Greetings from Berlin - 2/12/08

12589 Berlin, Lindenstrasse 77  (Friedrichsheim-Kreuzberg-Gegend),2-12-08
 

Hello, you all: 

Yesterday we flew our cozy, comfy coop in Vaihingen and are now in Berlin, where we are learning anew how to fend for ourselves. We are already missing Werner's helpful advice and protection! 

Our small bachelor apartment here is centrally located, it could not be more convenient: Looking out of our 14th floor top apartment, we can see nearby the Alexander Platz Funkturm, = the tall communications tower of former East Germany; nearby is the old Berlin Wall, a small stretch of which is still standing hear. This apartment is the owner's (Nilolaus Basedow) "downtown" batchelor's digs, while he lives on the outskirts of town near a lake and a large forest. He will leave for Rancho Palos Verdes next Saturday, where Heiner will pick him up at the airport and introduce him to his new surroundings in the Bay Club.

We have just returned by  foot (of course) from the former Checkpoint Charlie, the old barrier/wall gate between the US zone of Berlin(West), and the dreaded Soviet East Germany. It is the gate where hundreds of people lost their lives trying to escape East Germany in ordert o get to freedom in the West. 

We have just walked a bit to get a feel for the surroundings and the area; e.g. we found a nearby  grocery store just a couple of streets over, where we got some essential groceries; then we walked to the subway station and bought a city transportation ticket which is good for all means of public transportation for one whole month (for only 49 Euros); had a cup of Kaffee and belegtes Broetchen for lunch (oven-fresh bun with butter, cheese, tomatoes and lettuce), returned "home" tired and satisfied. Now Richey is sleeping and resting up from our "exhausting" foray.

 Our apartment  has everything we need and nothing more, not even a telephone . 

 

More soon. Greetings and lots of love and a big hug from Omi and Baba, Mom and Dad, Ziggy and Richey

 

 

A great little story:> Doesn't pay to be greedy. 

> Dumbest Kid in the World? 
> 
> 
> A young boy enters a barber shop and the barber whispers to his customer, 
> "This is the dumbest kid in the world. Watch while I prove it to you." 
> 
> The barber puts a dollar bill in one hand and two quarters in the other, 
> then calls the boy over and asks, "Which do you want, son?" 
> 
> The boy takes the quarters and leaves. 
> 
> "What did I tell you?" said the barber. "That kid never learns!" 
> 
> Later, when the customer leaves, he sees the same young boy coming out of 
> the ice cream store. "Hey, son! May I ask you a question? Why did you > take the 
> quarters instead of the dollar bill?" 
> 
> The boy licked his cone and replied, "Because the day I take the dollar, > the 
> game's over!" 
>