Playing hooky…and then playing catch up

I was in Florida last week at conference for work, and I got a lot of grief from some of my co-workers for slacking on my blog. Seriously, people…get a life! Just kidding J I know I’ve been bad about updating my blog. So, in an effort to get me back on track, I’m hearby announcing my catch up blog. I’ll give you a brief overview of my life in the last few months and then over the next two weeks (I promise), I’ll give you a bit more detail on some of my adventures.

So, as I was thinking about this catch up blog, a couple things popped into my mind. 1) French fries. You know “catch up/ketchup.” Mmmmmm. And 2) the Micromachine Man from the commercials in the 90s cramming as much information into a 60-second spot as humanly possible. So…feel free to think about French fries or read this blog as fast as humanly possible. I’m going to try to do both…

My apologies in advance…because this sucker’s gonna be long…

The hills are alive…and they totally kicked my ass

In July, I took a little trip to Tegensee with my friends, Mirjam and Silke. We were going on a little hike. One I was told would be nice …one where we could enjoy nature, breathe in the outdoors, take it easy…

After eight hours, multiple blisters, 50 gallons of sweat lost, one fall (not by me…weird, huh?) and aching calves, legs, booty, et. al…I’m going to have to call bull on that.

Don’t get me wrong, the hike was beautiful, but the hike was also challenging. Turns out that is what happens when you hike in the Alps. They mean business. There were only like 8-10 times where I thought I was going to pass out, so that’s totally cool, right? All worth it for this shot:

Plus, we saw a cow…and Silke pet it.

The 5^th Season in Germany – Oktoberfest

Seriously, that’s what they call it. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, Oktoberfest. I’ll post more pictures and stories on an upcoming blog, but here’s one shot to entice you.

Italia…oh, it makes me happy just thinking about it…

In October, Amanda, Craig and I spent a few days in Florence and the Chianti region of Italy. Again, more pictures and stories to come, but let me just tell you about the food for a second. Oh…my…God. Seriously, how are the Italians not like a million pounds. The food is unreal.

Vienna…you were gray and cold, but damnit, you were still fun…

Yes, it was cold. It was gray. But, my goodness, that city is cool. I spent just a long weekend in Vienna where I was able to catch up with my “cousin,” Katrina, her husband, Pauli and their little girl, Sophia.

Vienna also had some pretty amazing architecture. Here’s the Opera House, a view from the Belvedere (art museum housing Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss) and St. Stephensdome.

Christmas: Good job, Europe…not too shabby

Christmas is a hard time to be away from home. From friends and family. So, I just made mine come here J. I’ll go into more detail in another blog, but here’s the highlight reel:

1)    Christkindelmarkts are totally the bomb

The glühwein consumed in this outing led to the following totally disgusting requirement the next morning: nachos and hamburgers at the Hard Rock Munich.

Scott, Elayne, Kimberly and I took it a little easier this time around…

2)    When without a Christmas tree in London, you “borrow” from the hotel (Thank you Grand on Trafalgar)

3)    My mom and dad are certifiably crazy. Please note: my mom is pretending she is stuck in the telephone booth.

4)    Sometimes you meet semi-famous directors at a pub in London on Christmas Eve, and they tell you their innermost secrets…because they are completely wasted…

That little guy on the right is someone Andrea almost ran over before she arrived...

2013…Starting things off right.

For New Years, Elayne, Kimberly and Scott came to Germany. Let me just tell you, that we are lucky we were able to even exit my apartment on New Years Eve. Let’s just say, we were really excited to be together the night before…and we may have overdone it. But…that being said, we did make it out to the Tollwood Festival on New Year’s Eve. The festival takes place at the fairgrounds for Oktoberfest. Leading up to that day, there are Christmas markets in 5 giant tents. On New Years, they clear out the markets and have live music in each of the tents. We saw an amazing reggae band, a “classic rock” band and a really awesome DJ. Plus they had 360 degree fireworks.

Venice…we need to put a life preserver on you…because you are AWESOME!

Out of the blue, Elayne, Scott, Kimberly and I decided to spend a few days in Venice after New Years. First of all, more to come. Second of all, Venice is amazing. Third of all, January is the best time to go to Venice (1. It doesn’t stink, and 2. it isn’t crowded). The food and wine here is simply amazing. Not to mention the views are simply spectacular.

Is anyone still with me? If so, here’s my skiing story

I realize some of you may have had to take a break from this novel that I’ve written. I warned you at the top. Anyway, it’s well worth it for my skiing story.

So, I haven’t been skiing since I was 13. I’m from the Midwest, and the bottom half of the Midwest at that. We don’t ski. It’s just not what we do. The last time I went, my friend, Birgit ended up face planting into a shed. She was an “experienced” skier. Yeah…no wonder I haven’t been since. But, when you live an hour from the Alps, you are required to ski. And I’m glad I gave it another shot.

Jenna, James and I headed out to Lengrees, which is only about 1 ½ hours away from Munich (in traffic), one Saturday morning. Jenna was an amazing ski instructor, and by the time I was done with the bunny hill, I thought I was freaking ready for the Olympics.

And then I realized, I was not.

We went to the top of the next hill and I just fell over. Like, my body wouldn’t let me go down the hill. I physically just fell over. No one pushed me. I did not slip. I just fell over. There were moments when I thought…seriously, how am I going to get down from here. Would it be totally embarrassing to scoot down on my butt.

OK…so it really wasn’t that bad, but I did call a timeout after that. While Jenna and James skied for the next hour or so, I had a couple beers. I can totally hang at the ski lodge!

I am willing to give it another try, but if you go skiing with me, you have to 1) not laugh unless I am and 2) be patient. Or…just direct me to the ski lodge.

And that’s it…

Not really. There have been a lot of other things here and there. Like going to London another time with my friend, Jennifer, and meeting some fantabulous folks (one of whom actually doesn’t think the weird things that come out of my mouth are crazy…at least I don’t think so) and seeing Rock of Ages (TOTALLY AWESOME!!!). And going to the Starkbierfest with Jenna and dancing and singing for 6 hours straight…with feet firmly planted on a bench (due to the stickiness). And Girls Greek Night Out…which ended up in too many ouzos.

But, this will just have to do for now. Stay tuned for more on…Oktoberfest, Florence/Tuscany, Christmas in London and Venice.

A second chance for a first impression...

If anyone knows the importance of a second chance, it’s this girl. Second chances at a love, at experiences…at living. Now, had you asked me two years ago to give Berlin a second chance, I probably would have said “naaaaah…been there, done that, not impressed.” The truth is, I didn’t really “feel” Berlin when I visited it seven years ago. It was cold, rainy and not really my scene. But, in honor of my new outlook on life…what the heck, give it a whirl, right?

Of course, what made it easier this second time around was a knowledgeable tour guide—my friend, Jason, who knows a lot about Berlin, having lived just an hour away from it for the past five years. You know what, Berlin ain’t too bad (sorry for the grammar, dad)! Actually, I liked it a lot.

It started with the promise of a currywurst and a dream. OK, so it wasn’t that dramatic, but I did hear these whispers of currywurst at our first dinner Friday night. J

I spent Saturday morning exploring the history of the Berlin Wall, starting with the Checkpoint Charlie Museum. I learned a lot about how Germany came to be split after WWII. How, the U.S., Britain and France split their opinions with once ally, Russia, after the war ended. I learned about the oppression, the escapes, the persecution, and ultimately, the uprising against two Germanys.

I think this photo is most interesting because it features a Russian Soldier and the U.S. flag. This is the checkpoint where East Berlin and West Berlin meet. On one side, freedom, the other, communism.

JFK visited Germany during his presidency and spoke at the famous Brandenburg Gate. In order to avoid any eye contact being made through the pillars from people in East Germany to the West, a giant curtain was put over the Gate. This painting is called “The Biggest Curtain in the World” and really sums it all up.

This photo really captured the emotion and strife for those who were trying to escape for a better life. I learned that children of parents who tried to flee but were caught, were often put up for adoption to a “fitting” communist family.

Even though the wall fell over 20 years ago, its presence is still everywhere. And rightfully so. You don’t want to forget what you don’t want to happen again. You have to learn from the past…and teach future generations about it as well.

I took this at the second longest stretch of remaining wall in Berlin.

I loved this painting…looking ahead.

I was surprised to see the amount of American graffiti on bits of the wall throughout. Go USA!

Berlin does an amazing job of documenting history for future generations. I’ve studied WWII a lot and have visited so many Holocaust Memorials. The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin may be the best memorial I’ve been to.

The memorial covers 19,000 m² and is made up of 2711 concrete blocks. Under this impressive monument(s) is an amazing exhibition that chronicles the persecution and extermination of Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals and the ill. It has final letters, family histories, real stories from victims of the concentration camps and a tribute to all the Holocaust memorials throughout Europe. The amount of work put into this memorial is astounding. I will leave my political commentary at the door about other genocides and injustices that are happening in this world right now, and just tell you If you come to Berlin, you have to come here…and you must think about the past and the present.

OK, onto brighter topics...it’s interesting living in Europe during the Eurozone Crisis, so it was especially interesting to visit the Reichstag building, or parliament of the German government. Jason had arranged for us to visit the “dome” for a very interesting view of Berlin.

Check this out:

The dome had “daylighting” technologies that not only light the parliament, but also make for an awesome picture.

We walked up the dome to the top, for this marvelous, blue view of the Berlin sky.

Proof that I was there J

So we saw the dome in “real life” but how about the dome in “chocolate!”

This chocolate shop, Fassbender & Rausch, was amazing!

OK, so obviously Berlin has some amazing chocolate artists, but to really experience Berlin, you have to go where the real artists live…Kunst Halle.

We came upon this “abandoned” building on the way to dinner on Saturday night. Berlin respects and honors free space, meaning that abandoned buildings that may be destroyed in other cities are made available to communities…like artists. The Kunst Halle was a kind of intimidating place. It was dark, it was murky, it was very “Candyman-esque,” but…it was also filled with artists and their life’s work. I have to tell you, this was my most favorite part of Berlin. Maybe because it felt a little forbidden and scary. Maybe it’s because I respect these people’s wishes to live their lives creating what they love. Either way, I was so grateful to have the chance to be here.

So, this just scratches the surface of my time in Berlin. I didn’t even touch on the Brandenburg Gate, the room of silence (can you believe I did it!), the amazing Indian food, the masses of Englishmen visiting for a wild weekend, or the reaction both Jason and I had simultaneously when a tourist from the U.S. said…”OOOOOOOHHHH, another American!” In a nutshell, we both groaned (please forgive me my fellow Americans).

Berlin ain’t all that bad…and the currywurst? That wasn’t either.

Sometimes it's hard to believe I live here!

So, never move to Germany in February. Seriously, people, it is gray, cold and rainy. No wonder it was a tough first couple months here. Well, that and I really miss my friends and family at home (regardless of the weather). But, spring is finally settling in here in Munich, and, while I've still had my share of ups and downs this month (it is month 3...they say that's when it happens), today was a day where I said to myself (and maybe outloud for all those Germans around me to hear): I'm really lucky to live here.


That reminds me...the other day, I was chatting with a German colleague who had lived in the U.S. for several years. I asked him how he got over his homesickness. I was expecting an answer like, get out there, get involved, try new things, etc, etc. Nope. His answer: I got through it because I knew it [the homesickness] would end. OK, then. Well, if there's one thing I know about myself, that's not how I deal with things. :)

So, instead, I've been doing some exploring, whether by bike or foot, here are a few of my adventures so far.

Me on my trusty steed.

I haven't ridden a bike in a while...

This is my friend Katalin. She is excited to go on the bike tour...I promise!

So let's get started with the basics. Munich was founded by Monks and Monks brought beer to Munich. So pretty much everything in the city's history starts and ends with beer. Whether it's the implementation of purity laws to keep that beer deeeeeelicious, a two-week long celebration all hinged on beer or even settlement of property disputes...yep, I'll have another. So, here are a few places I've had a beer (or two).

The Augustiner Restaurant and Bier Keller is right in Karlsplatz. My friend Anton and I saw a woman pass out here...and it wasn't from the beer. While that made us a little antsy, the place is pretty darn cool still.

The Chinesierser Turm is in the Englischer Garten and is the second largest bier garten. Lots of oompa bands and schnitzel the size of your head can be consumed here with your liter of bier.

The Hofbrauhaus...yeah, you just got to...

The Park Cafe was a nice little surprise. It's nestled in the Botanical Gardens so you can drink a beer and stare at tulips!

This is a little restaurant on a little street somewhere in Munich. Doesn't that just look lovely!

Celebrating with a cold beer (yes, they are cold here) is a popular sport. Of course, everyone knows about Oktoberfest, but since that's still months away, cities all over Germany celebrated a spring-time version with Fruhling Fest. This is much smaller than Oktoberfest, but they do have a beery-go-round, so it's still pretty serious stuff, man.

As promised!

Not quite as rowdy or crowded as Oktoberfest, but still looks like a pretty fun time!

So before you all think that all I do is drink beer here, here are some of the pretty things I've come across in Munich.

When I stumbled across the Botanical Gardens on a walk one afternoon in March, the first signs of spring were just starting to pop up. It made such a difference in my attitude about being in a foreign land...alone. I actually felt happy! So, I've been back many times since then.

A branch (the Eisbach) of the Isar River snakes through the Englischer Garten. I took this picture while I was pedaling my bike across the bridge. Not too shabby...

I spent about 20 minutes here in Hofgarten today. There was a man playing the violin in the dome ahead and a little girl twirling and twirling around. It was sweet...and made me smile.

Doesn't this look like a nice place to spend an afternoon with friends? We should try it sometime :)

Karolinenplatz is just a short distance from my house and it's where the North American Embassy can be found. I loved the flowers here so much I actually got on the ground to take this picture. When I was walking by this morning, I noticed they were replacing the beds with the summer flowers. I can't wait to see what pops up!

Even my work is beautiful! Yes, this is the famous global headquarters for Siemens on Wittelsbacherplatz (say that 5 times fast). The building is called "the pink palace" because, well, it's pink. Gotta say, as much as I love Buffalo Grove, this office location pretty much has it beat!

There are a lot of beautiful buildings and statues throughout Munich...not just my office.

I have no idea what building this is, but isn't it spectacular!?! It's so ginormous and old. I must look like a total idiot walking around mouth agape mumbling "it's so old and beautiful" all the time.

In Marienplatz, the center of the city, there are so many beautiful and interesting things to see. This fountain stands where the fish market did centuries ago. It's said that if you dip your wallet in the fountain on Ash Wednesday, you will have wealth all your life. The mayor of Munich actually upholds this tradition and dips the city purse in the fountain every year. I will be in line next Ash Wednesday...

Also on Marienplatz is the beautiful Neues Rathaus (or cityhall). The clock tower houses the Glockenspiel, which is essentially a giant cuckoo clock. Three times a day the Glockenspiel comes to life. One of the tour guides said it was 15 minutes of your life you'll never get back, but I quite liked it.

The city center is surrounded by tors (or gates), which I think makes it feel very cool and castle-like. This is Karlsplatz Tor.

Seriously two blocks away from my flat is Konigsplatz (or King's Place). There's a lot of history here. Rallies during WWII and such. I haven't got all the details here, but regardless, it's pretty cool to walk down your street and come upon this.

This is the top of my favorite church in Munich. Although a lot of people think it's the ugliest, I love the bright color and detail. Plus, it's called Theatinerkirche...so if you can't pronounce that, you can just call it Tina Turner Church and people will know exactly what you're talking about.

So, Munich has beer, beauty and a lot of fantastic buildings and statues. Did I also mention that they have surfing? Yep, the branch of the Isar River that I mentioned above has quite a current and at this spot in particular, some boulders have created a rideable wave.

Yes, the U.S. will always be home. I love the pace, I love the people, I love the comforts of home. But, I have to admit, Munich definitely has its charm. You should come see for yourself! :)

The North American Embassy