More of Saarbrucken, Germany

August 16, 2021

I have to admit! Saarbrucken was not on my intended map of places to visit. This place is an inspired visit from two wonderful people that I met. Now, it is, for me, considered a regular place for me to come! If you have read my blog, you realize I am a simple traveler (travel, accommodations, etc)…I’m looking for opulence of cultural experience not the other…

It is lovely to awake in the morning, have a cup of coffee and a light breakfast, put on the good walking shoes…and, set out!! Open mind, no clear intention, no expectation, just the question…simple curiosity…

A little wet here and there, but such a fresh clean day!! A wondering body with a meandering mind…with time to stop and observe and pay attention to what it feels like. What does it mean to me? The quaint areas, the open spaces, the bicycle lanes, the inter-mixing of uses….

To just stop for a bit and become aware of the feeling, in architecture/city planning there is a notable dynamic of how the built environment influences what takes places….also, in essence the overall feeling. There is something to note besides being in a new place, but also how the structures and their placement fit in with the culture I am absorbing. Not attempting to show everything or discuss all, just a few points. Each person has their own interpretation or non! 🙂

But, of course….there is lunch…and all the way in Saarbrucken, who am I eating with…no-one but the fabulous LL Cool J (black american cultural influence all the way over here – we really need to redefine what is happening)…I’ll stop short here…this is not just your regular fast food gyro – a little salty…but…pfew…yes…I think Anthony Bourdain would love it…I look for this place every time 🙂

Moving along through this part of the day, crossing over the river…we get to what they call the oldtown….these are mostly historical sites. I am not posting the names, per se, however a simple search will provide them for you. During this section, I actually saw a good friend who is quite familiar with the area and explained a lot of the history and significance of it….and of course…these images if you take a moment…all speak volumes for themselves…especially with their context…

Now of a particular point!! As I was roaming around…I heard some drums, radio’s, and some chanting taking place. Out of curiosity, I stopped to observe what was going on. And, found myself smack dab in the middle of geo-political dynamics. If you recall during this time, the conflict in Syria was spreading which involved the Kurds, Syrians, and Turks. This little small area in Germany has a pretty diverse population in that regard and little known to me the tensions involving these groups in their homeland, of course were reflected here…hence the protest…!! Good idea to be aware of the geo-politics when on the abroad 🙂 ….

As you can see, the civility of the moment descended quickly. Some of the men in the protest saw women dressed in their traditional garments and recognized what group they were from. They instantly began to attack them. That is when the police stepped in. Of course I’m standing right there!! The police officer YELLS at me in German…i’m fairly worldly but I don’t speak German. But, I do speak…’Uh Oh, this doesn’t sound good’…as they approached me….another officer stepped in and asked what I was doing…in english…I held up my dance shoes…since I was walking to the dance venue for the day…and became part of the escort….up and out of there…’ that was a hairy situation…But, I will say…the German Police were very professional!! Some might say, an interesting contrast to what is going on in certain parts of the United States today. Not condemning all officers, but there is a notable difference in policing in most places overseas!!!!! Just sayin..anyway…that was malik watkins live from the protest front…. 🙂

But, of course for me, I have to give a shout out to my peeps!! Who provided me the inspiration to come explore, learn, and study along this area of the French/German border corridor…

TANGOKOMBINAT – Melina Sedo – Detlef Engel & Company

And as the day goes on, I must say SAARBRUCKEN at Night….I absolutely love…!!!! My own personal dynamic maybe, but there is a certain ambiance…aura…onda…that just makes the night walk….feel so right…maybe you can feel it too…this part of the world…I would of never known….it’s good for me….do you see Jimi Hendrix?….and don’t forget the snack 🙂