Celebrating our Wedding Anniversary by Burning Down the Tower Bridge

October 16, 2013, 3:00 pm

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Prepare to die Tower Bridge

You know the saying if you love something so much you have to let it go? This is kinda like that.

One of the highlights of our wedding - besides all our friends & family being in the same room, exchanging vows with one of our best friends officiating, a surprise ride through the downtown with sparklers, being married! - was the cupcake tower my dad built for us.

My dad is amazing. Since before I was born he has been able to work magic with his hands. He spent most of his career as a finish carpenter and a Boeing wingman and his spare time building great things like a barn for our horses and sheep, epic vegetable gardens, new additions to the house and the absolute very best rocking horse I've ever seen.

So I shouldn't have been surprised that when I asked him to create a simple cupcake tower for our wedding he came up with this:

A perfect miniature of the Tower Bridge in London where Ian asked me to marry him. It had flags on the tip of every tower and cupcake, little British buses, and my dad and German brother even cheesily spelled out "E heart I" in cupcakes.

I was speechless at it's perfection. Leave it to my dad (with help from my mom) to take a simple request and create something more magical than in the wildest wedding dream boards of pinterest.

We ate the cupcakes, danced our faces off, and eventually the wedding was packed up and brought home. So where did the regal Tower Bridge end up?

First it was placed in my parents sun room where the cats enjoyed batting off flags and trying to walk the bridge. It was eventually moved to the garage where spider made intricate webs and began to call London their home.

Not a fitting end for as epic a structure as this. So what did we do? We burned that mofo down!

This might seem disrespectful, and indeed my parents laughed when I mentioned blowing it up. But clearly I was serious. It has been 4 years and none of us could bear to take it apart, but in I also couldn't stand to watch it's slow decay. I wanted to send it off in a fitting blaze of glory.

Saying our good-byes

Dad and his masterpiece

 Burning it down turned out to be a little trickier than expected. Note my cast & crew of aforementioned awesome mom and dad, nephew (the younger brother of my nephew who visited us in Berlin) and Mr. Mann Ian all (almost) failing to give the Tower Bridge it's proper send-off. Considering we have almost blown ourselves up before, it's surprising we had so much trouble taking down the bridge.

Today marks our 4th wedding anniversary and I can safely say it has been an adventure. After 10 years together - almost exactly a third of our lives - it seems safe to say that we are stuck together forever.

Happy Anniversary Ian!

(and thanks mom & dad. The tower will always be a fond memory, and possibly a burnt out spot in your backyard.)

---

Berlin by Boat

June 4, 2014, 7:42 am

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Even with Berlin’s wonderful transportation options, the city can be a monster to traverse. Walking is inevitable no matter your mode of transport, a fact that becomes abundantly clear every time my parents are in town. They bravely put on their walking shoes, but a jaunt between major attractions can rack up quite the miles (or kilometers if you're being European about it).

Luckily, there is an easier way to check out Berlin's top sites and save your parent's feet/sanity. We joined one of the popular boat tours with a departure point around Berliner Dom to get a fresh perspective on Berlin's most impressive tourist sites.

Express Berlin Cruise

The express cruise around Museuminsel and Mitte proved the perfect cure for my parent's tired feet. Inexpensive, easy to hop on and at just an hour ride time - this is the best way to get a brief overview of must-sees in Berlin. Or - in our case - see some of our favorites once again.

The city looks so different from the water. The bustle feels far removed and it is quiet on the boat, even with the squawking of the audio system. Though the information provided is presented in a theatrical manner, I quickly lost interest in the audio tour as I juggled my camera and just watched the city pass by. Kids sat on the edge, swinging their legs above the water; couples danced and dined at the outside bars; and small groups of black-clad teenagers congregated beneath the bridges. It was a passing glance at all the people who call Berlin home

This is one of the last things we did with my parents before they once again returned to the States. They have been good enough to visit our adopted city three times, and though initially hesitant, I think they've grown to love it. It makes parting a little easier, knowing they approve of where we are in life figuratively and literally. But just a little.

Prices, other boating options in Berlin and tips:
gogermany.about.com - Cruise Berlin

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Where to Take Your Parents in Alsace-Lorraine

June 11, 2014, 3:01 pm

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Colmar, France

In typical PorterBall fashion, we packed a lot into my parent's last trip. After trying out Swiss life, we swung through the Alsace-Lorraine region of France on our way back to Berlin. I wanted to give the P's a taste of French life - even if it was German flavored.

The Alsace-Lorraine region (or Reichsland Elsaß-Lothringen if you're feeling especially Germ-y) has been tossed back and forth between Germany and France several times. Though it currently is in France (and has been since 1922), this mishmash of cultures has resulted in some of the best of both sides.

• Must Eat: Flàmmeküeche - basically a very thin crust pizza, typically with lardons (bacon), white onions and a cream-based sauce.
  
• Must drink:Wine, of course! But Germany's influence means you won't get sniffed at for ordering a beer. Sadly, I could have neither. Another apfelshorle s'il vous plaît.
• Must see: Serious cuteness. Hubsch. Mignon. No matter how you pronounce it, this region is filled with towns straight outta a Disney set.

Riquewihr

My cousin recommended a stop in Riquewihr on our way to Strasbourg. She said it was touristy, but adorable.

It was.

We loved it.

This place is ridiculous. From the toy train that takes you through the tiny center which is safely located within medieval walls to the overwhelming aroma of wisteria that seems to cloak the entire region, the place is a fairy tale. Buy a giant meringue (2 euro) and peruse the tourist trappings. There is the usual mix of postcards, wine shops and knick-knacks, but we were dawn to the storks. 

Surely our impending special delivery was the reason for our interest, but the stork is actually an emblematic bird of Alsace. Many of the awkward creatures have made their home in the area so check town skylines for nests. Mementos of the baby-bringer can be purchased at almost any shop, but an ornament is the item that caught our eye. In an especially sentimental moment we had my parents sign the back for the kid and I can't wait to put it on our tree this Christmas.

Colmar

This is straight cheating as we didn't actually take my parents here. On our Belgium Beer Run we made a stop in Colmar on our way back to Berlin. It was one of the few times we rented a car so we chose the smaller of the two well-known cities (the other being Strasbourg - details below) as we figured it was our best shot of seeing it.

We rented a cheap hotel for about 30 euros a night (complete with charming hobo), drank glass after glass of 1 euro wine in the city center and ate one of the most perfect quiches ever created. The place is covered in criss-crossing canals and dangerously crooked buildings. It seems to be held up by charm and pretzel-shuttered window alone. We were enchanted. Parents would be too.

Strasbourg

I thought there was no way this city could compare to the charm of its little sister, Colmar. I was wrong. 

Despite its size (760,000in the metropolitan area - making it the 9th largest in France), it doesn't lose its appeal but simply has more of the things you love. More canals. More precariously leaning buildings. And a lot more cathedral.

Notre Dame of Strasbourg Cathedral

Grande Île (Grand Island)

Stairwell at our AirBnb

We rented a cheap and surprisingly cute apartment on AirBnB for Strasbourg and I loved almost everything about it from its beautifully worn stone stairs to its friendly and helpful operator to the view of Notre Dame of Strasbourg Cathedral from our windows.

We were impressed by the city's cosmopolitan feel while somehow retaining its age-old allure. Nothing about the city was trying too hard. It just was lovely.

It's also important as the seat of the Council of Europe (with its European Court of Human Rights, European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and European Audiovisual Observatory), Eurocorps, and European Parliament and the European Ombudsman of the European Union. The city is also the seat of the Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine and the International Institute of Human Rights.

Mother Alsace and her fallen sons - both German and French

That's not to say that there wasn't anything youthful or playful. As the home of the University of Strasbourg - currently the second largest in France - there is enough nightlife and hipster shops to keep us satisfied had my parents not been around.

Showing our mature side at Rue de la Rape. We're gonna be parents!

Interior of Strasbourg Cathedral

This leg of our dragging-my-parents-throughout-Europe-whether-they-like-it-or-not went swimmingly. It helps that they are exceptionally good sports about it. 

But it is truly easy to be pleased in the Alsace-Lorraine. The place is downright delightful, endearing, attractive and far too easy to fall in love with. With its one foot in France, one foot in Germany approach we were wondering if they are in need of Kita teachers. Moving away from Berlin usually feels unimaginable, but we could almost picture ourselves here. Almost.

Post by Back to Berlin and Beyond.

Lost Pet in Germany

June 19, 2014, 5:41 am

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I've written about our cat, importing pets from abroad and adopting the bunnies - I never wanted to write a post about a lost cat in Berlin. But there we were on Monday, preparing for my 21-week pregnancy check with our power still out in the kitchen (a German apartment story for another time) realizing the cat wasn't in the house. Catastrophes never happen at a good time.

As we live on the 6th floor attic apartment (dachgeschoss) with nowhere for the Bellatrix to go but out the window, we could guess what had happened. Hot days and nights have us cracking the windows to coax in a nighttime breeze and a strong wind must have opened the windows enough for the cat to take a cool rooftop stroll. I was already close to tears, but Ian comforted me by telling me her only recourse was to go into one of our neighbor's apartment. We would put up signs all over the Hof (courtyard) and entrances and when a neighbor found a furry surprise visitor they would give us a call.

(The last few days have been traumatic and I go into detail here, but rest assured we have a happy ending. If are just looking for tips to find a lost pet in Germany scroll to the end.)

Distractedly, we set off for our appointment (all good - whew!) and I hurried home to put up some some quickie signs. I tried to work throughout the day, anxiously checking my phone from time to time and researching "Lost Cat" (Katze entlaufen) tips. By that evening we hadn't heard a word but we were committed to meeting friends who were briefly in town and watching the first German World Cup game. My heart wasn't completely in it, but sitting at home wasn't doing us a lot of good.

Halfway through the game we received a call. Our neighbor had found the cat and as she was allergic, Ian understood her to stay that she had put the cat in the garden house in the Hof. Uneasy as we were about the exact location of the cat, we were immensely relieved that she had been found. We alternately felt like strangling or snuggling her to death.

Out our window and onto the roof

We arrived at the address she had given and realized with a start that this shared our building's Hof . More alarming - we knew there was no garden house. We walked into the Hof in a daze and Ian called the woman again, trying to figure out where she had left our cat. She said she put the cat in the Hof earlier that morning...which has one open side to another courtyard and at least 5 doorways to the street. We were stunned. She had taken our little house cat from her lofty perch above the city and basically released her to the wilds of Berlin.

Ian tried lame jokes like "She doesn't even speak German.", but mostly we were just devastated. There was no sign of our little sleep buddy. We had adopted Bellatrix Badou at 6 weeks old (after her feral mother ran off), flew her over a continent and an ocean and loved her for close to a decade.

We were murderous at the totally illogical actions of our neighbor, but there was nothing to do but form a plan and get her back. I lost hope early but continued to brainstorm and contact the authorities in my terrible German. Ian was our beacon of hope and kept telling me we would get her back. We were on a mission.

That night I created a more formal flyer and posted them around our Kiez (neighborhood). Through tears I picked out a picture that most identified our typical gray and black tabby and learned that was called getigerte in German. She looked like a total bitch in the picture which made me cry harder.

We saw more of our block than we have the entire time we lived here. We went into every open building and Hof, searched through every mass of bushes and peeked under every dumpster.

I couldn't sleep and was up by 6 to check the Hof. I called her name quietly and shook her treats. Nothing. Crawling back into bed, Ian was tossing and turning. He wasn't sleeping well either, but at least he had beers to dull the pain and distract him. I was fully conscious of my distress and haven't wished I could have a beer more strongly in my entire life.

That day I explored our area six times (all the way up and down 111 stairs), calling her and shaking the treats pathetically. I again searched the Hofs, noted which signs had been torn down and put up new ones. I was despondent. I knew she wanted to come home - the issue was how? Though I was aggressively keeping an eye on the door situation in the Hof, there was no getting around the many entrances and exits. I was trying to keep the door to our stairwell open and the others closed, but of course it was trash day so the only means of shelter - the dumpsters - had already been rolled out to the street that morning with the doors flung wide open. Our extreme pech seemed to be on a roll.

I contacted the Tierheim (animal shelter), the police, posted an ad on craigslist, asked people on twitter to keep an eye out, registered her as lost through her registration on petlink and contacted every vet and cat pension in the city. Still, I wasn't hopeful. Though people were sympathetic, they weren't looking like we were. And there was no way for her to get to us. We had to find her.

The next day (day 3 missing) had me really trying to pull out of a slump. It was Ian's birthday and he didn't deserve any of this bad mojo. I had already surprised him with an ice cream cake at midnight, and now I made him breakfast and slipped a candy bar into his lunch. We both tried to be cheery and did my best to keep the crazy at bay so he could enjoy his day with the Kita. I had put out a box of our old clothes and food out in the Hof the night before and found it untouched that morning. More discouraged. We dabled into the smartphone waters that evening, and almost got to enjoy ourselves at a BBQ dinner in Berlin. 

Coming home, we realized some of the signs had a mistake on the phone number. In my tear-stained stupor I had made a colossal mistake on the flyer. For the millionth time, I cursed my luck, my stupid brain, my inability to find our cat. We started our trek around the neighborhood all over again to change the number and add highlights to the poster to draw more attention after being up for a day. One sign had an address where a cat had been seen (we checked it out - no) and we got a call from a possible sighting - but that cat had a collar. But still - this seemed like progress. Maybe the BBQ had turned it all around...

As Ian headed up the stairs, I told him I was going to check the Hof one last time for the night, calling her and shaking the sorry little can of treats. As I reached the dumpsters, Ian yelled out "I see her!" I froze, terrified my movement would scare her away. "Where?" I shouted back. He had the advantage of being one floor up and I was trying to determine her whereabouts on ground level. "There - behind the garbage!" he pointed. There are like 10 dumpsters. I was immeaditly, non-nonsensically furious and frustrated. But then I saw where he was pointing and we both ran over. I saw nothing, but he explained that she had disappeared behind the dumpster and down a hole. Like Hulk, we flung the dumpster away and exposed a 3.5 foot deep cubby into a cellar with one grate missing - perfect escape for a cat in a busy courtyard. And down near the bottom, as we shakily shone the flashlight app down, we saw Bella. Squinting up at us, doing that dumb cat thing of rubbing against the walls, was our cat. If I put my arm all the way in I could touch her face as she reared up to meet me. I couldn't figure out how she could get out of there, but Ian swore she could. We tried to be patient and figure a way in, but eventually she rallied her strength and jumped out. I grabbed her little body and held her to my chest, joyfully breathing in her putrid garbage-perfumed coat.

She's back! Roughly 1 minute after we got her back in the door.

We've had her back for just over 12 hours and I am so incredibly relieved. Ian got his birthday wish and our family is back together.

Though clearly no expert (I managed to lose my cat on the 6th floor), there are a few things we did right and many we didn't that might help you if you ever lose a  pet in Germany.

Top Tips for Recovering your Lost Pet in Germany

• Microchip your pet: My mom did this to bring Bell over the ocean. Seeing as she didn't have a collar (next tip) it was relief to know she did have one formal ID if she ever did reach the authorities.
• Collar: As a strictly indoor cat I never saw the need to collar our cat. I know she finds them uncomfortable and I didn't see the need. After 3 restless, unpleasant days of looking for her I can't help but think if she had some obvious ID on we could have saved ourselves a lot of anguish. 
• Know your neighbors: Germans, and Berliners in particular, aren't an overly friendly bunch and while we are head-noddingly familiar with the people next door and a few floors down, we know almost nothing of the people who share the Hof and have their own separate entries and stairwells. Maybe if we had something more than passing familiarity that neighbor would have thought twice before dumping our domesticated house-cat outside. Then again, I don't think we'll be starting with her as both of us are still unreasonably angry at what passed for a reasonable reaction to an unexpected house-guest from her.
• Flyers: There are templates in Word and from sites like petlink to help you put up flyers quickly - even when you are in a mind-numbing panic. However, that does not safeguard you from making very stupid mistakes (e-hem). Double check all info and provide two contacts if possible (we included our cell # and e-mail). Also - remember to take these down when your pet is found. When I was doing that today a construction worker asked if she was missing. "Gefunden!" I told him happily as I ripped it down. We also left the one flyer up that the person had given a tip on with Gefunden. Hopefully other people see and know the system does work.
  
• Talk to everyone: We talked to anyone who seemed interested about what the flyers were about and what we were doing. An office worker below us would see me come inspect the Hof and give me an update - it was nice to know he was keeping an eye out. The guy at the nearest Spätialso did his best to give us hope, checking on our progress and sharing stories about cats in his family that had returned a week later. Everyone was highly sympathetic and even though they weren't directly helpful, they made us feel better and more connected to our community in general.
• Call the Authorities: Supposedly, the German law states that lost pets must be turned into the Tierheim (animal shelter). It would have been nice if our neighbor knew that. If she had turned Bella in we probably would have had her back that day. The Tierheim's contact page offers info on pets lost and found in Germany (Tel. 030 / 76 888 200 oder -201 or tiersammelstelle@tierschutz-berlin.de). And if your pet does end up there, rest assured that this is a no-kill shelter where only pets that are seriously ill are put down. 
• Spread the word: I also sent our flyer and info to the local polizie station, every katze pension, vet, or animal rescue I could find. Google was my friend as I e-mailed anyone I thought could help. Though many didn't respond, a few offered to put her into their list of missing animals. I also posted a Craigslist ad and spread the word on Twitter. Bella's microchip also came with a registration at petlink so I took advantage of their services allowing me to change her status to lost. I don't know how often this would be of help, but I was trying anything. 
• Address risks responsibly: Bella has shown an unhealthy interest in getting on the roof. Dumb cat. I'd like to say she is cured, but sayings about "nine lives" and "curiosity killed the cat" allude to another conclusion. My dad suggested screens, but (as many of you must know) those are freakishly uncommon in Germany. I think we will settle for keeping all windows in Bell's vicinity closed.

If you came across this posy and actually want to get a pet still (crazy person), I highly recommend Berlin's Tieheim. Not only is the space amazing to visit, they take great care of their animals.

Back at home where she belongs.

Top 14 Tweets of the Brazil v. Germany World Cup Game

July 9, 2014, 12:55 am

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It is impossible to ignore that the World Cup is happening right now. And Germany is winning.

News of the tournament is all over social media, I've covered where to watch in Berlin on EasyExpat and Where to Watch in Germany on about.com and every night there are fireworks announcing each goal. While our stamina is sadly sub-par to watching all the games, we've rallied around the US team (before their loss to Belgium) and worn our Germany colors proudly around town.

Last night's game between Brazil and Germany was a slaughter. Total annihilation. A complete, unbelievable joy to watch for Germany fans like us. Enjoyment was elevated even more when I tuned in to what people were saying on Twitter.

Top 14 Tweets of the #BRAGER World Cup Game

What the hell does the Brazilian coach say during his half time pep talk?... "umm.....so that didn't go to plan did it?"
— MyDBerlin (@MyDBerlin) July 8, 2014

If only the Germans had a word for taking pleasure in the misfortunes of others.
— delrayser (@delrayser) July 8, 2014

to rub salt into the wounds, the Copacabana will be covered in German towels by 8am tomorrow.
— Gerry Braiden (@GerryBraiden) July 8, 2014

"We're losing by THIS much"pic.twitter.com/E4SZEUMrx0
— Domenic Fazioli (@DomenicFazioli) July 8, 2014

Brazil's only hope now is if the Germans overreach and start playing Russia at the same time.
— Benjamin Partridge (@benpartridge) July 8, 2014

Seriously, what did you expect from a team with players named Dante, Caesar, and Hulk if not betrayal and hell?
— umair haque (@umairh) July 8, 2014

IS THERE A LONG GERMAN WORD FOR HOLDING BACK A BIT SO YOU DON'T EMBARRASS YOUR OPPONENT TOO MUCH? NO. NO THERE ISN'T.
— CANADALEK (@CANADALEK) July 8, 2014

Brazil's strategy for the 2nd half. #BRAGERpic.twitter.com/zEvVYrPFzB
— Kaveh Gharib ✼ قریب (@Kavelicious) July 8, 2014

You know you're German when you can't celebrate this victory without thinking about the horrible, inevitable headlines of tomorrow. #BRAGER
— PewPewPew (@reeft) July 8, 2014

"Stop! Stop he's already dead!"#WorldCup2014#BrazilvsGermanypic.twitter.com/C0kG0pLPRb
— SimpsonsQOTD (@SimpsonsQOTD) July 8, 2014

BREAKING: Live picture of Brazil's Christ the Redeemer statue pic.twitter.com/qVwhfydUTY
— World Cup 2014 (@World) July 8, 2014

Special mention to all those who spent EUR 80 on a Brazil jersey.
— fw: fw: fw: (@bootsbosley) July 8, 2014

Seven knows I'm miserable now. #BrazilvsGermanypic.twitter.com/Qkhqx0nuN7
— Troubled Morrissey (@troubledmozza) July 8, 2014

7-1. Unsurprisingly, German has a word for that: Anstandstor, "courtesy goal”. #BRAGER
— Digital Cosmonaut (@iamkosmonaut) July 8, 2014

Just beautiful Germany, and twitter universe. I look forward to the final this Sunday, July 13th.

UPDATE:

World Champions. Germany just won the 2014 World Cup.

I am just trying to get used to those words. Even after our exciting Seahawks win, we weren't prepared for this excitement. Congrats baby - you are getting born in a championship year.

Photos of the World Cup viewings in Berlin:

 

Post by Back to Berlin and Beyond.

Where to Take Your Parents for German Castles

July 16, 2014, 9:17 am

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My parents never intended to go to Germany. They certainly didn't envision spending so much time in Berlin. They really never thought they might have to watch their future grandchildgrow up speaking German (hopefully).

So when we can make concessions, we do what we can. On their last visit to see us in Europe we put in some time to see one of their favorite things: Castles!

Note: Not all locations have been tested on our parents, but I feel pretty certain recommending them after our visit.

Burg Eltz

On my parent's first visit to Europe, we never even made it out of the country. That doesn't mean we were disappointed in what the country had to offer in the castle department.

Our first castle was possibly the most glorious. Recommended by our personal travel guru, Rick Steves, this beast of a castle is unusually settled down in a valley. Family owned for over 850 years, it is now shared by three families with part of the castle still available to tour.

What? Burg Eltz
Where? Kastellane, 56294 Wierschem. An hour's drive from the Rhine (less from the Mosel) between Koblenz and Cochem.
How? Tours are available on a 45-minute tour (included in 9 euro entry price)

Cochem

This last visit with the P's was the second time we viewed the lovely Reichsburg Cochem
from afar. You see it as you drive along the Mosel from miles away, teasingly peeking around the corners.

We tried driving up to the castle, but its tiny winding streets were a little too much for my champion driving mom. Luckily, that town is crazy charming. Maybe next time we'll make it to the castle, but it is still pretty good just having it in the background.

What? Reichsburg Cochem
Where? Schlossstraße 36, 56812 Cochem
How? Tours of the largest hill-castle on the Mosel are available for 5 euro

Sanssouci

Berlin isn't often called outright pretty, but Frederick the Great, King of Prussia,'s summer palace in Potsdam really is. The royals sunny home rivals Versailles with a name that means "no worries".

What? Sanssouci
Where?Maulbeerallee, 14469 Potsdam 
How? Walk the grounds for free, or pay to enter the many buildings around the ground for 12 euro

Bamberg 

Entry to the castle

One of our favorite German towns, we love the architecture almost as much as the beer. The castle is located high up on a hilltop above the city and offers spectacular views of the rest of the town's gorgeous medieval structures. Mostly destroyed and rebuilt, it is fairly basic but the views are worth the trek.


What? Altenburg(Bamberg attractions in my about.com article)
Where? Altenburg 1, 96049 Bamberg 
How? Walk the grounds for free or get a meal at the restaurant

Drachenfels

 

On our way to Belgium on a beer run (ah, European life) we stopped in Cologne to see our adopted little bro. On a whim, we took a short detour to Drachefels. A modern recreation, this castle is a rich man's ornamental piece but it is impressive all on its own with stunning views. The name means "Dragon's Rock" and refers to the earlier ruins at the top of the peak. Siegfried, the hero of the Nibelungenlied, is said to have killed the dragon Fafnir who lived here and bathed in its blood to become invulnerable. Awesomely gruesome.

For parents (or kids), I highly recommend taking the tram up the mountain. We walked and though doable, the tram is quite charming.

What? Schloss Drachenburg
Where? Drachenfelsstrasse 118 53639 Königswinter Germany 
How? Walk up the mountain or take the tram to this mountain perched castle. Admission is 6 euro.

Schloss Charlottenburg

Located out west in Berlin, this is the largest palace in the city. Built at the end of the 17th century, it has been expanded and re-constructed throughout the years and along with the palace has an expansive grounds.

The first time we visited we walked the grounds I marveled at the people jogging the royal gardens as if this were just a normal track. So this is European living, eh? We've ventured out here for visitors, the nearby Picasso museum and Christmas markets, but for some reason I hadn't gotten the parents out here til the last visit. They were impressed with its regal design and I loved the easy to use audio tour. I really am in love with this city and enjoy learning everything about it.

What? Charlottenburg Palace
Where?Spandauer Damm 20-24, 14059 Berlin
How? Walk the grounds for free, or pay to enter the palace for 12 euro (Note the 3 euro fee for pics within the building. I hate that, but am glad my mum got to snap some pics).

Neuschwanstein

 

This 19th century Romanesque Revival palace is a bit of a fake, for all its fanfare. It was the inspiration of Disney's Sleeping Beaty's castle and was meant to be the escape for reclusive Ludwig II of Bavaria. This wasn't the only one of Ludwig's elaborate castles. There has been talk that he was bankrupting the state building palace after palace and his mysterious death in a nearby lake holds a few similarities to politics of today. 

That twisted history didn't mean we didn't want to see it. On the contrary.  On a trip down to Austria, Ljubljana and Bled we made a stop in Füssen to see the castle. And my, oh my is she a beauty.

What? Neuschwanstein
Where?Neuschwansteinstraße 20, 87645 Schwangau
How? This castle has an international draw and waits can be quite long, but for no more than other castles on this list at 12 euro, it is well worth it.

Coburg Castle

On our way back from Bamberg, we thought we could fit in another castle. And what a castle!

Once the refuge of Martin Luther, this Bavaria castle (about 100 km north of Nuremberg) was partially destroyed in WWII but has been meticulously restored. It is one of the largest surviving medieval fortresses in Germany.

What? Veste Coburg (Visitor details on my about.com article)
Where? Kunstsammlungen der Veste Coburg, D-96450 Coburg, Germany
How? Walking the grounds (complete with views) is free with access to the interior and art museums for 8 euro

Bonus Castles!

Even though we aren't nearly as castle-loving as my parents, we've managed to visit more than a few European castles and palaces.  

• Bellinzona, Italy
• Bratislava, Slovakia
• Copenhagen, Denmark
• Cardiff, Wales
• Disneyland Paris, France
• Budapest, Hungary
• Krakow, Poland
• Ducal Castle, Szczecin, Poland
• Sighisoara, Romania
• Tower of London, England

  More places we've been...

 

The Ideal Island Vacation: Ischia, Italy

August 2, 2014, 1:17 pm

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In early June, we realized Ian had some vacation days and sometime - sometime soon - I was going to be far too big and uncomfortable to travel. Thus, our usual brand of spontaneous/half-planned travel was born. But where?

There are few place we won't go. Bucharest in August? Why not. Copenhagen just for a day to pick up a parent? Or course. Idaho? Let's do it!

But given our poor trip planning, flights to just about anywhere were more then we hoped to pay. So I got creative. Thought outside the box. I looked at packages. Rarely the best deal for us bargain-basement globetrotters, I found that easyjet delivers some pretty enticing cheapo deals. I found one such combo (just over 400 euro for a flights & hotel for 2 for 4 nights) to the island of Ischia, Italy. After we fell in love with the area during a trip to Naples and the island of Procida two years earlier - we couldn't resist going back.

This was all quite unusual for us. Going back to somewhere we'd been before, buying a package and spending more than a day in a location - who are these people? While I admire the wisdom of slow travel, I usually can't help but run through a city on my way to the next destination. I want to see the whole wide world. But with this baby rudely butting in and the realization that our whole life is about to change, slowing down actually sounded good. Maybe we're growing up.

And I am so thankful we went. Swimming in the natural mineral pool at the hotel halfway through our trip, I turned to Ian and pondered, "Have we ever had a better vacation?". He shrugged... as much as he could while floating on his back in a pool. Ischia was perfect. This vacation was perfect. I highly recommend getting yourself to the ideal island vacation in Ischia, Italy NOW.

Some help if you are planning a trip to Ischia:

• EasyJet packages
• Pinterest Board of helpful Ischia links
• Ischia Review - Extremely helpful English guide to every aspect of the island
• Ischia Map - A bit confusingly, the main town has the same name as the island, Ischia. This is further divided into Ischia Porto (the port) and Ischia Ponte (the point near the castle).
• "Happy" - Ischia version
• Note that the island has long been touristed by Germans so workers in the service industry usually speak some German and English.
• You may recognize the island and its Castle Aragonese from the film The Talented Mr. Ripley.Re-watch if you go! The film is better than I remember and Philip Seymour Hoffman steals every scene.

Ischia Ratings

Ratings will be done in enormous Amalfi coast lemons.

Transportation in Ischia

ebe
4.5 lemons

We were prepared for a long travel day. We left Berlin just before noon, arrived in Naples around 2pm, took the bus to the ferry (barely caught it 5 minutes before it left) and arrived in Ischia at 5:30. Despite how crazy that sounds, we made every connection and arrived quicker than expected. Some tips if you are replicating our journey:

• Napoli Unplugged& TripAdvisor offers helpful English info on how to find buses, ferries etc.
• Follow the signs  at the airport to the Alibus which travels direct to the center-ish of Naples (Piazza Garibaldi) and the port. Plus, air-conditioning! Tickets are about 4 euro from the bus driver (3 euro from a stand).
• Beware Naples public buses as they have a well-earned reputation as pick-pocket havens.
• While you can reserve ferries online, it is crazy confusing and even locals recommend just showing up. There are enough boats that they are rarely sold-out, it is just limiting your wait time you need to worry about. Budget about 18 euro each way and try to get a direct route.
• You may select a ferry (cheaper/slower) or hydrofoil to get to the islands. We never did figure out what the prices were as we think we rode on the ferry both ways, but paid different prices.
• Note the arrival point when buying your ticket. Many boats are traveling to Ischia Porto (the easterly port), but some may arrive at Forio on the opposite end of the island.
• Multiple minicabs (taxi piccolo) are waiting at Ischia Porto to whisk you to your final destination. Just walk around with a suitcase and sweet older gentlemen will approach. We chose to walk as we were staying in nearby Ischia Ponte, but there is also an inexpensive bus.
• Realize you can only control so much in planning for a trip to Southern Italy. Embrace the chaos.

Ian
4 lemons

Couldn't have been smoother getting out there. We didn't have to wait at all at the ferry terminal and got right on a boat to the island. The airport was a little chaotic trying to find the bus - but what can you expect from Naples?

Ferry from Naples

Ischia minicab

Accommodations in Ischia

ebe
4.25 lemons

We were nervous about what we would get with a package deal, but online reviewers reassured us that it wouldn't be the worst place we ever stayed.

The Hotel Europa is family run and located in Ischia Ponte with views of the castle from the roof. A small mineral water pool is refilled everyday (ready around 11am, emptying around 10pm) with several rooms offering a balcony view over the courtyard. We were surprised that the hotel was as actually medium sized, but the warm reception by the family and staff made it feel intimate.

We requested a balcony facing the pool and got it! I was in love with our little room.While it is a bit retro, everything was immaculately kept. We were pleased with its location - walkable from the port and to the multiple beaches and shops and restaurants on Ischia Ponte.

Our only complaints were that the tv was quite small (we watched a few World Cup games in the room) and the wifi was quite weak. There was a computer and large tv in the lounge downstairs, as well as a dining room where an elegant dinner was served each evening. Another note is that some of the rooms facing the street were reported to be quite loud. And I worried the hotel mineral pool would stain my swimsuit which it did - temporarily. Eventually the rusty color washed out, but a cheap white tank top I wore the day after the pool (and a shower) seems permanently stained. Ah, well. It was worth it.

Ischia Review, once again, has great recommendations on places to stay: http://www.ischiareview.com/stay-in-ischia.html

Ian
4.75 lemons

Perfect hotel for a relaxing getaway. The room wasn't huge, but the hotel was charming. The balcony overlooking the pool was awesome and I felt like jumping in from there.

Rooftop Balcony at Hotel Europa

Sights in Ischia

ebe
5 lemons

We originally shied away from going to Ischia on our day trip because it seemed like it could be too touristy. While it was certainly much busier than tranquil Procida, it seems to escape most of the notice (and annoying tourists) found on Capri.

And it is so worth any hassle.We have been lucky enough to see some pretty extraordinary places, but Ischia is the beauty queen of every lovely place we've visited.

Castle Aragonese....

View of Ischia Ponte from the castle

• Entry 10 euro
• Open everyday, 9:00 until sunset
• Two cafes & a bookshop to take a break + a private hotel
• Lots of walking and minimal shade - bring your walking shoes & sunscreen
• Though the history is fascinating (pamphlet that comes with entrance is extremely helpful & in English), one of the highlights of the castle is the views. In addition, the nun's cemetery where dead nuns were placed to rot next to praying nuns is of gruesome interest. The small torture museum - as are so many in Europe - is a little cheesy, but morbidly fun. 

Post by Back to Berlin and Beyond.

Beaches...

Boat ride...

We usually skip out of any group activity, but our hotel offered a great deal of 25 euros for a day of guided boating around the island compete with 3 swims (including into la grotta verde) a stop in Sant'Angelo plus lunch and wine. While I could not partake in the wine, I indulged in everything else wholeheartedly.

This was so much better than anything we could have put together. We saw all the other major cities and got to jump off a boat into the absolutely pristine waters. Heaven! We could not stop smiling. Antonia was the embodiment of everything you want an Italian tour guide to be: charismatic, a knowledgeable local and completely welcoming. We all felt like family for the day, taking a group picture and learning Italian drinking songs. Watch for the many special rocks, such as the lovers, mushroom, elephant, camel, etc. If you miss them, Antonio will be happy to point them out.

You can also rent your own boat or moped which we considered (arranged through your hotel, tourism office or on sites like www.ischiareview.com/rentals), but I don't believe we could have had a better experience doing anything else.

 

Towns around the island....

Sant'Angelo

From Antonio, we learned about the differences between Forio and Ischia (they have a slightly different dialect, wine and fierce rivalry).  Our short visit to Sant'Anglo only whetted our appetite for the other towns on the island. Other towns: www.ischiareview.com/towns-of-ischia

We spent 4 nights on the island which seemed like a long time for travelers constantly on the go, but we left with still more things we would have liked to have done. Other attractions: thermal spas (the island is famed for its healing waters, hence the long-time tourism by the spa-loving Germans)  museums& gardens and Mount Epomeo.

Ian
4 lemons

Not a ton of sights in the traditional sense of the word, but for a relaxing getaway it was perfect. Castello Aragonese was amazing - so glad we visited it. The island and its natural beauty is a sight in itself.

Dining in Ischia

ebe
4.5 lemons

Besides those ridiculously giant Amalfi lemons, the island is known for its pizza, seafood and rabbit stew. We ate all of it. And loved it. A lot.

Our first night we picked a random pizza joint, Ristorante Pizzeria Pirozzi, in Ischia Ponte that had us falling in love with Italy all over again. What looked like just a little hole-in-the-wall offered beautiful made-to-order, stone oven pizza for less than 5 euros. We ordered two and had left-overs for breakfast. They also threw in a bunch of coccoli (fried dough balls) for apparently no reason. I love Italy. 

We also dined on the Italian breakfast essentials of sweets and espresso every mornings. What a diet! We even got an elegant glass container when we asked to take our espresso with us.The Italians like their espresso super strong and with a ton of sugar - which we tried again - but we actually drank ours straight. (Note that the Mexico espresso comes with sugar.) And remember, don't order a cappuccino after breakfast time!

As is our want to do (or any knowledgeable traveler on a budget), we spent a decent amount of time picnicking. Two nearby grocery stores made this fairly easy to do - despite the midday siestas and early closing time. Fresh prosciutto, pesto, buffalo mozzarella and the delightfully sparkling water had us feasting for days. I am not a fan of Germany's aggressively sprudeled water, but this clean-tasting, thirst quenching Italian water for just a euro at any convenience shop put even Berlin's Spätito shame.

The highlight of the meals was when we dined in one night. The Hotel Europa offers full service and though we only partook once, I would highly recommend it. Reservations should be made in the morning (just let the desk or dining room know you want dinner) and is served around 8pm. For the first time, I tasted gnocchi as they are meant to be. Pillowly and lightly bathed in sauce, our meal was off to a beautiful start. Next was the dish we had heard the most about, the rabbit stew or Coniglio Al'ischiatana. When we made reservations that morning, Antonio had cheerfully explained that "...this is the meal every Italian mama is making on Sunday night". Sign us up for an Italian mama please! Though we were initially disconcerted by the full bunny head on my plate (sorry Schmidty), the delectable taste had me gleefully pulling apart the soft cheek meat. Delicious!

Ischia review once again comes with loads of great info on restaurants: www.ischiareview.com/restaurants-in-ischia

ebe
4.25 lemons

Best meal was at the hotel - rabbit skull and all! Thanks Schmidty.

Amazingly cheap pizza. Great picnicking opportunities with buffalo mozzarella & pesto. Gotta love the Italian grub.

Though not a fan of the all-business tourist trade from the restaurant at the foot of the castle, Ian enjoyed his mussels.

Italian breakfast

Two espressos to go

Overall Ranking for Ischia

ebe
5 lemons

Though I didn't give out many straight up 5's on the lemon scale, this vacation and location was a straight-up 5. A 10. A 1,000! We just loved it.

For once, we actually relaxed on a vacation, spending our days lazing in the room, picnicking on the rooftop deck, swimming in the pool then the sea, riding in a boat like high-rollers and eating our way through the east side of the island. I don't know how we will ever top this trip, but we're going to try. Adventure on!
ebe
5 lemons

The individual categories might not have made it a 5, but when we look back this will always be a trip we dream about. Everything really came together to make it a perfect vacation. Everything we wanted and more.

Ischia is magic. This video offers an overview of everything we've talked about, but feel free to ask because I could talk about this vacation forever...and probably will.

Want more on Naples?

Naples - When the Moon Hits Your Eye

Island of Procida

Day trip to Pompeii

Pictures of the Street Art of Naples

Post by Back to Berlin and Beyond.

Compare these scores against some of the other places we've been with the "Ratings" tag at the bottom. 

Pregnancy Hiatus

September 8, 2014, 1:00 pm

≫ Next: Nazi Rally Grounds in Nuremburg

≪ Previous: The Ideal Island Vacation: Ischia, Italy

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I keep thinking about this blog.

I love tracking our adventures in Berlin and beyond here and have a stack of posts on our recent trip to Manchester and northern UK in my head, but have failed to get them to the page in any kind of timely fashion. Like many bloggers, life seems to be interfering.

I have this growth - a parasite really. Over the last 8 months our fascination with this bizarre being has grown to approach something like love. We're having a baby. I still can't get over it.

Us

Night we found out

Baby

Crazy 3D scan

We're having a baby.

Literally taking up some of our time is going to doctor's appointments and buying items to house/clean/feed it, but the biggest time thief has been how much time we've spent thinking about the baby. I'll think about writing about Manchester...until my mind meanders back to how weird it was to be palling around with my pregnant friend and how travel will be a bit different in the future.

That doesn't mean I haven't been writing at all. Besides my worky expat stuff on about.com, EasyExpat, Insiders Abroad& German-Way, I started a pregnancy blog, In berlin, baby.

I've written

• FAQ 
• about our check-ups,
• jump shots while pregnant,
• gender reveal, 
• sonograms,  
• baby bump,  
• missing alcohol,
• and all the pregnancy madness that seems to encompass my day to day life. 

So I'm thinking of you blog, and I'll write more in you soon. But my mind is clearly focused a little inward right now.

(p.s. I am devouring posts from other expats who've given birth in Germany so if you have a piece I should read or just a bit of advice as a lady who has been there, please leave me a comment or drop me a line at ianandebe {at} gmail {dot} com. )

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Nazi Rally Grounds in Nuremburg

September 18, 2014, 5:16 am

≫ Next: 2 Weeks in Manchester

≪ Previous: Pregnancy Hiatus

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Germany Travel Front Page

Working for about.com as the Germany Travel Expert has me seeking out new places in Germany and dredging up all sorts of posts and pictures from my travels. Sometimes this makes for a great new post for the site and sometimes they may have already been written about, but I still want so share.

In light of my lax new postings on this blog (due to the growth) and exploring the Germany Travel archives - how about a hybrid? On our first year exploring this country (and unintentionally falling in love) we tromped all over Germany. On one of these cross-country trips we found ourselves in Nuremburg and Ian's love of all things WWII history guided us to...

 

Nazi Party Rally Grounds

From about.com Germany Travel:

After Adolf Hitler declared in 1933 that Nuremberg should be “City of the Nazi Party Rallies”, the Nazi Party Rally Grounds with its monumental buildings, arenas, and roads for Nazi mass events and parades were constructed. Nowhere else in Germany can the remains of authentic Nazi architecture be seen as here.

In one wing of the unfinished Congress Hall, which was designed to seat 50,000 spectators, you’ll find the excellent permanent exhibition "Fascination and Terror", which explores the rise of the Nazi Party, the Führer myth, Nazi party rallies, racism and anti-Semitism, the German resistance and the Nuremberg trials.

It's desolate out there, and really only impressive from afar. The grand structures clearly sit in disuse with scribblings displaying current attitudes.

Informational placards in German and English are placed around the grounds detailing the history. When we were there, we were all alone. It was really quite eerie.

Documentation Centre Nazi Party Rally Grounds

• Website: http://www.museums.nuremberg.de/documentation-centre/index.html
• Address: Bayernstraße 110, 90478 Nuremberg
• Phone: 0911 231 - 56 66
• Transport: Tram line 9 / Doku-Zentrum, Suburban Railway S2: Dutzendteich Bahnhof 
• Hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., Saturday-Sunday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.(last admission 5 p.m.)  
• Prices: Grounds Free, Museum 5 euros

2 Weeks in Manchester

October 5, 2014, 1:57 pm

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We first spent a weekend in Manchester for a wedding and were charmed by its unique architecture, character and history. In a good mood from the festivities, we weren't sure if it was just these rosy personal feelings or if the city really kicked ass. Especially after we agreed to a house trade that had us spending 2 weeks of summer break in this industrial northern center and locals first question in response to our plans was a polite "Why?".

Lucky for us, we did enjoy. A lot. Staying in a place for longer than a night or two allowed us to gain a insiders' perspective and explore the greater north (including York, Edinburgh, Port Sunlight, Liverpool and Chester - watch this space for posts!).

And much like the vacation to Ischia (but in a less island paradise kinda way), one of our primary goals on this vacation was to relax. The baby is coming and a whole different, slower and hopefully just as fulfilling way of traveling will be necessary. Let's consider this a successful test run into our new life.

You may think from this destination that we're easy to please - and that's the truth. There are few places we won't goand enjoy. On our first day our friends took us to a giant grocery store in Middleton and it was a highlight of the trip. All those choices! "Crisps"! Beautiful pre-made food! IPAs! The place had piñatas?!

We like noting differences big and small and are fascinated by the many instances of culture shock we experience during life in Berlin and on the road. The world is a fascinating place.

We settled in quite nicely to our temporary terrace housing in Moss Side and set about exploring a little bit of the city everyday. If you need a little more than English streaky bacon, bizarre UK TV and a trip to the grocery store to entertain you, we did those things too.

Manchester Museum

Heading into town on our first solo day, we saw the museum our friends had pointed out and relying on England's glorious policy of free museums, we popped in.

With a focus on archaeology, anthropology and natural history, Ian was instantly pleased with the dinosaur skeleton in the lobby. Families with small children crowded around displays of Egyptian mummies and pressed their noses to the glass in front of the chameleons. Well presented if awkwardly laid-out, this tidy little site kept us busy for a few hours. The museum is owned by the University of Manchester and is thus swarmed by slightly older children just outside its walls.

More pictures of Manchester's Museums

• Website: www.museum.manchester.ac.uk
• Address: Oxford Rd, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
• Tel.: 44 161 275 2634
• Hours: 10 - 17:00

National Football Museum

This structure is austere and the interior makes good use of the space with each floor covering a different aspect of the "beautiful game". I particularly enjoyed the many different versions of ball and uniform throughout the ages, local team's mementos and fussball table overlooking the downtown. 

More pictures of Manchester's Museums

• Website: www.nationalfootballmuseum.com
• Address: Urbis Building, Cathedral Gardens, Todd St, Manchester M4 3BG, United Kingdom
• Tel.: 44 161 605 8200
• Hours: 10 - 17:00

Manchester Town Hall

Manchester has one of the prettiest town halls.  When it's not raining, and that is a big when, the square offers a lovely location to sit and engage in the festivals and events that roll through. The tower also offers an impressive landmark which works as a compass to navigate the city. Explore the interior for markers of the city's history. 

• Website: www.manchester.gov.uk
  
• Address: Albert Square Manchester M60 2LA

British Pubs

My fellow pregnant friend shared an expert tip for ladies who want to go to an English pub, but don't want to pay a premium for juice or other boring non-alcoholic drinks: order a cordial. Basically water with flavoring, the pubs only charge you around 40 pence!

Briton's Protection

Established in 1806, this unassuming pub has become a favorite. Frequented by locals and tourists, young and old, this is a classic.

• Website: britons-protection.com
• Address: 50 Great Bridgewater St, Manchester M1 5LE, United Kingdom
• Tel.: 44 161 236 5895
• Hours: 11 - 23:00ish

Peveril Of The Peak

I think our fiends simply called this place "the Pev", but since we won't assume such familiarity we'll stick with "Peveril Of The Peak". Just down the street from Briton's Protection, we seemed to specialize in weird experiences here. As I turned to wonder what exactly was the rooftop-not-balcony bedecked with plants, a car raced by us with its occupants yelling something profane at us. They almost sideswiped a pedestrian as the squealed around the corner and we thought this must be a true Manchester experience.

We actually made it inside the pub on the next sighting and found seating in a backroom which was oddly candle-lit for the evening. Power outage...in one room? Whatever, we still enjoyed our cordials and beers and watching a young man pass out nearby over his undrunk beer.

• Address:  127 Great Bridgewater Street Manchester M1 5JQ
• Tel.: 44 0161 236 6364
• Hours: 11 - 23:00

Mr. Thomas's Chop House

We shuffled our way through the narrow entry and found a spot right before the restaurant. Our table noted that the "Duke of Milan, his brother Antonio and the King of Naples drank here in 2007". Ohh - fancy! One of Manchester's oldest bars, it kept a stiff upper lip through a 1996 IRA bombing.

• Website: tomschophouse.com
• Address: 52 Cross St, Manchester M2 7AR, United Kingdom
• Tel.: 44 161 832 2245
• Hours: 11 - 23:00ish

Circus Tavern

This pub has the distinction of being the smallest pub in Manchester (and allegedly the smallest bar in Europe). Apparently it was built in 1790 as a butchery and was transformed into a pub around 1840.

While you seem to spend a lot of squeezing through narrow spaces in English pubs, this was extreme as there is just a small hall with taps, and two miniature rooms with seating. Our large and in charge pregnant bellies actually scored us one of the few seats and we sat and chatted while watching horse racing quite comfortably. The staff is no-nonsense, but were kindly to us and served free chicken fingers along with our drinks. 

• Address: 86 Portland St, Manchester M1 4GX, United Kingdom
• Tel.: 44 0161 236 5818

Port Street Beer House

We actually visited this modern ale house on our last visit. A friend knew of our love of ales (and the general lack thereof in Germany) and recommended this place for a range of brews.

• Website: www.portstreetbeerhouse.co.uk
• Address: 39-41 Port Street, Manchester, M1 2EQ
• Tel.: 44 (0)161 237 9949
• Hours: 16 - midnight (longer hours on wknds) 

The Shakespeare Public House

One of the locations of the "Stag Do", the exterior of this pub is English perfection. A bit of standard fare inside, but still somewhere to snap a shot.

• Address: 16 Fountain Street, Manchester M2 2AA, England
• Tel.: 44 0161 834 5515 

The Albert Square Chophouse

This was the site of our friend's reception and it really couldn't be more picture perfect. Located right on the main square, the downstairs pub and restaurant are quite smart with the rest of our party held upstairs in the elegant event space. We fell in love with corned beef hash cake with a poached egg & brown sauce and this very English experience.

• Website: albertsquarechophouse.com
• Address: Memorial Hall, 14 Albert Square, Manchester M2 5PF, United Kingdom
• Tel.: 44 161 834 1866
• Hours: 12 - 20:30  

More pictures of Manchester Pubs

Curry on Rusholme

We can't go to England without sampling some curries. The place to go in Manchester is Rusholme, or Curry Mile, and it just so happened that it was walking distance to our (temporary) home. While everyone has their favorite and there are plenty of generic restaurants, we enjoyed all three times we ate there. That's right, 2 weeks = 3 curries on Rusholme.

More pictures of Food in Manchester

• Website: www.manchesterrestaurants.com/rusholme

Salford Quays 

For some reason this is pronounced "Keys". Oh English.

No matter the pronunciation, this area of Salford has several new attractions since the dockyards closed in 1982. The Quays are home to a revitalized BBC "MediaCity", the Imperial War Museum and some seriously stand-out modern architecture (plus nearby Old Trafford - see below).

We didn't make it to the Lowry (bad tourists!) but you should if you can.

Imperial War Museum 

Ian is a sucker for a war museum so we found ourselves heading there first. Praise be to the UK's free museums! We were able to do a quick run through and admire all the pretty war machines. While it didn't strike me as the best we'd ever seen (hello Dresden's Militärhistorisches Museum der Bundeswehr), it does impress on the scale of its display. Note that no pictures are allowed.

• Website: www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-north
• Address:  Quay West, Trafford Wharf Rd, Manchester M17 1TZ, United Kingdom
• Tel.: 44 161 836 4000
• Hours: 10:00 - 17:00

 

BBC MediaCityUK

Ahhh - Dragons!

• Website: www.mediacityuk.co.uk/occupiers/bbc
• Directions

Quays Lift Bridge

Old Trafford & Manchester United Museum 

One of the city's top attractions is its world famous football team - Manchester United. Their grounds at Old Trafford serve as a pilgrimage for die-hard fanatics and a must-go for even casual football fans like us. Even on a chilly August day with no game is sight, the place was filled with other camera-clutching visitors.

While going to a game would be the ultimate, we were there in the off-season of August. The upside is that the museum (usually paired with a stadium tour and a whopping 25 pounds) is free. Just our price range!

I would have loved a look at the field, but the museum was legitimately fascinating - even for a somewhat fan. I now know all the basics of George Best, the horrific plane crash in Munich and what a room full of trophies looks like. If you want to be wowed - even in the off-season - stop by the massive store and marvel at the amount of cash registers ready to take the pounds of its many eager fans.

More pictures of Manchester's Museums

• Website:www.manutd.com/en/Visit-Old-Trafford
  
• Maps & Directions
• Tel.: 44 0161 868 8000

Screenfields Open Air Movie

All dreamy about out upcoming vacation in steamy Berlin summer, I convinced Ian & our poor friends who really knew better than to rely on English weather that an outdoor movie would be the perfect activity. And - get this - "Robin Hood" was playing, complete with Kevin Costner & Christian Slater's "English" accents.

It rained. Steady, fairly consistent, soggy. I refused to look over at the English as my Western Washington resilience refused to give in to weather. They (luckily) kept a very stiff upper lip about it and I think only Ian and his desert-reared soul truly suffered.

• Website: www.spinningfieldsonline.com
• Directions
• Season & Hours:Summer; movies begin around 19:00
  
• Admission: 3 pounds

Belle Vue Greyhound Stadium

As an avid horse fan, I really wanted to make the races work into our trip. It didn't.

But then we discovered the next best thing - Greyhound Races. Much more Mancunian, the track is just to the east of the city and the ideal Friday night activity. I am constantly trying to convince Ian to adopt more pets and even he had to admit that these smiling doggy faces are hard to resist.

The track itself is a relic. It was once part of an entire entertainment complex with zoo, amusement park and an annual circus. Overtime the grounds dwindled and now it is just the track. Slightly rundown, a little rough we were thrilled to see our first ever races.

This felt like we had truly jumped out of any kind of touristy experience and were delving deep into some real Manchester. Admittedly not hard to do in town that isn't trying to impress anyone, this was one of the highlights of our entire trip. Ian even won us some money.

Top tip: Just like with the horse races, there is rarely a reason to pay full entrance price. Scope the specials online before arriving and consider a place in the restaurant for a meal & entertainment deal. We got an entrance/program/burger deal for about 6 pounds with regular entrance at 7 pounds. Ridiculous.

More pictures of Greyhound Racing

• Website: www.lovethedogs.co.uk/bellevue
• Directions
• Tel.: 44 0870 720 3456
• Hours: Every Friday and Saturday night; doors open at 18:30; first race at 19:20; free races Wednesday afternoon at 14:15 and Sunday at 11:00
• Admission

  

Manchester Pride

We missed Berlin's pride this year for our trip to Ischia, Italy and while that felt like a fair trade, we were delighted to discover our trip overlapped with Manchester Pride. We arrived a bit late which had our local friends sweating it, but ended up in an ideal spot to watch the very civilized procession of gayly dressed festival-goers and boisterous sound systems, all back dropped by City Hall.

Afterwords, the party continues on the aptly named "Canal Street" but it cost an entrance fee to join the masses so we took our pregnant asses to the bars (and seating) instead. All in all - a fabulous time.

More pictures of Manchester Pride

Real Ale Festival

What better way to end a trip than with a beer festival? Real Ales (aka good beer) are really making a move in the UK as well as Germany and this celebration of brews at the Velodrome offered the perfect opportunity for the guys to enjoy some tasty beverages and for all of us to soak up some of the last weak English sun.

So....was 2 weeks in Manchester too much?

Two weeks seemed like quite a lot, until it wasn't. There are still things we would like to do in Manchester like the John Rylands Library, Manchester Art Gallery, Lowry, Manchester Craft and Design Centre...maybe we'll even get into Coronation Street and take the tour.

That's right - we're coming back for you Manchester! Plus, our friends just had their first kid so they are due a visit. More pics? Want to see Manc adventures in motion?

More Manchester? More UK? More reviews? More about us?

Should you visit the Fernsehturm?

November 5, 2014, 8:33 am

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As former Seattlites obsessed with our needle, its a bit funny that we ended up in another city with a fondness for a futuristic tower.

The Fernsehturm (TV Tower) hardly towers at a mere 368 meters (1,207 feet), but in a city this flat you can see it from most points in the city. It is actually the highest point in Germany and much taller than our beloved Space Needle. Its like welcoming an old friend when you look up from a place you've never been and - there she is! - you see the tower. One of the major selling points of our apartment is that you can see the Fernsehturm from our loft bed, living room and front balcony. There are few things I like seeing more in the morning. 

So when our wedding anniversary rolled around a few years ago, we thought it was the perfect moment to get toursity and head up to the top.

It happened to be at the same time of year as the Festival of Lights and while we worried about the lines, we thought the additional lighting would make for a spectacular view. This is what we got:

Hmmm. Far from ideal. I am no expert photographer, but I saw other people struggling with the glass and nighttime reflections. Unlike Seattle's Space Needle, both platforms place you behind the "thermo-insulated glass" and make for difficult conditions for great photography. I've seen other bloggers pics and been impressed so I think nighttime was the primary enemy here.

Exasperated, I put down the camera and we tried to just enjoy the atmosphere. Designed in the 1960s by a forward-thinking GDR government eager to prove their progressive ideas, it is a delightful time warp of nostalgia inside. However, the crowds of modern visitors lack the elegance I think officials were imagining crowding within these disco ball-shaped walls. Loud, drunken conversations in English echo off the tight space from the open bar and there is a lot of the typical pushing found at any popular tourist site.

The primary negative of the whole she-bang has got to be the price. A basic ticket costs €13 and unlike the Space Needle, isn't waived when dining at the restaurant. While not out-and-out ridiculous, we were only able to dawdle around for about a half hour before heading back down, slightly disappointed. 

So was it worth it? NO. At least not for us. Touristy in the most unflattering way, I much prefer looking up at the tower than down from it. But perhaps if we'd went during daylight, or had a nicer crowd, or...

Full information on the Tower's times, ticket prices and quirky history on:

Visiting Berlin's TV Tower

What is your opinion? Have you been up? What touristy sight do you find most rewarding?

Baby UBlau: U55 & U4

March 13, 2015, 9:32 am

≫ Next: 10 Things Berlin has Taught Me

≪ Previous: Should you visit the Fernsehturm?

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"Good decisions" aren't my strong point. I'm in for adventure, making every day count and a bit of the crazy. Thus you might not have noticed my absence for the last few months. Maybe I finally lost my hold on reality or theAusländerbehörde had enough of our shenanigans.

But no! We kinda, accidentally made a great decision. We had a baby. And she's awesome.

Unsurprisingly, it's taken a lot of time and I've got a new hobby of writing about her - a lot. If you wanna know about what's it like to have a babe in Berlin, I share an occasional helpful post amidst weekly videos and an astronomical ton of nonsense at In Berlin, Baby.

Another thing taking my time is work. I am writing/editing/content managing my Po (booty - learning new baby related words) off. I put up 10 Germany Travel articles a month at about.com, direct Insiders Abroad and their quarterly magazine, manage EasyExpat part-time and contribute to German-Way. This is hard work on top of watching a beautiful little lady!

And perhaps worst of all, this work stuff is eating up the things I used to write about here on the blog. Now I have to professionally present how to go to the movies in Germany or why I have come to appreciate the low water levels in toilets. In short, there is a lot less swearing.

But then we do something so ridiculous, so utterly useless to anyone but us I say, "Ah-ha! This is a post for Back to Berlin..and Beyond!". The recent such adventure, the first since the birth, is a Baby UBlau.

Yes, that's right, we took the kids on the drinkingUbahn tour with us. This sounds crazy, but....I got nothing. It's a dumb idea. But our English friends - part of the original 4 - were back in town with their brand-new daughter and it seemed like destiny.

So we did a UBlau baby-style. This meant with babies, on the city's two baby lines: U55 & U4. These two lines are only 7 stops total which makes it less nuts if not straight-up good parenting. And if you object - too late! Its been done. It was glorious.

U55

 

Brandenburger Tor

Kirstie 8.5

Hawkins 7
Porter 8

ebe 7.5

Average score:7.75



A generally high-ranking station to start us off. This line is newish (2009) and not very well-used so it was very clean and very empty. And grey.

Eventually, there are plans for this line to connect to more than just 3 stations and hook-up with the U5. I think only tourists who aren't interested in walking to the highlights take it now. We were happy to do our UBlau of shame somewhat alone. Plenty of time for pictures. And our first Jägermeister shots since....well, a long, long time.

Bundestag

Kirstie 9

Hawkins 9.5
Porter 7.5

ebe 8

Average score:8.5


Kirstie & Hawkins have fond memories of this station as it played a part in them shooting the trailer for their movie, Whistleblowers. Ian and I gave points for interesting columns that tie into lights. It's grand...and gray and desolate.

Again the station was nearly empty with groups of English and Spanish speakers occasionally blowing through giving us curious looks with our strollers and alcohol.

 

Hauptbahnhof

Kirstie 8

Hawkins 8
Porter 7

ebe 7

Average score: 7.5

We are well familiar with this massive station. But this platform? Not so much. It is corporately bland. And grey of course. Not bad, but nothing special.

We remembered about here (last stop that day) that we were supposed to rank for how well baby-appointed stations are. There were many elevators that actually moved along at a decent clip (a rarity in Berlin) and plenty of room to navigate. Baby accessible approved.

U4

We were supposed to both lines in one day - a piece of cake for our old drinking selves. But because of a previous engagement we could only fit one in that first day. GOOD. Because I was fairly drunk after just three stops/shots. I am embracing my new-found lightweight status.

 

Innsbrucker Platz

Kirstie 8

Hawkins 8
Porter 7

ebe 7

Average score: 7.5

So this is Innsbrucker Platz. It's pretty homeless. We were clearly out-of-place with our babies, even with our fresh bottle of booze. Sorry for intruding all!

As far as deco,we've got red brick, old-school script and a light atmosphere of despair. Let's go.

 
 

Rathaus Schöneberg

Kirstie 8.5

Hawkins 8.5
Porter 7

ebe 7.5

Average score: 7.875

In a perfect world we rank the entrances as well. The perfect opportunity happened here as we got off for a swim. Good thing because we came back in the dark and it wasn't as impressive. In the light, the tile work is lovely with large glass walls providing a view of a small pond surrounding the station. We also noticed here that everything is well-themed. The beautiful wood benches are complimented by the wood station agent huts. An added bonus for Kirstie was the serious mappage.

Bayerischer Platz

Kirstie 7.5

Hawkins 9
Porter 9

ebe 8.5

Average score: 8.5

Again we're in theme. This time all Bavarian blue. Plus - old-timey pictures! facts! This station is downright nice. And at this point we were getting a little goofy.

 

Viktoria-Luise-Platz

Kirstie 6.5

Hawkins 6
Porter 6

ebe 5.5

Average score: 6

Straight from the bottle now! We're finding our stride. Again we've got pleasant benches, a decent green color and an overall ok feel. Someone said "mini-Alexanderplatz". Nothing to get too excited about.

Nollendorfplatz

Kirstie 6

Hawkins 7
Porter 6.5

ebe 6.5

Average score: 6.5

We debated ranking this one as it is the site of me sitting on top of vending machine. How do you top that...literally?  But it is a different platform and we could really use one more shot- erm, I mean station.

My writing is pretty dicey at this point. I think I can make out "standard", "circular staircase", "grey, purple, yellow" and "quotes". So there's that.

Overall Scores

Lowest Ranking: Viktoria-Luise-Platz
Highest ranking Station:Bundestag & Bayerischer Platz

 We survived! Babies Survived! Clearly a success. And I can't believe Innsbrucker Platz wasn't lowest ranked. Sorry Viktoria-Luise.

10 Things Berlin has Taught Me

January 31, 2014, 4:23 am

≫ Next: The U2 UBlau

≪ Previous: Baby UBlau: U55 & U4

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If I got you down with my last post - sorry about that! I've been feeling down while looking for work and seriously felt my love for this amazing city wane a bit. But - sorry parents - that doesn't mean we're going home.

We came to Berlin to chew bubblegum and kick ass, and I'm all out of bubblegum.

Our kiez: Wedding*

On that note, here is what Berlin has given me with an appropriate soundtrack:

1. How to run with an open beer. Usually for the Ubahn, sometimes just for fun.
2. Wear layers. Summer. Fall. Winter. Always.
3. I can drink with the big leagues. I suspected, but now I know. 
4. Learning a foreign language simply by being here doesn't work. I need to actually try.
5. Reality TV might not be real, but it is fun to be on.
6. Getting naked at the German sauna did not cause my eyeballs to fall out, despite the number of naked old people bits observed. 
7. I can write. If I had never been pushed out of comfortable desk jobs, maybe I would have never tried to make a go of writing for a living. Besides EasyExpat, look for my work soon appearing as a co-blogger on the German-Way, The Frisky and as the new expert at about.com's Germany Travel.
8. You don't always need to be polite. Seattle passive-aggressiveness has no place in Germany and I am (mostly) the better for it. 
9. I ate blood and I liked it. In fact, I've eaten many things I would have never expected to like in Germany and enjoyed (except for Sülze - Germs can keep that for themselves).
10. I can make friends as an adult. And even though they may leave the city, we're friends for life. 

*I took these pictures yesterday after a casual cafe visit with a German friend. So easy, so beautiful....there is so much to love about this city. I need to remember that.

For more general wonderfulness about Germans themselves and life in Germany, check out Liv Hambrett's "What I Know About Germans" now a book in conjunction with Überlin!

The U2 UBlau

February 3, 2014, 6:55 am

≫ Next: Tips for Applying for an Apartment in Berlin

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Once again, we took to Berlin's UBahn to drink and rate our way through an entire line's stations, simultaneously horrifying and amusing our fellow passengers. It's fun for everyone.

 The Team:

Along with us, the Engs and our two brave Americans from the last ride, we added two new Americans, promising that we had all made it out alive before.

 

The drink:

The choice of booze and shot glass is up to participants and while we stuck with our trusty Jägermeister, the other Americans chose whiskey, Jäger knock-off and a variety of small bottles. Ohhhh fancy!

UBlau Plan & Rules:

On this Ublau we covered one of the most popular lines, the U2. No - not the band - this Berlinmetro line consists of 29 stations at a length of 20.7 kilometers (12.9 miles) and connects the remote Ruhleben terminal station with northern station Pankow. It hits many of the city highlights like eastern city centre Alexanderplatz, Potsdamer Platz, plus west city centres Wittenbergplatz and Zoologischer Garten. The route between Potsdamer Platz and Zoologischer Garten was the western section of the Stammstrecke, Berlin's first metro inaugurated in 1902. Alfred Grenander, a Swede, designed many of the stations between 1902 and 1930.

For a Berlin metro map and transport info, refer to my post: Berlin - By Foot, By BVG, By Bike, By Car, By Boat, By Train, By Plane.


The game plan:

•  We get off at every station, take a pictures, & rate it.
• A twosome takes a shot & a photo at each station. Creative poses encouraged!
• At stops where there is an intersection, it's a social and everyone drinks.

Onto the ratings! and if you like a soundtrack, Pharrel's Berlin version of "Happy".

Kaiserdamm

Kirstie 2.5

Hawkins 4
Porter 4

Jeff 5
ebe 4

Alex 3
Kate 3

Chuck 5

Average score:3.8125

Starting on the ring before working our way to the end station of Ruhleben had us begin at Kaiserdamm. As we were majority American, there was some tardiness and feet were cold before we even got started. No matter - drinking will warm us! First social and our attempt at a nice group photo. 

The station is split into 2 tracks so if you come up on the wrong side, you have to take the stairs under the tracks to find your platform = negative points. On the positive side, Jeff was sentimental and gave it positive points for being the first stop. The old softy.

On a historical note, the station was originally opened in 1908 and went through a period of name changes, including the unpopular choice of Adenauerdamm (after unpopular chancellor of West Germany Adenauer) which resulted in protests.

Theodor-Heuss-Platz

Kirstie 4

Hawkins 5
Porter 4

Jeff 6
ebe 5.5
Kate 6.5

Alex 6
Chuck 6

Average score:5.375

In preparation of the Superbowl, there was much talk about the Seahawks and (American) football. Chuck & Jeff embraced that while a young German child looked on. I promised we would entertain.

While another double rails and truly ugly brown and yellow color scheme brought the scores down,  a recent Google mistake using an old name for the station "Adolf-Hitler-Platz" brought interest back up.

Neu-Westend

Kirstie 5

Hawkins 5

Porter 5

Jeff 4

ebe 5
Kate 6
Alex 4
Chuck 4

Average score:4.75

Kirstie & Ian perfectly pulled off passing the baton for their pic, but may have jumped the gun a bit as this would have been perfect with the next stop. No matter, I though the wall decor looked a little moldy. Overall, meh.

Olympia-Stadion

 

Kirstie 4

Hawkins 3.5

Porter 4

Jeff 8

ebe 3
Kate 3
Alex 5
Chuck 4

Average score:4.3125

We departed the UBahn into open air Olympiastadion station still partially frozen. Jeff noted that the platform was so empty we wouldn't be able to tell if it was a zombie apocalypse. While most of us were just chilled and unimpressed, Jeff made the excellent point that this station is special because of its proximity to the legendary Olympic Stadium where the 1936 Summer Olympics were held (aka where Jesse Owen defeated Hitler's Aryan athletes - whoa! Scratch that as this fascinating article points out that this is a popular myth).

Ian honored the station by performing an Olympic feat by lifting me into the air. And I almost short-circuit our ride by temporarily losing the notebook....under my bag (refer to accurate facebook re-enactment).

Ruhleben

Kirstie 4.5

Hawkins 3
Porter 5

Jeff 5
ebe 4.5
Kate 4

Alex 5
Chuck 3

Average score:4.25

The last stop on the line, only a few of us had ever been out here before. Apparently we weren't missing much. Outdoors with a steaming industrial plant, Alex and Kate showed off their plastic tea cups filled with liquor.

Sophie-Charlotte-Platz

Kirstie 8.5

Hawkins 9
Porter 7.5

Jeff 8
ebe 7
Kate 7.5

Alex 7
Chuck 8

Average score:7.8125

After a short ride past the sections we already completed, we arrived at Sophie-Charlotte-Platz slightly warmed and ready to party. We were impressed with the twenty-six large paintings that showed the history of the subway before the First World War.

Bismarckstraße

Kirstie 6.5 (5)

Hawkins 6 (5)
Porter 3 (4)

Jeff 6 (5.5)
ebe 5.25 (5.5)

Kate 6.5

Alex 4
Chuck 4 (3)

(Old Average score: 4.6666)

Average score:5.1562

On the last Ublau we actually visited this station's upper level (scores marked above in the parenthesis). Though this level had a bizarre rainforrest scene, it didn't rate much higher.

Deutsche Oper

Kirstie 9

Hawkins 7.5
Porter 6

Jeff 5
ebe 6.5

Kate 8

Alex 5

Chuck 7

Average score: 6.75

Impressive beams, a sculpted ceiling and a look Kate described as "very New York City" had us "ohhing" at this station, but no "ah" for the opera station. I have a feeling we would have been more impressed had we known that the tiles that were a present from the Portuguese ambassador in Berlin and the station was in Rammstein's music video for Mein Teil as well as Run Lola Run. This station is known for a gruesome fire during the 2000 Love Parade which injured 21. It re-opened later that year in a renovated 1906 style.

Ernst-Reuter-Platz

 
Kirstie 4.5

Hawkins 3.5
Porter 5.5

Jeff 5
ebe 4.5

Kate 5.5

Alex 3

Chuck 3.5

Average score: 4.375

Chuck described this look as "bottom of pool". Drowning in blue tile, we gave it a jump shot.

Zoologischer Garten

Kirstie 3

Hawkins 3
Porter 4

Jeff 9
ebe 2.5

Kate 4

Alex 6

Chuck 5

Average score: 4.5625

In a surprisingly logical move for our state, the Zoo called for a animal pose. I tried out Unicorn. Hawkins was a monkey... I'm at a loss for what others were trying. Bathroom break!

This station is known for touristy stuff like the Zoo and Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche, as well as a much darker, seedy past once frequented by the likes Christiane F and Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo. 

Wittenbergplatz

Kirstie 7

Hawkins 4.5
Porter 6

Jeff 7
ebe 6.75

Kate 5

Alex 2

Chuck 6.5

Average score: 5.5937

We felt like we were behind bars here and that inspired us to pose like a tough soccer team...obviously.

If we had made it to the entrance, I suspect we would have been impressed with its grandiose Art Nouveau entrance. It is one of the oldest U-Bahn stations in Berlin, opened on 11 March 1902. We also didn't notice the sign donated by London Transport (distinctive round, red and blue style) in 1952 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the U-Bahn.

Nollendorfplatz

    Kirstie 3.5

   Hawkins 5
   Porter 6

   Jeff 7
   ebe 8

   Kate 6

   Alex 7

   Chuck 3

   Average score: 5.6875 

Our first remarks of "smells like farts" quickly changed as I realized I could clamber up on the vending machine. The worst security guard (which you never see on the UBahn) walked right by while I was on machine. We will never know if he was deliberately not looking or really that bad at his job.

I was also pleased that as this station is above ground with glass walls and art nouveau dome which allows you to observe your surroundings such as the Siegessäule or "chick on a stick". Opened in 1902, this is the only station in Berlin that is served by four metro lines. This was one of my favorite stations, but sadly my fellow riders didn't agree.

Bülowstraße

Kirstie 6

Hawkins 6
Porter 7

Jeff 7
ebe 7.75

Kate 6.5

Alex 6

Chuck 3

Average score: 6.1562

Once again, this beautiful old station features the art nouveau style and an above ground plan. Heavily damaged by air raids and the Battle of Berlin, the station was rebuilt after World War II. The station was also featured in the god-awful film, Unknown. Negative points.

Gleisdreieck

Kirstie 8.5 (7)

Hawkins 9.5 (7)
Porter 8 (8)

Jeff 8
ebe 9 (7.5)

Kate 8.5

Alex 7

Chuck 6

(Old Average score: 7.375)
Average score: 8.0625

Once again, this is a two level station that we had rated before but this time it was even more beautiful because of the snow and setting sun. I think we all regretted our last low scores.

Not so lovely is a moment in this station's history: a major accident occured on September 26, 1908, when two trains collided. One car derailed and fell from the viaduct, killing 18 people and injuring 21. Another interesting factual tidbit is that the building of Berlin Wall resulted in the  lower platform becoming the eastern terminus of the U2. Service didn't resume until November 13, 1993.

Mendelssohn-Bartholdy-Park

Kirstie 2

Hawkins 3.5
Porter 5

Jeff 6.5
ebe 3

Kate 2

Alex 6

Chuck 3

Average score: 3.875

What a name! Apparently it is after the park at the east of the building named in honor of the composer Felix Mendelssohn. Clearly the station itself  did little to impress.

Potsdamer Platz

Kirstie 7

Hawkins 5.5
Porter 6

Jeff 7
ebe 6

Kate 5.5

Alex 4

Chuck 6

Average score: 5.875

One of the most famous stations on the line also did little to impress us. Luckily we were all feeling pretty chummy at this point and Alex said, "Conversation a 10, but station a 4".

More interesting than the serviceable station is the place above. Potsdamer Platz, painfully nicknamed "The Platz to be" (oof), is a site of major redevelopment and was supposed to be the new Berlin business center. It has mostly been a bust, but is still a fascinating point in Berlin's developing history

Mohrenstraße

Kirstie 8

Hawkins 7.5
Porter 7

Jeff 7.5
ebe 5

Kate 5.5

Alex 7

Chuck 6.5

Average score: 6.75

Ian and Kirstie embody "not feeling it", but they are lying as we all found the station basically pleasant. First named Kaiserhof and then Thälmannplatz (after communist leader Ernst Thälmann), this station is all red limestone often rumored to be from the interior of Adolf Hitler's Reich Chancellery. Decide for yourself whether you believe.

Stadtmitte

Kirstie 7.5

Hawkins 4.5
Porter 6.5

Jeff 6.5
ebe 5.75

Kate 5.5

Alex 5

Chuck 7

Average score: 6.0312

We were all pretty zen at this point. Zen is another word for drunk, isn't it? The most interesting note I found about this station was that the platforms connecting to the pedestrian underpass are colloquially called Mäusetunnel ("mice tunnel"). 

Hausvogteiplatz

Kirstie 7

Hawkins 5
Porter 5

Jeff 7
ebe 4

Kate 5.5

Alex 4

Chuck 6

Average score: 5.4375

I was pretty sure I could do a handstand without flashing everyone. I was wrong. Lightening bolt save!

Named for the square that has served as city fortification and center of 19th century Berlin's clothing industry, the station has images of the area throughout history.

Spittelmarkt

Kirstie 7.5

Hawkins 4
Porter 6.5

Jeff 7
ebe 6

Kate 7.5

Alex 7

Chuck 6.5

Average score: 6.5

The blues of this station reference its location on the Spree. Daylight windows display the river and the official theme is "Berlin and water".

Märkisches Museum

Kirstie 7.5

Hawkins 8
Porter 8

Jeff 7.5
ebe 9

Kate 8

Alex 8

Chuck 5.5

Average score: 7.6875

The video of Ian (fake?) falling off the sign is almost as amazing as the picture. Great teamwork y'all!

The station has an impressive vaulted hall and is one of only U-Bahn stations (besides Platz der Luftbrücke) with no central columns. There are twelve mosaics created for the 750th anniversary of Berlin by the GDR government. Exploring the theme "the history of Berlin", there are maps of Berlin from its beginnings as the twin towns of Berlin and Cölln in 1237 to when the murals were put up in 1987 (when it was still East Berlin). Each mosaic is constructed from building materials like stone cobbles, stone, brick, marble, cement, etc.

Klosterstraße

Kirstie 10

Hawkins 8.5
Porter 8

Jeff 8.5
ebe 9.5

Kate 7

Alex 7

Chuck 7.5

Average score: 8.25  

Ian continued the monkey theme from the Zoo and ran wild around the station. I think we all kinda lost our minds here as we accidentally operated this UBlau at a near run. The sub-zero temperatures (one of the coldest days of the year) had us ripping through the stations (and shots) at warp speed.

The station has been well-preserved and received protected landmark status in 1975. We made good use of the historic A-I type car of the U4 line at the northern end of the platform.

Alexanderplatz

Kirstie 8

Hawkins 7
Porter 7.5

Jeff 6.5
ebe 6.5

Kate 6.5

Alex 10

Chuck 8.5

Average score: 7.5625 

Located at the center of the city's transport, this is one of the busiest transport hubs in the Berlin area and impossible to avoid. It is also one of the largest stations serving the U2, U5 and U8, four Regional-Express and Regionalbahn lines, S-Bahn lines S5, S7 and S75, as well as four ground level tram lines and five bus lines.

Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz

Kirstie 5

Hawkins 5
Porter 5

Jeff 4
ebe 4.5

Kate 4

Alex 4

Chuck 5

Average score: 4.5625

"DRUNK," I wrote in the notebook. Astute observation ebe. Luckily, it is life saving work they do at Dolores. Much TexMex was eaten.

This monotone yellow station was named after the German revolutionary communist, Rosa Luxemburg. A martyr for the cause, one of her best known quotes is

"Freedom is always the freedom of the one who thinks differently."

(Freiheit ist immer Freiheit der Andersdenkenden).

Senefelderplatz

Kirstie 2

Hawkins 5
Porter 4.5

Jeff 10
ebe 3.5

Kate 3

Alex 4

Chuck 8.5

Average score: 5.0625

A station of grey & white tiles (yawn) that Kate and Alex enliven with a moving UBahn background.

Eberswalder Straße

Kirstie 5.5

Hawkins 5
Porter 7

Jeff 10
ebe 8

Kate 6

Alex 4

Chuck 10

Average score: 6.9375

Charming us all, Ian & Kirstie do the Titanic pose (with instructions from Kate). Little do they know Leo & Jonah Hill will do the same thing on SNL hours later. Trend-setters!

This raised station sits at the heart of schmancy Prenzlauer Berg within steps of legendary Currywurst stand, Konnopke. If we had a million dollars and reality shows weren't fake, we could have lived right here in Berlin apartment #3 on House Hunters International.

Schönhauser Allee

Kirstie 5

Hawkins 4.5
Porter 6.5

Jeff 9
ebe 3

Kate 6

Alex 6

Chuck 6.5

Average score: 5.8125

Huddling for warmth in this very busy above ground station, on an average day approximately 500 trains and more than 26000 people cross these grounds.

Vinestrasse

Kirstie 2

Hawkins 4.5
Porter 6.5

Jeff 4 or 5
ebe 5.5

Kate 4.5

Alex 3-4

Chuck 5.5

Average score: 4.625

Once the northern terminus of the U2, it is a good thing we were nearing the end of the U2 UBlau.
I am not impressed with my handwriting at this point. I wrote Jeff's name twice with different scores and I think I took a "3 to 4" rating from Alex. Our very professional ratings are approximate.

We also picked up two German teens at this point. Beware kids!

Pankow

Kirstie 4

Hawkins 4.5
Porter 5

Jeff 5
ebe 4

Kate 6.5

Alex 7

Chuck 8

Average score: 5.5

On our last stop, we found ourselves in Pankow (where Ian & Chuck work). More than a little drunk, success was ours! Consider yourself done U2.

Overall Scores

 

Top 3 Stations of Berlin's U2 Line

3rd Highest Score:

Sophie-Charlotte-Platz 7.8125

2nd Highest Score:

Gleisdreieck 8.0625

Best Station on Berlin's U2 Line:

Klosterstrasse at 8.25

Highest Ranked Berlin station

Heidelberger Platz at 9.125

Agree with our rankings? Think we're idiots? Want to participate? All of the above? Tell us about it with a comment below! 

PICTURES of the stations & more UBlau

Learn more about Berlin's transport system in our post:

Berlin: By Foot, By BVG, By Bike, By Car, By Boat, By Train, By Plane

Or check out our previous rides: UBlau U1/U3 and U7

Tips for Applying for an Apartment in Berlin

August 7, 2015, 3:28 am

≫ Next: Where to take your parents in Europe: Rome

≪ Previous: The U2 UBlau

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Won't you please let us live here?

It's been a little quiet here lately.  That's because life has been busy, as discussed in my last post (along with boozing with a baby).

The other thing sucking up our free time is looking for an apartment. We knew it was going to be difficult. Despite the continual "Is Berlin hot or not?" playing out in the media (latest on our neighborhood, Wedding, from the New York Times), competition for Wohnungs is fierce with between 6-2.1 billion people applying for every place we've applied for.

Each apartment is a cattle call and we aren't quite adept as the Germans at throwing elbows. I went to one showing in Prenzlauer Berg that had a line down the stairs...for 3 floors! I just laughed and left and we met Ian for a drink. What else is there to do?

I wrote about the process for Applying for a Wohnung in Berlin for German-Way and I have received a slew of advice to help improve our chances. I plan to do them all.

1. Bring kids. Everyone loves kids!
2. Don't bring kids. Kids just mean damage to landlords.
3. Don't mention renovations (...or that terrible cork floor that they apparently just put in - true story).
4. Dress up. You want to trick the landlord/realtor into thinking you're responsible.
5. Don't bother dressing up or brown-nosing the person showing the apartment. Chances are they are the ones moving out and have no deciding power or the decider isn't there. If the person deciding is there, they are going to be extremely German and pick someone who makes the most money even though you made them laugh. You will feel like you prostituted yourself for an apartment and it didn't work. Your ego will be bruised.
6. Bring all your documents. Because German apartments require your life story, this will cause you to spend a small fortune, or at least as much as that dishwasher you are eyeing. But it doesn't matter if you just get the apartment you tell yourself over and over again.
7. Send in documents to the contacts they supply at the viewing appointment. Again the amount of paperwork, even digital, will be massive and require sending through google attachments which you hope and pray they are able to open, though all experiences with German Amts (offices) have proved that is not the case.
8. Take pictures. You will see so many places it will be hard to keep track. And the times of the viewings will be extremely inconvenient (14:00 on a Tuesday or 7:30 on a Friday - your choice) meaning your husband won't be able to come or he will need to take vacation time to see them, so you will want to show him what the apartment he is pledging to spend thousands on will look like. 
9. Don't take pictures. This is Germany and privacy is tantamount! Haven't you ever tried looking for a building on google earth and found the building blurred out? Why would they let you take pictures of the inside?

Can you believe it? 9 easy Tips for Applying for an Apartment in Berlin. It is just that simple.

Thanks for the tips, friends. I am sure we will have an apartment in no time. If you hear of a 3 room (2-bedroom American) flat anywhere from Wedding to Neukoelln for 1,000 euros warm - please let us know.

And if you're looking for a place to stay for a week - with pets! - our place is for rent as we try and escape the Germans and fly to Corfu, Greece.

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Where to take your parents in Europe: Rome

September 7, 2015, 2:06 am

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I seem to be making a habit of visiting the most romantic places in Italy with my Father-in-Law. Venice, Cinque Terre and now Rome.

I mean, Ian is there too but the trip is definitely a little different as a trio - erm, a foursome! Cuz on this trip we had another little traveler, baby Matilda. We are officially in the "family travel" category, aren't we?

I think of visiting all these amazing places with her being so little and feel a little bad she isn't going to remember any of it. At least we have the pictures - a lot of pictures - and all this travel experience should make her a pro before her first birthday. Absorb the beauty, baby.

So anyways, Rome. We'd only been there once before in an unintended one-day stop on our epic month+ long trip. There was a lot more to see.

 Rome Ratings:

Ratings will be done in vespas.

Transportation 

Bus into Rome from the airport. Do not believe their lies about having wifi

Ian 
3 - 
The subway system doesn't run frequently and doesn't have the most convenient stops. Buses are better but crowded and confusing.

ebe
3 - 
Ditto, Ian. Two lines Rome? That is minimal. We walked almost everywhere from our AirBnB in Trastevere which was the plan - the hot, sweaty plan. Gave us reason to eat more gelato.

On the plus side, bus & train to/from the city from the two airports were not as complicated as they seemed online (although you do embark into a world of chaos trying to find out where the line is, what'cha do from the airport. Just follow the crowds). And the regional train to Ostia Antica was inexpensive and only marginally crowded. Another plus - the Romans are much more considerate to a baby than the Berliners. 

Accommodations

Airbnb in heart of Trastevere (boo - went to link, but listing no longer available.)

Ian 
4.5

Amazing location! Very cute, functional lay-out.


ebe
3.5

Great location in Trastevere. It was important to us to be able to be in the thick of it and avoid having to use transport. Check. Nightlife at our doorstep. Check. Noise of Italy coming in through our window. Check!

But the lack of basic amenities (like toilet paper) was a little unforgivable. Plus other oddities like the oven not working. The place was super charming and the ceiling fan in the bedroom was a life-saver. Apparently air-conditioning isn't available until real summer (we were there mid-June). And the tiny wet shower where even the toilet gets wet? An experience.

Don't forget to calculate the tourist tax. At 2 euro per person, per night - it adds up.

Sights  

Colosseum

Forum

Ian
5

The whole city in big sight. Even some back street is amazing, let alone the Forum and the amazing squares.

ebe
5
Ian tour guided us like a champ. We saw a few things we saw before and they were still magic (hello Pantheon).  Pro tips: the line to the Vatican is a lot more intimidating than it is. The Colosseum, Forum, etc. are totally worth it (12 euros is a steal actually). Ostia Antica is an awesome alternative to Pompeii. Rick Steves is our spirit animal. 

Maddy wasn't that impressed by the Vatican...or much else. Working on her taste level.

Dining 

As much horse meat baby food as Matilda could stomach

Those famous artichokes

Ian 
4 

So many great food options, but sometimes it is hard to chose what is authentic and what is just cardboard pizza. Plus - the whole cover charge is no fun. With that said, we had some amazing meals.

Best food in Rome?

ebe
4.5 
What didn't we eat? I was all about my hit list of suppli, porchetta, white pizza, etc. and I ate it ALL. I made an obsessive list of where I wanted to eat on pinterest. It would take years to knock off this list, but we made a dent. Best bites were a late-night
porchetta sandwhich and a hazelenut pasta.


Let's also not forget the beer scene. I drank my share of wine, but we also had plenty of brews. There are breweries all over and hip tap rooms like Bir & Fud, a hipster paradise of world brews. Just prepare yourself for the jarring drunk American accents. (Arg! Do I really sound like that?)

Pro tip: Drinking on the street is a yes! They'll even give you to-go cups. But alcohol is not allowed to be sold on the street after 10pm, so drink-up. 

Suppli, beer, pizza. Heaven.

 Overall

Barcaccia Fountain

Ian 
5

ebe
4.5
We didn't intend to go to this city the first timebecause we knew we didn't have enough time and I honestly wasn't sure I would be into it (I know - it's Rome). This is before Naples and I was on a anti-classics kick. I wanted somewhere different, somewhere off-the-beaten-path.

I was wrong. Rome was intoxicating. Civilized and wild. Get on the path. 

And a note on traveling with a baby: Of course the Italians love a baby. This, we expected. But the amount of stranger love Matilda got was very surprising. On the very first day, a couple from Asia asked if they could take a picture with her. Flabbergasted, we acquiesced and Ian hovered just out of frame as a complete stranger held our baby. This continued for the next four days. Most people wanted pictures of just her, but I was also included in a photo. It was fine, but what do they say when they show their photos? "Here is a strange baby I wanted a picture of like a zoo animal"?

Whatever the logic, we can't argue that she isn't worth taking a picture of. She might have been the most beautiful thing in Rome.

Altare della Patria

 

I seem to be making a habit of visiting the most romantic places in Italy with my Father-in-Law. Venice, Cinque Terre...
Posted by Back to Berlin and Beyond on Monday, September 7, 2015

Vacation to Corfu, Greece

February 7, 2016, 1:46 pm

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After last year's smashing success with a last-minute EasyJet vacation, we had to try it again. So we did. And it was almost as awesome.

That might not sound like a ringing endorsement, but it is. It's just that Ischia was a once-of-a-lifetime vacation. That place is as close to perfect as I can ever hope to visit and this time was different. We're dragging a kid around now and real-life worries like searching for an apartment infringed on paradise.

And, yet - my memories of it (we went last August) are still sterling clear and glowing. It was beautiful. We ate and swam like kings. Rarely have we felt richer vacationing and more at peace in spirit.

Corfu Ratings:

Ratings will be done in Greek salad. We had so many delicious Greek salads.

Transportation in Corfu

Ian 
2 Greek salads - Completely reliant on buses with stops that are not very marked, workers that are not overly helpful and buses that run somewhat sporadically.

 

ebe
3 Greek salads - It was an all-day affair getting to our hotel, which is to be expected for an island. We found easyjet holidays that covered 7-nights accommodation and flights for around 450 euros each. We had to figure out the rest of the transport ourselves.

We practically sailed in as the airport and landing strip are so tiny and so close to the water. We later spent an hour watching planes come in and out which was a total highlight. Felt so close we could touch 'em. 

To do that - however - we found it easiest to rent a car, as well as get to some other destinations on the island. This ended up costing us 60 euros for its use for one day (the absolutest cheapest we could find) and was totally worth it. We went all over Corfu that day and all the way up to the monastery.
For the rest of our trips, we simply walked to different beaches around Messonghi, took a boat tour for a day (around 20 euro per person and included wine & lunch) and took the bus in to Corfu city for one day. Simple, cheap, relaxing. Ok - mostly. You have to have a little faith that you are in the right line at the bus station in town and if you are not at a main stop it can be a little harrowing waiting for the bus.
Getting out of Corfu was another story. We took the bus back towards Corfu Town again and had no trouble getting off at the airport. Once we arrived we saw we were in trouble. The tiny airport was flooded in people. We checked in quite easily (only had hand luggage, but needed to check the stroller), but then joined the throngs waiting to get through security. It got so bad - Mad wailing, everyone grumbling - that eventually some personnel came and pulled us to the front of the line. However, there were people behind us needing to get in for a flight that was about to leave, so then they started pushing those people ahead of us and it was just a bottleneck of misery. When we finally did get though they were so overwhelmed they simply waned people through security. So pro tip: arrive early - just in case - in summer months as traffic is apparently up a bazillion percent from what they can handle.

Accommodationsin Corfu

River Studios

Ian
3.5 Greek salads - Really nice hosts. Nice having a pool. Good location .Room was bare bones but a/c was nice.


ebe
3 Greek salads - Like I mentioned before, we've grown fond of these bargain basement Easyjet deals but recognize they are far from luxury. This hotel was not luxury. But it worked for us. Each had a very basic kitchenette and itsy bathroom and shower. The shower was the only real disappointment. It did not work amazing.

But the a/c was heaven, wifi worked, it was about a 8 minute walk to the beach, a little balcony looked onto the river and small pool and the family that runs it was very accommodating. They wrote me back about the questions I had before we booked (wifi, baby, etc) and on one of our last nights we sat out front with the son and dad with our little girl and heard stories of running a hotel in Corfu over wine from our host.

If you prefer somewhere else, there are about a kagillion other options. And bonus for English and German speakers - everything is in these languages.

Sightsin Corfu

Ian 
4 Greek salad - I knew the beaches were gonna be good, but Corfu Town was way cooler than I expected. The nature was great. The monastery was so cool.

ebe
4.5 - I think this is the essence of rustic beauty. Just on its own, the place is perfect. The beaches are idyllic, some with sand (or sand brought in), warm perfectly clear waters and you can rent an umbrella with two drinks and wifi all day in the Messonghi area for between 3.50-5 euro. BEACH HOLIDAY PERFECTION. Of course there are also fancier resorts (like actually staying in the Messonghi Resort) and there are people bathing off the side of the road for free. Doesn't matter where you are - the water is fine.

We also took one of the many boat tours on offer and can't remember if we paid 15 or 20 euro per person, but that covered an all-day adventure (10am - 4pm) wine all day and a lunch. After our success in Ischia we gave it another try and were once again over the moon at seeing places we couldn't even imagine in our dreams.
On the popular Blue Lagoon tour which - despite Brook Shields on the posters - seems to have nothing to do with the movie, we experienced some incredible scenery. We jumped off the boat like ballers - carefully handing mad over in her floaty once we were in - saw sand that appeared absolutely rose colored and went to the Botanical gardens. We got off at the Botanical Garden last and lost. our. shit. The plants. The hammocks. The ice cream I had at the top. Some kid asked his mom if they could stay there next time and I knew exactly what he meant. It was heaven. We grinned like fools. We had brought some silly little swim goggles and even those were amazing. If you snorkel, be ready to be amazed.

Also - Corfu Town was much more beautiful than expected. Inspired by the likes of Venice, how could it fail to impress? We went in the fortress, ate pizza, bought a jingly toy and wandered all over the city. And as I mentioned with the car, we saw a monastery straight outta island paradise, Old Perithia (oldest village) was a dusty break from seaside, beaches like Sidari and Lefkimmi an just dug driving and listening to cheesy pop. Mad was a little less thrilled with driving all day, but she dealt.

And we should also note that despite the land's obvious beauty, there are an impressive amount of half-built buildings and abandoned projects. There is definitely some evidence of a struggling economy. But that hardly detracted from the island's allure for a couple of expats from Berlin.

 

Diningin Corfu

Ian
4 Greek Salads - Fantastic service. Had all the classic Greek dishes. Great atmosphere. Definitly splurged a bit on food, but it was worth it.

 ebe
4.5 Greek Salads - We ate so many Greek salads. It was fascinating to see the same ingredients put together just a little differently. And being there for a week, we had ample opportunity to sample almost every major restaurant in Messonghi. While service was welcoming, it was perhaps less generous than in the past, less freebies. Whatever, we come from Berlin baby! We were pleased that people smiled and chatted.

Besides the salads, we ate giant prawns, all sorts of fish, Keftethes (love a meatball), Sofrito (beef steak cooked in a garlic and wine sauce), Yemista (Stuffed pepper), Kelftiko (over baked lamb), Souvlakia (meat on skewers), stewed rabbit, Tiropita (puff pastry filled with feta) and of course we had gyros. And french fries. Lots of french fries. Oh - and Frappe! Made from instant coffee and with a history all its own, it has no right to e this good but is perfect on a hot day.

Note that Tzatziki is usually sold separately and kinda silly expensive. I guess that is just a tourist tax. And we never got a ginger beer, even though it is supposed to be a specialty. It was not listed or they were out. I was happy with my cheap house wine and some surprising microbrews.
I also bought the most expensive Baclava ever in Corfu Town. I was just feeling the love and they were so pretty, dressed in chocolate and fruit that when she asked how many i just threw out a number. I think we got about 10 for 20 euro. It was a stupid, rookie mistake. A stupid delicious mistake. Another deliciousness was the Kumquat syrup that is sold everywhere and can be bought as a souvenir. 



Among our favorite restaurants:

• Minori Taverna - Just up the road from the beach, the owner is a gem and the lamb is divine. 
•  Zak's Taverna - Located on the main road (next to the bus stop) this place is covered in grape vines. The waiters are expectedly dapper and charming and the food is a good deal in a great atmosphere. 
•  Bacchus Restaurant - This is the only place we went to twice. The most distracted service, it was bustling and chaotically fun, right on the water. And it had the best Greek salad. 

*WARNING: Those pathetic looking stray cats that cover most of Greece are here as well. And while not dangerous, they did pee on the baby when I let her play on the ground at Minori Taverna. Not cute kitty.

 Overall

Ian 
4.5 Greek Salads - It really is a paradise. The boat cruise was amazing. Renting the car was amazing. Corfu town was amazing. it was just nice to relax and enjoy the beach too.

ebe
4 Greek Salads - We are liking this new thing of taking relaxing vacations...especially when they are located on a perfect island. That is our first family vacation - just the three of us. Some of the pictures of Maddy on this trip are my favorites.

Shorty after this trip we got a great apartment (whew!), Matilda started Krippe, Mad turned one!, money got crazy tight and my parents visited. Now out on the other side I can look at that week like a moment in time where everything was about to change but we didn't know it yet. I think of the fortress or the boat ride or lying on the beach and everything is bathed in light.

I suggested to Ian, especially now that we have Matilda, that we actually consider going back to places. She's too little to remember playing with her dad in the pool or getting sand everywhere. While she'll have the pictures, I really want her to see these places for herself (again) someday. So we've made a tentative plan to re-visit our favorites 10 years out. She'll be old enough to enjoy it and we will see if they live up to the hype we've created in our head.

In the meantime I suggest you go to Corfu. Eat the salads. Be a lazy tourist. Get sand everywhere.

Birthday in Barcelona, Spain

June 10, 2016, 12:35 pm

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One of the inevitables about being an expat is that you will have friends come and go.

This is exciting - ohhh! new friends.
And terrible - don't leave me friends!

We even did this to our friends on both sides of the ocean when we returned to the States after a year away...and then returned to Berlin.

That doesn't make it any more agreeable. So when our besties returned to Manchester we were more than bummed. This injustice was unbearable! Even with their visits back to Berlin and our trip to see them, we need more time with Engs.

So, we each like travel. We like each other. For reasons that are beyond comprehension, we had never forayed into Spain together (and even odder we ended up in Madrid within 6 months). Joint vacation! And what better place than beautiful Barcelona? And it was my birthday! Let's do this. So we did.

Barcelona Ratings:

Ratings will be done in churro. With chocolate.

Transportation 

Ian 

Airport Shenanigans

4 churros -
City was very walkable so there was no reason to use the transportation downtown. The metro was not as roomy and airy as Berlin's when we did use it (closer to NYC's).

ebe
4 churros -
The airport is quite large with multiple terminals, but everything was clearly marked and easy to navigate. This city is heavily touristed and they are ready for you.

Getting in from El Prat de Llobregat Aeropuerto (or just call it Barcelona International Airport) was extremely easy with several different options. Just outside the airport there are express buses for €5.90 for a single and €10.20 for return. Not the cheapest and - surprise! - billed on board wifi didn't really work, but it was fine. You can also take the train (RENFE) and/or subway. Or if you're fancy take a taxi for 30 euroish. Full info: http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/en/airport/barcelona-airport.html

The city is infinitely walkable which is our favorite way to see a city. Just walk it to death. And we got the chance to ride another metro.

Ian & Kirstie
3.5 churros & 4 churros -

The airport bus was very easy to find - plus they gave you a handy city map which we used for the rest of our trip. The underground network was super cheap at €1 per trip if you buy the T10 Travel Card at €10 for ten trips. It was confusing finding the right platform at Plaça de Catalunya though. And Ian noted it wasn't very pram/stroller friendly compared to other cities. Plus it seemed a tricky trip to get out to the amusement park (Tibidabo) on the mountain.

La Rambla

Accommodations

Ian
4.5 churros -

The area (Garcia) was great. Perfect for our needs as two families who still want to eat and drink out. Too bad it was November and we couldn't use the massive terrace as much.

ebe
4 churros -

We've been AirBnB devotees for a while and they really hooked us up with this one. There are a kajilion options in the city and prices are more than fair. Apparently the average is 137 euro, but you can find much cheaper and more lavish.

To suit two families, we got a 2-bedroom, 2-bath spot with full kitchen, terrace and balcony. Wifi rocked, TV didn't work, stairs were narrow and twisty into the place, style was charming and definitely not baby friendly and there were two rolls of toilet paper. For four adults over 5 nights. WTF? This is the second time this happened to us (the other being Rome) and while it is far from a deal-killer, it is weird and cheap. Don't do this AirBnB hosts. Other options we liked: https://www.airbnb.com/wishlists/85168799.

The neighborhood, Gracia, was described as village-like with many shops and restaurants. Truth! Ian fell in love with an empanada place just 5 min away.We bought Mad the cutest red rain boots.A toy shop had toys that were too hip for us, but just right for Mad. A Spaeti style grocer at the end of our street kept us in beer.

Ian & Kirstie
4.5 churros & 4 churros  

Fab place in the best area to base yourselves in the city with plenty of places to pick up food. Plus we could pretty much walk anywhere from the door. The accommodation was spacious for four adults and two toddlers with not many stairs to climb.

Sights  

So...this is like the most beautiful park on earth, right?

Ian 
4.5 churros-

"I mean....more sights than we could have visited". High praise from Porter.

The only drawback was the high price of everything. If we were to go into all the Gaudi attractions at almost 20 euro a pop we couldn't eat.

Stuff was expensive. 

ebe
4.75 churros -

Yeah, this place is magical. Loaded with attractions, we were thrilled just walking around. And it is infinity walkable. Not too hilly, plenty of wide boulevard (like the tourist must-do La Rambla) and views, views, views for days. There are wild parrots. Everything is picture perfect.
Favorites:

Park Güell

• Parc de la Ciutadella - We went for the mammoth and went ga-ga over the gorgeous fountain
• Basilica of the Sagrada Familia - We didn't go in, but ohhed and aweddd outside. Mistake? I went in when I was 16 and didn't remember it. Didn't seem enough incentive with a little monster.
• Block of Discord - We gawked at every building here. While the name "Gaudi" gets thrown around quite a bit in this town (rightfully so - his influence is everywhere), it is impossible to ignore how exciting his buildings are.
• Park Güell - Speaking of, this tourist go-to provided a beautiful look over the city and into Gaudi's imagination.
• Barceloneta - After a heavy meal of shared tapas which spilled out over our small table, we stumbled right onto beach. Spaniards claim this isn't "good" beach because it is overcrowded and they are spoiled. We are from Berlin (via Manchester and Seattle). Even in November, it was heaven. We dipped the girls' feet in the waters and giddily ran across the sand. If you are similarly spoiled, there are fantastic beaches just 30 min away.
• Montjuïc - It happened to be my birthday when we rode up here. The gondola was randomly not working so we bus and walked it. What a view! We saw the Olympic stadium and Museum National d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC) where we busted open some surprise cava. My favorite! We also almost got my camera stolen. Petty thievery is no joke here, and even though I felt so on top of it overall, the mini spontaneous celebration had me distracted and one asshole took his moment to swoop in and try to snag my camera. Luckily, Ian was my hero and boomed "GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM OUR CAMERA!" and he actually did! Set it down and ran away. Very thankful I have an intimidating-looking guy and we can chalk this up to an experience and not a tragedy. By the time we got caught up in an Asian wedding party at the bottom of the hill it felt like a bizarre (dare I say surreal?) memory.

Ian & Kirstie
4.5 churros & 4.5 churros  

So much to choose from! But as Ian P notes, it's all pretty expensive. I hoped to do the cable car trip across the habour but it was a pricey €11 single or €16.50 return. Plaza del Rey was free after 3pm on Sundays though. But wandering the streets was the best way to see the city anyway. And the beach is free too of course!

Barceloneta

Which brings me to the one downer of the city. Many of said attractions are actually quite pricey. Granted, coming from Berlin everything seems expensive. But budget 15-20 euros for each attraction. For example, Sagrada Familia is 15 euro; Port Cable Car 16.50 euro etc.

And one regret - I saw Vicky Cristina Barcelona and wasn't too romanced, but I really wanted to be Scarlett Johansson on the swings. But transport was a nightmare and opening hours were tricky in the off-season. Anyone been there? Tell me if it is worth it.

Dining 

Boqueria Market

Ian

2 churros-

I know Barcelona is not known for its tapas compared to the rest of Spain, and that certainly ended up being the case. Definitely seemed like a lot of options and nice restaurants, but with the toddlers made it difficult, as well as the Spanish eating schedule.

Unfortunately, Spanish food might not be our favorite cuisine.

ebe
2.5 churros  - 

We had trouble finding great food in Barcelona. "How?" you very legitimately might ask. I carefully mapped out hot spots to eat. There was a tapas bar hat doubled as a bull-fighting museum, classic vermouth bars and set menus of paella it felt inevitable we would try. But try as we might, places were closed for updates/off-season/force of nature. Every time I was like "this is the place!" it was closed tight without warning. We ate, but I know it wasn't always Barcelona's best.

Highlights:

• Boqueria Market - Toursity? Of course. Full of 1 euro juices in the evening that are delicious on their own and mixed with Spaeti style cava? YES. And of course there are huge hanging pork shanks, prepared dishes, etc. We also went to the market in Garcia and it was a lot more authentic (as it had normal everyday things you'd want to buy and cook).
• Cava - I like every country's version of Champagne. Hallo Rotkäppchen!  
• Churros e Chocolate - We only had the sufficient insulin to process one place and that was Churrería Laietana. Seriously old-school, this tiny location was bright and cheery even after nightfall when Matilda was feeling less than sweet. Me? I fell in love. 

Totally fine tapas

• Black Lab Brewhouse & Kitchen - We planned to show up during the match between Real Madrid and Barcelona and it was even better than we hoped. The beer was a delight, we wished we hadn't eaten before because they're modern offerings sounded tasty and the environment was just right. The girls cried each time Barcelona scored a goal - which was a lot! Congrats Barcelona. 
• Doughnuts - These are clearly a thing in Barcelona right now. Cool with me. We stumbled on La Donutería, one of my picks, and it was as tasty as I hoped.
• Tapas - It is hard to go wrong. All fairly inexpensive, but mostly unimpressive. We came out of this trip feeling like we might be a bit meh on Spanish food. Everyone we have said this to has reacted with incredulity. Are we total weirdos?! We didn't hate it, but this isn't our soul food.

We clearly did not experience the best of Barcelona or Spain as a whole...but I dunno. Fried and fish just isn't our favorite. Clearly, we'll eat anything and there is plenty to enjoy. But not our #1 cuisine.

Ian & Kirstie
3.5 churros & 3 churros  

How could we not find a paella in this city?! We did have some great Tapas though - particularly the calamari. My only grumble with Tapas is you don't know how much to order, but its great food to share with friends. And the chocolate churros were worth going to Barcelona alone. We both loved the empanadas too. The food and drink wasn't pricey either - especially the multi-coloured fruit juices in the market.

Overall

Ian 
4 churros -

Totally understand the attraction to Barcelona. It is a really fun party city, on the beach, with amazing architecture. Surprisingly expensive in many ways. And one thief too many.

ebe
4.5 churros -

(Spoiler alert for upcoming blog post) We went to Madrid the spring after this fall trip and people asked for a comparison. We were surprised that we quite liked Madrid, but the two cities are vastly different. The easiest comparison I can give is that while Madrid was regal gleaming white, Barcelona was all earthy, chaotic color.

Gaudi drew on this city like a coloring book and his buildings add a humor and child-like surrealism that can't be found anywhere else. Plus - the beach, the mountains, the city are all tied up in one. It is a breath-taking landscape.

Block of Dischord

I love a random Saturday parade with fireworks

Park Güell

MNAC

Matilda - a total boss anywhere she goes

Even more pics of beautiful Barcelona. 

A Very Berlin Dilemma: How to get an Anmeldung when Subletting

July 13, 2016, 7:03 am

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≪ Previous: Birthday in Barcelona, Spain

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Do these people look like they know what they're doing?

I am always so pleased when someone stumbles onto this blog and actually enjoys it, rather than leaving comments like "Nice article. Visit Winerpark". It is even better when someone leaves a comment or e-mails me directly (swoon!). This has happened in the past and I have been happy to dump my knowledge all over them.

How we ended up living in Berlin and were actually able to find a place to stay and jobs to pay for it is equal parts dumb determination and Berlin magic. I am no expert, but always willing to share.

So the latest call for help got me thinking and I didn't have a great solution. So I am submitting the question here (with the writer's permission) in case someone else has a better answer.

Question: How do you get an Anmeldung when Subletting? And good thing getting a permanent apartment in Berlin is so easy. (Germans, that is #sarcasm.)

Hi Ian and Ebe,

I just found your blog and absolutely love it!  It appears you aren't posting anymore, but I thought I'd reach out, in case you had any thoughts about a problem my husband and I are encountering with regard to registering for an apartment in Berlin.

We are moving to Berlin October 1st, with the hope of applying for a Blue Card Visa.  My husband is hoping to apply for work in the technical field so that we can stay long-term.

It appears the Visa application hinges on, among other things, registering an apartment in Berlin.  However, given that we only have 90 days to be there and make our case for a Visa, how the heck are you supposed to register for an apartment?  We booked an AirBnB for the 90 days, but the owner doesn't want us registering her apartment for the Visa (understandably).  How do most expats deal with this?

I hope all is well and that you are still loving Berlin!

My response,

So glad you are enjoying the blog. For a long time it was my main outlet, but now most my writing appears elsewhere, like on about.com Germany Travel, German-Way and personal stuff about having a kid in Berlin on my tumblr. Clearly, I am still quite chatty and still in love with this city.

On to your question - it is true that the Anmeldung is going to be necessary for almost anything you need to do in Germany. Open a bank account, get a cell phone and yes, the visa. We subletted many, many apartments when we first arrived and registered at these places, but this is not an ideal situation. I don't think the Amt cares, but the sublets were probably without the permission of the actual landowner and this could - theoretically - bring that to the attention of the authorities. But we needed that paper and doing that got it done. I understand your AirBnB's worry with this and if they explicitly said no, I guess you probably shouldn't.

Also - you know that AirBnBs in Berlin are in a weird place right now? It is basically against the law to rent out your whole apartment ( a major bummer since we used to do that) and there have been threats of huge fines. I haven't heard of anyone actually effected, but be aware.

Back to what you should do....that is tough. You could register your current abode and it probably won't be a problem - probably. Hmmm, and actually this won't really work. An updated law from November 2015 requires written confirmation from the landlord that you have actually moved in within 2 weeks. Landlords are ready for this and ours had it ready same day, but in your situation...

Perhaps you could register at your husband's workplace? Contact the Amt directly? Do you have a friend you can say you are staying with? This could work - check out this Toytown thread: http://www.toytowngermany.com/forum/topic/283328-should-i-let-friend-do-anmeldung-with-my-address/

And don't sweat doing it in 2 weeks. As I noted in the German-Way post, it is not as bad as it seems and the authorities really don't care if you over the time frame.

So, yeah. I don't have a definite answer for her.  Our hobo method worked for us, but it is far from the perfect solution. Does anyone have experience with this or have better answer?

Christmas in Brussels, Belgium

February 23, 2017, 4:39 am

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Grand Place-Grote Mark

Disregarding what my parents actually likes (nature/few people), we went on a city break to Brussels between Christmas and New Years.
I know that makes us sound like terrible hosts, and we kinda are.

"But Brussels will be beautiful!", we thought - and we were (mostly) right. It is ridiculously lux and hued in gold. It is also almost uniformly cheap to fly to as it is a hub for European relations.

If we had stayed right in the center instead of the neighborhood of Stalingrad (slightly shady by the train station) and my parents hadn't been getting over the worst cold ever and the AirBnB we planned on staying at hadn't canceled and we last minute booked one that had them listening to our 1-year-olds screams all night - this trip would have gone better. If this trip hadn't been amidst (justified) fears about terrorism in Brussels - this trip would have been easier.

That said, Brussels is beautiful, airfare was cheap and everyone should visit the picturesque Belgian capital.   

Ratings will be done in Frites ( fries). We were such good parents for a year (ha!). We denied delicious fries to our daughter til we got to Belgium. Then, fries were everywhere and she ate them. And loved them. Thus - she loved Belgium.

We ate all the fires.

Transportation 

cheryl & David

5 Frites - 
Nothing to complain about – like most European cities, transportation seems to be ready and waiting for you on every other corner     

ebe
4 Frites - 
This city is itsy. Like, so walkable. While my intro makes it sound like we stayed in the boonies, it took us a mere 10 minutes to be right in the city center. And that took us by multiple delicious waffle stands, impeccable grandiose buildings and so many cool cafes, bars and design stores.

When we did need to step onto the tram, it easily took us to the other side of the city for about 2 euro. And our location next to the train station made arrival easy, and a day trip to Ghent easy - even with a poor wheezing grandma.

Rail prices were really reasonable with each of us paying about 10 euro to get to Ghent. Getting in from the airport, however, was almost the same price. A common tax on tourists, still kinda a bummer.

The airport itself was small enough to easily navigate and professionally managed, befitting a European capitol (a-hem Berlin).

Accommodations

Steps away from our apartment, this hostile neon made me feel at home

cheryl & David
3 Frites - 
Beautiful apartment, in an okay neighborhood. Not the best accommodations for our group – but we made them work. Beautiful old building.  

ebe
4 Frites -

We wheeled our luggage from the train station and were immediately a bit skeptical. My parents were already on edge because of the terrorist threat. Ian was on edge cuz (as mentioned before) our original reservation had canceled and he had to come up this place last-minute.

The door opened to a lovely woman who told us in broken English that flat wasn't quite ready. Ok. We waited on the curb. 10 minutes later, it was. The place was beyond elegant and filled with designer goods - not ideal for a toddling baby.

It was set-up loft style with the bedroom (for my parents) open to the main living room (where we would be sleeping with the kid). Downstairs was the bathroom. So - lots of stairs. I am pretty sure visions of our daughter falling down a number of steep steps were terrifying the grandparents. Clearly, this wasn't perfect for us, but we were determined to make it work.


The first night there was crying, from my daughter and from all of us as we got no sleep. My mom woke vowing to find a hotel. Instead, we switched beds and that actually worked better. My mom can't stand stuffy European homes and likes to sleep with a window open - not an option in the loft area at the back. They were comfortable on the large pull-out bed and Ian and I inherited the dream pillow bed upstairs. Seriously guys - this was the most comfortable bed I've ever slept on.

Win-Win!ish.

Sights  

cheryl & David
3 Frites -

Jeanneke Pis

I felt like we had seen most of the sights before, just in a different city. Hard to find the Belgian-ness of Brussels, it is not as distinct an influence on itself as other European cities. 

ebe
4.5 Frites -
Can you believe that town square? Is there a more beautiful spot than Grand Place-Grote Markt (top pic)? We walked in from a side street and I think there was a simultaneous "Whoa". Even from the kiddo.  This was doubled during the Christmas light show that had music and light interplay among the buildings.

Grand doesn't begin to cover it, and it doesn't end there. The buildings are intricate and incredible with little side streets shooting off in all directions. Palais Royale/Koninklijk Paleis (Royal Palace), Palais de Justice and just walking around wowed.

Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and of Military History

On the other hand, the famed Manneken Pis is a bit of a yawn. The whole family of pissers actually. Maybe when they were created it was a scandal, but today - I've seen worse. 

We also toured the European Union quarter and it was pretty quiet during this holiday time. Parlamentarium is free to get into and had enough to keep us occupied for a bit (as well as being the location of Matilda's first stairs!), but it wasn't a must-go.

More impressive was one of Ian's beloved war museums. This place pleased us all with room after room of military grandeur and a hanger full of airplanes. My dad opened up with rare stories of Vietnam and Mad got more french fries (more on that in a minute). 

One thing we missed out on is the local tour with a Brussels Greeter. I signed up, but didn't hear back til after we left. Maybe this was a blip because of the holidays?  

Dining 

cheryl& David

4 - 

Yummy in my tummy!  

ebe
4.5  Frites - 
The first meal we had was one of those just-sit-down-we're-starving! and while it fed us, it wasn't anything too special - except for two things. Great beer and plenty of free bread. You've got to love a country that offers you those two things at every turn.

Aux Merveilleux de Fred

One of the next things we saw were these ridiculous sweets from Aux Merveilleux de Fred. They have large windows just a few streets down from Grand Place-Grote Markt and they clearly know what they are doing. Making magic. We bought a box which was ridiculous, but ohmegawd.

Continuing on that diabetic-inducing vein, I had to have a waffle. I was a little put off by the price as the basic petite waffle is just one euro, but prices pile as high as their toppings. What to choose?! Finally, I said "screw it" and ordered a 5 euro waffle of divine sweetness. So worth it.

As far as "real food" - it was excellent, if a bit expensive. Meaty, with sauce and rich. I ate a good bit of steak. And one absolutely fantastic burger steps from our flat (Josephine at Houtsiplou).

The things that are cheap are Middle Eastern (like Berlin) and fries. We had the friendliest meal at a little Lebanese place in our neighborhood. And I wouldn't be surprised if fries were consumed with every meal. A little shop in the center gave us the full experience with a cone and wall of sauce.

The last can't miss thing is the beer. Germany beer gets a lot of glory - rightfully - but Belgian beer is our favorite. They aren't afraid to put weird stuff in there and make it alcoholic. My parents watched Mad one night so we could visit some of the quiet (and not so quiet) underground bars. We were treated to the weirdest live performance and many, many beers. Because of the mixed crowd and holidays we didn't make it to a brewery (there are a few in town) and that would be something I'd go back for.

Overall

cheryl & David
4Frites -
Brussels is another beautiful European city. Resplendent for Christmas and it’s Grand Square was amazing!  


 

ebe
4.25 Frites -

Clearly, I loved it. Despite the difficulties, Brussels' attractions were too lovely to ignore.

For more of the things we did in Brussels, as well as things we didn't get around to, look at my pinterest dream board for Brussels: https://de.pinterest.com/texkourgan/brussels-for-christmas/

Beer and bread at every meal. What's not to like?

More pics of Brussels

BONUS Day Trip: Ghent

cheryl & David 5–
Beautifully preserved town, perfect for an afternoon stroll along the riverfront, filled with fine shops and restaurants.

ebe 5 –
Ghent was ridiculous. So charming, so perfect, just so absolutely charming. We went to the castle, we admired the Christmas markets, we fell in love.

I think staying in Brussles was smart for ease and ability to take a day trip, but maybe it would have been best to stay here or in another perfect Belgian town, Bruges. In any case, if you get the chance to visit, GO. Especially at Christmas.