First we take Manhattan...

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...then we take BERLIN !!!

We arrived in Berlin with our whole lives on our backs…and Ute (a teacher that I work with at my school) met up with us, to say hi, willkommen, and help us bring our stuff to the youth hostel, which was close to Potsdamer Platz (a newly developed square with avant-garde high-risers, surrounding what used to be Niemandsland (no-mans-land), separated by the Berlin Wall). For the next few days we explored Berlin, while frantically looking for a place to live. At times we were exhausted and grumpy but we managed to work together to find a place in Schöneberg (one of the districts in Berlin) for the next 3 weeks. Of course while we were looking for a flat we enjoyed delicious vegetarian Döner Kebabs, and Magnum ice-creams (and no there is nothing as delicious and creamy as German Magnum bars…mmm..). Our place happens to be an actor's flat, Thaddäus, and he is officially our first Berlin friend. 😊 He was just over the other night singing songs and reading Shakespeare to us.

So during the flat hunting adventure, I still had to be teaching at school mon-thurs. My school is in East Berlin, and the students are eager to learn about Canada. Everyday it takes me about 1 hour and 15 mins to get there (including the U-Bahn, S-Bahn and Strassenbahn) and go back home so I have begun reading a German book. The U-Bahn is underground transport, S-Bahn is a faster way to travel and usually above the road (like the sky train) and Strassenbahn is like a tram that travels with the traffic. The transportation system is excellent in Berlin!!! I never have to wait longer than 10 mins!

So until next time,
Liebe Grüsse von Hannah und Mischa
September 6 - 30, 2007

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Photos

Potsdamer Platz
The stunning architecture all around takes our breath away.

The famous Brandenburg Gate
We went for a stroll one evening, enjoyed a picnic, a beer and a beautiful sunset, while walking past the Canadian Embassy, the Holocaust Memorial and the Hotel where Michael Jackson held his infant son out the window...

Prost (Cheers) !!!
Hannah enjoying a Berliner Pilsner

Falafel Time
Mischa loves his Falafels. He definitely deserved that one, after a hard day apartment hunting.

Big and Busy
A Berlin side street. Always lined with cars, full of people, bikes and greenspaces.

Colourful Kreuzberg
Exploring the Kreuzberg district in Southern Berlin

Merseburger Strasse
Our first flat. High ceilings, lots of light, and good tunes.

Our Berliner Friend
Thaddäus entertaining us for the evening

Comments

[frisky]

Hola
hi hannah and mischa, thanks for including us in your update, travels and adventure. wonderful to be able to vicariously live your german experiences. i can almost taste the bier. keep well, hugs, frisky.

[Jenica, Steph and Q]

Thinking of you!
After breakfast we gathered around the computer to look at the photos! They are marvelous and so are you! Great photos, we'd like to see more! We hope you are having a wonderful time and eating lots of chocolate on our behalf! Love you tons, Jenica, Steph and Q PS . Thaddaus is muy, muy, MUY GUAPO!! : )

[Jenica, Steph and Q]

Thinking of you!
After breakfast we gathered around the computer to look at the photos! They are marvelous and so are you! Great photos, we'd like to see more! We hope you are having a wonderful time and eating lots of chocolate on our behalf! Love you tons, Jenica, Steph and Q PS . Thaddaus is muy, muy, MUY GUAPO!! : )

[Rebecca]

good times! nice flat!

[Aunty Shauny]

Great photos/great idea to have this blog
Hannah and Mischa, so nice to keep up on what your doing and seeing with this tool. Sounds like things are starting to fall into place. That Falafel looks absolutely delicious, wow, do you think one could survive air-mail :), Miss you lots, but very happy for you