Pt. II: A change of scenes

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Berlin is an amazing city.

The two trouble spots:
1. Having gotten accustomed to being able to navigate at a basic language level in a foreign country, I forgot the helpless feeling of not being able to communicate.
Picture me trying to get a taxi driver to understand the scribble of an address I have on a piece of paper, it's midnight at the airport, and I habitually answer his German impatient remarks with 'si", que?!?!' and 'claro".

Language barrier is part of the experience of being a foreign traveler and letting yourself fall into the rhythms of the unfamiliar sounds. Perhaps one day I will learn the language.
2. It was freezing. At least in the beginning, till I relearned how to layer clothing again. And german weather can be predictable - it begins to rain everyday at 3:30.

All was forgotten when, in an afternoon downpour, I found myself peddling after Ben and Buck, a high school friend who is playing german all year, through a long manicured park, twisting through neighborhood streets, and passing along the dividing street of what was East and West Berlin. We took a break at a classic ice cream parlor where we introduced ben to the german idea of a proper ice cream = a homemade hot waffle with scoops of creamy ice cream drizzled with dark hot chocolate sauce and tons of sprinkles. That is the basic. Following our tour guide Mr buck, our next stop was some 'fabulous' wine bar. hmmmm. His words were true however. Stepping into the place, you enter upon an antiqued design array of living rooms with old baroque couches and chandeliers. You pay a euro entrance fee and are handed a goblet. You are shown to a long table with a row of wine bottles. The system is you taste and drink whichever, whenever, to your heart's delight and when you exit, you pay by how many glasses you believe you drank. The place was obvioulsy made for me, that I could taste everything, over and over. Plus the most diverse and electric group of people, mostly young but some grey heads too. We ended up chatting with a couple from scandinavia.

Berlin really is a city of creative energy. What I love about it is that it seems that people really are able to just be themselves. There is no care about high end fashion, a certain look, or celebrities. Rather, people really are focused on their work, friends, and pleasures. Plus in the neighborhoods where I stayed, reminiscent of the East Village, there are health food stores on EVERY corner. quite the conscious vibe.

P.S. Exploring a city on bikes is amazing. Not only can I pretend to be a local and able to cover a lot more ground, but after walking and walking, the change of speed is exhilarating.

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Photos

My boys
Ben and Buck checking out an impressive building, contemporary art museum in background

The cathedral
All the black spots are from bombing fires

Joy Ride
biking through the tiergraten

Match-off
the goose won

Cruisin'
through a rock exhibit. it was actually quite cool

Macho
Seems every city needs to assert its manlihood

Surrounded
A step into the memorial...