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.
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