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The weekend has been filled with so many breath-taking moments, that I hardly remember why I had earlier in the week felt homesick. But I do remember. It stemmed from an inactivity, and from a brief uncomfortableness with the German language. I had become so stagnant, so reliant on routine, that I had wanted everything to be perfect within that routine, particularly my language skills. Yet when I had an especially challenging day with communication, the stability of my routine was challenged and I was made uncomfortable again, but in a bad way. I just needed a little shaking, a bit more sleep, and some time talking to those back home to put my position back into perspective; I am in Germany, I am actively living out a dream I formulated years ago, and I am in the best possible position to learn from the culture I have so long been fascinated with (what with living among the people and all). Insecurities still exist, but with focus back in the foreground, I think that I can once again be a little more gutsy and feel a lot less insecure. I have two months left, and I have every intention of throwing myself into them. I want to look back and see that I have learned. No regrets.

That which finally grounded me was to actually break up the routine, rather than to follow it. I felt guilty, really, to not be travelling in every spare moment, or to be in the world practicing my German. Even a trip to the gorcery store can be enough to lighten my mood because I am not so isolated within my space, worrying about assignments that need completing. Those things will work themselves out, and I have promised myself to work a little bit each day on studying vocabulary and writing my psychology paper. Rather than fret, I forced myself out this weekend; it is so easy to turn down invitation when in a rut. On Saturday I visited "Flohmarkt," a sort of outdoor flea market, as well as a Karstadt shopping centre with my Au-pair partner-in-crime, Caillin. I do not even recall if I have mentioned Caillin in this blog yet, but briefly, she hails from Namibia (Southern Africa) and works as an Au-Pair for another family here in Wetzlar-Muenchholzhausen. It is a little comical to have suddenly two au-pairs in the small bedroom community that I believe till now had never had an au-pair, but it is a comfort for both of us to have another contact and friend so near. She of course will have to visit me in Canada, but first she has about 10 more months left working. The family that Caillin works for picked us up from Karstadt (it is located in the neigbouring city, Giessen) at around noon and we headed off to make apple juice. Or rather, we went to watch apple juice being made. The family had several apples (an understatement), and according to Caillin, they had stayed up very late pressing juice by hand into large containers the previous day. This time they had hired out a machine press and the job was done much faster. Regardless of how it is pressed though, fresh, organic apple juice has by far the best flavour.

Fall has definitely arrived in Hessen, and the forests around me are a near pure yellow. I do miss the red and orange that bedecks the trees in Canada, but it is still an incredible comfort to take a drive through the country and these yellow trees. It reminds me of the vast expanse of home, and reminds me just how much I love to be out of the city and within that absolute purity. I adore the farms around also, and the soft cows with their thick hide. The cows appear to have such a great beard around their necks and give off the appearance of being very well fed. It must be the thick grass. The Armbrusters and I went for a long drive today through said country, to visit the town where Tom was born and to see a couple of castles. First we passed through Braunfels to see the Schloss (castle) on the top of the hill. The town is actually quite small, but the architecture within is unbelievable. I stopped not for a moment to remove my jaw from the floor; I was simply too busy oogling and wondering why it was I ever gave up on architecture (visiting a second castle 10 min away where the floors slanted suddenly reminded me why; I terribly dislike physics). If I ever did get swept back up into the subject, I can guarantee that I will be returning to work in Europe in restoration. To preserve buildings like these everyday, and to learn every little bit of their history, would be a pleasure. The Schloss Braunfels, I believe, is still inhabited by one of the original families, making it not open to the public, and making me a little jealous that I do not live in a gorgeous castle up in the trees.

The second castle was Schloss Weilburg in the Hessen town, Weilburg. This is where Tom was born and although we did not do too much sightseeing of the town, our main goal was the castle. Built into and on top of a large rock edifice reaching down into the river Lahn, one feels as though they can look out over the whole world. The grounds are amazing, and since 1935 the schloss has been a public museum only available through guided tour. There are several sections built at different times, but everything is quite well preserved. I lost count of the number of parlours, and  learned that certain parlours were colour decorated according to the season that they would primarily be used in. The room that really gained my attention was the tea room. It was absolutely beautiful, and I would do near anything for the chandelier. Absolutely exquisit, all of it. A bedroom of one of the family members, though, in burned into my retinae in a less than pleasing way. The walls were the most vibrant shade of blue, near electric, and with such tall ceilings it was a lot to take in at once. I dragged my jaw along all the way through the tour regardless. Sometimes I really wish that I could travel time.

Today, I know, is Halloween, and while it is not celebrated by many in Germany, I wish everyone a great time back home. I have always enjoyed the day. It is also our zone's time changeover. The Guelph region will not have theirs until November 7, which means that for the next week I will only by 5 hours ahead. I do love gaining an hour.

- Candles

And miles to go before I sleep.

Love a good poem.

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sounds the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

-Candles 

What a German Makes: Food Edition

The Germans know their food.

1. How much Hazelnut do they use here!? All chocolate, cookies, and cakes seems to have some degree of Hazelnut as part of the ingredients. I don't even taste the difference anymore, but I personally prefer almonds.
2. They have no idea what pie is, and it's very hard to explain in German.
3. The majority of their milk comes in little boxes, and therefore does not require refridgerating before opening.
4. Bread is always fresh, and for that reason you will always find a bakery nearby.
5. Coffee to go? Unlikely. This probably relates to the German ideal of enjoying/concentrating on one thing at a time, so when you want to buy a coffee, be prepared to sit down for a while with a ceramic mug.
6. The same really goes for any meal you eat; the preferred way is to sit down and enjoy every bite. It makes me sad, actually, that we're always eating on the go or while studying or while watching TV.
7. Grimminger = Tim Hortons. When visiting Mannheim, Leslie pointed them out, and they really do sit on EVERY corner. I can attest to their coffee or food, but it's likely better.
8. 1,99 Euro wine bottles/boxes. And they actually are better than most wines.
9. They have SO much champagne here, but it actually tastes really good. The champagne in Canada is pretty gross.
10. Mettbroetchen! The concept of raw ground beef or pork on a fresh roll is a little worrisom, but they know how to do it right here, and it is delicious. 
11. The market has aisles and aisles of fresh meat and cheese, plus a large fresh bakery. It is evident where the focus is for food.

12.  Street markets are very common on weekends, and often times they will be set up in a random parking lot every weekend.

13. The same can be said for random produce stands being set up for a day outside of a shopping centre or train station. One moment they’re there, the next they’re gone again.

14. Brezeln. Soft pretzels, hard pretzels, plain, salted, or covered in candy pieces; these little (or large) twisted things of goodness are EVERYWHERE. That being said, potato chips aren’t popular here in consequence. 

15. Haribo leads the pack in gummy candies, and Kinder surprise is one of the largest suppliers of chocolate for children.

16. All chocolate here is pretty cheap, but oh so delicious.

17. There are hot dogs in jars!!

18. Missing home? Just visit the "American" section in the foreign foods aisle. We're right next to "Mexican." 

-Candles

What a German Makes: Part 1

I fully expected that "Google" would switch into German, but today was the first time I logged into my blog and found all of the links in German also. That was a sudden switch!

Today is a ridiculously disgusting one. When I talked to my Opa last weekend, he said that when the weather in Germany is nice, it's really nice, but when it's bad, then is it ever bad! And today it is a mixture of cold, bitter wind, and pelting rain. It inspires one to hide beneath the covers. This dramatic weather, though, is a good representation of the German people, I think. The German never leaves a task unfinished, a thought uncontemplated, or a meal unsavoured. A visitor will find the entire country always on the go, and never late (with the few exceptions, of course); but they get things done and enjoy the little pleasures of life while doing so. On our train ride back to Wetzlar from Kassel last week, Leslie and I made a list together of the differences we noted in our new environment. While naturally it's difficult to recall everything on the spot, here are a few things that we have written down:

1. The are a few key phrases that the German will use in response to a statement: OK, Super, Cool, and Toll! "OK" was the one that struck me first as when someone used it against my statements, they said it in such a tone as to having me wonder, "Did they understand what I had just said?" But they seem to know, and "OK" has become a part of my vocabulary also, except, perhaps, with the German accent that ladens these words.
2. The German "slow-train" is the equivalent of the Canadian "fast-train." In other words, we have nothing to even compare to their fast-trains, and I find it amusing when the German complains at having to take the local trains.
3. Like their weather, the Germans are always "go-go-go." Even my German language teacher commented on how the people will put work ahead of almost everything. I do not wonder why they are all so successful.
4. The people do not multitask, and for that they tend to get more done. Studies suggest that multitasking undermines our efficiency, so they appear to have it right in this country.
5. The people also tend to spend less time thinking about methods and procedures, and just go ahead and do what needs to be done. Consequently they get more done while we are still suggesting different ways to approach a problem. (This is a habit of mine that I intend to break)
6. The outlets are huge, the light switches are backwards, and the toilets flush from the wall. I'm going to be really messed up when I return home.
7. Hang dry and iron every piece of clothing that you have. Seriously. I do a lot of ironing around here.
8. Everyone here drives a standard, and mercedes is not uncommon. In fact, most buses and taxis are mercedes.
9. Television programs for children are freaky! I watched a show on KiKa with Mia the other week that focused on a cartoon groundhog trying to figure out who had shat on his head. Each animal he questioned would reply with, "No", and then would proceed to show him how they "made." Shows from the 60's and 70's are also still very popular, such as "Pipi Langstrumpf" and "Sandmaennchen."
10. The German is always on time or a little late. Never get on a train that you think is yours, just early. You'll likely be going to the wrong destination.
11. Every house has storm shutters built into the structure. They make for really nice, dark rooms for sleeping. It was perfect when I was jet-lagged.
12. The pillows are huge, flat, and often very soft! I usually fold mine in half to make a thicker pillow, like I'm used to in Canada.
13. They use a comforter and nothing else, but it's always very fluffy and warm.
14. Immer "gerade aus." When you ask for directions, this is what you'll always hear; they always tell you to keep going straight ahead. Just buy a map.
15. Face it, you're going to have to pay to pee in a public washroom. At least they are usually pretty clean.
16. Everyone is well behaved: children, dogs. There is an emphasis on politeness and representation (although Canadians still hold the reputation of being the most polite). I have noticed, however, a small temper tantrum epidemic among the you children. I wonder how long that will last.
17. There is this unwritten policy where you simply don't talk about your illness, especially when psychological. Whereas North American are more open and accepting of these issues, and that openness is inspiring more people to seek treatment, it is still unfortunately a taboo here to have depression or the like.

Stay tuned for a food editon, and for later lists as I get closer to heading home.

-Candles

and when going into battle, they sang of him first of all heroes

This will likely have been my last destination weekend for a little while. My homework sits piling and there’s that edging feeling implying that I ought to begin my thesis paper; I’m suspecting that 30 pages will take a little while to write.

I’ve spent the last three weekends travelling to various locations with my dear friend Leslie. Most who read this blog have an idea of who Leslie is, but for those who don’t, I’ll clarify. She is a dear friend and former classmate from Canada who is over in University Mannheim for German exchange. We met only last winter in the Intermediate German II course, and also had Contemporary German together taught by our visiting teaching assistants (who better to teach about the state of Germany today than two Germans themselves?). Of the students from my German program over here (all of whom are also friends), Leslie is the closest geographically; not that that is the only reason why I travel with her often. Certainly it helps, but I am very glad that she is close by because it is only magnifying the friendship we started back home. Fortunately we have very complementary personalities, and also share a lot of the same Canadian morals and ideals (although I think that I notice that latter fact more now because we are among a completely different culture). Leslie came approximately 3 weeks earlier than I to Germany, and was the first of all of us here now to arrive. I have to give here especial credit for the fact that this is her first time over to Europe and she managed to do it of her own will. Few people have the courage to do that. 

The first weekend of these consecutive three was our trip to Berlin, which I’ve already written about. The second weekend I visited Leslie’s home turf: Mannheim. It was not my first time to Mannheim since I have been here. The first was to see Leslie again for the first time since she had left. We went out dancing and to meet her numerous new international program friends. Several hail from Norway. The second was last weekend for Oktoberfest. When I had first arrived in Germany there had been talk of my possibly visiting Munich for the celebration, which would have been amazing; but as the weekend approached it proved to be increasingly difficult for anyone in this house to make it there. Tom did manage to go to visit with friends, at the table that the group of them reserve each year (and as you can likely imagine, reserving a table is incredibly difficult); but I am also told that he had to sleep on the kitchen floor of his friends’ flat for lack of accommodation space. Mannheim’s Oktoberfest, while I was warned would be small, was still amazing fun and a little chaotic. The most important features of the night were the good friends, the beer, and the carnival rides. I don’t recall Oktoberfest in Kitchener ever having that many fun rides, and really, all that I needed was the one beer tent to dance on tables with my friends in while having a “Maß” of beer (which is a unit of measurement; 1 litre). I’ll also note that I enjoy carnival rides much more, and am more likely to do the ridiculous ones, after I’ve had a beer to calm the nerves. I also become much better at bumper cars in that I can actually steer without getting caught in a corner. I think the note here is that I over think things too much when I should rather just be doing; I need to work on that. Mannheimer Oktoberfest was also the fateful event that saw Leslie losing her camera. There is still a small degree of hope left that it will be found when they dismantle the rides this week, but it is unfortunate that we lost the pictures that were on the card from that night, as there were some great ones. All in all, a great evening, with one other note (you had to know it was coming, Leslie), we managed to get lost heading back to her student dorm. Somehow we ended on the wrong street car and wound up on the other side of the river from where we wanted to go. When we got off in Ludwigshafen, it was suggested that we walk back. I of course had no idea where we were so I followed Leslie, who walked us in a giant circle back to the same station we got off on! Ha-ha. We eventually got the right streetcar home... at 3am. Leslie always says that she is directionally challenged, and while she did lead us well in Berlin on our last day, she’s now cancelled it out. Next time, Leslie!

Just this past weekend Leslie finally came to visit me in Wetzlar. There may not be a lot to do around Wetzlar, but it is nice because I am living with a young family. Saturday was Mia’s birthday party with a witch theme. It is common here for children parties to have different themes, and thus Mia’s was full of costumes, witches brew and a pirate cake. Leslie arrived later that Saturday night, after the 10 children had gone home, and she and I headed to the local bar in Muenchholzhausen (the bedroom community of Wetzlar that I live in) to meet with my other au-pair friend, Caillin. A night out with Leslie is never boring. The three of us had a couple of drinks together and ordered some fries, after which one of the old bar flies proceeded to move closer and closer into Leslie’s space. At one point he offered to help her to finish her fries, then put her napkin closer to her face, saying that it was for wiping it, and then (although I didn’t see this part), put his hand randomly in front of her face. Ha-ha! We labelled it “the German hand!” I don’t know how Leslie doesn’t laugh out loud during these. The bar tender, whose child attends the same kindergarten as Mia, helped to shoo the man away. I think that this may be his regular behaviour. The Sunday following, Leslie and I went into the Altstadt with Tom and Mia. For a few hours, Leslie and I explored alone, during which she also agreed that it is an adorable little place. We had a coffee in the old building where the seat of the Holy Roman Empire’s highest court (Reichskammergericht) once was located, and where famous German author Goethe also was as a trainee (before he took to writing). Leslie and I also cooked for the family that day, making fajitas (which the Germans know, but confess have never mastered) and also Nanaimo bars out of British Columbia. It was my first time making and eating this dessert, but delicious!! On Monday I had the day off work and Leslie and I headed to Kassel to meet up with our friend David from Berlin. He actually lives in Kassel and attends the University there, so he offered to show us around. If I had to pick a city to compare it to, I would choose Collingwood. It is very large and scenic, with several hills to climb up, particularly one with a large tribute to Hercules (“Der Herkules”). The only main difference was that Kassel is larger and has a greater population, likely because of the University. There also appears to be a very large Turkish population there (much to the bane of the local Germans) and so there isn’t a street corner without a Döner stand. I will never eat a Döner. Ew. The weather was phenomenal and so at one point we laid out on the lawn of the local palace (now a planetarium) and I felt for a moment like I was at the Guelph campus on Johnston green. Then I opened my eyes and saw the very symmetrical palace and landscape, appearing straight out of the Jane Austen novels, and I was brought back to the reality of my situation – not that I’m complaining about laying on a lawn in Germany. Leslie and I trained back late, after which there was a small fiasco with the bus in that it never came. Although while waiting another bus driver (who was also foreign) hit on Leslie and insisted she take his number so that when she got a new cell phone (have I mentioned yet that she’s also lost her cell phone) she can call him. Ha-ha. That was really, really difficult not to laugh at during. He was very forward (“Do you have a boyfriend? Because I don’t have a girlfriend.”) and completely ignored me until he needed a piece of paper, or whenever he was trying to compliment Les (“She’s really sweet, don’t you think?” – no duh!). Poor Leslie. She IS very sweet, to the point where she’s cornered into taking down phone numbers. Lucky her to have lost her cell phone! As THAT bus pulled away we did burst out laughing, then took a short cab ride to my house. Leslie took a train back to Mannheim early this morning. I adore that kid, and I’m glad that we’ll be returning to Canada on the same day (everyone else is staying the full year).

Der Herkules

Former seat of Reichskammergericht

And here I am now, sitting in my apartment trying to recall everything about this past weekend and also planning to put the rest of my free time into my assignments and placement. I’ll likely not travel again on my own until late November and early- to mid-December, when I hope to visit both Freiburg and Mannheim for one more weekend, and then up to Visbeck to see my relatives (I met them all for the first time 2 years ago; I’m very excited to go back and to spend some more time with them). There’s still the possibility of travel with the family I work for, but until then, its work, work, work. I need to save some money here too. 

-Candles

Mettbrötchen

I went grocery shopping with Tom the other night, and I can barely express the humour in seeing "Amerika" in the foreign foods section, right next to Mexican and Chinese cuisine. Since when did HP Sauce and marshmallows become such a unique delight. It was comforting, though, to read labels in English again; for a moment I felt like I was back in the Zehrs across from my house.

I also ate the strangest thing on our way out to the car: a Mettbrötchen. Essentially, it's raw ground beef or pork on a fresh roll, which after having been told my whole life never to eat raw meat, I found quite strange. Yet, it was incredibly delicious also, and is something I highly recommend that any non-vegetarian visiting Germany seek out. Of course there are a few rules to it though. Make sure that it's very fresh, as in made that very day - the ground meat, I mean. Otherwise you risk getting sick. Also, it's best on a soft, fresh roll, and can also have raw onions added (although I ate mine without). The best places to find it, I think, are at butchers or at a market. The supermarkets here tend to be a little different in that they're larger and more focused on fresh breads, meats, vegetables, and cheeses. There are always huge meat counters, warm bakeries, and enormous cheese sections. I think that I could spend an entire day in there and still not discover all that they have. Mmmm, köstlich.

-Candles

I want to go back!... Berlin, Day 3

Day three was even earlier, since we had very little time left. I was to catch my train at 15:30 and we wanted to see more museums. On the way out we actually stopped to do a lot of souvenir shopping. In Berlin one might especially notice that the cross walk signals are different in the East and in the West. The West has this simple (boring) and modern looking green or red man, whereas the East has kept fast to their squat little Ampelmann with his little hat. It's become a cult symbol, and you can always tell when you've crossed over to one side or the other. That's actually one of the ways that we gauged it. There is a store that we went into dedicated entirely to this little man! I bought a pin, but there are cups, shirts, ice cube trays even; you could have little Ampelmaenner floating around in your drink. Unfortunately though there were no flags. Leslie was hoping to find one, I know.

Ampelmann

First we walked to the German Historical Museum, which unfortunately happens to be closed on Mondays, but right next door was the Berliner Dom, and so after a short photo shoot outside of the museum (that building is gorgeous), we went into the church. I found the outside of the Dom already impressive, but the inside was beyond words. That seems to be a common theme here, actually, "beyond words." Words escaped me then as they escape me now, while the majority of the trip was spent ooo-ing and awe-ing. Egal! The inside of the church was very clean and decadent. The inside of the dome itself was beautifully decorated with gold inlay, and everything to the smallest details on the pews was carefully carved out. I'm certain that if I were to go again I would notice more and more that I didn't see this time, especially since my eyes were so hungrily soaking up whatever could be crammed into my brain in such a short period of time. Mass was in session when we first entered, so were required to be quiet while inside the main area of worship, but upstairs is also a very interesting installation detailing the construction of the Dom. I've mentioned my love for architecture before and here I could actually see all of the detailed drawings from the architect, and the small models that they had built to showcase their design in 3-D. Some of these models are over a hundred years old, which makes them that much cooler to see. In this mini museum also is where Leslie and I stopped for a brief moment to sit on a bench by a window overlooking Berlin. We both reflected, or rather gushed, again over how everything had fallen into place for this adventure. I also noted that these floor-to-ceiling windows, and the high ceilings also, are something that I want in my own home (whether I design and build my own house or purchase an old one already tailor-made). I could already imagine myself sitting by such a window with a cup of tea on a cold, rainy day as such, sitting in my own home office/library. I want that moment someday, I really do, and I hope that I will and can then look back to this memory right in the Dom. Al, Leslie, and I were also able to climb, in the most convoluted fashion, up to the top of the Dom itself. Al wasn't too fond of the idea, but Leslie and I "encouraged" him. It was well worth it though; after hundreds of tiny old steps you come out at a veranda running round the outside of the Dom and can see everything, including where our next stop was to be, the DDR Museum. Before the DDR Museum, though, we went into the crypt of the Dom. I'm not sure if people often think to go down there, but it was so amazing. We actually almost skipped that part, but underneath you can find the tombs of several important Germans (specifically the royals). The most impressive was that of Friedrich Wilhelm, Elector of Brandenburg. Known in our history books as Friedrich der Große (it actually reads that on the large stone coffin; Frederick the Great), this man played a key role in domestic reforms and set up Prussia for elevation from duchy to kingdom. It was unbelievable to stand before where his actual body lays. It was the first time I had goosebumps without actually being cold.

Leslie & I outside of Museum

Berliner Dom (on a rainy day)

The distinction between the East and West naturally goes beyond the Ampelmann. In this tiny museum one can explore said differences, such as the different brand titles for anything from Cola to cars. Actually, inside of the museum is a little Trabant (THE car of the East; the West can be linked to the Volkswagan) that we were able to play around in; these cars are very tiny, mind you. It's interesting to see the distinctive differences outlined, especially to read about the ideal that the leaders of the East had intended to achieve. They appeared to want this perfect people, a society straight out of Pleasantville where everyone loved their country and were respectable and successfull. It of course didn't pan out, otherwise we might have been visiting a very different Berlin, not the one integrated into the West.

Time was now running out. Quickly now we walked over to the Brandenburger Tor, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe (where I got artsy with my camera and the cement blocks covered with rain droplets, and where I also attempted to jump up behind and scare Leslie again... no success; she was on to me), and finally the Soviet War Memorial. Then came the time to say goodbye to our dear new friend and travel partner, Al (*tear*), who left on the U-Bahn back to the hostel (his next stop with his mates was to be Poland), and Leslie and I headed towards the nearby Hauptbahnhof for my train; Leslie was to leave shortly after me.

I took the fast train home, which was fine by me because by now I was beyond exhausted. Yet with each passing hour on the train I longed more and more to turn around and run back. If only I had had the means to remain longer, or the time to... if only. But reflecting back I must say that it was one of the highlights of my life; and to think that I almost didn't go, that I almost postponed it. The weekend was full of so many "almost" moments that could have led us in so many direction. What if we had postponed the trip? What if we had never found that hostel and had stayed in the weird hotel? What if we had gone straight to bed insteead of going upstairs to meet other travellers? What is we had actually met up with Jonas (our past German TA who we actually were trying to see at some point while we were in Berlin)? Things really do work themselves out sometimes towards a particular goal, and save maybe for some sunny weather, I can't see how it would have been any better. Even the rain though I didn't mind so much, although right now I have the cold from hell. I just especially like to think about how perfectly everything came together on its own.

September 25th - 27th, 2010, forever the best weekend of my life!

Candles

On a mission to know the world... Berlin, Day 2

Day two went pretty much as one might expect. Leslie and I were on a mission to see as much as we could, and so a fairly early morning was had by all. Australians Dave and Lee had come in late – or should I say very early – and so they remained behind, but Leslie, Alistair, German David, and I all got out of bed at around 8:30 to get ready. It was also David’s last morning in Berlin, so he was required to check out.

Instead of touring right away though, the four of us headed downstairs for some breakfast. I mentioned before that Wombat’s Hostel is awesome, but I must say it again: I loved that place. A good breakfast downstairs, a bar upstairs, and our room squished in the middle! What’s not to love? Also there were a lot of interesting young people milling about, so needless to say, I had a great time wherever I went in that building. After breakfast we started to make our way to Alexanderplatz. It’s not far from the hostel and along the way David would leave us to head towards his train. Alistair was supposed to be leading the way (he’d been there before), but at some point we realized that we were heading off in some random direction. I was ragged on... wasn’t I supposed to be the one that is good with directions? Well sure, if I had known that I was supposed to direct! Ha-ha! Leslie simply remarked that she sucked with directions (ask her about her first day alone in Koln) and that she was going to depend on us. Have to love a girl that’s honest.

David left us at some point, and 10 minutes, and a few map consultations later, the remaining three of us reached the platz. I was so excited to finally get there. It’s been on my list for years now. There I saw the world 360 degree clock, but was disappointed to see that neither Toronto nor Ottawa were on it. Montreal was, although I’m a little confused why even our capital wasn’t there! The Aussie found his home Perth on the other side. From there we took the subway (U-Bahn) to an area south-east of us: Checkpoint Charlie. It was unbelievable finally seeing something I’ve learned so much about. A touristy area, I know, but wow! We crossed over there from the east into the west, something we wouldn’t have been allowed to do a little while in the past. I recall my uncle telling me of his travels in which he moved from west to east, and how it still felt odd after all this time since the wall, but I got to do the opposite. The difference between the two certainly isn’t as pronounced as it once was, but one can see a slight difference still.

From there we took a short walk to the Jewish Museum of Berlin, and I really do not have words to express how very grateful I am to have had the opportunity to visit. We spent 3 hours there, but even that was not enough. The amount of history there is intense, and while there is a lot to read, I found myself so swept up in it that I barely noticed the time. Leslie was enraptured even more so, and many a time Al and I would look back to see her still at the front of the room. And the architecture of that building! Oh words cannot express! I’ve had a great respect and love for architecture for a long time now, and I’ve known of this building for so many years, but to have actually seen it and been in it! I have great respect for Daniel Libeskind. He meant to design something that spoke of the three realities of Jewish life: Continuity with German history, Emigration from Germany, and the Holocaust. With voids intersecting the entire building and irregular windows placed in all different areas and directions, Libeskind has successfully created an eerily fascinating space. One especially memorable spot is the void filled with 10,000 coarse iron faces. Incredibly creepy and moving, Menashe Kadishman’s Shalechet installation is actually interactive. You are meant to walk across all of these faces in a symbolic gesture of giving the fallen back their voices.

Following this we thought it might be nice to lighten the mood by visiting the LEGO Museum. Up to now it had rained non-stop, and the forecast promised a never-ending supply. We hailed a taxi, took a short jaunt over, and then abandoned our plan. The LEGO Museum actually turned out to be quite expensive, so the three of us actually played with LEGO for a little bit in the atrium, and went to find food for our rumbling bellies. Pulling out the map there as we scarfed down panini, it was a group decision to push beyond how cold, wet, and tired we felt to see the Topography of Terror located at the old SS headquarters. Definitely worth it. I find the history behind the SS and the Gestapo incredibly fascinating, let alone the history behind the entire Second World War. The majority of the installation is outside under an open glass roof and against what remains of the SS building’s wall. It acts as a timeline, laying out the slow rise of the organization and the horrible things that they did to the people. The is also a portion of the installation inside of a giant, barren-looking building. Starting at one end inside, you can learn more specifically about the interior of the organizations, particularly about the people and the politics. All of it was very cool.

Finally, though, the sun had set, and exhaustion was taking hold, so we dragged ourselves to the nearest U-Bahn station, took it directly to our hostel, and went to dry off in our room. Following which Leslie and I went upstairs for a drink and some relaxed conversation, while Al caught up with his Aussie mates and headed out, although how he had the energy I know not. It turned into an earlier night for the most of us, though.

-Candles

Who gets up at 4am on a Saturday? Someone who has a train to Berlin, that's who!

I may be a little while off before coming home again, and there may be obvious moments where I miss my family, since I’m reliving often various parts of my childhood in playing with young children all day, but I can honestly say that after over one month, Germany has stolen my heart- although with all of my past in exposure to German culture, it was easily won over. My language is improving, thank heavens. Just have to continue to work a little harder.

This week in particular has flown by, likely because I’ve spent every waking hour in quiet reflection over my most recent excursion to Berlin. Yes, I finally made it to the Hauptstadt, and it only took me three visits to Germany, on three separate occasions, to achieve it. I may have only spent 3 days and 2 nights in the East side, but with my beloved travel partner, Leslie, I managed to see a lot! And by a lot I mean that I only got a total of 7 hours sleep the entire time; but that is where long train rides to and from the city come in use. After a minor hiccup in booking my train ride, I ended up taking the “slow” train on Saturday (Sept.25) there. It was 7 hours long and required 3 train changes, but the ride offered me a fantastic view and a lot of time to think. I can’t remember when the last time was that I just sat and thought. Usually I’m working, and I did bring some homework that I had intended to do, or I’m the one driving and thus can’t safely stare out the side window for hours on end. I say fantastic view because most of the trip there afforded hilly, green scenery, with plots of farm land here-and-there, and super beautiful images of stone structures. It was incredibly historic and even the old boarded up buildings caught my fancy. The only area that I could not stand was between Wetzlar and Kassel. While I love Wetzlar, the train area is positively hideous, and any local will attest to that; who designed our train station? Really, they ought to be ashamed. Or at least the people who are taking care of the area ought to be. Come on, Deutsche Bahn! Anyway, that small area between is incredibly industrial and littered, and it reminded me of the industrial areas of North America – I’m of course trying to escape North America for a while. This train ride also happened to begin at just before 6 am, so being incredibly tired did not elevate my mood for the first jaunt. Then came Kassel into view. A friend had already suggested that I go to Kassel, and as we approached I could see why... gorgeous. Old stone buildings, little streets (probably a nightmare for drivers), and also quite a bit of activity. From there on it continued to get better and after a cup of coffee and a light doze on the train I was in a much better and excited mood again. I also had a really amazing view of clouds hanging among the trees in the not too distant hills. At first it looked like billows of smoke, and I could imagine fireplaces in the early morning, sprouting smoke signals to the sky from ancient little houses buried among the pine.

I made it to the main train station of Berlin at approximately 14:00 (one of my trains was 40 min late to the transfer to Berlin – what happened to German punctuality?) and was met there by Leslie, who had arrived about 2 hours ahead of me. I always love meeting up with that girl. We have very similar interests when it comes to travel, and I get along with her very well overall in terms of personality (that’s right Leslie, I adore you!). We’ve actually only known each other for a year, but it feels like many more. I learned then that there was a major marathon going on in Berlin, which suddenly posed a huge problem for us; we had no place to stay, and finding one was going to prove to be ridiculously impossible. Three and a half hours of walking around, we actually spent most of the time trying to find hostels in the first place. One would think that in a big city like Berlin, close to the train station, one would find them everywhere. No such luck, and the ones that we did find were of course booked for the night. We did eventually find a little (smelly but clean) hotel, and Leslie was very much ready to convince me to stay there, but on a note from the receptionist I forced her to walk a little more down the street to see if we could find a hostel called “Circus” that MIGHT still have beds. We actually never did find Circus. Seriously, these places are impossible, but I saw through a window a small computer cafe area. I intended to use the computer to find where Circus lay, and while I did that, Leslie went to the front desk to ask if there was room. See, this little computer cafe was actually a hostel, Wombats, and as luck would have it, one that had room! Thank heavens. After 18:00 and we were tired and wet (have I mentioned yet that the entire trip was rainy). We got our room numbers, fresh linen, and a key card to the doors and private locker (room 302, my locker was #2), and settled in. Upon entering the room we saw clothes EVERYWHERE. Messy roommates, but didn’t matter. They were actually very awesome people: 3 Australians (Alistair, Lee, and Dave) and one German (Dave). Alistair would later join Leslie and I on our touring about Berlin seeing as he had never been before and his mates were very much about the partying all night and sleeping all day. On the top floor of the hostel was also a skybar with a rooftop terrace overlooking Berlin. We all spent many an hour there after walking around all day, to have a beer and to meet some of the other guests. I met a fantastic Irish man, Mathew, two more Canadians, Sean and Denis, some Americans, and a lot of other Germans. I also was introduced to A LOT of Australians; they dominated the hostel’s population. All-in-all, this hostel was the greatest find, and I had an unbelievable amount of fun in just this one building in the east of Berlin (I actually quite enjoy the east more than I do the west). I recommend it a thousand times over if you’re visiting Berlin. Very clean too and each room has its own clean bathroom – major bonus all around.

I didn’t spend all of my time in the hostel, though. The Sunday following would see the beginning of our touring. We had intended to tour that day that we got there but the hostel fiasco took up so much of our time that eating, having a beer, and getting to bed early (or so we had intended) was the only thing left on our agenda. Of course we stayed up in the skybar till maybe 2am (correct me if I’m wrong, Leslie), since the conversation going around was just too good to pass up. But day 2 of Berlin is for another blog; I need to go pack for Mannheim.

-Candles