And then spring came to Berlin

As the semester has come to an end, my life in Berlin has become to feel more and more like a dream. It is as if the last real thing I remember was playing with my dog and cat that sunny afternoon on January 7 before I departed for the airport to catch my flight here. Somewhere in the middle, when I had the routine of classes and homework, my life here felt real, solid, but in this past week since classes have ended, I am feeling more and more like Berlin is a world that is slipping too quickly through my fingers.

And, of course, right as I have to leave, the weather turns beautiful. I had thought Berlin was alive before, but it was only stirring slightly in its winter sleep. With the sun and warm weather, Berlin has come to life, brimming with energy, people, and events. Bikes speed down the bike lane and people are out walking and running along the streets. As soon as it hit seventy degrees, us Americans were out parading in our shorts, skirts, and short sleeves, while the Germans gave us crazy looks on the S-bahn as they are all still huddled in their jeans and winter coats. They, perhaps wisely, do not trust the weather.

In my free time since I finished my exams on Tuesday, my host dad has been taking me out to enjoy Berlin. On Tuesday night we went to a German pub in Charlottenburg with his friend Andre and his wife Brigit and watched the big semi-final fußball (soccer) game between Bayern and Barcelona. Barcelona is the best team in the world, but Bayern killed them 4-0. I also got to try my first German schnitzel, which many if my friends claim is nothing more than a giant chicken nugget, but I think it is much better than that.

I was lucky to be able to spend two days with Brandon Verna, a good friend who is studying in Nantes, France this semester. He spent five days in Berlin with our German friend Matthias Bifolchi.

Enjoying some Schawarma in Kreuzberg

On Thursday, my host dad took me out to Wannsee, one of Berlin's most famous lakes.

The BVG, Berlin's transportation company, has a ferry that you can ride across the lake in with your transportation pass. We rode across and back.

Again, Germany's history is inescapable. The house pictured below is where the Wannsee Conference took place on January 20, 1942, and Himmler's "Final Solution" was created.

A sailboat on the Wannsee

The dock on the other side of the lake.

Gerd at the Wirsthaus where we ate a late and very good lunch.

With classes over, my days are suddenly free, so I got all my souvenir shopping done on Thursday.

Sara and I eating ice cream at Wilmersdorferstraße in Charlottenburg.

Sunday, we were blessed with an insanely beautiful day. It was warm and sunny, and my host mom directed me to a park called Britzer Garten which was full of the most beautiful flowers I have ever seen. I wandered the park for two hours and still did not see everything, and the three euro admission was completely worth it. Each day that I stay longer in Berlin, I realize more and more how much I adore this incredible city. I have less than a week left now, and as my experience here sinks more and more into a dream-like landscape, I will let you see for yourself what I mean through the incredible photos I took at Britzer Garten.

This baby goat tried to eat my camera.