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Bern, Switzerland - City of Fountains
A Swiss friend just told me that Bern is not actually the capital of Switzerland. What!? It is actually the Bundesstadt - a federal city or de facto capital. This was apparently the diplomatic answer...
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A Base in Basel
One of the few downsides of living in Berlin is that it is located waaay up in the corner of the country and it takes a little more time, money and effort to travel than our friends in the south....
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Testing Out the U-Blau
What to do on a Saturday night? What to do?What to do?What to do? What about a drinking tour of the U-Bahn? OK! Let's call this an art project so it doesn't sound so...alcoholic. I am skeptical about...
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We Saw the Hoff in Berlin
I had never really given much thought to David Hasselhoff. I certainly never expected to see him perform.But that was before I moved to Germany and my American friends eagerly insisted that Germans...
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Visiting Dead People in Berlin
Before I called Europe home, I had only visited cemeteries for funerals. Impersonal, manicured parks... they didn't necessarily inspire return visits, even if thoughts of its residents did. Once we...
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Skiing for the 1st time in Europe
Now that it has finally gotten warm in Berlin, I am waxing poetic about our time in the snow. Go figure....It sounds so bourgeois to say "the first time we went skiing in Europe", but it takes it down...
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Europa-Park: EuroTrash Disneyland
I love roller coasters. I always liked them as a kid, but kinda let them fall to the background as I became an adult (kinda. I'm getting old so I better start thinking of myself as a REAL PERSON). But...
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Eating Blutwurst in Berlin
Overall, I embrace German food. Sure I miss my Mexican food, but expat life has a way of making you a mad scientist in the kitchen. I am far from an expert cook, but I have learned to whip together a...
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Männertag & Mother's Day
Vatertag or Männertag is celebrated on Ascension Day, or the much more fun to say "Christi Himmelfahrt". The holiday has been at least partially absorbed by young, not-father guys in an excuse for...
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I'm Going to Miss this Place...
...the time is finally nigh - we're home in the States! No, not permanently. Don't be crazy Berlin, you haven't gotten rid of us yet. But we have returned to Seattle for a visit. We love Berlin, but we...
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Offbeat Seattle Attraction: Archie McPhee
Do you like the tacky, the bizarre, the tasteless, the incredible? No?! Suck it up because when you are in Seattle, a trip isn't complete until you've visited Archie McPhee. The biggest, baddest joke...
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Offbeat Seattle Attraction: Salumi Artisan Cured Meats
I spent many hours dreaming of Salumi's before I ever stepped foot in the place. At this point, I've only been there twice but it is still somewhere I feel confident recommending. Salumi was founded by...
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Offbeat Seattle Attraction: Alki Beach
FACT: Seattle has one of the best skylines in the world.The new Great Wheel, the waterfront, the mountains, the Docks, and (of course) the Space Needle make it impossible to confuse with any other city...
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Offbeat Washington: Spokane
Even though Ian & I are native Washingtonians, we have never been tempted to actually visit Spokane (pronounced Spo-Can or SpoCompton for those in the know). It is 92 miles (148 km) south of the...
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Feeling the Gay Lovin'
I've covered the Christopher Street Day Parade on this blog before (A Gay Affair 2011), wrote a post on the work blog about this year's event in Berlin (Gay Pride: An Expat Celebrates Berlin's...
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Offbeat Washington: Leavenworth - A German Village in America
Growing up in Washington State, trips to Leavenworth are practically mandated. Christmas, summer, or for one of the largest Oktoberfests in America (not quite like the real Oktoberfest). It's cute....
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Offbeat Washington: San Juan Islands
Me: "What do you mean you've never been?"Ian: "I've never been to the San Juans!"Jaw, meet floor.I expected that the San Juans, like Leavenworth, were just a place every native Washingtonian went to...
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Berlin's Hafenfest Tegel
We arrived in the sleepy NW corner of Berlin to things looking just a bit different. Some people were dressed in viking-esque garb. Multiple stages with cover bands and other miscellaneous acts had...
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DBall Peanut Butter Cookies
Did your dad make you a scale model of the Tower Bride for your wedding?You may think your dad is pretty great*, but you just have to keep that to yourself because this post is all about how awesome my...
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Riding Berlin's UBlau
The UBlau. Where we ride a line of the U-Bahn from start to finish, getting off on every stop to discuss, rate, and drink. That's right, an integral part of the "tour" is a shot of a drink of your...
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