Two More Holidays

I told you... there are SO many May holidays here.  Monday the 21st and Tuesday the 22nd were both holidays and days off of school for the kids. Monday was Pentecost and Tuesday.. well, I don't know why they had that off.  Just another "Bridge holiday"  Not sure what it bridged other than making it another 4 day weekend and 3 days school week. 
Nevertheless, we all enjoyed a slower pace to our days.  We went swimming at a public pool with friends... have I mentioned it has been HOT here.  Really, summer like weather since the beginning of August.   We also met up with friends at a park on Monday evening.  It is called "Wine Park" and it is a beautiful plaza style park that reminded me a lot of the typical Zócalo you see in Mexico where people come out

around dinner time and stroll around the plaza.  There is a wine bar and most just bring picnics and enjoy hanging out with others outside on a beautiful summer/spring evening. It was nice.
On the way home Josie jumped off the train a couple stops into our journey to meet a friend for a sleep over.  I am often reminded but probably do not appreciate it enough how cool this experience living here is for all of us.  As I watched Josie, an 11 year old, confidently give me a kiss and hop off a metro train in Berlin and navigate her way through the train stop to her friends house who lives within a few blocks of the stop all by herself with self assurance and grace I feel a sense of immense pride and joy.  I'm so thankful we are all learning big life skills here.