Sicily = Total Chaos

Hello once again...

Well, as usual, I am terrible at this whole blogging thing and it seems impossible that I can relay all of our adventures to you without missing out on all of the best details but, I will try to do my best. I know, it would have been better had I been able to tell you of my trip as it was happening but we were just having too much fun. I hope you will enjoy these next few posts nonetheless.

April left this morning and it seems strange to be on my own again however, I definitely feel better prepared for being on my own after having had the past 9 or 10weeks of experience behind me. I did however, change my train ticket weeks ago so that I will now be coming home on August 27th! I am really looking forward to being home and seeing all of you. This trip has been incredible but, it definitely seems right that it is just about home time.

Now, back to telling you of our adventures :) Our train ride from Rome to Catania was highly entertaining as I described in my Roma post. Upon first impressions of Catania and our new surroundings, we thought it would be a pretty good place to be...we were wrong! Sicily is VERY different from mainland Italy and if you think it is a bit chaotic in the North, well, chaos reigns supreme in Sicily...utter chaos. Catania lives by the motto "Carpe Diem" meaning "Seize the day" and it is apparent in everything they do. Mount Etna plays a very central role in the city of Catania. Because the residents of the area do not know if "Mama" which is what they call Etna will allow them to live to see tomorrow they live each day as though it were their last. The city is full of passion and crazy driving. Our hostel was situated right in the center of the local fish market and was probably the smelliest place in the world! It was also the local hotspot for all-night parties so we lay awake all night (dripping in sweat) as the parties went on until 3am. Then were awoken by 5am by the the vendors setting up the fish market. We woke up in the morning (if you can call it "waking up" if you have barely slept) and walked out of our hostel to thousands of pigeons feasting on the dozens of fish heads and chicken feet littered all over the ground. We somehow did not realize that drinking the water here (as we had done in our two previous locations) would be at all disgusting and well, April paid the terrible price and was sick for a good 4 days. Poor thing...luckily though, she didn't get sick until our last day in Catania. This was a good thing because our next destination was a very nice hotel on the Aeolian Island of Lipari and it is much nicer to be ill in a place that is clean and fresh and was cleaned for us daily. I am very happy to report though that after some rest she made a full recovery and was feeling nearly 100% better by the time we left Lipari.

We decided rather quickly while in Catania that we didn't want to spend much time (or any at all!) in the actual city of Catania so our first full day we set off for the town of Taoromina. It was probably one of the most beautiful places we went to on our whole trip. We spent the whole day on Isola Bella snorkelling and sunbathing and it was absolutely a perfect day. However, on our way to Taoromina we got a tad bit lost due to our poor translation of instructions. We ended up having to walk 2 kilometers on a very narrow windy road with two lanes of crazy Sicilian driving on a road that, in Canada, would have been a wide sidewalk! It was a bit dangerous and we, both, are very happy to be alive to tell the tale. Although the views from the walk which ran along the coast was absolutely breathtaking if you were brave enough to take your eyes off the road!

On our second full day in Catania we signed up for a Mt. Etna and Alcantra Gorge daytrip and it was such an unbelievable day! We were picked up at our disgusting hostel at 9am and taken in an off-roading type of jeep to Mt. Etna. We walked around the lower craters of Etna and then drove up Etna (I am sure we just about died in that jeep about 10 times!) to a higher point and then trekked for about 2 hours. I cannot really describe how impressive it was to be atop Etna while it was actually erupting! The eruption was nearing it's end however so, there wasn't much lava left to see but, the smoke, the craters, and the lava bombs were something I never imagined I would experience. The way that the lizards, trees, plants, butterflies, grasshoppers, and everything else that lives on the volcano, have evolved to survive in such conditions was astounding and utterly impressive. I cannot wait to post pictures when I get home so that you can all see what I saw. After our trekk up Etna, we were all pretty hot and tired so we went to a picnic spot and had the traditional Sicilian lunch that was prepared for us by women in Catania. It was absolutely delicious and much to April's dismay, I have been taking pictures of most of the food we have been eating and I will devote an entire blog entry, at some point, to the food we have tried in Italy. It has been so absolutely incredible. They have been all about quality, not quantity and we love it. Somehow, we are losing weight despite our mandatory 1-2 gelati's each day along with our almost daily espresso's and paninis! Catania is more about food such as anchovies which is not my most favourite dish however, we have been trying to taste as much of the local cuisine as possible. Following lunch we drove through some beautiful countryside mostly, full of vineyards and found ourselves at the Alcantra Gorge. The water was absolutely freezing as it is the melted snow from the mountains but I could not allow that to deter me from taking a dip in such beautiful surroundings. There were caves with sparkling clear water and many people were canyoning which, had I not been on a tour, I would have been doing as well. It was so very, very beautiful. We were then taken back to our hostel where we had a late dinner and an early bedtime, hoping to get some rest before the partying began!

I know I am probably forgetting many of the details that, at the time, were crucial to the story but, hopefully this will give you all at least a small glimpse into our adventure.

I am currently in Frankfurt and think I will go and check out the Old Town Quarter following posting this blog entry, then tonight I have signed up for seeing a Sneak Preview of an english movie which is organized by the hostel I am staying at. It should be fun. Tomorrow, I am going to go on a day tour of the Rhine River and the surrounding castles and villages. I am looking forward to it. I depart for Berlin the next morning where I will board my flight for Toronto later that afternoon!

Hope this blog finds you all enjoying your last few daya of summer! Can you believe it is almost over?!!! However, I find myself beginning to look forward to winter and lacing up my skates to show off my hockey skills (or lack thereof!).

Missing you and looking forward to seeing you all in just a few days!!!

Love,
Jenn(ifer)

Farewell Roma

Hello again,

I am going to try and blog after every destination but, depending on my access to internet it may not happen. Well, we are now in Catania (Sicily) after having spent 3days in Rome. I must say, I am not much of a big city girl so that may have tainted my opinion of Rome slightly but it was not my favourite destination so far. We loved the sights, especially the ruins, the Colosseum, and Vatican city but, the big city chaos was a bit too crazy.

We arrived in Rome around 9pm on Sunday night and considering we were tired and it was late we went around the corner

On our 1st full day we set off for the Colosseum, Pantheon and the Roman ruins. The weather has been HOT here so it was tough waiting in the long lines but well worth it. April is turning into an old Italian lady wiping her face with a hanky all the time! We especially enjoyed the Roman Forum...very cool! At the end of a long day of sightseeing and walking we came upon a fountain that others were soaking their feet in and decided we would join in. What a much-needed reprieve for our feet!

Our second day was spent the day at Vatican city and were blown away by the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica...too much for words. We had been feeling a bit overwhelmed by the big city and with the pace we had been keeping so we decide to slow it down and watched a movie at the hostel that night. We decided that we are trying to fit too much into each day and we are now just going to see what we want to see as opposed to what we think we should be seeing. So far that is really working out for us as we spent all of today at a beach in Taoromina snorkeling and sunbathing. It was absolutely beautiful but I will save that for my next post.

On our last day in Rome we had a sleep in and then did some shopping and saw the Spanish steps. It was a very nice, relaxing day.

We departed Rome around 9pm on Wednesday night however, as is my new way of being, arrived a couple hours early to the train station where an old homeless lady tried to hit me with her bag. I was paralyzed with fear. April finds the story rather hilarious however, I am pretty sure I saw that woman's face in my dreams last night. April had gone to get some juice from a store in the train station while I sat and watched over our bags. I was just sitting there minding my own business when I (yes, here is my error) looked up and made eye contact with this woman. She maintained the eye contact (meanwhile I was paralyzed with fear) and walked in my direction but sort of as if she wasn't really walking toward me just leaning her body in my direction, if you can picture it. Then she kind of lunged and swung her plastic bag (probably with garbage in it from the smell) and thank goodness, missed my head by inches. April returned momentarily and I recounted the story and she laughed...if it had been her...she'd have been crying!

Anywhoo, the train ride from Rome to Catania was extremely hilarious. We were in an old-school train where there are 6 people crammed into a little compartment 3 seats facing 3 seats. We were with an older (50's) couple (Antonio who liked to be called Nino and his wife whoàs name escapes me at the moment), a lady in her late 30's (Carmen) and a younger fellow (Alfredo who is in his late 20's, maybe 30). None of them spoke any english but Carmen knew a very little bit of french and we had such a good time timing to have conversation. They were so proud of us whenever we could piece together some Italian sentences. It was a riot. I am sure that in my week of being in Italy, I have spoken way more Italian than I ever did German in Berlin. By about 1am we were all pretty tired and somehow we had, all 6 of us, folded down our chairs so they met eachother in the middle and made a large bed and were all cozied up together. It was so funny. April and I kept looking at eachother and breaking out into giggles. We are pretty sure that Carmen and Alfredo were having a rather cozy looking spoon cuddle. haha. Nobody got very much sleep though so by the time we arrived in Catania at 10am on Thursday (2 hours late...'Island time' they say) we were ready for a nap. We found our hostel with the help of some friendly locals who knew zero English but, somehow knew 'Ottawa, Canadese Capitale' said in a very thick Italian accent. The hostel is really great and is right next to the very large local market. Very convenient however, it smells like fish here all the time...

We are off to climb Mt Etna tomorrow (yes, we are climbing an active Volcano!!) and then off to swim in some gorges which we are super excited about. I will try and post some pictures of Venice and Rome and maybe Catania tomorrow night.

Goodnight and I am sending my love.

I miss you and can't wait to see you all soon.

Much love,
Jenn(ifer)

Buongiorno Venezia!

Buona Sera!

Well my Berlin adventure has officially come to and end. We left Berlin on Thursday night and took the overnight train to Venice (aka Venezia)! The train ride (when we were awake) was increbible. Just like the train brochure pictures...amazing!

Our last night in Berlin was great. We went out to dinner with Miranda, Yianni and the girls at a beach bar/restaurant and had some fun salsa dancing and playing fooseball! It is very different not seeing you everyday guys! I hope you are having a great last few days in Berlin and that Nemy's party went fantabulously!

Upon arrival in Venice, April and I were blown away. There are no words to describe Venice...it is beyond words. Unbelievable and it far surpassed even my wildest dreams. We made our way to our first hostel experience and were pleasantly surprised! It was right on the water and had a nice mix of old people, young people and even whole families! I think we were a bit spoiled in our first hostel which may cause some later shock upon arrival at other hostels on this trip.

We arrived in the evening on friday and so, decided to head on over to San Marco and have some dinner (thank you Yianni and Miranda!). We had pasta and seafood straight from the lagoon and it was so delicious. We then walked through the labrynth of narrow streets, along canals and across the many bridges with our mouths wide open in disbelief. It was incredible...out of a dream for real. We kept saying to eachother: 'can you believe this'?? It was a wonderful and relaxing first night.

On our second day we awoke early and had breakfast courtesy of our hostel and, once again, headed off for San Marco to explore the Palazzo Ducale (The Duke's Palace). Such history...After spending quite some time there our bellies began to runble so, we set off in search of lunch. We found the large market square which has been in existence for 1000 years and bought pecorino cheese, prosciutto, baguette, and grapes and sat along the Grand Canal to eat our lunch and watch the boats and gondolas go by. It was unreal. Following lunch we set off for Murano to see the glass museum but got distracted looking in the shops and did not end up seeing the museum. However, we were told the museum is not that great anyhow and there would be no glass making demonstrations until september so we felt okay about misisng it. Murano glass certainly are amazing works of art. In the evening we took a Vaporetto (wtare bus) ride along the Grand Canal. I can see why it was described by Philippe de Commines as 'the finest street in the world, with the finest houses'. Stunning really. We decided to venture out to Campo Santa Margherita for a pizza dinner and were delighted by the buzz of young people and the energy of the surroundings. After our delicious dinner, we headed back to the hostel where we sat by the water with a bunch of other hostel patrons. We drank the bottle of wine we had bought earlier (just 3.50 euros!) whilst being serenaded by the people next to us who were playing the violin. This, thus far, was the highlight of my entire summer. It was seemed as though I was living in a wonderful dream and I felt as though I just might burst with happiness and gratitude at my fortunes.

On our final day in Venice we visited Basilica di San Marco and were overwhelmed by the tile mosaics. I am not the most appreciative person of art (sorry Annie!) but, even I, almost shed a tear as I sat, mouth agape, staring at those mosaics. Following our visit to the Basilica we stopped for an italian sweet (not that we need any more sweets as we eat at least one gelato a day!) on our way to attending an English church service. April felt right at home in the Catholic service. It really cracked me up because the priest must have had somewhere very important to be after that service because he wasn't even finishing all of his words because he was trying to get through it so quickly. Meanwhile there were two little Italian ladies trying to protect the service from rude tourists walking in durind the service, sitting down and standing up, talking and trying to take pictures despite huge signs saying it was forbidden! These Italian ladies were a riot, smacking tourists, shooing them wagging her finger in their faces. It was a most enjoyable experience however, even if not the most spiritual and enlightening. Following church we decided to check out this Caffè Florian we had heard so much about. Upon discovering I would need to take out another student loan to pay for such a coffee experience we decided to hightail it out of there! Instead I had a lemon granita (frozen lemon drink) and it was delightfully refreshing as the weather has averaged 34° for the past few days! We then headed back to the hostel to retrieve our bags, check our email and head to the train station to board our train to Rome. We arrived at the train station early (I know, so not like me eh?! April is a good influence I guess!) and were able to get on the earlier train so we could arrive in Venice at 9:10pm instead of 11:00pm.

We were sad to leave Venice but also very excited about our next adventures in Roma! I think we will often feel these mixture of sadness to leave and excitement to go over the next few weeks.

We are now in Rome and have been here for about 24 hours and have already done so much but I will leave that for the next post!

Ciao and much love,
Jenn(ifer)

Royalty?

Last Sunday, April and I attempted to go to the Berliner Dom for church (my 3rd attempt!) and, once again, a failed attempt. We were 1/2hr late this time and felt it would be much too rude to try and go in. Instead we found this amazing market and got a couple of wursts (sausages) and walked around. We bought artwork! I have never bought a real piece of artwork before! It is a print of the Berlin train system with the sights behind it and is really cool. I am excited to have a house one day and to fill it with artwork bought on our various trips.

April made an enemy with a gypsy (I know, it’s not the politically correct term…what term is more appropriate?) who came asking her for money and when April said no she threw her hands up at her and began cursing as she walked away.

After the church service ended we decided to go and check out the Dom in case we never do make it there for church! You can go all the way up to the top where there is a viewing deck that wraps around the whole outside of the building. Very cool and some great views of the city. The most interesting part had to be the crypt down in the basement though. The Höllenzorn Royal family have been entombed down there and it was impressive to see caskets from the 1500’s with crowns perched atop them. We found April’s surname on many of the name plaques! It appears she may be a descendant of the Prussian Royal family. When her great-grandfather came to Canada they had roll call at his one-room schoolhouse and when asked his last name he said “Joachim” and his teacher spelled it phonetically (Yochim) and that is how their last name was changed. Interesting how these things happen.

All in all, it was a very enjoyable Sunday. I really love the feel of Sundays. Somehow, I always have a feeling of all is good in the world on Sundays. I quite enjoy it.

Much love to you all,
Jenn(ifer)

Sachsenhausen...

Hello at last!

I am sorry for my long absence from blogging. I have been busy exploring Berlin. I realized about two weeks ago that time was moving much quicker than I wanted and that I didn’t have an infinite amount of time to see and do all that I wanted to in Berlin. Now I have just a week left and I fear there will still be so much I will not get to see.

April arrived a week ago and it has been so great having her here. We have been doing so much that it would be impossible to try and give you a complete update but, I will do my best to give you an overview. I will probably be adding multiple blogs in a row so make sure to look scroll down to see if I have added more than one at a time.

Last Saturday April and I went to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp in Oranienburg, which is on the outskirts of Berlin. It was a really tough experience. I felt sick to my stomach seeing what humankind is capable of. Although, it was such a sad experience, I also feel it was important. I think the opportunity to witness one of the darkest times in history in such a real experience made me feel a real connection to the Holocaust and the many lives we lost. People just like me with a life they were living, people they loved and who loved them, with so much achievement behind them and such promise ahead of them and it was all taken away. I think to that to remember them will be the only way to prevent that from happening again. In one of the cells there was a poem by Pastor Martin Niemöller who was Hitler’s personal prisoner and who lived in self confinement for over 6 years at Sacshenhausen. The poem is pretty famous now and I have heard it before but until I saw it in Pastor Martin Niemöllerthe cell at Sachsenhausen I had never connected it to my life before. It really made me think about how apathetic I often am to politics and other important issues. Here’s the poem for those of you who haven’t heard it before and again, for those of you who have:

They came first for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.

Then they came for me,
and by that time no one was left to speak up.

We got back from Sachsenhausen in the evening on Saturday and were feeling pretty low so, we decided to go to the Sony Center and have dinner and see Mamma Mia. It was really cool to sit in the Sony Center and have the “sky” changing colours. The ceiling of the Sony Center is a large tent and the panels change colour once it is dark so we felt really hip and alive in such a lively environment. For once, we were able to order food and not make complete fools of ourselves or have our waiter hate us before even asking for our drink order. I think I might be beginning to get a hold on the language and customs here (well, at least a bit anyways). Just try not to smile too much or do anything that anyone else isn’t doing and you’ll be okay. I think I might have been too happy and chipper for them before and they could spot I was a tourist a mile away with my large toothy grin. Mamma Mia was great, I highly recommend it! We laughed hysterically which was a nice contrast to the grimness of earlier in the day. I honestly thought my face would break because I laughed so hard…or that I would really annoy the people sitting next to me but, they were laughing even more than I was so, again, I didn’t make any enemies.

Well, I hope this blog finds you all enjoying your summer. April and I are off to Italy next week and we are sooooooo excited, although I will miss the girls.

Miss you all,
Jenn(ifer)

Fat Tire Bike Tour

Hello again,

Well, I decided to take advantage of my day off today and sign up for a bike tour of Berlin. I am so glad I did. I met some really fun people, figured out some history behind many of the places I see around me, discovered some new places to check out and was able to speak English all day. It was more than enjoyable.

I arrived at the Tour place about 10 minutes before the tour was about to leave (remember the scary transit pass incident?) The tour began with a brief little name game and then we got to choose our bike for the day. I chose the prettiest blue bike with white flowers all over it. I called her "Suzy" and she was a dream cruiser, she even had a bell! I was however, riding the same size bicycle as the 10 year old girl on the tour...I'm okay with that though. We set off and saw many things I have already seen but I really appreciated the tour guides explanations of the sights. I met some new friends who were ever so hilarious and kept me laughing the whole time. 4 guys, one from Adelaide, one from Vancouver and an Opera singer from Texas who was working in Germany at an Opera house here and his partner who is a costumer for the opera and was also from Texas and was just here visiting for 6 weeks. It was great to remember how I am not really all that shy and that I am extremely sociable because when you go for a month without talking to many people those are things you can forget. We stopped at a wonderful beer garden for lunch and beer and I had a new beer. It is my new favourite. It is called Erdinger Dunkel. It is a dark beer and it is ever-so-delicious. I do not believe everyone was as sober as I was on our bike ride after the beer garden but, Amy, you will be happy to know I did not ride and drink. The tour was supposed to last 3 1/2 hours but it actually lasted 5 hours but I didn't mind at all. I had a great time and actually have pictures of myself from this trip! Difficult to do when you're sightseeing on your own. Yay!

Tonight, M and Y went out for a little date night and I spent the evening with the two little lasses. Tomorrow, I think the girls and I are going to check out the aquarium. Should be fun.

On another happy note, April got word on Monday that she will be coming to Berlin early. She'll be arriving next Wednesday morning at 8am. She'll need to work on her school stuff while she is here before we leave for Italy but I also need to work during the day so, it should work out well. When we are not working it will be great to take in the sights together. I am sooooo excited!!!!!!!

Love to you all,
Jenn(ifer)

Clueless

Hello again,

Well, I am officially in trouble with the German officials! Today, while riding the U-bahn (underground subway) I was interrupted from my reading (Harry Potter, I am obsessed and am trying to finish all of the books by the end of the summer) by three (yes, THREE) transit officials checking transit passes. I was not aware of who they were because when they got on the train they said something but it was in German and I don't understand more than 10 words and that may even be exagerating my capabilities. Then, they stood in front of me dressed in plain clothes (they go undercover here) and looked at me in a way that seemed to say, "I can smell that you have done something wrong in purchasing your transit pass and we like to be cruel to tourists". Well, yes, I had apparently done something wrong in purchasing my transit pass and they were certainly mean to me. They escorted me off the U-bahn by the arm at the next stop. I cried. It was really embarrassing. I had bought a student transit pass but, apparently I did not qualify for a student pass because I am not a student in Berlin. Who would have known?!! My ISIC card has been sufficient everywhere else...oh well, I am clueless I guess. Nonetheless, I cried and they took pity on me. Obviously I wasn't trying to scam the system as I had bought a rather expensive monthly student pass and carried with it my ISIC card and well, I was crying so they let go of my arm and were kind enough to tell me where to go to get out of trouble. I now have to go to the BVG (transit headquarters) within the week and present to them my case where they will judge whether I should have to pay the 40 euro fine. If I am found not guilty they will allow me to get my money back to buy the proper pass. The transit police assured me that they believed I wouldn't have to pay the fine and everything would be okay but to make sure to go within the week otherwise, the Polizie would come to my door. Yikes. I was on my way to a bike tour that was to begin in less than 1/2 hour so I wasn't able to go today but, I will definitely be going within the week to plead my case. Crazy things happen to me....

Oh, also, while I am on the clueless note, I might as well tell you all about how I made a fool of myself yesterday as well. I decided I wanted to see a film at the Sony Center in Potsdamer Platz since tickets are half price on Tuesdays so, I got on the subway (this is actually when I bought that dreaded student pass!) to take me there. Upon arrival at the cinema I went up to the ticket counter and asked which movies were playing in English. She showed me a list of movies and I said "alright, give me a second and I'll choose one and come right back". As I had not heard of any of the movies (they were all current blockbusters but, I haven't seen a movie in ages) I looked at the pictures and selected the one with the prettiest leading lady and went on my merry way back to the ticket counter in about 30 seconds. I then proceeded to tell her which movie I wanted to see and then comes the clueless part. She said "where would you like to sit"? Being clueless as I am, I thought she was referring to something I had read about where you can pay an extra euro and sit in a box seat (no idea what that is at the cinema...didn't see any at least) so I just said, "Oh, just a regular seat please". She then looked at me as though I were stupid and said, "yes, but where?". I must have looked at her dumbly for a whole minute before she realized I still had no idea what she was talking about and said "you know, back, front, middle?" to which I then realized meant they have assigned seating at the cinema here and I very quickly said "ok, the middle then please". Well, she did indeed give me the exact middle seat, F18. It was delightful. The seats are so very very comfortable, there was enough room for me to stretch my legs straight out and just barely touch the seat in front of me and you can buy beer at the cinema! Oh, and they have employees who come in at the beginning of the film and sell Ben and Jerry's! It was quite the experience. I saw a film called "Happy-go-lucky" and it was pretty hilarious. No plot, but hilarious.

Anywhoo, I feel that if I continue on in this post and write about the bike tour then this might become too long and I will lose my audience so, I will save the bike tour for the next post, along with the post I have been promising about the end of our Krakow trip.

Miss you all and hope you all get a jolly laugh out of my cluelessness as I am certainly laughing at myself right about now.

Much love,
Jenn(ifer)

Refreshed and Connected

Hello again,

I will get to posting about the rest of our trip to Krakow at a later date, in the meantime I will give you all a more current update.

I am currently sitting in Starbucks having a day of rest and relaxation. It feels great to get caught up on emails. It makes me feel more connected to you back home. Krakow was great but was also very tiring so, it is nice to rejuvenate myself.

I am feeling really great and alive today. Not sure what exactly it is, maybe my day of relaxation, maybe the extra sleep I got last night, maybe the excitement of my new baby nieces' arrival, maybe the prospect of April possibly arriving two weeks early, maybe the cleansing diet I began yesterday or maybe just one of those really great days. I am truly happy and feeling like I am extremely blessed to be me.

I hope this post finds you all having your own day of happiness like I am today.

Miss you and love you all endlessly,
Jenn(ifer)

ps - this picture is not from this trip but it best represents how I feel today :)

Welcome Baby Caley!!!!!

Hello All,

I will report on the rest of our trip in Krakow later but first, some more important news!

At 6:43am this morning Melanie and J.D. had baby girl #3! Caley Caroline Heffern weighed 7lbs 11ounces and is 19 inches long. Everyone is doing well.

I am so excited to be an Auntie to another beautiful niece. I can't wait to meet her in September.

Congratulations Melanie and J.D. and to big sisters Julia and Emma.

Love,
Auntie Jenn

Prince Charming...

Wednesday was a day filled with Castles, dungeons and dragons and of course, prince charming. The girls and I were joined by Owen, Ethan and their mom, Gillian today for a day of sightseeing. We started out by heading toward Wawel Hill and The Royal Castle. Of course, with 4 young children we needed to make stops for bagel/pretzel breads (not sure what exactly to call them but they are sold EVERYWHERE and are very inexpensive and quite delicious) and lots of playtime.

The Royal Castle was incredible. I definitely didn't get to read much about it seeing as the young'ns attention spans are not very long but just looking around was a memorable experience. The castle was home to three dynasties of Poland's monarchs and Wawel Hill is apparently a Mecca for every Pole. There was also a budding romance emerging today. Anemone and Ethan have declared that they are "boyfriend and girlfriend" and were holding hands all throughout the castle. It was rather precious. I just had to take some pictures. She said he was her prince...how cute.

Once we were through seeing the state rooms and courtyards on the castle grounds we made our way to the infamous dragon den. Legend has it that a dragon inhabited the cave below the castle and because it drank too much it exploded. The kids were very brave and really enjoyed exploring the cave and taking pictures with the dragon statue. Getting down into the cave was quite the adventure for me however! I had the baby buggy and Artemisia did not want to hold Gillian's hand so I had to trekk down nearly 200 very windy, narrow stairs with a folded-up baby buggy and a two-year old holding my hand. Needless to say, it was exhausting and I bumped my head and was quite stuck on more than one occassion! Once in the cave, I was very happy to experience the cool temperatures. It has been excruciatingly hot here in Krakow these past few days.

Following the castle we treated the children to some ice cream and then the girls and I went off to find a grocery store. In the grocery store, I felt like a complete imbecile. If I thought German was a difficult language well, Polish is impossible. I can't even pronounce the words so, I found myself asking for meat and cheese from the deli by saying "can i have what that lady just asked for please?" and pointing emphatically at the lady next to me. All the while hoping I was getting something the kids would like! It was quite the comical experience. To top it off, we got the checkout and there was a lineup behind us and I was trying to count money (and not understanding how much she was asking for) and there were many a grumpy "urghh's" and "ahhhhhh's" behind me and quite the disapproving face from the cashier. We were happy to be out of there after that!

We spent the afternoon reading, watching a video, snacking and relaxing before meeting back up with Yianni and Miranda for a horse and carriage ride around the square and then dinner with all of their conference friends. The carriage ride was really fun and the girls were in heaven, especially Artemisia. Miranda was even able to bargain with the horse and carriage driver and cut the cost down by 50%! I was impressed.

It was a very pleasant day and evening and I certainly feel as though I am living in a fairytale.

Many many happily ever afters to all of you,
Jenn(ifer)

Canada Day in Krakow

Again, it seems like forever since my last post but it is just because I am busy having so much fun. I will, again, post multiple posts in order to catch you all up on the happening since monday.

First off, I have really fallen in love with Krakow. This city is nothing at all like I thought it would be…

On Tuesday we departed Berlin late morning and drove to Krakow. As soon as we crossed the border out of Germany and into Poland, we began to bump and bounce as though we were on a old, creaky, wooden roller coaster. However, it was not a roller coaster it was the highway! It was pretty much that way until we arrived in Krakow. We stopped at a truck stop along the road for toilets and lunch and were met by two men trying to wash our windshield. We very clearly were saying “no thank you” but, they continued and then we were afraid not to give them money in case they hurt our car and so they were rewarded. That is probably why they don’t listen to people like us saying “no thank you”.

Upon arrival in Krakow, I was wowed….this is what I expected Europe to look like. It is old and beautiful. There are cobblestone streets, a large city-centre, churches everywhere, nuns and monks in large numbers, history, music and merriment. Oh what a place! I am really enjoying it here. Just walking outside makes me excited to see it all and really experience it…I feel like I am walking on an old Hollywood set most of the time…Krakow is certainly a must-see in my books ☺

We are staying in an apartment right in the town square which is the largest city square in Europe. Our apartment is really nice, if not a tad small (Miranda and Yianni are sleeping in the kitchen!). Krakow was relatively undamaged during WWII so it is fascinating to walk around and feel as though you are experiencing history.

Upon arrival we settled into our cozy apartment and then went outside to check out the square. We found a delicious restaurant for dinner and were all quite satisfied. Artemisia ate nearly 3 pieces of pizza! It was rather dark so I wasn’t able to get any great pictures that first night. Seeing as it was Canada Day, I was quite pleased to see a fire-type of entertainment going on in the square. It was certainly not fireworks but it will have to do. Owen and Ethan (twin boys of Miranda and Yianni's co-workers) were wearing Canada Flag tattoos that were also very festive and made me feel a little more like I was with all of you celebrating. I hope you all had very enjoyable and safe celebrations on Tuesday! Happy belated Canada Day!!

I hope this post finds you all happy and enjoying summer!

Miss you,
Jenn(ifer)

Busy weekend

Hello,

Sorry, again for the gap in new posts but this weekend was a busy one! It began with the Christopher Street Day Parade which is supposed to be the biggest Pride Parade in the world but, in my opinion, I prefer the Toronto Pride Parade. It may just be that April and I attend the parade in Toronto together and that would, of course, make it more enjoyable :) The "parade" was more of a march of a bunch of drunken people, some dressed in costume but, unlike other parades, this one didn't really have floats or distinct groups leading various groups. No Family Pride, school groups, church groups, or great costumes and floats. Miranda was more disappointed that there were no nudes (haha). However, one thing this parade does do well is the great big party at the end of the parade. A huge section of Tiergarten Park is sectioned off with hundreds of vendors, thousands of people and a great big stage with music and dancing. I saw the coolest the grill. JD, you would have loved it! It was a huge round grill that hung with chains over a pit. They were, of course, using the grills to cook all kinds of wurst of which I just had to partake of along with a beer. Overall, it was a good experience however, I was a bit disappointed.

On Sunday, I had planned to attend the Dom for church but, I ended up being more than 1/2 hour late so I didn't want to disturb everyone and walk in that late. I will definitely attend next week at the Dom. Instead, I walked over to a nearby hostel and sat in the lobby reading some pamphlets. It was quite the snazzy hostel! I then, took some reading material across the street to the park outside Marienkirche. I lazed on a bench and decided I would sign up for a bike tour of Berlin when I get back from Krakow next week. I think it will be a good way to meet people or at least be able to speak to others while I am being a tourist and checking out the sites. I am looking forward to it.

Sunday afternoon we all met up at Brandenburg gate with some of Miranda and Yianni's friends and their two little ones. It was chaos there with more than half a million people there by 4pm and the game wasn't to start until 8:45pm! So, we quickly decided to move elsewhere, preferably somewhere a bit less crowded and a bit more kid-friendly. We eventually ended up at an outdoor pool. Some of us had to swim in our underwear but it was definitely a tonne of fun.

Sunday evening was the big game. We, at that point, were at our usual restaurant/game-watching hot spot (the place with the cocky Italian waiter) where we had dinner and then stayed to watch the game. Unfortunately Germany lost 1-0 which was very sad but I think what is even more sad is that there will be no more Euro Cup games! Whatever will we do with our evenings?!! Nemy again made it through the whole game and was a great fan. This morning she slept in until 11am!!!!

We are off to Krakow, Poland tomorrow. It's about a 4-5 hour drive and we're leaving bright and early so we should have some time for sightseeing tomorrow. I am really looking forward to seeing Krakow and also for a change of pace. It should be great. I will do my best to keep blogging while I'm away.

Sorry this entry isn't quite as detailed as usual. I find it difficult to be detailed when I wait so long to tell stories and then have a whole bunch of events to talk about in one blog.

Happy Canada Day tomorrow to all of you living in my "home and native land" :)

Miss you and please enjoy the festivities for me.

Love,
Jenn(ifer)

Deutschland, Deutschland!!!!!

Hello once again :)

Germany has done it! They are off to the final of the Euro Cup. They will be facing Spain on Sunday (sorry Amy, I know you may, if you care, want Spain to win but I am really hoping for a big party in this city on Sunday!). It is expected that there will be more than a million people at Brandenburg gate (fan mile) watching the game! I think we will go and check it out and then just find a pub to watch the rest of the game.

On Wednesday, Nemy, Yianni and I joined some of Yianni's friends at a restaurant to watch the game. Anemone stayed up until midnight and was frisky as could be after the big win. What a party girl! She was running up and down the street holding onto her huge German flag, Yianni holding one end and Nemy the other. It was great fun. She is such a great football fan. She can even tell you about offsides, and direct and indirect penalty kicks now!! She says she will play for Greece and Canada oneday :)

Funny story...On the way to the restaurant, Anemone was all wrapped up in the German flag and was flying her smaller German flag proudly. She was certainly adorable so was getting much attention. One gentleman began speaking to her in German (I'm sure, telling her how great she looked and how great of a fan she was or something to that effect) and after a minute of her looking at him silently, Yianni stated "she doesn't speak German" to which Yianni and I both laughed hysterically. What must that guy have thought...an enthusiastic Deutschland Foosball fan in Berlin, wrapped in the flag....who doesn't speak German. The memory still provides me with a good chuckle.

Nemy and I have been having such a great time reading Pippi Longstocking that Nemy wanted to actually be Pippi so, today, we transformed Anemone into Pippi. What do you think? Believable or what?! hehe

I will attach some pictures of the football game and street party afterward, the fort we made in the living room as well as some of little Pippi Longstocking. I have not figured out yet how to put captions on my pictures so, if anyone knows, please do share. Thanks!

This weekend is shaping up to look like a good one with The Christopher Street Parade on Saturday (the largest Pride parade in the world) church at the Dom on Sunday and then the big Euro cup final on Sunday night. I will certainly have lots to write about next week!

Love,
Jenn(ifer)

A Tourist...

On Tuesday I had the day off so I decided I would be the typical tourist and check out the major sites!

I started the day with the Reichstag, which is the German government building. The Reichstag fire in 1933 allowed Hitler to put into effect emergency measures eliminating representative government in Germany. It has a glass dome that has a circular ramp inside winding up to the top viewing deck where I had some incredible views of the city. The glass dome was completed in 1999 and not only gives you a clear view of the city but also a clear view into the plenary chamber. The dome is supposed to represent transparency and accountability of the government to the people. Other than the more-than hour-long wait to get into the building it was a great (free!) experience.

After the Reichstag, I wandered down Unter Den Linden, the heart of Berlin. Apparently there was a meeting of the foreign ministers in Berlin on Tuesday so there were Polizie EVERYWHERE. Condoleezza Rice was in town and staying at the famous Aldon Hotel. That is the same hotel that Michael Jackson hung his baby over the balcony awhile back.

I then went to the Holocaust Memorial (officially known as the National Memorial to the murdered Jews of Europe). I had gone here on my first day here but had not gone into the museum part of the memorial. It was a sobering experience. It’s not that I wasn’t aware that more than 6 million people died such horrific deaths but I have never been so confronted by it. I highly recommend this museum to anyone who ever comes here. There are only five rooms but each of them had a major affect on me. The first room gives a detailed account of the condition of Jewish life in Europe between 1933 and 1945. The next room has 12-15 glass displays on the floor with letters, postcards, and diary entries of various people during WWII. Along with each artifact is a description of who they were and what happened to them by the end of the war. The 3rd room was the hardest for me. It was large monuments to 12-15 Jewish families with detailed descriptions of that families origins, their role in the community prior to the war, and a list of family members who did or did not survive WWII. For most of those families, there were never more than a couple survivors. The 4th room had 4 large screens and a speaker that named every recorded victim of the Holocaust along with various pieced of information of that persons life and death. On the wall it says you will have to sit there for 6 years, 7 months and I can’t remember how many minutes in order to hear every name. Finally, in the last room there are pictures of all the memorials around the world dedicated to Holocaust victims. It was truly an experience I will never forget…

After the Holocaust Memorial I wandered back to Unter Den Linden and just strolled down the street taking in the sites. There are many really amazing buildings and parks. Some highlights were Humboldt University (Albert Einstein was a professor there!), and the public library (Alte bibliothek), which had the most beautiful courtyard and tall ladders that go up the bookshelves that you can actually use to retrieve books!! However, I would have to say that the highlight was Nikolaiviertel specifically, Nikolaikirche Platz. It was the most magnificent little square in the city. It had a beautiful church in the centre (Nikolaikirche) and was surrounded by pastel-facaded town houses, quaint shops and many cafes. I felt like I really was in old Berlin…

By the end of the day I was quite exhausted and was in bed earlier than any other night since my first night here but it was a wonderful day. I also, of course, had beer and wurst for lunch :)

Sorry for such a long post…hope you all lasted through the whole thing!

Missing you all and sending my Love,
Jenn (ifer)

PS - I also found a great Birkenstock store and think I need 2 pairs of new sandals (excessive?)....I might even need 3...definitely excessive? I'm being serious...

The ZOO

I am sorry that it has been so long since my last posting! I feel like too much has happened since then for me to be able to include it all in just one post. I will, therefore break them up and post multiple times today beginning with our day at the Zoo on Monday.

The girls and I began our day bright and early as we ventured to the zoo. It wasn’t much of a trek though because this city certainly knows how to do transit. The above ground and underground subway system is phenomenal.

We had a great time. The zoo here feels like you are walking in a great big park. It is full of greenery and the animals feel so close, almost like they are all just roaming around the park too. We only saw about half the zoo because we’re trying to keep the girls in a consistent routine that includes an afternoon nap for Artemisia so we tried to leave right after lunch. Well, it was the zoo and, of course, trying to leave was difficult when another animal appeared at every turn on the way out. Oh, and we also discovered the best park ever at the zoo. I just can’t believe how well they do parks here! We didn’t get home until after 2 and by then, Artemis had already fallen asleep in the buggy and if that happens, a real nap is highly unlikely, bordering on impossible. We spent the afternoon reading and doing play-doh and it was rather relaxing. Anemone and I have started reading chapter books (she’s only 5 but can read anything you give her!). We just finished one book (the first book in the Pony-mad princess series) and have begun a second (Pippi Longstocking). After Pippi, Nemy is very keen on Harry Potter so we’ll see how that goes.

Miranda also sent me information on a local rugby club that I think I might look into! I emailed the contact person and am waiting to hear back from her. I think I might actually just walk over to the field during their training session tonight and see what I think. On their website they say they are “the most international team in Berlin” so, that is very appealing to me. I think, because I am so social, I would really enjoy having some friends my own age who I could hang out with. I’ll keep you all posted! How cool would that be though?!! Playing rugby in Berlin for the summer!! Woot Woot!

Hope you are all doing well!

Much Love,
Jenn(ifer)

Marienkirche

Hello again!

Wow, I have written two days in a row! I hope you are not bored of my stories yet. Today was a wonderfully, delightful Sunday. I began the day by taking a short stroll over to the local bakery this morning and having a delicious mohnschnecke. Very yummy! This afternoon the girls and I hid in the fort we made (you know, the chairs and sheet variety we all made as children) and watched Mulan. I really like that Disney flic!

This evening Nemy and I ventured out on our own for an english evening church service at the oldest parish church in Berlin. We attended an Anglican service at Marienkirche. I'll attach some pics with this blog post of Nemy's very first church service ever. She had a great time. What a fascinating kid. She has developed her own ideas about God and church and told me today that she thinks she and God are best friends because he talks to her all the time. What a kid...amazing. She was asking me during the service if all priests were boys and, if they were, why. I told her that there are definitely not very many female priests and that we need more and her response was "well, I'm going to be a girl priest". Loved it. The church was beautiful. It was built in 1270 and survived WWII almost completely unharmed which, in this city, is pretty much unheard of. The organ inside the church was incredible...I wish I knew more about organs so I could wow you all with this one's credentials but unfortunately, I cannot. I can however, say that is was the most beautiful and massive organs I have ever seen. Just outside the church was a large fountain and Nemy decided that, on such a hot day, (it was really hot today) she needed to cool off in the fountain as others were doing. So, I let her and snapped some shots. We stopped for some ice cream on the way home and enjoyed our ride home on the U-bahn tremendously.

I made it home in time to watch the Italy vs. Spain quarterfinal game which, like 2 of the 3 previous quarterfinals, went into extra time! This Euro Cup is surely very exciting. I am looking forward to Wednesday night for the big semi-final between Germany and Turkey. It should be fun.

The girls and I are off to the zoo tomorrow! I am excited! Apparently there is just one animal that survived WWII and it is the hippo and he is a bit of a celebrity in these here parts. The Berlin zoo is also regarded as "The Best Zoo in Europe" so it should be a fun adventure. I will let you all know how we fare at the zoo sometime next week.

As well, I would love to know who has been checking out my blog and what you think of it so please, if you get a chance, please do leave a comment :)

Much Love to you all,
Jenn(ifer)

The Euro Cup

Hallo!

Wie geht es lhnen? I am doing well. I have done so much in the past few days that it seems like forever since my last post. I am picking up a bit more German however, still not enough to even think I know anything significant. On Thursday, I spent my first whole day exploring alone and I am pretty sure I have never been so quiet in my whole life. I definitely didn't say more more than 10 words all day (well, unless you count the many times I found myself talking to myself!). I know, many of you are thinking this is probably a good thing but, honestly, I am finding my lack of ability to communicate a tad frustrating. Nonetheless, I am having a fabulous time and am sure I will pick up more and more of the language everyday. Well, unless we keep going to non-German speaking restaurants like we did last night!

Anemone had her first sleepover last night so, Yianni, Miranda, Artemis and I went to a very nice Italian restaurant and it was great. The servers spoke only Italian so I picked up a few Italian words for next month when I am in Italy! The food was amazing (I had a Tortellini Gorgonzola which was soooo good). Our server was hilarious. He had long, slicked back hair and could only speak Italian. We couldn't read the menu or speak to him in Italian so he just gave us some hand gestures to say "no worries, he was going to take care of us and we would wish we were Italian after this experience". He was right. He brought us delicious food and definitely had a smug look on his face as if to say "yes, I know, I know, I am wonderful". It was very fun.

I'd have to say that, although I was not aware that the Euro Cup was going to be happening while I was here, it has certainly brought alot of enjoyment to my trip thus far. On Thursday night, Yianni and I joined up with a bunch of his co-workers to watch the Germany vs. Portugal quarter-final game and it was so enjoyable. Germany won!!!!!! This city was all out having a huge party. I can't wait for next week's semi-final against Turkey. For those of you who aren't aware, every 10th person in Berlin is Turkish so you can only imagine that this city is going to be one very large party on wednesday night. Apparently, they will be setting up a Fan Mile starting at the Brandenburg gate. I am not sure if I should be excited or scared!

The girls and I are still really enjoying finding new parks all over the city. I still can't get over the parks...they amaze me everyday. On wednesday, the park we went to had a fully-functioning water pump with various trays for the water to flow in various directions. The kids were so creative and were blocking the flow in all except one direction so they could create a huge mud pit. Connected to this water pump contraption was a tower with a pulley system connected to some buckets. The kids had one person at the bottom filling the bucket with sand and then another child at the top using the pulley to bring the bucket up to the top and sending sand down the tunnels up top to make large dams....hard to explain but hopefully you get the idea. not only do Berliners do parks well, they also do treats better than us! The girls are carzy about a popsicle here called "BumBum". I tried it the other day and wow, fantastic! How can a popsicle be made any better you might ask. Well, for beginners, they give it the name "BumBum" and that already adds to the fun for kids, then you give it a chocolate textured candy coating, put ice cream inside and then finish with an edible bubble gum stick, that's how! It is layers of fun!

On thursday I went to a museum called "The Story of Berlin" and it was fascinating. I thought my exploration of the city should begin with my learning the history of the city. I am certainly glad I chose to do that. I learnt so much about Berlin and now when I travel around I am able to appreciate the attractions alot more.

Well, that is all for now but I will try and post again soon.

Much love,
Jenn(ifer)

New Friends!

Hello again!

I made a new friend yesterday. I went to the Starbucks around the corner to get a coffee and do some emailing. At the Starbucks, the guy who took my order, noticed the Canadian flag on my backpack and said "vait, vhold on, I's be back vif anofer Canadian" and he proceeded to drag another guy out from the backroom. It was a young guy named Ian and he is from Calgary. He and his girlfriend have been here since January after they graduated from University. We exchanged email addresses and are going to all hang out and do some touring about. I am excited! It may have been the first time since I have been here that I have been able to speak english with someone outside of the apartment. I am beginning to feel what it must be like to be illiterate. I look all around me and I see letters but can read or understand the words. Today at the beach, a loud voice came on the speaker and they could have been saying "get out of the water, there is a shark close by" and I had no clue!

We went to the Strandbad Wannsee today. It is a beach as well as a villa turned museum. The Wannsee Villa where in 1942 the fate of the European Jewry was determined at the Wannsee conference. It was great fun and in true German style the parks were awesome (and dangerous!) and even had a human-sized (kid-sized humans) chess board with that Nemy and I played with. She loves Chess now. Too bad she will outgrow my chess ability very quickly. I shall have to brush up on my skills. Above are some pics of a part of the park and the chess game. Wow, I wish I had been a kid growing up here although, Nemy had to coach me up the tall spider-web-looking thing. It is soooo high!

I am loving life and having a fabulous time. I hope you are all also having a wonderful summer of fun, adventure, learning and friends (old or new!).

Much Love,
Jenn(ifer)

Markts

Guten Tag!

It is official...I am in love with this city! I am going to have to figure out a way to live here someday :)

We spent the morning checking out flea markets and wow, was that ever overwhelming. This week I just observed and got accustomed to the craziness of the flea market. Next week I shall attempt to bargain for something. Hmmm...I guess I should learn some german by next week then! I feel absolutely illiterate and mute here! My goal is to at least learn to be polite in German by the end of the summer!

I also have a new favourite beer. It is called Wittinger (or as Artemis liked to call it "vinegar"). However, it certainly doesn't taste like vinegar. Even Artemis would agree, her dad gave her a sip and she rubbed her belly and said "yum yum". That-a-girl!
I definitely think I am going to drink alot of beer this summer. I have been here for 3 days and I have have not gone a day without having at least one beer. Nemy's bottlecap collection is certainly growing.

Honestly though, I am having such a great time. I wish you all could be here to experience this place. I am excited to really begin exploring this week. This weekend has mostly been about getting adjusted and settling in and starting tomorrow I would really like to start setting off on my own and figuring out more about this city.

Also, I have decided that I am going to check out new churched each week. Starting next week with the most famous church in Berlin, the Kaiser-Wilhelm Memorial church. Nemy really wants to go to church with me so that will be fun.

With all of my excitement and beer gut I send my Love and thoughts.
Love,
Jenn(ifer)