Winter is definitely not my favourite season and the list of things I dislike about it is far longer than the positive items. Layers (and layers) of clothing: when I first moved to Berlin back in 2001, one of the aspects of living here that my then three-year-old daughter and I had a devil of
Category: Berlin Through Frog Eyes
The photograph above was taken last night at the Berlin Rathaus Spandau subway station, to me one of the most beautiful and charming stations of the Berliner subway. There are a lot of interesting stations around the city, no doubt about that, but this one never ceases to enchant me. Call it home turf pride
Meet Elvis, a Muscovy Duck I mistook for a goose, and I apologised profusely to him, especially after meeting his partner. Elvis is a nickname I bestowed the good duck, so for consistency’s sake, I will refer to his partner as Priscilla. She definitely looked like the rocker duck’s partner, with the tamed down look
Christmas season is hectic, and each year I promise myself that I will not be dragged into the rush and commercialism. So far I have managed to trim down and cut a lot of corners, but have nevertheless ended up on the receiving end of other people’s hectic schedules. This is not always a bad
The doorbell rang in the middle of a Criminal Minds episode that I was very engrossed in and it threw me off. I wasn’t expecting anyone, and it being Sunday, it couldn’t possibly be a delivery. Much to my delight, when I opened the door I was greeted with two very enthusiastic young artists (three-and-a-half-year-old
Maybe it is because I grew up in colourful countries and and lived most of my life among cultures where colour plays a major role in daily life, but what makes winter in Europe incredibly depressingis the fact that most people choose to wear dark blue, dark grey or black jackets and overcoats. For the
If Santa were allowed to have some fun on Christmas and were let loose around the German Christmas markets for some mulled wine (Glühwein), he would indeed end up doing the pole dance on one of Berlin’s numerous old-fashioned street lamps, especially if he visited all 80 Christmas markets in the city! Christmas in Germany
Every day is ChristmasWhen you have the kind of mind,That stores up all the goodnessAnd the sweetness it can find.When you don’t need an occasion,To spread a bit of cheer,But just keep on a-giving,Of yourself throughout the year. Every day is Christmas,With a gaily wrapped surprise,When you’ve learnedTo see the friendship,In someone else’s eyes.When you
The other day I wrote briefly about rising from the rubble, rebuilding my life, my self, and parts of my soul. One of the most powerful poems of Dr. Maya Angelou has been a guiding light throughout this process, and it is not the first time I share it here. Nevertheless, I sometimes need to
Sleep deprivation and other issues are haunting me at the moment, draining me of energy faster than my freezer can defrost. It has been an eventful week, to say the least, but also one where I have had several Eureka! moments, bringing me peace of mind. Before anything else, indulge me and let me get
