Hotel Boell

Ruhrpott-slang (or rather...

by Bagillbaer

Ruhrpott-slang (or rather 'dialect') was long neglected as a language only spoken by 'stupid working class' people. Now it's experiencing a revival. Saying 'datt' instead of 'das' is becoming a common habit.
To greet someone you say either 'Hallo!' or 'Tach!' (=Tag=day), to say goodbye, we usually say 'Tschüss!'.
Here are some of my favourite examples of 'Ruhrpöttisch' (sometimes with literal translations in the middle):


'Könnse mir ma sang vietnam Bannhof geht?'- Könnten Sie mir wohl (bitte) sagen, wie ich zum Bahnhof komme? - Could you tell me the way to the station (, please)?

'Wieso dattenich?' - Wieso das denn nicht? - Why not?

'Watt is dattan?' - Was ist das denn? - What the hell is that?

'Ach du dicken Vatter!' - Oh, you fat father! - Jesus Christ!/Holy Sh*t!/something like that

'Kerl inne Kiste!' - Guy in the coffin! - Goddamnit!

'Vadammte Hacke, getz is aba Schluss!' - Cursed mattock, this is the end! - For f*cks sake, stop it!

'Hasset bald?!?' - Hast du es bald geschafft? - How much longer will this take you!?!/What's your problem?/Hurry up!

'Komm inne Puschen!!!' - Come into the slippers!!! - Hurry up!!! Move faster!!!

'Mach hinne!' - Make go there! - Hurry up!

'Mach mich nich feddich!' - Don't wear me down. (more or less) - You must be joking!/I don't believe it!

'Ey, du Geier!'- Hey, you vulture! - You stupid idiot (what are you doing?)!!!

'Ey, Alter, wohin mit dir?- = Hey, dude, where to put you/what should one do about you? - Dude, you're a hopeless case...

'Is mir Latte...'- = This is lath to me. - I don't care.

'Das ging rubbeldiekatz!' - = That went rubbeldiekatz (rubbeldiekatz consists of three words actually: 'rubbel' 'die' 'katze' - translated 'rub' 'the' 'cat'. Really, it's true ;)) - That happened very fast!

'Wie'n Äffchen aufm Schleifstein dahocken' = to sit like an ape on a grinding wheel - you know sitting rather uncomfortably with heavy bended legs, on low seats for example

Schwachulli - = Schwächling. - weakling, wimp


Pimpf - = kleiner Mensch, Kind - small person, child.

'Mach dir ma kein Kopf dadrüber.'- = Don't make yourself a head about it. - Don't worry about that.

'Killefitt' - = unnötiger Kleinkram - small, unnecessary items...

'auf Trallafitti gehen' - = go on Trallafitti - hitting the city, going out and around

And now some terms to caress your lovey:

'Schnubbel' or 'Schnübbelken' - ? - s.o. who's sweet and lovable
'Schätzeken' - little treasure - honey, sweetheart
'Perle' - pearl - girl friend (usually used by boys talking about their girls when they're absent :0))
'Putzelchen' - ? - rather not to use for boyfriends or girlfriends (it's like honeybunny or something. I wouldn't use it in that way...). I use it for my cat, my sister (slightly ironical) and sometimes friends (when you want to show them that their behaviour is sweet but probably a bit errr naive? Yet lovable. Uncorrupted may be the right word.)
'Dötzeken' - Kleines - little one, probably a child, apart from that same usage as Putzelchen
'i-Dötze' - Erstklässler - typical term for first graders around here, not really sure what the 'i' is supposed to mean though...
'Oppa' - Opa/Großvater - Grandpa/Grandfather
'Omma' - Oma/Großmutter - Grandma/Grandmother
'Ömmaken' - Oma/Großmutter - also Grandma/Grandmother, only making her a little smaller. Same is applicable for Oppa, of course.
more to come

Not really natural, but possible - playing with words:


Darf datt-datt?! - Darf das das?! - Is it (the child) allowed to do that?!
Datt darf datt. - Das darf das. - It is allowed to do that.
Datt-datt-datt darf! - Das das das darf! - (= that it is allowed!) Hardly believable!

Hammsammsamstach Schalke jesehn? Hattata jereechnet! - Haben Sie am Samstag das Schalke-Spiel gesehen? Das hat da vielleicht geregnet! - Have you seen the game of Schalke (soccer club) on Saturday? How it rained then!

Cafe Bar Celona

by Gili_S about Cafe Bar Celona

Nice way they play with the name of this place, I saw it the last time when I was in Essen, with those big windows, looks like a great location in the winter when the sun is shining.
Next time I will try my breakfast here.

Zollverein coal mine, shaft XII

by Nemorino

Designed and built in the 1920s, this shaft and processing plant went into operation on February 1, 1932. At that time it was considered the largest, most efficient, most modern and also most beautiful coal mining facility in Europe.

The Zollverein was founded in 1847 by an industrialist named Franz Haniel (1799-1868). He gave his mine the name Zollverein in honor of the German Customs Union of 1844, which made it possible to do business in Germany without having to pay tolls every few miles at the borders of the many tiny German states.

By 1920 the Zollverein had four shafts producing 8000 tons of coal per day, but at that point they decided there was no way to modernize those old shafts and increase the daily output, so the solution was to build a new shaft for the sole purpose of bringing up 12000 tons per day in a huge multi-storey elevator.

Surrounding the new shaft they built a processing plant which by the standards of the times (recall that they had nothing resembling the computer technology we have today!) was highly automated. They were so obsessed with automation that the buildings originally didn't have any toilets, but they quickly had to add some when they realized that they still needed hundreds of workers to run the new machines, although not as many as before.

The managers proudly announced that they had eliminated 500 jobs, which then as now was a dubious achievement, since unemployment was one of the many factors that enabled the Nazis to seize power in 1933.

Second photo: Looking up at the elevator tower.

Third photo: Beneath the plants there were railroad tracks so that after the coal had been sorted and processed it could be dumped directly into coal cars and transported to the end users, like the nearby steel mills.

Fourth photo: Under one of the old conveyor belts that moved coal all around the plant they have recently built a pair of escalators to bring people up to the new visitors' center on the second floor. (Third floor to you.)

This is the RWE Tower. I don't...

by evilboomer

This is the RWE Tower. I don't think it's a 'must see activity' but when you are in Essen and in or around the city you can't oversee this tower. It's a new landmark here in Essen and it looks really great.
But I don't know if you can go to the top. I should try it someday and make some good pictures of Essen.

Jen in Essen

by jenniferchin

"We meet again ! :-)"

I met Sandra when she was in KL a few months ago. We clicked immediately and I knew I had to meet her when I get to Germany ~ and I did !!

Essen caught me by a plesant surprise (but then, its probably due to my ignorance) as I always thought it was more of an industrial place. Its filled with gorgeous generous green areas as well as museums and a great lively cultural scene (which we did not have time to explore - the pity !!!).

Holger & me met up with Arne and Sandra at their place, and then proceeded straight to this new restaurant.

Getting to the restaurant was quite an adventure but finally we made it !! It was somewhat secluded away from the main road and nicely nestled near the river Ruhr. The food was fabulous ~ check out the pictures over at the restaurant tips (Thank you Sandra for recommending this wonderful dish !!!) and ambience just so cosy :-)

After the great yummy lunch, we headed for a walk along the Ruhr. The weather was fantastic for us that day !! Many people biking and walking. With some others chilling out and fishing. Glorious !

"Wonderful hosts !!"

Here is a picture of Arne & Sandra relaxing by the bench ... check out the attention-seeking sheep behind !!