Surprise trip to Berlin

I have 3 (boring)days of peace without Paprika; burning the candle at only one end. In a last minute decision, The Kiwi was using a few bank holidays(Hemelvaart) to have a long weekend in Berlin.... On Tuesday I decided that I had cleared my way through enough work, that I would join him by getting a train to Berlin late on the Wednesday, then returning on Sunday...

It's back to train travel, and I get the time to sit down with the laptop and update the blog, do some presentations for the coming conference season, and see what I can see to do in the Berlin Lonely Planet:



When the German ICE trains are quiet and running on time it's a great way to travel, my only complaint is the droning voice that tells you in three languages all the different stops that the train will make all the possible connections from each of those stops... it becomes a continuous drone in the background and I'm forced to stick on a little bit of Wolfmother to drown it out:



They're going to be supporting Pearl Jam during my summer adventures. I'm looking forward to seeing them live, they are black sabbath, Jethro Tull, led zep and the who rolled into one with a little bit of white stripes.... is there enough interesting added value? Who knows... I'll let you know when I've seen them live.

A quick text message to The Kiwi tells me he's not coming to Berlin. It was his idea in the first place, but when he arrives at the airport to be greeted by the dual distraction of a 2 hour delay, and a phone call beckoning him to the Gollem, the plans of exploring a new city get flushed:



I trundle along, and in no time(via a change in Hannover), I'm alighting in Berlin to be greeted by the smiley face of Paprika... Last weekend I showed her Amsterdam. This weekend she's showing me Berlin.

It's 11 O'Clock at night and it feels great to be traveling again... there's immediately a real vibe to the city... that kind of "stuck in the 80's" German thing... the fashion has it's own particular vibe and the the city is just wakening up and coming alive as I arrive.... it's very welcoming...for a socialite like myself anyway:



From here, we go straight to Paprika's flat........ I'm shattered and we decide that some food and bottle of red would be a good way to catch up(on 3 days), before I'm let loose on Berlin.

An early start

Ugggg..... We wake up at 7am..... ready to head out to Sloterdijk. We are going to the Tommy Hilfiger factory sale




One of my friends works for Tommy, so every six months I get to go to the sample sale. Tommy Hilfiger clothes are in general a little bright for me, but it does me good to get some colour in my Wardrobe. I am shopping with Paprika, the Bulgarian Bride and a Bulgarian friend from the wedding.

The sales, are good. The clothes are very very cheap, and the bright colours encourage me to be little more extrovert in what I wear. The only bad thing about these sales, is that we have to queue for hours.

We meet the Bulgarians at Sloterdijk station which is in the North West of Amsterdam. Paprika and I sleepily get the No. 12 tram and meet up with some cold and wet Bulgarians:



We have a cup of tea before we get started.... everyone is bleary eyed and shattered..... this sale better be good...

We walk out through the industrial estates of Sloterdijk and eventually find the place. There's a big long queue and it's really raining now. Luckily we have brought umbrellas....

......we eventually get in and there's a sea of clothes racks with people hurriedly moving through racks and racks of clothes, trying things on and looking for sizes....


.....this carries on for hours... and eventually, everyone has a bag full of clothes..... I'm not sure about some of these bright colours, but it's the summer, and they were all chosen by women, which means they have to be better than my coices... right?

We've decided to head to Diemen for lunch and to try on all the clothes. This means a metro trip round the south of Amsterdam. It's a strange day, but Paprika gets to see more of Amsterdam....

We arrive in Diemen and Obi wan gets to meet Paprika. He refers to her as the "little greek lady" for most of the day. After a big Bulgarian lunch, we settle down to watch the goonies:



Obi wan is the only one that stays awake. We all snooze our way through the film because of our early start.

After our snooze, we have some more food and sit around chinwagging for a while. We head back to the flat via a tram. We were going to go out, but we are absolutely shattered, so we get some sleep before Paprika returns home the next day......

Friday...... A Gollem, A Bhudda and some beers...

After a graze stinging shower, I'm off to work again... to end what seems to have been a very long week of burning the candle at both ends.

I'm meeting Paprika for lunch... we have several things to do, but first we sit down for some food on Kalverstraat with her and my boss:



After we are fed and watered, we head to Maison de Bonnieterrie to try on some Tommy Hilfiger clothes. Tomorrow, we are going to the Factory sale, and I want to se what size Tommy Hilfiger thinks my waist is following my healthy living and gym attendance.



It's good fun nipping in and out of the changing rooms in Maison de Bonnieterrie. It's not, but it masquerades as being posh, so the staff are on you like flys on a shite as soon as you show a passing interest in clothes. Paprika does a good job of massaging the staff's belief in commission while I ascertain that I can fit into a 34" pair of jeans again(it's been a few years)

After this, we head to a little Tibeten shop. Paprika has been fascinated by the bhudda around my neck which has fuelled many a kerouac/morrison inspired cod-philosophy discussion, so I want to get her something similar.





I got my Bhudda from a friend of my sisters. She was living and working in Phucket, Thailand for the year:



A drunken man started a conversation about Bhuddism with me... I kept up with him in both Singha beers, and also in drunken philosophy, while being determined that he wasn't getting scissors anywhere near my hair. At the end of the holiday he gave everyone in my family a Bhudda. Mine has been round my neck through thick and thin for about 8 years now. It kind of reminds me to stay chilled, be aware that what I'm worried about is probably only in my mind, and that I'm in control of my future and my destiny.... or something like that.

We find something little to suit Paprika's little frame, and buy it along with a chain for it...



The little man is very nice, and gives her a little hand made purse to keep it in. I'm shocked when he asks just 10 euros for the whole thing. I feel a bit bad.... I got a nice shiny pair of converse.

.......

After my afternoon of work, we meet for coffee at the Molenpad. No one appears to be doing anything tonight, even though it's a Friday. Tomorrow we are getting up early to go to Tommy. Since we are running out of drinking nights and Paprika hasn't been yet, we should head to the Gollem:



At 7pm, we're pretty early for a Gollem session, but I decide that if we limit ourselves to 2 beers, then we can be home without crashing. I settle into my standard end of work refreshing La Chouffe:




Paprika has been itching to try two things... the first one being her second Zatte of the holiday:



Beer number two is a Rochefort:



Paprika joins me with a Kwak.... finally in the correct glass(The Zotte is out of Kwak glasses):




Half way through beer number two..... disaster strikes. Some Kiwi's arrive and I have to stay for a further drink.

I go for a Chimay Wit from the tap while Paprika juggles some Kwak:



Tonight is a special night... There is a mystcal trappist brewery known as Westvleteren. The Monks only let you buy two crates of beer at once, so it's pretty rare. Tonight the Gollem has Westvletern 6 and Westvleteren 12. The Kiwi's order some up:

Westvelteren 12:




Luckily the kiwi's have a prior engagement and are heading off to an Irish bar somewhere.....

As we are finishing the dregs of our beers and working out where to get food on the way home disaster strikes again.... everyone's favourite Bulgarian Beer Connoisseur arrives..... we have to stay for another. This time Paprika and I opt for the same tipple... a (relatively) mild Chimay red:



Our Bulgarian chum of course wastes no time and whacks straight into a Westvleteren 6. We are soon joined by an American tourist, who has come to Europe to discover himself and discovered the joys of Belgian beer. He's a jolly fellow and we drink away until we decide that home could be a good idea if we're going to make it to the Tommy sale for 8am....

The cycle ride home passes without incident...

Wednesday and Thursday

Wednesday passed without incident. We didn't go to the Zotte, and given that it was midweek, we stayed in and I cooked Curry:



On Thursday I was out of Amsterdam for the day, so I didn't see Paprika until late at night. Because there were very few alcohol based landmarks that I could meet her at, and I was coming from a train station, it was the Zotte with my boss:



It turned into quite a sesh. It started with an Orval:



and fuelled by spicey sausages....



...olives....



......fresh brown bread.......



.......pate..........




..........cheese...........



moved to Chimay Blue:




The music was also flowing, we had some soundgarden:



.....happy mondays....



.....Busted.....



Eventually when it was getting too busy, we decided to have a beer outside at the bar next door.This idea was soon rained off and we headed for home. Although Paprika was drunk, you'd hardly recognise the drinking constitution that arrived last friday.

It's almost June, but no one seems to have told the weather. I was really disappointed that Paprika didn't get better weather, cos Amsterdam really is wonderful in the sun.

We find ourselves cycling home through what becomes torrential rain.



We are hardly dressed for winter, and it just seems to be getting worse and worse and worse... intelligence would have dictated that we should have taken the tram, but getting an Amsterdammer to give up his bike isn't as easy as that.

On the last turn before home, I slide on a wet tram track, and we're on the ground. Luckily Paprika is unscathed, and apart from a leg that is still several shades of Blue, yellow and purple from ankle to knee, I came off okay.

From the gutter, we dust ourselves down and head for home..... Paprika's trip to Amsterdam seems to become more complete by the day.

Tuesday: A real Zotte sesh.

Tuesday: museums...Bulgarians in the Zotte....

The weather is worse than ever... It's getting worse instead of better.

I have another day at work while Paprika heads off and discovers Amsterdam. This works quite well, although I wish I was off wandering about and being a traveller too. It won't be long till a summer of travelling starts and this just makes it seem closer.

I drop Paprika at the Anne Frank museum:





It's a while since I've been, but Paprika's German abilites should mean she gets a lot out of the old Nazi letters and the whole experience in general.

I come and pick her up again at lunctime. Ont the way my peddle falls off....



.....so it's a quick trip tot he nearest bike shop before lunch which is a wander around the Negen Straatjes:



The Negen straatjes is an area of Amsterdam within the canal belt that contains nine little streets(negen straatjes) of curious little shops, boutiques, cafe's and restaurants. It's good for a wander, and it's quite near my work, so it's a suitable way to spend my lunch hour. We get some take away(but not from Wok to Walk), and then do some window shopping. It sometiems amazes me what people can successfully sustain a business on.

I head back to work. When I am finished, I head to the Zotte with my boss, where I;m going to meet up with Paprka. Apart from being to the Anne Frank, she's also managed to visit soe museums. Namely the rijksmuseum.....



....and the Van Gogh museum:



we crack into some fine beers:





and have some olives and spicey sausage....

We are pretty well oilled when a Bulgarian Beer Drinker that I know comes in. He seems to have decided to have a night off from the Gollem.

Paprika has been merrily(Drunkenly) craving some genuine belgian frites since she first smelt them. So once the Bulgarian table get some, I suggest that she should go and ask nicely for one. She heads over battering her eyelids and using her womanly charms and manages to steal a handful:



When my boss leaves for another bar, we join the Bulgarian table and continue to get well oilled on various beers. When I try to buy Paprika a non alcoholic beer:



she continues to just drink my la chouffe anyway:



I chomp down a delicous Tuna steak. It turns out that the chef in the Gollem is Greek, so Paprika uses her language skills to ensure that we have a friend for life in the Zotte from now on. Not a bad man to know, cos his food is always delicious.

We continue through some witkap pater:






and some Chimay:



and then head for the tram(My bike is still pedalless at this point).

Quite a big night for a tuesday, but apart from a long wait at the tram stop its home to bed ready to go to work the next day.

Γοοδ Νιγητ

Monday: Back to work

Monday:Back to work..... Amsterdam shopping......new converse.... DVD's

After what seems like an endless weekend of Grunge adventures, I find myself cycling to work on monday morning with Paprika holding on for dear life behind me.

Most of my work just now is preparing for the summer conference season, so coupled with a summer of Pearl Jam dates, it feels like I'm travelling already.

Paprika is going to go off and see the Museums. If she ever starts a blog I'm sure you can read about it.....

When lunchtime comes, we head yet again to Wok to Walk:



The staff now know us, which is quite funny. We must be eating too many noodles.

We sit on Leidseplein and mourn the good weather that we saw at the weekend. What seemed like the start of summer, has turned into November, and the energy giving sunshine has still not broke, but Paprika's(Or any visitor's) enthusiasm for Amsterdam makes life a lot more fun.

We head for a wander along the shopping street during my lunch hour. I never think much of shopping in Amsterdam, but we go go to head to Masion de Bonneterie to check our sizes in Tommy Hilfiger clothes before Saturday's sale.

Paprika is pretty impressed by Amsterdam's English book stores and the general obscurity of some of the shops. We even find a shoe shop with a diverse range of converse trainers:



I'll have to bring Mowgli here next time he's in Amsterdam.

The sun is shining and I'm really sorry to be going back to work. Paprika's going to go off and acquaint her self with more of Amsterdam.

When I'm finished work, we meet at Het Molenpad, a small bar around the corner from my work. We have a coffee here...

Paprika has bought me pair of Converse as a present... tan leather converse:



Gerrit up ye Mowgli.

They're fantastic and now I can't wait to update the rest of my wardrobe at the sales on Saturday.

I hear about Parpika's day. Apart from buying me my nicest pair of converse yet, she's also managed to have a good wander around Amsterdam to get her barings:













After Het Molenpad, we head for a quickie and something to eat at the Zotte. We're not going to turn it into a sesh, just some bread and cheese and a beer before we head home. First day back at work after a good weekend is a long one, so we've opted to head home for takeaway sushi:



The Kiwi is there, so we all tuck into some sushi before we head off for an early night.