My Year in Berlin

The end of a wonderful year

2008-08-23T10:50:00.001-07:00

I am not quite sure that I am ready to write this post, because I am not ready to accept that my year in Berlin is over, but the reality is that I have been back home for 5 days already and well, this post needs to be written.

The year I spent in Berlin was, by far, the best year of my life. It was not just the fact that I got to spend one year living in the amazing city of Berlin. It was also the fact that the work I did was very rewarding (granted I did little of it) and that it helped confirm the fact that I want to be an English teacher. But that's not all- this was the best year of my life because I grew so much; because I discovered myself in a way that I would not have been able to do if I had stayed here in Montreal; because I experienced things and met people that have helped to change and mold my life. But most of all, this year was the best of my life because I was lucky enough to meet someone that makes me so happy, someone that I love ridiculously, someone that I can see myself spending, happily, the rest of my life with. Love is hard to find (I had to go all the way to Germany to find mine!) and it takes time to find the right person, but once you do, the happiness you experience will make you forget all those moments when you were lonely.

Of course, this year would not have been what it was without all of you, my friends, family- my readers. I treated this blog as a kind of open diary and I am very happy that so many of you chose to join me on my adventures. Thank you for dropping by so often! I hope that you enjoyed my year as much as I did!!!

I suppose this will be the last post I write on this blog. This chapter of my life has now ended, but that just means that a new one has started! As one door closes, another opens.

So I bid you farewell!
Until my next adventure, where ever that might be!
Tchüss und alles Liebe,
Pearl

Igelchen

2008-08-12T03:09:00.000-07:00

When my sister and I were younger, one of our dreams was to be the proud owner of a small hedgehog. The idea came to us after watching a television show where we learned that these small, sweet and cute little animals could become one's pet for a mere 50$. We heckled our parents endlessly, but to no avail.
I still haven't given up on that dream.......

For the love of bread

2008-07-31T05:35:00.000-07:00

If you love bread, and who doesn't, than Krakow is your city! At every street corner, one can find a bread vendor, selling a variety of tasty bread treats. These thin bagel-like snacks are always fresh and extremely cheap, and a good way to quiet that small hunger!

Auschwitz-Birkenau

2008-07-29T03:17:00.000-07:00

Auschwitz I

Auschwitz II- Birkenau

The entrance, seen from the inside, to Birkenau.

The kitchen barrack. That wooden carriage was used to bring in the day's ration in the morning (stale bread) and to carry the bodies of dead prisoners to the crematoriums in the evening. It was of course inmates that pulled the carriage.

"Verhalte Dich ruhig"- Keep calm or Keep quiet
Written on the walls of barracks

"Eine Laus ist dein Tod"- A lice is your death
Written on the walls of barracks

The women's barracks (left of the ramp)

The ramp

The men's barracks (right of the ramp)

I meant to write this post sooner, but I could not find the right words for it, and although I am not sure that I have found them yet, I will try to describe, as best as I can, my experience visiting the concentration camps of Auschwitz and Birkenau.

I have to say that visiting these two concentration camps was one of the most difficult experiences of my life. I knew it would be hard for me to be there, but I had no idea how hard the horror of these two places would hit me. Of course, the weather (it rained all day) and the fact that I was there alone did not help to make it easier for me to be there.

Auschwitz I has been turned into a free museum: one can visit this concentration camp alone or join a guided tour, which is what I did. Exhibitions have been set up in the buildings (all original) that still remain to this day. Auschwitz I was a relatively small place, most of the inmates being sent to Auschwitz II (Birkenau) instead. At Auschwitz I, one could find the offices of the SS officers, the mansions of the people in charge, the "hospital", where experiments were done on inmates, and other bureaucratic buildings. There was also a gas chamber and a crematorium, but these were destroyed by the Nazis when the War came to an end. They were, however, reconstructed for the benefit of the visitors of Auschwitz. I walked through the gas chamber (rebuilt on the grounds where the original previously stood) and saw the ovens used to burn the bodies of the thousands of people who died there, and it was absolutely sickening.

I, like almost everyone, had obviously heard a lot about Auschwitz before going there. I had seen documentaries and read books and heard stories, but nothing compares to being there and to seeing everything with your own two eyes.

Auschwitz II, also called Birkenau, is situated 3km away from Auschwitz I. This is where most of the inmates where sent to work and, ultimately, to die. I was shocked by the size of Birkenau- once you cross the main gate, all that you see is a sea of barracks, some still standing and some destroyed. My pictures do not do justice to the size of this place. This place was extremely well thought out- the railway goes directly into the camp, to make the transportation of prisoners as simple as possible. Birkenau is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Going to Auschwitz and Birkenau is certainly not a walk in the park, but I think that everybody owes it to himself, as well as to the victims of the Second World War, to visit these concentration camps so as to never forget this horrible tragedy and to ensure that nothing like this ever, ever happens again.

Pouring rain!

2008-07-28T06:09:00.000-07:00

I had mostly terrible weather in Poland. It rained every day, and sometimes, it was a complete downpour that fell from the skies, the kind of downpour that completely soaks you, even if you are taking cover!

Krakow street art

2008-07-28T04:12:00.000-07:00

Ryneck Glowny

2008-07-28T03:57:00.000-07:00

Krakow is truly a beautiful city. I did not write much about the city of Warsaw in my previous posts. That's because I don't want to influence your opinion about that city, but if I have to be honest, I would not recommend going there, or if one absolutely wanted to visit it, then I would suggest staying no more than two days. Warsaw, almost completely destroyed during the Second World War, has lost most of its charm, even if it was reconstructed almost exactly as it was before the war. Krakow, on the other hand, is absolutely beautiful. I have seen my share of Old Towns throughout my travels, and Krakow's Ryneck Glowny is one of the nicest I have seen. Krakow, even under the rain, is well worth a visit!

Kazimierz

2008-07-28T03:40:00.001-07:00

It is in the district of Kazimierz, known today as Krakow's Jewish neighborhood, that Jews lived from the 14th Century until the Second World War. Although Kazimierz was severely destroyed during the Nazi occupation, many buildings, a couple of synagogues and some cemeteries still remain to this day. I very much enjoyed walking through all the small streets that make up this neighborhood- you could really feel how old it was and how full of history it is.

Wawel Castle

2008-07-28T03:34:00.001-07:00

The seat of kings for over 500 years, Wawel Castle is perched on the top of a 50 meter high hill, which gives you a more or less interesting view of the city. This 10th Century castle is a mixed of Medieval, Romanesque, Renaissance and Baroque styles- a bit of everything really! I thought the grounds would be bigger than they were and I have to admit that I was a little disappointed when I got up on the top of the hill. But the cathedral was beautiful and the sun was shinning (a rarity during my time in Poland), so I sat down on a bench and wrote a few postcards, enjoying the views.

Kielbasa guys

2008-07-28T03:27:00.001-07:00

These are the Kielbasa Guys (although when I saw them, one of the guys had been replaced by a gal!). Every night, from 9pm to 3am, the Kielbasa Guys set up shop on the sidewalk next to Hala Targowa and grill their homemade kielbasa, which they serve on paper plates, with a bun and some mustard. They grill the sausages, as can be seen in the second picture, over a wood-fed BBQ, which gives the already very flavorful sausages a nice woody taste. I got there a little after 9pm on a Thursday night and a queue had already formed. Instead of beer, which cannot be drank on streets, you can get sparkling lemonade. Definitely a must if you find yourself in Krakow!

Don't make me run, I am full of pirogies!

2008-07-28T03:23:00.001-07:00

These were the best pirogies I had while in Poland.... and now that I think about it, maybe the best ones I have ever had. I ate them in a very small little cafe/restaurant. They were obviously freshly made, as they were tender and soft, and one had to wait quite a little while to be served. They were served with broth, and not with sour cream, which is how I have always ate pirogies before. And yes, that's apple mint juice- very tasty and very refreshing!

Warsaw

2008-07-27T04:47:00.000-07:00

Warsaw street art

2008-07-27T04:35:00.001-07:00

It turns out that Warsaw (and Krakow too, as you will later see) is rich in street art stencil tags. I was surprised to find such good stencils. Here is a selection of the ones I consider to be the best. If someone speaks Polish, maybe they could enlighten us as to the meaning of some of these tags.

Bar mleczny

2008-07-27T03:22:00.000-07:00

Uniwersytecki aka The Cockroach

Bar mleczny- literally milk bar, is a typically Polish kind of cafeteria. They were invented by the Communist authorities of Poland in the mid-1960s as a means of offering cheap meals to people working in companies that had no official canteen. The name originates from the fact that until the late 1980s, the meals served there were mostly dairy-based and vegetarian. Most of these milk bars have now been closed down, but you can still find a couple in big cities like Warsaw and Krakow. Most people that eat at these milk bars are students, old people and homeless people, as meals are still very cheap, and on the most part, decent. I had a meal in the Uniwersytecki milk bar, that has, in the communist days, earned the nickname Cockroach bar! The menu is only in Polish and the ladies working there don't speak any English, so it was hard to pick something. I settled on some pirogies, as the word in Polish is the same as the one in English, but I had no idea what they would be stuffed with! They turned out to be filled with some kind of meat- they were ok, but definitely not the best I have had. The portion was smaller than I had expected, and I was left still hungry, so I ordered a soup (tomato soup with rice) and a desert (some kind of crepe filled with apples and served with some kind of sour milk). The meal was decent and very cheap, but I am not sure I would eat there regularly if I were to live in Poland.

Polish folk Catholicism

2008-07-27T03:12:00.000-07:00

If you want to know if a building was built before the Second World War, all you have to do is look for shrines- that's right, shrines! During the war, the people of Warsaw started building shrines, mostly in courtyards, where they went to pray. I had heard that they could still be found to this day, and so I went on a little walk in the Praga district of Warsaw to see if I could really find them (the Praga district, unlike other parts of Warsaw, escaped war demolition, post-war reconstruction and recent gentrification). As you can see by the pictures posted above, the shrines are really there, mostly hidden in the courtyards of buildings, although some, like the third picture of the set, was built on a street corner. They are still to this day used as places of prayer, and most of them are adorned with fresh flowers and candles.

Last of its kind

2008-07-27T03:02:00.001-07:00

Synagoga Nozykow

Before 1939, more than 30% of Warsaw's population was Jewish. During the war, most of Warsaw was demolished, including the Jewish neighborhood. This is the only synagogue that survived the war. It is more than 100 years old. I visited the interior of the synagogue. It isn't a particularly beautiful synagogue, but it's survival does really make it a special place.

Last trip

2008-07-21T05:06:00.000-07:00

I am off to the land of pirogies, porcelain and kielbasa today! For the next week, I will be in Poland, traveling to Warsaw and Krakow by train from Berlin.
This is my last trip before I come home, so I hope it will be a good time!
Don't forget to check the site in one week or so, as I am sure Poland will have provided me with beautiful pictures to share with all of you!

Holländisches Viertel

2008-07-18T04:53:00.000-07:00

Rebecca and I went on a little day-trip to Potsdam yesterday. Those of you who regularly visit my blog will remember that one can find the Schloss Sanssouci there. Although we did wonder around the grounds of the castle a little bit, what I really wanted to see this time around was the Dutch Quarter. In the 1730's, Friedrich Wilhelm I invited Dutch workers to come and, well, work in Potsdam. 134 gabled red-brick houses were built for the workers, following the style of homes in the Netherlands. I have visited Amsterdam before, and I really felt like I was back there when we came upon the rows of Dutch houses in Potsdam. The houses have been beautifully kept and are now the home to lovely little cafés, galleries, boutiques and restaurants.
Going there is like traveling to the Netherlands, without even having to leave Germany!

Burg Stolpen

2008-07-15T05:22:00.000-07:00

After our hike in the Sächsische Schweiz, Ronny and I headed to a little village called Stolpen, where we visited the Burg Stolpen (an old castle or maybe it was an old fortress. I am not quite sure what the proper translation of Burg is!) that has been impeccably restored. We ended up spending more time visiting the grounds of this old castle/fortress than we did hiking! The castle/fortress was, like most others of its time, built on a hill, which meant we had beautiful views of the little village that sprawled at the bottom. We took some time off from our visiting to enjoy an iced coffee on a terrace on the grounds of the castle/fortress. We climbed all the towers that were to be climbed and visited all the underground rooms that served as jails or storage for food. The castle/fortress lies on a volcanic fault, and although there has been no volcanic action for many thousands of years, an eruption in the future is not out of the question. The castle/fortress was mostly built out of Basalt stone, a stone which has a distinctive shape, and which was the result of the previous eruption. The basalt hill, on which the Burg was built, is one of the most important volcanic rock formation in Saxony. The castle well, with its 82 meters, is the deepest well ever sunk into basalt anywhere in the world.
Another must-see if you find yourself in the region!

Sächsische Schweiz

2008-07-14T04:57:00.000-07:00

Two week-ends ago, Ronny and I went to the Sächsische Schweiz (try saying that 10 times in a row!!!) for a bit of hiking. It is a beautiful mountainous region in Saxony and one that I had to see before I leave Germany. The river Elbe flows at the bottom of the mountains and makes the whole place very idyllic. The hiking we did was more of a going up-and-down-steps rather than true hiking, but it was nonetheless very nice. I have to admit though that by the time we reached the 500 step going up, I was getting pretty tired, and we still had at least 200 to go! The steps have been carved in the mountain itself, and it makes for a beautiful, albeit draining, hike. It is definitely a region to see if you find yourself in Germany.

Lübbenau Tags

2008-07-13T04:45:00.000-07:00

VW Beetles!

2008-07-03T09:01:00.000-07:00

Blue, neon yellow, white, green, red, deep yellow punch buggies no punch back!

Impressions of Lübbenau

2008-07-02T06:50:00.000-07:00

I thought I would post a few pictures of Lübbenau, as it is, as most of you will have figured out from the long breaks between my postings, the place where I am spending most of my time now that my contract at the Judith-Kerr Grundschule has come to an end. Lübbenau is divided into two parts: the old and the new city. Like anywhere else, it is the old city that is worth a look, as it has more charm and character than the new city. The old city is made of a few main streets lined with quaint boutiques and small restaurants and cafes; of a small harbor, where one can hire a kahn and go for a leisurely ride around the Spreewald; of an old castle and its grounds that now serve as a hotel and park; of old houses and small apartment blocks found in small alleys; of a brewery, that brews Babben Bier; and of friendly inhabitants. I enjoy spending my time there and if you ever find yourself nearby, you should come and have a look!

Animal

2008-06-26T02:30:00.000-07:00

xoxo

2008-06-25T06:49:00.000-07:00

Sandsation!

2008-06-24T06:29:00.000-07:00

Berlin is booming with festivals, exhibitions, tournaments and parties at the moment, one of which is this Sandsation expo (no, I did not come up with that fabulous play on word, but I wish I had!!), where huge sand sculptures have been created and are exposed not far away from the Hauptbahnhof. I had wanted to go and see these enormous sculptures to take a few pictures close up to share with you, but with the 6 euro entry fee, I changed my mind!!!! So instead, I hopped on a fence and took these few pictures illegally....just for you!

Jüdischer Friedhof Weissensee

2008-06-24T02:58:00.000-07:00

I went to visit the Weissensee Jüdischer Friedhof yesterday with Rebecca. It is the second biggest Jewish cemetery in Europe- it holds more than 116 000 graves, some of which go back to the mid 18oo's. It is a very impressive cemetery. It is very well kept (one can sign a contract that will ensure that the grave of your loved one is tended) and its size is quite something: you almost need a map to walk around it, as it is a labyrinth of long avenues, roundabouts and small squares. It was almost not damaged during the war, which is definitely something you notice, especially when you compare it to the Schönhauser Friedhof, of which I posted pictures a little while back. It was well worth the 25-minute bicycle ride (which was very pleasant by the way!) it took to get there!

Varekai!

2008-06-23T08:27:00.000-07:00

A little bit of home all the way here in Berlin!
Vive le Cirque du Soleil!

Fête de la Musique 2008

2008-06-22T03:34:00.000-07:00

Fête de la Musique- Zion City Stage

Berlin Boom Orchestra

Luftballons

Already in fashion!

Palmeras Kanibales

Visite d'un cousin!

2008-06-22T03:30:00.000-07:00

La copine de mon cousin Damien lui a offert, pour son anniversaire, un voyage surprise à Berlin! J'étais évidemment de la partie et vendredi après-midi, on c'est rencontré "par hasard" dans un petit café de Berlin!

Glashütte

2008-06-19T01:23:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Glashütte, a small (and when I mean small, I really mean small!) typical one-street village, where time has stood still and where the living is easy. This is Glashütte's bus stop, although to be honest, I am not quite sure a bus actually goes by this village!

The houses (all 6 of them!!!!!) are very old and typical and most of them were turned into small boutiques. Glashütte has no supermarket, post office or pharmacy, but it does have many little boutiques, which is why the tourist come to visit this small village. You can buy hand made pottery, hand made linen clothes or glas work, for which is it most well known. Glashütte was home to a glass work "factory" in the past, which has now been transformed into a museum.

Hard to believe I know, but you can find an automatic ice cream machine in Glashütte! Just follow the directions, and in a few seconds, you could be enjoying a soft ice cream cone!

Does anyone know what that is? It is a ant hill!!!! The photo poorly represents how big this ant hill really was, and you can't see all the ants walking on it, but let me tell you, it was really impressive!

Little boutiques of Glashütte

We went for a little walk around Glashütte and along the way, we came across this leg! Nothing else was found, just this leg. How bizarre!!!! We did not wait along to see if the thing that had left if behind would come back for it!

There is a nice little restaurant in Glashütte, that has a lovely beer garden, as well has home-made sausages, breads and ice cream. You have to feed those hungry tourists!

Are you slowly falling in love with Glashütte? That's a good thing, because they are looking for new inhabitants!

Waiting for the bus that will never come!

Some of the glass work for which Glashütte is well known!

Goodbye from Glashütte!

Beach volley ball

2008-06-12T02:23:00.001-07:00

If soccer is not your sport of choice, no need to panic- Berlin is hosting the Beach Volley Swatch FIVB volley ball tournament! If I understand correctly, this tournament is being held in many different cities around the world, and is here in Berlin until the 15th of June! The parking lot behind the Hauptbahnhof has been transformed into volley ball courts (is that the correct word?!?!), with sand and all! People in Berlin, I have noticed, are big fans of beach volley ball. You can play volley ball on sand in many areas in the city- the courts are always full. It's a fun game to watch, and the tournament is free!

Euro 2008

2008-06-11T08:28:00.000-07:00

Yes yes, it's that time of year again, soccer time!!! All of Europe is in soccer-fever-mode- everyone is talking about that game or that team, that score or that lack-of-score. Restaurants and bars have brought out TV's so that clients (and anyone who passes by!) can watch the Euro 2008 while enjoying their meal. Cars have been decked out with flags, mostly German ones, but some cars have both a German and another flag, representing the fact that that person is either of another nationality or simply enjoys that other country's soccer team (I dunno?!?!?!).
The ambiance here has been fantastic, especially when Germany plays. I hear the German team has a good chance of winning the Euro 2008, but then again I heard that from a German, so I don't know how accurate that info is!!!!
For all of you who would like more info about the Euro 2008, please check out this link:
http://www.euro2008.uefa.com/
And here are a few pictures to put you in the soccer mood!

Berlin- a few pictures 12

2008-06-04T02:17:00.001-07:00

Two ways to enjoy a sunny afternoon in Berlin

2008-06-02T03:49:00.000-07:00

You can either enjoy the sun, the music, the people and a refreshing drink at one of Berlin's man-made beaches:

Or you can find yourself some partners and set up a game of outdoor table tennis:

There's something for everyone in beautiful sunny Berlin!

Summer has arrived!

2008-05-31T02:22:00.000-07:00

Manti-madness-deliciousness!

2008-05-31T01:26:00.000-07:00

Do you know what manti is? No?!?!? Shame on you! If you don't have a clue about what manti is, then click on this link to inform yourself- it's worht it and so so tasty! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mant%C4%B1

The end of an amazing school year

2008-05-30T01:06:00.000-07:00

I don't know if you will believe me, and it is also hard for myself to comprehend this reality as well, but my contract at the Judith-Kerr Europa Grundschule came to an end yesterday. My contract officially ends on the 31st of May, but as that is a Saturday, and as I have Fridays off, yesterday was my last day of work.
The thought of not having to go to work everyday (or almost everyday!) is somewhat disconcerting. I have to admit that I had a wonderful experience and a great time at that school, and I will miss my students and the teachers that I worked with. I was so extremely lucky to have been placed in such a wonderful school. Although, like all other schools, this one has many problems (mostly related to money, of which there is none), I was lucky to be in a school where major behaviors problems were not an issue. The students were well behaved, the teachers very friendly, and the principal, although I did not have much to do with her, was nice. I felt welcomed at that school from day one- if you remember, I even received a bouquet of flowers on my first day- and I never felt as anything less than a colleague like all others.
My last day of work was a lovely one. Every class in which I had worked in (four groups in all, two 5th grade classes and two 6th grade classes) had prepared for me a card on which was glued a picture of that group. A gift accompanied that card, as well as a small speech from the class representatives. It was very touching!
My colleagues were equally generous, handing me a gift certificate for a very fancy store here in Berlin- KaDeWe, as well as a little hand-made booklet in which there are pictures of the school, of all my classes, and of the three teachers I worked more closely with.
I will of course go back and visit, as the official school year only ends in mid-July. But it won't be the same not going there everyday.....I will miss you Judith-Kerr students!

Berlin- a few pictures 11

2008-05-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

Berlin- a few pictures 10

2008-05-22T04:57:00.000-07:00

Estonian tags

2008-05-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

Paldiski, where you find cats in trees!

2008-05-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

Paldiski is a town and Baltic Sea port situated on the Pakri peninsula of north-western

Estonia

. Originally a Swedish settlement known as Rågervik, it became a Russian naval base in the 18th century. The Russians renamed it Балтийский Порт – Baltiyskiy Port (i.e., Baltic Port) – in 1762, and the Estonian pronunciation, Paldiski, became the official name in 1933.
In 1962, Paldiski became a Soviet Navy nuclear submarine training centre. With two land-based nuclear reactors, and employing some 16,000 people, it was the largest such facility in the Soviet Union. Because of its importance, the whole city was closed off with barbed wire until the last Russian warship left in August 1994. Russia finally relinquished control of the nuclear reactor facilities in September 1995.
After

Estonia

restored its independence, the city had not enough Estonian citizens and Paldiski was subordinated to Keila until 30 October 1996. Located some 45 km west of Tallinn, Paldiski is a municipality within Harju County and has a regular ferry connection with Kapellskär in

Sweden

. Derelict Soviet-style apartment buildings make up much of the town, and the relics of military bases are widespread. For those interested in such things, it is easily accessible from Tallinn, and provides a grim and atmospheric feel, befitting its post-Soviet status.
Today the town has only 4,000 inhabitants and amenities are limited to two supermarkets, a small modern hotel (Hotel Valge Laev, with six guest bedrooms), and a small pub. Although there are no cafes or restaurants in the town, the hotel restaurant and bar are open to non-residents.
***Information taken from Wikipedia***

One tree, three cats!

Pirita beach and monastery

2008-05-19T05:00:00.002-07:00

Pirita beach, on the Baltic sea, with its bright orange changing cabins!

Pirita Monastery, founded in 1407 and burned down by Ivan the Terrible in 1577.

Tallinn

2008-05-18T09:08:00.001-07:00

Here I am, back from my four days in Tallinn. Rebecca and I had a good time visiting this old city, although I'll say it right away, four days, especially when the weather is cold (as it was for us), is one day too many for this city of 400 000 habitants. Had the weather been warmer, as we had wished it would be, then one of these four days could have been spent at the beach, soaking up the sun and swimming in the Baltic sea, but as Mother Nature decided otherwise while we were there, the fourth day could have been spent back here in Berlin, where the weather was, to say the least, much warmer! But this is not to say that Tallinn is not a beautiful place and worth visiting, if you find yourself nearby.
We were lucky to be able to stay with a "host" couple- Rebecca is part of the Hospitality Club and we found a couple that welcomed us in their apartment for the duration of our stay in Tallinn. Staying with people who live in the city you are visiting really does make a difference in how you get to know the place you are visiting. Ülane was kind enough to show us around Tallinn's old town, commenting on certain buildings and places of interests as we were walking around. It definitely put a personal touch to our trip, and was well appreciated by both Rebecca and I.
We learned a lot about the history of Estonia. Did you know that Estonia only became independent in 1991? After many, many years of Soviet occupation, German occupation, and Soviet occupation once more, the Estonian people decided that enough was enough and demanded that their country be returned to them.
I found that Tallinn was very similar to Prague. It is surrounded by a wall, which, in Medieval times, was used to protect the city. The streets are narrow and lined with beautiful old buildings. Here are a few pictures of Tallinn. Stay tuned for pictures of Pirita beach, Paldiski and Estonian tags!

The old city wall, with towers.

A dragon taking a rest

Wall and tower

This bird is used to block streets, so that cars do not pass through!

Alley way

Russian lady selling knit wear

New gloves and mitts- it was cold!

Old town

Rebecca, dressed as an Estonian belle

Russian orthodox church

A trip to eastern Europe

2008-05-12T06:53:00.000-07:00

A quick word to let you know that I am off to Tallinn, in Estonia, with my friend Rebecca, for four days! Students of all ages are off for one week yet again, and this time, I have decided to take advantage of cheap flight opportunities and go somewhere where I have never been before. Tallinn is apparently a beautiful city, so I am very much looking forward to discovering it, even though the weather there will apparently not be great- you can't have everything!
Stay tuned for lots of pictures and stories of my trip!
Have a great week!

Sunny, rainy, cold, sunny, rainy, cold-taxi!

2008-05-07T06:13:00.000-07:00

Germans love barbecuing as much as they love eating ice cream. In the summer, the streets are filled with the scent of meat and veggies (but mostly meat, let's be honest!) grillin'. All places are good to BBQ: parks, in someone's garden or on someone's balcony. If you don't have a BBQ of your own, that's ok, because you can buy a one-use-only BBQ at the supermarket for 2.50 euros or less- worth it!
My friend Chris was here this week-end for a visit, and we thought that having a BBQ in Tiergarten would be a fantastic idea. So on Saturday morning, before even sitting down to breakfast, I prepared what we would later be grilling: zucchini, red peppers and mushrooms marinated in balsamic vinegar; zucchini, onions and feta (to be cooked in aluminum foil); rocket and tomato salad. We bought some small sausages and pork steaks to go with that, and as my friend Rebecca was coming, and as she is vegetarian, we also bought some cheese to grill (something similar to Haloumi). To drink, we decided to go with something a bit more fancy than beer- rosé sparkling wine, called Prosecco here in Germany. Our little picnic was going to be perfect! We had blankets and Uno cards, plates and glasses and utensils and fancy napkins- all that you need for a perfect BBQ.
As we were walking towards the park, I mentioned to my friends that I had brought an umbrella. Apparently, that was funny, because both of them started to laugh- as I was not laughing at that moment, it was clear that they were laughing at me, and not with me! They asked why I would bother bringing an umbrella in such a lovely sunny day, and I said I thought we might need it at some point, to get away from the sun. They nudged and we kept on walking.
We set up our blankets and stared to unpack cooler and various bags in a sunny part of the park, next to a few trees.
The BBQ lit up with no problems, and soon, they were hot enough so that we could start grilling our food. Chris opened the first Prosecco bottle and we drank to a fantastic afternoon. The food was done in a remarkable short amount of time, and we all dug in- everything was delicious. As we were all starting to feel quite full, we noticed that the sun had disappeared behind a very big and very dark cloud. A few drops were felt, but nothing to panic about. However, a few minutes later, the few drops turned into a very big downpour! And guess who was happy to have an umbrella to hide under at that point- yep! You've guessed it, Rebecca and Chris!
The lesson of this story is: don't laugh at the person who brings an umbrella on a sunny day to a picnic!

Berlin- a few picutres 9

2008-05-04T00:00:00.000-07:00

Shadow puppets

2008-05-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

Shadow puppets provided by Pearl and Emma, pictures taken by Rebecca

Skazka Orchestra

2008-05-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, we all headed to Frau Mittenmang, a charming little resto in Prenzlauer Berg, to hear Skazka Orchestra do their thing. It was my first time hearing them, but it certainly won't be my last, as their thing is really great! As their name hints to, Skazka plays ska music, Russian style: a mix of energetic accordion, rockin' drums, great guitar, smooth saxophone and dreamy cello. Have a look at their myspace link (provided below) to hear a sample of their music.

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=109965600

http://skazka-orchestra.de/

Last meal

2008-05-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Time really does go by way too fast when you are enjoying yourself, especially with friends that you love and that love you back. I am sad to say that Raph and Neale have left Berlin early this morning, heading to Warsaw on their way to Vilnius, where they will spend some quality time with Raph's brother, Nick, his wife and their new baby, Gabriel.
I miss them already, but we had a great time together! Here are a few pictures of our last meal together!

A sunny afternoon, two ladies and some wine!

2008-05-01T05:52:00.000-07:00

A few pictures of two ladies enjoying a glass of delicious white wine at a very cute little bar-café.

Good times!

"Never call me back"- that was the name of this little café-bar in its last incarnation. It is now called "Lass uns Freunde bleiben"- Let us stay friends

Berlin- a few pictures 8

2008-04-30T12:16:00.000-07:00

Friends enjoying themselves in Berlin

2008-04-29T12:19:00.000-07:00

Visit from dear friends!

2008-04-28T03:39:00.000-07:00

A few words to let all of you know that yes, I am still alive!! I was sick with a cold last week, so I didn't go out much (except to go to work, of course!), which explains why I haven't written much in the last few days. This trend of non-writing will continue for the next week or so I am afraid, as I will be busy hanging out with dear friends that have come to visit me! Yes indeed, I had the pleasure of going to pick up my lovely friends Raph and Neale at the main train station on Saturday afternoon. Since they are only here until Thursday, I have to take advantage of their company as much as I can! On Thursday, another friend of mine, Chris from Düsseldorf, is coming over for a long week-end (May 1st is a holiday here), so I don't think I will write much until next week, when things settle down a bit! But do check in once in a while- you never know, I might find a few minutes to post pictures!

Zug der Erinnerung

2008-04-23T08:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Rebecca and I went to visit a traveling exhibition created to commemorate, remember and honor the children and young people who were deported to the concentration camps during the Second World War. Thousands of children (some people even estimate the number to be over one million) died in the concentration camps, simply because they were either Jewish, Gypsies, Roma or had parents that fought against the Nazis.

The exhibition took place in a train, similar to one used at the time, but not original (thank goodness for that). Inside the wagons, you could read the story of the lives of some of the children that lost their lives between 1939-1945.

It was a really interesting exhibition, one that has been seen by more than 40 000 people up to know. The train is visiting cities all around Germany, and will be heading to Poland afterwards.

Kobenhavn

2008-04-22T13:56:00.000-07:00

It's really nice to leave the city in which you live and go explore and discover another one, even if it is for two short days. Copenhagen was beautiful and not just because the sun was shining the whole time and the temperature was mild. Copenhagen has an indisputable charm. It is a city surrounded by water, very colorful, where the living is easy (but very expensive unfortunately) and where people seem to know how to enjoy the simple pleasures of life, like having a nice cold beer next to the water, with good friends around you.

Two days is not a long time, but it was enough for us to see most of all that there is to see in Copenhagen, without rushing too much. We did lots of walking, but also took advantage of the many beautiful parks that are spread throughout the city to re-energize ourselves. If you have not yet been to this city and are looking for a future travel destination, Copenhagen should be on top of your list!

Copenhagen's beautiful architecture

Things that one associates with Copenhagen: bicycles, the Little Mermaid,

wooden wind mills and red post boxes!

When in Copenhagen, it is a must to eat one of their famous hot-dogs!

Week-end get-away

2008-04-17T06:07:00.000-07:00

Ronny, Anja, Sebastian and I are going to Copenhagen for the week-end! Hopefully, the weather will be nicer than here- can't be hard, as it has been MISERABLE here this past week. I promise to take tons of pictures and update my blog with them as soon as I come back!

Berlin- a few pictures 7

2008-04-16T09:13:00.000-07:00

Walking for freedom

2008-04-12T08:43:00.000-07:00

Ronny and I came across this demonstration while we were on Friedrichstrasse today. As the demo was going the way we wanted to go, we decided to join in, although we had no idea what they were demonstrating about. Turns out this gathering of people (a good two to three hundred I would estimate) was walking for freedom, namely for the freedom of Mumia Abu-Jamal, an African-American journalist, prior Black Panther Member, who is sitting on death row for the alleged murder of a white police officer. The march was also to demonstrate against racism of all kinds. There were people of all ages participating in this march, and although there was a strong police presence, it was a very calm demonstration. We passed in front of two known neo-Nazi stores, which were heavily guarded by police officers (two last pictures).

It was an interesting experience.

Black gold

2008-04-08T05:30:00.000-07:00

I like to be cozy- it's a fact! I like it when it is very, very warm. I don't mind our summers, hot and humid, because I can't get enough of the warm weather. I love to be warm. In winter, I love to hang around in my house, on a lazy Sunday, in my PJ's, with thick wool socks on my feet, a cuddly hoody and perhaps a cat on my lap, to keep me extra warm!
So it was quite the surprise (read: shock!), when I went to my boyfriend's flat for the first time, and I realized that his heating came in the form of a coal oven! That is something that I am definitely NOT used to, as you don't find many of those (or perhaps none whatsoever, but I would have to do some research to be more sure) in Montreal. They are, however, very spread here in Germany, and you will find, even here in Berlin, many apartments that use coal ovens as their main heating source. He tried to convince me that the oven gets very warm and that it is cozy, but I knew that his flat, in winter, would never reach the temperature that I like to live in (I first went to his place in late August, when it was still warm outside, and when heating was not necessary). I had some time to get used to the idea of having to use a coal oven, although, even now, it is not something that I would ever choose for myself. First of all, it's a lot of work. You need to set a fire, and when the wood is nice and hot, you can set your coals on top of it. Of course, you don't have a coal cave in your flat, so that means that you have to go outside and get coal from your shed, where it is kept. The heat of the coals travels in a labyrinth of tunnels found inside the oven, and in turn, heats the tiles that make up the oven. The oven itself gets pretty warm (actually burning hot), but on a really cold days (of which there are fewer than at home, but still more than one would except), the room does not really get very warm. The heating process takes time. You have to let the coals burn, the door of the oven open, for a while before you can close the doors (and thus keep the heat in). The coals need to be glowing red before you can close the doors, otherwise there is a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. The oven stays warm for quite a few hours, but eventually the coals burn through, and you have to start all over again.
I have learned to live with this, although I have to admit, I could not imagine having such a heating source in my own flat. It is very dirty business, and it is simply never hot enough for me! But this has given me the excuse to buy warm, nona-made wool socks, and to cuddle up with my oyster!

The oven!

Black gold!

The wood is nice and hot, and I can lay the coals in the oven now.

Burn, baby, burn!

The bottom door of the oven needs to stay open until the coals have finished burning and are glowing red.

Picture perfect!

2008-04-07T05:26:00.000-07:00

I urge all of you to go and have a look at my friend Rebecca's blog. She is an excellent photographer and has put up a couple pictures of yours truly, that, if I say so myself, are lovely-but it is the rest of her entries that are really well worth the click of your mouse, so go ahead, click on the link!

http://www.fromtheponyhof.blogspot.com/

Berlin- a few pictures 6

2008-04-04T09:39:00.000-07:00

Risky business

2008-04-02T12:03:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, Ronny and I went for a long, long walk, to take advantage of the nice weather and to make up for the fact that we did not leave the house on Saturday (except to go out for dinner at our little Italian restaurant up the street, but that does not count!!!). We started our walk in Treptower Park, a lovely park that lounges the water. People of bikes, on rollerblades, walking their dog or their baby, everyone was out. After drinking something hot and cold (I had a "heisse Zitrone"- a freshly squeezed lemon in hot water served with honey- and Ronny had an iced coffee), we headed towards the Molecule Man (see previous post). We then reached the East Side Gallery, a 1.3 km stretch of the Berlin Wall that runs parallel to Mühlenstraße and the River Spree. Last July, a 40 meter section of the Wall was removed, allowing people to walk along the side of the Wall that faces the Spree. It is along this side of the Wall, and not the side facing the street, that you will find graffiti artist adding their own personal touch to the art work already found on the Wall. Of course, that is risky business. As my friend Rebecca wrote on her blog: "Getting caught tagging the wall can mean up to a 500 Euro fine. Getting caught multiples times lands you in jail for five years". These threats did not seem to bother the taggers that were there on Sunday. We saw many of them at work that day, and the dozens of spray cans that littered the ground testifies to the popularity of this pastime.

Graffiti artists at work on the Wall.

What we did not realize as we started walking alongside the Wall was that at the end of the stretch of the Wall, one was "imprisoned": the gates that replaced the Wall were locked! There we were, along with a group of Spanish tourists that had walked behind us for the last 20 minutes, stuck. We all were not liking the idea of having to walk all the way back to the opening of the Wall and so, noticing that the gate that was blocking our exit did not go all the way down to the sidewalk, us girls decided to slide under it, while the boys, wanting to be boys, decided to climb over it. And of course, what was meant to happen happened- no, no one got stuck on the gate, no holes were made in jeans or coats- rather, a police car showed up, just as Ronny was climbing the gate and a Spanish girl was sliding under it!!! Talk about perfect timing! But in our un-luck we were lucky- the police officers seemed more interested in the group of Spanish tourists, so as soon as Ronny landed on the other side of the Wall, we discreetly walked away, as if nothing happened! No worries, nothing happened to the Spanish tourists- the police officer just made it clear that they (us) had been on private property and that that was not permitted.
Fun times!

Molecule Man

2008-04-01T11:58:00.000-07:00

FYI (not written by me!): "This substantial sculpture, created by the renowned American artist Jonathan Borofsky, thirty meters high, weighing some forty-five tons, yet transparent and light, as been on display in Berlin since May 1999. The three aluminium figures, which unite to form a whole, are meant by the artist to remind the viewers "that both man and molecules exist in a world of probability and that finding wholeness and unity within this world remains the aim of any creative and spiritual tradition". Treptow's special location, with the river Spree at hand and the metropolis Berlin just beyond, was predestined for this purpose."

A mix of market pictures

2008-03-31T06:38:00.000-07:00

Nürnberg

2008-03-30T06:25:00.000-07:00

On our way back to Lübbenau from Ingolstadt, we stopped in Nürnberg, for a short look around this very old, and very nice, city. There are many beautiful old buildings and churches, as well as a fortified wall that surrounds the city. Well worth the stop!

Ingolstadt

2008-03-29T03:56:00.000-07:00

As previously mentioned, Ronny, his parents and myself spent Easter in Ingolstadt, where Ronny's aunt and uncle live. Ingolstadt is a city in the Free State of Bavaria, in the south of Germany. It is located along the banks of the Danube River. The water adds to the charm of the city. Ingolstadt is surrounded by a fortified wall, which goes all the way around the city, except for a span of 300 meters. The old wall now houses apartments and shops.
For those of you who are interested in cars, it is in Ingolstadt that you will find the headquarters of the automobile manufacturer Audi. It is thus no big surprise to see that almost everyone in the city owns a car from that maker!

A German mullet!

2008-03-28T12:00:00.000-07:00

I am not sure why or when it started, but I have always been intrigued by mullets. No, not the fish- the hair cut! I find it fascinating that people actually go to the hairdressers and ask for a mullet. What goes through some one's mind that one day they decide to get such a hair cut? Mullets have many different names. In Québec French, they are referred to as a "coupe Longueuil". In English, as a "10/90" or "Hockey hair". And in German, they are known as a "Vokuhila", which is the short version of "vorne kurz, hinten lang"- short in the front, long in the back......Germans know it! Worth it!!!!!

Strange

2008-03-27T10:13:00.000-07:00

Do you find that anything is strange about this restaurant's name? I do! Why is this called a "China Restaurant" and not a "Chinesisches Restaurant" (Chinese restaurant)??!?!?!

An old tradition- Sorbische Ostereier

2008-03-26T09:41:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!!!

As most of you will have noticed, I was away from my computer for the past couple of weeks. I am presently on holiday (students of all levels get two weeks off for Easter- what can I say, it's
good to be a teacher here in Germany!) and so I went to Lübbenau to spend time with my oyster, although he, unlike me, only got two days off for the egg holiday (but that's probably one day more than most of you got). Easter is very celebrated here in Germany and mostly everyone gets both Karfreitag (Good Friday) and Ostermontag (Easter Monday) off.

We spent Good Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Ronny's aunt and uncle who live in Bavaria- more precisely in Ingolstadt. We had a lovely time- stay tuned to hear more about this old city and to see some pictures.

While Ronny was hard at work, I kept myself busy by catching up on a few things that needed catching up on, namely, sleep, German trash-TV and then a little more sleep! But I also managed to be slightly productive. Last Thursday, I learned how to decorate eggs using the old Sorbian technique. The Sorbs are a Slavonic nation settled in Lusatia, a region on the territory of Germany and Poland. Today, there are approximately 60 000 people with Sorbian roots left. Many of them live in and around the Spreewald region.

The owner of a small shop in Lübbenau had invited an artist that specializes in decorating eggs using the Sorbian technique, and had told me to come by if I was interested in learning how to make my own egg. Seeing the ones on display in the shop, the decision was easy to make: Of course I'll come by!
So there I was, on Thursday afternoon, eager to learn how to make a Sorbian egg. What is the Sorbian technique you ask? The Sorbian technique consists of applying beeswax to an egg using quills and then dipping the egg in colour. The quills are made from geese feathers, which are "carved" into different shapes. You need to dip the quill into the beeswax and then apply it to the egg, following the pattern that you have chosen of course. In between the different steps, you dip your egg in jars of colours- the regions that have received wax do not absorb the colour, which is what you want. I thought that using the quills would be tricky, but you quickly get the hang of it- which does not mean that my wax application was perfect- far from it, but I did what I could and I think that the end result is pretty good for my first Sorbian egg! Once all the wax has been applied and the egg has been dipped in its last colour bath, you need to carefully bring the egg next to a flame to melt away the wax. By doing so, the regions that were protected by the wax will reveal their original colour. The last step is to empty the egg. Sorbian eggs only have one hole. How then is the egg emptied you wonder? The egg is emptied using a special pump that pushes the egg yolk and white out of the egg. It's the most delicate step of the whole Sorbian egg decorating process, and I let my teacher empty my egg for me, as I did not want to break my egg after all the work I had put into decorating it! It takes about an hour and a half to two hours to decorate each egg, depending on the pattern you choose and on how experienced you are. It is interesting to note that Sorbian eggs are actually not really made for Easter. Sorbian eggs are made throughout the year. The shape of the quills represent different things, and by looking at an egg's pattern, you can tell whether is was made to bring someone luck, love, health or joy, for example.

Everything you need to decorate an egg- Sorbian style!

Quills of different shapes and sizes, all made with geese feathers

Jars of colour. The beeswax is kept liquid by the heat of a tea candle.

Step 1: The first wax and colour application.

Step 2: The second wax application and colour dipping.
Looking good so far!

Step 3: The third wax application and
the last dip in colour.

The end result! Can you tell which one is mine?!?!?

I found this website that explains the procedure to Sorbian egg decoration using a step by step instruction. It's worth a look- the way the instructions were translated is hilarious!!

http://www.grundschule-pretzschendorf.de/en/Handicrafts/Easter_eggs/guidance.html

To ring in spring!

2008-03-13T07:01:00.000-07:00

To take full advantage of the beautiful weather we had on Monday (sunny and 15 degrees), my roommate Anja and I decided to go for a walk. We live 5 minutes away from Tiergarten, Berlin's version of Central Park. We leisurely strolled along the park, sitting down on a bench that was drowned in sun, sticking our faces in the direction of the heat source, to jump start the transformation from white-as-a-sheet to golden brown! But our walk had a goal- a very delicious and so very German goal: we were going for ice cream!!! Germans LOVE their ice cream. I see someone eating an ice cream cone almost everyday, regardless of whether it is cold or warm outside. So when Anja told me she knew a good place for Italian ice cream (Gelato), I said yes right away. We were not the only ones with that idea, but thankfully the ice cream tubs were nice and full, and there was plenty to go around!

When in Germany, do as the Germans do!

Berlin- a few pictures 5

2008-03-11T01:34:00.000-07:00

Grandma sees everything!!

A Pearl-fect pairing!

2008-03-10T05:46:00.000-07:00

My tandem partner, a few weeks ago, came over for our weekly meeting. She was in charge of desert. After a nice meal, many corrections and a few frustrations (German is Not an easy language!), I was ready for desert. I was looking forward to something decadent and chocolaty- a multi-layered chocolate cake of some kind, preferably with a croquant at the bottom, like the one from La Patisserie De Gascogne, would have made my night! So you can imagine my disappointment, when instead of pulling out a cake out of her bag, my tandem partner pulled out a jar of yogurt! I mean, I love yogurt, don't get me wrong, but that's not what I had in mind at the time. But this was no ordinary yogurt- this was the Pearl-fect yogurt for a Pearl like me! Why you ask? For two reasons: poppy seed and marzipan!!!! Yeah, you read this right- this was no ordinary vanilla yogurt, or the typical fruit kind; no, this was a marzipan/poppy seed yogurt! It was clear to me right away that this was going to be delicious and the first spoonful proved it! Who knew poppy seeds and marzipan could combine in such a fantastic way?! The German knew, that's who! This yogurt is now always included on my shopping list- I simply can't get enough of it! And one more thing: it comes in a glass jar, like in the old days!
Worth it!

A perfect start to the day!

2008-03-08T08:51:00.000-08:00

There's nothing better, after a good night's sleep, a lazy wake-up and some cozy cuddling, than to sit down to a delicious, sturdy and inviting breakfast!
Welcome to my breakfast on Saturday and Sunday mornings (and by morning I mean no earlier than 11:30!!): a cornucopia of fruits, cheeses, pastries and of courses the required, and typical, egg! All of this is accompanied by freshly baked rolls of all kinds: poppy seed, multi-grain, plain white, etc. This is an almost typical German breakfast- almost, because there is one thing missing to make it truly typical. If you guessed that meat was missing, you are right! Since my breakfast companion is vegetarian, there are no cold cuts, sausages or any other animal parts on our breakfast plates, but I don’t miss it.

What is the best part of such a wonderful breakfast you ask? That’s easy: the best part is sharing it with the person you love!

Bon appétit!

Ampelmännchen

2008-03-07T08:29:00.000-08:00

Pedestrian traffic lights of the East Germany

Pedestrian traffic lights of West Germany

Although Germany has officially been reunificated since October 3rd, 1990, there are still many momentos of Eastern Germany that can be found in Berlin. Point in case, the pedestrian traffic lights. Prior to the reunification of Germany, different forms of pedestrain traffic lights were used in the two German states, with those originating in the former East Germany being particularly distinctive. In contrast to the generic human figure used in West Germany, the figure in the east is generally held to be male, and wears a hat. The East Berlin Ampelmann was created in 1961 by traffic psychologist (never knew there was such a specialization!!!) Karl Peglau. He theorised that people would respond better to the traffic signals if they were presented by a friendly character, instead of meaningless coloured lights. However, Peglau is said to have initially feared that the design might be rejected because of its "petit bourgeois" hat.

Following German unification, there were attempts to standardise all traffic signals to the West German forms, leading to calls to save the East German Ampelmännchen. It thus became a kind of mascot for the East German nostalgia movement, known as Ostalgie (click on the word to learn more about this movement!). The protests were successful, and the Ampelmännchen returned to pedestrian crossings.

The Ämpelmännchen of the East are so popular here that they even have their own store! Here is the address for the Ämpelmännchen store in Berlin: http://www.ampelmann.de/html/shops.html

Click on "Ampelmann Shop" link to have a look at all the things you can get with your favorite red or green little pedestrian light men!!!

Resting place

2008-03-06T09:01:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, my friend Rebecca and I went to visit the Jewish Cemetery Schönhauser Allee. I had passed in front of it many times before, but it was always closed. I thought that visiting it might not be allowed, but after a bit of research, I found out that it was open to the public and I planned a trip to go and visit it. This cemetery is Berlin's second Jewish cemetery. It was created in 1827, but it was only on June 29th, 1829 that the first person was buried there. You can still find Sara Meyer's grave among the 25 000 other graves that are also there. Her headstone is engraved with the number 1. It is a very impressive cemetery. One thing that struck me as I was wondering among the headstones was how many of them were broken, had fallen from their pedestals or were half buried in the ground. This cemetery, like many others in the city, suffered great amount of damage during the many wars that took place over time in Berlin, but was especially destroyed by the Second World War. Some of the headstones were actually used as building material during the war. Many headstones were moved away from their graves, and because it was impossible to place them back in the correct place, a Lapidary was created, so that the headstones could be kept and a part of the departed still remembered. The Lapidary also acts as an information center. The many different symbols found of the headstones are explained, the Hebrew writings are translated and the history of the cemetery is explained.
It was worth the visit.

Men who visit this cemetery have to keep their heads covered by wearing one of the kippot (plural of kippah) that are provided (for a small donation)

The Lapidary

The first grave of this cemetery. It belongs to Sara Meyer who was burried on June 29th, 1829.

It is tradition to put stones on top of the headstone of someone's grave, to make it easier to recognize it.

Mo' Money, Mo' Problems!

2008-03-05T08:43:00.000-08:00

The BVG, Berlin's equivalent to our STM, is on strike since 3 am this morning, and will stay on strike for an undetermined amount of time, but at least until the 14th of March. That means that no buses, no trams and no underground metro is running- it makes getting to places a lot of fun! Fortunately, Berlin has two metro systems: the U-Bahn, which is the underground metro (not running at the present time) and the S-Bahn, the not-underground metro!!! The S-Bahn, unlike the U-Bahn, does not belong to the BVG; instead it belongs to the DB (Deutsche Bahn- Berlin's Via Rail) and is thus still running. However, that is also soon going to change, as the DB has announced plans to go on strike this coming Monday, as of midnight. That means that on Monday, Berlin will have no running public transport of any kind. For me, that means a free day from work! For others, that means a big headache trying to figure out how to get to work.
Why is everyone striking? Easy, they want mo' money $$$$$$$$$$$$$
Oh yeah, one more thing! Teachers are going on strike tomorrow, which means no school for me! Hello 4-day week-end!! Hello walking!!

To make you smile on a rainy day

2008-03-03T11:30:00.000-08:00

This is what I saw on my way home, on a rainy, grey and windy Tuesday evening!

A sc-hairy decision!

2008-02-28T00:00:00.000-08:00

I don't consider myself to be a particularly vain person. I mean, I like to look good just like anyone else, but I don't spend hours in front of the mirror, looking at myself, analyzing what I am wearing, wondering if it makes me look fat or skinny, wondering what people will think of me. However, I do like my hair to look good, or at least, not out of control, which is not always so easy, as my curls are often unruly, and grow much faster than I would like!
One of the things I dread the most when I travel somewhere for a long time is the time when I will need to go to the hairdresser and get my hair cut. It is at that moment and only at that moment, that I wish I had straight hair, because I think (and I might be wrong here) that cutting straight hair is easier than cutting curly hair. My hair is much longer when it is wet than when it is dry and I am always scared that I will end up looking like a sheep because a zealous hairdresser cut off too much of my hair! It is hard to find a good hairdresser in a new city, especially when you have such a good one at home.

There is no lack of hair salons here in Berlin. Actually, there are a remarkable amount of them, but the question is, which one can I trust with my hair? There seems to be two kinds of hair salons here in Berlin: the smaller, fancier ones, that use professional products like Aveda or Redken, that offer you a Latte Macchiato or a Cappuccino, that give you a little head massage while they are washing your hair and that charge you a small fortune for your cut, and then there are the ones that offer a simple system of cut-and-go. Let me explain this system, as it is completely foreign to us. First, when you come in the salon, you need to take a number. When your number is called, you head to the sinks, where your hair is washed. After that, you go sit down again, towel on your head, and you wait for one of the hairdressers to be free. When one is free, he or she will call you, and will cut your hair. Once the cut is done, it is up to you to dry your own hair. Once that is done, all you have to do next is pay. As you can imagine, such haircuts are quite reasonably priced (on average 10-12 euro) and I think such salons are popular among students and men with short hair. I was not courageous enough to try such a place, but my friend Rebecca (who has straight hair) did, and she was very satisfied with her haircut.

I had my hair cut twice since I have been here. The first time, I went to my roommates' hairdresser, and although the cut was good, I was not particularly impressed with it (and it was very expensive!). The second time I got my hair cut (on a whim, because my hair was driving me nuts and I was ready to pull out every hair individually- does anyone else ever have that feeling?!), I tried my luck at a small, friendly looking hair salon that I found on my way to work. I was very satisfied with the cut that Verena gave me, and the next time I need to get my hair cut, I will be sure to return to her.

The name of this "hair salon" says it all!!!

Another example of the cut-and-go hair salons found all over Berlin

McPractical!

2008-02-27T09:27:00.000-08:00

I love the German people- they are so practical! Where else can you go to McDonald's, eat your Big Mac and fries and then cross the street to go work out at your local McFit gym?!

It's simply McPerfect!

Berlin is bear crazy!

2008-02-21T11:17:00.000-08:00

My mission for today was simple: apply for a tax number- it's a long and mostly un-interesting story, so I won't bore you with the details. After successfully completing my mission, I went for a walk around the neighbourhood where my Finazamt was situated. Orientating yourself in Berlin is not so complicated: all you have to do is keep an eye out for the Fernsehturm. Walking towards the TV tower will bring you to Alexander Platz, which is basically downtown. So even though I was unfamiliar with the neighbourhood I was exploring, I kept an eye on my favourite tower ever, and I knew I would not get lost.
I love exploring unknown areas, because you are bound to fall on something interesting, and today was no exception. As I made my way towards a church that looked worth a picture, I came across a bear pit!!!! You read right, a bear pit, in the middle of the city, next to a church and a children's playground. But the best part is that there actually was a bear in the bear pit! (In the excitment of finding a bear pit, I completely forgot to take a picture of the church that led me there in the first place, how typical!)
Let me introduce you to Schnute, Berlin's official City Bear. Schnute was born on January 18th, 1981 and lives in the bear pit with one of her daughters, Maxi, who was too shy to come out today. The two bears live in this pit all year round. The pit is surrounded with water, although in the winter, they remove it, as brown bears don't actually go into water during the winter. I have to admit that although I enjoyed looking at Schnute, there, in the middle of Berlin, I also felt a bit sorry for Schnute (and for Maxi). Their living area is not very big and it must be boring for them to be stranded there on that island. But maybe it's better than being in a zoo? I'm not sure.

Berlin is bear obssessed!

Berlinale review

2008-02-18T09:05:00.000-08:00

The hype is over, the stars have gone home, and its back to "normal" movies for us here in Berlin- the Berlinale ended on Sunday with a "remise des prix". The Golden Bear was awarded to the Brazilian movie Tropa de elite, which tells the story of an elite police squad's battle against the drug barons in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. I didn't see that movie, but I suppose if it won the first prize, it can only be good! I wanted, in this post, to review the movies I saw during the Berlinale, but to be honest, I suck at reviewing things! Unlike many of my friends who can give you concrete and detailed arguments about whether or not they thought a movie/cd/play/etc was good (or bad), I can only tell you if I liked it or not. Don't ask me to tell you why- I can't put it into words! It is thus a good thing that there are "professional" movie/cd/play/etc critics, although if you ask me, everyone should make their own opinion about whether one likes or doesn’t like something. So, because I am not a good critic, I will instead summarize each movie I saw (don't worry, there are only three!) and tell you whether I liked it or not.

1. Cela s'appelle l'aurore, Luis Bunuel, France, Italy, 1955/56, 102 min
Presented in the Retrospektive category
The movie takes place in Corsica, where a sympathetic company doctor hides a sacked worker, who has murdered their boss in revenge for the death of his sick wife.

It was OK, but nothing special.

2. Le premier venu, Jacques Doillon, France, Belgium, 2008, 121 min
Presented in the Forum category
French film auteur Jacques Doillon follows his young protagonist in provincial northwestern France. In her love affair with the very first man to come, she seeks an intensity that her bourgeois home withheld from her.

This movie was strange, very strange. Plus, the male lead was sketchy!

3. Full Battle Rattle, Tony Gerber, Jesse Moss, USA, 2008, 92 min
Presented in the Panorama category
The directors of this movie take us to California's Mojave Desert, where the Americans have installed a mini-Iraq for military exercises. In this way, hundreds of people with Arab roots find jobs as extras.

By far the best of the three movies I saw. It is not yet being distributed, but if it comes to a movie theatre near you, you should go and see it.

That's it folks!

Side note: Because there were so many movies being presented one after the other, and because time was an issue, no popcorn was sold at all during the Berlinale festival, to ensure that the cleaning of each room did not take too much time. What?!?! Germans are CRAZY!

Schloss Sanssouci

2008-02-13T05:58:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, as it was such a beautiful day, Ronny and I decided to head to Potsdam, the capital of the federal state Brandenburg. Postdam is a 20 minute train ride southwest of Berlin. The biggest attraction in Potsdam is the Schloss Sanssouci, with its palaces, parks, botanical gardens and fountains. It is the biggest World Heritage Site, under the protection of UNESCO, in Germany.
As you can all imagine, we were not the only ones who had the idea to head to Schloss Sanssouci that day- the park was full of couples leisurely walking about, families with kids running around, and elderly couples slowly making their way from one place to another. It is typical here in Germany to go for a walk on Sundays, as most stores are closed that day, although that is slowly changing, which I find is rather a pity. Coming from Montreal, I am used to having everything opened on Sundays and although sometimes it is frustrating not being able to go shopping on Sundays, I mostly really enjoy the fact that everything is closed on that day, and that one must find another activity to occupy oneself. Sundays here are all about enjoying your time with friends and family, appreciating what nature offers us and of course, taking the time, at around 4pm, for cake and coffee! Doesn't that sound like a most fantastic way to spend a Sunday?!

Pour ma maman chérie!

2008-02-12T05:46:00.000-08:00

Ma chère maman chérie,
En ce 12 février 2008, jour de ta naissance, je te souhaite, du fond du coeur, un très joyeux anniversaire!
J'espère que tout les bisous que je t'ai envoyé vont arrivé à temps- des fois la poste prend plus de temps qu'on ne le pense!
Amuse-toi bien aujourd'hui en companie de tes invités!

Je t'embrasse tendrement,
ta fille qui t'adore,
Caro xxxx

Berlin- a few pictures 4

2008-02-11T04:58:00.000-08:00

The begining of a new season!

2008-02-11T04:38:00.000-08:00

I don't want to rub it in, make people jealous or make enemies, but guess what?!?!?!?!??!?!
Spring is here!!!!!! I can hardly believe it myself, but it's true! For a week now, the temperature has been above ten degrees and the sun has been shinning almost everyday. On Saturday, on my way to the market, this is what I saw:

It is so lovely to be able to wear one layer less under your winter coat, to be able to eat outside on terraces, to sit in a park and soak up the sun and to hear the birds sing.

I love spring!

A taste of the Okanagan Valley

2008-02-08T09:36:00.000-08:00

I am an avid baker- cookies, muffins, cakes, pies- I love to bake it all! There is nothing like the smell of a freshly baked good to put you in a good mood. Whenever my friends and I have a potluck dinner, I am the one in charge of dessert. That must mean that what I bake is good, right?!
Many people don't have the time/talent/interest to bake their own goods and instead use prepared mixes for their dessert needs. I have never, until now, used such a mix. Baking does not have to be complicated and I refuse to take the easy way out of an activity that can be so much fun and is always rewarding. However, there is always a first time to everything, and even I am willing to give everything at least one chance!

Last fall, my sister, who lives in Calgary, and a friend of hers, who was there visiting her, explored the Okanagan Valley (located in southern British Columbia) for a few days. They stopped in Kelowna, a beautiful region (or so I hear, as I, unfortunately, have not yet set foot there). Kelowna is well known, among other things, for its nature, its wineries and its lavender. There are fields and fields of this purple gold and the seeds of the lavender plant are used in everything from tea to oil, bath products to jelly, without of course forgetting culinary lavender, which brings me to the subject of this post. While there, my lovely and very thoughtful sister got me a lavender and lemon cake mix, which she gave to my parents so that they could bring it to me last December. On Wednesday, I had a sudden urge to bake a cake, and the lavender-lemon cake mix called to me, sreaming "Bake me! Bake me!". How could I resist such an enticing call?The result was a delicious, fluffy, lavender cake. This cake has made me reconsider my view point on prepared mixed. Although they will never be my number one choice when I want to bake something, some of these mixes are actually very tasty and when they include such delicate and interesting ingredients as lavender, who could say no to them?

Bobiy, you would have loved this cake!

My roommates, and myself, thank you again Tootsies for this delicious treat!

The view from the top of the obsession tower!

2008-02-07T05:32:00.000-08:00

I was looking through the many pictures I have taken since my arrival here in Berlin and came across pictures I took in the fall, from the top of the Fernsehturm- you all remember the Fernsehturm, don't you?!?! That's Berlin's television tower, the tower that I am slightly obsessed with!
The pictures themselves are only moderately good, as they were taken through a thick sheet of glass, but they give you a good idea of what the city looks like and I thought some of you might enjoy seeing them (also, I had nothing else to write about, but still wanted to post something!).
By the way, if any of you have questions about my life/life in general here in Berlin, or want me to talk about something in particular, please don't hesitate to let me know. I will be happy to answer most of your questions!!!

Behind that big black square building is the Reichstag building

The Berliner Dom

The Neptunbrunnen fountain

Berlinale

2008-02-06T05:13:00.000-08:00

Oye, Oye, the Berlinale is here!!!! Well, not quite, but soon! The Berlinale is Berlin's International Film Festival, where films from around the world are presented- that makes sense doesn't it, as it is an international film festival!!!!

This is how the official website for Berlin's International Fild Festival describes what takes place during the two weeks of the festival:

"Berlin - a cosmopolitan, exciting capital, a city of culture with international appeal. In the middle of it all: the Berlinale – not only the city’s largest cultural event, but also one of the most important dates on the international film industry’s calendar. More than 19,000 film professionals from 120 countries, including 4,000 journalists, are accredited for the Berlin International Film Festival every year. The Berlinale is truly a mega event. At the same time, it is a festival of encounters and discussions. With more than 200,000 tickets sold, the Berlinale is not only a film industry meeting. It also enjoys by far the largest audience of any film festival in the world. For two weeks, art, glamour, parties and business meet at the Berlinale."

http://www.berlinale.de/en/das_festival/festivalprofil/profil_der_berlinale/index.html

More than 400 films will be presented this year, and most of them are world or European premieres. It's all very exciting people!

Will let you know what I saw and what I thought about everything in a future post.

Happy Fasching!

2008-02-05T08:52:00.000-08:00

Most of you may not know this, but it is Fasching season here in Germany. What is Fasching you ask? Fasching is another name for Karnaval- better known to us North Americans as Mardi Gras. Karnaval is very popular here in Deutschland, especially in cities like Kôln and Düsseldorf, where the whole city is in Karnaval mood and mode for a week or so. People dress up in silly costumes, go out in the streets, participate in parades and party hardy. Karnaval actually officially starts in November and lasts until Ash Wednesday. The high point of Karnaval festivities is on Rosenmontag, which was yesterday.
In smaller villages, like in Lehde, which is a 20 minutes' walk away from Lübbenau, Karnaval is also celelbrated, but there it is called Zampern. On saturday, I participated in my first Zampern and it was a lot of fun. Zampern in Lehde started at 9 am, and as most of you know, at 9 am, I am still FAST asleep. There was no way I was waking up at 8 am on a Saturday morning to get to Lehde in time for 9 am. No way, not even for Zampern!!! Ronny and I only made it to Lehde at 4 pm that afternoon, but it turned out that it was perfect timing. I got to see enough of what Zamnpern is all about to realize that even if I had made it there for 9 am, there was no way I would still be standing on my own two feet by 4 pm. Why you ask? Well, as all of you already know by now, when there is a celebration of any kind here in Germany, it is accompanied by a ridiculous amount of alcohol, and Zampern was no different. What exactly is Zampern you ask? For Zampern, people put on costumes and walk around the village, stopping at every restaurant, guest house and holiday house singing, playing music (performed by the village's Firebrigade, moonlighting as the village's band),dancing, drinking and eating, while at the same time collecting eggs, bottles of booze and money. The eggs are eaten later that evening for the Zampernessen, and the money and alcohol collected during the day are saved for a big village party that takes place two weeks later.
Zampern is celebrated as a way to chase the winter ghosts away and to welcome the spring season.
By the time Ronny and I arrived, the group was in great spirits! I had a great time visiting the last few houses with the group, and although I was not disguised, I was warmly welcomed by everyone- of course it helped that I come from Canada and that I speak German with a French accent!!!!
I love experiencing things like Zampern. Coming from a big city like Montreal, and from such a young country as Canada, celebrations such as this week-end's are not part of what I know and therefore it is super interesting and very entertaining to participate in all of these news experiences.

A note to my still unknown message leaving friend- are we friends by the way? No, I haven't read "Sophie's World". Do I need to read that book to discover who you are? I really have no clue who you might be!!! Do you live in Montreal or here in Germany? Can you give me another clue about your identity?

Obazda

2008-01-29T03:20:00.000-08:00

I have realized, with some shock it has to be said, that I have been neglecting to write about all the different food discoveries that I have been making while here in Germany. That is very unlike me, because as most of you know, food is very important to me! Food, in one way or another, is always on my mind. I love talking about food, looking at food blogs on the Internet (and the 58 food blogs that are saved in my Favorite folder can attest to that!!! The number as even surprised me!), collecting cookbooks (Christmas 2007 has added three new cookbooks to my collection!) and of course I love cooking/baking and eating the end result! So it really does come as a surprise to me that I have not written about this new discovery sooner than now. And what is this new wonderful food item you ask? Well, it is called Obazda (or Obatzda) and it is a spreadable cheese preparation, made by mixing aged Camembert together with cream cheese. Butter is then added, as well as spices, the most important of which is powdered paprika, as it gives the Obazda its reddish colour (salt, pepper, onions and garlic are also added). Obazda is a Bavarian speciality and can be found in every beer garden down south.
I eat it on bread for breakfast and I love it! It has a mild but delicate taste and goes well with apples. I have noticed that since I am here, my breakfasts are more salty than sweet, which is a big change for me, as I usually prefer sweet things over salty ones.
If you feel like giving Obazda a try, here is a recipe for it: http://www.bayern.by/en/b90f54d0-4849-4a0a-7842-09896237eaa1.html

On an un-Obazda note, I am very curious to know who posted the comment that appears on my last post! Whoever you are, you seem to be well informed about what time of year it is here in Germany! I also liked the name you called me- Perlchen! I am usually called Carolinechen, so your nickname for me is a nice change! In your next post, if there is to be one, please let me know who you are!

The DB's Hbf in Bln (The Deutsche Bahn's Hauptbahnhof in Berlin)

2008-01-23T05:32:00.000-08:00

I love living next to a metro station. It really makes life so much easier when you know that getting somewhere, or coming back home from somewhere, is just a metro station away from your home. I only need to walk 10 minutes and I am at the metro station. But it is not just any ordinary metro station. This one is located in Berlin's main train station, Berlin Hauptbahnhof. Berlin's central train station is quite the building- it took 8 years to complete its construction (and I thought that Germans were efficient!!!!), but when you consider that it is Europe's largest two-level railway station, 8 years does not seem to be that much time. There is traffic on five levels- that means that more than 1,800 trains call at the station every day and the daily number of passengers is estimated to be at 350,000- now that's worth it!

Do you play Chinese table tennis?

2008-01-22T04:46:00.000-08:00

When I was younger, I remember playing marbles (which, by the way, were invented in Germany around 1848)with my school mates during our breaks and at lunch time. Although I have seen a few kids at my school also play with marbles, the favorite pastime of most kids (I am mostly talking about boys) is table tennis aka Ping Pong! All the boys walk around with their paddle in their back pocket and can't wait for the bell to ring, so that they can challenge each other to a game.
There are table tennis tables in most parks here, and in the summer, people meet in parks for a friendly match or two.
In the winter, people don't give up this pass time, but simply bring it indoors. Every Wednesday night, the Kastanienkeller hosts a table tennis evening. Since there is only one table (!), the people there play what is called "Chinesisch Tischtennis"-Chinese table tennis. The advantage of this version of the game is that everyone can play, and when I say everyone, I mean EVERYONE, whether it be five or thirty five players! The game is simple: everyone tries to find a place around the table; one person begins the game and then moves along; the strike is returned by someone standing on the the other side of the table, who then moves along; this second strike is then returned by someone on the opposite side of the table, who also moves along afterwards; so on and so forth. If you miss your shot, you are out (which means you can drink your beer in peace!). The game really starts to get interesting when there are three or four people left, because then you really have to run to get to the other side of the table in time to hit the shot. The game goes on until there are only two players left. These two players play a game until one gets a point- once that is over, everyone can join back in. Oh yes, I forgot to mention that all of this takes place under black lights! Fun times!

I apologize for the quality of the pictures- it's not easy taking pictures when the only source of lighting is black lights!

Guitar, guitar, guitarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

2008-01-18T08:44:00.000-08:00

I often wonder (because most of the times I get no comments about it) how many of you actually visit the links that I post on this blog. I really only put things that I think most of you will find entertaining, things that I deem to be "worth it"!
If you have never clicked on any of the links that I have previously posted, here is your chance to redeem yourself, while having a great laugh at the same time. This music video unfortunately only lasts 2:57 minutes, so I don't want to hear "I have no time for this".

https://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/web/0,1518,520208,00.html

*** You'll have to copy and paste the link***

You're welcome!

Sowjetisches Ehremal- Soviet War Memorial (Tiergarten)

2008-01-16T05:32:00.000-08:00

I have touched on the subject of war memorials in a previous post, so I won't detail my thoughts about them again.
This Soviet War Memorial is situated on the north side of the Strasse des 17 Juni ( the major east-west thoroughfare running from the Brandenburg Gate to the Siegessäul, which is just a 10 minutes' walk away from my flat. The memorial commemorates the Red Army soldiers who died in the Battle of Berlin in April and May 1945. It is said that more than 20 000 soldiers died during these two months.
It is speculated that the reddish-brown marble (not seen on these pictures) used for the memorial was scavenged from Hitler's chancellery.

Berlin- a few pictures 3

2008-01-14T06:03:00.001-08:00

Canada's national winter sport- in Germany!

2008-01-10T03:27:00.000-08:00

While I was in Lübbenau, I met my friend Anja, and the both of us, plus her lovely dog Roxy, went skating! It was my first time skating this year, and after a bit of hesitation, my skating skills came back (I am no figure skating expert or super hockey player, but I am Canadian, so skating is in my blood, eh!). Skating is a bit like ridding a bicycle- you never forget how to do it, it just takes you a little while to get back into the motions!
We skated over a frozen field, which was lovely. The ice was much smoother than I had expected, which is always a good thing.
We had brought a ball so that Roxy could play with it, but he was not interested in our ball. What he really wanted to do is catch the hockey puck of the other skaters!
Good times were had by all!

Not the same procedure as every year: New Year's Eve- recap

2008-01-08T13:56:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but I'm not a big fan of New Year's Eve. I find that making plans for that night, for whatever reason, always ends up being a complicated thing. Some people want to go out to a bar, others want to stay home and have a nice meal with friends, and yet others want to to do both. Loads of compromises need to be made and someone is always unhappy about the way the evening turns out. I find New Year's Eve to be a big headache, and frankly, that's no way to start a new year.
That's why I really enjoyed my NYE last year. One of my friends, with some of her friends, took the initiative to "rent" out a bar in downtown Montreal and to invite all their friends there. We all had a fantastic evening at the Old Man Bar, with our Tall Boys and pig knuckles....OK fine, no one actually ate pig knuckles that night, but they are actually really served there on regular nights! This fine evening was repeated this year, and I hear that it was as successful as last year.
Of course this year I was not able to participate in all the fun at the Old Man Bar, given the fact that I am here in Germany! But I had an equally good time here.

The evening started out at 7pm with the first tradition of the night- the showing of "Dinner for One", a comedy sketch written by British author Lauri Wylie for the theatre in the 1920s. German television station Norddeutscher Rundfunk recorded a performance of the piece in 1963, in its original English language. This short comical play subsequently went on to become the most frequently repeated TV programme ever (thank you Wikipedia). This short movie is showed every New Year's Eve on German television, in its original language. Every German, from old to young, knows about "Dinner for One". For those of you who do not know the movie, here is the story line:

The sketch presents the 90th birthday of elderly upper-class Englishwoman Miss Sophie, who hosts a dinner every year for her close friends Mr Pommeroy, Mr Winterbottom, Sir Toby, and Admiral von Schneider to celebrate the occasion. (Note that the plot has nothing to do with New Year's Eve, as is often incorrectly stated. There is a "Happy new year" toast, but this is purely a reference to Miss Sophie's anniversary.) The problem is that given Miss Sophie's considerable age, she has outlived all of her friends, and so her equally aged butler James makes his way around the table, impersonating each of the guests in turn. Miss Sophie decides on appropriate drinks to accompany the menu of the evening, consisting of Mulligatawny soup (Miss Sophie orders sherry) , North Sea haddock (with white wine), chicken (with champagne), and fruit for dessert (with port) served by James, and so he finds himself raising (and emptying) his glass four times per course. That takes its toll, increasingly noticeable in James' growing difficulty in pouring the drinks, telling wine glasses from vases of flowers, and refraining from bursting into song. Even before the alcohol begins to exert its influence, he has trouble coping with a tiger skin sitting on the floor between the dinner table and the buffet.

The crucial exchange during every course is:

James: The same procedure as last year, Miss Sophie?
Miss Sophie: The same procedure as every year, James!

After the dinner, Miss Sophie indicates to a very drunk James that she wishes to retire to bed, to which James responds:

James: By the way, the same procedure as last year, Miss Sophie?
Miss Sophie, delightedly: The same procedure as every year, James!
James: Well, I'll do my very best!

***Everything in italics was taken from Wikipedia***

At around 8pm, a few friends came to hang out at our place- oops! I mean Ronny's place of course!!!- with a few of Ronny's friends. We chatted over Gin and Tonics and enjoyed each other's company.
During the evening, we took part in the second traditional activity of that night, namely, finding out our future for the new year. "How do you find out your future for the year to come?" you ask. Well, it's easy. All you need is a candle, a spoon, and a figurine made of lead. You need to melt the figurine in the spoon over the candle. Once the figurine turns into a puddle of lead, you poor the said puddle in water and Kazamm!, your future is determined! All you need to do next is try to "read" your future in the hardened lead piece that has formed.
My lead piece looks like a tree, which apparently means "Growth in your capabilities". I am not quite sure what that means, but I'll take it anyway!
This German tradition is in a way similar to the Chinese tradition of Fortune cookies, minus the less-than-tasty Chinese cookie of course!

Shortly before midnight, we all went out, and proceeded to light up the varied sorts of rockets and fireworks that we had bought at the supermarket a few days before. This was the start of the third traditional activity of the evening. In Germany, it is now only allowed, but also very much enjoyed and widespread, to buy fireworks for New Year's Eve and put on your own mini firework show. Since everyone does that, the sky is completely light up for a good 20 minutes from midnight on. We had everything from proper fireworks to cherry bombs, and it was a whole lot of fun to set everything up on fire and enjoy the show! Fireworks were being set off from everywhere and it really created quite the festive atmosphere. I tried taking a few pictures, but unfortunately, they all came out way too dark, so you'll just have to use your imagination!

The rest of the evening was spent at my friend Anja's house, which was a lot of fun too.
It was really nice to partake in all the German traditions of New Year's Eve and it made for a great start for 2008!

Wanna laugh?!

2008-01-08T13:34:00.000-08:00

As my best friend Val said:

"Germans know it!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBnY28Mo6Is

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoG8jeunpqQ&feature=related

Christmas- recap

2008-01-07T02:49:00.000-08:00

I am back in Berlin after spending two lovely weeks in Lübbenau with Ronny. Although I still have one more week of vacation- I know, I know, I am lucky!, I have decided to come back to Berlin to enjoy the city a little and to see some friends.
I have unpacked all my things, done two loads of laundry, vacuumed my room (and the bathroom!), dusted my desk and my shelves, watered my plant, made my bed, organized all the the presents I got, and now I am finally ready to write this post!

As you all by now know, I spent Christmas with Ronny, my oyster!, and his family, which included his dad, his mom, his brother and one of his grandmothers. Christmas is celebrated on the 24th of December here in Germany, and the celebration starts with the decoration of the Christmas tree, which is bought well in advanced, but only brought into the house to be decorated on the 24th. This year, Ronny's brother, his father and I decorated the tree, and we settled on a silver theme. If I say so myself, the tree looked quite pretty!

At around 4pm, we all sat down around the table (something we did many more times afterwards!!!) for coffee and Stollen, the German version of a fruit cake.
After our little quatre heures, we- Ronny, his brother and myself- were politely asked to leave the living room, as Santa Claus, or Nikolaus, as we are in Germany, was on his way! The ringing of a bell told us it was time for us to come back in the room. A row of presents was waiting for each of us, and we all started to open our packages! I received a beautiful calendar and a cook book from Ronny. From his parents, I got another cook book (I have a small, but yet again healthy, obsession for cookbooks, and my obsession translates into German too!!!) and a platter- and when I say platter, I really mean a platter! of sweets, which I will be eating for the rest of 2008!!! I also opened some presents that my parents had brought with them when they came to visit me, as well as a gift I received from my friend Anja.

Once all the presents were opened, we settled down around the table for dinner. The big Christmas meal as we know it does not take place on the 24th here, but rather on the 25th and the 26th, at lunch time. Dinner on the 24th consisted of an array of cold cuts, an array of cheese (for my oyster, who is by the way vegetarian), sausages (The best of the Wurst baby!), fresh veggies, fresh bread and home made potato salad (two kinds, one with cut pieces of meat and one without- guess for who!?!?!?). Potato salad is something that is eaten very often here, and it is a MUST for the dinner of the 24th. Everything was delicious and just thinking about all that food is making me hungry!

On the 25th, we were back around the table for a traditional meal, which consisted of turkey, Klöße, which are dumplings made from grated raw and/or mashed potatoes (the dumplings are then cooked in water just like pasta), Rotkohl, which is red cabbage, cranberry sauce (home made by Ronny's mother), stuffing and gravy of course. Everything was prepared by Ronny's mother and everything was DELICIOUS!

The next day, we ate duck, and people, let me tell you that that duck was absolutely UNBELIEVABLE! It was moist and juicy and so so tasty! The five of us, at the great disgust of Ronny!, polished off the poor little duck and felt very happy about it too! And as if that was not enough, that evening, our dinner consisted of an assortment of cheeses, which we ate while drinking a bottle of Mission Hill red wine, which my parents brought over from Montreal.

All I have to say is that it is a good thing that I don't weigh myself, because I am sure I would have a heart attack at seeing the number on the scale!!!

In the next post, I will recap my New Year's Eve, which was pretty explosive.....!