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TEN DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS – Advent
A candle is burning, a candle of Joy; A candle to welcome brave Mary’s new boy. Our hearts fill with wonder and eyes light and glow As Joy brightens winter like sunshine on snow. If I’m honest, I didn’t even know there was an Advent song (see lyrics for the third Advent above). However here in Germany, Advent seems to be a big deal. Instead of people emailing and saying hello, I have received numerous messages from people saying ‘enjoy your first Advent’ etc. Today a neighbour wished us a joyful third Advent… As children, we always had four candles set out on the table in the run up to…
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Happy Monday – Ampelmann earrings
She told me to walk this way… This is the first Happy Monday post. For those of you who don’t know, we will be sharing something we have been obsessed with over the past week. We have chosen Monday, as it seems to be the least favourite day for many people. So, here I am to cheer you up! My current favourite things are my Ampelmann earrings. According to their website: “The East German pedestrian traffic light symbols, or‚ ampel men’ are Berlin born and bred. They came into being on October 13th 1961 when, in response to the growing threat of road traffic accidents, the traffic psychologist, Karl Peglau,…
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Reichstag Building
Thank you sirs for the right to vote Bet you didn’t know I had a voice in my throat Now let’s see should I vote for “A” or “B” As Germany goes to the polls, we went to the Reichstag Building, the place where it all happens. You can go into the dome for free with prior registration – the link to do this is at the bottom of this post. You choose a day and time and give your personal details. In true German style it was very straightforward and well-planned. Security is similar at the airport, but here it is done with a friendly smile. Then before you…
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Museum Blindenwerkstatt
“We are going to have peace even if we have to fight for it.” Dwight D. Eisenhower One of the many museums that show the humanity shown by so many people towards the persecuted during the Second World War. This small museum portrays the story of Otto Weidt, who employed mainly blind and deaf Jews to help him in his workshop between 1940-1945. Here, they helped make brushes and brooms. Since 1933, the Jews began losing their civil rights. Business and shops owned by Jews were boycotted, marriages between Jews and non-Jews were no longer permitted and at the end of 1938, Jewish men started being deported to concentration camps,…
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Once a Berliner, always a Berliner…
D’oh… nut… mmmmmmm, doughnut… Exactly 50 years ago today, John F Kennedy made his famous speech that included the phrase “ich bin ein Berliner”. It still makes me giggle now – imagining a President standing up in front of a huge audience saying that he is in fact a doughnut. You couldn’t have made it up! I have to say I can’t wait to be a Berliner. Two more days at work and then freedom. It’s always sad to leave a job you love and my colleagues are amazing. I could not have wished for a better team of people to work with and train me on my journey into…