself embracing the unmistakable rocky shores of the Swedish west coast! A most wonderful sight in summer is people laying down their blankets atop a boulder and enjoying the sun. At high summer, you’ll witness these sturdy and a lot of times grey boulders come into a burst of life and colours, with people wearing striking beach wear and swimwear, carrying with them their sunglasses, floats for children and wicker baskets that contain the simplest but what looks like the most enjoyable picnic meal.

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The Best Western Mornington Hotel Bromma, a Designer Hotel on a Budget, Stockholm, Sweden

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Breakfast oatmeal at the Mornington Hotel Bromma, Stockholm, Sweden 2009. Photo © Jan-Erik Nilsson and Cheryl Marie Cordeiro-Nilsson for CMC, 2009

What stuck in my mind was a comment in an online hotel review page on this hotel, a former guest said, – It was shocking at first…- Well, I kind of agree. You don’t think much of airfields since they are mostly located way out of sight and earshot, but this hotel, is right next to one. But, if you’re a heavy sleeper and can sleep past flight landings at 10 minute intervals after 7 am, then this hotel could just be for you.

The beds are crisply lined and this standard double, was fitted with by a large axel ball.

The hotel has wonderfully clean lines in its design. The large impeccably neat rooms and the pleasant staff soon make you forget any occasional noise during the daytime if you are even there, and not out exploring. This hotel is located in Bromma, just outside of the city of Stockholm. It is reasonably priced and asks a fraction of what for example the Sanderson in London charges for a night’s stay. Choosing this hotel actually leaves enough space in the shopping budget for a spree around Stockholm.

Public transportation is available nearby and the car parking spaces are for free. The globe trotter might want to take note of that taxi fares in Sweden are fairly steep. If you expect that a modestly priced hotel would need to have those 1970s brown interior, smelling of old dust and stale coffee and in dire need of an overhaul, I’m happy to report that this is not it.

Clean and simple, In the corner opposite the double beds, is a settee with an armchair and a coffee table.

The Zen-like interior rooms have lots of space, pine wood floors and curtains in block colours of grey, green and yellow to both relax and revitalise depending on which colours you like. The high ceilings and white walls are what I appreciated most in the designs. A standard double room comes equipped with a small coffee table with an electric boiler, tea, coffee and cups on the house. The sizes of the rooms are generous and offers all the storage space you need, comparable in size to the more luxurious rooms at the Majestic Barrière in Cannes.

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Some flowers along the western coast of Sweden

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Poppy

Orange poppy
Photo © Jan-Erik Nilsson and Cheryl Marie Cordeiro-Nilsson for CMC, 2009

Summer lends itself to a burst of colours in nature in Sweden and the pictures in this blog show some flowers you’re likely to meet when visiting the Swedish westcoast during spring and summer.

Poppies

Different from above, a more vibrant vermillion poppy, towards the end of their period of bloom.

White flowers

Cerastium tomentosum, or Snow-in-Summer, white flowers

These delicate white flowers are almost a standard garden feature along the Swedish westcoast. Soft, abundant and beautiful, they sway to the lightest breeze, helping define the core of summer romance in setting.

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Summer along the Swedish west coast

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Swedish westcoast 1

An inviting view of the sea at the southern archipelago of Gothenburg.
Photo © Jan-Erik Nilsson for CMC 2009

If you’re headed to Gothenburg this summer, consider putting aside a day or two for exploring the southern archipelago that lies just outside of the city. It takes about half an hour by tram to the ferry terminal and another half an hour by ferry from the mainland to the islands. The rewards of being on the islands on a warm clear skied summer’s day are without limits, where you can experience the pleasures of the islands first hand.

Swedish westcoast 2

Small wooden piers line the water’s edge, dotted with red painted wharves.

Being out on the islands along the Swedish west coast is as close to kampong you would ever get when visiting Sweden. Located about 15 km from the city of Gothenburg, the southern archipelago even has slightly different weather conditions than from the mainland. Coupled with the deep sapphire blues of the surrounding seas, it wouldn’t be difficult to believe that you’re in Viking paradise.

Swedish westcoast 3

The many piers around the islands offer people a place to sit, relax and enjoy a view of the ocean.

On the islands, the water’s edge is lined tangent with wooden planked piers, most of which are private docking areas for boats belonging to the houses not far from shore. The houses in themselves are a beautiful, rustic sight. Most of the houses that look like cozy cottages are constructed with heavy interlocking logs and are painted red, red and blue or yellow. I especially love the tone of the deep red used on these houses, as I’ve come to identify them as a Swedish-red, associated with Swedish culture, design and style.
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Reflections on being Miss Singapore Universe 1999

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The following is an article based on an interview by Valerie Wang Jia Yu of the Singapore Straits Times. The article was published in the Sunday Life! print edition section May 24, 2009. Photo © JE Nilsson for CMC 2009

Cheryl Marie Cordeiro in black

Winning the crown

In 1999 when I won the Miss Singapore Universe title, I was 24. I had just graduated with Honours from the National University of Singapore, NUS, and was pursuing two separate Masters degrees.

One was a Master of Arts in English Language with NUS and the second was a part-time Master of Science course in Information Technology with Nanyang Technological University, NTU.

Literally sitting with the crown in my lap, I subsequently graduated with both degrees in 2000 and 2001 respectively.

Curiosity and ambition

I suppose there could be many small reasons why I chose to join the Miss Singapore pageant back then, but it comes down to a combination of curiosity and ambition.

The first reason is that I’m always one to look to expand my repertoire of experiences. Up until my university days, I’ve always prioritized education and academic training. I also noted that I tended to be rather nervous and shy during presentations at tutorials. In that sense, being in a pageant presented a new challenge to me. It would be an event where I will need to be able to present myself on stage, in front of a large audience, overcoming stage fright.

I decided to take up that challenge and overcome my fear of presenting myself in front of many people. I even joked about this at my recent Doctoral graduation dinner celebration: after parading in a bikini in front of Donald Trump and millions of viewers, there’ll be nothing more frightful thereafter in terms of public appearances.

A plethora of opportunities

The second reason that drew me to the pageant was the opportunities that the event presented for the young women who chose to be in it. Contrary to what some might think, that pageants are demeaning to women, personally, I think pageants provide an excellent arena in which young women are given a voice, or at least, they are given the chance to find their voice. Being on stage, these young women are not only encouraged to polish their self-presentation skills but they are encouraged to have their say in the pageant’s related portfolio, voicing their thoughts on women’s issues for example or lending their services to humanitarian efforts.

Promoting Singapore

My portfolio as Miss Singapore Universe for example, was quite broad. Part of my work as Miss Singapore Universe entailed efforts on the humanitarian front, such as heightening awareness on AIDS in Singapore, spending time with the elderly living in elderly care homes. Other aspects of my portfolio included working with the Singapore Tourism Board in promoting Singapore as a choice country of destination for tourism, especially within the regions of Southeast-Asia and Asia-Pacific.

After the crown

There were no radical changes after I won the title in terms of lifestyle or relations with family and friends. But with the win, came a plethora of interesting opportunities that one could take in life and I think that’s where it got interesting for me. Most of all, I’m grateful for most things that came my way after winning the pageant – the trip to Trinidad and Tobago for example, where the international Miss Universe pageant was held in 1999, was truly an unforgettable experience by any standards! The people I’ve met along the way, delegates of other countries as well as the locals from the country is nothing short of a fantastic experience. The international event was a networking opportunity of a lifetime. It gave me insight into the beauty of the diversity of cultures, values, traditions, language, food and religions; and these are aspects that I brought with me in my research interest all the way into my doctoral thesis, which is about how Scandinavian top managers make it in Singapore.

Putting “Miss Singapore Universe Winner 1999” on the resume

Being Singapore’s delegate to the international pageant is something that I will always be proud of. On the international scene, more is expected of you. You stop being just a beauty queen and take on an ambassadorial role for the country, you answer questions about your country, its history and its socio-economic and financial policies. I think that to the majority of the public, pageants were (and still are) seen as entertainment, similar to how we would view a sports event, a fashion show, a reality series etc. I think having been Miss Singapore Universe is pretty much a non-issue with my friends and colleagues at the university.

My professional interest however, lies in academia, research and writing.

Style and self-presentation

I think beauty is an evolving concept, and over the years I believe the young women participating internationally have become more career oriented and this is reflected in how the local pageants are run. The professional aspects of style and self-presentation, has become more important than just good looks.

Pageants are after all a very important recruiting ground for all kinds of front persons aiming for a career in the tourism, public relations, modeling, human resources, entertainment, television, movie and the fashion industries – all important, major businesses with global turnovers that count into the billions.

Oprah Winfrey, who is one of the wealthiest and most influential woman on the planet for example, began her career by winning a pageant.

A fantastic opportunity

I think it’s a fantastic opportunity for any young woman to take part in the event because it does offer a platform in which young women can launch themselves in their career. I think that the experience of the pageant in itself is tremendously enriching for all involved. You learn a lot on the job, you learn from other people’s life experiences you meet along the way and you can make lifelong friends with other young delegates you meet at the international event.

There are a lot of fun memories of all the friends I made that I still come back to. If I could do it all over again, I would do it all over again and do it better.

 

The Opéra Garnier in Paris, France

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Opera Garnier in Paris, France

The Paris Opera house, also known as Opéra de Paris or Opéra Garnier.
Photo © JE Nilsson, CM Cordeiro-Nilsson 2009

If there is something that makes the French French, I think that is a certain spirit – they just don’t do boring. It’s in the fashion, women in skyscraper skinny stilettos in the Metro in the morning, their passion for life and, in their architecture. Take this Opera Garnier for example. It’s an orgy in marble and gilt, exudes a love of life and is a grand example of how to do things with panache!

Just consider that they started to plan this building with its surrealistic grandiosity less than half a century after the French Revolution in 1793, when Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette had been publicly beheaded because of their opulent life style.

The realization that there actually is an indoor lake under the basement make you half and half believe that there probably is a phantom somewhere in there too. All sets the stage in our minds for a great theatre play. You just need to step inside and the grand entrance staircase will within the blink of an eyelid place you in the spotlight, on stage in the theatre of life, cast as the star.

Top of the Opera Garnier or Palais Garnier in Paris, France

On the roof are sculptures of Apollo, Poetry and Music by Aimé Millet and Liberty by Charles Gumery.

The grandeur strikes you already when you set your eyes on it from across Place de l’Opéra. Above the golden frilly edge of the roof are statues of Apollo, ‘Poetry’ and ‘Music’. This is the ideal setting and one can think that Gaston Leroux’s Le Fantôme de l’Opéra (1909) must have basically written itself. This was also the story that was later adapted by Andrew Lloyd Webber to the musical, The Phantom of the Opera in 1986 and became one of Broadway’s longest running musicals of all time. I can’t even write the title without hearing the theme in my mind. Continue reading “The Opéra Garnier in Paris, France” →