Eine Reise Nach Potsdam!

Hallo! Per eine Antrag…heute’s Blog Post ist auf Deutsch. Bevor ich schreibe…tut mir so Leid fuer die Grammatik Fehler. Wenn ihr Deutsch koennt, dann natuerlich koennt ihr mein Deutsch und die Post’s Idee verstehen. Wenn ihr kein Deutsch koennt…dann diese Setze hier ist egal.

Die erste Wochenende im Oktober war ganz ganz herrlich. Schoenes Wetter, voll Sonne, kein Wind, sehr warm…ein perfektes Tag zum draussen geniessen und natuerlich…nach Potsdam fahren! Mit die Schwiegereltern!

Normaleweisse Berlin ist kalt und sehr “Herbst-lich” im Oktober, aber die erste Wochenende war ungewoehnliche schoen und warm (ein Rekord seit 1970er oder so, hab’ ich gehoert). Es war eine wunderschoene Idee zum Potsdam fahren und meine Schwiegereltern zum uns hier im Berlin besuchen.

Leider Barney, die Familiehund, koennte nicht mitkommen aber ich hoffe er naechstes Mall mitkommen kann. Potsdam und die Schloss Sansouci in diese Umgebung sind sehr weit und wie eine groesse Park. Es ist einfach Supergeil und gefaellt mir sehr. Ich glaube es auch Barney sehr gefallen.

Ich war nur einmal vorher nach Potsdam gefahren und es war dieses Jahr, aber es war Maerz und…ja…das Wetter war ein bisschen hesslich. Kalt, windig, es hat auch geregnet, und alle Blumen war tot und die Figuren aus Marmor komplette bedekt…nicht eine idealische Zeit zum eine idealische Platz besuchen. Aber ich bin mit 3 wuenderbares Maedels gegangen! Meine Deutsche Lehrerin und dann 2 Studenten wem auch mit mir studiert gehabt. Wenn 4 Maedels zusammen sind, das Wetter ist ganz natuerlich egal.

Diese Mal im Potsdam war wuenderschoen, auch, und es war Christian’s erstmal da! Wir hatten ein Plan zum Schloss Sansouci zu besuchen und eine Deutsche Tour machen, aber die Reste Berlin und Potsdam Leuts habt auch den gleieches Idee. Es war total voll nur mit ein kleines Tourplatz frei…3 Stunde oder so weit von den Moment wir sind da angekommen. So eine Tour drin Sansoucci passiert nicht, aber war kein Problem. Die Gaerten Umgebung sind groess,weit und toll, mit viele Laufwegen und ganz herrlich Natur zum geniessen.

Ich mag diese Sansouci Natur weil es ist so Franzoesisch. Frederick der Groesse hat viel viel Leidenschaft fuer alles was Franzoesisch ist, deshalb eine Schloss mit eine Franzoesische Name, Franzoesischen Architektur und Inspiration, und Franzoesischen Gaerten gebaut. Franzoesische Gaerten/Natur ist sehr “gehalten.” (Kann ich dass sagen?) Alles ist im Ordnung. Nicht wild und “schmuetzig” mit wilde Baeume, Blumen undsoweiter…alles ist Sauber, urspruenglich…ich mag Insekten, Natur, Wandern, usw, nicht so viel. So eine schoene Weg fuer Fussgaenger und Hunde, und eine kleine Garten hier, ein schoene Brunne da, eine Schloss hinter, eine Gartenhause vonne…perfekt! Sauber, einfach zu verstehen und alles sehen…das gefaellt mir.

Wir haben Fische (Coi) im eine Brunne gesehen und sie hatten ein Muster gemacht! (Wie die “Franzoesische Natur”– alles im Ordnung!) Wir haben diese Marmor Figuren gesehen…die Weintrauben (SO viel!), und auch ein Bad (ohne Wasser). Ich hatte Spass hier. (Immer wie ein Kind.)

Danach kommt die groesste Ueberaschung fuer mich! Nicht EIN Mops…und nicht nur ZWEI Mopse aber…ein Mops und ein Mini-Mops! Ja. Ein Baby Mops und es war so so suess! Meine groesste Wunsch dieser Welt ist ein Mops zu bekommen. Oh sie sind so suess und klein und huebsch. Das war ein “Highlight des Tages!” Wenn ich eine Mops im ein Tag sehe, es ist eine gute Tag!

Wir haben in die Umgebung die Orangerie gesehen. Nicht ein Tour drin gemacht, aber draussen war eindrucksvoll genug! Geil. Einfach geil! Die Architektur haben uns ein bisschen ueber etwas Arabisch/Aegyptisch errinert von. Mit so viele Palmen, die Sonne, frische Luft und warmes Wetter…sehr schoen.

Dann durch diese LANGE lauf im Schloss Sansouci Park, sind wir nach eine Teehaus oder Chinesischeshaus gegangen. Wir haben ein kleines Tour von diese Haus gemacht. Gibt keine Schlange und obwohl es meistens nur eine Runde Zimmer war, hat mich gefallen. Und es hat mit eine nich offiziell Sprachtour gekommen. Die nette Frau da hat ueber die Gebaeude und die Porzellan drinn und Moebel drinn erklaert. Deutschland und Frederik I (wie so viele Europaische Monarchen) habt eine groesse Faszination mit China und Asie und diese “Tee- und Porzelanland.” So viele Moebel, Artikeln und Porzelan kommt aus China drinn, und die Malereien waren auch in die “Chinesisch Theme.”

Und in die Mitte diese Gebaeude war ein Geheimniss! Die Tourfrau hat gesagt, “Kommt her. Steht direkt in die Mitte und dann etwas sagen oder singen.” Wannsinn! Es war wie ein Konzert…ein kleine Konzert nur im mein Kopf. Es war sehr laut und umgeben, diese Geraeusch. Ich koennte selbst so laut und klar und gut hoeren. Die andere haben nur eine normales Ton gehoert. Physik. Unglaublich! Gibt Magi in diese Teehaus, definitiv! Ich kann nicht so gut ueber Physik verstehen, so diese Effekt war Magi…jawohl!

Sansouci’s Parks war sehr schoen. Eine perfektes Tag mit die Schwiegereltern und mein Mann. Vielleicht naechstes Mall koennen wir mit Barney laufen, und vielleicht auch Mareen und Rene, und im Sansouci gehen.

Eine groesse Danke zu die Mutti und Papa fuer diese Reise und Erfahrung. Das hat viel Spass gemacht und unsere Mittagessen war sehr lecker und erfreulich.

Das ist alles fuer heute. Mein Kopf ist muede, und mein Haar braucht schneiden und farben so ich muss sehr schnell los nach meine Termin gehen!

Liebe Gruesse aus Berlin und bis naechste Mal…vielleicht auf Englisch ;-0

Tschuessie!

Saying Goodbye to a Grand Time in Berlin with Friends

Our time in Berlin with Erin and Tormod was a grand time. Short, but sweet. Well, nearly a week, so not short in theory, but if they could have stayed a month or…forever…that would have been nice

The last 2 full days we had together in Berlin were simply wonderful, even though I had lost my voice due to catching the illness that Tormod had come down with in Norway. We were both feeling a bit on the weak side, but we were on vacation and it was all about having fun! Even though Tormod was quite sick and lost his voice he still showed us around Norway with great tenacity and we had such a delightful and unforgettable time. Naturally we had to (and wanted to!) do the same for them in Berlin.

By Friday morning I was really squeaky. It was pretty pathetic and made tour-giving a little troublesome, but luckily we had already done a lot of the main tourist site-seeing activities that required I give mini speeches.

We started the day by dining out for breakfast at a local cafe that I had taken Ginger to on the morning she had departed. The service at this nearby cafe is very lovely, the decor modern and fresh, but very “Gemuetlich” (the German “coziness”) and the food quite delectable! Nothing says, “Guten morgen!” like a freshly baked croissant, a steaming Latte, and some fresh fruit and cool cheeses. Yummers!

The boys’ meals were displayed quite impressively. I think Erin and I opted for the “French Fruestueck” and the boys Italian or something meat- and cheese-heavy. There was plenty on their plates for them to eat…and then some.

After a very relaxed breakfast we dashed on over 2 subway stops up from us as we had plans on visiting the Unterwelt (underworld). This society is a non-profit organization that dedicates their time and efforts to uncovering and sharing the underworld of Berlin. That means there are on display World War II bunkers or “Zivilianverschuetz” (something like that…civilian protection facilities that were called bunkers, but were really just areas of subways). That also means Cold War anti-chemical-warfare protection bunkers. That also means tunnels dug from the East into the West during the period of the former DDR. We signed up for the World War II bunker tour and that was, and still is, the most fascinating tour or even thing I’ve ever done in Berlin. At the end of the tour the guide requests that if we enjoyed ourselves to please post so online or via reviews and recommendations to Berlin visitors. Here is my shout out: Unterwelt is SPECTACULAR! The best 8-10 Euro you’ll spend in Berlin. Seriously…amazing! Unfortunately, you can’t take photos so I don’t have anything to show for it. That just means you’ll have to visit for yourself!

I’ll save some of the details of the tour for another post when I journal the 3 1/2 week long visit from my sister, Heather, as we both took that tour, as well as the tunnel tour. Let’s just say that when in Berlin you must take this tour. There are rare finds and artifacts from the Nazi era and WWII that you would never believe still exist. They’re on display underground because, well, for such sensitive materials that evoke evil it’s nothing Germany wants to quote “brag” about and set up for display…above ground.

Suffice it to say the tour is well worth it and the sheer history lessons and facts you learn on the tour are well worth the money.

After that rather intense hour and a half we decided to catch a sub ride to the former Western side. Christian and I don’t venture in that direction often. We live in the former East and prefer this side of town, but for touring purposes Erin and Tormod had to visit the West and even pop in the famous department store, and largest on continental Europe, KaDeWe (Kaufhaus des Westens). We strode along the famous Ku’damm (Kurfurstendamm) and took to the sixth or seventh floor or so in KaDeWe to buy some yummy pastries for Kaffee und Kuchen later that day.

Since the famous Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche is in the area, even though the church was undergoing cleaning and therefore all covered by scaffolding, we decided to pop on over there for a minute.

Then our hungry tummies growled for the most delicious Doener in Berlin. We have found it, my friends! We will not deviate. It is the best in town! A Doener (or Doener Kebap, officially), is a Turkish import that has Berlin written all over it. With all of the Turkish influence in Berlin the import of the Doener is, quintessentially, a slice of mana from the heavens. It’s a pita-like bread that’s warm and sliced open, then lathered in a bath of one of three sauces. Traditionally you opt for the Knoblauchsauce (garlic), but if you don’t want to offend or aren’t particularly worried about invading vampires, then you might opt for the other white-based sauce, Kraeuter (herb). Both are divine! My mouth is literally watering and I think my keyboard is getting a little drool on it. Whoops…let me clean that up!

The other sauce option is”Scharfsauce,” which I have only tried once because I wanted to try something different, and the word “scharf” will always turn my head. I love love LOVE spicy foods. The more spice, the more tears coming out of my eyes, and the more I have to blow my nose during a meal the BETTER! This “Scharfsauce” is not scharf and isn’t very tasty. Something about having a red sauce on a Doener just doesn’t seem right. So it’s either Knoblauch or Kraeuter.

Then sliced onions, red cabbage, lettuce, and tomatoes are placed in the “sandwich,” followed by a slice of delicious Feta-like cheese, and sprinkled with some seasoning. That’s the vegetarian Doener. You can also get the traditional “Kalbfleisch” (lamb) or Chicken. Erin and Tormod absolutely, as expected, loved their Doeners and I’m considering having that for dinner tonight. Hmmm, dinner time is about an hour from now and I’m really considering opting for that. Hmm Hmm.

Anyway, back on track…the Doeners were a hit and Erin and Tormod were happy campers after that meal. We all rolled home, really really content!

On the Turkish role we decided to take advantage of Friday’s Tuerkenmarkt over in the heavily Turkish neighborhood of Kreuzberg (X’Berg). I wanted to share the market with Erin and Tormod (and Christian–I think it was his first time!) that really gets my blood pumping. It’s a large and crowded market with a great multi-kulti vibe and bargains that your grandma would never pass up! And I don’t, either. It’s a lively market and you can’t help but feel like a real authentic Arab trader as you whip out your change purse and bargain down the price of a head of lettuce, a kilo of juicing oranges, or tasty Arabian Flat Bread! Oh the bargains that are made, the sampled fruits we taste, the hefty amounts of produce we bring home…such such fun!

To conclude the day we (you guessed it), ate. We enjoyed our pastries from KaDeWe later that day with some espresso while catching up on the latest from the Tour de France. With a relaxing episode of “The Office” later in the evening, and endless Playstation 3 games of Fifa for the boys, our Friday in Berlin, even if voiceless, was a grand affair!

Saturday (and by this point my voice hadn’t waned; it was officially lost) Erin and I trekked to the bakery together to gather our breakfast goods that we all enjoyed on our balcony in divine weather. We had plans that day to jet out somewhat early to head over to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp out 45 minutes or so from Berlin in Oranienburg. I had been there just once when I first visited Berlin in 2005, and felt that if Erin and Tormod wanted, visiting the camp would be something they should certainly do. I think if anyone is in Germany or Poland then a trip to a concentration camp to not only pay respects, but to keep history in the forefronts of our minds so we never forget and never repeat such mistakes again, is important. No one likes to be sad, especially during vacation, but I think it’s negligent, to say the least, if these camps are avoided at all costs. At least one visit is important, in my humble opinion.

We spent quite some time at the camp and read over so much material, so many photos, and really took the time to absorb the history. I won’t say it was a grand time. I won’t say it was a horrible time. It was neither. It just…was. And to think that this camp was just a 45 minute S-Bahn ride away from the capital city of millions…smoke stacks and all…and blind eyes were just turned. Sachsenhausen originally started out as a camp for prisoners who opposed the tyrannical beliefs and ways of the national socialists. It then became a sort of POW camp, then became the “ideal model” for the concentration camps that were built  for the internment and extermination of the Jews and other “non-Aryan” peoples. It then actually was used by the former Soviets for prisoners (those who opposed their ideals), too. That is perhaps the most surprising. And you think it ends in 1945….

After our tour we decided to take the rest of the day easy so the boys decided to play some Playstation while Erin and I did some shopping. Erin and Tormod had to get their packing done, too, and goodness knows they had acquired a few things on their two-country trip.

To end our glorious week together in Berlin we ventured into Prenzlauerberg for a dinner outside. We had considered going back to our signature Indian restaurant that is like the BEST thing in town (next to a Doener). But we wanted to spice things up a bit and try something different. We opted for a Thai restaurant that was alright. It wasn’t amaaazing, but it wasn’t shabby. It was the company that was the best, and I’ll tell you I was not looking forward to the next morning when we’d journey to the Tegel airport to send Erin and Tormod off.

We miss our dear friends terribly and seriously wish Tormod was German so could have the opportunity to tell Erin, “We’re movin’ to Germany!” But…another couples’ trip together in a year or two or so would be wonderful. Who knows when or where we’ll get together again, but all we know is it has to happen! We miss you, guys! And thank you SO much for visiting us. Summer 2011= AWESOME!

Have a fabulous weekend, everyone, and a great holiday weekend if you’re in Germany. Monday is Tag der Deutschen Einheit, celebrating the unity of West and East Germany. Christian has the day off, and since Thursday is his b-day he’s taking Thursday and Friday off, too. A short work week for him, but it’s going to be a nice extended weekend with him, and a fun b-day week. Hmmm, what do I have planned? Well I wanted to go out and buy a pair of new Autumn boots for myself, but I guess it’s not my birthday. haha And it’s not even Autumn weather yet! We have about 1 more week of Summer weather and then we’re hitting the 30s at night and the 40s and 50s in the day. It’s time to live up the last nice weather of the year!

Tschuessie!

A Walk in the Park and a Ride on a 6-Man Bike!

Our next action-packed day in Berlin together (myself, Christian, Erin and Tormod) was just that– action-packed. We enjoyed a nice balcony breakfast before we dashed off to the Jewish Memorial. We wanted to get there practically right when they opened so we wouldn’t have much of a wait. Ginger and I had gotten there about 15 minutes after opening, or so, when we had gone, and walked right in. We were hoping for the same luck, as time was precious!

Unfortunately, when we arrived we noticed the line was quite lengthy, so we decided to nix the 30 minute line and come back after a bit, perhaps around lunch time. Originally we had thought about picnicking in the large Tiergarten, to save on dough and “commune with contained nature,” but our packed lunches would probably come in handy if we had to wait in line later on.

Luckily Potsdamer Platz and the Sony Center are just a short walk from the Memorial so we skipped out of the line, hoping to return later to a much shorter line, if one at all, and headed over to the famous square to grab a coffee and take a look at some of the wall pieces, not to mention the fabulous architecture of Sony Center. It was a bit of a drag that the weather was windy, chilly, and nearly drizzly, but it is Berlin and weather is not one of its strong points. It looked like our picnic in the gardens wasn’t going to be happening, but with the plans of eating lunch in the possible line for the memorial, we didn’t fret.

Before we crossed the street from Potsdamer Platz and into the Tiergarten (a 412 acre large park, if I haven’t mentioned already!) we spotted the new VW Bug and other updated VW autos on display. I think a green VW Cabrio Käfer has my name on it. Or a Smart Car! Ok ok…I’ll settle for a bike for starts. With a handy basket attached on front for a future pooch, and one on the back for the groceries. Sounds like a grand future plan, eh man?

Since Schloss Bellevue (the President’s residence) and the Siegesaeule were in the area, we stopped by there, as well, leading all the way back up to the Brandenburg Gate. You see, I had this tricky little plan of riding on one of the bikes for six. There are always these very touristy 6-people bikes that hang around the Gate and the Reichstag, luring tourists to spend a few Euro for a fun ride around the sites. I had always wanted to ride one, just for fun, and with three people with me I figured I could get a ride in!

And how delightful this 3 minute bike ride was! It was a perfect way to get from Point A to Point B- the Memorial. It went so fast the peddles were just spinning and spinning at some point. Erin and I had trouble keeping up. You see, the driver steers and supplies the main power, while our peddling barely helps. Erin and I were laughing our butts off. The 2 Euro a person was well worth the belly-aching laughter as we whizzed past the pedestrians and flew across the car-filled streets. Oh what fun! Just a like, I am!

And, as we guessed, the Memorial entrance had a line, but just a short 15-20 minute one. Perfect time for us to enjoy our picnic on the go.

I have detailed the Memorial in a previous post (HERE). It was very moving for all of us and a difficult trip, so a relaxing walk around the town was in order. We walked the famous Unter den Linden a bit, and took at look at the fancy cars and bling that glitz and glam in the shop windows. I stopped us all by Bebelplatz across from Humboldt-Universitaet, the plaza where the famous 1933 book burning event too place.

Since no day in Berlin, especially a touring one, is really ever complete without a nice coffee…or beer…we stopped by a cafe on the River Spree for a nice beverage boost. Erin and I opted for the super special Iced Cappuccino with a scoop of Vanilla Eis! The boys…you guessed it– beer.

The plans for the rest of the day included a visit to the fun hands-on DDR Musuem (wrote about that before HERE) and then a nice outdoor dinner at one of our favorite local dives: Toskana. The time at the Museum was fun as they’ve expanded twice its size since Christian and I had been there the first time. Of course, the most fun part is “driving” the Trabi. But the new imitation jail cell that Prisoner Christian tested out comes in pretty close to the top.

Again, another fantastic day with Erin and Tormod in Berlin! Lots of great sites, good eats, fun treats, and just a great time. More to come soon!

Tschuessie!

It’s Tour Time in Berlin!

With everything unpacked and all of us settled in at home, the following morning we woke up, enjoyed a delightful outdoor breakfast, and set out to do some major site-seeing. With the weather being what it was (actually nice!), we gave ourselves no other option but to enjoy our first meal of the day outside on our balcony. Little did I know that a week later the influx of summer wasps would kick in, but at least we got to enjoy our breakfasts outdoors now and then during Erin and Tormod’s stay in Berlin.

Our first stop on the tour agenda for the day was the famous Brandenburger Tor. It is the symbol of Germany, if Germany has a symbol that is instantaneously recognized by tourists from around the world. It’s the classical entrance gate through which barterers galloped in their carts of goods to sell and trade hundreds of years ago. It was literally the gateway to a major Prussian city. In the 1960s it became just an ‘old gate on the edge of the Berlin Wall, in the middle of no-man’s land on the former eastern side of Berlin. In 1989, it was surrounded and even adorned atop it east and west Berliners coming together as one, once again. Today it’s just super cool, and apparently was the backdrop for that particular day of a German-French festival, hence all of the tents.

Very recently a short U-Bahn line was built in the area, the U55, running just 3 stops to and from the Brandenburger Tor and Hauptbahnhof (the main train station), with a stop at the Bundestag in between. This was built primarily for all the political hub-bub peeps coming into town. At the underground station there’s quite a history detailed on the walls of the Gate. We figured that would be a perfect way to get into the heart of the city and begin the tour!

From the Brandenburger Tor, to the nearby Reichstag with the Parliamentary buildings all in the vicinity, we continued our tour. Christian and I had taken the free nearly four hour walking tour of Berlin a few months ago, and I had already gotten some practice in with Ginger a few weeks prior, so I was definitely geared up to play Tour Guide that day!

The grassy area/park in front of the Reichstag is a grand place to relax. Last summer I spent some time reading and relaxing over there. This summer we all decided to pose for some goofy photos there. Apparently the whole “lean on each other” didn’t work too well for me and Christian. Supposedly dramatic height differences causes a bit of a problem. ;0

Along the road from the Reichstag to the Potsdamer Platz area, right where the Wall used to run (a brick line along the road and pathways throughout Berlin indicate where the Wall once stood), you pass a line of crosses on a fence indicating where and who was murdered during a failed Wall escape. I tell you, everywhere you look in Berlin there is some form of historical marker indicating or memorializing the past. Always something to see, do and learn.

We walked to the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. It’s a giant area of concrete blocks that cover the underground Memorial that we had toured a later day. Just a few steps away from the Memorial is the site of Hitler’s bunker. It’s a car park, today, but there is a placard there with a map of what the bunker used to look like. Most of the bunker is filled in with concrete and sealed off. No one wants to open a door, literally, to a weird-o worship place for far right wing extremist Neo-Nazis.

Speaking of which, I had just heard that a couple of years ago the grave of Hesse, I believe, was discovered and whack-jobs were gathering there to feed off of each other’s delinquent, fascist and racist ideas. Once it was discovered the body was exhumed and on permission of the Hesse family, was destroyed and its ashes dumped into the Elbe, I believe. The family said they had no desire to keep the grave or the remains. So, now, as with many of the Nazi official’s ashes, these recently-discovered remains have been disposed of and a grave marker removed.

It’s nice to have a simple and straight-forward map and indicator of this bunker, though. Of course, mad curiosity makes me want to find the door and take a tour. Who knows if it will ever be opened up. For now I think a car park is quite suitable, don’t you?

Along our tour we walked by one of the few remaining former Third Reich era buildings. It was the former site of the Luftwaffe HQ…today it is aptly home to the German equivalent of the US’ IRS. It is an impressive building– very large, quadratic, and dominant. Very Third-Reich-isch.

Just a block from this building is a line of the former Wall, and directly behind that is the Topografie des Terrors. This “museum” is an outdoor line of plaques with various photos and text, detailing the entire rise and fall of the National Socialist movement and even well into the times of the DDR and Soviet era, and all of the atrocities committed.

We spent a good hour and a half just reading and reading about the acts of terror. It wasn’t originally on our plan, but none of us had ever been there, so we decided to take a stop. We didn’t expect to take so long reading, but it was as if we couldn’t pry ourselves away from the depth of history that was being shared.

At that point we figured it would probably be a good idea to take a break from the heavy stuff (it is Berlin and heavy history is everywhere– that’s just the way it is, unfortunately), and we were getting a bit hungry, too. So we dashed along the way to Checkpoint Charlie, took a few pics of this touristy, but fun area, then sat down near Gendarmenmarkt for a yummy true-to-taste German lunch! But I pass on Schnitzel and Wurst and I went Frenchie on everyone; I opted for the French Onion Soup. Mmmm!

Once our tummies were full of tasties we headed back into the heart of Gendarmenmarkt and stopped by the famous Fassbender und Rausch Chocolatier. It’s the largest chocolate shop in all of Europe, I believe. The smell wasn’t as atrocious as I had previously predicted, but when I got too close to the large all-chocolate structures of the Titanic, the Reichstag, and even the TV Tower, I got a big whiff of nasty chocolatey-ness.

Now we couldn’t leave the chocolate store without a few goodies (they also have white chocolate delights!), so on our way to the top of the French Dom (that’s one of the three main and beautiful buildings in Gendarmenmarkt), it was no surprise that we left with a few truffles in our pockets. Ok, that makes it sound like we stole them. We bought some chocolate goodness and then traipsed to the top of the French Dom!

For 3 Euro per person we figured this view would be well worth it, and none of us had done it before. Funny thing– Beforehand we had read how many steps we would have to climb until we reached the top, so leave it to me and Tormod to literally count them and check with each other at the end of the trek. I’m sure Erin and Christian thought we were retarded. Although I bet they did a little counting, too.

We arrived at the same number, I think, but were 1 or 2 shy of the estimate or something like that. I know…weird anal-retentiveness.

Now it wouldn’t be a typical trip with Tormod if he didn’t act like a big kid and do a few things to scare the poop out of Erin. While in Norway he had already teased her with heights by sitting on the ledge of Preikestolen and being his dare devil self and acting extremely nonchalant about the mass of nothingness between his feet and the ground below him. So when it came to the top of the French Dom of course he stood on the gating and leaned over the edge. Always doing so and looking over his shoulder at Erin, just making sure he was getting a rise out of her, face grim and intentions sneaky. I think he gets more kicks out of scaring and teasing her than he does by actually hanging off the edge and doing something at least mildly dangerous. I say “mildly” because I’m always in the background laughing at the whole ordeal, negating much seriousness of the situation. And there’s the occasional, “Don’t scare her! Stop it!” that I throw in because, well, I wouldn’t be doing what he’s doing, and I wouldn’t be too happy if Christian decided to do that.

And, naturally, when we were leaving the Dom he had to continue to get some rise out of all of us by pretending to jump over the edge of the stairwell from the top of the Dom. Erin and I actually got into fits of serious laughter since the two boys were so caught up in posing wildly and taking goofy pictures. It was like their own playground/photo shoot. Well, we were all amused.

To end the day we split up at Alexanderplatz– the girls went one way (direction: shopping!) and the boys another (direction: home to play FIFA on the PS3). Overall a fine day in Berlin with Erin and Tormod. And the next day? Much more fun planned, of course!

But until then…Happy Labor Day in the US and Happy September in Germany. This weekend’s weather in Berlin is shaping up quite nice. It’s supposed to be sunny and near 25-27 degrees with sun! Not shabby, considering this has been the most mild summer of my life! Bring on some sun!!

Tschuessie!

Berlin Bound…with 2 Friends in Tow!

Our departure early Tuesday morning from Norway was by no means the mark of the end of our summer holiday with Erin and Tormod. We were only halfway in to our splendid two-week-long vacation! Making plans to have Erin and Tormod follow us home after our time in Norway was a splendid idea.

For those of you who know me pretty well it probably won’t come as a shock to you that I spent hours planning the days’ activities that we would have in Berlin together. I love planning and scheduling. One of my most favorite parts of college was keeping my day planner just “so.” And you can find a calendar and/or planner in just about every room of our apartment. Okay…I’m not that insane, but if you count the paper calendars, wire-bound planners, and Mac and iPhone notes and calendar Apps, then I definitely have about 2 Day Planners per room in the apartment. Counterproductive? Hmmm, perhaps.

But I by no means kept a strict and straight-laced schedule for our time in Berlin. I wanted us to have fun and be relaxed, with some fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants activities available for venture. However, I didn’t want anyone to ask, “What do we do today?” and we spend a good hour hmming and haaing about what to do. When dear friends are in town for just 6 days you don’t want to waste an hour.

I finished our pretty easy-going, yet fun-filled and action-packed schedule right before we landed in Berlin. The flight was less than an hour and a half from Stavanger, Norway, so I had no choice but to put the finishing touches on the planner as quickly as possible.

The moment we landed we knew we’d head home, drop off the luggage, give a little apartment tour, then head out into the neighborhood for some lunch. The Foccaceria just down the way was a grand plan, especially since the weather was so nice and sidewalk-eating was a must when in Berlin during the shine of the sun. I joked when we landed in Berlin-Schoeneberg and we were greeted on the tarmac with a blazing sun and blue skies, “Who would have thought we’d come to Berlin for a sunny, summer vacation?!” After leaving mostly-frigid Norway Berlin looked like Mallorca for us that first day.

I remember sitting at the Foccacceria after having ordered a few too many pieces, Tormod and Christian with a chilled beer freshly ordered and in hand, and thinking, “I am so happy we are all together and so proud to share our beautiful home city!” Tormod and Erin were definitely liking the sun, the tasty Foccaccia pizza, and even the chilled beer…but of course! Casually drinking a beer outside on the sidewalk or even walking around town with one in hand is not something you could ever do in Tulsa. But in Berlin, anything goes.

After lunch we wanted to hop on over to the grocery store to get supplied for a “family of 4″ before we headed over to Bernauer Strasse’s Wall Memorial that’s literally a hop, skip and a jump away from our apartment. We figured since this was a nearby site and offered a great city view (and one that was free), it would be a great thing to do on Day 1. So on Day 1 of Erin and Tormod’s stay in Berlin they got to meet the Wall and lots of history behind it.

That evening, since we wanted to keep things light and not run-run like mad, we decided to take them out to our favorite Indian dive: Pune. In Prenzlauerberg, the neighborhood that’s practically our own, right on the skirt of historical Mitte (the Kiez where we live) Pune offers amazing Indian food with the right price, a great lo-cal, nice Deko, and a great waitstaff who now knows us as regulars. (I think my record was 3 times in 10 days! Yikes!)

Enjoying this first dinner out in the summer night air was a fan-damn-tastic way to welcome our great friends to Berlin. Okay, so was Foccaccia for lunch…let’s face it: dining out is a great way to say, “Welcome,” “How are you,” or “Ciao.” Eating…is…fun.

I can’t wait to share Day 2 with you shortly. Stay tuned. And until then…

Tschuessie!

Farewell to Norge

All good things must come to an end…in some instances. I’m not a big believer in that adage, but when it comes to vacations it’s a no-brainer. A grand vaca must, at some point, come to a close. But our close in Norway was a great one!

One of Tormod’s brothers, Knut, and his family, were on a Caribbean cruise and in Florida most of the week we were in Norway, so Tormod wanted to get to spend a nice day or so with them once they arrived and before we headed back to Berlin (on Tuesday). Knut and Anita and their 3 fabulous children, Jon Kristian, Ruth and Lisa, came home Sunday and before all of the bags could be unpacked (and that would be quite the feat considering how much luggage they had) the 4 of us and the 3 kids hopped on cycles and rode to the harbor to catch some crabs! It was a splendid idea– a great way to welcome the kids home and have some fun while Anita and Knut could relax just a smidge without 7 children running around ;0

Now I’ve never been crab fishing, and I’m not much a fan of outdoor activities, but cycling and fishing are two outdoor activities I actually enjoy. I figured crab fishing would be great on 2 points. 1) if it was anything like fishing I would enjoy it and 2)  you gotta try everything once.

Before we set out to crab fish we had to take care of prep matters, and that meant fashioning crab hunting poles and boxes, and stringing along for the bike ride dead fish bait. Eek!

But these kids handled it like pros! They brought out to the barn a frozen fish from the freezer and over to the chopping log. Jon Kristian wielded an ax and I was simply fascinated. What was going to happen? WHACK! It was like Gimley-action! Well, there went the fish head. It was lopped off, it bounced off the blade, and Tormod placed it in the bucket. Of course, who said they needed to give this a try? Me! Hey, I milked a cow, why not cut off a fish’s frozen head?

But see, I’m no pro, and when I hacked into it not much happened to the body in terms of splitting in half. Rather, little chunks of frozen fish flesh flew off in all directions. I’m sure on me, too. I tried again and again, and more flesh chunks flew. The kids laughed and laughed and said that now that fish was all over the barn it’d really smell delightful on a hot summer day. (Do they actually HAVE hot summer days in Norway? haha)

Nevertheless, we got that fish all hacked up, and after we fashioned some crab fishing poles out of metal wire (where you hook the fish gut onto the end as bait) and a piece of wood on one end (to make the pole float in the event we dropped the pole), and after we snagged the crab fishing box that had already been made for a previous crab fishing evening, we took to the bikes! And off we rode!

Tormod opted to take the two-man bike that he, Jon Kristian, and little Lisa all rode together. It took quite the man-power to make that bike go, but Tormod made it a fun football training activity for Jon Kristian (who I like to refer to as “mini Tormod” since they look so very much alike and have that signature orange hair and freckles that every 7th Norwegian child seems to have out of all of the blondes). The two of them would be pedaling and pedaling up the hill and then coming down Tormod instructed Jon Kristian to hop out and push and push the bike with Tormod in it, run back around Chinese Fire Drill-style, and hop back in, ready to pedal. “What are you DOING?” I inquired. “Football practice!” Tormod shouted. Jon Kristian looked over, all-smiles and a bit of sweat on the brow. “Football practice!” he repeated. Gotta love Norway…gotta love the Sletteboes. Always an adventure!

The bike jaunt wasn’t too exhausting. I find biking to be enjoyable as well as exercise-worthy. I’m sure if I took to mountainous hills and strapped pedals to my feet, put on a helmut, and had a nifty squirt water bottle strapped to a rod I’d be huffin’ and puffin’ and really working out, and looking like it, too, but I prefer the leisure slash workout type of bike riding. Some little hills made me really pedal, but nothing I couldn’t handle in non-sporty clothing.

The views were impeccable, though. That was all worth it! Whether or not we got to crab fish was irrelevant. The views of Norway by bike were stupendous. And it was just a little 15 minute or so trek to the harbor from the house– not a path that was mountainous and super scenic as many a biking Norwegian traverse. But it was amazing!

Along the way to the harbor we found some little ponies and of course I wanted to pet them, and the kids and Erin sounded in as well. “Yeah!” Jon Kristian took the bull by the horns and hopped over the fence and assessed the fencing situation. Turns out it was electrified so the ponies couldn’t break out, and probably so we couldn’t break in…easily. But Jon Kristian checked the lines, safely removed one so he could easily hop over the fence, and then, once on the other side, checked to see if there was an easy way to disassemble the rest of the lines temporarily so we could walk through the gate. But no such luck.

So off we went to the harbor and that’s where I learned how to crab fish! I loved it! First, Ruth showed us how to stick the fish chunks onto the ends of our poles, and then threw in to the box a few pieces as bait. I somehow finagled my way out of baiting the hooks. I didn’t really want to get THAT fish-y.

Then it was time to lower the box into the water! We literally fished right there in the harbor by the boats and against the rocks and harbor ledge as that’s where all the crabs hang out. And it’s convenient for us to not jump from here to there on sludgy and slippery rocks.

Tormod manned the crab box by lying chest-down on the harbor’s walkway, slowly dropping the baited box into the water. The trick was to wait patiently for just a couple minutes before the scent of the fish trickled into the water and loomed about, luring the first crabs to crawl on out and, eventually, into the box.

And then they came! First just little ones– ones that we wound’t bring home to eat– but they were fascinating to watch! I love sea life and have such an affinity for the treasures of the ocean. However, I like to steer clear of them when it comes to my body. Unless it’s a little waist-high dip in somewhat warm waters, or a beautiful snorkeling adventure in tropical Hawaiian waters or the like, count me out of the ocean. That’s for the whales and the sharks. But if I can spy on these fascinating sea creatures I’m all in, especially if it’s at a safe land-lubber distance, like the harbor!

Funny thing– once Tormod spotted a big mother of a crab coming towards the box he wanted to get even closer to the water, but that meant really leaning over the harbor edge. He asked Erin to sit on him and she was busting up laughing so much, sitting on his legs, she started to slip off. He was screaming and flailing and Erin was cracking up. In between my fits of laughter I finally plopped down on his legs because, well, I was really eager to snag that crab and get it for dinner! Honestly, if we had gotten up off his legs and let him go he would’ve been head-first in that water in a matter of a mili-second! No joke! Guess he was determined, too.

We did some crabbing ourselves with the poles we made. I was much more interested in the crab box as you could just watch 2, 3 then 4 crabs come right over and actually fight for territory. And pulling them up out of the water, once caught, was a lot easier in a box. The pole was a little difficult with lifting it out of the water, crab intact. But I actually did pull a baby crab out, and Christian and I enjoyed watching little crabs creep on out of their safe rocks and actually ON TO our fish chunks that were dangling off our poles. It was so much fun to watch them grab and grub up. So cute.

We actually brought two large crabs up and put them in the box. The general plan was that in the event we actually caught quite a few large ones we’d ride home with them to cook, but with just 2 decently-sized ones in the end we opted to fish for fun and send them back home.

Unfortunately, when we chunked the larger crab that we caught back into the water he landed on his back. He was already missing one claw and 2 or so legs, so flipping over was a challenge. And Erin and I were insistent on waiting to see if he flipped over or not. We just couldn’t fathom leaving the poor innocent sea creature to die, not this way. It was one thing to cook him for dinner, but to have him die after releasing him to his freedom just seemed so wrong.

We tried to flip him over with the aid of a rope in the water, but that failed. But after 20 minutes, literally, of just standing there and crossing our fingers that the little guy could make it, he finally flipped over! And he got to enjoy all the leftover fish chunks that we threw in for him.

Though we went home empty-handed, crab-wise, we didn’t really go home empty-handed. Ok, maybe empty handed, but not empty-minded or -hearted. Norway had filled our memory bank with many fabulous memories. Norway had filled our hearts with a lot of joy. Norway had filled our minds with lots of stories to share. And Norway had filled up our photo memory card with lots and lots of photos (about 2,000) to edit! Norway…was…fulfilling! In so many ways.

Norway gave us a grand chance to meet with two of our dear dear friends and roommates from our college days. And Norway did not just provide a picturesque backdrop for our adventures and vacation experiences and stories…Norway was, in itself, an experience.

Norway was an opportunity for us to not only see our dear friends and have a great summer vacation, but it gave us the chance to spend some time with Tormod’s delightful family and get to know a bit better some very kind and warm and welcoming people. Norway gave us the opportunity to meet some of Tormod’s close friends and be welcomed into the home and family as close friends.

Norway gave us fabulous memories and adventures like cow milking, croquette at 11pm in the bright winter night, a trip to the bottom of the ocean floor, and to the top of the world at Preikestolen, overlooking the Fjords. Norway gave us an amazing farm visit, a fun wedding, a ride in the most super cool taxi van I’ve ever seen (neon lighting inside the van– super cool!), delicious BBQ a few times over, a chance to catch up on some “quality” American TV with Erin (Jon and Kate Plus 8 (or, uh, I guess ohne Jon now), and more nature- and animal-exposure than I could have ever imagined possible for me in an lifetime, much less one week!

Norway gave us the coldest summer I’ve ever experienced, and the most frigid waters my toes have ever touched, just as it gave us the warmest people and welcomes, not to mention tasty afternoon baked goods from Tormod’s mom, delicious gummy candies, super fun crab fishing, and the unforgettable adventure schlepping through the mud and marshlands for some tasty coffee and a good game of cards during a visit to Tormod’s dad up in the family cabin!

Norway, Tussend Takk, Danke Schoen, many many thanks. It was so lovely to visit you and all your offered us. Christian and I had such a fun time and have over a thousand pictures, and now several blog posts, to remind us of the fabulous time we had.

So as my Blog says farewell to Norge and Hallo to Berlin, Christian and I send out very big thanks and hellos to everyone a part of our special Summer trip in Norway! Now it’s off to blog about the trip through Berlin with Erin and Tormod that immediately followed our Norwegian adventure!

Tschuessie!

A Wedding…Norwegian Style!

A wedding, on Saturday afternoon, was in order. The beautiful bride, Irene, was going to marry Tormod’s brother, Øyvind, and we were honored to be out-of-town guests! We had always said that whenever Erin and Tormod were back in Norway we’d have to get together either in Norway, Berlin, or both, since it was just an hour and 20 minute flight between countries. And what a grand opportunity for us to see Norway and for them to see Germany!

Erin and Tormod were making a trip to Norway so they could see family again, and for the grand wedding affair! So of course we felt a little uncomfortable asking if we could visit them in Norway during this important family event, but then Tormod said that Irene and Øyvind would love to have us at their wedding. Wow! So exciting! So off to Norway we were!

After we lounged around Saturday morning and got all prim and proper for the wedding, we headed off to the church!

Now this wedding, like many traditional Norwegian weddings, as I’ve been told, are very similar to the traditional weddings in Germany; like the one we had for ourselves in September 2009. Close friends and family gather for the ceremony in a local church (or a particularly pretty church or one that’s large enough to fit all of the guests– seeing how many of the local churches are the size of a shoe box).

Usually in Germany, and in Norway, too, I believe, the bride and groom walk together down the aisle. They get married twice, so to speak; once in the government hall / before the court, and then a church service may be done, too. So technically you’re already married before the church wedding, and sometimes up to 2 or 3 months before the church wedding in Germany (and Norway, too, I believe). But Irene chose to walk down the aisle with their two little daughters. Oh it was the sweetest thing– unplanned, Øyvind met her halfway down the aisle since the little one was crying. It was sweet to see the family finish the aisle walk all together. Precious!

The church was nowhere near as small as the church we were in for our German wedding, but it was on the small-medium size, I would say. Not a giant Oklahoma baptist church, but not a teepee, either. Just a perfect little church.

As anyone may know who attended our US wedding in Tulsa, Oklahoma, we like short and to-the-point services. If a wedding’s lasting more than 5 minutes there’s a problem. haha Just kidding…more than 45 and we’re WAY over time. This wedding ceremony was perfect. Start to finish, with a bunch of Norwegian language that we couldn’t understand for the life of us, I’d say it was about 40 minutes or so. Maybe even 30. It felt like 30 anyhow.

After the ceremony, just as in Germany, all of the guests greet the bride and groom outside of the church, in a processional-style, and wish them all the best. All I said to Irene was that she was very, very beautiful. I think I was so awe-struck by her gorgeous wedding gown. She probably thought I was crushin’ on her! haha She looked just divine! She had the finest crystal strands draping from around the back of her neckline, swooping down her back, to the mid-back section of her gown. Just beautiful! Maybe the wedding blogger in me was coming out. I loved those fine details!

After the wedding ceremony the couple left to have their photos taken and we opted to run to pick up groceries for the weekend. I’ll admit that I think the US method of “first glance photos” and professional photographs taken before the wedding is the best idea for a few reasons. One, you look your absolute best and fresh and are completely photo-ready straight out of the dressing room. Two, you don’t keep all the guests waiting for the reception. But I’d say a good half of Americans take their photos in between the ceremony and reception. We did for our own in Tulsa, but our photographer insisted that we limit the shots to 45 min-1 hour max since we had a party to get to. That was a good idea. And my bridals were done before the ceremony, which was nice.

But for some dumb reason I was holding fast to the old tradition of seeing the bride at the aisle for the first time. Now that I’ve been working in the blogging and marketing world for weddings for a few years now, and seeing the new and fab trends, and seeing how so many people do things differently, I wish we would have done first glance photos. Seeing each other before the wedding for that special first glance moment and photo op doesn’t detract at all from that first glance down the aisle. It’s also a special moment. A different one, but equally special. But walking down the aisle, nervous you’ll trip, nervous with all the eyes upon you…how can you REALLY be completely focused on your soulmate at the other end of the aisle? I don’t know…first glances before the ceremony are really on the rise and the photos I’ve seen from them, and the stories I’ve read and written about them, straight from the couples’ mouths, really attest to how amazing first glances are. Okay, that was my little wedding-business spill for everyone. Engaged? Opt for that first glance moment. I don’t have any regrets from our weddings, but this one. I wish we would have seen each other privately before the wedding ceremony.

So I digress…. It actually turned out for us to wait a bit between the ceremony and reception as we needed groceries since Sunday, as in Germany, the grocers are closed, and the family (Anita and Knut) in whose home we were staying, were coming back the next evening. We needed some groceries!

Now the arrival at the reception hall reminded me a bit of our reception in Germany. It was relaxed and all of the guests had some drinks before we officially arrived. A great way to bridge the gap between the ceremony and reception. Irene and Øyvind drove up to the hall in style– in a Mercedes, of course– and the music sounded and we all clapped and cheered. It was so exciting!

Then the reception began! We mingled, had some drinks, enjoyed some nibble snacks, and then had a delicious 3-course-meal! It was so Lecker! They were so thoughtful in making sure I, as a weirdo vegetarian, had a meat-free meal.

Actually, when the first course arrived I was given what everyone else had– some chicken on a bed of lentils and some pureed cauliflower, I believe. I just put the chicken aside and started to dive in, but then the wait staff rushed over, took the plate from me, fervently apologized for the mistake, and brought me a delicious vegetarian spring roll. I didn’t mind. Both looked, and tasted (sans chicken), delicious! And, naturally, with each and every course there was an appropriate aperitif, champagne, wine, or tasty beverage.

For the main course instead of beef (some red meat, I think) I had a delicious cod fish. Oh that was the best cod and some of the best fish I’ve ever had! De-LISH!

Dessert was a chocolate tort and I passed on that, seeing how I’m not a chocolate fan, and at that point (one chicken turned down and one chocolate tort turned away) one of Tormod’s family members asked if I ate anything. haha Minus chocolate and meat, and a few odd fruits, I’ll pretty much eat anything. And I assured them that even though the official 3-coursed dessert wasn’t eaten, the arrangement of wedding desserts and the official wedding cake splayed out on the table across the room, would definitely be eaten!

The wedding was a lot of fun, and though I didn’t dance much (just wasn’t feeling it; and I was camera-happy that particular night), I had a great time. There were a lot of speeches, and unfortunately we didn’t understand anything, except for Tormod’s speech. We “understood” it as he had told it to us in the car before the wedding. From what we could grasp the bride and groom were very happy and pleased with the speeches. Lots of laughs and cheers and tears and hoots and hollers of joy.

There was a slideshow of lovely photos, too, just like at Tormod’s and Erin’s wedding. I really loved that effect! But I’m a slideshow junkie. I’d say that the reception in Norway was very similar to the receptions we’ve attended in Germany. German guests may make more games or funny songs for the couple, as opposed to speeches, but I’d say that the two countries’ wedding styles are very similar. And the party goes on and on and on!

One fun thing that was traditional at this wedding, as with all Norwegian weddings, is the banging of the spoons on the table. When all of the guests create a cacophony of pounding with their spoons on the table the newlyweds must stand on their chairs and kiss. If all of the guests then stomp their feet on the floor, then the newlyweds must go underneath the table and steal a kiss. Such fun!

Now our German wedding officially went from 2pm -2am. Some of the German ones we attended went until 7am, and I think this Norwegian one wasn’t too shy of that time, either. Whew! After we had our fill of drinks and dancing and enjoyment, we made our way to the bar by the exit.

In Norway the drinking and driving laws are extremely rigid. If you have so much as a sip of alcohol you don’t drive. The rules are extremely strict, which I think are appropriate, and if you take a breathalyzer and there’s a trace of alcohol on your breath, watch out! Even if it’s the next morning and you’re still recovering. Beware.

So since all of us had some (and some more than others), we definitely opted for a cab back home. We actually just caught a cab with some of the other guests. Turns out the cab that pulled up was like a bachelor or party bus with tons of seats, neat blue lights inside, and, well, was a Party Taxi. Hilarious! A great and efficient way to transport a dozen tipsy or drunk wedding guests to their homes safe and sound.

The wedding of Irene and Øyvind was really a lot of fun. We had such a nice time and it was a real treat to be invited to such a special event! Tussend Takk, Familie Slettebø!!

I will regale you with a few more stories and fotos of the next couple of days that we spent in Norway in my next post: the final Norge post. Then it’s off to Berlin with Erin and Tormod! An exciting 6 days with them in our home city! Can’t wait to share! Until then….

Tschuessie!