Sunny Sunday at Mauerpark

We have been meaning to get back to the huge Sunday Flohmarkt at Mauerpark for a long time.  We went with Julie a couple summers ago and when Jodi suggested it for her first full day in Berlin activity we jumped on board. I swear Jodi must have brought the great weather with her.  From the minute she landed Berlin was

bright, sunny and actually warm!! 
Mauer Park is was an enormous Flea Market mixed with new and cool handmade stuff and food stands with food from all over the world.  There is even a craft beer garden.  Aside from the Flea Market there is a huge park

filled with people picnicking, karaoking, live music.  It really is the hip hangout for the Bohemian Berlin cool.
We walked up and down the crowded stands of merchants selling things old and new.  Jodi found some really fun and unique gifts for friends back home and the kids had a great time on the playground

and the lively atmosphere of the park, complete with the bubble strings.
After a quick Italian lunch we decided to revisit Treptower Park where we had just gone with the Kitcheners just

Jodi didn't like the pic of herself so
she "edited it a little"  haha

a few days previous.  When we went with the Kitcheners it was a Thursday afternoon, the weather was sunny but on the cold side and the park was all but abandoned.  We even doubted we would be able to rent boats.  Well, when we went with Jodi and Josh on this very sunny and nice (first sunny weekend of the year) the park was PACKED. 

Within minutes on the train ride back Josh was out.
Way to hang in there on your first full day in Berlin!

And the line to rent the boats was a mile long and would take us 2 hours until a boat was available to rent.  When decided to bypass the boats but the walk along the river and the ice cream cones were worth the trek. 
Again, Josh and Jodi really hung in there and you couldn't even tell that they had just arrived, presumably battling jet lag.  They put us to shame.  It takes us at least a couple of days on either end of that trip to feel even somewhat put together.