April 11, 2013

ich bin ein Berliner

Recognize those days when you spent the whole day accomplishing nothing (albeit trying very hard), while some days ending up surprisingly productive within matters of brief hours that you had to love yourself to death? This particular day at Berlin; which also marked my first day in the gorgeous city, played out both scenarios in one day.

i was greeted by two fiercely loving friends – the piercing sun tried ruthlessly to penetrate my cheeks with its golden rays, while the wild wind tried even harder by blowing my hair all around like i needed it for an arousing photo shoot. Despite it all, i stood motionlessly outside Berlin Tegel Airport trying to read Mother Nature’s weird language of welcome. Before i could crack the code, Jan arrived to pick us up with his most adorable daughter who looks exactly like a live porcelain baby doll. p.s. She is the cutest thing i’ve ever seen.

We spent the whole rosy afternoon sipping endless flutes of sparkling Berliner Nachmittag mit Rotkäppchen Himbeere, making stupid jokes about each other, and playing with happy baby doll. This scene obviously marks the first case scenario (refer to first sentence of story).

When the sky started to let down her skirt to shadow half the world in her cool, mystical darkness, it really hit on me that i had almost wasted my whole day in Berlin! “i need to kick some butts”, i thought. “otherwise, these men won’t even move a ball”. And so that was what i did, although not literally. Hence my first second half of the day at Berlin covered:

• Reichstag
• Brandenburg Gate
• Weihnachtszauber Gendarmenmarkt
• Checkpoint Charlie

That clearly put us in the second case scenario, where you feel like you are standing at the top of the world. Now the following story will unfold all 4 points above in that particular order . . .

{Reichstag at night a.k.a. Place of the Republic}

{huge black bear talking to a German army in front of Brandenburg Gate}

{ghosts of Berlin’s past – along the pavement where part of the wall used to exist, according to Jan}

{illuminated preparations for the eve of new year’s eve}

{took outfit pictures at the streets of lined light trees}

{a peak into the iron gates of our Malaysian Embassy}

{blue eyed baby doll wrapped and wrapped again and again}

{wouldn’t be a tough guess for you what this word starting with ‘F’ means – especially with that naked blonde chick . . . massively ILLUMINATED}

{nearing ‘those were the days’, just not quite there yet}

{Berlin’s magical Christmas Market! read about Ludwigsburg’s grand one here}

{winter-inspired tweed bag}

{‘suicide’ ballet + gay / drag performances, also ILLUMINATED}

{roasted nuts, like the crunchy ones you might have ‘tasted’ here in Munich}

{Raclette for dinner, strictly a Must-Have especially if you are a cheese lover!}

{an untitled dessert that came with giant berries and luxurious cream the boys got me}

{eggnog dessert / my favorite shot in this entry}

{ingenious handcrafts found at the market which almost made me a very greedy girl – i wanted to take home everything}

{had a romantic gluwein session on cosy couches + the warm company of red cashmere blankets, basking in the silence of crackling firewoods}

{parts of the remaining Berlin wall – Jan told us that “this is it” and i was terribly disappointed. not until Leo and i discovered the real thing . . . to be revealed another time! 😛 }

{if only you have any idea what this checkpoint means to the Berliners in 1961 . . .}