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1st february 2017, few frankfurters

"DON'T bring me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses..." I continue to focus on our big event this weekend and remain in denial. Meanwhile, work took me back to frankfurt; a somewhat melancholy return. Although we came back a couple of times after leaving in 2007, it is many years now since I have actually been, although I have tried, with inevitable diminishing returns, to keep in touch with my dwindling band of ecb friends. Many have moved on, across the city to other agencies, to brussels, to london, or beyond. After work I camped out at a restaurant across the road from the sparkling new eurotower, which looks like the architects let themselves go one night on some good drugs and then applied them to the old building. It is spectacular though, if rather unfortunate timing as it worked out, to make such a grand and permanent statement. Outside the bubble, frankfurt seemed rather staid. Eating croissants at a large coffee place, it was cash only, creating a mild panic. Buying a souvenir for the kids, they couldn't take uk cards. The barber I momentarily thought of getting a haircut at closed at 4. Meanwhile, the new ecb is in part of the city that despite my seven years there I don't know at all, so I somehow bypassed that blanket of familiarity I was rather looking forward to pulling over myself. No matter, less reminiscing is probably for the best. The return on my dinner invite was slender (though 100% wonderful). It seems time wears away at connections, as do kids and the day-to-day hassles that make pitching up at short notice quite a high bar. Adds to the melancholy though; life in frankfurt seems a long time ago, although not a continent away. Something else I remain in denial about...