How I know I've been in Berlin a while

I've been here for 4 months today. What?!


1. Sparkling water is normal and I drink it like a fish. What was all the fuss about?
2. Crossing on the red man is for the reckless and they are to be judged.
3. I sometimes capitalise English nouns without thinking.
4. It's no longer weird to me that people stagger around with huge bags of plastic/glass bottles, and rummage in bins for said bottles.
5. On more than one occasion I have thought to myself 'Where the hell is my Handy?'
6. At the beginning I struggled to accept the z y inversion on German keyboards, but now I can't type properly on the English ones. Oh dear. Fun Fact: Kirstz Dwzer was my name for the first week or so here.
7. The way I write has changed slightly ...  7, T, Z have undergone makeovers.
8. I've had a few strange dreams in German -  a fox and a wolf arguing about the cleanliness of a house, me shouting at a man writing something in a notepad and other such nonsense.
9. I'm actually starting to enjoy techno and house music, and heard myself say 'oh I like this one' the other day, despite a friend's protest that it all sounds the same.
10. I'm no longer that bothered about smoking in clubs/bars - before I found it gross, and smoked outside, but now I do it too. Oh dear.
11. Doner Kebab is a perfectly acceptable lunch, snack or evening meal option.
12. A man in a shop didn't seem to be entirely sure where I was from and asked 'So, you come from round here?' Good enough.
13. I always carry at least one shopping bag (and a cloth one, I'm well eco) in my handbag, just in case I pop to a supermarket, because all the supermarkets charge for bags. Lidl/Aldi will never catch me out in England again!
14. I am no longer horrified by the thought of sharing a table with strangers at a restaurant.
15. Someone walked in front of me in a queue yesterday, and I just let it happen. I repeat. I LET IT HAPPEN. Because I seem to have finally accepted that that happens here.

And suddenly, a social life

Hallo hallo

The last couple of weeks have been very much fun-filled, thanks to being friends with people my age again. I have come to the conclusion that everyone I have met from Edinburgh Uni (read, Joe's mates) are all total babes. Last Wednesday we found ourselves in a fetish club, which was a very eye-opening experience. It was good fun though, and we danced away to techno until the small hours. The following day was the 1st May bank holiday which naturally meant a massive street party in Kreuzberg. The streets were rammed with people, food, alcohol and loud music. We left in the early evening before it descended into madness (we'd already seen about a thousand riot police) and the festival is quite well known for it's rioting and car burning. We went for a nice drink in Neukolln, Hilary, Sophie, Blythe (who was visiting from Austria) and I and had some wonderful tapas. A busker came in and was particularly rude when Blythe gave him some money and said 'Is that all?'. Bloody ingrate.

Goerly Park got a bit packed too 

Oranienstrasse (Sorry to this dude)

I've also recently become obsessed with Game of Thrones (very late on the bandwagon, I know) so Saturday consisted mainly of that before we went for dinner at a little French place in Kreuzberg called Chez Michel. The food was good, but the bloke was as tetchy as anything. I asked him where the bottle opener was and I was half expecting him to hit me with it.

Sunday was my first visit to Mauerpark and, despite the famous Karaoke not being on, it was still pretty good. No pictures from me, because I forgot my camera, but Hilary took a couple. Fairly sure I'll go again at some point!

Choosing a shirt, oh the dilemma

We went for a Vietnamese not far from me and oh my, it was divine. It was then time to say goodbye to Blythe, but hopefully I will see her while I am in Vienna (only a few weeks away!). I'm also still meeting with Lionel every week and I think we've made Italo our spot. It's such good food and it's not too expensive. I'm still frustrated with French though, as there are points where I just cannot remember how to say it in French and accidentally speak German. Lionel is nice about it, but it's just so embarrassing. I'm reading Heidi in French at the moment in a bid to absorb some of it, and I've also been listening to a lot of Zaho. (If you don't know her, you should). I'm trying!

Thursday night was quite exciting, as Sophie and I went to see a 'mystery movie', or as we were firmly corrected by the woman ' a sneakpeek', at Potsdamer Platz. It was an, erm, interesting movie with Jake Gyllenhaal. Just watch the trailer below and you may understand our state of 'okay, that was pretty odd'. (There was a lot of spiders and ALSO, I'm fairly sure it was bodysnatchers kinda thing but yeah)

And last night was, of course, Eurovision. We went to a bar round the corner from me to watch it. Sat in a basement in front of a big projecter screen with people fidgeting, stealing coats (Sophie found hers in the end), treading on beer bottles, not clapping and generally just not understanding was a little frustrating but we still enjoyed it. Although the UK didn't win (obviously), I still think we did fairly well - 40 points! Progress is progress!

the glorious beginning and the heads of the two morons that irritated me all night

When Conchita won!

My prize for betting that Austria would win, righty ho. The others got one too!

Aside from socialising (I know right, look at me go), work has been good too. I feel like my German has improved a lot, and I no longer have to strain to understand. I'm also glad that I chose to do an internship, as it's teaching me so much. Not just the translation industry, and what makes a good/bad translator, but just general things about being a project manager. I'm still enjoying it, even though there are days when I just want to hide under my desk, so that's the main thing!

I'm also proud to announce that I have now had 4 dreams/semi-dreams auf Deutsch. They're all nonsense but, still!

Unfortunately, I haven't heard from Jean in a couple of weeks... so I'm not really sure what that's about. I am disappointed because we were getting on really well! Ah, might have to find another German tandem partner if I don't hear from her this week...

Anyway, that's all for now.

Tschussi

xxx

Prague and Munich

Thursday started at the hideous hour of 3.30 am, and I was on my way to the Czech Republic by 5 am. Needless to say I was asleep for a while and woke up when we stopped at Dresden and a Korean girl sat in my compartment. The scenery outside suddenly became beautiful so I stayed awake and attempted to take pictures of it.

It was around this time that the Korean girl, who introduced herself as Deborah, started to read 'The 4 Spiritual Laws' to me. It was all just very awkward as I tried to tell her I didn't believe in it, but she gave me the booklet anyway and told me to add her on Facebook. Which I have done, I just don't want to talk about Jesus... this post is starting off strangely. Anyway. The train was delayed for a little bit, but I arrived in Prague at about 10, grabbed a metro ticket and met Sia and Sarah at I.P.Pavlova (a very pleasing station name). First stop was my hostel and then it was sightseeing time!  

We decided to take a free walking tour from the Astronomical Clock, which is probably one of the best things I've done! I never take walking tours as I normally just navigate myself around, but it was brilliant - we saw so many relatively hidden things and it was so interesting.

The Astronomical Clock



Sleeping Beauty's Castle was inspired by this apparently, not Neuschwanstein then?

Franz Kafka street and cafe

Memorial plaque for Jan Palach, a student who set himself on fire in protest against the end of the Prague Spring

The only door to the attic of the Old-New Synagogue *shudders*

Traditional Czech cakes, soo good

Brilliant

After the tour, we stopped for a coffee in a little cafe before walking back to the Old Square to look through the market and watch the astronomical clock show.

On Charles Bridge... oh dear

We walked across Charles Bridge, where I became obsessed with photos of it in the mist, then went to Mind Maze. None of us had done anything like it before, but basically you are locked into a room and you have an hour to get out by solving clues... we didn't win, but I think we did pretty well! We stumbled on the last two hurdles. After lots of frustrated mumblings and a shared cuppa at the hotel, we went for dinner at the Railway Restaurant, where your drinks are delivered by little trains! Amazing. 

Green beer, why not

 We had a few drinks at a bar that looked like a cave, as far as I remember before the girls dropped me at my hostel and went on their way. The hostel was fine, save for the fact I had to ask someone how to unlock my door ...

I met the girls at their hotel next morning and had some of their breakfast, before we headed up to Prague Castle - that was a tough walk but the views were beautiful!

Then I decided to go to Munich with them. I'm really proud of myself of being so spontaneous! So I rushed to buy a ticket and as it was only 34 euros, it would have been rude not to really. Six hours later, after lots of word games and being very overheated (we only worked out how to open the window 4 hours into the journey), we arrived in Munich. The girls checked into their hotel, and we just decided they would sneak me in later.  I was massively worried about this but tried to forget about it, and I think I did quite well. We had an amazing Indian, then went for a beer at the Löwenbräu brewery. 

Blurry but happy!

This was pleasing until my horrible man voice appeared

This was my first visit to Bavaria and I was not disappointed. I sat there with my litre of beer and a pretzel, watching people dressed in lederhosen and dirndls dance around. Wonderful. Happily, the hotel plan went also went without a hitch but Joe had been in Munich that evening and we missed each other because I didn't text him early enough. Typical!

Next morning, we got up fairly early and grabbed coffee and baked goods before heading to the Glockenspiel at Marienplatz. I decided very quickly that Munich was very nice, but I found the accent quite different - a lot softier (and mushier?) than Berlin. We had lunch in the courtyard of the Glockenspiel, which was delicious.

Schnapps sausages with potato pancakes, Bavarian sauerkraut and bacon

Then we had a little wander to see some of the city before we all went our separate ways - me on a bus back to Berlin, Sia to Vienna, and Sarah to Freiburg. 

The bus wasn't too bad, but time seemed to drag after the 5 hour point. I would definitely do it again, as it works out so much cheaper! I also definitely want to go back to Prague some day.

As usual, it all went far too quickly but it was lovely to see Sia and Sarah again, and I can now tick two places off of my list.

Tschuessi

xxx

Some stuff about life, and Amsterdam

The last couple of weeks were a bit of blur, as I spent most of my time counting down the minutes to seeing my family in Amsterdam and seeing Sia and Sarah in Prague (and Munich, as it turned out). There's been some good times though - Jean and I went to an awesome kniepe (pub) in Friedrichshain called The Big Lebowski and, as usual, stayed out longer than we planned because we just couldn't stop chatting. I met Lionel on Tuesday in a new Italian restaurant in Kreuzberg for foccacia which was very tasty, and we talked for ages about politics (well, I tried, at least.) I didn't meet either of them last week, but I did meet up with Sophie and Hilary (who are new in Berlin, and friends with Joe). We went to Kreuzburger, which was actually very decent, attempted to go to a poetry slam with their friends from the uni and ended up in a park admiring a penis drawn in whipped cream.

As for work, it's been fluctuating between not a lot of work and loads of work. When there is nothing for me to do, my boss sends me on little errands, and one of these was a total embarrassment. I went to the Post Office to buy some stamps, but instead of saying 'sechzig' (60), it came out as 'sexy'. The woman behind the desk thought this was highly amusing and laughed herself silly before I could run away with my sexy stamps and a red face.

There's also been some amusing translation errors that I've come across, my favourites being 'visitor centre for victims of euthanasia', the exile of the citizens of Berlin instead of the King and Queen, a man apparently being alive during the French Revolution despite the fact he was, in fact, dead at the time and 'water boiler' instead of 'kettle' - completely logical, but no.

Mueggelsee

My phone does not do this justice. 

Last Friday, I met up with Joe, which wasn't without its drama - miscommunication meant we met almost an hour later than planned, no surprises there really.  We went to Friedrichshagen, where his great uncle lived (cool, right?), for a butchers. It was a lovely town and after a walk around and a look at the Müggelsee, we headed back to Kreuzberg (obviously) for dinner and then stood with a beer (Bavarian Augustiner is nice, but I think I'll stay loyal to the Berliner Pilsner) on the Oberbaumbrücke watching the sunset, me feeling smug and Joe feeling jealous. Then we went to the Comet Club to see Drenge, a brother duo from Sheffield. It was good fun, especially watching the lairy moshers and the drummer in the support band, who looked like he was on something incredible. After Joe had accidentally entered into a lengthy discussion with a beggar, we met up with Sophie (who I went to Kreuzburger with the following Wednesday, so this is all a bit backwards but oh well).  We sat at a Mexican bar for a cocktail and then wandered down Oranienstraße. I remember showing them the pink furry place, before we settled for some shitey disco bar, then I think we sat in the same bar Joe and I went to last time, then another one with shisha and a tequila shot with cinnamon? After that it went a bit downhill and I crawled into bed at like, 4am.


Kat drove me to the airport the next morning, which was lovely of her, and after throwing up outside I got through the airport so easily and quickly before throwing up multiple times on the plane and at Amsterdam airport before my mum, her partner and my sister arrived in the car.  Not really my finest hour(s). The hotel was lovely, but we barely touched down before we went  to meet my brother and his babies for dinner.

Tulips outside the airport

Dinner, yes I had a boring pizza but my stomach was frail, don't judge me

Then it was Easter! My sister and I spent the morning drinking tea, eating our Easter gifts and having a huge catch up before we drove to my brother's. We had lunch in the city and spent the day wandering around. Although we've been to Amsterdam a few times since my brother moved there, it was the first time we'd walked around Rembrandt Square, and it was the first time I'd been to a proper Dutch flower market.

Not sure what those biscuits were, but one wasn't enough

Rembrandt

  

                     


We met up with my brother at Denham, where he works on Prinsengracht, then walked back to his house. My nieces have grown up so much since I last saw them and are now walking and almost talking! What's more amazing is that they understand both English and Dutch, though I've decided I want to pick up Dutch again for their sake. After the girls went to bed, we headed out to see my brother's new place just outside the city. The plan was to go out for dinner, but it ended up being Macdonalds for tea as we were all knackered and time was getting on. Monday was sad, as obviously I had to say goodbye, but we all had lunch at the airport which was cute. It was so lovely to see them, and I think that seeing them at just about the 3 month mark was a good idea.

Siblings- I will never be as cool as my brother.

Squinty Mummy

The flight home was obviously 100 times better than on the way out and I came home to a chocolate bunny on my bed and Osterbrot in the kitchen - thanks Kat! She is away again until Wednesday so I've had the run of the place once more. It was nice her being home because of the company but I certainly got used to being on my own. I think they are here until I leave now, so no more home alone for me!

Post to follow on Prague and Munich!

xxx

Dresden

Yesterday, I visited the beautiful city of Dresden, capital of Saxony. My train was at 08.57, but I got up late, panicked and got a taxi to Hauptbahnhof. It was 17 euros, which wasn't TOO painful, and at least it was stress free and I had time at the station to pick up a Starbucks.

However, I then became very irritated when the train stopped at Sudkreuz- S-Bahn station close to me. Sigh. I know for next time.

We got into Dresden at about 11, I picked up a map and set off on my way. It was bloody hot, and I'd dressed for chilly weather in a jumper, trousers, Docs, coat and scarf. After a long, sweaty and sweary walk, I made it to Altstadt and suddenly, everything was fine. It took my breath away. There was so much to see that I ended up going back on myself a lot. I was like a kid trying to see everything at once.

the castle

Zwinger Palace

Close up of Semper Opera House

The Procession of Princes

I sat on those steps later on and got a sunburnt face

After all my mad running around and getting excited, I realised I hadn't actually eaten anything that day, so wandered down a little street for some bratwurst.

Why I love Germany, Exhibit A

While I was busy stuffing my face, practically the whole street was interrupted by a group of American females that decided they were going to take 3 million selfies jumping in the air and yelling loudly. Then, the ring leader spotted the bratwurst stall and said "oh my gaad that is so freakin' cute'. Just...what? What is cute about sausages? Delicious, yes, cute, I don't know. It was almost as bad as when I heard an American describe Notre Dame as 'cute'. Not the word I'd use for an 850 year old Gothic cathedral. I don't get it.

ANYWAY. My next stop was the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady), which was reduced to a pile of rubble, like most of the city, in World War Two by the Allied bombing of the city. It remained a pile of rubble, throughout the years of East and West, as a memorial and it was only after the Cold War that restoration really began in a serious way. It was only finished in 2005! The original bricks (some 3000 of them) were used as well as new ones, which makes for a very interesting facade - like patchwork.

This wall was one of two left standing after the bombing

Then I decided it was time for an ice-cream (green apple flavour, amazing) and to cross the bridge into Neustadt. I asked a Chinese tourist, who was very pleased when I thanked him in Mandarin go me right,  to take a picture of me on the bridge but it was bloody awful so you'll have to go without that one.







One of the views

Neustadt felt very different, but was just as lovely. I took a long, slow walk down the main street and then remembered that the 'most beautiful dairy in the world' was here somewhere. It was on the map, so that was perfect! It really was beautiful, this dairy, but unfortunately you weren't allowed to take pictures so you'll have to google it - Pfund's Molkerei. I did get a picture from outside though and you can just about make out the glass on the table where I tried some buttermilk.

After walking back to where I'd started in Neustadt, I was knackered, so I got myself a capri sun and went to sit on the steps of the something building, where I actually dozed off for a bit in the sun, resulting in a shiny and red forehead.

Maybe the view from near the steps was worth the sunburn

Little nap napped, I walked to the Japanese Palace and the gardens were gorgeous.

Embarrassing Daytrip Selfie #3

I decided to walk towards the station after that, and pick up something to eat on the way. I ended up picking Subway but I'm a bit annoyed about that as my flatmate told me Dresden does amazing doner and I definitely should have tried that...

It was after my dinner that I realised I was in fact NOWHERE NEAR the Hauptbahnhof. I was the other side of the city at Neustadt Bahnhof. Brilliant. I had an hour to get to the Hauptbahnhof and luckily, I have a good memory for routes (as in, if I've walked it once, I can find my way back with not much trouble). I don't know why I just didn't get the train between the stations, but panic set in and off I panicked towards Haupbahnhof. I found my way okay, I just massively underestimated how long it would take and I made my train with 3 minutes to spare. Bloody hell.

And then, guess what? The train stopped at Neustadt Bahnhof. It was all I could do not to scream! Why am I so stupid?!

Compartment carriage to myself, nice

So the day had started and ended a bit stressfully, but overall, I enjoyed Dresden a lot.

from the train

I would have liked to have had a bit longer there, but I've got two exciting trips coming up - on Saturday I'm flying to Amsterdam and meeting my mum and sister there, then the following Thursday I'm off to Prague for two days to meet up with Sia and Sarah! Just four more work days till the family reunion (Friday is a holiday, YES)

Tschuessi

xx