Back from Tyskland

The first thing I noticed when back in Sweden after my week in Berlin was the air quality. It smells fresh and open here; whether because of the cool breeze or lack of humidity, I am not sure. It might seem strange to start this entry with talk of Sweden after having already spent so much time here but I am still learning of this strange northern country.

But back to Germany...

Berlin has a peculiar trait affectionately dubbed the "Berliner Luft" (Berlin air) by its' denizens. The air reeks in Berlin. It smells of all the cuisine of the world mixed in one room, of said cuisine rotting under the streets, of cars and trollies, and all things worth mentioning as well as those that aren't. The wind carries everything imaginable through the city. Even on the outskirts of Berlin, in the district known as Tempelhof where I stayed, the smells drift down from the narrower streets up town. It's unique yet easy to forget and it wasn't until I was back in Sweden that I thought, "dang, it smells fresh here."

I took an afternoon flight to Berlin using Germanwings, a very affordable and convenient airline. I arrived early at the airport, which is my style when traveling alone, and decided to splurge on a novel to help pass the time. I chose a Swedish book called The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (a completely bogus title for a book originally called "Men who Hate Women" in Swedish) for 99 kronor. Anyway, it is EXTREMELY GOOD and it reads fast; I finished it in the five days I was in Germany and you know I didn't spend the whole time there reading.

At the airport in Berlin, two friends were there to greet me. It was uplifting to see their faces after so long. Heather, somebody I hadn't expected to see in Berlin ever again and John, a Witt-er who I never anticipated meeting in Germany. Together, we traveled to my host's house in Tempelhof via the S-bahn (street train). When we arrived at my host's home we poked around the neighborhood listening - and smelling - for a barbecue that we were invited to attend. Our searching proved fruitless so I desperately made the decision to visit the neighbors who, out of the 5 people in the family, I had tutored three of them. I hoped that they would maybe be able to tell us where the barbecue was. Instead we three were directly invited inside - almost as if we were expected - and fed much food and German beer. They didn't know where the party was but entertained us instead. It was great fortune that brought us together because I wasn't able to see them again during my stay.

Around 9:30pm we left to try and find the party one more time. We returned to find a map lovingly taped to my host's door and I was joyfully reunited with my host of last fall, Gabi (pronounced gahbi). The night was spent under an ivy consumed lattice with more food and much jocund conversation.

That was Thursday. Friday I met up with my friends on Friedrichstrasse, a very long and popular street that crosses the Spree (pronounced Shpray) an connects to many pubs, restaurants, and theaters. We shopped and walked around, enjoying the familiar sights (and smells). At noon we went to the Opera House Cafe, on a street named "Under the Linden Trees", for an expensive tea and to look at their many fantastical tortes. I got to meet some of their new classmates, including a guy from CA who had recently been to Slovakia visiting relatives. The four of us then continued wandering and ate Curry Wurst for lunch (I am officially in love with Wiki for having that entry) before loosing John to a insane voyage to Amsterdam.

Heather and I eventually parted with the CA dude and went back to my house for a jacket, the evenings being unexpectedly chilly. Around 11pm we met up with a Taiwanese friend of mine in a more lively section of town known as Kreuzberg. All said and done, I didn't get home until 3:30am. Even at that, I was the FIRST one back - two other girls are renting from Gabi at the moment and I am more of a homebody than all of them.

Ah, and now this writing is becoming something that I hate - a raw rundown of things that were totally enjoyable and worth writing with more flavor and energy. I will continue more with adventures from Germany tomorrow!

For now, I am full of delicious Indian food and ice cream. Carl bought me a book today (is there anything that could make this heart swell more than the gift of a book? I think not). ;) And now I'm whiling away the evening hours chatting with friends, writing a blog, and about to watch some Japanese TV.

Nighty Night!