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If it was installed when I was in Madrid last month I would've
stopped by. Booyah!
Monday, September 27, 2010
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I think the German authorities have something against high wattage light bulbs. I cannot find any store in Berlin which sells any household light bulb above 60 watts. What the ?! No wonder so many Germans are bespectacled.
And another thing I've noticed with German-speaking 'volk': they don't often beg pardon after bumping into you or stepping on your foot.
All language courses instruct non-German speakers to us "entschuldigen Sie" (excuse me). What the courses never mention is how rarely used is this basic expression. A woman, with a scowling, scrunched up face, stepped too close to me on the bus today and I had to shout at her, Entschuldigen Sie. Lucky for her I don't know how to say bitch in German. Hello!
I think the German authorities have something against high wattage light bulbs. I cannot find any store in Berlin which sells any household light bulb above 60 watts. What the ?! No wonder so many Germans are bespectacled.
And another thing I've noticed with German-speaking 'volk': they don't often beg pardon after bumping into you or stepping on your foot.
Lucky for her I don't know how to say bitch in German
All language courses instruct non-German speakers to us "entschuldigen Sie" (excuse me). What the courses never mention is how rarely used is this basic expression. A woman, with a scowling, scrunched up face, stepped too close to me on the bus today and I had to shout at her, Entschuldigen Sie. Lucky for her I don't know how to say bitch in German. Hello!
Sunday, September 19, 2010
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Hello!
I was considering the positives of moving to/near Lörrach, a quiet small town in the south of Germany bordering with affluent Switzerland. I enjoyed my visit there last week but after reading the news of the shoot-'em-up bitch who left her mark at a hospital I am, as you well imagine, enjoy the fact that I was already out of Dodge.
Hello!
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
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Thinking back on this cell phone episode it was kinda funny how things evolved. A couple of days after losing the phone I find a bouquet of flowers in a subway station. How nice! I love buying flowers; I love free ones even more. The rule of Bizarro: if you lose something, you're bound to find something just as nice. But get this: Later that afternoon I discover twenty euros fell from my back pocket. Oh crap!
Thinking back on this cell phone episode it was kinda funny how things evolved. A couple of days after losing the phone I find a bouquet of flowers in a subway station. How nice! I love buying flowers; I love free ones even more. The rule of Bizarro: if you lose something, you're bound to find something just as nice. But get this: Later that afternoon I discover twenty euros fell from my back pocket. Oh crap!
Rule of Bizarro: if you lose something, you're bound to find something just as niceI guess that was about how much those fancy flowers cost. C'est la vie....
Thursday, September 9, 2010
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This is just ridiculous. Now foreign travelers coming to America must pay $14 if they are not already in possession of a U.S. visa. The long-winded name for this tourist tax is the "operational and travel promotion fee" and it extends to citizens of the EU. Naturally the EU is none too happy about this -- and understandably so.
This is just ridiculous. Now foreign travelers coming to America must pay $14 if they are not already in possession of a U.S. visa. The long-winded name for this tourist tax is the "operational and travel promotion fee" and it extends to citizens of the EU. Naturally the EU is none too happy about this -- and understandably so.
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The past weekend turned out to be one of shopping. Didn't plan on it but the stubborn ache in my back got me to thinking, It's gotta be the shoes, because bad footwear does contribute to chronic back pain. So last Saturday I took my cheap ass to a shoe store in Alexanderplatz and made a point of getting a pair of NAME BRAND kicks -- on sale, of course darlings. Did you know they still make British Knights?! I didn't. Wound up buying a pair of black & gold Adidas (my first pair) because when in Rome....
On Sunday I was supposed to go to Cologne but when that plan fell through I found myself in, of all places, a flea market. Told myself I'd just stroll through. Yeah right. When I left there -- in under an hour, thank ye very little -- I was the new owner of a pair of fine leather gentlemen gloves, an H&M sport coat, a leather billfold, and an electric adapter for my EU machines when I go back across the Pond.
After a light Sunday workout -- abs and weight-free routines -- I strolled back through the flea market but, probably for the best, found no had-to-have items...yet since I was in need of a cell phone (this was two days before I reclaimed my 'handy' from lost & found) I went across the street to the local Media Markt and actually did not buy the cheapest phone on the shelf. Omg, sometimes I frighten me! My new Samsung slides open and includes a camera, camcorder, dictaphone, FM radio, headphones AND receives calls. I also picked up a mouse for my laptop.
And just like with the Adidas I made sure to claim a tax-free receipt of purchase so that when I go through Customs I'll receive a cash refund of the sales taxes. Hello!
The past weekend turned out to be one of shopping. Didn't plan on it but the stubborn ache in my back got me to thinking, It's gotta be the shoes, because bad footwear does contribute to chronic back pain. So last Saturday I took my cheap ass to a shoe store in Alexanderplatz and made a point of getting a pair of NAME BRAND kicks -- on sale, of course darlings. Did you know they still make British Knights?! I didn't. Wound up buying a pair of black & gold Adidas (my first pair) because when in Rome....
On Sunday I was supposed to go to Cologne but when that plan fell through I found myself in, of all places, a flea market. Told myself I'd just stroll through. Yeah right. When I left there -- in under an hour, thank ye very little -- I was the new owner of a pair of fine leather gentlemen gloves, an H&M sport coat, a leather billfold, and an electric adapter for my EU machines when I go back across the Pond.
And just like with the Adidas I made sure to claim a tax-free receipt of purchase so that when I go through Customs I'll receive a cash refund of the sales taxes. Hello!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
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The plan was to visit Cologne for the weekend and all appeared promising: travel was arranged (via mitfahrgelegenheit.de) and so were accommodations (Meiniger Hostels). The Sunday morning was so sunny and happy. I left the apt without haste and arrived to the designated meeting spot on time.
Walked around the area about four goddamn times and still spotted no silver Toyota or anybody waiting around looking for me. In short order I realized I'd been mitfahrgelegenfucked. Bastard! My trip to Cologne was -- poof! -- gone. Oh well. I might have tried to arrange a later ride but, man, I just wasn't feeling it. I hear everything left Cologne for Berlin anyway.... Maybe I'll give it another shot another time another day.
The plan was to visit Cologne for the weekend and all appeared promising: travel was arranged (via mitfahrgelegenheit.de) and so were accommodations (Meiniger Hostels). The Sunday morning was so sunny and happy. I left the apt without haste and arrived to the designated meeting spot on time.
Walked around the area about four goddamn times and still spotted no silver Toyota or anybody waiting around looking for me. In short order I realized I'd been mitfahrgelegenfucked. Bastard! My trip to Cologne was -- poof! -- gone. Oh well. I might have tried to arrange a later ride but, man, I just wasn't feeling it. I hear everything left Cologne for Berlin anyway.... Maybe I'll give it another shot another time another day.
I was mitfahrgelegenfuckedIn the meantime I left the "meeting spot" without haste and, after a pleasant detour through a flea market, arrived back home no worse for the wear.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
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Well I'll be doggone! After going two weeks without a cell phone I find out my lost phone was found and turned in to BVG's (Berlin public transportation department) Fündburo, or, Lost & Found office.
It never occurred to me that someone would not take the phone for themselves. Am ashamed of that but not ashamed to admit it. Several days after leaving my phone on the bus my flatmate offhandedly asked if I'd reported it to the city's lost & found. Whuuh? The thought never crossed my mind! I felt so stupid to have neglected such an obvious first step (then also, I wasn't terribly bothered with the lost so naturally I exerted no energies in its recovery).
So: I phoned first and described things as best I could remember and was surprised as all hell when the gentleman came back on the line and said, I think someone has found your phone, and proceeded to give me metro directions to the office; I got over to the building before it closed and waited in a short line. Everybody who lost something walked out with that something back in their possession. Then it was my turn and, lo and behold, archived in a metal filing cabinet was my cell phone! Das ist gut!
After showing viable identification and paying 7€ the cheap and near antiquated gadget was again mine. There was even a new text message on it.
Germans and Canadians -- despite my opinion of Canada its citizens have a stunning reputation for returning even loaded wallets! -- are such honest people when it comes to returning other peoples' stuff.
Well I'll be doggone! After going two weeks without a cell phone I find out my lost phone was found and turned in to BVG's (Berlin public transportation department) Fündburo, or, Lost & Found office.
It never occurred to me that someone would not take the phone for themselves. Am ashamed of that but not ashamed to admit it. Several days after leaving my phone on the bus my flatmate offhandedly asked if I'd reported it to the city's lost & found. Whuuh? The thought never crossed my mind! I felt so stupid to have neglected such an obvious first step (then also, I wasn't terribly bothered with the lost so naturally I exerted no energies in its recovery).
Germans are such honest people
After showing viable identification and paying 7€ the cheap and near antiquated gadget was again mine. There was even a new text message on it.
Germans and Canadians -- despite my opinion of Canada its citizens have a stunning reputation for returning even loaded wallets! -- are such honest people when it comes to returning other peoples' stuff.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
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It wasn't me!
I had long thought bed bugs were a part of nursery rhyme folklore but, noooo, those suckers are real. And vicious! I first experienced a dose of them in NYC when I stayed a week in this hotel on 8th Avenue. Good God! I didn't grow up with them and didn't know what the #@%! to make of the insects...but I soon learned to sleep covered up from neck to toe!!
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