The "Gift" of 2020

It turns out I don't just put off updating the blog until I have something to write about; I'm generally motivated when I come up with a blog post title that I like. And for anyone who doesn't speak German or know how much I love word play, this one needs some explanation. Gift is one of my favorite German words, as it means nearly the opposite of what it means in English. In German, Gift means poison, so an English speaker needs to pay particular attention to use the proper terminology when talking about giving someone a present (Geschenk), making sure you don't infer that you want to poison them with Gift. That said, this blog title - The Gift of 2020 - obviously uses the German version (BTW, the first letters of nouns are capitalized in written German, so I can keep track).

Despite the this year's general rottenness, or Coronazeit as they say in Germany (which translates literally to Corona Time and always makes me think of happy hour, ala Miller Time) we were able to eke out some joy. On March 7th, I flew to Florida on a previously scheduled trip (just one week before the limitation on travel from the EU to the US) to visit mom, do taxes, and take care of other admin stuff. A few days later we were treated to a visit from Jennifer and Brenda, who also managed to get in and out before the restrictions. We were relatively responsible (or thought so at the time) as we got to squeeze in some big fun before the lockdowns. It was so great to see them!

Fun on the Beach in Sarasota!

As things evolved and started to get pretty scary, I decided to prolong my stay in Florida so mom and I could be on lockdown together. The "gift" (small g) of this time was that mom and I did some cooking (managing to avoid capital-G Gift), enjoyed taking MaJu out for walks, binged watched some of the shows I don't get access to here in Germany, and spent a lot of time with family and friends on Zoom - a real highlight! Meanwhile, daily phone calls with Matthias kept us in touch while he was on lockdown in Germany. Due to the location of our home in the boonies and the pleasant spring weather, he was able to get out on his bike and keep relatively busy.  I'll say that although I felt a bit guilty about leaving him alone during this time, I'm not sure how well we would have handled the lockdown together in our relatively small apartment.  Fortunately, we survived the time apart quite well.

On what was to become the weekly call with Jen and Brenda!

Bike riding in the Meadows

Passover with family!

When I returned to Germany in late May the weather was fabulous, the restrictions were being lifted, and after my two week quarantine, we started to get out on our bikes. In late June, we tested the waters with a relatively local (for us) bike tour loop.  We packed up the bikes and headed south toward the Saale River (the start of our very first tour 15 years ago!).  Due to all the unknowns, we called the campsites in advance to make sure they were open and had space for us (reserving our spots in some cases). We ended up spending three nights in a campsite in Naumburg - a beautiful town with a historic Cathedral in the middle of a pretty wine valley - and also in Jena, a pleasant university town where we took a side trip to Weimar.  We then rode across some hills to Gera and back along the Elster River to Leipzig, where we caught the local train home (we could have ridden it in two days, but the weather called for rain and we knew the area pretty well so didn't feel the need for more exploring.)  It was a great 10-day trip, and gave us hope for a longer journey later in the summer.  It also gave us a good idea for Matthias' birthday. We had originally planned to do a weekend trip to Hamburg, but reconsidered as the thought of spending time in a big city during Coronazeit wasn't all that appealing. So we booked a holiday apartment in Naumburg for three days and took our bikes (without the camping gear) for a weekend there. We had a blast biking around the wine valley, sipping local wine and taking a kayak trip down the river on Matthias' big day. Nice!!

OMG I can't believe I just learned how to do this! Here's a link to a Zoomable Map of our bike tour!!

Riding in the Umstrüt Wine Valley

Wine by Naumburg!

And Beer - In Jena

Pretty Valley on the way to Gera

J and M in a boat! Paddling on the Umstrüt River

Looking out on the wine valley rom the Castle in Freyburg

For many many more photos, here are the full albums for the Bike Trip and Birthday Trip 

In late August, after waiting for when we thought the Germans - many of whom had opted to do local touring in Deutschland rather than their usual trips to Spain, Italy or Greece -  would be returning to school and work, we set off on our main summer trip. This time, we headed north on a loop that contained a lot of highlights.  Again, we were able to start right from our door - avoiding dragging the heavily-packed bikes onto trains. In five days we were in our first desired destination: the Lüneburger Heide, a famed (in Germany) region featuring fields of purple brush that blooms in August, and the special Heidschnucke Sheep that eat it. After a few days there we continued on to Lübeck, a very pretty port city, and then eastward along the Baltic Coast. As we rode, we stopped at virtually every fish stand or shop to get our fill of smoked Halibut, flounder, sole, eel, mackerel and other goodies including Matjes brötchen (yummy yummy herring on a roll).  Eating dinner on our anniversary at a great fish restaurant on a beautiful marina was a highlight! We made our way through the touristy (for good reason) island of Rügen and then back toward home through a beautiful lake region. It was actually one of our best tours. 

 

And here's a link to the Zoomable map

Riding through the Lüneburger Heide

On the Baltic Sea coast by Rerik

Königstuhl site on the island of Rügen

Matjes Brötchen at a marina on Rügen

Matthias checking out the fish smoking

At our campsite by a lake in Brandenburg

Full album with Baltic Coast Bike Trip pictures

Now we're safely back at home in Gommern and I suppose time will tell if we contracted COVID from any of the public restrooms/shower rooms we used every day for the last three and a half weeks (we are back for almost a week now and no symptoms, so.....)  I feel extremely fortunate that we were able to do one of the things we love best and feel bad for others facing more severe limitations of movement. I hope everyone's managing well. And to end on an even more somber note, I do need to report that our family is devastated by the loss of MaJu, my mom's dog who succumbed to injuries after a vicious attack from a neighbor's dog. We are traumatized and miss MaJu like crazy, but are buoyed by some wonderful memories. She will live on in our hearts forever!

We love you, MaJu!

I was planning to include thoughts about the political situation, some of the podcasts I've been listening to and lessons from these and my work with the book on "Me and White Supremacy" but I am once again chickening (or lazy-ing) out. Maybe after the election....  By the way - I already VOTED! Let's get it right this time!

  

It's Complicated

Time got away from me once again so this post will be completely out of order.  I started writing it in November, to reflect on our trip to Berlin for the 30th anniversary of the "fall" of the Berlin Wall.  Then I went backward to cover another trip from October and finally, today, if all goes as planned, I'll finish the post with our year-end shenanigans.  Happy 2020!

(From November 2019)
Just got back from a quick trip to Berlin.  I made a reservation at a Berlin Hotel a few months ago for November 9th, the 30th anniversary of the opening of the Berlin Wall, figuring there would be some kind of celebration marking the historic day and thinking (cheap) hotels might be hard to come by.  I was right: there were exhibitions/events planned throughout the city and I saved a few bucks by booking earlier.  The main event I was interested in was the show at the Brandenburg gate, although as the event neared, I learned that it was going to more like a ceremony with speeches, videos, and some music rather than the festive concert I was hoping for.  But more on that later (kinda.)

BERLIN!!! (Pronounced BerLEEEEN, as Matthias constantly reminds me)

So we set off for Berlin despite a forecast of cold November rain, and also despite the fact that Matthias wasn't all that psyched to attend the celebratory/informational exhibitions. He was, however, relatively psyched to eat some food we normally wouldn't get around Gommern. So upon arrival in Berlin we stopped in Charlottenburg to eat some fairly authentic Ramen.  Then onto the hotel near the main train station.  The "hotel" was really a hostel/hotel combo, but our room was sparkly clean, comfy and quiet, if a bit small, and the location by the train station was pretty good - not much in the immediate area, but accessible to everything by foot or public transport.    After check-in we headed to Alexanderplatz, which was one of the event sites.  The weather was pretty crappy (grey and drizzly) and the music stage was empty, so we took a quick look at the displays and then headed for cover.  I had no idea where to go around Alexanderplatz, which these days mainly consists of a train station, shopping centers and tourist attractions. But Matthias said he knew of a little kneipe (local bar) under the railway tracks. I didn't believe it; no way could a small local bar exist in the middle of all this developed space! He said he was last there with Jennifer and Brenda, but that was also more than ten years ago so I still didn't believe it would be there.  And then, we came upon the small lighted sign, and I was happy to be proven wrong. The door was locked but we saw that there were people inside, and fortunately I found the buzzer button and they let us in!  We got a beer and settled in to enjoy the smoky local atmosphere in the middle of the city.  One of the old guys at the bar flirted with Matthias, asking him if he realized where he was (turns out it was a gay bar) and then asked where he came from.  When Matthias said Magdeburg, he got himself a hearty handshake and welcome as a fellow Ossie (East German).  So it is in Germany, even today, or especially today.  As we drank our beer, Matthias told me stories about coming to Berlin as a child on school trips and later as a teenager to party.  And that's when I started to realize that the real treat was just being here, in Berlin, in Germany, with the people who experienced life here then and now.

November 9th is a complicated day in Germany.  In addition to the opening of the wall, it is the anniversary of Kristallnacht.  Many of the memorials to the Jewish people who once lived here were adorned with tea lights to mark the occasion.

A couple of beers later we left the bar and started to make our way on foot toward the Brandenburg Gate, along the grand and very touristy avenue "Unter den Linden" past all the big attractions - the new palace, cathedral, opera house, Humboldt University, and the German History Museum (free entry today - perfect bathroom stop!!)  As we neared the Brandenburg Gate and the hoards of people gathered there, we were turned away "for security reasons" as the crowd was too big and the show was about to start.  They said we needed to go around to enter from the back, which we knew was a loooong walk around and through the Tiergarten.  But we followed the crowds through the dark streets and paths only to get to another bottleneck of people trying to get in.  I romanticized this a little thinking about how people amassed for hours along the Berlin Wall on this night 30 years ago waiting for a chance to get through, but Matthias didn't share in the romanticism so we opted instead to head over to Moabit and one of our old haunts.  We spent the rest of the evening enjoying the spectacle of drunk Berliners mixing with an international crowd, and contemplating life before and after - and on boths sides of - the Iron Curtain.  I had already learned a a bit by following the local news coverage leading up to the anniversary, as well as talking to family members and others who remember it. So I kind of understood that while the anniversary was a time for celebration, it was also a time for reflection. Although I don't think any (many?) people want to go back to the days when a wall/hard border separated Germany, it seems there is a lingering feeling of disappointment in how things turned out.

My understanding is as follows:  It generally sucked to live behind the wall, with limited opportunity and freedoms, but there is some nostalgia for those days. People often point to the idea that back then everyone had enough. Money was not an issue - it was plentiful, although (and probably because) there was very little to buy. That meant more money for going out and having fun. There was a sense of equality, at least among the broad population (if not the corrupt leaders). No credit problems or worries about how to afford retirement.  Very little crime (again, except among the corrupt leadership). Flash forward to present day: although most admit that they have more now (certainly freedom but also things) than they did then, not everything seems better.  Though there's a lot to buy, living comfortably isn't affordable.  There is more freedom but more uncertainty (e.g., how to afford retirement.) After reunification, many people got caught up in what looked like economic opportunity but turned out to be risky business ventures promoted by predatory investors/lenders; so while the West profited, the East suffered. Factories closed; crime increased. And now, there is a gnawing perception that opportunity is reserved for those who are already rich, that things are out of control and leadership is still corrupt.  Sound familiar?  I am doing a really crappy job of relating these musings here - and there is so much more - but this was part of whirlwind of thoughts occupying my brain as we sat our favorite corner bar in West Berlin on this historic November night.

The next morning at the Mauerpark - along the route of the Berlin Wall.

And then the sun came out the next day making it a beautiful Sunday morning, so enjoyed walking and walking and walking (and u-bahn riding) though the various Berlin neighborhoods, stopping for a delicious Korean lunch in Kreuzberg, and catching the train back to Gommern.

A rare sunny November day, riding along the banks of the Elbe river near Gommern

Sunrise from our apartment - getting later and later each day. 

And now for a trip back to the not-so-distant past: October and and my trip to the USA to attend Brenda's 50th birthday bash.  It was a rather impulsive decision to make the trip, but it gave me the opportunity to hang out and celebrate with old friends, and make new ones - how could I miss it?  Matthias was invited, too, and almost decided to come along, but when I started getting into the details about what the trip would entail (looong flights and 9 hour time difference, weekend in a house full of party people and then side trips to visit other friends) he decided it would be too much.  Soooo, I was off to Vegas alone.  And, speaking of unabashed capitalism (was I?), I was certainly smacked in the face with it upon alighting in Sin City!  Fortunately, the party weekend took place in a quiet and awesome house outside of- but not far from - downtown Vegas and the Strip. I had a wonderful time - hanging out and sharing meals with Jennifer and Brenda and their amazing friends, and partaking in fabulous activities including zip lining over Fremont Street, touring Zappos headquarters, and digging ditches with big machinery! And then there was the pool bar.  Simply awesome!!

Outing at Dig This - I drove that thing behind us!!

Pool bar at the house!

Brenda donning - and riding - some of her bday presents.

And then, after a lost weekend with that cool crowd, I spend another two nights at a hotel near Fremont street (or as I now think of it: "The new and improved Fremont Street brought to you by Zappos") so I could rendezvous with Sue, who flew down from Sacramento to meet me.  I'm not sure how we spent the 24 hours we had together, not because of debauchery, but because I think we just spent the whole time hanging out and catching up, which is all I really wanted to do.  It was wonderful to see and spend time with her!!  Just like old times!  Same, Same (But Different).

And to close out the wonderful trip, Patrick drove all the way to Vegas from Phoenix to spend the night and bring me back with him.  Again, we didn't do anything all that memorable in Vegas (he lost some $$ and we ate A TON), and then we took the scenic drive back to Phoenix where I spent a few days catching up with him.  Once again, it was fantastic, as if no time had passed since we spent all that time together in our 20s and 30s (!!)  We even called up some other old friends (Declan and Barb) to shoot the breeze and laugh about old times as we were on the road.  I also got to hang out with Patrick at the bowling alley (he's really good!) and meet his fun friends.  It was perfect! 

Back to the present (again, sort of) - it is the end of November and I'm heading south with Matthias as I write this.  We are meeting my mother in Barcelona tomorrow and then embarking on a freaking 16-day transatlantic cruise to America.  WOOOHOOOO!

Finishing off the decade (from January 2020)

As one can surmise, tomorrow came and went.  We met my mother as planned, had a fun evening in Barcelona and then set out the next morning to board our gigantic cruise ship.  We actually walked all the way from the hotel to the pier (quite far) but then fortunately were able to sneak our way past the hours-long embarkation line (employing elderly and white privilege) and settle into the extravagance.  Even though the itinerary looked great, I was reluctant to book a crossing on this mega-ship (the Norwegian Epic) until Stu convinced me to look into something called The Haven.  And a Haven it was.  We got ourselves a two-bedroom suite in an area atop the ship where only "Haven passengers" could access (paid-for privilege). The area included our own restaurant, pool/jacuzzi, sun deck, small gym and two bars, as well as priority access to elevators when we docked - all of which were huge benefits given how busy and full (and poorly designed, in my opinion) the rest of the ship was.  Our two-bedroom suite was plenty big enough for the three of us, and despite a few hiccups (lighting malfunction, water not hot enough in the second bathroom (second bathroom!!) and a flooding incident) it was fabulous!

Walking to the ship in Barcelona. 

Best seat in the Haven Lounge - luckily just a few doors down from our room

Leaving Barcelona, we traveled overnight to Mallorca, where mom and I did a Jewish walking tour - interesting! Then on the first sea day - also mom's birthday - we got to explore the rest of the ship and eat in one of the fancy (up-charge) restaurants.  The remainder of the 16-day adventure included the following ports: Malaga, Cadiz, Madeira, Lanzarote and Tenerife (Canary Islands), Tortola, St. Thomas and San Juan, Puerto Rico, where we disembarked.  I won't get into all the details here because there's a photo album, but highlights included walking the streets of Malaga and Cadiz, a tour of the volcanic landscape in Lanzarote, and trying one of Matthias' favorite dishes in Tenerife: papas arrugadas, or mini potatoes with red (or green) mojo sauce.  Being on a big ship also had its advantages: There were quite a lot of activities on offer to fill the time after days of sightseeing and during six sea days. For happy hour, there was a pub of sorts, where we would have our (first) cocktails with Matthias before splitting up for the evening - with Matthias heading to the buffet (and bed) and Mom and I trying out the other dining options and entertainment. We took advantage of just about all the entertainment, which was pretty fabulous, attending a few of the shows twice. We even became groupies to the jazz band, catching them in a variety of venues, including a front row table in the main dining room/supper club - a highlight!  And of course I went on all three water slides.

Our delight in our stage-side supper club seats! 

We even found a place on deck to play RummyCub.

Unfortunately, about four days before the end of the cruise, on our third transatlantic sea-day, mom started experiencing severe leg pain (which we later found out was due to a herniated disc.) Suddenly, she could no longer walk and the pain was so intense that we made an immediate visit to the ship's medical center, where she received injections and medications to get through the rest of the vacation until she could see her doctor. Sadly, the meds didn't relieve the pain so mom spent most of the last few days of the cruise in and around our suite.  Fortunately, the accommodations were great: the dining room was just down the hall from our cabin, as was the pool deck, so she could make it there.  Plus, room service was available and we took advantage of wheelchair service to see a couple of shows.  Our (my) big fear was what to do when it was time to leave the comfort of the ship in San Juan.  I had booked us an apartment-hotel there for one night thinking that we could enjoy the city for a day before flying back to Florida. While I was regretting (immensely) that decision, it turned out that disembarkation day was so chaotic that we would have most likely missed our flight if we had booked same-day return tickets.  So while overnighting turned out to be a good idea, the apartment-hotel was not well appointed for someone with a debilitating injury (no elevator, a beautiful rooftop garden and shared balcony but a dark apartment.)  While mom slept, Matthias and I learned about pharmaceutical availability in Puerto Rico (pretty good, it seems) in finding medication for mom, and also found some good food, which we also brought back for her.  Once Matthias got over his shock around how ice-cold and light the beer was, we managed to have a good evening experience as well. The next day, thanks to good airline wheelchair service, we made it back home without any trouble - easy for me to say as I wasn't the one in pain the whole time.  But I know even mom agrees it was a great trip (and even more surprising, Matthias doesn't have too much negative to say about it) so we are calling it a success!

Mom made it out to the balcony in San Juan - and we even played RummyCub there!
Click here for full cruise photo album

During the next two weeks in Florida, we managed to have fun (theater, dining out, playing with Maju, visiting, etc.) while cramming in numerous doctor appointments before the holidays.   And thankfully, as we were scheduled to fly back to Germany on Christmas Day, Laurene was due to arrive in Sarasota on the 24th, meaning we would get to see her for an evening and she would be able to hang out with mom throughout her recuperation.  As for us, we got back to Germany on the 26th, in time to have a belated Christmas dinner with Matthias' parents and make a visit to the Magdeburg Christmas market. And to end on a wonky note, our meager mail pile (no, nothing yet from the Tax Authority regarding 2018), included a comprehensive booklet about local waste/recycling collection.  I learned about the things I have been doing wrong (putting things in the wrong bin) and details about next year's collection schedule.  After I diligently filled in the calendar they provided (with stickers!) I learned there's an app with automatic reminders. I now have both, so I guess I'm ready for 2020!!

Family photo - Hi Maju!

Of course Matthias made steak for us!!

And of course we went to our favorite Tiki bar in Sarasota

Christmas Market in Magdeburg

First (of many) mugs of Gluhwein

Waste Collection Guide and Calendar! Welcome 2020!!