Lazy Sunday

I had a very memorable lazy Sunday yesterday. It started the day before. Marcel arrived on Saturday afternoon for an evening of chat, cooking, eating, drinking and watching a new film. We caught up on news for a couple of hours before finding a Hungarian recipe.

It was for home made noodles added to a sauce made from milk, eggs, fried bacon and sliced tomatoes. Add spices to taste, put on plate and eat! Mmmmh tasty with a glass of white wine. We later watched a new film made in Ireland. Very interesting and it seems that Ireland is host to a new wave of film makers/producers.

Sunday started with waking him at 11:00am, lots of laughs as he shared jokes on his smart phone and then at midday the bell rang. It was Ian. I introduced them to each other and they got to know each other better over a relaxed breakfast.

Quick shave, shower, clean clothes and we were ready to join Ian for an excursion. We decided on Friedrichshagen and the walk to Muggelsee. The weather threatened rain so the planned bicycle tour was cancelled. We slowly walked down the mile long street until arriving at the lake. Ian said it was the first time he had been there.

We found a restaurant offering typical Berlin meals. A transvestite sat behind us with his grandmother and it was interesting to see the stares and comments made behind hands so you couldn't hear what was said. The food was very tasty and the staff let us sit and just talk without having to order more food and drink.

We walked to the S-Bahn to start our return journey and I took this photo with my old digital camera. Still works but I need more time to work out how it functions. I am used to my new camera now.  A very pleasant and relaxed day just unfolded without any planning.

Ian is preparing to pack his bag as I write these words for his return via another town in Germany then London before the long flight to Australia. Thanks Ian for such a pleasant day and have a safe flight.

Affen

This means monkeys. Here is a postcard I created this afternoon in my photoshop gang. I could not resist the mix of photos and text. In English it means, 'Who is monkey number two? Animal greetings from Tierpark'. Well, who is it?

Ian is enjoying more of Berlin with the friends he is staying with. He is godfather to their children which is a role he likes. I'm meeting him on Sunday for a bicycle ride in the country.

We shall meet at lunchtime just after Marcel has left for Potsdam to join other students for a bicycle ride. He is joining me tomorrow afternoon for shopping, cooking, eating and watching a film of his choice. It will be nice to see him again and taste what he cooks!

PS: The number of page views to my blog now stands at 30,012. Amazing! Thanks to all for it encourages me to keep taking photos and writing :-)

More Football

Germans held their collective breath this evening as they switched on their TVs to watch Germany play the USA in the World Football Championship. After saying goodbye to Ian, I arrived home in time to watch the opening of the match.

It was pouring with rain as the game started and I wondered if this would play a part in the outcome. It stopped raining as the game progressed with no result at half time. I then got onto my bicycle and went to the Havana Bar in front of out local S-Bahn.

Members of the SPD Migration and Integration committee had agreed to meet there to watch the game and then have a short business meeting after it was over. I met them and settled into the second half. As I ordered a drink, Thomas Müller scored the only goal of the game.

I thought the USA team played well and were much better than a few years ago when they played in the World Championship. Their trainer is German and was the trainer of the German national team before he went to the USA. Bit like being in a big family!

I took a couple of photos so you could see how my neighbours like to sit outside, drink beer, eat and shout encouragement at the national team. I really enjoyed it!

Another visitor

I told you that after Emily and Ferdinand left Berlin I would be welcoming another visitor. We met today at 12:30pm on the platform at Hackescher Markt. Ian looked just the same as he did last summer when we met at Mike and Sylvia's house in Brighton for a small uni reunion.

Ian now lives in Sydney, Australia, and if you have a good memory you will remember that I stayed with him, and his better half Birgit, in Beijing nearly three years ago. I plan to visit them next February, but that is another story which I am sure will be reported as work in progress on this blog.

We walked around the area and finally selected a restaurant where we could sit outside. A very pleasant fish dish was consumed, with a cool white Mosel wine in my case, and lots of chat as we caught up on news. 

We then took a long slow walk along the banks of the river Spree which flows through the centre of Berlin. Ian took every chance to use his German. I was impressed at his knowledge given that he can't use it where he now lives. He used to live in Berlin and that is where he met Birgit.

At the end of the walk we selected a cafe on the banks of the river in Nicholai Viertel. This was the original settlement of a few hundred houses that was called Berlin. Lots more chat as we enjoyed strawberry cake with coffee.

Later we walked through a park in front of Berlin Rotes Rathaus = Berlin Town Hall. There we met two famous statues. There was a queue of tourists waiting to have their photos taken with Karl and Friedrich. I took this of Ian with them.

We are meeting again on Sunday for a bicycle ride through an area to the east of Berlin which Ian has not been to before. Hope the weather stays fine and warm.

Visitors

Since my last post the weather has moved from summer to autumn. I went to a funeral last Friday. Sadly Peter from my Muggelsee Gang died after a number of operations. It was a quiet family affair full of happy memories of a remarkable person.

Fortunately I took some photos when I visited him in hospital. I never realised they would be the last taken with him. I shared them with other members of the gang.  All are happy to have them.




I had visitors over the weekend. Emily and her youngest son, Ferdinand, came to visit via Paris. They were here three years ago and it was like time had stood still when we met. They didn't look older and were a pleasure to be with.

On Saturday I met them at their hotel and took them east towards Muggelsee and area. This included a ride on a tram from the 1920s through villages north and east of the city. All new for them. In the evening we watched the Germany - Ghana football game. It was a draw!

On Sunday I met them with Johanna and her cousin Colin over from Australia. I took them all to the German-Russian Museum. This building was an officers mess and hosted a number of military men who signed a document ending WW-2 on 8 May 1945.

We then went to a local Indian restaurant. It was their choice and better than I expected. Later we took an S-Bahn to Strausberg. They liked the journey and seeing the scenery east of Berlin. We went to my favourite cafe there. It is near to the lake/ferry. I always go there when I am in Strausberg.

They liked the atmosphere, service and coffee and cakes we sampled. The cafe is owned and run by a family who served us. The son likes to practice his English on me. A lazy train journey back to Berlin ended a very pleasant day.

On Monday we  met up in town and saw a few places before heading for Spandau to visit its Zitadelle. This is a well preserved middle age fortress. Afternoon included a tasty lunch in a Vietnamese restaurant where I discovered I had not forgotten how to handle chopsticks! Thanks Emily and Ferdinand and I look forward to your next visit!

Bag Packing

Recently got back from my SPD-AWO breakfast with other 'oldies'. Lots of talk about our boat tour on Tuesday under many of the bridges in Berlin. All agreed that it was a pleasant time. As we chewed through breakfast, the other topic was football.

Most of Germany is gearing up for the next big game on Saturday, but I was asked about the game this evening. Yes, at 9:00pm Berlin time, the English team takes to the turf to play Uruguay.

Given that each lost their first game it is difficult to predict which one will have to pack their bags tonight, and which one will head for the pub to celebrate!

The ones packing their bags will be the ones who failed to work as a team. On present form it looks like England will be bag packing. Having a few 'star' names running around does not make a team. Let's see if I am right. Watch this space :-))

I was right!  The English team are packing their bags now because they couldn't play like a team. On their return I suggest the trainer registers for an English course. Why? Earlier I heard him say, "I 'ave spoke to the team during the week". Or perhaps I can offer him some of my best German students of English to teach him how to speak English correctly!!

Boat Tour

On your next visit to Berlin, think about taking a boat tour. When I first came to Berlin I did just that. I did it again yesterday with my SPD Oldies. Very nice day and the weather played a positive role. Get out your map of Berlin and I'll show you.

Finger on Alexander Platz. Move finder down a bit and to the right on the S-Bahn line. Stop when you get to SB Jannowitz-Brücke. Get out of SB and go to ground floor. You will find a bridge crossing the River Spree. Go over the bridge turn left. Walk to end of bridge and you will see the large Chinese Embassy.

There is a little road on your right. Usually there is a police car and two bored looking officers on the corner. Walk down this road for one minute and you will arrive at a sign for Reederei Riedel. Stop for you have found the place to pick up a boat for the tour.

We all met up at 10.00am and got on the boat ten minutes later. It left at 10:30am with most of us sitting in the sun on the open top deck and chatting away. Not long before service arrived and most ordered coffee, including me.

Relax as the boat takes you down the Spree, past the East Side Gallery, O2 Concert Hall and under the Oberbaumbrücke. The ship then turns right into a long canal that will eventually take you back to the Spree, but way over in the west of the city.

As you sail down the canal it will take you under countless bridges many of which are only about one foot above your head as you sail under. Don't stand up! Relax for about 90 minutes and enjoy the views. Berlin looks very different from the water.

Eventually you will emerge into the Spree at Alt-Moabit, move your finger to the right along the river as you head east towards the centre. It will take you past many of the famous tourist sites and buildings including Schloss Bellevue where the President of Germany lives. You can also see the back garden of the place where the German Kanzler works.

Keep enjoying the sights as you go past the largest railway station in Europe called Hauptbahnhof, then past Friedrichstrasse station and Museum Insel, then past the modern architecture of the new buildings for central government ministers and workers.

On the right you can see the old Protestant Cathedral with building work to erect a new/old  version of the City Palace. I would have preferred a garden on the site for 'we' citizens, but that is a long story.

Nearly there! Through a large sluice/Schleuse and within five minutes you are back where you started. The tour takes nearly four hours and you can get meals as well as snacks and drinks. Good service, good company and weather made it a memorable day. Try it!

We won

Good news! We won the first game in the WM football championship in Brazil.  We means the German national football team. They played against Portugal. Their captain was Ronaldo who never looked happy throughout the game.

I really enjoyed the match and watching the German team. They won 4:0. Three of the four goals were scored by Thomas Müller. I think Gerald and Jutta will be smiling for their family name is also Müller!

A good start to the week. Tomorrow I am going on a day trip with my SPD Oldies. It is a ships tour under all the bridges in Berlin. Of course there will be stops for morning coffee, lunch and afternoon coffee, or tea, with cakes!

Wednesday is a free day so I plan to relax, fall asleep in the sun while reading a book and doze into Thursday. That has my usual Oldie breakfast and a lesson. Friday sees the arrival of Emily and Ferdinand in Berlin. I shall not be able to greet them for I shall be attending a funeral.

Yes, Peter of my Muggelsee Gang died two weeks ago. It was a surprise for he had appeared to be making a good recovery from cancer and a number of operations. I shall meet Emily on Saturday and later see Germany play against Ghana in the WM. On Sunday I shall be on a bicycle tour with Johanna and Colin. And so the week ends and flows into another.

Receiver

On Friday I got home just in time to meet Lars. You may remember I used to teach him years ago and he subsequently became my technical 'Guru'. Last weekend I ordered and received a TV Receiver. I read the instructions as trained to do by Lars:-)

I then stuck all the cables into the right connections and turned the thing on. I then turned on my TV and could get sound and a picture - but not from the receiver! I fiddled around a bit. Turned it off. Turned it on. Could not get a single source from the receiver inspite of pressing multiple buttons.

I tried again over the next few days. Same result. Lars told me ages ago to try and if not successful then to call him. I did just that. We had a cuppa as I gave him the details of what I had done. He just smiled as he turned on the machines and the receiver worked immediately!

He told me I had not hit the right button for 'source'. He had and so we got a bright clear picture in HD. He then took me through all the instructions and let me press all the buttons to see what it could do. It is called 'Learning By Doing'. Thanks Lars!

I watched a number of games in the World Football competition in Brazil. How different they are in HD. I was pleased to see The Netherlands beat Spain and not surprised that Italy beat England. As someone said to the English team before they left for Brazil. 'Don't pack too many clothes boys, you won't be away long!'

The 'Biggy' is on Monday evening when Germany plays Portugal. Three guesses where I shall be :-)

Tierpark remembered

On Friday afternoon I met Stefan and my Photoshop Gang. We talked a lot about our visit to Tierpark the Friday before. The 'patient' was there and we learned she had suffered two cracked ribs in the fall. Modern treatment is to leave them and let the bones heal alone!

I reflected on the week which started with Marcel and a bicycle tour. A day later was Frau Fox and a German lesson. This time a lot of work on a text about the Dativ and Genitiv cases in German :-(( On Wednesday I had a 'short back and sides' then taught a lesson before going to a meeting of my local SPD.

Thursday and Friday followed as usual and I produced this postcard on Friday afternoon - with a little help from Stefan! What do you think? In the bottom left you can see me with a few others in the Photoshop Gang. I then set off to meet Lars. See next blog post!

Worra Scorcha

I am using Private Eye language now. Actually they would have written 'Cor, warra scorcha' to describe hot weather. The weather has advanced into extreme since my visit to Tierpark last Friday

Yesterday reached 28°C, then moved to 32°C today and will stay the same tomorrow before moving to 35 to 37°C on Tuesday. Wow- worra scorcha! I don't think it will get hotter in the rest of this summer. Don't fly into Berlin on Tuesday evening. Forecast is for huge storms with lightening, thunder and big drop in temperature.

As the temperature rose, I made my way home on Friday to greet Marcel. He had cycled from his flat for an evening of cooking and relaxing. We started out with looking for a recipe. He found one for Giros Plate. It was all Greek to me!

We hit my local supermarket, bought the things we needed and headed for my kitchen. Marcel had never cooked this food before but welcomed the challenge. I left it to him. Here you can see the result and it was tastier than I thought!

Later we watched the German national football team play Armenia. They won comfortably!  I always watch their games and look forward to seeing the international games over the next four weeks in Brazil.

Yesterday, we emerged into the day about 11:00 am. We decided to have a late and lazy breakfast in my garden. Marcel liked that. After 'brekkies'  he took me through all his study notes at the uni. I had asked him to show me what he was doing. I found it very interesting and it was the first time we had talked about his studies in such detail.

Today, I have been escaping the heat and relaxing for I have a very bad summer cold and it disturbs my sleep. I still am tired. Tomorrow I am meeting Marcel for a bicycle tour to the south of Berlin. Looking forward to that for I need exercise in spite of my bad summer cold!

Tierpark

Berlin has two zoos. One is in the west and called Berlin Zoo. The other, dating from the early 1950s, is not far from where I live. It is called Tierpark and is in the east. Tier means animal in German and you know what park means so you don't need me to translate!

Stefan and most of my Friday Photoshop gang had agreed to meet there at noon. I duly arrived two minutes early and carrying my training clothes/shoes in my rucksack. I didn't have room for my camera so Stefan kindly took these photos with his Smart Phone camera and sent them to my e-mail address. Modern technology!

The day got warmer as we wandered through the area. In terms of area it is the largest zoo in Germany and the word park is appropriate. The animals live in a very large and green park. Even so, I often felt sorry for those who should be galloping over large areas rather than pacing up and down in a nice green field/area.

All went well until we looked at animals from India including water buffalo. They were swimming about and clearly having fun. One of the group wanted a closer shot with her camera. She stepped into a hole in the ground, fell forward, hit her ribs on a low fence and fell to the ground.

Big shocks for all! Her husband was the first to help then others picked her up and helped her onto a bench. Result was we called an ambulance and she was taken to a local hospital to see if she had broken any ribs. I hope not.

I did not have time to continue to the German-Russian Festival being held in my area for I had agreed to meet Marcel. The rest of the gang went to the festival and I headed home for a pleasant evening of cooking and chat. See next post!

Glass to mouth

I started June with a lazy day at home. The weather was not the best so that also played a role. On Monday, I met Jarlath and we headed east to Strausberg. I visited him in Dublin last year, if you remember my blog post of May 2013.

Strausberg is east of Berlin. If you don't get out of the train you will land at the Polish border! It is my favourite part of Berlin. There is a long lake with a town that straddles the east coast of the lake.

Jarlath was visiting Berlin for a few days and I was asked to show him bits of the area. He enjoyed the visit, and lunch in a traditional German restaurant opposite my favourite cafe. We returned to Berlin and my district.

I took him to the German-Russian Museum. It was closed on Monday so he could not see the hall where the documents were signed ending WW II on the 8 May 1945. He took a number of photos before we went to my flat for coffee, cakes and to relax.

On Tuesday, I met Frau Fox for a German lesson. It went well and later I met Johanna's half-cousin from Australia. He is visiting Berlin again and I said he could borrow a mobile phone to use here during his stay. We had a good chat, supper and some beers!

Yesterday I did some teaching after a day of cleaning the flat, washing and ironing. Such things have to be done - as you know! This morning I went to my Oldie Breakfast. then ordered a receiver for my TV at my Telecom shop.

I start tomorrow with Kerstin's Oldie Training Gang before I meet Stefan and my Oldie Photoshop Gang for a visit to Tierpark/ a zoo near to where I live. Later we are going to the German-Russia Festival which is also near to where I live. Marcel will arrive later for shopping, cooking and relaxing.

A nice start to the month. I hope your start was also pleasant. Now for a couple of photos. One shows me having a drink of 'Champers' with my Photoshop Gang to celebrate my birthday, and the other is of me celebrating at Johanna's supper - taken by Jutta :-)

June 2014 things

Looking back at the posts to my blog in May, you can see it was a mixed and mainly pleasant four weeks. Let's see what the next may have in store for me! There are a few SPD events, mainly to do with meetings about migration and integration policy in the district where I live.

Next weekend is the German-Russian Festival in the south of the district. I am looking forward to that and will even be 'on duty' at a SPD stand for some of the time. I have some German lessons with Frau Fox during the month and also some English teaching work starting next Wednesday.

I hope to go on a bicycle tour with Max and Marcel next holiday weekend when I am not 'on duty'. Just need to find a day and time when we can all meet = that is not so easy! On 17 June I am going on a day long tour on a ship taking us under the bridges of Berlin. It is organised by the SPD Oldies. I shall take my camera and share the views.

On the 20th, I shall welcome Emily and son Ferdinand to Berlin and show them some of the sights. It is not their first visit. Looking forward to seeing them again.  Also looking forward to seeing 'g'day Ian' on the 24th when he jets in from Australia. This is followed by a dental appointment which I never look forward to :-((   and a concert of  Bruch and Shostakovitsch.

Who has a birthday in June?  
Nicholas B. celebrates with his family on the 3rd, my iMac will be 7 years old on the 6th. I wonder what it wants for its birthday! On the 19th my father Patrick would have celebrated his 102nd with my mother Joyce for her 96th birthday on the same day.  Teresa will be over 50 (again!) on the 23rd and ends the month of celebrations. Happy Birthday to all and each :-))

Köris

I went there yesterday. I can hear the Silsdeners asking what and where is it? Let's begin with a map of Berlin and surrounding area.  Now put your finger in the middle. Move it south and east of the centre. You will move to the south-east border of Berlin.

Keep going into the countryside and you will find a town called Königs Wusterhausen. You are about to enter a large area full of lakes, rivers, canals, streams and woods. I forgot to mention it is full of boats of all sizes and shapes in summer.

Get out of the train and wait ten minutes. Get into the next one. You will go through a town called Bestensee and then arrive at a station called Groß Köris. It is even smaller than Silsden! Get out of the train and start to walk to the east.

You will pick up a hiking track marked by green and white squares and circles on trees. Just keep following those signs to start a 16 km walk around a lake called 'Klein Köriser See'. On the southern shore you will go through a village called Klein Köris. It is even smaller than Groß Klöris!

You will find lots of places to stop and have a rest or snack. They have benches and even a waste bin. Take your time and enjoy the view(s).  Keep walking and you will return to Groß Klöris and the station. If you are hungry you can go to a restaurant next to the station.

 It is the only one in the village and was recently taken over by an Italian family! Seems that many Germans only support non-German restaurants!  We 'Oldies' on the tour were hungry by then so we sat in the garden in the sun and ordered our meals. Very tasty and cheaper than in Berlin!

Back home at 8:00pm to pick up a message on my answering machine. It was an invitation to join Johanna and gang for supper. They had guests from the US and Australia and wanted me to join in. It was a really great evening and ended a very enjoyable day. Hope you had fun too!