Five more days and I will be sitting on an airliner to New York on Friday Nov 21.

We will land at about 9 p.m. and hope to arrive at the hotel by 11 p.m. My daughter says she would be up to taking a stroll down Broadway after we have registered and unpacked. The only kind of stroll I could imagine doing would be towards the bed. We will see how we feel.

Throughout my life and travels I often had made some priority plans  when visiting a certain city or country. It hardly ever worked out that way, but instead I did things – some unusual and much better -  I would not have dreamed of. Now I will share with you what I think I will be doing in New York.

I plan on:

* taking interesting photos

* buying lunch for some homeless

* talking to some interesting people, besides the homeless

* taking a peak into Tiffany’s

This is supposed to be a shopping trip for ladies only and we also have just received our Economic Stimulus Payment rebate from the U.S. government, which was supposed to encourage spending and strengthen the economy (before the crisis). Of course, being loyal to this currency, we plan on taking it right back to where it came from, because we want to stimulate the economy. My daughter will be the biggest helper in doing so.

Having just read Michael Kinsley’s article on Consumer Confidence, it is clear that Americans are in two minds. On one hand, they are encouraged to spend to stop this downfall, but at the same time, October retail sales were down double digits from a year ago.

And then there are new groups which preach against this Shopocalypse. For example, The Church of Stop Shopping is a project that has expanded from a one-man performance artist preaching against consumerism on the sidewalks of Times Square to a 35-person choir and 7-person band with dozens of original songs, a critically acclaimed stage show, a major motion picture and multiple media platforms. The Church is committed to educating the public about the consequences of unsustainable consumption.

And then there is this fake New York Times issue,  a very interesting prankster act. These papers were passed out and nobody noticed the publication date of July 4, 2009. Well, with such good news (the war in Iraq has ended) to be read, I might not have caught it right away either. This quiet and bold act is a good demonstration of what has been brewing this whole time in parts of America. Very clever idea to get to the public. 1.7 million papers supposedly have been distributed. They have planted the seed of dreaming of better days soon to come. Let’s hope for a speedy harvest.

In the meantime, I will go shopping in New York this weekend.

From today’s issue of the ADAC:

Good news for Deutsche Bahn travelers who have had to put up with frequent delays, missed connections and overcrowded trains due to additional maintenance check-ups.

Frequently delayed ICE-T-routes are:

– Hamburg – Berlin – Leipzig – München
– Wiesbaden – Frankfurt – Leipzig – Dresden
– Stuttgart – Singen – Zürich
– Dortmund – Koblenz – Mainz – Frankfurt – Nürnberg – Passau – Wien.

Deutsche Bahn claims though 90 % of all  other ICE- und IC-trains are on schedule.

As of 2009, a new regulation will stipulate that all railway passengers are entitled to reimbursement of 25% off their ticket price for a one-hour delay at the arrival point (50% off the ticket for a two-hour delay).

This new rule was passed by the German Federal Cabinet in October of this year. This rule of reimbursement does not apply to taking several late trains to reach the final destination. If you arrive at your final destination one hour late, then the reimbursement is 25% off the ticket price.

While this global financial crisis could be spiraling its way up into anywhere, so is the impending completion of the new Palais Quartier in Frankfurt. The Grand Opening is supposed to take place sometime in February 2009 and I am sure it will be spectacular.

My trip to New York City – the city that never sleeps – is only three weeks away. We are meant to go there for some extensive shopping, but going there will require the release of more than one ton of carbon dioxide!

With this new shopping center being built, I wonder if shopping habits can’t be changed for the future. Instead of going to New York City, I should spend my money in Frankfurt instead!!! But the lure of exotic shopping places such as New York or Hong Kong will always draw visitors.

With this heightening in infra structure and increased shopping opportunities in Frankfurt, sales clerks might have to become even more multilingual, such as they are in Paris and London. Frankfurt will become more tempting for a two-day stopover for rich clientele and I would encourage shop owners to hire more linguistic staff. Will we get boutiques selling shoes for € 20,000 a pair like in London and Paris?

The outlay of the Palais Quartier is gigantic:

building area                   17.400 m2
total area                      226.000 m2
gross cubic space         982.300 m3

floor plan concept:

Thurn und Taxis Palais    11.000 m2
office                              47.650 m2
hotel                              22.000 m2
shopping passage          76.850 m2
underground garage        1.390 parking spaces

Shopping Mecca Billboard

(The billboard’s background changes daily…)

I often get asked about reasonable and convenient places to stay when visiting Oberursel. The last one came in on my post about Ober den Birken under “comments”. This inquiry could be from friends visiting Germany for the first time or from distant relatives who will only visit for a short stopover. Most expat families will have enough room to accommodate friends and family at their home, but there are also others…

Nevertheless, it is good to have a list of accommodations on hand – especially if you know the proprietor speaks English as well.

So my first recommendation is Beethoven Bed & Breakfast right in the heart of Oberursel.

Some friends, one of them a former Frankfurt International School parent, had discovered this place through the internet and booked it before coming from Korea. She has been using this Bed & Breakfast on every visit to Germany and this is where I generally meet her, too. On one of those occasions I also met the congenial proprietor.

I have been to this cozy rooftop apartment, which can easily house a small family. The kitchen dinette is excellent for making tea and coffee, breakfast, instant soups, etc. This is what makes this place so convenient as well – when compared to a regular hotel room, which you will have to leave every time you want a bite to eat.

The location is excellent as it is only one minute away from the next U-Bahn station “Portstrasse” (Unfortunately, the station is under construction until 21 November, 08), where you can hop on the U-Bahn to downtown Frankfurt – no transfer needed.

If your visit is more focused on  Oberursel itself and you want to reminisce a bit, then it will take only a five-minute walk to the old part of Oberursel and its half-timbered houses around the market place.

Beethoven’s rates are very reasonable and affordable, with higher rates during fairs in Frankfurt.

This weekend has been rather astonishing in regards to fall beauty, increased traffic from Frankfurt heading towards our mountains and a pervasive fogginess covering everything from local tree tops to skyscrapers downtown Frankfurt.

The weather forecast had promised a dry and sunny weekend – well, we were clouded in fog both Saturday and Sunday.

Foggy residential area

Frankfurt commerce fogged over – what looks like a dirty fingerprint on the top picture is a swarm of migrating birds

Nature around the area of Schlossborn up the mountains was at its best

Poisonous fly agaric (aka toadstool) in our garden

Water lily in the pond

These days are especially beautiful with abundant chestnuts to eat, foggy mornings (I don’t have to drive), orange pumpkins on display, candles lit, and watching chimney smoke rising.

This makes me think of Robert Frost (March 26, 1874 – January 29, 1963), a poet known for his realistic depictions of rural life. I especially like his poem The Road not Taken.

For some, spring season seems to exemplify new life. For me, it is fall – for all the above reasons.