Back for Two Days

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We got back from Berlin this evening around 5 pm. We came home to a home cooked meal after living on street bratwurst, various pastries, cheese plates, brochen and Nutella for the past three days.

We left Berlin at about 8:30 am and the weather (which had been drizzling and cool the whole time we were there) was already in the high 80's. That is a long day in a Fiat Panda with no A/C and 90+ degrees for almost 700 km. At least there are no speed limits on the Autobahn because it almost feels like air conditioning once you get over 140 with the windows down. I do find myself however saying "huh?" a lot after 7 hours of howling winds by my ear. Who needs hearing anyway when you can't understand the language anyway, right?

One little tip: If you are ever in Germany on the Autobahn and your have to pee and you see a sign for the WC, skip it because it will scar you deeply. "Fuschbah!" as the woman there told Katherine. Find a bush. Or a McDonalds. Even if you have to pay someone 80 cents to use their WC. You will never regret it...

Anyway, I tried to upload a video for your comic relief but it wouldn't work. It was a video Katherine took of me calling our hotel in Wittenburg and trying to tell the woman, who only spoke German, that we wouldn't be there until 10 pm. Here is a brief excerpt from the end of our exchange:

"We will be there but not until tsein in the nocht."

"Ya."

"Is that OK? Nein seben ya tsein? Tsein in el nocht en tsein?" (Here I am using some Spanish and mixing around the word for "night" in German with the word for "ten" and sounding like I am saying that I am "not insane.")

"Moment"

(Here she puts me on hold and I continue to put money in to the pay phone expecting someone who speaks english to come on the phone)

20 seconds later she comes back:

"Ya"

"We are coming at tsein."

"Ya, Gut."

click.

Katherine was of no help because she was laughing the whole time. These are the adventures of travelling without a Grandmother who speaks German...sheesh.

Well tomorrow after church we are planning on taking a boat trip down the Rhein River then on Monday morning we leave for the airport to take us to Dublin. Then we will be in Ireland and Great Britain for 14 days, where people speak English. It will be a nice change. Katherine has talked me out of trying to survive for the whole trip on only what we can fit into two backpacks....where has all the adventure gone?

Chet

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Comments

[Kate Kirk]

Love you guys
Darf Gott dich segnen. I shoulda come w you guys to help translate! Are you still planning on Paris for your anniversary? Sooo romantic.. -Kate