Hamburg und Lübeck

Summer is here!! To help celebrate, we decided it was time to explore more of Deutschland. Off to Hamburg and the Baltic coast we went. Once again, we concurred that traveling by train is the best way to get around (followed by biking as a close second, of course). We hopped on an early morning train just days after I finished up my busy school year, and we were in Hamburg in less than 2 hours. Before anchoring in this busy port city, however, we traveled further north for a few days. First stop: Lubeck, a quaint medieval town near the coast of the Baltic Sea. Lubeck is not only an architectural gem on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sights, but is also known for one of my newly discovered confectionery favorites: Marzipan! If you're not familiar with the sweet almond paste deliciousness, a trip to Lubeck would be worth it for this reason alone. While filling up on the various samplings of marzipan coated in chocolate, we enjoyed exploring Lubeck's unique architecture. On one particularly warm day, we took a spontaneous 20-minute train ride to Travemunde, Lubeck's local beach on the Baltic Sea. Our first trip to the Baltic was bathing suit and towel-free, as the beach was not on our original agenda while packing. Since nude bathing, although very acceptable here in Europe, was not in the cards for us timid Americans, we will have to return for a chance to swim in the Baltic Sea :).

Holstentor, one of the original gates in Lubeck

Matt leading the way to the Puppet Museum (definitely a first for us!)

Typical architecture in Lubeck

Travemunde beach on the Baltic Sea.
You can rent these colorful "Strandkörbe" (beach "baskets") when the Baltic winds are
too gusty for your liking but you still want to get a tan!

Soon we were headed back to Hamburg to explore the city for a few days. Hamburg is the 2nd biggest city in Germany (after Berlin, of course :) and is the 2nd largest port in all of Europe. We took advantage of the fact that boat rides were part of the public transport tickets that we purchased upon arrival, and enjoyed seeing much of the city via the Elbe river. We also went on a boat tour that took us through the winding canals of Hamburg, and got a good chuckle at the GPS-guided recordings in English using German grammar ("On the left, will one an old warehouse of carpets observe" What?!)

We've got the train thing down by now!

Hamburg Rathaus (city hall)

Caption anyone??

We stumbled across some live music...in a trailer!

Strandperle, a fun beachbar/cafe on the Elbe

Summer Mumpitz

I'd be lying if I said we were anywhere close to mastering the German language. Stringing words together to form a somewhat coherent sentence is about where I stand. Currently, I am able to hear and understand much more when the language is being spoken, but speaking it myself is a completely different story. (Coincidentally, Matt's German strengths lie in the speaking part, so we do make a great team as we try to communicate auf Deutch!) I do, however, have a knack for picking up random words, getting them stuck in my head, and throwing them in to random English sentences. Recent favorites include "natürlich" (of course), "Schnecke" (snails--often used as an endearing name for someone you love, such as "sweetie"), and "Mumpitz" (shenanigans). Now that you've had your daily dose of Deutsch, I will leave you with a few photos from our own recent Mumpitz!

Some of my fun-loving teacher pals at our end of the year party - Yay for summer!

Riding the U-Bahn, just like we always do

Cousin Jeff came to Berlin! He had just finished a 5 week walk on the Camino trail.
Needless to say, he had a lot of stories and has convinced us to give the trail a try one day!

Matt and Jeff enjoying a late-night Döner Kepab.
It's simple...you come to Berlin, you must eat a Döner!

Strandbars and Schiffparties

This is our first summer living in a big city. I wasn't so sure how we would like it...the sweltering heat, the masses of tourists, the crowded trains. As we enter the month of July, I'd have to say that the positives definitely outweigh the negatives. Sure, the trains are a little stinky (we all know that Europeans have some kind of aversion to deodorant), and the tourists have over-run our favorite cafes (we are spotting American accents left and right!). But Berlin has certainly come alive! Our favorite summer spots have included the many green spaces scattered across the city limits (perfect for BBQs!) and the many "Strandbars" (beachbars) that have popped up along the Spree River. Sure, they're not the sandy beaches of the Pacific, but they definitely have their own unique flair.

LunaStrand in our neighborhood

This month we also experienced our first "Schiffparty". Our Schiff (or boat) took us up and down the Spree River in Berlin....for 5 hours!! The private party was hosted by our friend Yens' field hockey team (yes, men play field hockey in Deutschland. Minus the skirts and frenchbraids). It was a great night of dancing and meeting many new people. A fun way to celebrate the 4th of July in our new city!

A cool view of the Reichstag from the Spree

Klassenfahrt-ing!

It's not what you think! A "fahrt" is a trip, and last week we took 33 fourth graders on a 4-day klassenfahrt! We were prepared for the worst, and in the end, experienced the best! The rain showers did not stop our fun (the zoo is more fun in the rain anyway!) and the kids were (mostly) on their best behavior. The trip gave me the opportunity to pull out some oldies from my camp-counselor days. The kids loved the stinky moose song! My previous camp experience had been in rustic cabins with no electricity, but this place was more like a 4-star hotel. Waldsolarheim is located about an hour north of Berlin, in Eberswalde. It was so refreshing to get out of the city for a few days and back to nature. Our days were packed with activities, and we also took the kids on a night walk. We even had a campfire one night, where we introduced our German kids to S'mores. Funny....they liked them, but all commented they were "too sweet"! We sang songs on the bus ride home, and as we re-entered the city, I smiled.....for the first time since moving here, I really felt like I was coming home.

Birthday Love

This month I celebrated my first birthday (Geburtstag) in Berlin (hey that doesn't make me sound so old now, does it?!). My students and co-workers were so sweet, and literally showered me with flowers, cakes, cookies, and cards. It's a tradition here that you share something with others on your birthday, so I brought in several dozens of homemade chocolate chip cookies, and treated my whole class to Eis (ice cream). When I got home that evening, Matt surprised me with a dozen red roses and a beautiful cast-iron tea pot! After only being here for 8 months, I feel so grateful to be a part of such a loving community. So much good to be thankful for!!

Best. husband. ever.

Getting the flowers home on the train was quite an experience....

"Czeching" out Prague!

So, May takes the cake for being my favorite month in Berlin (so far...let's be fair to June - September, which we have yet to experience!) . First off, the weather has been fabulous: 70's and sunny, and the days are becoming longer and longer (it is not getting dark until after 10pm!). But the best part of May is the excessive number of long weekends; 3 out of the 5 weekends in May have been 3-4 days long. It's fantastic!! Last weekend, we decided to take the train to the city of Prague, which we have heard so much about. We left Berlin Hauptbahnhof early on Thursday morning, and quickly learned our first travel lesson of the trip: RESERVE SEATS!! We did not select the option while booking the tickets a few weeks back, not knowing that we would end up STANDING (or sitting on the floor, when room) for almost the entire 5 hours of travel. Oops! Needless to say, we were glad to arrive in Prague by early afternoon. The next 3 days were full of sightseeing and relaxing. Prague is undeniably beautiful. It was largely untouched by war, so stood constantly in awe of the buildings and castles that oozed with beauty and history. After long days of being tourists, we were a little let down after trying (unsuccessfully) to find local pubs or cafes off the beaten track to relax and experience the "real" Prague. We couldn't escape the Americans either....!! Maybe we didn't look hard enough? Or maybe we have become a little spoiled with all of the great spots in our un-touristy neighborhood of Berlin. Regardless, we were glad to return back to Berlin but did enjoy the many things Prague had to offer (for me: the castles; for matt: Czech beer!)

St. Vitus Cathedral, part of the Prague Castle

Atop Prague Castle, looking over the city

The famous Astronomical Clock.
Every hour the Apostles make an appearance for the hundreds of tourists watching below.

On Petrin Hill, watching a nasty thunderstorm roll in over the castle.

Taking a funicular ride to the top of Petrin Hill

The Old Jewish Cemetary dates back to 1439, and contains over 12,000 tombstones!
They experienced a lot of overcrowding, and ended up adding new
earth to pile more graves on top of the old ones.

Frühling in Berlin

Spring has sprung! The flowers are blooming the trees are no longer bare. And the greatest thing of all?? THE SUN IS FINALLY SHINING!! After, no joke, 4 months of gray skies, the sun has decided to make an appearance and we couldn't be more grateful. I was beginning to convince myself that we would never see the sun in Berlin. It seemed that overnight, spring decided to arrive, and with it came a new and very vibrant Berlin! The many cafes in our neighborhood are now bustling with tables spilling onto the sidewalks, street musicians are perched on every corner, and the tourists are out in full effect. Best of all....people are SMILING! The year-round temperate weather in California sure was nice, but we realize now that there is nothing like spring after a long, cold winter.

Some signs of spring here in Berlin:

Two very happy picnic-ers!

The Spree River at Treptow Park (we can walk here from our place)

A music festival on a warm and sunny May 1

The canals in the Kreuzberg neighborhood

Our neighborhood, Friedrichshain



Our balcony...finally some flowers!



Me in front of our apartment building

Tour de France

Where to begin?! We started planning this trip to France as soon as Les and Steve got the go-ahead from their bosses to take a vacation in Europe. For me it was Spring Break, and Matt had barely touched any of his 6 weeks (!) of vacation time. We decided Southern France would be a good option since none of us had been there, and we were all excited by the idea of delicious Provencal cuisine as well as some magnificent views of the Mediterranean and the coast. Our original plan was to spend the 6 days along the coast, hopping from town to down by train or bus. This all sounded very romantic and exciting....until I got an email back from a very distant French cousin, Stéphanie, who invited us to spend Easter weekend with her family in Ambert. Ambert, a small village north of Provence, is about a 5-hour drive from Nice, where we flew into. How could we possibly pass up this incredible opportunity to meet some of our French cousins while visiting a small French village?? From here, the plans were set: 2 days in Cote de Azur (Nice and Antibes), 1 day in Provence (Avignon), 3 days in Ambert (highlight of the trip!!) and one more night in Nice before flying home the next morning. We had so many adventures and so many laughs....we will never forget this once in a lifetime trip! It will be challenging to select the highlights of the trip (there were MANY!) but here we go....


Day 1: Monday, April 6 - Nice

Easy Jet landed us in beautiful Nice right on time. We enjoyed hiking up to Chateau Nice and taking in the breathtaking views of the Mediterranean.

Overlooking the harbor atop the Chateau de Nice

We enjoyed watching the animated "Socca Lady" almost as much as we enjoyed
eating the delicious chickpea snack...

There are no sandy beaches in Nice, but this did not stop people
from laying out (sometimes topless)!

Day 2 - Antibes

After picking up "Bernard", our trusty ride for the week, we made the 30 minute drive along the coast to Antibes. Antibes is a sleepy coastal town that has a much smaller and less touristy feel than Nice. We spotted a small sandy beach and the girls enjoyed relaxing and journaling while the boys skipped rocks for a while :) We ended the evening with a delicious "Menu" dinner, which included an appetizer, fresh seafood, dessert, and a local variety of wine. As we moved along the coast, the fare just got better and better.....

Our cute little hotel in Antibes

Boys will be boys....

Walking along the quaint streets of Antibes

We counted on Bernard to take us where we needed to go, and he did not let us down!
Thanks, Steve, for being our trusty chauffeur!

Day 3 - Avignon

We said goodbye to the coast as we headed inland for Provence. As we progressed along our 3-hour drive from Antibes, the landscape changed dramatically. Rolling hills dotted with endless vineyards reminded us somewhat of our beloved Santa Ynez Valley in Santa Barbara. No wonder SB is often referred to as the American Riviera! We reached Avignon around lunchtime and parked outside of the gated city. We loved experiencing the delicious food and wine, browsing the wonderfully fresh markets, and picnicing with fresh bread, olive tapenade and assorted cheeses while overlooking the famous Saint Benezet's Bridge. We explored the Pope's Palace and strolled along La rue des Teinturiers - a picturesque street with narrow canals and turning water wheels. Our stay in Provence was short, but what a beautiful region! We definitely hope to return someday.

A delicious restaurant recommended by our hotel hosts....Lepice and Love!

Days 4-7 - Ambert (with our French cousins!)

Butterflies grew in the pits of our stomachs as we climbed up and down the rolling hills that led the way to the tiny town of Ambert. I had met cousin Stéphanie about 10 years ago when she was traveling the east coast of the US as part of a summer exchange program. I saved the baby announcement she sent almost 2 years ago when her daughter Nikita was born, and decided to contact her when we were thinking of traveling to France. Her warm and enthusiastic invitiation was difficult to turn down, and here we were on our way to meet some new family members in a town where my great grandfather's family once lived. As we approached the town of Ambert, we quickly realized that THIS was France. Away from the tourists and sights, this off-the-beaten-track region was beyond beautiful. The family home rested in a tiny village called "Boisseyre" which consists of maybe 20 homes and acres and acres of beautiful countryside. In the car ride there, we joked about how we would get there, compare family trees, and realize that we were infact NOT related. Our fears subsided immediately when we were warmly greeted by Stéphanie and her family. We did not know what we were in for! From the MULTIPLE elaborate meals each day, to the horesback rodeo, to the nail-biting but exhilirating ride in a tiny plane, we all knew how unique and unbelievably cool this experience was. We left feeling like we had known the Chevelayres forever, and were so grateful for this opportunity to connect with our French relatives. We hope to see them again soon!

Lots of photos, I know, but sooo hard to decide!

The Chevaleyre Family home overlooking Ambert

A visit with Lyfka, the family's pregnant horse!

We visited the old factory where Stéphanie's great grandfather worked. The family owned the building until about 2 years ago when they sold it to the town of Ambert.

Stéphanie (top), Eléonore (left), Grandma, Nikita (Stephanie's adorable daughter)
and Grandma's sister. Right after we compared family trees....yes we are related! (Stephanie and her siblings are our 4th cousins...cool huh?!)

Matt, Steve and cousin Amaury eyeing up some delicious French pastries

The church of Ambert, where we heard the annual Easter "call to prayer".

We toured Ambert's paper museum with Noelle
and bought a pressed-flower sheet to frame

On my way to a rodeo with Amaury....much to my surprise!

Stephanie's husband, Arnaud, is a pilot and took us out to tour
the countryside on a very small plane...

We were slighly nervous....

...but the views were spectacular!
(Looking down on the home where we stayed)

Relaxing after one of the many meals with the family

A walk in the Ambert/Boisseyre countryside
brought us to this ancient structure from B.C.!

Our last day....celebrating cousin Eléonore's 18th birthday