Feels Like Home
For a brief moment yesterday I wondered if I was back in "warm and fuzzy" Washington. Helicopters hoovered overhead all day and there were police officers near my office. On my walk home, police blocked the street causing rush hour traffic problems. This had all the markings of DC security. Indeed it was! Ah home sweet home! As it turned out, Condi was staying at the swanky hotel behind my office. A 30 euro/night hotel special near the train station it was not!
I wonder if she took the #100 bus to tour the city like I did with my family a couple weeks ago;-)
On a somewhat related note, I recommend that everyone check out http://www.devilducky.com/media/38792 for some important information about global warming from "George Bush." You might have to download Quicktime to view the clip, but it is well worth your while!
For the love of chocolate
I am most excited that we are now in December, because I am able to enjoy my Advent calendar. Since I live alone, I suppose I could have eaten all of the chocolate out of my calendar weeks ago. But something about the little doors with dates on them keeps me honest! The coolest thing I have noticed about advent calendars in Germany is that they are definitely not just for children. They were being snatched off the shelves on November 30 like people were stocking up for a storm. Not only can you get calendars with molded chocolate inside, you can also find truffle calendars and chocolates filled with liquors.
Talk of chocolate calendars brings me to a related topic: Kinder Chocolate (chocolate for kids.) Made by Ferrero, the stuff a German institution and is practically marketed here as a health supplement. 5 pieces contains an extra serving of milk! I had more than one intern in Washington try to convince me that it had no caffeine in it and was healthy for kids. (Umm, if the chocolate is brown, there is caffeine in it and each piece also has 7 grams of fat!)
My favorite version of Kinder Chocolate is the Kinder Überraschungseier, which are chocolate eggs with a toy inside that you have to put together. I bought them for dessert one afternoon when my family was in town and they provided minutes of entertainment:-) I have started a small collection of the toys in my apartment. As I see it, I am getting extra calcium and decorating the windowsill in my kitchen-- a 2 for 1 special!
Just today, however, I heard news of a Kinder Chocolate crisis. I would like to draw your attention to www.weg-mit-kevin.de. It seems that the company has changed the poster boy from Günter to Kevin. If you visit the "away with Kevin" website, you can vote for which kid you like better and then sign a petition that will be sent to Ferrero. The creators of the website explain that not only is "Günter" a part of the Kinder Chocolate institution, Kevin uses hair gel, has probably had his teeth whitened and is wearing a polo shirt that is Angela Merkel orange (her election campaign color.) This is a pop culture crisis of the first degree. I hope that all Germans make their voices heard on this issue!
Weihnachtsmarkt Mania!
With over 50 Christmas markets in Berlin alone, I knew this month would be busy! While I don’t know that I will make it to all 50+ this year, I did visit two fantastic markets this weekend.
As Carl, Christina, Niels and I walked around the Alt Rixdorf Market in Neu Koeln on Saturday night, I felt as if I had entered Germany 100 years ago. Wooden houses with shutters lined the cobblestone streets. Christmas stars and lights decorated balconies surrounding the central square. Choirs sang Christmas classics (and “Don’t Worry Be Happy”) and the aroma of wurst, gluwein and roasted chestnuts filled the air. In the open space behind the church, children rode camels and horses. The booths lining the street were filled with wooden toys, handmade books, church rummage sale items and other hand made goodies. Though Neu Koeln is known as a shady part of town, Alt Rixdorf was absolutely charming. Good call Carl for realizing that this market was only open this weekend!
Totally different, but equally fun, was the Christmas market I visited Sunday night with Matthias in Spandau. The Spandau market must be one of the largest in Berlin. Last year 750,000 wursts and 450,000 liters of gluwein were sold to an estimated 1.4 million visitors. The market was PACKED with people—children were playing carnival games, the gluwein was flowing and vendors offered everything from beeswax candles to dream catchers. As it got a bit later, the crowd thinned out, we had dinner and I increased my Christmas market mug collection by two (thank you Matthias!)
Work should keep me busy and out of other Christmas markets this week, but I am just 5 days away from the Freiburg Christmas Market. The countdown to “the happiest place on earth” has begun!
His Boots Are Made for Walking...
...And that's just what he did!
PM Lee of Singapore became Chancellor Merkel’s first official visitor yesterday.
Both sides prepared, Germany brought out the honor guard and, in theory, protocol on both sides discussed how the meeting would unfold.
But when Lee arrived, Merkel greeted him, they walked toward the honor guard to inspect the troops/have a photo op and Lee just kept right on walking… OOPS! He wasn’t stopped until he reached the end of the red carpet where a protocol person was standing!
The pictures on the front page of the Tagesspiegel this morning were priceless! The ones below are similar. I think the second picture says it all… Lee was obviously focused on the Doner kebab he was planning on having after his meeting, Angie is trying not to giggle and the band plays on.
I wonder who got canned/caned for this one! (Remember Michael Fay in the 90’s—OUCH!)
