Jodi and Josh

Jodi was the very first person to book tickets to come visit us after we said we were moving here.  I think it was within a week of us telling her that she asked if she could come visit during Josh's Spring Break.  Ummmm, YES!!  She arrived within an hour of the Kitchener's leaving.  We met them at the airport and they rallied!! We are normally so tired when we land after such a long flight but they really powered through.  We walked around a bit and got a quick lunch (or dinner - our time was all messed up too) then we left them in the early evening to try to get a good night of sleep their first night in Berlin.  Josh's first night in Europe. 

Templehofer Feld

 Marty, Benjamin and I went to Templehofer Feld back in late August when we were waiting to find out if he would be accepted into JFK.  It is funny because now looking back I have very fond memories of that time when we spent our days, just him and me, at the zoo, at museums and biking around town.  Josie had 2 weeks of solo schooling and that was also really nice to be able to focus on her back to school entry and really support her as she started a brand new school. 

Like most things, she paved the way in such a strong, proud, brave way.  I know at the time I was so incredibly stressed about getting Benjamin into school and was also a bit worn out as

 the 4 of us had been together with very little outside connection to anyone else for over a month/24 hours a day 7 days a week. 
So, remembering the good time we had at Templehofer Feld, we

decided to bring the Kitcheners there.  We borrowed a friend's son's bike for Charlie, Josie used her roller blades.  Chris borrowed my bike and Will rode Josie's.  Yes,

my bike was way too small for Chris and Josie's bike was too big for Will but they really made the best of it.  Ali and I just tagged along behind on foot and ended up having an over 20,000 step day!

They biked around the fields, we stopped for a snack and then we headed back.  And after all the biking and transporting our bikes and blades on trains
and buses we decided a celebratory ice cream was in order.
Later in the afternoon we headed to one of our favorite parks and then to our favorite Indian restaurant. 

 
Thanks for the making the trek, Kitcheners!!  So SO fun to have you all here for the week. 
Looking forward to our hopeful October adventure!

Flak Towers and Pedal Boats

One of the things on Chris' list of must sees was an old Flak Tower.    He researched it and found a tour and Marty was thrilled to have a partner in crime.  There are a lot historical things here in Berlin that Marty would probably love to see but hasn't taken the time to search them out.
Ali, the kids and I hung out at a nearby park while the guys went on the Flak Tower tour.  The Kitchener's friend had been to Berlin just a week or two before and hid a few treasures for them at the park we were playing at.  We went on their treasure hunt but unfortunately someone else must have come across

their treasures first as they were no longer there.  Still, it was fun to have a little activity although the kids were more than happy to climb trees, play tag and entertain a bunch of dogs for a local dog walker.
After the tower and the park we headed to Treptower Park to have lunch, rent pedal boats and visit the Russian Memorial exhibit.

I was dreading the boat ride as it was just barely warm and just barely sunny but once we rented the boats the sun came out and it was even a bit warm.

Photo bombing a wedding shoot at the Russian War Memorial Exhibit

Spaghetti Eis

When we met the Kitcheners in Berlin a couple of years ago (they were living in the UK and we were just here for our nearly annual 2 week Germany vacation) Chris turned us on to Spaghetti Eis.  We had seen it before but never ordered it.  He was on a mission during that summer trip to find it.  We couldn't unfortunately so every time we have seen it here since we have moved here we think of him.

On Wednesday we took them to our favorite ice cream shop so he could indulge in the famous Spaghetti eis.  For those of you unfamiliar it is vanilla ice cream pushed out through some kind of mold to look like spaghetti.  Like those play-doh strands the kids used to play with.  It is then topped with "marinara sauce" (strawberry jam) and "parmesan cheese" (shaved nuts)

We all ate yummy ice cream and then headed to the Allied Museum.  Marty had taken Benjamin to this museum before but even on his second time he was taken in by

it all.  He surprisingly LOVES museums.  He pores over the information and the historical pieces and information.   This time he was so intrigued by this photo enlarger and the slides that he spent a good 20 minutes at this station alone. He pushed every button and lifted every lever.  We were kicked out because they were closing otherwise I bet he would've spent 20 more.

After the museum we headed into to our favorite Turkish Dönnner  place.

Josie and Will were constantly climbing trees. 

Will happily at the entire thing!!

Fifth Time. Still Fun

All of us on the correct train, heading in the correct
direction.  Miracle!

We didn't waste any time. We got up the next morning and we all, except Marty because he had to work, headed to the Tropical Island.  This was our 5th time going since we first discovered it on one of our summer vacations to Berlin back in 2014 and I'm happy to report it was still fun.  Amazingly we found things we had never done before.
Our adventure getting TO the Tropical Island was one for the books.  We had just gone to Cottbus a couple days before and I was 100% certain that I knew the way, which trains to get onto and where to get off.  It was pretty simple.  I had already dreamed of impressing my friends with my Berlin transportation knowledge.  This all came to a quick halt when we walked from our local train to the Regional Train that was supposed to take us to the water park. As I looked on the screen (the SAME screen I looked at 2 days before) and there was no listing for where we needed to go.  What the heck?  There was a nice man who saw my confusion and asked if he could help.  He spoke mostly English which helped.  I explained the problem and he said, "oh, yes, you go right over here and go up that escalator and .... wait a minute.  Why isn't it listed?" I replied with an I KNOW, RIGHT?  and then we asked some guys that work at the station.  Same response.  You go right over there and up the escalator and wait, what??  Same thing.  Then the nice man led us to the information center which told us that we needed to go to a different train station in Berlin and catch a later train that wouldn't put us at the Tropical Island until past noon.  Our online tickets we bought were only guaranteed until noon after there it was only "if there was space"

These two little cuties have been friends since they
were 2 years old!!

Fortunately, the Kitcheners were very flexible and go with the flow.  As were Benjamin and Josie.  We headed to the main train station and look up when the next train would come.  It said 1 minute but from a platform we couldn't find.  We finally see that it is 2 floors up.  We all start running.  At the top we ended up right in front of a train that JUST arrived.  We all assumed it was the correct train but at the last minute we realized that our train was the one on the opposite track.  We yell to the kids to NOT jump on the first train and to run over to the other train.  We really BARELY made it on.  And then we were off.  Phew!!  Marty just for fun timed the stops at the stations on our ride to Cottbus for Easter.  The trains stop for one minute and 15 seconds.  That was all the time we had to get up two sets of escalators, nearly hopping on the wrong train, turning around and all 7 of us hopping on the right train.

Because it was Easter week and everyone had vacations the Tropical Island was PACKED.  I have never seen it this crowded.  We looked and looked for a seat.  Not one open seat in the entire place.  The lifeguards confirmed this.  Not one!  The sun had come out but it wasn't quite warm yet.  We decide to put our stuff outside and then ended up hanging out there most of the time.  Ali and I in our coats but in the sun for most of the afternoon.

Friends

Our good friends, the Kitcheners, flew in from London on Monday evening for our 2nd week of Spring break.  I know what I said about it being good to stay here and not do much for our break but really 2 weeks of it would have killed one of us (me, most likely)

 The kids and I hopped on a bus (and a train and another bus) to go pick them up from the airport.  Seriously, these kids were not without a book the entire 2 week break!!
We met Marty at a cool Italian restaurant close to their Airbnb and had a nice time catching up.  The last time we saw them was back in November when they hosted us for Thanksgiving.

The kids wanted me to write their book lists here...
Benjamin:
The Red Pyramid
Phone Home Persephone
Nice Shot, Cupid
Stop that Bull, Theseus
Hit the Road Helen
Get Lost Odysseus

Josie:
The Search for Wondla
The Changlings
The Frog Princess

Frohe Ostern

On Sunday we got up bright and early to hop a train to Cottbus to celebrate Easter with Julie and her family.  We all have fond memories of our Easter celebration at her house 6 years ago!!  Well, Benjamin doesn't quite remember as he was just under 2 but the rest of us remember it well.

The weather was teetering between wet/cold and snow/cold.  In other words, not great.   We arrived to warm arms, Easter decorations and a delicious smell wafting from the kitchen.  We toasted with a nice glass of champagne or juice and talked and laughed.

The meal was "wild boar" which didn't go over so well with our resident vegetarian but for the rest of us it was so so yummy.  I guess it is all about the name and just calling it pork would have been more appealing. 

The meat was cooked perfectly and was topped with a delicious gravy.  There was also savory potato dumplings and shaved carrots and zucchini, also cooked to perfection. It was honestly the best meal I've had in Germany!

After lunch we all went outside for the hunt.  Josie has spent the ENTIRE week previous making homemade gifts for everyone.  She hid those and Julie hid gifts and chocolates that she and her mom had bought.  It was super fun and we all definitely got our fill of Easter candy and treats.

After a leisurely afternoon eating, drinking, Easter egg hunting and conversation we headed back to the train station to head back home.  All of us full, happy and content.  Thank you Hinzmann gang.  What a lovely Easter celebration.

Benjamin wrote a diary entry about our day at Julie's.  One thing they are REALLY big on here at the school, and maybe Germany in general, is writing in cursive and having good handwriting.  Both of the kids struggled at first, Benjamin much more than Josie.  His handwriting was really super sloppy and nearly illegible.  He is now being taught a method of writing where his letters have "tails" that will make writing in cursive easier.  He will begin cursive writing next year in 3rd grade.  Still has trouble getting the "j"s to go in the correct direction.