Christmas Eve Travels

Dezember 24th, 2010

Julien and I booked flights to Germany on Christmas Eve. We had different flights, his leaving at 11:30am and mine at 2pm. He went directly to the airport while I first went to the shop and packed my bike and my backpack full of Christmas presents. We knew that about a week ago there was snow chaos in Europe and most of the airports had been shut down. But the past 2 or 3 days were fine so we hoped that our flights would have no issue to Frankfurt despite the possible snow forecasted for the evening in Frankfurt.

When I walked to the gate at Beijing airport my pulse started to go faster because I saw hardly any people. I asked the lady when the boarding will start still confused if the clock on my mobile phone was correct and she said 1:30pm. It was 1:22pm and there were abut 25 people at the gate. Usually more than 15min before boarding there is already a queue at the gate of the people that do not understand that everybody has a seat as printed on the boarding pass. But today it was only 8min and there was nobody. And that stayed the same even after boarding the huge Boeing 747 with the 2 floors. So everybody had a huge area for himself. i had 4 seats that I used as a bed. That was a very nice flight. That is the advantage of flying on Christmas Eve.

Julien’s flight arrived on time without issues. But then it did start snowing. I was worried that our flight with about 50 people could easily get diverted to a different airport as it was so empty. We first did 3 loops just before Frankfurt. And then we headed to Frankfurt but unfortunately passed it and did 3 loops on that side. In the end we did land in Frankfurt but with delay. I had to smile to see the display at the luggage belt saying: „Luggage will arrive in 6 min“. And of course (Germans are precise) it did arrive after 6 min.

The disadvantage of traveling on Christmas Eve is that there are less trains. The trains run every day of the year, just not on Dec 24th, 25th and 31st. So we had to wait about 30min for our ICE high speed train to Nuremberg. Just 10min before the scheduled departure they informed us that the train will be delayed by 40min. That was not as bad as most other trains that were at least delayed by 40min, if not 180min or even up to 300min (that is 5 hours!) due to the heavy snow in many parts of Germany.

Finally on the train Julien was amazed to see that they serve beer. He was even allowed to bring the wheat beer in the original glass to his seat. When the train conductor came by he smiled and said „We are soon going to cross the boarder and enter Bavaria and then beer is a must for every passenger!“.

Franziskaner Weissbier on the German ICE train
Traveling from Beijing to Nuremberg

Despite the delay we were happy to be almost at my parents place. It was still snowing when around 10:30pm we did a sudden full stop. We were informed that the train had „caught“ something. That did not sound good. I mean when the train accidentally hits an animal like a rabbit nothing happens. But once in a while someone tries to do suicide and jumps in front of a high speed train. And yes that had happened on this snowy Christmas Eve. So now the police had to come and examine everything. We were just near Neustadt so I asked if we could get off as that was only about 10km away from my parents home but we were not allowed off the train. But the Deutsche Bahn (German Railways) offered everybody free drinks.
Julien decided to get some sleep and squeezed himself on the 2 tiny train seats.

Julien sleeping on ICE

After more than 3 hours our train was finally allowed to continue the journey. As the connection trains were all long gone the Deutsche Bahn arranged taxis for people going to other places, So we shared a taxi with an Indian guy from Chennai who also flew in today. So we arrived at my parents place at 2:45am. That was about 9 hours after I had landed in Frankfurt and almost 13 hours after Julien had landed. The flight from Beijing to Frankfurt was just 9 and a half hours. We were exhausted.

STC on CRI

Dezember 21st, 2010

China Radio International (CRI) came a week ago to film Shannon and me regarding our „Smarter than Car“ (STC).

Shannon interviewed by CRI

Here is the link to the video CRI made introducing what our mission in Beijing is. They wrote:

Beijing is a city made for cycling. There are designated bike lanes. You can lock up your two-wheeler almost anywhere. And, the city is as flat as a pancake. So why is Beijing jam-packed with vehicles? An organization called „Smarter Than Car“ is trying to change that. It is reviving pedal power in the city. Liu Bing reports.

Bikeboy Video

Dezember 13th, 2010

Here is the link to a video of the Bike boy event. It is not really good quality but gives an impression of the event where Natooke provided all the bikes and bike parts.

CCTV Green Space Talkshow

Dezember 12th, 2010

I was invited to the CCTV10 Green Space (Green Life) talkshow to talk about cycling in Beijing as an environmentally friendly transportation method and a green lifestyle. It was a very nice show called „I love riding bike“. Have a look at this program, but it is all in Chinese and we only talk. Click on the following image to see the video:

绿色空间 2010年 第238期 我爱骑车

首播时间:2010年12月12日14:00
首播频道:CCTV-10
所属栏目:绿色空间
所属分类:科教台自然
关  键  字:骑车出行  解读  绿色出行  看法  体会  环境资源

本期节目主要内容:本期节目请来自行车俱乐部发起人孙健和三联生活周刊的撰稿人袁越一起来对骑车出行做另类的解读,骑车作为一种被倡导的绿色出行方式,在 华居住多年的德国前室内自行车运动员伊泉和韩国健美教练赵守镇对于目前在中国骑车出行又有怎样的看法和体会,本期节目和主持人一起讨论骑车出行,倡导珍惜 环境资源。

There were 4 guests on this talk show. First Sun Jian and the author of Life Week Yuan Yue do travel together on bicycle. Cycling is started to become a way to do green traveling in China. Then a South Korean girl that does not cycle and me (Ines Brunn) were invited to speak about cycling in Beijing comparing it to other countries around the world.

Cycling to Jaffa

November 22nd, 2010

Another day at the bike shop. This is really relaxing. I get to do some emails and facebook and watch some videos on youtube. It is almost like a holiday. Do you see my Natooke water bottle on the inside of the bike shop next to the beer bottles?

Gordon Bennett Shop Outside

I had brought my trick bike to the shop and now it is standing inside behind the cool decoration made by used broken inner tubes.

Trick Bike and Inner Tubes

Arnon had a great idea to just close the shop and go our for a bike ride. He was riding his nice Colnago fixed gear bike.

Fixed Gear Bike of Arnon Fisher

He gave me an old Italian single speed bike similar to the Chinese Flying Pigeon Light Roadsters. By the way most of the pictures in this blog entry are Arnon’s pictures. They can all be found on facebook.

Ines on a single speed bicycle

We road towards the beach. Because I have only been in Tel Aviv so far he decided to cycle with me to Jaffa.

The old city of Jaffa

Cycling along the Beach in Israel

I stopped to take some pictures. But I did that of course without getting off my bicycle.

Ines taking photos

Ines Brunn and the Ocean

Arnon also did not get off his bike. His bar tape has such a flurescent color.

Arnon and the Ocean

But we did both shortly get off our bikes for a picture together.

Arnon and Ines on the bike ride to Jaffa

People had recommended to visit the old city of Jaffa and they had said I could cycle there. I was amazed by how close it is. It felt like cycling from Chaoyangmen to Yonghegong in Beijing. And that is a really short distance. But it was nice to be in Jaffa. We sat for a while near the ocean.

Ines in Jaffa

Then I decided to do some tricks.

Ines Brunn doing a Handstand on the edge of the Ocean

Holding the Equilibrium

Another Handstand on the Rocks by Ines Brunn

Thank you Arnon for taking these nice pictures!

Arnon and his Camera

Ines on the Rocks

The sun was already setting when we cycled into the city center.

Sunset over Jaffa Harbour

We then went to the famous flea market of Jaffa. But they were already closing down.

Flea Market in Jaffa

When we cycled back to Tel Aviv we saw the full moon rising just above the houses. That was amazing. What a good idea that we closed the shop for 2 hours. I should consider doing that in Beijing sometimes.

Full Moon over Tel Aviv

Gordon Bennett Fixed Gear Tel Aviv

November 21st, 2010

Today I had a relaxing day hanging out in a bike shop that was not mine. I was at Arnon’s fixed gear bike shop in Tel Aviv that is called Gordon Bennett.

Gordon Bennett in Israel

It is a cool little shop in the center of Tel Aviv.

Bike Shop Owner and Customer

Similar to my shop a lot of people drop by to say hi. I get more men in Beijing but Arnon gets more women. They mostly do not ride a fixed gear bike but just want to chat with the cool owner.

Bike Shop in Tel Aviv

Inside the Fixed Gear Shop

One Less Car T-Shirt

In Israel there seem to be many nice old frames from the 1970’s. So a lot of people have beautiful steel road bike frames converted to fixed gear.

Frames and Beers

As I know how it is running a bike shop I of course helped Arnon when there were more than 1 customer at the same time. So I helped change the outer tires for a customer.

Ines changing the Tire

Do not ask me why Arnon was shaking for this first picture he took. Maybe he was afraid I could not change the tire and therefore shaking due to fear. Who knows. It was a fun day.

Ines Brunn in Gordon Bennett changing Tires

Sea Port Performance and the Beach

November 20th, 2010

Today I met the organizers of the Bikes 2010 exhibition which is going to be held here in Tel Aviv.

My Trick Bike and the Exhibition Organizers

They had organized many volunteers and camera men like Aviram to make it possible for me to do some performances at the Tel Avis Sea Port which gets quite a lot of visitors on a Saturday.

Aviram filming my Bike

It was a nice feeling to perform on the side of the ocean. And the weather was amazing: Sunny and warm. I did 3 times a show to attract people to come to the bicycle exhibition starting in a few days. Here are two of the many pictures taken by others.

Ines Brunn at Tel Aviv Sea Port

Headstand on Fixed Gear Bike by Ines

There are many pictures on facebook as that seems widely used here in Israel.

Some people of the Tel Aviv fixed gear bike group came to meet me.

Tel Aviv fixed gear group

Arnon tried my trick bike which seems way to small for him.

Arnon Fisher on Trick Bike

Then I went back to the hotel to rest as I was feeling the jetlag. But there was no time to rest as I received a call from a guy called Eli saying that Arnon is worried because he cannot take care of me today so he asked his good friend Eli to do that. And Eli happened to be on a nearby beach chilling. So Eli said I should come out and look for 2 handsome guys with a cute black dog. And so I did. It was easy to find them. I was happy to see that you could just park your bike on the beach.

Bikes on Tel Aviv Beach

I was hoping to be able to go for a swim, but as it was already after 3:30pm the sun was about to set and it was getting chilly. After Soraya came we decided to have a late lunch as most Israelis do on a Saturday. But I did not have a bike. So Eli suggested that I can sit on the top tube of his fixed gear bike as he anyway is used to carrying his cute dog on the back of it.

Eli and his dog ready for me to get on the bike

The first try we fell to the left side. So I decided to sit on the top tube facing the other direction. Then we fell to the right side. The dog was getting confused why we were doing this. Maybe it was the lack of my balance or maybe it was the jetlag. Or maybe 2 people and a dog on one fixed gear bike is too much. Ronen said it is because Eli just never took a women on his bike. So he then showed him how easy it is to ride with me sitting on his top tube of his mountain bike. I think the dog was also happy that I was on the other bike.

Eli with his happy Dog on his Bike

We then had dinner at the Cantina on Rothschild promenade. After a lot of food I was dead tired and walked back to my hotel. What a nice day.

Arrival in Israel

November 19th, 2010

After an intimidating check-in, security and departure process and an unexpected special escort right when I stepped out of the airplane in Israel I am now happy to be here. The hotel is right at the Tel Aviv Marina.

Tel Aviv Marina

Boats in front of the hotel

And the hotel is just on the edge of these nice beaches. With today’s 26 degrees it feels really warm compared to the recent Beijing temperatures.

Tel Aviv Beaches

The beach promenade has a two directional bike lane. Unfortunately many pedestrians do not care about these lines painted on the ground.

Beach Promenade Bike lane

Funny was this part of the bike lane guiding you to ride directly onto the sand of the beach. That reminded me of some of the nobby tiles on the sidewalk for the blind people in Beijing streets that sometimes go right into a tree or a pole.

Bike lane into the sand of the beach

And as in most big cities around the world bike theft is an issue. Just to show the Beijing people who always claim bike theft is biggest in Beijing, here in Tel Aviv they steal anything off your bike. That hardly happens in Beijing. Be happy guys!

Parts Stolen off the Bike Frame

There is a nice view of Tel Aviv city from the hotel.

Tel Aviv City

It was interesting to see how Tel Aviv deals with recycling plastic bottles. In various places there are these big cages for anybody to drop off their plastic bottles as well as unwanted CD and DVDs.

Plastic Bottle Collection Station

In the evening I finally got to meet Edan Topper who had contacted me years ago and then written an article about all kinds of cycling disciplines unknown in Israel. He included pictures of me doing artistic cycling. He was one of the guys that started the web platform Groopy for the diverse cycling community of Israel. That is now the biggest online cycling platform in Israel. There is also a whole article about track cycling and velodroms as there is none in Israel.

Edan and Ines in Tel Aviv

We had a great dinner together talking the whole time about cycling. He is a passionate road cyclist and loves riding. He would love to see better cycling infrastructure in Israel but is down to Earth in saying that the government should use the money first to focus on education and health care. After the dinner we went for a nice walk along the city promenade and then for some Spanish sparkling wine in Cava. It was very inspiring to talk to him.

Ines in Tel Aviv Nightlife

Searching for Assistant

November 18th, 2010

Natooke bike and juggling shop is searching for an assistant. We would prefer a Chinese national with good level of English. The job would require a lot of back office work with occasional shop work. A person with an affinity towards bikes would be preferred. If interested please contact me at ines@natooke.com

Today when I met up with Yu Changqing for our late morning (it is getting cold) practice I found out it is his birthday today! Now he is really also in our Western counting 74 years old. I invited him for lunch. All the best to him for the next 20 or more years!

Natooke in MING Magazine 明日风尚

November 17th, 2010

Our shop is getting so famous that we do not even know when there is a new article in a newspaper or magazine or again something on TV. 2 friends had mentioned they saw us in a magazine called Ming 明日风尚. Today Echo brought the November 2010 edition of the magazine that Tom had found.

Ming Magazine November 2010

It is a very nice article about Federico and me and our shop. It is in the „Good Life“ section of the magazine and has the main title „Retail Star“.

Natooke in Ming Magazine

Another friend mentioned that there is also an article in the high speed train magazine. I remember being interviewed for that. I hope I can see the article soon.