A few people have gently reminded me that it has been a very long time since I wrote a blog entry. This is especially embarrassing because I have mostly been staying put here in Berlin lately so in theory, I should have more time to write. So what have I been doing other than trying to decide if I should write blog entries to catch up on the past couple months or starting from where I am now or something completely different? I decided to go for the easiest for now. Check below for pics!
Here’s the high level on my activities since my last post:
- I took a long ass but stunning hike of the lovely Ronda Spain.
- Chased a sunrise.
- Spent a couple OMG hot days in Vienna where they don’t have AC because they usually never need it.
- Took a bike ride in the Wachau Valley and got caught in a flash flood. Seriously! Riding a bike in two feet of murky water after visiting three wineries is a crazy experience!
- Rented an Airbnb in a tiny town in Austria mostly because it came with two gorgeous cats.
- Saw baby swans! They look so soft and cute! The Ugly Duckling story is a lie!
- Visited Hallstatt, Austria – the town so incredibly quaint that my mom says it’s the most beautiful place in the world and the Chinese love so much that they have built a replica of it in China.
- Met up with my lovely friend David and his parents in Salzburg and had a great time on the Sound of Music tour.
- Took the train to Munich and stayed with a former coworker who turned out to be more of a kindred spirit than I realized.
- My friend patiently and calmly re-trained me on how to drive a stick shift and even let me use her car and I only killed the engine twice!
- Had a lovely hike in the Bavarian countryside.
- Took the train to Berlin and met up with my cousin who lives there. I am so grateful to her and her husband for giving me a place to stay. Such a tremendous weight off my shoulders while I figure things out.
- My mom flew into Berlin to visit for three weeks.
- We revisited many of the incredible Berlin museums.
- Fell in love with the town of Dresden. Even loved the museum of Mathematics and Physics.
- Went on a bike tour of Berlin.
- Went on a bike tour of Potsdam.
- Rented a bike and made our own tour of Berlin with a highlight of the gardens in Tiergarten.
- Took the train back to Munich and met up with my friends from the states, Sharerah and Shabnom.
- Went on a bike tour of Munich and watched the surfers in the English gardens. Yes, you can go surfing in the landlocked city of Munich!
- Visited the fairytale Neuschwanstein and Linderhof castles.
- Had an exceedingly pleasant visit with the first person my mom ever went on a date with and his lovely wife and their bunnies.
- Went to the Tollwood Sommerfest in Munich with Sharerah and Shabnom and explored foods, goods and music from around the world and bought a new purse that I love.
- Traveled back to Berlin by train.
- Went to the eclectic Mauerpark Flea Market.
- Had a meal with a native German, an Indian who used to live in the US and now lives in Australia, a Russian who also lived in the US and now lives in Norway, an Armenian who also lived in the US but now lives in Sweden and were served by a Croatian waiter. Didn’t get a photo but there are a couple of us!
- Attended my cousin’s wedding.
- Planted flowers on my balcony.
- Met up with US friends Allison & James and their fun Airbnb host and Sharerah and Shabnom joined us for sushi.
- Had multiple visits from the foxes that live in the backyard in Berlin.
- Missed many buses (still don’t like them but I’m doing better).
- Attended a really cool night festival at the Botanical Gardens with all sorts of food, music, entertainment, flowers, lights and fun.
- Rented a bike and happened upon a Turkish market on the way to the graveyard and Viktoria park.
- Visited the smallest disco in the world (it’s the size of a phone booth).
- Attended six Shut Up and Write Meetup groups. Feels good to finally be making some progress on my book and meet a supportive group of folks.
- Bought a lamp which was advertised as being beautiful and faithful and he brings his own bulb. He may be the one for me!
- Got a haircut. Now I look like a proper Berlin hipster.
- Last but not least – stressed a million times over whether or not I should pursue a German visa and ultimately decided yes. They weren’t happy with my health insurance so they gave me a three month extension to get that figured out. I’ve been having oh so much fun trying to find an insurer that is reasonably priced with good coverage and accepted by the German government.
Comments
George Brown
Great synoptic tour. I can see that this collection can make everyone breathless. We all need to pay attention to the life around us and […] Read MoreGreat synoptic tour. I can see that this collection can make everyone breathless. We all need to pay attention to the life around us and catch the highlights all around us. Your highlights come not from their intrinsic beauty and surprising novelty, but also from your attention to the world around you wherever you are at the time. Read Less
lotus775
Hmmm. Who's britneybitch...
britneybitch
Loved this with the pics! Read your last one with no pics quick and this was excellent.