chefcook

Yeah, driving licences are very expensive here but not as expensive as you stated. 8 years ago I payed about 1800 DM for car, motorcycle and small tractor licence which relates to 922 Euros or $1250. Today its even more expensive at about 2000 Euros or $2600. Besides that the security regulations regarding the power of a MC in Germany are superb and should be applied everywhere IMO: The first two years of motorcycling one is only allowed to drive motorcycles up to 34hp and/or 0.098hp per lb dry weight. Means a 600cc Honda with 110hp has to be restricted to 34hp and a small two stroke Enduro weighing 250lbs to 24.5hp. Drivers under 18 and over 16 (cars are allowed from 18 on) can get "semi" driving licences for motorcycles with max. 125cc, 15hp and 50mph. That's enough to kill a young driver and two years in each class are a good time to get used to riding a motorcycle. I don't think I'd be as safe as I am on my 130hp bike today when I did not had the four years of restricted power. Very off topic, but interesting to see the reactions from non germans

Yeah, that'd be great to see where and in which culture our members live! Motorcycle diaries for everyone

Germans are not so Porsche enthusiastic like Italians are about their Ferraris, but still enough. Porsches are part of Germany, can be seen in huge numbers in every city. Even the 2,500 people village I live in at the moment is home of 4 911, 2 Cayenne and 2 older 944s... I sold my 911 (993) coup

Problem with 30m / 90f waterproof is that this means withstanding a static (!) pressure of 3 bars. When swimming every move you make will cause massive water pressure on the watch and therefore 30m can be not enough. To clean your watch with water and soap you need ad least 30m, for having a shower at least 50m and for swimming and snorkeling at least 100m. I would not go diving with a watch rated 30m. From 150m rating on you can call it a watch for a hobby diver, from 300m rating on it's a pro watch

I used my standard rep 111 with T-crown and V-crown guard even for diving up to a depth of about 25 feet. Swimming or having a shower is no problem as well. Grease all gaskets and make sure the crystal sits perfectly in its gasket. Make sure that the crown guard is really pushing the crown in it's gasket and swimming should not be a problem.

I fully understand Lanis wish to live in the countryside... I've grown up in Germany's Black Forrest in a village with a pop. of about 6,000. I went to London for studying mechanical engineering and finished my studies in Stuttgart which actually "only" has a population of 600,000, but with the other big cities next to it the metropolitan area has a population of about 3,600,000. It is not the biggest city in Germany, but big enough for ye olde chefcook. What one has to do in Stuttgart is clear: Get in touch with Porsche. THE company to work for in automotive business. I worked for them for about a year, was involved in the first developements of the coming sports car (on sale from 2011 on) and the Panamera and then decided to go back south in the swiss-french-german delta and work for one of Porsche's subcontractors. Now I am back where everything began for me. I earn a little more than in Stuttgart, have a lot lower living expenses and the next city is about 25kms away The next grocer is 5 minutes away, for everything else I am driving 20 minutes... And when I get up in the morning I have this view out of my bed - it's been a little bit cloudy this morning, but I love it Never ever I'll move back to a city!

Since Wednesday one of the coolest watches on earth: My lovely Explorer

No, it doesn't. Just the small easylink extension.

I went diving with my modded standard rep Panerai 111 and my WM9 Submariner as well as with my WM9 Explorer 1 ... IMO one should go the high quality way and water won't hurt your watch.

Hm, Lani, where have you bought that dial? Actually it hase one big give away: The "homeplates" should touch the minute indices. See the attached picture of a gen...

Actually 6f 5" is not big enough to complain about watches smaller than 45mm IMO. I am that tall as well and wear 36mm and 34mm watches (Rolex Explorer and sixties Omega Constellation) and it looks perfect. Besides the PAMs everything above 42mm is way too oversized. Men's watches are an accessoir like jewelry for women: Women with too much jewelry look like a christmas tree.

Gen Seamaster Planet Ocean on Nato strap for two days now...

Yep, should be Ti. If this is replicated correctly this will be a real stunner!

From first pictures it looks pretty good! http://www.jpc8118.com/0587-p-5963.html

Do you mean fat burgers? *g*

It is my avatar now, did not had one before

So here it is, my first try for the Omegacino. I'll try to improve it a little with my next coffees, but for today my caffeine level is more then serious - three espressos, three cappucinos, some coke with lunch... BTW the easter weekend was pure culinary success so far. Were out for dinner in a nice restaurant in the black forrest with my father and brother on Friday, had wonderful steaks on the BBQ with some potatoes and sour cream yesterday and will make asparagus with sauce hollandaise this evening. It is soo damn nice to live here in south west Germany where the weather is nice (we have temperatures like in Italy!), the Black Forrest is near for motorcycling the food is influenced by italian and french kitchen with all their attractions. Not to forget the wine: In the small village I live in we have four wineyards and an uncountable number of them in the area around. I love my home

I'll go for a walk now in the wonderful spring sun - later I'll try to make an "Omegacino"

Capuccino and Planet Ocean (gen)....

That happened last friday in Berlin. I know why I hate Berlin. Everytime I where there someone had some stupid ideas like burning down something or "go swimmin' wid da bears...".

Actually I hope they rep the vancouver soon and in high quality. Imagine this on a white leather strap with red stitching - perfect for summer!

Some pics of my Explorer 1 TW Best / WM9, bought last October. Fit and finish are perfect, just have a look at the SELs. Everything is unmodded on the watch shown here. The bracelet is solid. I'll replace it with a hollow mid link bracelet in future but will stick with the WM9 SELs as they are the best I ever had on a rep. Maybe I'll have the dial and hands relumed and somewhere in my parts bin there should be a gen 295 crystal for this babe.

Wait a moment, I'll make some pictures of my TW Best Explorer 1...

The best by far is the TW Best version that WM9 sells. Fit and finish are wonderful.

Man I wish they'd have done that watch with the FA Jones decorated asian movement with C