Berlin Reflections

Why would anyone want to pick, somewhat randomly, to live and work somewhere else for a month? Why would I?

This year we chose to rent an apartment in Berlin, Germany for four weeks. I had heard of the city's reputation for the arts, for being edgy. I didn't do any research into that or plan the trip. It was a feeling I had about Berlin based on random information collected in my head over the years. Rich found a flat and flights and we booked. I didn't even really read the tour guides ahead of time - some flipping through pictures and reading captions.

For me it's about the thrilling stimulation of an entirely new environment. The language barrier adds a distinctly challenging component. I'm thrown really far out of my comfort zone. Travel is fun, but it is also exhausting, uncomfortable, and full of learning and discovering through misadventure. When one travels, one doesn't expect to be happy every minute - even if it was a vacation. But it's not a vacation.

The first week is about orientation and finding a rhythm. How do we buy food? Where is the public transportation and how does it connect us? What kind of workday routine can I establish?  What are the topmost important things I want do while I am here?

Our first day we walked ten miles. We walked to the big train station to buy our transit passes and we cruised that part of the city. It was drizzling intermittently and very cold. We took respite at a cafe for a cup of warming coffee and watched street performers and crowds of shoppers milling about.

If in the first week everything felt slightly hostile - Who would be on the street when I walked out the door? Which direction should I walk in? Was that group of men menacing or socializing? - in the second week I had more confidence.

All of the essentials were accounted for and my neighborhood looked familiar to me. My brother and his partner came to visit and rented their own flat. We had dinner at their place. We wandered and did some sightseeing together. My work routine was comfortable and afternoons were free for play with few work obligations in the evenings.

The third week was the sweet spot! I know my way around now. We have already explored, mostly on foot, many of the neighborhoods, which means the streets and buildings give me an orientation to the public transport and which direction is home. English is very common and making a purchase or buying a meal is no big deal. I have been really relaxed!

We've done almost every important sightseeing item on our list. And we have connected with people. We met my colleague's son who lives and works here with his family. We even lunched with our landlords from our first extended trip in Prague in 2008! They live here in a beautiful neighborhood, and are married with two small children.

As we look toward our last week here in Berlin it feels strange to think about the transition back to Florida. What can we do to make our last days here memorable? What will we take away from the Berlin experience?

I know that when we walk through our front door we will be back home. We will wake up the next day and it will almost feel like we never left (sans the unpacking). But we have changed. I have changed.

Working during my stay changes the way I think about my work. It helps me step back and review it with fresh eyes. Getting to break up my day and play in a new city for a few hours every day pushes me to re-think how I live when I'm not traveling. Generally, those are not comfortable, cozy thoughts.

But balance them against the delight of the German, dark, brown bread that weighs as much as brick and is delicious with honey on top; thick, rich coffee served with a cookie; creative and complex street art in every neighborhood; and getting to see 1980s-style punk rockers at a massive street party in Kreuzberg - that slight discomfort becomes a welcome part of the travel experience.

I amsterdam!

So on our way over to Barcelona from Florida we took a day layover in Amsterdam. We were instructed by our flight attendant, Miriam, that gin was a specialty of the Netherlands and she gave us each a small bottle of gin in a ceramic souvenir house. We must chill the gin first, as it is best when cold!

After dropping our luggage at the hotel we took the shuttle back to the airport and attempted to buy a train ticket at the kiosk and then at the desk. But our credit cards were not welcome there! One must have a chip in the card and have a PIN. Being Americans, we had no such thing. Well, we had a chip, but the only PIN was for a cash withdrawal at ridiculous rates. It became a cash trip.

We eventually navigated into town and made our way to the Rijks Museum. First we made a stop for a cup of coffee amid the bustle. Amsterdam = bikes, right? It was more than that. Bikes people and cars in a cacophony of overdrive activity! There wasn't much in the way of traffic signs and signals and yet everything and everyone moved around mostly gracefully.

There are dedicated bike lanes and pedestrians must beware. I found the entire thing a bit overwhelming at first. The jet lag probably didn't help much. The demarcations between sidewalk, bike lane and street didn't feel terribly distinct. But it was very entertaining from behind a cup of tea!

The Rijks Museum was fully open in all its glory! On our last visit it had been under construction with limited viewing. And geez was it big. By the time we walked there we were about ready to fall over. So we took our time. At one point we sat in front of paintings of a ship and I managed to nod off on the bench for a few minutes...

When we left the museum we decided to do nothing else for the afternoon but people-watch. There was a park across from the museum and it had an "I amsterdam" sculpture. What mad mayhem!

Oh the fashion! Oh the clustering around the cell phone charging station! Oh the posing for cameras!

But it was quite cool and the breeze picked up so we decided to move on. We purchased two sodas from the hot dog stand for a caffeine kick and sought out our next refuge.

I did manage to saunter around the museum gift shop before leaving. It represented both the Rijks and Van Gogh museums.

As we passed by it struck me as remarkable that we had purchased Coca-colas from an "American" hot dog stand with our flag painted boldly on the back.

What else could we do but pose for a selfie in the reflection? Swirled in the jet-lagged confusion of a Van Gogh masterpiece.

The rest of that day is a bit of blur. A terrible meal at a restaurant with incredibly slow service (or was that just the perception of tired travelers?).

A ride on the bus with a crowd of school kids and a conversation with their teacher.

Waiting and waiting for the hotel shuttle.

Tumbling into bed wondering how to wake up on time the next morning.

And then it happened. Morning arrived. Rested. Showered. Packed. On our way!

We were so excited! We walked out of our way so I could climb up on the "I amsterdam" sculpture at the airport. All to myself! Then we checked-in.

Except that they couldn't find us. Turns out we were supposed to fly out .... yesterday! The layover that never was! Our sleepy, jet-lagged motions in Amsterdam a sham!

Use the cell phone to log into the internet in the airport. Dial the airline via Skype. Breathe. Pray the connection doesn't drop. Pay extra. Board the plane. Hooray!

Approaching Budapest in the Round

Traveling in foreign countries can be a bit disorienting. That's part of the fun, right? And I'm okay with that. Especially when there are all sorts of lines, shapes and new perspectives awaiting my discovery! As we boarded the train from Prague to Budapest, well, we took the right train, just the wrong direction. No turning around for an HOUR. And of course we had to pay for the extra journey - both ways. Whoops. These pictures were taken as we waited to take the train back to Prague and then to Budapest.

Doesn't it almost look like a fake backdrop to some modern set? But it's not.