Berlin: closing

4pm and it's getting dark.

the sun is setting on my final day in Berlin.

early flight to Freiburg tomorrow.

one week in this place is a disservice, but i will look back fondly on my time here.

countless wonderful experiences.

in-depth exploration - on foot, by train, by bicycle - of a city packed to the brim and beyond with secrets and mysteries to discover.

i've met several people in the last week whom i consider now to be close friends.

i'm thankful for the times we shared and look forward to the day we will meet again.

it will happen. and soon.

when you fall in love with a place, you will find yourself pulled back to it again and again.

so.

Freiburg for a day. again.

then a weekend stint in Zürich.

i'll find time for another entry before i put on my farming clothes on wednesday.

all the best to you.

tschüss!

Berlin: a day in trains

No Age review

pictured: No Age at West Germany, Berlin, DE. (click to read)

flea market

pictured: a couple on the steps outside the market.

pictured: a collection of pins for sale.

the back has been acting up the last couple of days, keeping things quiet-ish for me in Berlin.
spent the evening with Dagmar and her Latvian friend, Arturs.
a good, not-too-late night in, and a chance to recuperate somewhat.

got up at a reasonable time today.

Dagmar made me a wonderful breakfast - i think she may be a saint.
she then took me to the flea market in prenzlauerberg. on her motorcycle. (!)

foolishly i forgot to stop and grab a photograph.

you'll have to take me at my word.
the market was packed as the weather was mild.
people selling countless kinds of treasure - and certainly trash - in a huge lot by a big park that i'm told is one of the most festive in the city during the summertime months.

a walk around and a laundry run, and it's dark already.
fall back, indeed.

not much else to write at the moment.

back on the horse for a real tourist day tomorrow.

weather permitting, i'll rent a bicycle for the day.

i send my love back home to everyone. you are missed.

concert night (22 october)

pictured: wall enclosing a Kreuzberg graveyard.

more of Kreuzberg and a glance at the East Side Gallery (see photos below).

6pm and i'm out Katja's door and heading to a less central but equally interesting part of Berlin - Friedrichshain - and the home of my next host, Dagmar.

Dagmar is a soulful and genuinely interesting social worker from Austria who lives in a big, old, creaking and quintissentially "Berlin" (as far as i can tell) type flat with old wooden floors, high ceilings, and minimal-yet-beautiful decor.

the place recalls an old museum of some sort.
i sense some great vibes in here and can hardly wait for the next few days.
8pm and i'm Keruzberg-bound yet again with a scarf and skinny jeans.
if i can locate the damned place (i tried this afternoon, address and all, and was unsuccessful), i'll be seeing Los Angeles noise-poppers No Age perform tonight.

(turns out i made it)

tomorrow it will likely rain. or so i'm told.
(it didn't)
it may be a good day for museums and galleries, and i've been recommended a few that certainly sound worthwhile.
in the evening i'm due out with Katja in the vibrant Berlin night.
on saturday evening, an event with some other new friends (from the show) has been tentatively arranged.

Berlin. day two.

too tired to write anything this afternoon.
so, i give you,
Berlin: a day in pictures.


pictured: my wonderful Berliner host, Katja.



pictured: for my friends in records management: even tombs have retention schedules here.

and below: some highlights from the East Side Gallery.

Berlin. day one.

pictured: obligatory tourist photo, Berlin, DE

well.
i made it to Berlin.
just.
11 hours on the bus is a long time.
i've traveled for longer before.
but it was a long time.
i did not eat anything the whole way.
i've gone longer between meals before.
but it was a long time.
an error in communication on my part between my host and me left me out in the Berlin october evening for what i would have sworn at the time was eternity.
i've been out in colder temperatures with less clothing before.
but it was cold. jesus, it was cold.
periodical to-and-fros on the U-bahn helped to keep the blood warm and flowing.
Katja finally arrived and all was well (and thawed) after a hot, calming tea medley. a long, difficult, and at times torturous day comes to a warm and much-needed end.
i throw myself onto the big, comfortable, blood-red sofa in her living room and proceed to sleep a sleep the dead only dream of.

morning in the ever-changing city and i feel full to the brim with life.
a quick study of a map circa 2002 (read: unreliable) before leaving Katja's and i'm off to reacquaint myself with this sprawling wonder of a city.
Berliner Dom (down the street).
the (outside of all of the) museums.
Unter den Linden.
the Brandenburger Tor.
Reichstag (from a few blocks away).
the tiergarten (closed?) and parts of Kreuzberg.
backwards up friedrichstraße.


pictured: History of the Cold War and the Berlin Wall, Friedrichstraße edition.

now i write my notes and rest my legs inside a comfortable, steamy-windowed bistro on the aforementioned street.
Katja took me out tonight to show me around a little more.
more kreuzberg.
prenzlauerberg.
everything, everything, in between.
hidden nightclubs and the locations of secret parties.
this city fascinates. even on a cold night.
coffee and sushi and we're homeward bound and settled in by midnight.

good thing. the weary legs had warned me earlier: let's get some rest tonight.

long day. (20 october)

pictured: cool scenery suppresses hunger.

i finally see "BERLIN" marked on a roadside autobahn sign.
this is taking what seems like forever, and the "365 KM" stencilled in on the right side would indicate.
bumpy ride, too. i hope i'm able to read my own writing later.

it's been 5 hours already and i didn't pack any food.
the driver apparently stops in every town with more than 500 inhabitants along the winding way, but thus far he hasn't parked the bus for a long enough time for anyone to be able to jump out in search of nourishment.
the rustling of bakery sandwich bags and crunching of red apples in adjacent seats indicate that this is common knowledge.
i'll take this lesson to heart. bring food on travel days.
noted.
because what may be 5 or 6 hours by car or train could easily (and, in this case, did) hit double-digits on a bus.
we will see how things go.
i do have a few mints left in my backpack still.
if you don't hear from me for a few days, then they weren't enough to tide me over and i expired somewhere southeast of Berlin.

Vierwinden - back to Düsseldorf (18 october)

pictured: castle outside Lörrach, DE

saturday, after cafe wilden mann, i spent the day with Sarah and Vanessa, my lörrach hosts.
not only did they put me up thursday night, but they met me saturday, took me to the country for a delectable fleischbraten lunch, and showed me a wonderful mountainside castle ruin.

Jutta finishes work and we're Freiburg-bound.
small (200,000) but delightful student city.
seems it's the beating heart of the Black Forest.
Jutta and i take in the vibrant centre over a drink at Freburger Bierhaus before meeting our next host, NJ-born Liam.
the thoughtful and blond-bearded young wiseman takes us for a late-evening stroll to meet a few other Freiburg couchsurfers for drinks and chatter.
a lovely little group in what seems to be a great place to pass some months, study a passion, and make some new friends.
i'd like to come back here.
and soon.

a quick (much too quick) sightsee sunday morning (i use the term "morning" so loosely i should be thrown in jail) and we've to set our wagons west back towards Düsseldorf.
many thanks to Liam for his last-minute generosity and tour-guide suave.

6+ hours of autobahn can be trying.
i cannot imagine how Jutta must have felt at times, having given me the reins to the VW for the day.
quite an experience for me, too, as someone who grew up within the 110 km per hour limit.

i feel a little bit more german after today.

stop back at Jutta's folks' for an unbelievable supper.
spending time with this family has been a privilege and an honour.
i only hope my pre-school-level conversational german was adequate in conveying my deepest gratitude.

i think i'll take my sunday on monday (that is, make monday sunday), relax, and head NE to Berlin tuesday.

thank you

pictured: Vanessa and her prince charming, outside lörrach, de

pictured: freiburg tour guide und host extraordinaire, Liam (left) and Jutta.

memory (17 october)

pictured: out a hotel's rooftop window. lörrach, de

it's 1990.
i'm somewhere in ireland. it's september.
i am 5. i am with my parents.

fastforward to 2009.
it's october.
i am 24. i am by myself.
and i've just spilled a staggering amount of sugar on the table here at cafe wilden mann in quaint little mountain-town Lörrach, wedged in some grey area between germany and switzerland.
maybe those thin black lines marking the borders of countries on maps, atlases, and globes the world round are real.
not just indicators. but real space.
buffers between states.
maybe someone can check for me.
try and find Lörrach on the map.
if you can't see it, perhaps it's because your view of it is obstructed by one of those very thin black lines.
where was i?

the sugar.
the ladies have stopped laughing at me now.
and i recall the powers of distraction memory possesses.
but what i am continually fascinated by is the power of smell as it pertains to time travel.
i poked my head out a hotel's rooftop window into the rainy Lörrach morning and, for an instant in time (or, i suppose, an instant completely separate from time), it was 1990.
it was ireland.
i was,
no
i still am,
5 years old.

yet this moment, this instant that exists independently of physical space-time, still acts on and can influence physical space-time, as the 24-year-old is momentarily taken away from the physical world by the 5-year-old inside and thousands of brilliant white sugar crystals fall short - and long - of the coffee cup and spread themselves across the surface of the table.

the unique smell that is produced when a fresh rain meets an old town's shingles set off a chain reaction that began in my nose, moved to my brain, and ended with plenty of wasted sugar and old-lady laughter as i sat and reminisced in cafe wilden mann two hours later.

hell, it's not even raining anymore.

a room with a view (15 october)

pictured: Germain, Jutta, me

wake up in Straßbourg.
Germain has gone to work.
he's left us the keys to his flat and a note suggesting things for us to do during the day.
Jutta and i take our time making breakfast, getting ready, and tidying the place before venturing off.
it takes a while, but things start coming back to me in time.
i forgot how much i love this town.
perhaps it's just the familiarity; i'm not sure.
the narrow streets.
the open squares.
the old cinemas.
the university. dad studied there in '79.
and L'Ill, the old moat, protecting the city's centre.

two major differences stick out for me this time through.
one, i'm wearing a winter jacket.
two, i've got company on my walk to the european parliament buildings.
Matt had stayed back at the hostel in '06, having been too ill to partake in any real sightseeing.
i thought of you especially today, my friend.
you were missed.

Jutta and i had a grand time walking the brisk sidestreets and riding the tram for free before joining Germain for a drink in a cozy and inviting student bar.
he then took us to get a delicious sandwich from Made In France before seeing us off at around 19:00.
thankful for him.
a kind and thoughtful young man with an oversized heart and delightful sense of humour.
21:00 and we're in Lörrach.
Jutta checks into her hotel and we drive up (a ways up) to the lovely home of my lovelier host(ess)(es) for the night, Sarah and Vanessa.
the girls prepare some lemon tea for us and we talk for some time.
Vanessa is recently back from a 2-month stay in vancouver, so there is no shortage of conversational subject matter.
i'm lucky to once again be treated so well.
i have a whole room to myself and i'm told the window offers a beautiful view of Lörrach below.
i'll report back at first light.



first light.
a pretty view indeed.
Sarah will drop me at the hauptbahnhof "downtown" this morning.
from there i'll make the short train trip over to Basel, SUI and enjoy what is shaping up to be another beautiful day.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

expensive internet cafe, small town.
real updates to come when cheaper options present themselves.
i am sorry, faithful followers.
more to come.

traversing das Land (wednesday 14 oct)

pictured: Jutta's home outside Achen.

heavy eyes all day today. things went pretty late last night. breakfast with Jutta and Martin and a thorough tidy of the flat.
we dropped Martin off at the Hauptbahnhof and began the roadtrip.
had to take Lori (meow meow) to Jutta's parents' lovely abode near Achen.
some much needed nourishment and more German hospitality were to follow.
i get to see where Jutta grew up.
her father treats me to some of the finest coffee i have tasted in my life.
a peaceful home with a stunning view.
vines have embraced the outer walls and covered every inch.
inside, beautiful decor, relaxed atmosphere and lovely luxuries make this one of the most beautiful homes i have ever set foot in, German or otherwise.

we hit the Autobahn for the long trip to Strasbourg.
Jutta drives the entire way.
the Golf can certainly move. but i am more blown away by Jutta's impressive driving style.
this girl owns the road.
not for her driving speed (which i'm hesitant to even say is middle of the pack for Autobahnfahrer), but for her assertiveness, smarts and, in many cases involving narrow lanes and transport trucks, courage.

needless to say, nobody was going to be falling asleep.

we arrive in Strasbourg around 22:00 at the home of our host for the night, Germain.
he treats us to a beautiful meal - Alsace Flammkuchen, a favourite of the region - with bread, vegetables, and an outstanding Bordeaux (or two).
the gracious Frenchman is accompanied by his friend, Adrian, and the four of us share stories in perfect franglais until after midnight.
for the first time in my life, i feel less capable in french than in german.
the rust, though, will wear off.
probably just in time to return to germany and switch back again.

i am ever thankful for all of this. Germain treats us like family and we get a taste of France from inside the walls of a real French apartment.
Jutta has made me feel like a Dusseldorfer and given me the chance to live Germany, not as a tourist, but as Germans themselves do it.
as a local.
it's amazing; a true privilege.

tomorrow, it's Strasbourg by day, and onto Lorrach in the evening.

I know this isn't twitter, but i'm in a hurry.

going to Strasbourg!

the evolution of plans (12 october)

monday

wake up @ 8:30. nice to be up early.
good to see the sun has gotten up early and gotten itself out of its bed of clouds, too.
it would shine all day today.

Jutta makes me tea and a Frühstuck of cereal, toast & fruit. i am ever grateful.
she's on a two-week vacation from work.
great to have such wonderful company - on top of her being a perfect host.
turns out she's heading out of town later this week, to another part of Germany.
rather than hop a train somewhere northbound tomorrow, we've decided to do a bit of a roadtrip together.
i'll see a couple of cool cities that were not in the original plan.
(if you can call it a plan)
Berlin can wait.
looking forward to some lovely countryside and the experience of life without speed limits.

today Jutta brought me downtown.
we tried to get the watch fixed - unsuccessful. they'd have to send it away.
bought some supplies.
ventured up the Rheinturm - Düsseldorf's primary phallus - and enjoyed the windy but pleasant weather while on the ground.
came back nach Hause to finish off the sauerkraut soup and relax a little before hitting the cinema tonight.

i'll daytrip into Köln tomorrow to hang out (update. i'm typing this on tuesday afternoon from a keyboard somewhere in Dortmund, an industrial city an hour away from Düsseldorf. no Köln.)

Jutta is an extraordinary friend.
helping me deal with merchants (read: doing all the talking).
showing me all Düsseldorf has to offer - and now Dortmund too.
feeding me and housing me.
soon she'll be taking me cross-country.
this treatment will doubtless be reciprocated next summer should her north american travel plans come to fruition - and i certainly hope they do.

sunday (11 october)

the rain switch keeps flipping.
arrived at Jutta's 14:30.
did not set foot outdoors for the remainder of the day.
everything here is closed sundays.
more than happy to stay in.
other surfers are here tonight. two students, Amy and Molly.
english and american, on a 5-day break from college in Limerick.
relax. chat. sauerkraut soup. stacks of delicious bread from last night's party (missed it).
moer chatting. music. a movie. into the wild.
more sauerkraut soup. care of Jutta's mother. it's amazing, as is Jutta.
another beautiful soul who seems to have been put on this earth to laugh, love, and give.
tomorrow she may help me find a place to get this watch fixed.
it keeps telling me 7:30.
i'm starting to doubt it. but perhaps the watch, the time of day, is just no longer important.

if this is how they do sundays in Deutschland, i'm in.

churchbells

sunday

i wish i had something to record this sound with. angelic.

every sunday morning, apparently.

i could wake up to bells like this every day.

sehr schön.
heartfelt thanks to Merle for being such a gracious host.
a beautiful, cozy flat here.

she's gone for lunch with a friend and left me to lock up once i'm done updating the blog.

a truly kind person and a friend for life. this, i imagine, is couchsurfing as it was intended to be.

outside someone toggles a switch: rain, sun, rain, sun.
i feel better today. the bug is fleeting.
i'm off to see my next host, Jutta, with whom i'll stay a couple of nights.

happy belated birthday to her.

outside the window, a bird relays a message. tweet, tweet.

day 1 survived (10 october)

11:45pm - probably.
did i mention the watch i brought is broken?

yeah, Cian. it is.

great day in Düsseldorf, despite occasional heavy rain and what is either a virus i've contracted or the end result of obviously record-setting-bad airplane food.

hell, that's why i've had so much time to write.

i can't go to bed til this settles down, and i can't do much else while i sit and wait.

walked a lot. strolled in the rain. conversed with autumn.

went for coffee then beer with Merle.

she's been an unbelievable host.

endlessly hostipable and easy to talk to (she speaks better english than i do).

we had Altbier - a local brew, the pride of Düsseldorf, and quite renowned - and Kölsch - rival city Köln's answer to D'dorf's Altbier.

Altbier wins in a landslide.

no offense to Cologne.

but it's dark, full, bitter.

it warms your insides like a glass of Rotwein.

Kölsch is much lighter in all aspects and, while pleasant, doesn't stand out boldly like Altbier.

U-Bahn (10 october)

saturday
Düsseldorf, DE
somewhere between Kettwiger Straße and Hauptbahnhof.

what do these two guys want? tickets? something about tickets.
i'm next. where's mine? here.
three stops for €1,30.
i'm going more than three stops. they're gonna know.
time to play stupid tourist.
what?
i don't understand the first guy. and he looks pissed.
using a three stop ticket to go seven stops is bad enough.
until the second guy informs me that my ticket is not only the wrong one, but it hasn't been validated.
what? wie bitte?
shit. forget playing stupid tourist.
i am him.
wie bitte? what is he saying now? he's getting red in the face.
tut mir leid. ich bin tourist.
no kidding.
where's my german gone anyway?
i see. still in 2007. right where i left it.
train stops. get out with us, he says.
not in so many words. not in english. but that's what he says.
Hauptbahnhof. at least i've been here. about 45 minutes ago.

something about vierßig euro. was? really?
i don't have 40 euro to spare.
time to really milk this tourist. play to my strengths.
i just arrived today. ich komme...heute.
PASSPORT.
hmm. distinctly remember leaving that document at Merle's.
when was i going to need it today?
nein. tut mir leid.
i produce my boarding pass instead. proof.
Gerstern, he says, upon analyzing the stub. nicht heute.
well, yes. i left home gestern.
but i arrived heute. about two hours ago.
why's he so upset?
i didn' know, i maintain. and, in a way, i didn't.
the whole ticket validation thing.
a little red box at the top of the escalator. anyone could miss that.

who am i kidding? i deserve this fine. i can learn from it.
tut mir leid. tut mir leid.
ich...something...ein anderes. i'll go buy another one right now.
jetzt.
i plead to the second guy. the quiet guy. he knows a bit of english.
about as much english as a tourist under pressure knows deutsch.
we have common ground.
next time, they say. the little red box.
alles klar?
i'm off the hook.
danke schön, Herrn.

if i don't start paying attention soon, i'll be dead or deported by next week.

the kindness of strangers (10 october)

landed. on my way to Merle's.

deep gratitude and endless thanks to Sandy who sat to my immediate right on the flight over.
despite battling a prolonged sickness, she found strength and patience to

a) talk the officer into letting me through customs, and
b) accompanying me to the Hauptbahnhof.

a very warm and much needed Willkommen in Düsseldorf from a local.
things are looking up.

en route (9 october)

On the plane.
Fighting many different feelings at the moment.

T-minus (cont.)

23 hours to departure.
room's a mess but i'm getting closer.
starting to miss vancouver already.
the city wishes i stay.
wonderful hike in the mountains yesterday morning; nice to get in touch with nature.
felt alive.
such beauty, so close to home.
watched a seaplane land in the water from in close, against the downtown vancouver backdrop;
this place is a playground.
found a bus pass for this month on the side of the road.
i will give it to someone who can use it.
witnessed a glorious, burning sunset that lit the sky on fire.
all was silhouetted.
had an unforgettable day today.
tomorrow will be a blur.

see you in düsseldorf/

T-minus

two days.
still local.
talk to you soon/