Happy Father's Day!

Are you saying, "wait a minute? It isn't June yet. We just had Mother's Day." That's true - but in Germany, today May 17 is Father's Day. It coincides with the Roman Catholic religious holiday of Ascension, because in the Middle Ages, on that day there was a procession to honor God, the Father. Luckily, I listen to the radio every morning before I go to work; otherwise I would have missed the import of the day entirely, and would have been a very bad daughter-in-law for not wishing my father-in-law Happy Father's Day. A lthough, the day seems to be mostly associated with men going out drinking and not really celebrating Fathers.

In any event, today is an official holiday in Germany - not because of fathers, but because of the Son - to commemorate Christ's Ascension into Heaven, or Christi Himmelfahrt, in German. I'm beginning to get used to all of these holidays. The only problem is, unlike in the U.S., the holidays aren't necessarily conveniently placed on the second Monday in September or last Monday in May so you have a guaranteed long weekend. Like our Independence Day, certain holidays are on a specific date: Labor Day is always May 1, or the Epiphany is always January 6, whether it falls on a Tuesday or a Thursday, or even on a Sunday -- then you're SOL because you get no holiday.

But it's actually kind of nice to have a holiday during the week to break up the routine or stress. And when the holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, some people take the "bridge day" (Brückentag) off anyway to have a four-day weekend. (This time, I won't be one of them. Have to work. I know... you're all saying, "Awww, that's too bad")

Next up...Germany's version of Memorial Day (this year)....Pentecost.

Bis bald meine Lieben!

Queensday and May Day

Happy May Day! It is Labor Day in Germany (and in many other countries) today, May 1. It's a day to celebrate the working class and labor movement. Even in the U.S., some groups use May Day to commemorate the execution of the Haymarket martyrs who were arrested after the labor unrest of the Haymarket Riot of 1886 in Chicago. It's also associated with dancing around the "Maypole", which has its roots in German paganism - it was part of festivals celebrating the beginning of summer. In any event, since May 1 fell on a Tuesday, most people made it a four-day weekend, including myself. I took the opportunity to visit my friend Iyana in Amsterdam for "Queensday" weekend - when the Dutch celebrate their monarchy and pay homage to the Queen (every April 30). It felt like the whole city and I were dancing around Maypoles. The city becomes a sea of orange with wild and crazy tourists enjoying the carnival atmosphere. It's a beautiful city, with wonderful architecture, inspiring canals and a lot of bicycles. You are more in danger of being run over by the many, many bicycles whipping through street crossings, than by a car. And of course, you have to make sure you know the difference between a cafe and a coffee house. If you want coffee or tea or the like, don't go to a coffeehouse...unless you want a special kind of "refreshment." (hint: it has a special pungent smell and supposedly makes you laugh a lot : ) Queensday weekend sights w/Iyana & her friend Melvin from NY Drag Queen Olympics It's back to work tomorrow...until the next holidays, Ascension on May 17 and Pentecost Monday on May 28 (no such thing as separation of church and state here...)