Eins zwei drei - Mubarak ist vorbei!

One, two, three - Mubarak has to leave! (lit: 1, 2, 3, Mubarak is over, but that doesn't rhyme, or scan, very well)

Frankfurt is a very international city. I have mentioned this before. When the uprising in Tunisia happened, hundreds also demonstrated down the Zeil in support. Today we saw a protest march of women against Berlusconi. One had a sign which stated "Berlusconismus = Sexismus" ("Berlusconism = sexism") which I think pretty much got to the point of that one.

During the revolution currently underway in Egypt some members of the Egyptian community (and others) here have also been very vocal in how they feel about the current (or maybe now former? under transition?) leadership of the country. They are not too pleased.

Below are a couple of photographs of the demonstration which took place around a sculpture by Konstablerwache on 29th January. They won't win any prizes but you get the idea. I found the "Hillary! Man up or shut up!" sign most amusing.

Leading the chants

Werden Sie nie alt, bleiben Sie jung!

"Never get old, stay young!"

These wise words (or veiled death threats) were offered to me by a kindly alte Dame I encountered in Penny Markt today.

I had just stood to one side to let her pass with her walking frame and she thanked me very heartily. She then commented on how "aufmerksam" (thoughtful) it was of me to let her pass. She said it wasn't always the case, to which I replied "wirklich?!" (really?!) and she went on to say that some people even told her to get out of the way! I commented of course that it was "schade" (a pity) that some people are in such a rush and are so rude.

She thanked me again for my Aufmerksamkeit and then gave me the lovely advice in the title. Which I thought I should pass on.

Sadly in the past few days it has been quite difficult to take heed of her words as I have felt about 80 since Tuesday night when I was wearing two jumpers and sat under a blanket despite the heating being on a bit too high. Since then I have spent a day in bed, a day on the couch and this morning have been to the doctor's (hence my office hours excursion to Penny Markt). But now I have Gummibärchen and a copy of my favourite trashy magazine (inTouch) to keep me going, and some good advice to help me along.