May Day

Wow. May Day in Berlin is CRAZY! I mean, everyone warned us its a little nuts, but really it exceeded my expectations.

The night before is a huge holiday in Germany as well - Walpurgisnacht. Boxhaganer Platz, just a few blocks from our house, was the sight of some of the major protests/parties here in Berlin and it got pretty crazy. At one point we counted 9 huge Police Vans go down the street, and I didn't get much sleep what with people breaking bottles on my window sill all night.

The next day we headed to Kreuzberg were the big festival was happening for May Day - and it was probably the biggest party just out in the streets I have ever seen. It was a blast!

I can't just choose one photo - here is a slideshow of the whole thing (yeah because after like 2 years of using it I just figured out you can do this with Flickr!):

An Autumn Walk

Hammy the Squirrel

Today I took a walk through the oldest public park in Berlin, Volkspark Friedrichshain. It was beautiful. As you can see below, I really bonded with the woodland creatures too. I don't know what it is, I have always had a thing with squirrels. I think these red squirrels with their bushy tails are so much cuter than the grey squirrels we used to see in Texas and Oklahoma. Hopefully I didn't mess up this little dudes diet too much. Next time I will bring a pocketful of sunflower seeds or something.

Take a Little Trip with Me...

I have been a little (lot) longwinded lately. So, here is a photo essay of Friedrichshain, beginning with my front door and ending with the last remaining part of the Berlin Wall, now the East Side Gallery:


(sorry if the pictures appear on your screen a little jumbled. I wish I knew how to manipulate layout a bit better on here....)
1. My Front Door & My Ubahn (subway) Station
2. &3. Some of my neighbors
4. Some recycling bins, these are all over
5. Boxhanger Platz, where they have the flea market on Sundays
6. Our pal Jorg and his dog Spock
7. Some tables outside at Simon Dach, the main drag
8&9.. A bike and a Scooter - the primary modes of transport other than walking
10&11.. Some examples of the local street art
12. Pretty much sums up Friedrichshain
13.Warschauer Strasse Train Station
14. Warschauer Strasse Ubahn Station - with a local punk/squatter counting his change he has collected
15. Oberbaumbrucke(bridge) - was one of the main checkpoints between east & west Berlin
16. A few shots of the East Side Gallery (Berlin Wall).

Friedrichshain Flea Market

*If you are looking for info on the Flea Market- it takes place every Sunday in Boxhanganer Platz in Friedrichshain, one block of east of Simon-Dach Strasse. HERE is a map. Enjoy!

So, anyone who knows me knows how I love the vintage. Flea Markets and Second-hand shops are something I just can't get enough of. So, imagine my excitement at realizing the park by our house hosts one of Berlin's best Flea Markets every Sunday. It is amazing! This area of Berlin is home to a lot of artists, hippies, punks, and people who choose to live 'off the grid'. This makes for a really vibrant and varied flea market full of amazing art, old artifacts from around World War II that Americans like me find fascinating, crazy antiques and unusual objects, and good old junk. I love it! Here are some pictures from my stroll through this past Sunday: