http://venturevillage.eu/how-to-be-german-part-1#
http://store.hipstery.com/blogs/news/6877137-how-to-be-german-in-20-easy-steps-part-2
http://store.hipstery.com/blogs/news/6910694-how-to-be-german-in-20-easy-steps-part-3
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Friday, October 19, 2012
painting pitfalls
as the apartment we just bought was inhabited for the last 4 years,
we decided to clean the walls and give them a new coat of paint
and here is some knowledge (learned the hard way) I would like to share!
painting colour which you mixed yourselves is easy (once you do it right)
mixing paint should be done in a transparent container
and you should mix the paint near the walls with special care!!
just to be extra safe, roll the wall as you paint the framing (better blending)
we decided to clean the walls and give them a new coat of paint
and here is some knowledge (learned the hard way) I would like to share!
painting colour which you mixed yourselves is easy (once you do it right)
mixing paint should be done in a transparent container
and you should mix the paint near the walls with special care!!
just to be extra safe, roll the wall as you paint the framing (better blending)
Thursday, October 18, 2012
buying an apartment in Darmstadt, Germany
we started by looking at the nearby real-estate agencys' sites and,
the main site we were already using for rental searches
(defining a regular e-mail alert with the new offers is easy and simple)
http://www.immobilienscout24.de/
after some months and looking at some possible candidates we found the one
almost all the requisites were there including all the critical ones!
so we went to a group visit, together with some 5 other unknown couples
we liked it so we quickly sent an e-mail the next day showing interest
I don't know if this put us in front of the competition or if there was any
but what I know is that we eventually got the apartment
we went to the bank in the meanwhile to make sure we could get the loan
we got offers from a couple of banks before we decided but, in the end
we went for the one where they spoke english... good service is priceless!
the real-estate agency contacted the notary who took care of the contract
this is not always the case, sometimes the buyer has to take care of this,
especially if it is a private to private sale (we were buying from bauverein)
the notary usually does this contract drafting service and is impartial
and the buyer usually pays for the services and production of the contract
when we got the draft we tried to make sense of it (german legal text, nice!)
but finally we decided to get a translator and interpreter (good choice!)
a simple search online and this has all the contacts: http://www.bdue.de/
before the contract was translated we had spotted some things...
but only afterwards, with the english version, we found some of the pitfalls
and we had a meeting with the real-estate agent (representing the seller)
and the interpreter to avoid any misunderstandings
at this point we were finding some very useful links and documents online:
GeneralReport.pdf
General_Explanation_of_Purchase_Contracts.pdf
German_tax_and_fees_related_to_real_estate.pdf
some websites also have some good information and forums:
http://www.expatica.com/de/buying-propoerty-germany.html
http://www.howtogermany.com/pages/housebuying.html
a few changes in the contract were agreed and we scheduled the notary
and there, as seems usual in Germany, a few more changes were introduced
once signed, the notary could ask the Land Register for the Vormerkung
which is a sort of formal pre-transfer of the contracted property,
effectively blocking its sale to anyone but you - making it safe to pay!
we also needed bank papers at this time, acknowledging the mortgage
the bank needs you to sign a contract to create an entry in the Land Register,
saying that the property is mortgaged due to your loan,
and this has to be done before the property is even transferred...
(and independently from the Vormerkung - they take different times!)
and only when the Vormerkung is in the Land Register and (important and)
the mortgage is also in the Land Register, the bank will transfer the money
first into your account and then the full amount to the seller's!
and you inform the notary the payment is done so he requests confirmation
once the seller confirms, the notary requests the change in the Land Register
but before the Land Register changes the ownership of the property,
the Tax Office is informed and the process is blocked...
until you pay property transfer tax and they inform the Land Register of this
and they finally change the property owner to you!
and only then you can say you own the property you "just" purchased
apart from the mortgage entry, which comes out only after its fully paid
the main site we were already using for rental searches
(defining a regular e-mail alert with the new offers is easy and simple)
http://www.immobilienscout24.de/
after some months and looking at some possible candidates we found the one
almost all the requisites were there including all the critical ones!
so we went to a group visit, together with some 5 other unknown couples
we liked it so we quickly sent an e-mail the next day showing interest
I don't know if this put us in front of the competition or if there was any
but what I know is that we eventually got the apartment
we went to the bank in the meanwhile to make sure we could get the loan
we got offers from a couple of banks before we decided but, in the end
we went for the one where they spoke english... good service is priceless!
the real-estate agency contacted the notary who took care of the contract
this is not always the case, sometimes the buyer has to take care of this,
especially if it is a private to private sale (we were buying from bauverein)
the notary usually does this contract drafting service and is impartial
and the buyer usually pays for the services and production of the contract
when we got the draft we tried to make sense of it (german legal text, nice!)
but finally we decided to get a translator and interpreter (good choice!)
a simple search online and this has all the contacts: http://www.bdue.de/
before the contract was translated we had spotted some things...
but only afterwards, with the english version, we found some of the pitfalls
and we had a meeting with the real-estate agent (representing the seller)
and the interpreter to avoid any misunderstandings
at this point we were finding some very useful links and documents online:
GeneralReport.pdf
General_Explanation_of_Purchase_Contracts.pdf
German_tax_and_fees_related_to_real_estate.pdf
some websites also have some good information and forums:
http://www.expatica.com/de/buying-propoerty-germany.html
http://www.howtogermany.com/pages/housebuying.html
a few changes in the contract were agreed and we scheduled the notary
and there, as seems usual in Germany, a few more changes were introduced
once signed, the notary could ask the Land Register for the Vormerkung
which is a sort of formal pre-transfer of the contracted property,
effectively blocking its sale to anyone but you - making it safe to pay!
we also needed bank papers at this time, acknowledging the mortgage
the bank needs you to sign a contract to create an entry in the Land Register,
saying that the property is mortgaged due to your loan,
and this has to be done before the property is even transferred...
(and independently from the Vormerkung - they take different times!)
and only when the Vormerkung is in the Land Register and (important and)
the mortgage is also in the Land Register, the bank will transfer the money
first into your account and then the full amount to the seller's!
and you inform the notary the payment is done so he requests confirmation
once the seller confirms, the notary requests the change in the Land Register
but before the Land Register changes the ownership of the property,
the Tax Office is informed and the process is blocked...
until you pay property transfer tax and they inform the Land Register of this
and they finally change the property owner to you!
and only then you can say you own the property you "just" purchased
apart from the mortgage entry, which comes out only after its fully paid
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
not dead yet!
coupled with low motivation to write and fewer trips,
we have been very involved in an apartment purchase deal
together with decoration planning, furniture buying, painting, moving...
but after a long absense, new posts are finally in the oven!!
keep monitoring!
we have been very involved in an apartment purchase deal
together with decoration planning, furniture buying, painting, moving...
but after a long absense, new posts are finally in the oven!!
keep monitoring!
Sunday, August 26, 2012
in the middle of the Atlantic
we arrived at the airport in the afternoon and got the rental car
and went to the hotl, to take a first look around
and have something typical for dinne in the many Ponta Delgada restaurants
the next day we left towards Sete Cidades
went up Covoada and pat Pico do Carvão (not really obvious to find...)
until we stopped in the area of the Lagoa do Canário and went down
we stayed around and did a bit of the Serra Devassa trail
with volcanic cones, craters, big lagoons and an impressive view
then we went down to Sete Cidades, but first stopping at the Vista do Rei
after a good lunch in Sete Cidades (and a new concept of pepper)
we went to the coast, towards Mosteiros and Ponta da Ferraria
back in Ponta Delgada we went to the Gruta do Carvão
and walked through an onld lava tunnel!
back in town we had again for dinner something typical from the islands!
the next day we took it easy, relaxing in the area of Furnas
where we sepnt a few hours in the warm water of the Poças da Dona Beija
afterwards, in the town of Furnas, we visited the Terra Nostra park
and then tasted the typical Cozido - what a treat!
we drove down to Ribeira Quente for a bit of time at the beach
and came back to the hotel through the Pico do Ferro (spectacular view)
we still had time to go down to the hidden Lagoa do Congro
and pass by Vila Franca do Campo and by the Nossa Senhora da Paz
from where you have a very good viwe of the famous Ilhéu
on the morning of the third day we had the whale watching boat trip
as expected we saw at least two species of dolphins
and many sperm whales, even a mother with her little 8 ton cub!
in the afternoon we went up to the Lagoa do Fogo
and came down by the Caldeira Velha and the geothermal power plant,
afterwards we were back in Ponta Delgada and went again to the beach,
between Lagoa and Sao Roque, very familliar apart from the black sand
on the fourth day we drove to the remote area of Nordeste
again passing by Ribeira Grande where we cisited the cebtral area
and there we went in strangely curvy highway,
passing through the Tea crops area (Gorreana and Porto Formoso)
after having lunch in town (the prices are much lower in this area)
we headed, along the clifs, to the Ponta da Madrugada
passing by many sunday barbeques, always with a nice view
and afterwards we came back, a long way back to the hotwl (almost 80km!)
on the fifth day we drove straight to Povoação, but on mountain roads!
enjoying the view you get if you come from the Furnas area
and, after lunch, we went to Faial da Terra
where we did a very nice trail to a beautiful waterfall
we then crossed again through to Nordeste, but on a dirt road,
passing by the highest peaks (I'm glad the car was a rental!)
on the last day of the trip we stayed in Ponta Delgada,
where we did some tours of some chirches, the harbour area
and the Forte de São Brás barracs
before we went back to the airpot to catch the plane back
I knew the Azores were amongst the most beautiful areas of Portugal!
but I didn't know this island yet, and it is no less beautiful than the others,
the advantage is it includes most of the landscape types in one trip only!
we really wat to come back, next time to the Central Group
and went to the hotl, to take a first look around
and have something typical for dinne in the many Ponta Delgada restaurants
the next day we left towards Sete Cidades
went up Covoada and pat Pico do Carvão (not really obvious to find...)
until we stopped in the area of the Lagoa do Canário and went down
we stayed around and did a bit of the Serra Devassa trail
with volcanic cones, craters, big lagoons and an impressive view
then we went down to Sete Cidades, but first stopping at the Vista do Rei
after a good lunch in Sete Cidades (and a new concept of pepper)
we went to the coast, towards Mosteiros and Ponta da Ferraria
back in Ponta Delgada we went to the Gruta do Carvão
and walked through an onld lava tunnel!
back in town we had again for dinner something typical from the islands!
the next day we took it easy, relaxing in the area of Furnas
where we sepnt a few hours in the warm water of the Poças da Dona Beija
afterwards, in the town of Furnas, we visited the Terra Nostra park
and then tasted the typical Cozido - what a treat!
we drove down to Ribeira Quente for a bit of time at the beach
and came back to the hotel through the Pico do Ferro (spectacular view)
we still had time to go down to the hidden Lagoa do Congro
and pass by Vila Franca do Campo and by the Nossa Senhora da Paz
from where you have a very good viwe of the famous Ilhéu
on the morning of the third day we had the whale watching boat trip
as expected we saw at least two species of dolphins
and many sperm whales, even a mother with her little 8 ton cub!
in the afternoon we went up to the Lagoa do Fogo
and came down by the Caldeira Velha and the geothermal power plant,
afterwards we were back in Ponta Delgada and went again to the beach,
between Lagoa and Sao Roque, very familliar apart from the black sand
on the fourth day we drove to the remote area of Nordeste
again passing by Ribeira Grande where we cisited the cebtral area
and there we went in strangely curvy highway,
passing through the Tea crops area (Gorreana and Porto Formoso)
after having lunch in town (the prices are much lower in this area)
we headed, along the clifs, to the Ponta da Madrugada
passing by many sunday barbeques, always with a nice view
and afterwards we came back, a long way back to the hotwl (almost 80km!)
on the fifth day we drove straight to Povoação, but on mountain roads!
enjoying the view you get if you come from the Furnas area
and, after lunch, we went to Faial da Terra
where we did a very nice trail to a beautiful waterfall
we then crossed again through to Nordeste, but on a dirt road,
passing by the highest peaks (I'm glad the car was a rental!)
on the last day of the trip we stayed in Ponta Delgada,
where we did some tours of some chirches, the harbour area
and the Forte de São Brás barracs
before we went back to the airpot to catch the plane back
I knew the Azores were amongst the most beautiful areas of Portugal!
but I didn't know this island yet, and it is no less beautiful than the others,
the advantage is it includes most of the landscape types in one trip only!
we really wat to come back, next time to the Central Group
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Lisbon and the Azores
we flew saturday to Lisbon to spend a few days in Cabanas
and still went to the beach in the fantastic hills of Arrábida,
Figueirinha, Galápos, Portinho da Arrábida...
and caught a Sata flight to S. Miguel on wednesday
from where we came back 7 days later, this time to stay in Lisbon
and afterwards we spent a few days in Areia Branca with my parents
where we went again for a few hours on the beach (a little windy)
and came back early sunday morning to Darmstadt!
some very nice holidays and maybe the last chance before Christmas...
and still went to the beach in the fantastic hills of Arrábida,
Figueirinha, Galápos, Portinho da Arrábida...
and caught a Sata flight to S. Miguel on wednesday
from where we came back 7 days later, this time to stay in Lisbon
and afterwards we spent a few days in Areia Branca with my parents
where we went again for a few hours on the beach (a little windy)
and came back early sunday morning to Darmstadt!
some very nice holidays and maybe the last chance before Christmas...
Saturday, June 30, 2012
nice joke... or not!
when I saw the trailer I thought it was a joke...
but looks like they tried to make a serious story out of this!
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1611224/
but looks like they tried to make a serious story out of this!
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1611224/
Sunday, June 10, 2012
german battleship Tirpitz
as if I didn't have enough hobbies I just got this...
its one of the two german Bismark class warships from ww2
its one of the two german Bismark class warships from ww2
Friday, June 1, 2012
Friday, May 18, 2012
Bosch Uneo fixed!
and it's done!!
the motor part came just a couple of days later
and was simple enough to replace!!!
the motor part came just a couple of days later
and was simple enough to replace!!!
Monday, April 30, 2012
my latest adventure
my trusty Bosch Uneo stopped working properly some time ago...
(sparks are a bad sign)
so it's disassembled now and it looks like the motor is the guilty party!
having looked at this article it seems easy enough to repair
and I also found where to buy the official part from Bosch:
https://www.powertools-aftersalesservice.com/public/boschdiy/service
so lets see if I am right! and if I can put it back together!
(sparks are a bad sign)
so it's disassembled now and it looks like the motor is the guilty party!
having looked at this article it seems easy enough to repair
and I also found where to buy the official part from Bosch:
https://www.powertools-aftersalesservice.com/public/boschdiy/service
so lets see if I am right! and if I can put it back together!
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Tom and the marmelade bread
a brilliant cartoon and a nice way to learn german!
http://www.kindernetz.de/tom
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkzJSf36-cU
http://www.kindernetz.de/tom
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkzJSf36-cU
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Saturday, February 18, 2012
relaxing in the Maldives
we took the plane saturday, 4th, with aproximately 4 degrees!
and after 11 hours flyung we landed at the Male airport,
where we caught another plane to the Ari Atol (1 more hour)...
and there finally got a boat to the Sun Island Resort!
upon arrive, on sunday, we checked in and discovered...
we were lucky: two nights in a water bungalow!!
in that afternoon we still dived a bit and walked around the resort,
apreciated a fantastic sunset and went to see the sharks being fed!
on the next day we enjoied the bungalow with exit into the water
and only took a walk in the middle of the day to digest lunch,
while we waited to go back in the water!
at night we went back to the shark area to see the show.
tuesday we moved to the beach bungalows, in the best area of the islands
and spent the day snorkeling in the corals right in front of the room
filled with curious colourful little fishies!
and in th evening we went to pet and feed the Stingrays!
wednesday we kept the routine, snorkeling in the southern part of the island,
the difference was that we heard there had bean a coup,
and the president of the Maldives was brought down, in Male...
but, for the while, in the touristic areas, everything peacefull!
on the next day we went snorkeling on the other side of the island,
an area much deeper, with bigger corals and fish...
and that was where we saw a big Stingray pass by!
friday we were snorkeling again in the same area
and finally we saw the Reef Sharks live and up close!
they impose respect, swim in group and we managed to see a 2 meters one!
at nightfall we went line fishing for our dinner (a 1 meter fish!)
saturday we were approaching our return and things in Male were peacefull
we sepent the last day snorkeling and swimming with the sharks
and, at the end of the day, we tried feeding the fishies,
that went mad with the little peaces of bread we gave them!
sunday we made our trip home with no problems
and, in the same day, we went from 30 degrees to -4 degrees!!
these were some extremely relaxing and calm holidays,
and it was fantastic spending our days in the water with the fish!
and after 11 hours flyung we landed at the Male airport,
where we caught another plane to the Ari Atol (1 more hour)...
and there finally got a boat to the Sun Island Resort!
upon arrive, on sunday, we checked in and discovered...
we were lucky: two nights in a water bungalow!!
in that afternoon we still dived a bit and walked around the resort,
apreciated a fantastic sunset and went to see the sharks being fed!
on the next day we enjoied the bungalow with exit into the water
and only took a walk in the middle of the day to digest lunch,
while we waited to go back in the water!
at night we went back to the shark area to see the show.
tuesday we moved to the beach bungalows, in the best area of the islands
and spent the day snorkeling in the corals right in front of the room
filled with curious colourful little fishies!
and in th evening we went to pet and feed the Stingrays!
wednesday we kept the routine, snorkeling in the southern part of the island,
the difference was that we heard there had bean a coup,
and the president of the Maldives was brought down, in Male...
but, for the while, in the touristic areas, everything peacefull!
on the next day we went snorkeling on the other side of the island,
an area much deeper, with bigger corals and fish...
and that was where we saw a big Stingray pass by!
friday we were snorkeling again in the same area
and finally we saw the Reef Sharks live and up close!
they impose respect, swim in group and we managed to see a 2 meters one!
at nightfall we went line fishing for our dinner (a 1 meter fish!)
saturday we were approaching our return and things in Male were peacefull
we sepent the last day snorkeling and swimming with the sharks
and, at the end of the day, we tried feeding the fishies,
that went mad with the little peaces of bread we gave them!
sunday we made our trip home with no problems
and, in the same day, we went from 30 degrees to -4 degrees!!
these were some extremely relaxing and calm holidays,
and it was fantastic spending our days in the water with the fish!
Monday, February 13, 2012
temperature difference
yesterday we left the Maldives with 30 degrees...
and arrived in Germany with -4 degrees...
and arrived in Germany with -4 degrees...
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Monday, January 16, 2012
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