Ice skating anyone?

If you’re an kinesthetic learner keen on incorporating a bit of ‘direct experience’ into the next five minutes - you should go and read this in the freezer...cause yep, it’s been pretty cold here.

Winter has arrived, and apparently this particular winter has been on vacation for about 30 years. Ridiculous amounts of snow and very cold temperatures have been the norm for 6 weeks now. Whoever is responsible for naming depressions/cold fronts over here has a somewhat ironic sense of humour, naming one of them ‘Daisy’....a flower which, if I remember correctly, would make no attempt to wake from its dormant phase at -17 degrees. ‘Witch Hazels’ on the other hand like a cold snap – but I guess that doesn’t really have the same ring to it.

Winter has actually been a really beautiful sight...at least from the relatively warm view of our apartment window. The snow has been white and fluffy, refusing to turn “mutschig” - a consistency and colour similar to grey mashed potatoes, which is usually what snow looks like after a day or two in the city. Walking has been tricky, with the streets pretty much being just like an ice skating rink. Kirsten’s been working on her slapstick routine by taking a few falls in very public places, arms whorling like windmills in an attempt (unsuccessful) to take flight rather than fall. On one occasion she managed to get two words out before hitting the deck, I’ll let you guess what they were. I managed to do a 360 degree slide on my bike on the icy bicycle lane which I’d like to call ‘free riding’ but I’d be lying as there was nothing even remotely resembling control of any sort...plus my dismount was, well just embarrassing.

Jen came back to Berlin with Kirsten after Copenhagen and we had a very ‘gemutlich’ week leading up to Christmas. The Macey girls were both completely stuffed after the, ahem, biggest climate change conference in history and so there were lots of sleep ins, late breakfasts and warm drinks. We did of course get out amongst it as well, visiting Christmas markets, puppet shows (Puss in Boots auf Deutsch), seeing the Nutcracker (check out the post Ballet action shot) and singing Christmas carols on Christmas eve with Kirsten’s boss’s family.

We then went and spent New Years in Sweden with Jane, Peter, Alma and Kirra and had a ball in the snow. We got to use some really cool old wooden skis which I managed to look very uncool in as I had my first attempt at cross county skiing. Kirsten definitely won more style points than me and the locals just looked like typical cool Swedes who were born with skis already on their feet :-)

After New Year’s we did a Verwandten und freunde (family and friend) tour by train around Germany and Belgium. This was loads of fun but didn’t do anything to get rid of the ‘extra’ winter layers we’ve accumulated. Food, sitting, food, drinking, food, little stroll, sleep, food...you know how it is. Highlights included chatting all night (in German!) with Kirsten’s aunts and uncles in Recklinghausen, breakfast – extending to lunch – extending to afternoon tea at Gunter and Isolde’s, catching up with Anette and Michael in Brussels, meeting Benjamin - Karim and Sebastian’s gorgeous little boy, eating reibe kuchen and drinking Kolsch with Lars and Andrea in Koeln, home-made Maultaschen at Gigi’s, the ‘bummel’ (wander) around Schorndorf (known for the gallant woman who saved the town from the men who wanted to give it up to the French) with Jutta and Sabine, going tobogganing with Ute and Kai-Marco and then having a massive snow-ball fight which, I should say, I definitely won (sorry Kirsten but you know it’s true)!

We’ve been back in Berlin for the last three weeks and have settled into the old routine. Kirsten’s back at work at a somewhat more normal pace than before and I’m back in the classroom being a student again. We had an awesome day recently at Berlin's velodrome watching a 6 day event. The atmosphere was fantastic and full of all ages and walks of life - the german's really get into their cycle events. Check out Kirsten watching the event with a gerkin, pretzel and beer. We’re both really, really excited about the upcoming Berlinale - Berlin's film festival – it’s a huge event over here and we can’t wait to get seriously square eyes...but more about that next time.

There was unfortunately a sad event recently as Kirsten’s aunt passed away. It was of course a very sad time for Kirsten and her family, but we got to visit her a couple of times and had long chats and cups of tea and the chance to say goodbye.

We hope you’re all well wherever you are, viele Grüße from us to you,
bis nächstes Mal,

Simon and Kirsten.