oh no... :(

I was just listening to the australian news online:

"I am still trying to get in touch with an official interpretater". Yes. Interpre-ta-ter. I guess this is indicative then of the studies about only 1 out of every ten Australian primary school teachers being able to correctly spell 10 consecutive words.

aussei aussie aussie

I am glad to see that news.com.au is keeping up the high standard with the headlining article about our now most famous asset (apparently) Thank heavens wikipedia had other ideas...

oh Jakob....

Two new Jakobisms from today:

The scene: Beth is practicing English with Jakob and after working through our favorite colours and what we would paint the walls;

Beth: I love your pirate ship
Jakob: Was heisst 'love'?
Beth: I love... I love blue and you love red
Jakob: oh!
Beth: Do you know what I love?
Jakob: of course! - Me. (said so seriously!)
Beth: um ok. and do you love me?
Jakob: umm Ok.

Ahh to feel appreciated!
it got better though:

Scene: Walking past the wall memorial near Jakob's school, there is a stone in the footpath to the memory of "Rudolph Ulrich" one of the many who were killed trying to get to the other side of the wall and escaping the east. Jakob asked me to read it to him:

jakob: Why did they kill him?
Beth: well he was trying to get away and they didn't want that
Jakob: well why didn't he fly?
Beth: umm I'm not sure.. I don't think he would have been able to
Jakon: but why not? He can fly
Beth: Maybe he couldn't that night?
Jakob: so how did Christmas take place then?
Beth: umm .. (then it clicked..) Jakob, Rudolph was a man! Not a reindeer..
Jakob: Oh! I thought you meant the reindeer was killed and that made me sad because then Santa must have had a very hard christmas.

Good to see that Berlin history is being rewritten with a festive feel..

complete method in my madness

I knew there was a reason I stopped being a part of the surreality that is myspace: it was actually a preemptive cost saving initiative.

the parents in Berlin :)

I just put my parents back on the plane :( I am very sad to see them go. I had a wonderful week with them here in Berlin. I learned so much more about the city, saw so much more than i have with any other visitors-it was a gorgeous week.

Mum and dad outside the Berlinerdom with SNOW ;)

Mum and I


Dad and I (breathing in the asbestos...)

The Pergamonmuseum will never be the same again....
more to come...

Glatteis Gefahr

Tonight Berlin turned into the world's biggest Ice Rink. My parents and I were at a concert in the "philarmonie" and as we were coming out, there was an announcement to say we were to be careful of the glatteis through the whole of Berlin. Within five minutes there was the first woman down and the first ambulance was waiting to accompany the broken wrist and owner off. There began our crazy slide through Berlin as we tried to navigate the ice field. Funnier yet was when I finally got to my station - it would seem all my neighbours had decided now would be a good time to try skidding from one end of my street to the next. As I tried to walk from the station to my door I realised why: it was impossible to walk anyway, so we may as well make it fun :) I don't think I have laughed as hard in a long time watching others fall and skid and then fall myself. See how many bones I break when I go out a little later with friends

Christmas

A few photos from my christmas time:
Marquarstein - the family's house was just left of this picture

The cubby house we built in the snow.

the new member of the family...she was helping me study

The Catholic Church in Marquarstein. My hotel was right next door

My walk from the hotel to the house in the mornings

new years photos!

A few photos to whet the appetite:



The Crowd in the direction of the Brandenburger Gate.

Mark, his Ferris wheel halo and me

The crowd in the direction of the Siegessäule!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

New Year Berlin style...
I braved the sub zero temperatures, dodged the firecrackers being thrown out the windows into the street (seriously landing on spots where my feet had been not 30 seconds before), joined the one million... yes 1 MILLION people who were gathered between the Brandenburger Gate and the Big star (siegessäule) (yes this beat anything the world cup had to offer), joined the cues for Berliner Pilsner (beer), watched the others enjoy their jägermeister, met random people who are now going to be staying in my apartment.. it's all good, they have the same accent as me ;), watched the 20 minute fireworks display which was almost outdone by the personal ones surrounding the whole area being set off in the Tiergarten, watched the majority of Berlin males managing to pee standing next to each other.. trying to avoid getting hit, seeing the war monuments being lit up by fireworks, seeing the streets littered with streamers and bottles, watching people climbing the wall leading to the Brandenburger gate and being reminded of a similar wall they managed to overcome not so long ago.
This city is many things, but I am glad to call it home.

I wish you all an amazing new year filled with love and happiness

pictures are to follow