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A Travelling Cook: Life in Leipzig

Life in Leipzig

I wanted to write a little bit about life in Leipzig, past and present, things that interest me. It's not really in any particular sequence. I didn't know much about Leipzig before I moved here, and perhaps you don't either, so it might be a chance to learn some new things.

Last weekend we visited Runde Ecke, the memorial museum in the Stasi bunker, situated about 5 minutes walk from our apartment. It offers a fascinating insight into life in Leipzig during the rule of the GDR in East Germany. I've seen the comparable museum in Berlin but there was something incredibly poignant about seeing photos and letters that had been stolen from local citizens and photographs of people under surveillance without their knowledge. The exhibition ranges from the incredibly sad to the bizarre. The collection of scent samples (for detecting dissident elements from  within local citizens) is more than a little weird. (Even stranger, it looks like that method has been used more recently).

I often wonder about the impact of frequent surveillance and undercover spies upon one's long term psyche, it would of course make it very difficult to trust people easily.

This is a great short video about life during the GDR in Berlin. The carrying round of a small shopping bags 'just in case' particularly stuck with me.



If you're looking for some easy reads about the GDR, I recommend The Berlin Wall: A World Divided, 1961-1989 and of course, Anna Funder's Stasiland: Stories from Behind the Berlin Wall.

One thing I really like about Leipzig is the variations in architecture. The buildings of the 1960's really stick out!

                   



This is one of the many icecream parlours, really popular with tourists


                                     


We're lucky to be close to the bi weekly fresh market in the Market Square. Market stalls sell a wide array of fruits, vegetables, cheeses and flowers.


                                                                                                                                                           

                       

                                        

                                    

Where we live in Leipzig is very close to Höfe am Brühl, a large shopping mall called Blechbüchse by locals (Tin Can). It was built in the 1960's as was East Germany's most prominent place to shop during the GDR. The metal facade was part of the original facade.

                        

In between the market and Höfe am Brühl is Currywurst, where we often stop for lunch. Sorry the pics aren't great, it's really dark inside!

                         


Höfe am Brühl has a supermarket called Edeka. Its not the cheapest one in Leipzig or the biggest but it's handy. It sometimes has some rather bizarre goods:


                   

Frozen bretzel

Frozen kangaroo anyone? It also has the croissants in a can which amused me no end in Amsterdam.
I've had a few people ask me about the availability of vegan products in Leipzig. I'm going to be participating in Vegan MoFo this September so will be telling all.
A Travelling Cook: Life in Leipzig

Friday, August 29, 2014

Life in Leipzig

I wanted to write a little bit about life in Leipzig, past and present, things that interest me. It's not really in any particular sequence. I didn't know much about Leipzig before I moved here, and perhaps you don't either, so it might be a chance to learn some new things.

Last weekend we visited Runde Ecke, the memorial museum in the Stasi bunker, situated about 5 minutes walk from our apartment. It offers a fascinating insight into life in Leipzig during the rule of the GDR in East Germany. I've seen the comparable museum in Berlin but there was something incredibly poignant about seeing photos and letters that had been stolen from local citizens and photographs of people under surveillance without their knowledge. The exhibition ranges from the incredibly sad to the bizarre. The collection of scent samples (for detecting dissident elements from  within local citizens) is more than a little weird. (Even stranger, it looks like that method has been used more recently).

I often wonder about the impact of frequent surveillance and undercover spies upon one's long term psyche, it would of course make it very difficult to trust people easily.

This is a great short video about life during the GDR in Berlin. The carrying round of a small shopping bags 'just in case' particularly stuck with me.



If you're looking for some easy reads about the GDR, I recommend The Berlin Wall: A World Divided, 1961-1989 and of course, Anna Funder's Stasiland: Stories from Behind the Berlin Wall.

One thing I really like about Leipzig is the variations in architecture. The buildings of the 1960's really stick out!

                   



This is one of the many icecream parlours, really popular with tourists


                                     


We're lucky to be close to the bi weekly fresh market in the Market Square. Market stalls sell a wide array of fruits, vegetables, cheeses and flowers.


                                                                                                                                                           

                       

                                        

                                    

Where we live in Leipzig is very close to Höfe am Brühl, a large shopping mall called Blechbüchse by locals (Tin Can). It was built in the 1960's as was East Germany's most prominent place to shop during the GDR. The metal facade was part of the original facade.

                        

In between the market and Höfe am Brühl is Currywurst, where we often stop for lunch. Sorry the pics aren't great, it's really dark inside!

                         


Höfe am Brühl has a supermarket called Edeka. Its not the cheapest one in Leipzig or the biggest but it's handy. It sometimes has some rather bizarre goods:


                   

Frozen bretzel

Frozen kangaroo anyone? It also has the croissants in a can which amused me no end in Amsterdam.
I've had a few people ask me about the availability of vegan products in Leipzig. I'm going to be participating in Vegan MoFo this September so will be telling all.

4 Comments:

At August 30, 2014 at 10:13 AM , Blogger Johanna GGG said...

Interesting what you say about the impact of surveillance on people in Germany - I think that having these regines that are big on surveillance has made our western world a little more suspicious of those around us.

Would love to go to Leipzig one day. Meanwhile love your photos and will enjoy hearing more during vegan mofo

 
At September 1, 2014 at 11:39 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is fascinating, Cate. I went to East Germany just after the Berlin Wall came down (actually, I might have told you that already), and it was just ...I was going to say 'fascinating' again...but it really WAS! I'm looking forward to hearing about your vegan finds during MOFO. (I suppose croissants in a can aren't vegan!)

 
At September 4, 2014 at 5:09 PM , Blogger Nicole said...

I just went to Leipzig for the first time this year, loved the little vegan Mexican place in that bar, can't remember it's name. Excited to read your posts and greetings from your (sort of) fellow vegan expat neighbor in Berlin!

Nicole @ Vegan Nom Noms
http://www.vegannomnoms.net

 
At September 6, 2014 at 9:41 AM , Blogger Cate Lawrence said...

ahh that'd be Atacolypse. If you ever fancy a day trip, let me know and we can hang out :)

 

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