Ice Cream

Can someone please explain the European's love for ice cream? Everyone is eating it everyday and everywhere!

George and I were looking forward to losing a few pounds - but we have been sidelined by the plethora of ice cream shops and bakeries. Just in our little center of town there is 3 places (not including 3 restaurants) to buy these sweets. Here is the Dahlem shop listing:

two banks, a blumen (flower store), hair cuttery, handbag, makeup & lotion shop, bookstore (with a small English section), place to make copies, tea shop, various places to eat, two Biergartens, the Dahlem farm and restaurant, a travel agency, a sports medicine doctor, a clothing shop for women, a apotheke (a pharmacy) and a supermarket. We are also close by the Frei University of Berlin which is popular. Oh yes, a sandwich and dessert shop, a sandwich and dessert shop, a bakery, an ice cream place, an Imbiss (brats and french fries), and a Doner Kebab (middle eastern sandwiches.

Also along the way the walk you pass another Bakery, an Italian food store, and a newspaper shop. You can also buy fresh strawberries and flowers from street vendors.

But is we want anything specific we have to take a 10 minute bus ride into Steglitz - which has a bit more to see and do.

Rental Car

This is the rental car that we are buzzing around in, a Skota. We have already had a "bit" of a minor scrape due to some "yeild to the right" law - but who knew that! So the deal about driving in Berlin is:

#1 - don't go too far unless you really want to stress yourself out
#2 - all the bikers and walkers make for a very "exciting" drive
#3 - there is probably no parking once you get there - so just take the BVG (mass transit)

Red Beetles

Jake has become very good at searching out these colonies of red beetles. They live on bases of trees and scatter about the ground. They are like a ladybug so I'm not so grossed out as I could be.

Bier Garten

We went to the local bier garten (beer garden) for dinner and it was wonderful. Basically a bier garten is like a local hangout. Kids, dogs, TV, friends, food, beer, coffee, dessert are all in this one place.

The one we went to had a playground - it was great. George and I actually got to eat dinner while wacthing Jake play.

Our First Official "Day"

Well George went to work and was the last one on the floor to leave (he still has that American work till ya drop thing going) and he is on his way home. I will find out more when he arrives.

Eugen, Jake and I had a very European day. Early in the morning - we went to the market to buy fresh veggies for tonight's dinner and we rounded out the day with an afternoon stroll to the "Bakerie" for some cafe (Jake had cherry juice and a doughnut), Eugen was by our side wondering why he is being walked so much.

So day one - good day.

On Wednesday there is a farmers market open in the morning so that will be my next destination. I'm still looking for a hairbrush :)

Prost!
Christina

Our First Weekend

After a weekend full of exploring, we have decided that we are very happy to be living in such a beautiful place. The wooded and quiet area of Dahlem is calming, yet bustling with people.

Surrounding our apartment are large trees, grassy parks and walkways, but just 15 minutes down the road and we hit the center of town with beer gardens, restaurants, shops and the like. Also a five minute walk will bring us to a "gas station" that also serves as a "mart" selling oven fresh breads.

Still waiting for our car and air shipment has left us with the base neccessities of what we can carry home - but with that we are taking simple pleasure of not being overburdened by so much of the "stuff" we are used to. It is clear that we can do more with less.

On Saturday night we took Eugen to the dog lake located in the Grunewald forest. The 30 minute walk was lined with big and small unleashed dogs bouncing their way to and from the lake. Some stopped for a pet, others just walked with muddy feet, tired from all the fun. Eugen enjoyed his time off leash too and was very good. He even made a friend at the beach whom he played with in the water.

Jake is having the best time, he loves looking at all the "pup pups".

So we start our week well rested and ready to go.

WE ARE HERE!!!

Guten Tag,

We have all arrived in Berlin safe & sound - Woo-Hoo! Our biggest concern was for the animals, but they are just fine. Eugen loves his walks and Taylor is buzzed by all the birdsongs that surround the apartment.

For now our camera charger is missing so posting pictures is out of the question, but I will try to give a run down of what we have encountered so far:

Lessons Learned in Germany:
Don't "blindly" order things off the menu. George had liver and onions for dinner last night - I thought he was going to puke.

Soccer, soccer, soccer - 10:30 pm last night after Germany won a soccer game - we had a suprise fireworks display set off by our neighbors. Eugen was freaked, Jake loved it.

Gathering things for the house is going to be my new full time job. The idea of one stop shopping is AWOL.

Berliners really do love dogs. Last night at dinner, Eugen got a water bowl and treats from the waitress.

And that's all for now. We haven't yet seen any wild boars - but we are on the lookout!

Prost!
Christina

Packing Day One

Verizon has shut off our internet accounts and email accounts a week early and is unable to get them "running again". Let's just say that George and I are less then thrilled with Verizon at this point. We are unable to get to any of our email addresses - UGH!

Day one of packing - a wonderful little company out of CT - Continuum - www.continuumrelo.com - They are SUPER GREAT!

Stay Tuned...

Stay tuned for more posts once we arrive in Berlin.

Be Well
The Family

The Berlin Playgroup

A week and a half to go - and this is one of my goals - to actually make it to the outside and socialize. A great find, an

english speaking playgroup

! Whew!

More Wild Boars - And On Our Street!

Wild Boars seen on the Im Dol.

A Farewell With Friends

We celebrated with friends at one of our favorite places, the martini bar. Everyone had a great time. Tommy must think he is posing for a baseball picture - LOL.