Thanksgiving in Berlin

We hadn't yet been to Germany's capital and it is only 2 1/2 hours from where we wanted to go in Poland, so we combined the 2 trips.  We spent 3 nights in Berlin. 

 

It was cold, of course, but it didn't rain.  In Germany, that means we had great weather.  

 

We stayed in an apartment near Schloss Charlottenburg, a palace from the Prussian times.  It was a two minute walk to the metros and we were able to get everywhere we needed.  The one catch with Berlin was that by 3:00 in the afternoon (it is about mid Canada level) it was quite dark, so some of the things that we wanted to see,were put off because it was just too dark.  Darin said that was really as long as the kids could stand being out anyway.  He was right.  We would trek back to our apartment, eat a big bowl of soup from-the-can, and let the kids watch a movie.  Darin and I would then go out and wonder around while Davis babysat for a little bit.  It was fun to wonder a city with just the man and the kids were happy not to wonder the city.  Win-win!

 

Brandenburger Tor and Pariser Platz

 

 

The lights in East Berlin/East Germany look like this.

 

The Memorial to Murdered Jews of Europe. 
It is a large and unusual memorial.  There are 2,700 large grey blocks of various heights set in rows on a ground that goes up and down.  Interesting.  The boys played a little bit of tag/hide 'n seek.

Noah playing on a section of "The Wall."

The boys resting. 
There were times when Darin and I just looked at each other and shook our heads.  Here are the kids playing on The BerlinWall!  This was the Wall from our High School history classes and it seemed, at times, unreal to be in this city, seeing these sites. 

Checkpoint Charlie intersection

Checkpoint Charlie

On top of the roof at the Reichstag.  A Government building.  We went inside the dome behind us and wound our way to the top and a found a great view of both sides of the city.

In front of the Reichstag

We were lucky to arrive in Berlin the weekend that a few of the Christmas Markets were opening.   We love the Christmas Markets. 

The Market at Potsdamer Platz had a gtreat big tubing hill.  The boys Loved it. 

While waiting in line with the boys I had a run in with a handful of teens trying to get to the front of the line. Many European don't really line up, but rather just move forward. Annoying! Anyway, there was a line and they were trying to get up front with a friend, but 8 moving forward was just too much for me. I stood in front of them and wouldn't move.  Then they asked and tried to push by, but I told them No.  I knew enough German to tell them where the end was.  They kept trying and trying.  I kept insisting that they weren't going in front.  The people around me seemed to be annoyed with they kids as well, but nobody would open their mouths...they were OK to wait for the annoying kids to go down first.  In the end, I lost the line fight, but at least my insecurities about my lack of language skills didn't hold me back this time.   The end is there...was good enough to start a fight. 

 

Tree at the Sony Center.

 

Jag walking on the wall line.





In front of the still standing portion of the Wall.

In front of the basement remains of the old Nazi Headquarters building.

Every picture on this trip Anya decided to pull a funny/ugly face.  She thought it was great and refused to smile normally.

Two different sections of history in one area.
 Below is the Nazi/Communist building remains and on top is the remaining Wall section.

The last surviving intact bit of the "Wall System"  with both sides of the Wall and the no-man's land, or death strip in between. 

We rode LOTS of metros while in Berlin.  There is no way we'd have wanted to drive in the city.  We also did LOTS of walking.  One night we were all beat.  During dinner we see Noah crawling to the kitchen to get a drink.  Darin told him to get up, the floor wasn't clean.  Poor Noah said, "I can't walk anymore.  My legs hurt so bad."   What good parents we are.  (Nice picture that Darin took.)

This is a Ghost Metro Stop.  It is under East Berlin, but West Berlin trains went through here to get to other West Berlin stops.  The trains were not allowed to stop here so they were unused for all those years.  These metro stops were opened once the Wall fell and have been kept the way they were originally.  Darin is standing in front of the guard rooms.  The guards were to make sure that the trains didn't stop, however the guards were locked in these rooms to prevent them from trying to escape as well.
 

 

A neat museum that Darin would have loved to spend more time in.  Unfortunately 3 little ones (especially 1 pink one) wasn't cooperative or fond of the museum.  Poor Darin didn't get to spend the time there that he'd hoped for.  I couldn't find anywhere to wonder with the kids to allow him the time.

At the museum trying to be good and quiet.  I am stuffing them full of candy, but it wasn't enough.

THANKSGIVING DINNER...Ramen, chili, and Campbells soup.

 

Not to be deprived...I actually made Thanksgiving the Sunday before we left.

Our fabulous friends, The Burke family.

 

Berlin was great.   We really enjoyed what we saw and did.  It is surprising how many people we know, go all over Europe, but don't ever make it to Berlin.   We didn't want to put it off any longer. 

Boleslaviec, Poland

**Note:  I didn't do anything differently...now the pictures will just load.  I sent out some emails reguarding how to fix the picture problem, but without response.  This time it just worked.  Hurray!

 

 

Over Thanksgiving we went on a trip to Poland and Berlin.  It is a 7-8 hour drive to the town of Boleslaviec, Poland.  It isn't too far inside the Polish boarder.  We would like to go further in, but that would be something that we'd have to consider flying to.  However, Boleslaviec was good enough (maybe just for now).  It is a town known for its pottery.  It reminded me of the town of Avanos in Turkey, because they get the clay from the river that runs through the town.  They make their own pots and then hand paint them all.  The primary color of Polish pottery is blue.  This was more of a trip for me because I wanted to go shopping, but everyone enjoyed the time.  Except maybe Anya.

 

Darin enjoys seeing the former Communist countries and the similarities in the large apartment buildings.  This one is very colorful.



The little ladies hand painting the pots to be fired.  I love that each one is an original.



Lots of little stores all over the place.  Even though they carry similar pots, it is actually hard for me to choose.  As you can see, not kid friendly here.

A local church in the town center. 
It took Darin a long time to find someone willing to take our picture.  One lady said she couldn't figure out the camera and another just said "No."

A chilly walk through the town.  Not a souviner store in site.
 

We ate at a local resturant and it was AWESOME!  We all loved the Polish food.  Darin had rice, meat rolls wrapped in cabbage.

Everywhere in the town they are displaying their pottery.  This is at a round-a-bout in the center.  Darin had to go around several times for me to finally get a picture.  It was pretty cold and gray while we were there. 
 

Deutsch Dienstag: The Crazy American Lady

Since I can't yet get pictures to my blog, you'll just have to imagine this one. 

The Germans in my village are thinking that I am a little crazy, I am sure of it.  We have had a lot of snow the past couple of weeks.  (More this year in December than all of last winter.)  I was out shoveling the walks early in the morning when I remembered that nobody seems to shovel at the Kindergarten.  So, while I was taking Noah to school, I packed along my shovel.  Since I was walking with a shovel I figured that I'd shovel the walks to the school.  By the time that I got to the school I see a parent watching me.  He said to me, in German of course, "Did you just shovel all the way here?"  *or something to that effect*  You should have seen his dumbfounded face when I said, "Ja."  He then shook his head, laughed a little and left.  I didn't think it was too crazy until I noticed several of the Kindergarten's neighbors standing on their driveways just watching me.  I kept smiling and shoveling, then shoveled my way home. 

I figure that if being one of the only Americans in a village isn't enough to get the people talking about you,  just do something crazy...like service.

Blog Help Needed

Bloggy friends...everytime I try to upload a picture it complains about me taking up too much Picaso space and my free 1G is done.  What do I do?  I don't even really understand what it is taking about.  Can you help me?

Bitche, France

The French have a way with names... 

 

 

It is pronounced Beach in French. 

In all honesty I had to go to this city because I laughed at the French everytime I thought about it.  On our tour of the Citadel, the English (as in The English) speaker pronounced it like you would have thought, so I guess it could be called either one.

 

The city is small and doesn't really have much else, but this massive Citadel tops the hill above the city.

 

 

Another view of the Bitche Citadel.

 

Touring the Citadel

 

 

 



 

Always posing for the pictures!

Noah and Anya.  This was a neat entrance tunnel that echoed really well.  Much to the dismay of all who came after us.

It doesn't matter which country we are in or fabulous site we are at, Noah and Jag are always on the hunt for bugs and rocks.  Always.  Stand up and look around boys.

Touring the underground living areas of the Citadel.  They had all the resourced that they needed for living and staying put underground.  There was a video tour of the underground that took at least an hour.  In true French/European fashion it contained a handful of unnecessary and questionable parts.  For the most part it was interesting. 

Overlooking the city of Bitche.

Playing on a cannon of course.

 

Beware! My Break is Over!

**I have been taking a blogging break just because I have been busy and lazy at the same time.  I have a gazillion posts that need to get out before Christmas...just because I can't post Christmas without first being caught up. The posts that follow are from November because my break has been really long.   I have to get things documented in case one day I figure out what to do with this journal of a blog. 

 

So, it is either "Your Welcome" or "Sorry" and here come the posts.