Donauinselfest - Day 3

Crowds of people as far as the eye can see and guess what? Yeah, I actually made it to the very first row!! I really got a brilliant position for my video recordings. I've been there about four hours earlier, waiting for the main act, our local legend Reinhard Fendrich. Everybody in Vienna knows his songs and the crowd sang along with him. It's really been a great atmosphere. The groups before Fendrich were also pretty good - The Dubliners, Die Seer and lots of other not so well known artists. I enjoyed the whole show, though a few steps behind me a man collapsed and fainted away. The securities had quiet some difficulties to lift the heavy weight guy up and carry him over the metal barrier that separated the crowd from the stage. Don't know what happened to him, but I hope he's well.
So, now my real work starts - post production!!!!

Donauinselfest - Day 2

This is Manuel Ortega, one of the many artists that performed on the Danube Island Festival. I tried to film as many bands and singers as possible and hurried from one stage to another. Though the atmosphere is really great, I'm a bit glad that today is the last day. My feet are really hurting and I'm pretty tired. It'll be a lot of work cutting all the acts in post-production. Guess, I'll enter the Guiness Book of Records as the one who filmed (as a single person with only one camera) as many acts as possible.
Sorry, gotta go now, last day of the festival - last torture!

Donauinselfest - Day 1

Yesterday I've been on the Danube Island Festival to prepare lesson no. 5 of my German course. The weather was very pleasant, not too hot, not too cold. In the beginning there were not too many people and so I could get quiet close to the stages. But towards evening things changed and the path leading from one stage to the other was overcrowded. Yet I managed to push myself through. The picture on the right shows me stuck in the middle of enthusiastic Billy Idol fans. Unfortunately I was a bit too far away from the stage, but I'll have to check it on my video. Maybe I can use at least some video-shots.
Another thing: It was so difficult to determine who was singing on all those stages, as lesser-known artists didn't wear name tags around their neck. I've also had some difficulties to find the right stages. Though there was an orientation map with numbers, there were no numbers in front of the stages, so I only could make a guess. I enjoyed it anyway (despite running up and down for about four hours). Today the madness continues ...

Lesson 4 / Lección 4 / Leçon 4 / Урок 4

Just uploaded my 4th German lesson. You can choose from four languages. This time it's all about the Vienna Zoo in Schönbrunn. It took me about 3 days to get all the animals in front of my camera. Don't ask me how long I had to work on post-production, cutting and inserting texts. (had to solve another computer problem). Anyway, I'm quiet satisfied with the result and hope, you'll like it.
I'm already working on the concept for lesson no. 5, which will be about the Danube Island (and the festival, of course). It is the biggest european open air festival, lasting three (hopefully sunny) days and attracting millions of people from all over the world. I've already been there yesterday to film some preparations. It's been a strange feeling, because it seemed to me as if I were the only spectators on that day. All around me just technicians and stage workers. Well, I'll tell you more about it ....

House building Level IV

Well, it's getting bigger. Despite the heavy rainfalls during the last weeks (or shall I say months?) the construction works went on and the result isn't that bad. By the end of next week they wanna be ready with the first floor, which would be really amazing. The only thing that isn't too good is the water all around the house and in the cellar. As there's no roof yet, it's raining in and frankly, I don't know how they wanna get rid of all the water, but I'm very positive that they will manage it somehow. Thank God, the weather forecast for the next weeks isn't that bad so I'm still hoping for some sunny days. At least, it's summer!!!!

Vienna Zoo

Today it's been the third time that I visited the Vienna Zoo. To be exactly, the third time within only one week. It's because I'm working on my German Lesson No 4 and it's because it's simply impossible to get good pictures from all animals in only one day. On my first day it was so hot that all animals were asleep and didn't move an eye. Not quiet what I was looking for. So I had to go again and again and ... again! Thank God I bought a "one-year-valid-card", though it hopefully won't take that long until I have my video done. It's really nice walking around the Zoo and watching the animals, if only there were not so many school classes with screaming and yelling little animal lovers ;)

Lesson 3 / Lección 3 / Leçon 3 / Урок 3

Now, here's my 3rd lesson of "German with Sonja". This time the feature is about the Hundertwasserhaus in Vienna. Hope, you enjoy it. I won't write too much as a video says more than a thousand words!

Spanish Version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_t8pHQTR1dU

English Version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fB0Go3OiR3c

French Version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCc8GSNrEB8

Russian Version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSbK42uf5Ew

Schönbrunn Concert

What I forgot to add in my last posting is this picture from the concert in the Schloss Schönbrunn park that took place a couple of days ago. I've been there with my spanish friends right after our meeting at the Havana Club in Burggarten.
We sat down on a planket and enjoyed the overwhelming atmosphere. There were thousands of people, most of them tourists from all over the world. At least, that's what I assume, because I've hardly heard a German word around us. The evening was really nice. The weather has also shown mercy on us, as it didn't rain. Though I'm not really a particular fan of classical music, I've appreciated the entertaining concert. The whole show was broadcasted on a big video wall and so you also could see quiet well in the back rows.

Mojito Bar - Burggarten

Me (not in the picture) and friends from Spain and Latin America in the Burggarten, celebrating the Mojito-Party of the Havana Club. The drinks were for free, but don't ask how we got them. I stood for about half an hour in a crowd of people waiting for my free drink. There was no way back, no way forward and no way out. Anyway, it's been an interesting experience. Next time I'd rather pay for my drink ;)
We've had a nice afternoon with lot of laughter and good vibrations. The weather was really fine, though some said it's been too hot and humid. But after all these rainy weeks, I was glad to

sweat a little in the sun.

Preparing my third lesson

Just came back from my little video-tour to the Hundertwasserhaus. I recorded the introduction to my third German lesson. It's still not so easy to concentrate on my text - at least not in four foreign languages, though I have the impression that my ability to memorize things has already gotten better. You know, when I started acting in front of the camera (filming my self in public and saying something into the camera), I felt a little uncomfortable, as I was distracted by people passing by. I simply couldn't concentrate, as I was constantly thinking: "What are they thinking? Why are they staring at me?"
But as I wanted to do these introductions to my video lessons, I simply had to overcome my fears and I'm really glad that I'm obviously on the right track. Today, when I did the introduction for the Hundertwasserhaus, I felt less insecure and tried not to notice all those people around me. So I'm not only learning something about Vienna or how to speak a foreign language, but also something about myself and the further development of my personality.

Demonstration against Israel

It's been more by chance than on purpose that I've attended the demonstration against Israel that took place here in Vienna. But I'm really glad, I've been their. Though you could feel the anger about the brutal attack of Israeli soldiers shooting at civilians on the ship Mavi Marmara, the demonstration was peaceful and the atmosphere was absolutely breathtaking. For those who don't know about the facts: On June 1st, Israeli soldiers dropped from a helicopter onto the Turkish passenger ship and started shooting directly into a crowd of sleeping civilians. The attack has happened in international waters and violated international law. I've taken a couple of photos that you'll find on my website www.sonni.tv (Photos, behind the camera). I believe that it is important to support peaceful movements in order to prevent the Israeli government from such kind of criminal actions. I also think that Palastines have the right of an own country and that Gaza should be free!

House building Level III / German Course Lesson 2

Well, work in progress, despite rainy days.

I guess nobody could have predicted this years heavy rainfalls. I really can't remember anything like that before. Seems like the climate is actually changing and now we're apparently in the rainy season, though with nearly arctic temperatures. To me it's like a miracle that there is a visible progress in the house building.

Another good thing: I've solved my software problem - at least temporarily. I've simply installed the video program on another computer and - oh wonder - it is working, at least until now. So, I was in the lucky position to finish the second lesson of my multilingual German course. Prior to this lesson I've produced a little clip about the Vienna Prater. I hope you enjoy it.

German with Sonja (Lesson 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTenSyRJn_c

L'Allemand avec Sonja (Leçon 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLW53d0HuUQ

Немецкий язык с Соней, Урок 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNp6NbVr-5Y

Alemán con Sonja (Lección 2)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQYvgTJpuN0