Spicy and Sweet

Greetings from Thailand. I can't believe we've been here almost two weeks already. On 28 June, we embarked from Berlin, stopped over for 8 hours in Helsinki - where we caught closing time at the fish harbor market and scored a plateful of delicious fish - and then got the overnight flight to Bangkok. We stayed two nights in Bangkok to relax and recuperate from the flight, and then took an overnight train north to Chiang Mai.

Part of our reason for coming to Thailand before showing up for work in China (other than great eats, of course) was so that Matthias could try out fruit and vegetable carving. He had seen ads for lessons last time we were in Chiang Mai (about two years ago) so we thought we'd check it out. We went to one of the many cooking schools here and were able to book private lessons. The teacher, Aor, was great. Not only is she a skilled carver, she is an English teacher at the University here, so her English and her teaching skills were excellent.

They started by making a lotus flower out of a small tomato, then moved on to pumpkin butterflies. Not too difficult (for Matthias) so far. Next was a pumpkin rose...a bit more difficult. But Matthias did well, and really enjoyed the class. That is, until he came home and tried to do it again!

Matthias completed four two-hour sessions, during which he made various flowers out of pumpkin and two pretty amazing watermelon carvings. The next challenge (should he choose to accept it) is to practice without teacher's guidance. They both made it look easy, but it most certainly is not!

In between lessons and practicing (I was the official photographer) we did a lot of walking around Chiang Mai, visiting temples (Wats) shopping malls (to escape the heat and humidity) and markets. The weather is indeed hot and humid, with rain showers almost every afternoon. Fortunately, markets and food stalls are prepared with canopies and umbrellas, so the rain hasn't 'dampened' our enjoyment of local food - noodle soups, curries, and spicy salads. My new favorite is a local dish called Kao Soi - chicken curry with egg noodles - YUM!

Tomorrow we're off to our next destination - the mountain village of Pai. We're ready to leave Chiang Mai, but not so keen to vacate our comfy hotel room, complete with A/C, cable TV and unlimited internet access. Not sure what we'll find in Pai, which is supposed to be a more laid-back backpacker/nature-lover's retreat (I sure hope there are some A/C and cable TV lovers there as well!)

Link to trip photos on left and here.

Out of the fridge and into the fire

Just a quick note to let everyone know we're leaving Germany today for Thailand (out of the cold rain and into the hot monsoons!) I'll update when I've got new stories or photos to share.

Wilkommen in Deutschland!

Why is it that when I have little to do, I get so little done? I've no excuse for not updating the blog, as I've had practically unfettered internet access for the past month and not a whole lot to do. Anyway, better late than never, I guess.

Let's see...if I can remember where I left off more than a month ago...

We rode out of Austria through Bavaria, continuing along the Via Claudia Augusta bike trail, and freezing our butts off, particularly at night and in the morning at the campsites. Because it was so cold, our bikes had seen better days, and we were lugging stuff from Crete that we really didn't need on a bike ride (including this laptop computer), we decided to take the train to Matthias' parents' house once we reached the end of the trail in Donauwörth. Then, since we were so early in Germany with time to kill (we were expecting visitors in June), we decided to get the bikes fixed and go out on the road again for 10 days.

We took the train to Dresden on the 1st of May, a big holiday in Germany, with our bikes and "bob, the bike trailer" with our air mattresses, chairs and various other amenities. We spent a couple of days in Dresden (nice campsite - close to town) and enjoyed gorgeous weather, street fairs and beer gardens on the River Elbe. Our (loose) plans were to ride into the nearby parklands, perhaps into the Czech Republic, and back along the Elbe to Gommern. The weather took a turn for the worse, and once we reached the Sächische Schweiz (or the "Switzerland of Saxony" I think) we ended up morphing our excursion into more of a hiking than biking trip. We took short (but hilly!) rides from campsite to campsite, and spent a couple of days hiking around each area. The scenery there was simply gorgeous - huge sandstone formations jutting out from lush valleys. And, except for one day, the rain tended to hold back until nighttime.

We came back to Gommern on the 11th of May, went to various doctor appointments, firmed up plans for our trip to Asia, and secured an apartment in Berlin so we would have someplace to stay for cousins' Harry and Charlene's visit, while we secured our visas for Asia, and followed up on my German citizenship application. But first we had a quiet few days in the Harz, where we had a nice visit with Matthias' cousin Katja.

And, speaking of my German citizenship application....as we boarded the trail to Berlin, my mobile phone rang - it was the lady from the goverment office that processed my paperwork saying that we could pick up my new Staatsangehörigkeit (my new favorite German word!) We picked it up the next day and immediately applied for my passport, which I received last week. I am now a dual citizen. And strangely enough, my German citizenship has nothing to do with the fact that I married a German; rather, I got it (and was able to keep my US Passport) because my ancestors had to leave Germany because of the Nazis. Now we can leave the country and not worry about keeping my residency, and (at least in theory) I can now work throughout the EU and not just in Germany. Anyone know of any jobs in Andalucia? Oh, never mind, I just saw a report that unemployment in Spain is at 18%!

So, we're now in Berlin, awaiting our visitors and looking forward to seeing my CELTA (EFL) classmates again. Then, we're leaving for Thailand on the 27th of June, where we will travel around the Northern region (Matthias plans to learn fruit carving there) and then head into south China where I will attend an orientation for my English teaching gig. Not exactly sure where in China we will end up, but I requested one of two towns: one in Shaanxi not far from Xi'an, or another in Sichuan province about five hours from Chengdu. I won't know for sure until we get there. Either way, we're both pretty excited!

Breaking Away

Yet another dream come true as we’ve been cycling through Italy for about a week. It’s even more of a “biking culture” than I expected, and I had to swallow my urge to say “ciao bella!” to every bike rider who passed by – like the guy in that 70’s movie Breaking Away. Yes, I dreamed I saw Team Cinzano in every group we passed – apologies to anyone who doesn’t get that movie reference. But the good news is that the bike routes are great, and (contrary to what I expected), the Italians (at least the Northern Italians) seem to be very careful and courteous drivers. We had a bit of trouble finding our way as we left the campsite in Venice – and for the whole first day for that matter – but got on the right track after a while. We passed Treviso without going into the old town for a peek (too stressed and tired) and spent the night in a nice little hotel (no campsites in the area) in a small town. The next day, the ride was much more straightforward, and more beautiful, although the route did follow a fairly busy road. We stopped in Feltre- a beautiful old city - and looked for a place to stay, but finding nothing that lived up to my standards (and limited budget) we carried on to Fonsazo, which was a smaller, cuter town, with a decently priced (50 Euro) and charming hotel.

The next day, the ride got immeasurably more beautiful and peaceful. We rode along bike paths and quite country roads, through narrow valleys and along a rushing river (the River Sugana Valley). Hopefully, the pictures – YES, THERE IS A LINK TO THE LEFT! – will do it justice. We were exhilarated and exhausted as we arrived in Lago Caldonazzo and found our campsite. I’d like to say that I was so tired that I didn’t notice that it was SO COLD AT NIGHT, and particularly in the morning. But obviously we survived.

The next day we set off for Trento, and my map was less clear about how to get there. Apparently, a new bike route is planned, but in the meantime, there is a hilly, not-so-clear route from Pergine to Trento. But at least it was much hillier (uphill, that is) going the other way, although it nearly did us in. We found our “campsite” outside of Trento, which turned out to be a one-star hotel that had a back yard…right up against the train tracks. At least there weren’t too many trains during the night, and we did have our privacy, if we lacked hot water. And, the Albergo (hotel) had a nice little bar where we had a couple of glasses of red wine. Nice.

For a complete change, we rode along a flat bike path that followed a river to Bozen (Bolzano) in South Tirol – the German-speaking part of Northern Italy. We found our campsite and WOW, what a difference. They actually have four-star campsites – with soft music playing in the sparkling clean bathrooms! And you pay….20 Euros for the two of us. And somehow, the ground is just as hard as it was in the last campsite. Anyway, we stayed there, in Bozen, for two days while we decided whether to ride our bikes up over the alps or take the train (this was the last junction) over the two mountain passes. Given the state of our bikes (my brakes, Matthias’ gears) and the load we were carrying, we decided to take the train. First, though, we took a side trip to Meran (Merano), a lovely spa town where we got new brakes and gear adjustments

Which brings us to today, when we took a series of trains to Austria, over the Brenner pass, through Innsbruck (and part of Germany) to a small Alpine town called Bichlbach (in Austria) where we found a great room for 30 Euros. And I mean a GREAT room – I’ve been looking at the Alps through my window all evening. Also, I recommend the train ride for anyone who’d like to see the area without driving – it’s absolutely spectacular! So anyway, we’re at about 900 meters high, and although the rest of the ride is technically “downhill”, we’ve still got some climbing to do to get out of here.

Again, I hope the pictures do the ride justice. There is a link to the left. Ciao!

Due Vino Rossi

Woo hoo – our ferry docked in Venice and we realized we were nuts not to stop here. Luckily, we found a campsite outside of town (27 Euro per night!! and I mean that’s expensive for a tent!) with a good bus connection into town. I’m writing this now from a bridge over one of the many canals here. It’s quite a magical town.

Our ferry arrived at 9AM this morning (our sleeping area was dry and fairly comfortable) and after trying to get some tourist information etc, we rode out of town and found a campsite on our own. Then, we took the bus back into Venice and started to enjoy the beautiful day. Decided to splurge on lunch and had good seafood near the seafood market (near the Rialto Bridge, for those in the know.) I had some nice squid in ink with polenta and Matthias had the ‘menu’ of seafood. It was good. Then we took the obligatory walk over the Rialto Bridge to San Marco Square – all flooded with tourists. We continued on over the bridge to Acadamia and through the less-crowded streets toward the bus station. (Stu, Ed and Cathy – I’m thinking of you and remembering our last time here!!!) So….as it was nearing cocktail hour, we decided to stop somewhere for a glass of wine. We found a nice bar, drank our glasses and held our breath for the check….it was…2 Euros (total!) Of course, as we left, I took a picture of the place in case we’re ever here again!

Just finished eating again – a couple of pizza slices, which were quite good. Now we’ve got to get the bus back to the campsite. We’ll start riding tomorrow toward the Alps. Great pictures to come soon!

On the Road Again

Yes, I now have something to write about that might be of interest to those other than relatives and my good friend Mark S. (thanks for reading!) We left Pitsidia on Wednesday, 08 April and got a much-appreciated ride over the mountain to Heraklion from our good friends Hans and Isabella. It wasn’t just that I was being lazy (though I am prone), but the road that goes over the 620 Meter high pass is narrow, curvy, and busy with buses and trucks. Anyway, we arrived safely in Heraklion and took the ferry that night to Pireaus (Athens) where we boarded a train for Corinth – once again, I wasn’t up to the challenge of riding around busy Athens.

And yes, we did eventually start riding, from Corinth to Patras, where we caught the ferry (which we are aboard right now) to Venice. After spending the night in a campsite outside Corinth, we set off along the north coast of the Peloponnese peninsula. We cycled about 60 km the first day to a campsite at Akara Beach. The scenery was lovely – we rode along the sea (or was it a bay?) with a view of the mainland and snow-capped mountains all around. And, despite the forecasts, the weather (during the day) was quite good. On the second day, we rode only about 40 km to a campsite we knew was between Akara Beach and Patras, where we would catch the ferry the next day. The site was gorgeous, but not quite “open” and ready for the season. So, as I lay in the tent listening to the waves, praying for dry weather, and trying to keep warm – I nearly enjoyed myself. When we woke up in the morning, to a bit of sunshine, I started to feel better. The secret is to keep reminding myself….I’m riding my bike through GREECE! AND I’M GOING TO BE IN ITALY IN COUPLE OF DAYS. What could I possibly have to complain about?! Well, I always find something.

The next day’s ride to Patras (only 30 km) was pretty easy, thanks to a strong tailwind. Our ferry to Venice didn’t leave until midnight so we had plenty of time eat, find an internet café, and get on each other’s nerves. The ferry, we thought, was a bargain. Only 49 Euros each for the two-night journey to Venice. Sure, we have to sleep on the floor, but we do that in the tent anyway. But then, after we awoke from a nice toasty-warm night’s sleep, we were flooded out of our sleeping area (Matthias noticed it nearly on time – his sleeping bag only got a little wet.) So, after three nights of worrying about keeping dry in our tent, we ended up with wet stuff from the ferry. Oh well…as they say (quite often) in Greece….Teenakanama (what can you do.) And I’m still in denial that our plan involves riding our bikes OVER THE ALPS to Germany. I’m just holding on to the excitement of riding through northern Italy – the rest will take care of itself (I hope.) Life is good.

Adio....Timbaki, Souvlaki, and Raki

Okay - I said goodbye to Raki a few months ago (couldn't take the hangover.) But I'll sure miss the Souvlaki we have each week at the Timbaki market (photo.) It's with bittersweet feelings that we're leaving Pitsidia in a few days. We've met some wonderful friends here - we'll miss them but look forward to seeing them again - and we feel like we've become part of the community. Yesterday, I guy I hardly know (but helped move) said to me "I heard you're leaving Monday." Matthias said: "no, on Wednesday" but all I could think of was this that guy heard something about ME??! Cool!

The weather is getting warmer and more people are starting to fill the village. Actually, another room in our "apartment building" (actually, an efficiency in a building with about eight guest rooms) is currently occupied. I guess we were quite spoiled having the whole place to ourselves all winter, I think now each time I hear the upstairs toilet flush.

We've taken a stab at packing the bike bags today, and wondering how our 3-year-old bikes with umpteen KMs behind them are going to manage. Not to mention the 40 (or so) year olds riding them! But a new adventure awaits.

(no, I didn't dye my hair blonde - that's Matthias and Izabelle in our favorite Pitsidia pub.)

Almost Springtime in Crete

It’s really hard to find the motivation to keep the blog, particularly since we haven’t been moving around as much, and there’s not all that much to write about. Still, I have recently learned that there are actually people out there who read this – and I might want to someday – so I’m going to try my best to keep it up to date.

We are back in Crete now after a whirlwind visit to the U.S. We went to Florida to visit my parents and pay our taxes. We also drove my parents’ van back up north, which turned out to be really nice. We took secondary roads, avoiding the highway for most of the trip, taking a longer route through Georgia, S. Carolina, N. Carolina, Virginia and Pennsylvania. We passed lots of small villages (some depressingly empty) and nice scenery, which we could imagine would have been much lovelier in spring or fall – particularly the routes through Georgia and Virginia. We stopped to visit family (Lou, Laurene and Josh) in Maryland, and Jennifer and Brenda in D.C. – that was great. But, unfortunately, it didn’t leave us enough time in NY to call on old friends. But we did get to see family (Sue, Dexter, Harry and Charlene) as well as some friends (Stu, Harold, Andrew, Matt and Dean) in NYC. Basically, we got to see everyone who came to visit us over the past year. Next time we’ll plan the trip better.

Did I just write two full paragraphs without mentioning food? Well, we sure got our fill of good ole’ American food – steaks, ribs, burgers, diner food, etc. We were a bit disappointed, however, during our drive from Florida to NY because the only restaurants we could seem to find were chains. And, although we were looking forward to some authentic BBQ in Georgia, we couldn’t even manage to get a beer there (it was Sunday!) We more than made up for it, though, during our two weeks in Florida.

Though it was sad to say goodbye to friends and family, it’s great to be back in Pitsidia. I’m sure I mentioned that it’s a small town with lots of expats (mostly German and British) and that everyone seems to know everyone. When we got back, everyone welcomed us, even people I’ve never spoke to before seemed to know that we were gone. Our involvement in the community also keeps growing. Since our return, I’ve been to a friend’s apartment for dinner, another for tea, and we joined in an effort to help people move into new apartments. And, one night at the pub, I lost spectacularly at Yatzee. Fortunately, there was no money involved.
Now I’m sad to be leaving here in just about two weeks. People say that the place grows on you, and that people always come back. I suppose we will someday.

But I’m excited about the next stage of our travels. We are going to ride our bikes (as much as we can) back to Germany, taking the ferry from Patras, Greece, to Venice and following the Via Claudia Augusta bicycle route over the Alps. Of course, it might be too cold (or steep!) in late April for parts of the journey, but there seems to be good train connections most of the way, and I’m not too proud to hop on when I need to! Once back in Germany (probably the middle of May) we’ll make use of our health insurance by getting check-ups and make plans to go back to Asia. We’re thinking of going to China for 6 months to one year – Matthias wants to learn some Chinese cooking techniques and I hope to be able to teach English there. But enough about that for now – anyone who knows us knows that our plans change about as much as Matthias changes sweaters (although Matthias hasn’t stopped wearing this particular sweater for about six months, so maybe that means we’re becoming more decisive!)

A day for the blog

Matthias said there’d be days like these. But it didn’t seem so on Friday morning, when we were eager to ride our bikes to the market in Timbaki – about 12 km away – to buy vegetables for the week, and sit in the square and eat Souvlaki. Unfortunately, it looked like rain that morning, so we said: “let’s see what it looks like by 10AM” (when we wanted to leave.) Like clockwork, at 10AM, it started to rain and we decided not to go.

On Saturdays, they have a market day in Mires (pronounced: Mir-ez) – also about 12km away. We were concerned on Friday (well, Matthias was concerned) that if it also rained on Saturday, we wouldn’t have a chance to get cheap salad stuff for the week. Fortunately, the weather on Saturday turned out better than we could have imagined – the ride to Mires was brilliant, and after we bought our groceries, we enjoyed our souvlaki in the glorious sunshine. THIS, I thought, is why we came to Crete! It was so nice that I suggested we stop in a village we always pass through on the way back and sit on the Platia (town square, or plaza) for a drink. Matthias was up for it, and chose a little “kafenion” with a table outside. The owner was thrilled to see Matthias and speak German with him, as he had spent 20 years living and working in Germany. He took us to his orchard and gave us a huge bag of oranges and then back to the café where he poured us some of his homemade raki (distilled Greek wine.) We then rode home where we grilled some Greek sausages (okay, they weren’t so great) and vegetables in olive oil, and Matthias made calamari in garlic. As the sun started to go down we went to the restaurant owned by our landlord for a beer - but really just to sit by the fireplace (and sip the beer SLOWLY). Some people we know were there (drama – to be shared later, perhaps) and we sat with them for a while before going down to the pub. That was a treat for me, as “California Jimmy” was there and we were able to chat about American Football (go Cards? Ravens? What do I know?? They could have been knocked out by now…)

It was a great day – one that I should remind myself of whenever I start to complain about…well….anything. We had great weather the following day as well, when we took a hike over to Red Beach. And now we’re back into our weekday healthy-eating-and-no-alcohol routine (okay, I get to have one vodka with olives in the afternoon.)

And when I upload this to the Internet tomorrow, I’ll read all about Obama’s inauguration!

latest photos are here: PHOTOS

I need to update the blog but I don’t feel like it.

That’s what I just said to Matthias. Sure, there’s a lot I can write about, but I’d rather play a game on the computer, watch a movie, or read my book. Also, I can’t remember what I’ve already written, and since I don’t have access to the Internet right now, I might be repeating myself. But here goes anyway…

We had a really nice xmas dinner here in Pitsidia at the local pub, which is run by Hans (from Bavaria) and Isabelle (from Poland.) So the food was traditional Northern European – duck, cabbage, potato salad and dumplings, etc. , and it was delicious. And of course the beer was flowing, as was the Raki (to add the required Greek flair to the party.) We also spent a relatively quiet New Year’s Eve at the Pub – less food but equal amounts of spirit.

But then the holidays didn’t end there. On New Year’s Day we went to a traditional gathering in the little town square, or platia (it’s triangle-shaped, actually) where the Greek version of Santa Claus (I just learned that’s an American name – developed by Coca-cola, I was told) delivered gifts to all the children. There was also a big cake – everyone got a piece and more – and somewhere hidden inside was a token for a prize. The cake was tasty, but I didn’t win the prize (or I just ate it.) There was also some music and dancing. It was fun.

The next day (my birthday) we took a bus to Iraklion – the nearest “big city” about an hour away. Unfortunately (as often happens on the 2nd of January) most restaurants and shops were closed, so I didn’t get to do my birthday eating and shopping until the next day (fortunately, I thought ahead – we stayed overnight in Iraklion.) Every Saturday, as the 3rd of January happened to be, there is a big market in Iraklion – fruits, veggies, clothes, you name it, and Souvlaki! We had fun there before getting the bus back to Pitsidia in the afternoon. Actually, the bus ride is nice in itself – the bus winds its way over the snow-covered mountains. By the way, thanks to all for the birthday greetings – it was fun to go to an internet café and get 15 birthday emails in my inbox, not to mention the Facebook postings!

Now things are back to “normal”. We’ve had a few days of nice weather and have been biking and hiking around. Hopefully, I’ll be able to include some photos here as well as on the Picasa site (link will be included here or to the left – whichever I have time for.) So, that’s all for now. Happy New Year to all!

More Holiday Greetings

It’s a rainy day in Pitsidia. We thought it only rained here for an hour or so (quick storm, then sun) so during our walk today we ducked into a chapel as it started to rain. The chapel is situated on a cliff and the view was gorgeous, although it was damp and cold as we waited. An hour and a half later (despite our prayers) it was still raining, so we walked home in it. It was still lovely, and the walking kept us warm. Next time, though, we’re bringing the ponchos.

So is life in Pitsida. We’ve been going for bike rides and walks through valleys and olive fields. The weather is mostly good – when the sun is out, it’s warm. At night, or in the shade, it’s cold, and in our apartment , it’s cold and damp (built for the many months of summer heat, I suppose.) As I mentioned last time, no internet or TV here, but that means I will (or at least should) update the blog more often. Also, I’ve got lots of movies and tv shows to watch (Andrew, I got all three seasons of “Dexter” before leaving Berlin – haven’t seen it yet…hope it’s good!)

Speaking of Andrew, I can’t believe I neglected to include in the blog my family’s visit to Berlin on the momentous occasion of the Obama victory. It was great fun to explore Berlin with Lou, Josh and Andrew, and then spend all night in a bar waiting for the election results (which came at about 5AM, our time.) I think Josh posted a video on Facebook – I’ll try to put it on my profile page.

Back to Crete. In addition to walking and biking around, we’ve been out around town a couple of times and had a nice BBQ dinner in the garden. On the 25th, we’re going to a local pub (run by a German/Polish couple) for Xmas dinner. We’ve been promised a duck dinner, and Matthias is just hoping they make enough (he can easily eat half a duck!) Apparently, it’s very quiet here now; the tourists are gone and many of the long-term residents have fled for the winter. But there’s still a small community about, and a few local bars and restaurants open. Enough for us, anyway…especially since Matthias has put us on a much-needed diet. Fortunately, greek salad drenched with olive oil is on the “diet”, so I can’t complain… Speaking of which, I was just writing this to kill time until it’s time to eat….which is….NOW.

Seasons Greetings

Season’s greetings from Crete! We (somewhat sadly) left Berlin nearly a week ago, waking up on our departure day to the news that Athens was under siege! We didn’t have any trouble, although we saw lots of burned out buildings and broken windows in Athens and Iraklion. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

My German language course came to an end on November 17th, the same day Matthias came back. I was sad to say goodbye to the people I befriended in the class, but I was excited to see Matthias. We met at the airport that night. Of course, the weather just turned COLD, and poor Matthias nearly froze on the way home. A few days later, Jennifer and Brenda came to visit. It was so nice to see them and we had a great time – eating, drinking and sightseeing. We even got an early taste of some of the Christmas markets in Berlin.

As the CELTA teacher training started to wind down, we all started to look forward to completing the course. It was a tough three months, but definitely worth it (in my opinion) and I’m going to miss my classmates and teachers. I really liked teaching – at least in that controlled environment – and hope I get to do it (for a living) sometime soon. So, although I was sorry to see the class come to an end, and to say goodbye to all my new friends, I couldn’t complain about our next destination.

Crete is really beautiful, and it’s so nice to have our bikes here. It wasn’t too bad taking the bike on the plane either, although it would have been really hard if I had to do it myself. When we got on the Metro in Athens, the conductor told us that bikes weren’t allowed, but we could ride with the bike if we took the front wheel off (??) Then he told us to “be careful” in Athens because of the riots (not sure how we were supposed to “be careful”) but luckily our hotel was right by the train station and all was quiet. Actually, the hotel was brilliantly located, and we enjoyed the next (sunny) morning walking around downtown Athens. Getting the bike on the Metro to the ferry terminal was another drama – because it was so crowded – but no one told us we couldn’t go…

The overnight ferry ride was nice and comfy (we were able to stretch out on three seats with our sleeping bags) but when we got to Iraklion we were worried that the bus driver wouldn’t let us put the bike on the bus. That would have meant that Matthias would have had to ride 60km over the mountain – in the pouring rain, no less – to the village of Pitsidia. But, fortunately, the bus driver was amenable. And, when we changed buses in Mires, we saw our new landlady – who let us into our apartment as soon as we arrived. The apartment is basic, but cute, and has a nice garden – it will be fine for the winter. Unfortunately – no internet (in the whole town as far as I can see.) but we’ll go at least twice a week to the internet café to maintain contact.

And, finally, the bike riding here is really nice. Though I was wrong to think that riding to class everyday in Berlin was keeping me in shape. I guess I forgot about something they call hills. That’s what makes the scenery so beautiful, I guess. We’ve been to the beach and to nearby villages, so far. And we’ve also met some nice (and interesting) folks here. Hopefully, I’ll have more adventures to report on soon.

Here's a link to a few photos. More to come (hopefully) soon. http://picasaweb.google.es/jrosenyc/December2008#

Fall Classic

Before an entire calendar month goes by without an entry, I’ll add one. It’s not that I don’t have anything to write about, it’s just that….well, I don’t really know what it is!

Actually, things are going pretty damn great. Berlin is fab – Matt and Dean came to visit in September, followed by my parents, and then Matthias’ cousin (once removed.) And Matthias seems to be enjoying Greece – keeping it warm for me! He’s coming back here on November 17^th, staying for three weeks, and then we’re both flying there (with my bike in tow) on December 7^th – one day after my ESL teacher training ends. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Classes are going well. The German class (photo) is good, but unfortunately I don’t get enough practice speaking German outside of class, especially given that my ESL teacher training class is totally in English (of course.) Unless you count watching reruns of Roseanne and The Simpsons in German. As of the 17^th of November, I’ll have taken 300 hours of German (half of the government-subsidized 600 hours I’m entitled to) and I suppose my German has improved. We’ll see – the test will be if Matthias has the patience to converse with me in German….only then will I be good enough!

The ESL teacher training is HARD, but really good. The people are great, and I think I’m really learning a lot. I just had my “mid-point tutorial” and found out that I’m doing quite well, meaning if I keep trying to improve, I could “pass with a higher grade” (the better news is that if I just go through the motions, I’ll still pass!) And better still: I already had my first teaching “job”. Someone heard through the Berlin grapevine that I was taking this course and asked me to give a few hours of private lessons to a friend’s mother. My first bit of employment in almost three years! But who’s counting….

I’ve met lots of interesting people here as well, but that will have to wait for another entry (if there ever is one) since I’ve also had so many fun visitors! It was so great to see Matt and Dean. Even though they still haven’t sent me their photos (hiss!) I can report that the trip was a success – they saw lots of art, we drank a respectable amount of beer, and Matt tried some German food that would make even my father grimace. (I’m warning you, Matt – if you don’t send me some useable photos, I’m going to post the one of you eating the pig leg!) It was a great visit.

And, on the day that Matt and Dean left, my parents arrived. As an alternative to a hotel, we shared a charming, arty apartment (photo) in Friedrichshain (old East Berlin), which turned out to be a great idea since I didn’t have to worry about making time to see them (I could always meet them at home after my classes.) They did lots of sightseeing, we all did lots of eating, and I got to practice my ESL lessons on them (they’re pretty good at English, I must admit.) And, Matthias’ parents came to visit – twice! It was a great visit, and despite our ever-growing political differences, we’re still getting along quite well (and still talking on the phone almost every other day.)

So, this was the middle of October, and Berlin was enjoying a lovely stretch of great weather (which has just ended, by the way!) After my parents left (on the 11^th of October) I moved into my new apartment in another great part of town (Neuköln, for those who might know it) and had a short visit from Matthias’ cousin Sina, who just turned 18. I was nervous about the visit, since I didn’t know her that well, but we had a really nice time (at least I did) going to museums (thanks Matt for the tip on the Berlinische Gallerie – it was great!), walking in the historic district, and going out to hear live music.

Wow, I’m tired just writing about this! And now the election on Tuesday – and yet more visitors! Cousin Andrew is coming on Sunday, followed by Josh and Uncle Lou on Tuesday. There’s an all-night event here on the 4^th that I’m going to try to drag them to (hell, look out for us on CNN international!) And hopefully on Thursday I’ll be able to hold up my head in my various classes!

So, Jen - have I tempted you to get out and get those tickets?