THE END

This is the end of my posts to this page. 

I have moved the blog to another provider. Please go to:-

www.letterfromberlin.de                        

 See you there!

Change

 A computer expert (yes, Thorsten my computer teacher! ) checked my blog this morning and the changes made by Blogspot which is part of Google. He said I could not go back to the old format and I could not integrate text with photos in the new format.

I decided to find a new provider. We will be working on transferring all my material to the new blog. It will take between 1 and 2 weeks. When all is ready I will give you the link here. Meanwhile, we are having really nice weather at the moment. Look at the photo - taken an hour ago. 

Books

Blogspot has changed the way I can write a post. Sure to make mistakes but here goes! Due to coronavirus I am spending more time at home and reading more. I've just started the books you can see here. The one by Axel Hacke I got from Holger, who is a member of a writing club near to Bremen, where he lives. Hacke wrote short stories about his daily life for a newspaper and this is a collection of his stories. He includes jokes and comments on the things that happen each day. The bookk contains 40 of his stories. The book is called 'The best out of my life: My daily life as a man'.

I don't know where I got the other book from but it is very interesting. It is called' Discover and Understand - 2 - History book for high school students in Lower Saxony. I like how history is presented then the students are asked questions to check comprehension. It also has lots of coloured pictures. It begins with the King of Britain and Parliament in 1600 and ends with European imperialism leading to the First World War. Certainly a big choice of things to read as I hide from a virus. Stay healthy! 

Warm

It's warm here. I think we are having the last of summer but the forecast id for it to end from Thursday. When you go out you see people wearing summer clothes again and looking very happy to do so.

I went to the open air concert with my Kowalke Gang on Sunday. A Beethoven programme and very well played. Sitting in the sun also helped to make it special. I've got some visitors later in the week so I am looking forward to seeing them. I have finished reading the book about The East India Company. The things I learnt! Stay healthy.

Garden

Another week with the usual events. Nothing special to report. What Trump and Johnson have been doing during the week you can pick up on your local TV news, you don't need me to tell you. The German government has decided to take some of the orphaned children off a Greek island and provide them with a home in Germany. Some on the right are angry about this, but I have a problem to understand them. We are talking about children - that's all!

The big event of the week was yesterday afternoon in my garden. Three of my Kowalke Gang arrived with cakes, coffee and a bottle of sekt. Really nice to see them relaxing in the garden again. We are having good weather at the moment, for example: it was 24°C when they arrived. Nice and warm. Here is another photo of them enjoying the garden. I hope we can repeat it before the snow and ice arrive! We are meeting tomorrow for an open-air concert of Beethoven's music. Looking forward to that. The number of people allowed into the arena has been reduced, but no surprise about that.

Another

Another week has gone by and I have nothing new to report. The same meetings and activities as before. The main event was a telephone call from Bro2. He wanted to know how I was and about my health, and he did all this in English. Making progress! The weather is changing into autumn and its getting cooler. It is the opposite in Australia where the sun is starting to shine. Have a good week.

September 2020 Things

Looking at my diary for September I see all the regular things BUT I note some concerts. We are slowly getting back into normal life and events but I shall still have to wear a mask.

Perhaps you saw in your local TV that there was a big demonstration in Berlin against having to wear a face covering. I heard that 30,000 people protested on the streets in the centre. I am really surprised at the numbers of people protesting. Now to next month.

Who has a birthday in September?
Lynne B. over in Castleford will celebrate her 73rd with Alan on the 1st of September. I wish I could be there. On the 6th we find three nice ladies sharing the day - Charlotte will be 29, Nevand will be 16 and Arancha will celebrate her 36th with Jan and daughters over in Den Haag. Back in Berlin, Andrea will be 35 on the 8th, Gabi over in Bremen will be 54 on the 11th. David Klawohn of the SPD Jusos will be 20 on the 12th. I sometime help him with English. Over in Cambridge, nephew Stephan will be 50 on the 22nd, back in Berlin Robert Gast will be 42 on the 23rd, Sylvana will be 60 and back to Cambridge again we find Lew G. will celebrate his birthday with my sister on the 27th. Back in Berlin we note that Sylke will be 49 on the 29th. The month ends with the birthday of my nephew Jefferson who will be 47 on the 29th.
Happy Birthday to each and all no matter where you are!

Other Memories
Birgit's funeral took place on the 15th September 2004. Is it really 16 years ago? My wonderful cousin Jean died on the 16th. Moving to the 30th, we find that Birgit would be 68. My father died on that day in 2004  aged 94.

Two

I've had a 'normal' week of nothing unusual. My spare time I spend on the balcony reading the book about the East India Company. It really is a true work of academic research and writing. For example: I am in the 1700s and reading about the continual wars between different Mughal, Marathi, Afghani kings and rulers etc. I did not know there was such continual wars and bloodshed.

My week had two special events. The first was on Tuesday when I went to Rahnsdorf to join in the celebrations for Angelika's birthday. I have talked about her before so she is no stranger. She is now retired. She was a viola player in an orchestra in Berlin for many years. Most of her guests were musicians who I had met before. I really like the family house - it also has a swimming bath in the garden. See the photo. It is near to Muggelsee  in the east of Berlin and one of my favourite areas.

The second special event was a visit from Dr. Peter on Friday afternoon. He is a lecturer in economics at Potsdam university. He is also part of Jan's old school gang which I am happy to say still meets each year. Peter was visiting his mother here in Berlin and helping her with all the paperwork following the death of his father. It was great to relax with him and hear all his news. He only speaks English with me, but that is not a problem for he studied at a university in  the USA some years ago. He looks very fit for he told me he goes to the gym regularly for training. Keep it up Peter!

Lappy

You may remember that some months ago I asked readers to let me know if they had an old laptop in the cellar they had forgotten about. I got a quick response from Thorsten who works for our housing association. He is also a computer teacher, choir leader and organist. Makes you wonder what multi-talent means!

He prepared one given by an association member and this was given to Bro1. I posted photos of him holding out his hands and then opening his eyes to find a laptop in his hands, Nice photos and a very useful present for he now uses it each day in his studies at college. Interesting that a lot of information and homework is now posted on-line.

Yesterday it was time for Bro2 to give a big smile. They arrived as planned to do homework. Bro2 has realised he needs to improve his English and not only grammar. They don't speak in his English classes so he now wants to do that with me. After they had settled in, I told Bro2 to go onto the balcony and close his eyes while holding out his hands.

Bro1 smiled for he knew what was about to happen. Bro2 went onto the balcony and held out his hands. I dropped a laptop into them. He opened his eyes then gave a large smile. I told him it was for him. He smiled again. He then come over and gave me a big hug as he said thank you. Thanks also go to Thorsten for he found this one in a cellar as well.

Nice Surprise

I got a nice surprise yesterday. I was about to jump under the shower when the doorbell rang. I pressed my speaker button and asked who it was. The answer was from a delivery man. He said, "A packet for you." I pressed the button to allow access to the building and he gave me a packet and was gone in less than two minutes.

I stared at the packet and saw my name and address but no information about who had sent it. I opened it and saw a book, but still no information about the sender. It is a history of the East India Company in India. Then something in my brain went 'bong' and I realised it was from Ian who at the moment is living in Sydney.

How did I know it was him? Because we have links to India going back many years and it is the kind of topic he would find interesting and want to share with others. The author is a well known writer about Indian history.  He starts with details of the main players and I noted they were all men! He then gives a detailed introduction listing what the book is about - and what it is not about.

I noted that he was very critical of the EIC  and how it was able to take over a country with then over 200 million people. He is also critical about some of the main players such a Robert Clive, and he lists those who looted India and sent treasures to their houses in England. They are now museums and the public can see what they took out of India. Can't wait to settle down for a longer read. Many thanks to you Ian.

Slowly

The wound in my right leg is slowly getting better. The key word here is 'slowly'. The wound has dry skin hanging over it and if I move the skin it starts bleeding again. I've decided to just put new bandages on
each morning and leave it to nature and time for the wound to heal.

We've had mixed weather this week, mainly hot and humid. Even so, most people on public transport wear a mask and observe distance rules. I've been hearing of changes in coronavirus cases in many countries and changes in travel rules. I can't imagine being 2 weeks in quarantine. No thanks! I still don't know when I may be able to fly to the UK to see family and friends. Perhaps in winter.

I welcomed the Kowalke Gang to my garden yesterday evening. They brought the food and drinks and I provided the seats and table. Not a bad deal! Lots of talking as supper was consumed and the evening cooled. We started with a glass of Sekt, as you can see in this photo. We toasted Colin. He is Johanna's cousin and had to stay in Sydney in Australia due to coronavirus rules. At least he kept busy renovating his house. See you next summer Colin. Prost!

Tagaus

I had a nice day out on Thursday. Johanna and Putte came to my place for a cuppa coffee before we left for the local S-Bahn. We all wore face masks which is now a requirement in public transport here. It is the same in shops. Most people just accept that and wear a mask with no discussion.

We headed to the east of Berlin and got out at Rahnsdorf. A short walk to the Tram station and waited a few minutes for a tram that is old. No idea exactly how old but I guess from the 1920s. Here you can see a photo of me standing next to the tram. A really relaxing ride through woods and green fields until we reached the last station at Waltersdorf. There are two lakes and  lots of woods and a popular restaurant there. 

We got there just after it opened and noted it quickly filled with people over 65! They clearly had the same idea as we did. No surprise that I selected fish for lunch and it was really nice to enjoy it with a sunny view over one of the lakes. From there we set off on a walk to take away the calories. We walked down the side of the second lake with little breaks to enjoy the view. We ended our walk at Erkner where I have been many times. We had a coffee break before taking the S-Bahn back to Berlin.

Of course I did not know I was going to have an accident with my right leg next day. I told you about that in my last post. The wound is slowly healing with the help of cream and bandages. It is just a matter of time before I am galloping around on both legs!

Another

I had another accident this morning. I set off for ' Kerstin's Keep Fit Class for Seniors' as usual on a Friday morning. I had to go on a bus for the tram is suspended until the end of the year due to road works. As I approached the bus it started to leave, then it stopped so I ran to get on it. The doors opened and I stepped in. Ouchhhhh.....I hit my right leg on the metal bottom  of the entrance.

I could feel the pain but found a seat and then looked at my leg. Blood was pouring into my sock. A women said she would take me to a local chemist's for treatment. She did just that and there an assistant cleaned the wound and put a bandage on it. I was told to go home and put my leg up and relax for the rest of the day. The people were very nice.

I set off for home then decided to have a haircut. There is a new(ish) salon near my S-Bahn so I went in. Only had to wait a few minutes and then a young man got into action on my head. I told him I wanted a 'summer short cut'. He nodded, smiled and got to work with his shears. He did a good job and I left feeling better with what could be called a 'crew cut'.

I got home and relaxed on my balcony by reading a book. I felt very sleepy and have done for the rest of the day. I think it must be a reaction to the accident. The wound is near to where I had my bicycle accident wound. Why do I have such accidents ?

August 2020 Things

From a hot, sunny Saturday we moved into cooler days. This morning there is a grey sky, no sun and only 17°C on my balcony.It rained yesterday and I expect more later in the day. Looking at my diary for August I can see nothing special. I wanted to be in the UK to visit family and friends but the flight was cancelled. Now there are more coronavirus outbreaks in England so I don't know when it will be safe to travel. The big event this week is my visit to a local hospital on Wednesday at noon. Nothing special, just a check on my skin problems. There are Zoom meetings during the month, so I am getting used to using that platform.

Who has a birthday in August? Shirley over in Florida starts us off with her 81st on the 1st August! Back in Berlin, Christian Dix was 26 on that day and his brother Jerome will be 25 on the 8th. Near to Berlin, Beatrix Dames will celebrate her 46th on the 6th August. Martina from my Kowalke Gang will be 72 on the 19th. Nicole will be 75 on the 21st and musician Angelika will be 68 on the 25th. On the 26th my sister Pauline will celebrate her 76th with family in Cambridge. Over in Jüterbog, Dieter will have a party for his 76th birthday on the 27th. My wonderful Jan will be 37 on the 28th. Sure to be a special day in Den Haag with two beautiful daughters to share the day with as well as his charming wife. Happy Birthday no matter where you are :-)

Other Things in August. On the 9th Peter and Andre will celebrate their 12th wedding anniversary in Altlandsberg. I hope to be there as I was when they married. On the 23rd, Andrea and Marco will celebrate 5 years of marriage. On the 27th I shall be placing flowers on a grave to mark 16 years since the untimely death of Birgit. On the 29th, I shall be in touch with a family in Brighton to remember Glen who took his life one year ago.

Oranienburg

I went to Oranienburg with Imre yesterday. Where is it? Get your map out.Put your finger on the centre of Berlin and move it slowly to the north then to the west and you will find it. Imre said he had been there before in the GDR with his family, but I could not remember ever visiting the town. A very nice area in the State of Brandenburg.

The big attraction now is Schloss Oranienburg. It is also known for the museum which shows pictures of the Royal Family over generations, and the paintings and textile wall coverings. It is the oldest baroque palace complex in Brandenburg. It was built from 1651 for Electress Louise Henriette of Orange-Nassau, the first wife of the ‘Great Elector’ Frederick William. She came from The Netherlands from an area called Oranien and so brought the connection to Netherlands to the Schloss and name of the town.

We went there on the S-Bahn which provides a regular service. We then walked towards the Schloss. We found a Greek restaurant so Imre decided it was time for lunch and I had to go to the toilet! He ordered a large fresh salad and fruit juice. Here you can see a photo of him enjoying lunch. We then resumed our walk and arrived at the Schloss.

We got tickets to see the museum section. Very interesting, and worth a visit. We then went to the Schloss Restaurant. I was hungry so I ordered a fish dish for lunch. Imre stared at it and I wondered if he would attack it with his fork. He didn’t because I gave him the salad and he munched on that as I finished lunch.  Some lazy local walks, then back to the station and the journey back to Berlin. A really nice day and I would like to go there again to see more of the town and learn about its history.  

Hottest

Today is said to be the hottest day of the year so far. I have also heard that Brexitland is enjoying the same. I settled into the sun on my balcony this morning and continued to read my book. Yesterday I went to Aldi and bought 3 Learn German books.

They are written for children at 4th, 5th and 6th level. Ideal for me to go back to school, at home, and learn more about the language. The problem is learning alone. You need to be with other people to learn a language and that is not easy given the coronavirus limitations on contact.

I also got 2 English books at level 5. These are for some German people I know who want to improve their English for travel and holiday. Again, no plans at the moment because of coronavirus but they decided to improve their English for the future when they can travel. Now that is what I call positive thinking.

I'm waiting for a telephone call from Imre. He called me on Wednesday for a chat and then said he wanted to go to a town north of Berlin on Saturday. He said he would call with details of train times. So far, nothing. I wonder what kind of restaurant we shall have lunch in, and if I shall have to defend my plate from his fork. Watch this space for details :-)

Another Day Out

I had another nice day out yesterday. I met Johanna and Martina at a local U-Bahn station at 9.30 and that was the start of the day out. The route and destination was in a book about walks around Berlin which Martina has. We got seats in a regional train at Alexander Platz. It was full of families and lots of people with bicycles. We got to Potsdam at 10.38 and managed to get into another regional train heading south.

We got out at Caputh. This is a really nice small town and Albert Einstein used to live there. His house is now a museum and well worth a visit. We started our walk from there along one side of a lake called Schwielowsee. The track was well marked and there were seats so you could relax and look at the views across the lake. We walked on and finally arrived at a town called Ferch which marks the southern tip of the lake. This was our destination.

We were hungry and it was lunchtime so we went to the Strandhotel restaurant. Here is a photo of the hotel. There were lots of tables and seats on the harbour side so we settled down to enjoy the view and a meal. Martina and I ordered the same dish. Yes, a fish dish and very tasty. Here you can see the view from our table with dark clouds gathering. It rained a little then the sun shone again. By then it was time to return so we got a bus to Potsdam.

From there we took another regional train back to Alexander Platz and the U-Bahn home. We all agreed it had been a very interesting excursion and we should do another one in a week or two. A very good idea especially with fish for lunch!

Busy Day

I had a very busy but nice day yesterday. It started with taking public transport to a garden house in Mahlsdorf. This is in the east of the city in a district called Köpenik. I missed the local train by 1 minute so had to wait 20 minutes for the next one. Then I discovered there was repair work on the tram tracks. I had to take a bus. The clock ticked away and I could hear local people complaining about the bad service. Finally the bus came, but it only went one stop. We all had to get out and wait for a replacement tram. More complaining!

The tram came and I got out at the 5th stop. The house is on the corner so I could hear members of Kerstin's Keep Fit for Seniors Gang as I approached the garden. I was the last to arrive and just in time to see the food grilled and placed on the table. The Gang tucked in and enjoyed the different dishes. I kept being told to eat more but I said I could not for I had to return home because I was expecting guests from England. A quick thanks to all and then I set off on the way home.

 I got home in time to set the table in the garden and welcome Johanna who brought some cakes. Yes, it was time for Kaffee und Kuchen but who were the guests from England? As planned, Adrian and Tanya walked into the garden and we settled down for a nice couple of hours for they had an appointment later. Adrian and I met in 1978 when we went to the University of Sussex and we have kept contact ever since.

 Lots of catching up on news as we sipped a cool glass of Sekt to welcome them. Coffee was enjoyed with strawberry cake and lemon cake. Mmmmh...tasty. I was surprised that they didn't look any older. The last time I saw them was a couple of years ago when I stayed at their place in London. And so it came time for them to leave. It was agreed that I stay with them again when I next visit London. Always nice to spend time with them. What an interesting mix of meetings.

Visitors

I had two nice visitors yesterday afternoon. Yes, it was 'The Bros'. They called earlier to see if I would be at home and if they could visit. I said yes to both questions. I told them to bring large bags to carry clothes for their sister. I got a large package from Holger and Gabi near Bremen with clothes for her. This was the second package, so many thanks to both for their generosity.

The Bros asked if they could work in the garden. I readily agreed and off we went. Bro1 wanted to use my wlan connection. I gave him the information and he got onto the internet. He had a project to work on in the internet about preparing for college after the holidays are over. He also enjoyed just relaxing in the garden as he worked.

I worked with Bro2 who wanted to learn more English. He had brought his books and papers and showed me what he had done since out last meeting. I was impressed at his progress. He now really needs to speak and listen to English and not just do exercises in his book. There is little chance of that for he and his family cannot leave Berlin-Brandenburg without special permission. Meanwhile, he will just have to push ahead with exercises in his English books.

And then I heard the magic words, "Opa, ich habe Hunger!" We moved into the kitchen and prepared different pizzas followed by a fresh fruit salad I had made. Lots of lip smacking as the plates emptied. After that it was TV and dozing on the sofa. It is clear that The Bros are making progress in many areas related to study and future training. A nice visit from a talented couple of brothers.

To Schloss F

I went to Bad Freienwalde with Johanna on Saturday. She got an invitation to attend a book reading at Schloss Freienwalde and asked me to go with her. It only took a second to agree! I can hear you asking where it is. Take out your map and put your finger on the centre of Berlin. Now move it north and then to the east in the direction of the Polish border. There you have found Bad Freienwalde.

I can remember driving through it many times and many years ago as I set off for a holiday in Poland. This time we travelled there by local train and bus. Very relaxing as we went through  green fields and woods. We finally found the Schloss and entered for the reading. It was built in 1798 for the widow of Friedrich Wilhelm II and she spent summers there.

The reading was by Leonhard Horowski and from his new book, which he was there to promote. He spoke very quickly, which was a good test for me to try and follow his presentation. Here you can see the invitation and details of the event. He talked about The Europe of the Kings during the 17th and 18th centuries. After that, we found a very nice cafe on the way to the bus station. Then back to Berlin. We decided to repeat the visit for the Schloss has a permanent presentation of the life of Walther Rathenau. More of that later.

Cake

Imre came to visit last Saturday.As usual, he had his i-pad so was able to go online. He explained how to use Skype and then we did a test run from his pad to my laptop. It worked. We were able to communicate via Skype even though he was sitting next to me!

We then left for a restaurant for lunch. Imre was hungry. We ended up at my local Italian restaurant sitting outside. Yes, it was warm enough - a bit like today. I ordered a pasta dish with salmon and vegetables. Imre also ordered a pasta dish but based on spaghetti. As usual, he scanned my plate and said it looked good. He ended up eating half of my dish - no surprise there! He talked throughout the meal and then back at my place.

We settled onto the balcony and he told me more about future plans with his lady. He then talked about learning English at the British Council School here in Berlin. That is where we met. He talked and I listened as he recounted his learning adventures including some visits to the UK to language schools. It was then time to enjoy coffee and cake. I had bought some raspberry cake with cream so Imre tucked into a slice while recounting more learning adventures. A very pleasant day - with or without cake!

Muggy

We are having muggy weather at the moment. Yesterday, it rained most of the time. Nothing big to report since my last post. I've spent most of the time on the balcony sleeping or reading a book. My nephew, Andrew, recently contacted me about meeting him on Skype. I have not used it for years. For the last two evenings I have opened Skype on my laptop but with no contact success . What am I doing wrong?

Day Out

I had a really nice day out yesterday with two charming ladies. We met at Ostkreuz Bahnhof at 9.30 and took the train to Kostrzyn on the Polish border to the east of Berlin. The train was full and most people wore face masks. There were lots of people with bicycles for there are lots of popular bicycle routes  there. We got out at Müncheberg to take a bus north. The bus didn't come so we called a taxi service and after one hour waiting we set off.

We got out at Kunersdorf. I had never been in these villages before. They are all part of the history of the area and what became Prussia - Preußen and are also important in the history of Poland.  In the village we found the Chamisso Museum. There you can see details of important writers, artists who lived and worked in the village. Next to the museum is a church. That was part of a major construction project which included a large 'Schloss'. That was destroyed in 1945 but the museum, church and gardens are worth a visit. I wonder why I didn't do that before!

We took the taxi again to the north until we reached Bad Freienwalde. There we waited for a local bus and took time to sip a nice drop of Chardenay. We got out at Strausburg Nord and took the S-Bahn back to Berlin. A really nice day and we decided to have another one like it soon.

Beards

Two beards came to visit me a few days ago. Yes, it was 'The Boyz'. School holidays had started so they had the time and just wanted to visit their Opa :-) From the photo you can see they now have beards although of different shapes and sizes. Bro1 has the more conventional full face beard. Bro2 has it in sections. There is his sideboard section and his chin beard and his thick mustache, but he is now the tallest in the family - and still growing! I suggested I remove my chin beard but they insisted it had to stay. They asked how I could possibly be their Opa without a beard. I gave in and kept it.

Bro1 wanted to use my computer and printer. I agreed and he found the pages he needed to apply for a grant to continue to study from next September. He then printed out all 8 pages and went to sleep on the sofa. Bro2 was in another room working on his school English and a book I had given him. It soon became clear that he did not understand the basic tense system and that the teacher in the school didn't teach that. After a snack, Bro1 went back to sleep and Bro2 tried to understand Present Progressive Tense. It was not easy for him - but then it is not easy for Germans for Progressive Tenses do not exist in German. It was nice to spend time with them and try to help. I wonder if they will notice that I have removed my beard when they next visit?

July 2020 Things

I've just noticed that I forgot to post June 2020 Things. Oooops! Life here has not changed a lot in the last few weeks. It is too dry. It rains then stops as the sun takes over. I'm now having weekly physio-training on my back. It helps and the docs are very good. My next therapy is on Thursday at 6.00 pm.

As usual, many hours a day are spent alone, reading or dozing. I wish I could just get on a plane and leave it at Leeds airport. Cousin Barbara would be waiting for me and I could settle into life at her house. It's very nice. I could also see Fran and Warren before they leave for the south. Not to forget spending time in Casland with Alan and Lynne. I miss not being with them. I need a holiday!

Who has a Birthday in July? Laura B. starts the month with her 22nd in West Yorkshire. Back to Berlin for on the 2nd Jutta from my Kowalke Gang will celebrate her 72 nd. We are meeting at her place for a nice lazy traditional breakfast. Back to West Yorkshire for Krystle will celebrate her 35th on the 8th. Jutta's husband is Gerald and he will be 79 on the 17th - it is also their wedding anniversary. Another reason to celebrate. And so ends the birthdays in July. Have a great day no matter where you are!

Other Things: The 3rd July is Jan and Arancha's 5th wedding anniversary. What a day that was. Never to be forgotten!! On the 6th July my Acer Laptop will be 9 years old. It now runs on Window's 10 with no problem. On the 24th I shall raise a glass of sekt to toast myself. Something happened on that day 8 years ago. Guess what :-))