Haribo

In 2003, I spent almost a year in Bretten, a small city in Southwest Germany, state of Baden-Wuerttenberg. It was there where I first looked for things I missed in Brazil and enjoyed my time trying new and different kinds of foods and beverages. By the French border, close to Switzerland and nearly few hours by train anywhere I was literally in the heart of Europe, it was a joy to start my hunt for new experiences.

I can say that Haribo is the first European brand I missed when I got back to Brazil in 2004. The only product we could find in the shelf was mainly the Goldbaeren, imported exclusively by gourmet shops in the biggest cities.

I believe I've already mentioned that wherever I go, I try to find familiar and new products on markets and buy a few of them to bring back home. Haribo is one of those brands that aren't too hard to find - the real deal is to find those products I'll fall in love with. I particularly enjoy the sweet and sour flavours I got to know in the UK (Tangfastics), so my hunt is pretty much for those ones, and sometimes is quite hard to find.

Doing a bit of research we could check that Haribo is an acronym for "HAns RIegel aus BOenn", it was founded after the First World War and its operations moved outside Germany in the following years. Today Haribo has thirteen plants Europe (those five in Germany alone), exporting to over 100 countries. In the UK, Haribo brand has 30 different products,.

Its most popular product, Goldbaeren, has improved its image over the years. Its first name was Tanzbaeren, the bears were taller and slimmer than what we know today, they were sold by units in cardboard boxes or in decorative tins. The second version came in the 1950s, Teddybaeren, looking much smaller and robust, and in an innovative and more attractive cellophane packaging. However it was only a decade later that the company decided to registered its trademark (Goldbaeren) and officially link it to the genuine and innocent smiling gold bear with a red bow tie in the package. So Haribo invested in its most famous product, creating and adding value to its brand, well-known in Europe and somehow around the world too.

www.haribo.com

A month in London

Exactly a month ago we were arriving at Heathrow Airport, we brought 10 pieces total, including hand luggage, for our three-month time we would spend in London.

I was pretty impressed by the weather - sunny, shinning, warm too! More than that, I was happier than ever for spending some time in this lovely and greenish city, that I had lived before, and better was to enjoy some of the products I cannot find anywhere else!

Many memories, every place around London, and now we are finally getting to know the real City of London, where we are living for the moment. Our first home was impressively big for a one-bedroom in Europe: eat-in kitchen, large storage, proper broadband internet and a small bed! Couldn't be perfect, right? We have a huge Tempur king size bed back home, we tried to figure out how to get reasonable night sleep in a full size bed. Impossible! We had to say goodbye to our Old Tea Warehouse flat by the Pub with the same name and in front of the Gherkin building.

After a quite fast moving, we realised that internet wasn't working for our brand new apartment - the Fraser Residence. This is what I knew for a studio/1-bed flat in London - way smaller than the first one and what we know in Manhattan: the kitchen is wide opened, what I honestly don't like it at all, small storage and the internet is pretty unstable. Never mind, I believe this is the most modern and fancy apartment we've ever lived! I also have now a gym membership (Nuffield Health), with loads of classes, pool, very clean and opens everyday! The very best in the City, quite pricy though, that is what you pay for a differential.

We've walked around the most touristic areas, from South Kensington to Canary Wharf. I'm planning to go to places I missed last time and try different kinds of food, so far I've been to Museum of London, ate loads of Indian food (very different from the US, which I honestly don't like it) and tried to go to a Seychellois restaurant (unfortunately they shut down). Actually I was amazed by the development Isle of Dogs faced in the past two years, even more by a ethnic food shop (Clifton) by the building I used to live (Millennium Harbour). Another idea to my to do list is to visit more outside England (around Great Britain) and in Europe (Belgium, Netherlands, Germany), meet a couple of friends I "left behind" since 2003. Many to do, short time to do it!!!

My professional life, I've sought a career advise help at Imperial College Business School, and been working on it - so far, looks good: got three interviews, not yet there, in the right direction though!

My personal life, I've met a friend from a English School (back 2005 at Hampstead Garden Institute) and my cousins that live here (their parents are visiting them), we spent my weekend birthday with them, it was very nice, specially after so long time...

So this is part of the original plan, next part I'll talk more about my encounters and rendezvous with my favourite products and brands.

Places I have been... so far!

This blog is a mix between my travel journals and something I enjoy a lot when travelling - going to the markets, looking for two kinds of products: something new or completely different (name, essence) and similar products I would normally find back home.

So far, the countries I have been in the past ten years are: Brazil, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, France, Spain, Portugal, Czech Republic, United Kingdom, United States, Mexico, Aruba, Turks and Caicos Islands, Egypt, Jordan, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia. It was after my last travelling experience (Egypt, Jordan, Southeast Asia) that I decided to compile my feelings towards global and local brands and how similar or different they are from the ones in the United States and Brazil.

Anyhow, here I am, in Europe again! Let the journey begin!