Welcome to Herzogenaurach!

Welcome!!

It's about 2:30 in the morning here in Hong Kong, and I'm wide awake... why?  Well, jet lag is a beautiful thing.  I've just returned from yet another trip to Germany.  I'm working on a really interesting project that will probably send me back a few more times before I can say I'm finished.  It was a great, productive week, although I did miss Brian terribly.  The good news is that I don't have to travel for work again until April 21st!

When I left, Brian gave me specific instructions - he wanted to see what this village in Germany (whose name is impossible to pronounce by non-Germans... so we call it simply "Herzo") is all about.  So, when I arrived last Sunday morning, in order to fight the jet lag I was experiencing on that end of the journey, I took a stroll around this quaint town that is the home of not only one, but two sporting goods companies.  

First... to take a step back in time.  Adidas (which comes from the name of the company's founder, Adolf Dassler... not "All Day I Dream About Sports" as some young men in junior high used to say) was started in 1924 by the Dassler brothers, Adolf and Rudolf.  At some point in time after WWII, they had a falling out, and Rudolf formed his own sporting goods company - Puma.  When I joined the company, I read a book called Sneaker Wars that talks about the history of the industry and this famous falling out.  Fascinating read for sneaker heads.  :)  The two companies are still headquartered in Herzogenaurach.  In fact, I drove by the Puma HQ every day on my way to the adidas HQ.  It's actually quite amazing that these two companies (and another large company not in the sporting goods industry) are able to find enough people to work - Herzo is seriously waaaaaaay in the country, and is just a tiny little town.

I actually enjoyed being there very much.  After being in Hong Kong, a city which doesn't really sleep, it was a nice change of pace.  I got up every morning and went for a run, and I didn't have to dodge cars or millions of people on the sidewalk.  In fact, most days I didn't even see anyone!  The air was so clean and crisp - a nice break for my poor lungs that have been inhaling smog from China and bus fumes in Hong Kong.  Sunday is an interesting day in Germany.  I think you either absolutely love it or you can't stand it.  Everything, with the exception of a few restaurants, is closed on Sunday.  Coming from a country where not only are most things open on Sunday, but open 24 hours a day, I think this would be a tough thing for some people to get used to.  I have to say though, I kind of like it.  When I went for a run on Sunday, I ran through a neighborhood, and in just about every yard, the kids were out playing and the parents were reading, chatting, or gardening.  I saw neighbors walking with a pie to a dinner with friends.  I didn't see a bunch of stressed out people in cars running from one place to another.  It's a pain not to be able to go to the grocery store, but I suppose you could get used to planning your errands on the other days of the week, and really enjoy that day of rest.  I certainly did.

Without further ado, here is my photo record of my walkabout on Sunday:

This is a football town.  Er, soccer.  This football is the main landmark, and my hotel was just around the corner, so it was easy to tell taxis, "Drop me off by the football".  :)

This is SUCH a cute little German town.  Feels almost like a movie set, but it is real!

 

Cute little neighborhood

Quintessential German Church

Puma HQ

The main building of the adidas HQ - this used to be a US air base during WWII

The main building I work in - it's called Laces and was just built - one of the coolest buildings I have ever worked in.  :)

So, hope you enjoyed the tour.  Every time I go, I meet more and more people and start to feel more and more comfortable.  I got to have dinner with an old friend from Nike that also came to "the dark side".  It's always nice to have someone to sanity check things with.  :)  I also got to see a friend of mine at the Amsterdam airport on my way back to Hong Kong.  Sometimes, the world amazes me... it's really not all that big anymore.  My friend Zoe and I both landed at about 7:45pm, met for a quick drink, then she went on to Utrecht and I went on to Hong Kong.  You know,  just two friends meeting for a drink.  :)

Our exciting news is that we will have some very special visitors in just a few days!  Brian's parents, sister, brother-in-law, and our nephew will arrive in Hong Kong on Thursday night!  We are so excited to see everyone!  We will take a short trip to Beijing, and try to give them a feel of what it's like to live here.  Pictures to come!  :)