Berlin! Bikes! Beer!

Got to Germany in early June and so much to write about but keine lust - that is, I haven't had the desire to write.  Been practicing German with Matthias since we've been here (actually, since we came back from Asia last spring) and I think it's going okay, until someone says something to me and I have no idea what they said or what I should answer.  But first to the good stuff.

Stopped in Frankfurt on our way to Berlin and enjoyed some good weather and apfelwein on the Main River

Berlin is still fabulous!  We spent a month there to outfit our bike trip and to watch Euro 2016.  I scored a great apartment on AirBnB for the first two weeks, and then we learned that the bikes we ordered would take another couple of weeks (and Germany was advancing in the championship) so I found another apartment across town for the second two weeks.  Since we ordered two fancy-schmancy (and costly) e-bikes, the bike store lent us two rental bikes during our stay.  So we were in Berlin with Bikes!

Biking in Berlin!

Berlin is a fantastic city, and when I have a place to stay, and a bike, it's heaven.  I'm not sure how to explain it.  Yeah, Portland is a great US city for bikes, and yes, NYC has come a long way, but it's just another world.  Biking isn't a "thing" here....it just is.  Just something everyone does - from schoolkid to grandma and everyone in between. And it's not just that Berlin has bike lanes and dedicated paths, and bike traffic lights and high-tech left-turn lanes and signals, etc., etc. that make my head spin; the whole culture is different.  Cars and pedestrians actually stop and look out. Nobody wears helmets (except little kids for some reason).  And no-one gets dressed up in bike gear or fancy clip shoes, but everyone has a light (it's required).  Bike lanes are everywhere, but the best thing is that you don't really need them.  Like I said, I can't explain.  But I'm happy.

One of the places we biked to - not actually a nude beach, but the Berliners (at least the very old and young) don't feel the need to suit up, apparently

We had a fabulous time watching Germany play in the Euro 2016 championship.  We watched on the big screen in Berlin on the "Fan Mile" right at the Brandenburg gate (and of course we biked there...)   The team made it to the half-finals (last four teams) and although they lost to France (the host team) it was tons of fun to follow them, and the mood at the fan mile was great.  German engineering meant easy in and out (despite good security), and easy access to beer and toilets.  And the beer was quite cheap - 3.50 Euros for (about) a pint, yet the toilets were pricey - 0.50 Euros.  But at least there was no line for either.  Voila!

Getting set to watch the match

It was a little colder the second time.

Win or lose - a doner kabap after the match is essential!

Putting a damper on things, we were also here for the Brexit.  Actually got here a week before the big decision and as we watched the news with exasperation, we looked forward to the big vote so we could get past the silliness and not hear anymore about Brexit.  Well, when I awoke to the news that Great Britain decided to leave the EU I was flabbergasted, as I later learned so many Brits were, too.  I thought of a blog post I wrote a few months ago poking fun at the term "Brexit".  But this is serious, folks.  Not only did Britain vote to leave a union that was created to ensure peace, security and harmony in Europe (Yes, and to boost the economy), but the vote was a direct result of racist isolationist sentiment and propaganda.  I can't help but think back to a blog post I wrote a few months before the Brexit joke - making fun of an unlikely candidate for president. Again, time to stop laughing.  I don't know what's going on, but our political system (both sides) has clearly alienated a whole lot of people - enough so that they are susceptible to some pretty scary shit.  I'm actually worried, and we should all be.

Finding some humor in Brexit-gate

Then again, la la la.  I have a new e-bike.  Left Berlin on the 8th of July, made a quick stop in Gommern to visit with Matthias' parents and get set (and of course take a bike ride together), and left on July 10th for our bike trip - details to follow!

How happy was I that the family bike trip included a beer garden!  Actually, I had a Radler (translates as "cyclist" and consists of beer and lemonade)

packed up and ready to go!

We weren't the only ones on the train with our bikes!