Why hello there!

I took my first week here pretty easy and focused on acclimation.  I spent a lot of time visiting local places and walking around some neighborhoods.  I mastered using the S-Bahn and U-Bahn so getting from place to place is now quite simple.  Here are some pictures from my exploring:

Impressive chalk art at Alexanderplatz

Weltzeituhr (Worldtime Clock) at Alexanderplatz that displays the time for various places around the world.

Come take a walk with me!

I do enjoy taking pictures of fancy graffiti.

The Spanish Embassy at Tiergarten

Biergarten menu;  A biergarten is synonymous with summer for local Germans and a big part of the culture.  It is a crowded, outdoor sunny spot where people come to socialize and unwind and have a few drinks, (despite the pricey menu).  You share long tables with friends or strangers and it is a fun place overall whether you drink or don't.  While they originated in southern Germany and are most common there(Especially Bavaria), they can now be found all over the world.

The somewhat indoor area where you order your desired beverages.

Its quite early now, as you can see by the empty tables.  Trust me, it got MUCH more crowded later into the afternoon.

Nice view by the water, and rowboats available.

Why yes, that is a DJ in the background in a lifeguard chair on top of two row boats.

Long days in the summer.  It is almost 9:00pm in this picture!

Mauerpark Flea Market.  This takes place every Sunday and has many many booths!  Nice details here: http://www.slowtravelberlin.com/2010/11/12/mauerpark-flea-market/

Outside of the fleamarket, many people sit and hang out, play some music, karaoke too, apparently!  Unfortunately it was not bustling as much as usual because it was rather cold that day.

Street performers!

Street performers in traffic

Next, I need to explore the Stadtmitte area; There are some gorgeous buildings that need to be photographed.



On another note, my friends and I are planning a trip to Prague and then Amsterdam which I am greatly looking forward to. 

That's all for now, Tschüss!!

Ich leibe Berlin!!

Yesterday might have been my record of missing sleep: 25 hours.  Falling asleep on an airplane is quite difficult!  Luckily I am recovering quite well from this and jetlag, as they did not put a damper on my time here thus far.  The house that I am staying at exceeded my expectations and my host is absolutely wonderful! 
I have been here barely two days and I think I already might be in love.  Here are a few observations thus far:

• The city streets literally smell like flowers or perfume in many areas, not car exhaust.  Quite surprising, no?  I will assume some flowering plants are to blame, as it is unlikely that the streets are getting sprayed with various fragrances. 
• This city is so clean!  There is VERY little rubbish lying on the ground compared to any public place I have visited.  I have mistaken leaves for garbage a few times!
• Something amusing I found regarding crossing the street:  Whether the road is empty or not, people wait at crosswalks for the little green man to light up before crossing.  Completely not what I am used to (No cars? No problem!--NOT here!!).  
• The stereotype is true--Subways are on time.  All the time.  If the sign says it is arriving in one minute, it gets to the station in one minute.  The public transportation here is phenomenal!  

I decided to go on a little walk today after my class ended and took a few pictures.

Das Rotes Rathaus, or the Red City Hall.  Beautifully built.

Der Berliner Fernsehturm, the television tower in the center of the city.  At 368 meters, it is the tallest structure in Germany.

Here is the lower part.

Upon a closer look, there is a manmade body of water by the base.  Kids were playing in it and adults were wading around.  

This is the Berlin Cathedral.  I will get better pictures of it this week, I promise!  It looked stunning from afar, I cannot wait to see it up close.

Statue of St. George fighting with the Dragon

"Buddy Bears are a series of painted, life-size fiberglass bear sculptures originally developed in Berlin"  Whelp, looks like I will take a picture of each one I see, starting with this one! SCAVENGER HUNT!!

That's all for now, bis später!