Friday 6 September 2013

Are we ready for the weekend?

The end of the first working week has arrived. Busy, as was predicted. It feels as though there hasn't been a spare second among German lessons, workshops and guided walks. To be honest I'm exhausted already, but a social engagement has arisen for tonight. A few drinks to end a hectic first week in Europe's hippest city. There may be a club involved, but since no one in Berlin heads out before 2am I get the feeling I may have flaked before we reach it.
Last night's expedition was by far the worst event of the project so far. A group of us trekked out to Kreusberg, around an hour by public transport from the apartments, to find a fabled German restaurant called "Mutti". After scouring the entire (very long) street, we asked at a bar if they knew of the restaurant. They'd never heard of it. Disgruntled and famished we walked the half-mile or so back to the U-Bahn station and headed down to Warschauer-Strasse, where we got some cheap and surprisingly good pizzas.
Currently sitting in St. Oberholz on Rosenthaler-Platz, again. Getting here involved a bus, a mishap at a tram stop, a short journey on the wrong S-Bahn train, and in total about 30 more minutes than it need have taken.
Having had some lovely quiche and iced tea, I feel about ready to call it a night. Will probably be in bed at some horrendously early hour for a Friday night in Berlin (1am). The weather today has been spectacular, unbroken sunshine and a temperature of 28 degrees or so. The city looks beautiful in the sunlight; its Soviet constructions, architectural anomalies and grandiose monuments are all brought to life by it. Tomorrow I'll be heading up the Victory Column and the Berliner Dom (both for work), hopefully followed by a biergarten or beach bar (well, work should include regular breaks).
(And that wasn't a typo, there really are beach bars in Berlin).
The next working week ought to be more organised and settled than the last. Our own individual timetables and work schedules will begin solidifying as we decide what we'll be reviewing and fall into a pattern of work, play and writing.
Right now I don't particularly want to think about work. Tea, biscuits and bed are occupying rather a lot of my mind, but I sense they may be a long way off.
I'm sure a few glasses of wine will suffice.

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