Istanbul for the first time ever!

I had arrived at the station in the middle of the historic center of Istanbul. It's world heritage! So my hosts suggested to walk around and visit the famous sites first before driving up north to their home. I was very tired, but very eager to explore the city I had heard so much about, but never seen before. So the car was parked, and we walked through the drizzle to the Sultan's Topkapi Palace, the Hagia Sophia and the Sultan Ahmed Mosque.
Oh, the splendour and the beauty of the buildings and the treasures! It was almost unbelievable!
Before that we had a delicious breakfast ın a hotel garden pavillon (not outside on the terrace overlooking the bay because of the rain), and in between a short tea break at the 'Konyali' terrace ın Topkapi Palace wıth a great view onto the bay and the anatolian side of the city as well as across the golden horn. Despite the rain you could still see how beautiful this spot is! I'm so happy I came here and will be able to stay for a whole week.
It is gettıng colder fast, inside the house the heating is on, and later this week there will be snow! Imagine!
But for now I'm comfortable in Huriser's home, a spacious flat on the european side of Istanbul. I slept for 12 hours to make up for the sleepless night on the traın, and had a great turkish breakfast. I love learning all the recipes, and will certainly do some turkish cooking when back in Berlin. Turkısh food is so easy to get in my neighbourhood! ;)

Seaside towns

I woke up early without coffee (half past nine IS early). Washed and packed and was ready by 10:30 am. Then checked mails and hosts and wrote on this weblog - which wasn't published cos of javaproblems (?) - for about two hours until the young ones got up. Harisis made the best coffee ever. And we had some nıce chats on why to travel when where to.
But I was anxious to leave in time for the famous white tower. They told me it was only 12 am not 1 pm since the wintertime had started. One hour gained. On the other had I had got up incredibly early for a sunday. :(
Thessaloniki center close to the sea is great! The white tower was closed untıl 2007. But so what? We enjoyed the local extra delicious pastry in the bakeries around and strolled through the lively streets. Somehow I seem to like it better than Athens.
At the train station I got my 5days-ın-a-month-for-80 tıcket and the sleeper. And Kliment and Sofıa found the last traın to get to Athens in time for the flight to Helsinki was due in 30 minutes and totally sold out. They asked Harisi for advıce and help which of course he managed to give: just try at another counter. It worked.
So goodbye and hugs to my friends and off towards the seaside agaın with Harisis. He showed me around some of his favourıte places. We had lots to talk about: he likes movies as I do and more. So I'll have to come back. And he might come to the Berlinale.
A great sunset and some great food and then off to the train to Istanbul. Harisis waved me goodbye. We might meet next sunday to drive to the beautiful coast of Chalkediki and taste some of his father's dishes. Or maybe on Monday for another stroll around Thessaloniki between comıng by train from Istanbul and going on to Macedonia.
The train was not as full as I had feared it might be: I had a compartment for myself. All the same I couldn't sleep until Istanbul because of the bumpy wheels underneath my bed. And the guys askıng for passports ever so often. Or tickets. Or both.
And then the boarder and the rain started. Great! First time ın Turkey and it's raınıng!
At Istanbul station - not too far from the seashore at the european side - Huriser and her husband were already waiting for me wıth a huge sign saying 'ANNETTE'. And a huge smile and a big welcome!
But that is the story I wıll tell you tomorrow!

From Sounion to Thessaloniki

The sea! The wonderful blue aegeian sea! And the blueest of skies, and the sun shining brightly!
Instead of joining the merry peple on the beaches along the coast south of Athens, we climbed up to the Poseidon temple on Cape Sounion. The view was breathtaking!
Sofia's father Dimitrios took lots of pictures. Red curly hair blown from left to right on some, on others from right to left, depending on the sea I faced. Well, it's a cape.
Then home in a rush, they were awaiting visitors, but found the time to take me to the station. Where I had the first biiiig coffee of the day. Enfin!
The train went for six hours through the beautiful mediterranean landscape, I enjoyed watching it, and forgot about my book and reading.
Opposite and besides me sat a family of mother, grandmother, aunt and 6 years old boy, who kind of adopted me and shared all the food they had taken in their huge bag. Nice! I gave them one of my berlin bears as a little reward and souvenir :)
At Thessaloniki station, whilst waiting for Sofia, Kliment and our host Harisis, I checked trains to go on to Istanbul, and found this great offer to travel the Balkans on five days in a month for 80 Euro, and sleeping in a two-bed-department is only 25 Euro extra on the nighttrain from Thessaloniki to Istanbul. So that's what I'll get today.
The three nice guys came soon enough, and took me to this great family house with three floors and an elevator, all of which is Harisis' home. It's huge!
We were welcomed by his mother, and after debating a bit, went for a pizza delivery. The company is called Pizza Espania. I couldn't believe it! But it was nice, and the greek wine to go with it, even better! :)

Snowballs in Greece

For breakfast yesterday we had these tasty cakes called snowballs. Hmmmm!
Kliment and Sofia had left for Meteora, and I went on my trip around the capital alone. So much to see! The parade because of Ochi-Day, the shopping area in the center (!), and finally the Acropolis (world heritage)and the sun setting over Athens.
I enjoyed some breaks in small cafenions with beautiful views onto the Acropolis.
Later it was a nice evening at Sofia's place with a great wine her father had bought. Now he'll take us in his car to Sounion! I'm so lucky!

No owls in Athens

Can you imagine? The only owls we saw were those in the archaeological museum, on the mounuments of Athenae, the godess protecting Athens.
Kliment who had arrived late at night from Helsinki went to this great musuem with me, and then around the center. There are lovely parks right in the middle of all the hussle and bustle. We didn't make it in time fo the Akropolis (again), neither had a chance to see the sunset from Areopag, because clouds hid the sun.
In the evening we met up with Sofia and went to the cutest little cafenion, crowded with people chatting, laughing, eating, drinking. The food of course was delicious! Exactly the place I had always been looking for in Greece! All I missed was the rembetika music my friend and collegue Peter had always told me about.
Today Kliment and Sofia went on to Meteora, very early in the morning, and I stay another day with Sofia's nice mother. So we'll have a women's day out. Hopefully I'll manage to see the Ochi-day parade. And rembetika in the evening. And Akropolis! Cross my fingers!

Acropolis, Areopag, Agora and around

Our stroll around Athens center took as to quite a few of the ancient places that seem so familiar from my history lessons. We didn't go into the areas you have to pay for, that will be done today when Kliment is with us.
What a great mediterranean city! The view from the Areopag hill was marvellous! Today we'll try to see the sunset from here.
In the evening we had to be back to the station close to Sofia's flat, cos she wanted to go to a demonstration against the pulling down off a house lived in by squatters. Sofia was there, whilst I tried to fight my upcoming cold in the local Rock Cafe with tablets bought in a pharmacy close by. Amazing how cheap Aspirin can be.
Later we went to "Ariston" for a delicious chicken kebab. And then Sofia left to the airport, and I tried to work on my greek alphabet. I'll never make it!
Maria, Sofia's mother, and I had some good time together even though there were a few language problems. She's a teacher, and the educational system in Greece is being changed a lot lately. There were demonstrations in Athen today because teachers, students and parents alike were totally against the way it is and the changes alike. And there are strikes and the schools are closed all month. Well, this you only find about when talking to people and watching the news. I should more often.

Friends in Athens

The flight with Easyjet took three hours, alsmost the same time it took me to get from home to Berlin Schoenefeld and check in and wait for boarding. I had a great seat, lots of space, and a marvellous view onto the sunset.
No food nor drinks for free, but I had known and taken fruit and lots of water with me. They sold perfume and snacks and lottery tickets, instead. Imagine winning 30 000 Euro when flying! Wow!
People around me were coughing and seneezing, which I am now, too. :(
Check out in Athens was a piece of cake, since only handluggage. Sofia was waiting for me! How nice!
We went to the city in the mild autumn evening, and for the first time in my life I saw the Acropolis and more temples and ruins from ancient Greece. I'm looking forward to strolling around some more with Sofia today, and explore all of it!
At her home, her mother greeted me with a hug. The welcome was so friendly! We had a great greek dinner together, asnd then I slept for twelve hours (!) in Sofias's cozy bedroom. Now , after a great greek coffee and toast, we're ready to go. Athen's, I'm coming!

Packing again

My last day before the trip to countries I have never been to before: Greece, Turkey, Macedonia - who knows where else in southeast Europe. In chat I met some friends who had been there often, they gave me advice and information. Maybe we'll meet. Sofia was online, as well, she'll be at Athens airport tonight to take me to her place.
Everything is bought or done and I'm ready for the trip, the backpack is filled with the usual equipment. 7 kilos.
Before that I went to ver.di head quarters to see a few collegues - I met even more than I would have thought. Hugs and chats and latest news. They work hard whilst I'm enjoying my sabbatical. Five more months, guys, and I'm back with you!

A walk through the park

Hanne, a friend and collegue of mine, called me yesterday. She was back from a vacation in Bad Reichenhall and Salzburg, and I'm about to leave for Athens. Lots to chat about. Since the weather was still wonderful, we decided to go for a long walk through the park and along the Spree.
The bus took me to her place in less than half an hour, she's lucky to live in a flat with lovely views to the river. From here we walked slowly along the river banks, passing nice cafes on our way, to Schloss Charlottenburg and the Lietzensee. We had meant to do this stroll like since five years now, and somehow never had managed to! Berlin has beautiful lakes and rivers, admire a few from Charlottenburg here.
We arrived just in time to enjoy the last sunbeams onto our table facing the lake at the famous cafe, lots of people queueing up at the bar. It seems like every Berliner is out today to the sun, and the tourists as well.
Even after sunset around 6 pm (alas, so early now), it was still nice and mild to stroll around. People were sitting in the sidewalk cafes at Potsdamer Platz and around, admiring the illuminated buildings. and enjoying food and company.
I went home soon, for a couch and a book, a travelguide to Greece and Turkey. Too big and heavy to carry along with me, so I hope I'll remember the most important details. Today I'll pack and get ready for my trip. The sky is grey - time to fly away into the sun!

I certainly didn't miss out on this :)

The huge demonstration in Berlin against the social politics of the German government. More than 80 000 crowded between Brandenburg gate and "Goldelse" monument, more than 200 000 on meetings all over Germany.
I met lots of collegues and friends, of course. And enjoyed sitting outside "Starbucks" with a few of them in the sun, later. It felt like a summer day, really, not like a week before November and grey, dull, rainy autumn days.
We were chatting and checking news from Berlin trade union life. It reminded me to think more about trade union life in the countries I visit, and to try and meet collegues there. It's a very important part of life, to fight for better working and living conditions. So I should check again on trade union hosts on the HC website, send messages, meet them or even be hosted. We'd have lots to talk about and exchange experiences.
In the evening, I finally met Meenzer, on the mad hatters' HC party in Berlin-Blankenburg. I only stayed for an hour or so, to see him and Flohfish, whom I had last met in Vilnius. He lives in Poole, UK, now, and had invited me to come and join him in his new flat for a while. So I told him that had to be postponed for a while because of my trip to Greece and Turkey.
I had been thinking about going to Poole on my way from Zagreb to Berlin in November, as there are cheap flights from both cities to London-Luton. But then again I rather stay longer in fewer places. I hate rushing around the continent. ;)
So Bologna and Nice and Ghent will be left out for now, as well as Nijmegen and other places I was invited to. Maybe 2007?

Another party missed :(

Hey, I made it to the museum! And it was great! And for free all day! And I only had to queue up for like one hour to get inside. And since I was late, I'll have to go again tomorrow after the demonstration (check here), and admire the great building and the great monuments some more. 12 Euro entrance fee. Sigh
I missed Meenzer's birthday party, though, because of the museum. I would have had to take the train to Poznan around 3 pm, and then I still was at ver.di head quarters to visit my favourite collegues Gabi and Bernd. We tried to find a date for a night out, but couldn't agree on any. We're all too busy. ;)
Well, from Poznan I would have had to get back to Berlin in time for the demonstration around 6 am. Way too early. So it's gonna have to be another time. Dorota (remember her from Whitsuntide?) invited me to stay a while. I should.
And here is where I would have been celebrating with all the others: "Proletaryat" (!) Nice place, hein? Check the website and enjoy the music!

Thursday night in the Berlin museums

Go there! Enjoy! It's for free! :)
So that's what I meant to do last night, after a day of going to IKEA twice (buying a lamp and bringing it back) and doing some cleaning up. It was raining slightly, but still not cold.
So I got dressed up a bit to have a look around the reopened Bode Museum on Museumsinsel in Berlin center. It was closed! Opened from 10 am to 6 pm. I found out just in time before getting into the bus at 9 pm, and spent the evening reading instead. No entrance fee all day yesterday, and none on Friday. So I'll give it another try today. It's really beautiful, check more pics here! :)

Bollywood in Schöneberg

Oh, this autumn! It's still so great! Sun shining on the golden, brown and red leaves, people sitting at the sidewalk cafes and restaurants in Schöneberg, faces up to the sunbeams. Or down to the delicious food.
What better way of spending the day than to stroll around to the Winterfeldt market and have some lunch in the sun, as well? Indian cuisine was my choice of the day. But not my usual "Ranj", but "Amrit", because the tables are in the sun directly opposite the market square. Enjoy the sight and the sound of Bollywood in Berlin here! ;)
The lunch at 5,50 Euro turned out to be enough for two, so I had half of it packed to eat at home. The tomatoesoup I ate up there, all of it - sooo tasty with the freshly baked bread. Second dish was not the food on the pic, but as lovely: spicy chicken with spinach and ginger, hmmmm!
And then home through the bright day and back to the couch, sorting the last pics from Lithuania and Latvia, reading and making sure the upcoming cold can't get a grip on me.
Seems it worked, and I can go to IKEA now to have a look for lamps and frames. And breakfast. Nothing like breakfast at IKEA! ;)

The illuminated city

Autumn days are nice and sunny all the week. So it feels great to walk around and see all those people smiling.
I wasn't smiling a lot after trying all afternoon to find a new 3-in-1 hiking jacket. In vain. I wouldn't even have got a nice one for 500 euros. Which of course I was not willing or able to spend.
The evening was a lot better. Two years ago they had decided to illuminate the sightseeing sites, and it had looked brlliant for a week. There were special events all these days of the "Festival of lights".This year it's gonna be beautiful for twelve days. Yesterday was the opening ceremony with light shows and sounds at Alexanderplatz. It is a terrific view, indeed.
Strolling along Unter den Linden throught the mild evening was a wonderful end to the day. Check mor pics here!
And this morning? No internetconnection! For more than eight hours. I missed it. What if there was no electricity any more? No lights, no web? Hmmm

Golden October in Berlin

Weather on Monday was lovely, nice and sunny, though cold, of course. So walking around Schöneberg was a pleasure.
Even to the dentist! She checked my teeth and promised they would live some more. The wobbly one is fine again, as well. Grrrreat! :)
My hearing aids are in for a check-up, and will be back safe and sound (!) next week, just in time before my trip to Athens.
Now I'm off to enjoy the great golden October sun some more. Walk around Berlin and go to the turkish market and bookshops. I need to buy dictionaries on greek and turkish for my trip. I hope I'll at least manage to read the signs! ;)

Home, sweet home

Sleeping until late, waking up slowly with coffee and a good book in bed, whilst the washing was tumbling and getting cleaned in the machine. :)
I spent the day with more washing, unpacking and sorting out stuff. And shopping at the local "Lidl", the closest shop open on sundays. Water, juice, bananas, yoghurt, salad, oh, and coffee. Some bread at the turkish bakery around the corner.
And then back to the cuddly, comfy couch and the book on murder around xmas time in Nürnberg. Lots of nice cookies recipes. Autumn sundays at home. Hope the weather will get even better soon, and I can go for some walks through the Berlin woods and parks. They're actually nice in autumn!

From dawn to dusk

It felt like dawn. But it was already 8 am. We took our time and our coffee to wake up, then I packed (I hate packing), and we went by car to my sister's for a great breakfast. Helen and her boyfriend Felix were there as well, so we were a nice crowd.
I admired the newly decorated bedroom, and the motorbikers Helen and Felix, and then it was time to say goodbye and leave with Cathy to the main station. She went to work there at the bookstore, and I took the train to Dortmund and on to Berlin.
Guess whom I met on the train? A collegue from ver.di! Turns out she had spent her childhood in Düsseldorf, and her mother lives in Eller. What a small world!
Back in Berlin after dusk I enjoyed the bus trip along the tourists' sites Reichstag, Brandenburg gate, Potsdamer Platz and more, and turned on heating and laptop as soon as I was in my flat. The guys in chat had missed me! How nice!
So I fixed my travel plans a bit, and will join Sofia and Kliment in Greece end of the month. Then on to Istanbul, and from there slowly westwards to Cannes, and later up north thru England and Germany to Estonia and Latvia. It will be really cold then, so why not go for the real winter? ;)
Talking of cold: the heating in Vaihingen is still off, and a new one will cost 7000 Euro. There go my savings and the xmas money! Sigh.

An evening of gambling

Well, that was a fib. We were only playing this great game I had bought them.
Before that the day had been very lazy, again. Marius and I took lots of time to get ready. Then meeting my father and his wife and going for a shopping stroll from Lierenfeld to Eller. Some break with cake, coffee and icecream at the market square, and then goodbye and hugs to my father and Uschi. They pomised to call me more often so I'd know how they are, and I promised to write lots of postcards from my travels.
Then I bought some ginger and bread at the market for my famous carrots-cum-ginger soup. Which I cooked in the evening at Harffstraße, and everybody loved it. Of course.
Marius and Cathy had left earlier, and I joined them at Richardstraße later. They had planned to invite some friends for an evening of playing games, but nobody had had the time to join them. So it was the three of us. Nice, all the same! And Cathy won.

A girls' day out

Uschi came with her car yesterday morning after taking my father to the old people's day care, and the three of us - Cathy, her and me - went downtown. Marius, Cathy's son, came with us, only to leave again after five minutes to enjoy some time on his own. Uschi gave him some money for eating at McDonald's. I wonder what he spent it on ;)
The girls were walking slowly from one shop to the other, with a short stop at Starbuck's for a coffee, and a longer break at Schumacher's for some hearty snack of Leberklöße, mashed potatoe and sauerkraut resp a sausage pan cake. Oh those huge portions! We were done afterwards.
But still found the energy to stroll around some more and enjoy icecream at Schadow Arcades, before driving back home.
Uschi and me went to meet my father at the day care center then. The old people were singing their good-bye-see-you-tomorrow-song. My father wasn't, of course not, I can't remember him singing once in his life. But he told us later he had done his very best, as per usual. Of course. ;)
Then back home to Cathy's for a quiet day and evening of doing nothing much. We were too lazy to do any cooking, but went to the all-you-can-eat bbq spareribs at the restaurant round the corner instead. And later in the cozy kitchen trying to figure out the new game I had bought them on the evolution of mankind. We`ll do that today, I guess. The weather is the kind of stay at home and relax type. So we will! :)

Cheers!

Wow! What a day! You get those summer feelings all over again! Everybody was running around wearing summer clothes and summer smiles.
After a visit to my father, I went downtown to Düsseldorf Oldtown, just strolling around and enjoying the day.
The Heine-House reminded me of the years when we were studying at university and fighting for it to be named "Heinrich-Heine-Universität", painting the name onto the university buildings in the middle of the night. Of course it was removed every time we did it. Now they're proud of it.
Two of my best friends from those days are working in the Heine-Institut now. The third in our small circle is a professor and teacher at Heinrich-Heine-University. The times they are achanging.
In the evening I met my friend Susanne after many, many months. We had got to know each other seven years ago in lovely Conil, sharing a flat when doing a spanish course in Academia Andaluza. I was a beginner, and she sooooo much better! She had been following my blog, so I couldn`t give her any news. I showed her the pics, though, poor her - all 700 of them.
Well, it was great just sitting outside "Uerige", a famous beer pub, chatting, having an "Alt", the local beer. So sad she can`t travel around much lately.
When I came home to Cathy`s, a tasty dinner was ready. But before sitting down to eat, my hair was dyed a nice red, bit darker than usual. Cathy said it`s more winter like, and matches her xmas decorations perfectly. Yeah, well. Guess I`ll have to wear some xmas green bangles for earrings then.
We had a great photosession with hundreds of pictures of her being done up nicely with her xmas tablecloth wrapped up like a shawl and adding some extra spice. Great pics, some fo them (check saturday)! So we were both very proud of our day`s or rather night`s work: she with my hair and I with her pics. Cheers on us with a nice glass of red wine! :)

Visiting my father

On monday my father wasn`t feeling so great, so we arranged to meet him yesterday morning for a late breakfast. The kids and I got some breadrolls and his favourite soft gingerbread Dominosteine, and were welcomed by his wife Uschi at their home. He was sitting in the livingroom, looking a lot better than we thought he would. He was weak, of course, and not talking a lot. Not understanding much, either. But smiling and doing his old silly jokes.
Not when he had to do his exercises. He didn`t like that at all and complained. Uschi helped by doing the exercises with him. :)
We really enjoyed staying with him, and took him for a walk in his rolling chair for an hour in the beautiful autumn sun. He looked quite smashing in his great red sweater, the nice warm jacket and the matching cap.
I was happy Alex had done his civil duty years in an old peoples` home and knew how to take care of my father and how to treat him in a nice, comforting way.
It is a rather hard time for his wife Uschi though, and often he is a lot weaker and has to be cared for 24/7. She loves him dearly, and does everything to make his last years as good as they can be with his bad health.
When he was so much worse during the last weeks, his son, my sister, and my niece Cathy were helping a lot. I asked to tell us whenever there is help needed. How can I enjoy travelling, with my father suffering?
But anyway, we were happy to have been there yesterday, and I will see them again today and tomorrow.
Anna and Alex left for Stuttgart last night, they have to work again today. And Cathy and I enjoyed some nice talks in her cozy kitchen which we will decorate ready for autumn today. It`s a sunny day, again. :)

Family in Düsseldorf

Up early (7 am is early to me) and off to the new Berlin main station to catch the train to Dortmund. At "Dunkin`Donuts" I was pondering whether to get a 12-pack for the family members from Stuttgart and Düsseldorf who do not have the pleasure to just walk round the corner and get some delicious donuts. Since they all had told me not to bring anything from Berlin, I didn`t. Helen complanied later. Sigh. Next time.
After change of trains in Dortmund and Düsseldorf main station, I arrived in Eller at 3. 12 year old Marius was waiting for me at the platform and came running and hugging. :)
Anna and Alex were waiting for me in the car, and took me for the very short ride to my old home Harffstraße where I had spent the first 18 years of my life. Everybody was there! My sister Ulrike, her daughters Cathy and Helen, and soon later her husband Thommy. In the pic from left to right: Marius, Helen, Thommy, Cathy. Ulrike was busy cleaning the table.
So it was a nice afternoon of chatting and exchanging the latest news and just normal Eller family life, with somebody always out and about somewhere else to shop or visit friends or do sports or sell the car. ;)
We`ll visit my father`s family today for a brunch. I hope he feels better today than his wife Uschi told me he did yesterday. Sigh.
In the evening to LTU arena to meet Helen who was training with her cheerleaders`group, and then a quiet late evening at Cathy`s with red wine and some talks to catch up on each other. We always had been rather close. So I´m happy Marius had offered his bed and room, and I will spend the week at their comfy flat, not to far from the others.
Late, late at night I checked HC-forum and found there will be a meeting in Cologne on thursday. Sounds tempting. Maybe Cathy would love to go with me?

More pumpkins

Lazy sunday. To enjoy the wonderful autumn day I walked through Schöneberg, and like so many others not only to the fleamarket, but to the Pumpkin Festival. Again. I meant to have some indian lunch at "Ranj", but then went for the Nepal restaurant on Akazienstraße instead. I shouldn't have.
Back home packing, cleaning, watering the flowers, texting friends in Düsseldorf to meet next week. Anna called, they could leave for Eller earlier than expected, and will have arrived yesterday evening.
I'm on my way soon. The train leaves just before 10 am. With all my pictures from the last five months to boast with, my luggage will be quite heavy again. I so got used to travelling lightweight. ;)

Pumpkin weekend

Saturday was the first day of the great big Pumpkin Festival in Schöneberg's Akazienstraße and Grunewaldstraße. Luckily the weather was a lot better than the report had told us, lots of sunshine instead of lots of rain. So kids and grown ups alike enjoyed strolling through the streets filled with fair and festival stalls. And lots of pumpkins, of course.
I had some nice african food, and then went home to clean and hoover the flat a bit, and to sort the pictures I had taken when travelling. Which took me four hours. Maybe because I had a very close look sometimes and enjoyed the memories.
The cold has vanished, I'm feeling quite fine (hence the cleaning), and booked the train for monday with "surf-and-rail" special offer Berlin-Dortmund. From there to Düsseldorf it's only one hour and 4 Euro. :)

Missing parties

This is the invitation to Dovi's and Lari's birthdaytparty I missed in Vilnius yesterday. And then there's the Vilnius Hitchhiking Club Anniversary Party this weekend which of course I will not go to either. Robert would have taken me back in his car all the way from Lithuania to UK with a stopover in Berlin.
Bojel whom we met in chat last week went to Poland, where they are organizing a party in Warsaw for him. Fifty people will be coming. Pordr0znik had invited me to stay the weekend at his place, again. Seems we'll never make it.
Oh, some more meetings in London and Poole. Flohfish and Ahoora were waiting for me to come and join them this weekend and next. Okay. okay.
And of course I missed meeting Gabi on Thursday. We meant to have a girls' night out in Berlin. :(
Well, the plan now is to get well today, take the cheap "Schönes Wochenende"-Ticket tomorrow (30 euro with regional trains, up to five people), and go to Düsseldorf for a week. My father would love to see us again, he really enjoyed the flowers and the greeting card we sent him, and my sister could do with some help redecorating her house. Anna and Alex are coming as well, if only for two days. So I miss parties, but I enjoy family life. :)

Sunny autum days

A walk thru the park - not for me, I was a couch potatoe yesterday, reading. And will be again today, but now the rain started and will go on until sunday. I hope by then my cold will be gone as well.
Glad I have all those new books and enough hot tea and lemon. And honey. :)

Hot tea and lemon

All my travel plans to go to the Vilnius birthday party tomorrow and/or Warsaw are over and done with. The cold has got me in its grip. I'm sleeping a lot, reading, or chatting online, my feet in hot water. That won't help to get me going this weekend, but at least I might feel better. Chat seems like health care center today, everybody's suffering a bit. Sigh.
Back to hot tea and lemon, instead of coffee. Sigh-sigh.

Autumn cold

Outside it's getting slowly colder, and in Vaihingen even inside the house, since up to now nobody came to fix the heating. :(
Anna called, the kids had this great idea of sending a bunch of flowers to my father to wish him all the best and to announce our visit later this month. We chose a nice one, and had it sent by Blume2000.
My teeth are better, but my throat is itching. The usual and well known sign that my autumn cold will start soon. Books, tea, cozy blankets on the couch, music - everything is ready to make the time pass nicely that my body needs to fight the cold.
I didn't feel like going to the Art Forum yesterday, but went to Potsdamer Platz to meet Ghoti from HC for an hour or so. He had been in chat, surfing from Sony Center hot spot, a favourite place to get into the internet for free.
We walked around some to Brandenburg Gate and the celebration of the german national holiday (which this year was part of Deutschlandfest" ), and then he left to his host, and I went back home after doing some shopping at station Friedrichstraße. Pity I wasn't up to more than my Jasper Fforde book. And hot tea with lemon.

My poor teeth

They're saved! Well, at least whatever could be done to make them stay a bit longer had been done on monday. I didn't actually like the treatment, and all through the day I felt dizzy and had to live on pain killers. Or sleep. Or read. Weather outside is getting worse, anyway.
Next dates with the dentists in a few days. Aren't I lucky I didn't book any flights?:)

Sunny sunday

Hmmmmmmm - how comfy and nice sleeping in your own bed can be! I got up really late, and went to IKEA for breakfast. Only takes 15 minutes by bus. They were open, like many other shops in Berlin this day. I had a close look around, and decided I should come back for some frames and plants. Instead of breakfast for 1.50 I had a curry sausage and french fries for 1.50. Not actually helping me to loose weight, but very tasty. :)
All afternoon until late in the evening I walked around the city, starting with the rather new main station, and relaxing in the sun ever so often in some of the beach bars along the Spree. Might be one of the last days to do so for quite some time.
Shortly after sunset I was back home reading and running Hoops & Yoyo - A million thanks. I was curious to see what happens when they reach the million. It's running still...

Last days of summer

The days are still lovely, and the evenings even after sunset warm and good to walk around the streets. The sideway cafes are crowded with people chatting and laughing. But there's a brisk feel in the air, leaves are turning red and brown. And in the west the temperature dropped and the rain started. So it will soon in Berlin, as well. Time to have a cozy flat and some new books and decide where to go when the cold days start.
Yesterday I slept late and went to Winterfeldt market late. Flowers were given away for a few euros, and pumpkins sold for cheap, but I didn't get any because I wanted to stroll around the town before returning back home. They tend to be a bit heavy. I bought some books to read in the long autumn evenings in one of the bookstores around, though.
Which I started doing as soon as I returned to my flat. Instead of going to the opening of the famous Art Forum to admire modern art. And even though outside the laughter and chatting was still going on until late at night. I needed a break from the friendly crowd.