I have such great luck ...

So I got a letter this morning from the maintenance company that looks after my building here in Berlin. Apparently, the "used water" pipes are leaking into the flat below. Fan-fucking-tastic. It's like home all over again. I can't believe this is happening. So the plumber will be here on Tuesday, as this weekend is a National Holiday, it's German Re-unification Day on Sunday, Oct. 3rd. So I'm guessing everything will be closed and that Monday is the Stat (maybe tomorrow too, who knows!?!)

On a more positive note, I found an Organic grocery store, and even with the exchange rate, it's the same price as shopping at Safeway (regular food). So imagine the discount groceries, food is dirt cheap here. Luckily.

Also, I needed to get a few "housewares". These are not that easy to find, and in checking on the Net for shopping malls, I quickly realized that most in my vicinity were high end malls. So, I decided to go check out Alexa, which is adjacent to Alexanderplatz, when lo and behold, there's a department store right at the train station at Alexanderplatz. It's called the Galleria and it's much like The Bay, and about the same price, which isn't too bad. I had to get towels, blanket and sheets. I was thinking this was going to cost me a fortune, but no! So cool, my closest shopping centre is Alexanderplatz. Seriously, that kinda made me a bit happier. There's a lot to be said about retail therapy. When it's successful.

What didn't make my day is when the S-Bahn was interrupted, and I couldn't understand what was going on. SO I sat on the train and thought, if it goes left, I'm good; if it goes right, then I'm exploring [parts of East Berlin, until I can figure my way back ... luckily it went left. In those instances, it pays to be a sheep and follow the herd ...

Also, I've had limited interactions with Germans here, but life is so much the same everywhere that I'm understanding them with the context. I usually grasp a few words and put the rest together from their actions, or what I'm doing. Like at the Department store, she asked for my postal code, which I didn't understand anything else she said other than that, postal code. We're so used to doing that here, that I rattled it off to her, without sounding too much like an idiot ( I think ). Surprised I remembered it.

One thing I don't understand is the stupid transit ticket machines. If I have coins, I am fine, (where else am I going to stick the coins in?). But what about paper money? I've tried to stick a 10 in there, in every slot I could find, and the damn things won't take them! And I don't understand the credit card instruction either. The other day I bought a used day ticket off of a gypsy. She wanted 4 euros, I only had a 5, so I gave it to her (the day ticket is 6.70). I wasn't expecting change, when out of the blue these big burly turkish guy steps right in front of me and hands me 1 euro in change. They actually gave me change!!! Here I thought I was going to get robbed!!!! (I'm not saying that to be mean or ignorant, you should see what my U-bahn station looks like after sundown, skeeeetchy!!!)

So other than that, today was a write off. I woke up at Noon ... I don't feel like doing touristy things. It's as if, having been to Paris twice this year and Iceland, I'm all touristed out ( I mean, how do you top the Louvre and Orsay?). I know, tough life, isn't it? I'll see what's going on for the festivities this weekend, and hopefully get a bit of a "bain de culture" ...

Also, I saw remnants of the wall today, in the form of a watchtower. I live right on the border. Basically,  had I done this 21 years ago, I would've looked out of my window and would've seen the Wall across the street. It was a strange and eerie feeling. I've been reading a lot about it, on how transit was all messed and who could go through, and their shoot to kill policy. We've no idea about these things in North America, particularly Canada. We live a somewhat sheltered life, but you can't help but wonder what would happen if some crazy right-wing dictator took control of the country ( no Stephen Harper is not a right-wing dictator, despite what some might think ..) and started exterminating, say, everyone with red hair (thanks M.I.A.). Would most Canadians rebel and fight, or shut up and just hope it goes away eventually? I know, it's more complicated than that. I just don't know if we can judge the German people so harshly, especially after all this time. Anyways, these are things that go on in my head most of the time. The rest is just music and porn. You're welcome for that visual.

Ok, time for dinner. Pasta. Again. The fish place was closed.

Berlin-Kreuzberg-Schlesiches Tor

Uhm, I woke up in Berlin this morning. Wicked.

Day Two (or one, depending on how you look at it ...)

Some things never change. Just kidding. With this photo you'd think they're rebuilding the wall, but no. You can access the Brandenburger Gate and I did walk down Unter den Linden on the former East Berlin side, but for this pic, on the right is Tiergarten and to the left is the Reichstag, the German Parliament. They're getting ready to celebrate German Reunification, this Sunday, Oct. 3. Therefore, the Strasse des 17. Juni is closed from the Brandenburger Gate all the way to the Siegesaül, which is under restoration :-((((

I'm overwhelmed by the possibilities and lazy 'cause I have 3 months to see everything. So, today, I don't know what to do. I've been on the Internet all morning looking at different things, Museums, shopping, landmarks, even Ikea (why does Ikea ALWAYS have to be out of the way, without any proper Transit to take you there!!!!!) I would've thought they'd have an IKEA S-Bahn, but noooooo, they have to drive their cars, like everywhere else ... I guess Reykjavik is the only one that was smart enough to have it's own Bus-line ... but I digress.


So that's it for now. Almost out the door, I guess I'll figure out where I'm going once I get to the U-Bahn.

Tresor

Spaghetti and Fanta

My first meal in my new place :-) Hey, it's Midnight and this all I could find!

So ich bin hier, im meine Berliner wohnung

I'm here! Yeah! Unfortunately, not quite used to the time change, so I require a little nap. Then, the hunt for food begins. Won't be too hard of a hunt, I passed several restaurants and cafes on my way from the train to here. I can't get over that I am here, and not just for a few days! And so begins this quest, for what?, I do not know ...

The soggy continent, or how the Dutch conquered land.

Just landed at Schiphol, super foggy today. Huge airport. Another 90 minutes flight and I should be "home" by the end of the afternoon. All is good.

Further decision-making

So no synthesizer. Not like in "forever again". Just not on a long-haul international flight. I'm bringing no instruments other than my laptop. I realized I had a lot of recorded bits and pieces with lots of potential and the opportunity of a new approach.

Room with a view

So, here's a view from my flat, looking south. That's Treptower Tower in the background, some kinda business tower. And the river is called Spree (pronounced Schpray). If you've ever been to Berlin, what's wrong with this picture?

Solutions to common problems

As my airline limits my allowed checked baggage to 1 large bag, I've decided to take on the challenge of trying to stuff 3 months-worth of "essentials" into 1 large bag. Of course, I'll max out the hand luggage, but that's besides the point. I've been trying to trim out and only pack "essentials", so I've been reviewing every item and started debating about the heavy winter coat.  After checking historical weather data for Berlin, and reading some housewives' "relocation" blog, I've determined that I will not be needing the heavy winter coat, as I will simply keep an eye on the weather and book trips to warmer climes whenever a nasty bout of cold is about to take over. Hello the Mediterranean. I'm hoping to apply this same logic to other decision-making processes in regards to common problems I may encounter over there.

In the beginning ...

In the beginning, I left. But it started before that. Always leaving, but not always on the train. Going to Berlin to start something or to finish something, or maybe both. You can watch it all go down here (if I remember to post stuff)