Happy New Year

Our LOONGG drive back from Krakow was mostly non eventful, just the way we like it.  The kids played Uno for a lot of the time, read books, listened to music.  They don't do screen time anymore after one too many backseat barfing episodes from Benjamin because he often gets car sick if he is looking at his screen while driving.  Trust me, there was enough barfing going on in this car by me the couple days before 😳

We decided to stop in Cottbus for dinner and because we have so rudely been turned down by our favorite German restaurant there so many times in the past we had a back up plan but just had to give it one more go and see if we could get in.  Despite the fact that it has been nearly empty each time we have gone, the Kartoffelkiste has become our Seinfeld

version of the Soup Nazi.  "No room for you!!"   Lo and behold, they had room this time, but barely. They always look at you pained as if to say "why in the world did

you come in here?"  Customer service is lacking in Germany but particularly in Cottbus!
We ate and drank and were all happily full for our hour-ish ride home to Berlin.  But since the ice cream place was still open we all mustered up the energy and stomach space for some ice cream. 

When ice cream (a HUGE scoop) is only 1.20 € a piece, you gotta make room.
We arrived home, all exhausted and plopped into bed.
The next day we had to return the rental car.  We very much love living without a car. 

The kids got to pick 2 beverages for NYE and NY day
They were thrilled with coke and Vio bio lemon/lime. 

But when we have access to a car we try to do a bit of stocking up, particularly with liquids.  I never really thought about this before because I always had my car when shopping but liquids are so heavy and hard to transport on foot or on bike.

We got up early and hit the drink store and the grocery store and mostly stocked up on liquids before returning the car.  And because it was New Years Eve and we didn't want to be out in crazy Berlin on NYE we decided to eat lunch out instead of dinner.  We hit our favorite Indian restaurant and the grocery store (because everything is closed on New Year's Day) While at the grocery store Marty and Benjamin notice a HUGE firework display right in the grocery store.  Huge packs of what look like dynamite 6 sticks for 5 € or something crazy cheap.  Huge packets with dozens of fireworks for under 20€.  I wouldn't have probably noticed these last year because back then I had NO

idea how crazy the Berliners actually get on NYE.  Benjamin, being the little pyromaniac that he is, begged and begged for just some "quiet" ones.  He knows that Josie and I hate the sound and always feel badly for pets and vets on 4th of July.  We got 3 bottle rocket types and he was thrilled.
We made it home and waited for it to get dark, which this time of year doesn't take much past noon.  No, in all seriousness the sunset on Dec 31st at 4:00PM (the days are getting longer, ha!) So we walked to a nearby park around 5PM and let them off.  They were quiet and pretty and everyone was happy.  Although Benjamin was now wishing we had bought the larger party pack!

 For dinner the kids wanted "snacks" no dinner, just snacks.  So I made homemade salsa and guacamole.  Loads of cut up vegetables and ranch dip. Fruit, crackers, cheese, etc.  Everyone was happy.
We played some games and then Marty and I went to bed and the kids stayed up to watch a movie.  We knew full well we would be woken up at midnight.  This wasn't our first time to this rodeo.  Last year we were in utter shock and disbelief and how the Germans (over) celebrate this holiday.  It is a virtual war zone with fire works and explosions, as if you are at the foot of a professional firework display for their finale

Salsa! I love salsa and even though I hate having
to make it every time I want it because Berlin
does NOT do salsa I so savor it each and every time
that I do. 

that ends up lasting 90 minutes!  All right from our sleepy little corner of Berlin.  I cannot imagine what it must be like in the city center!
And that is a wrap.  Goodbye to 2018. Hello 2019!  Hoping for continued health, more peace and much traveling in the new year.