I saw an ad in the U-Bahn the other day. Two people were jumping together out of a plane. A short but fascinating feeling, I have experienced 3 years ago. Cross my heart, tandem jumping is a must for any adrenaline lover!

I’ve jumped near Bucharest.  It was a lovely day with a clear sky. The people around me were pretty nervous, but also enthusiastic, preparing to see the Earth from above, to float freely in the sky. The instructors we jumped with were really experienced (more than 5000 jumps each) and tried to release the tension by making silly jokes. For example, they advised one guy to jump first, assuring him that, at some point during his jump, they will catch him and bring him back alive on the ground. The guy seemed suspicious. “Are you sure you’ll catch me?” And all people burst into laughter.

The plane was heading up. And up. And up. Until the colored squares of the field were just like painted eggs on the Easter table. It was like a map, not like a real landscape.

We headed towards the open door of the plane and….1, 2, 3! We were in the aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaair heading Earth with almost 200km/h! Our faces were like crepe paper. The stomach was somewhere closer to my neck and the heart was pumping like crazy! It was an unbelievable feeling of freedom! You could roll up in the air, fall with your head down, everything! With every second, the map was turning into a landscape again.

After almost one minute of free falling, somewhere around 1400m, the parachute was released. The speed became slower and the crazy falling turned into a pleasant floating. It took us 3 minutes at most to get back on the ground. My knees were like chewing gum! But the entire feeling was so great, I could almost feel it again while watching that print in the U-bahn.

Did you every experience this? How did it feel like? Because now, that I know we can do tandem jumps in Berlin, I would really love to try this again. If interested, here’s you could find more information – www.funjump.de.

There’s nothing better but a place full of life. And when I mean life, I mean any type of creature that may, at some point, be in a specific place. In our case, in Berlin.

A short walk through the city reveals the fact that here, the people are never alone.  No matter how it sounds, here, the locals leave in peace with rats, for example. Ratatouille would be proud to know, that his far away cousins are so welcome in here.

No matter how big they are, they are good neighbors, so Berliners seem to love it. Eccentric tastes, if you ask me.

But that’s not everything. Some other people decided their best neighbors are the snakes. No matter how big and dangerous they seem, they are protective and nice. And no, they are not trying to convince no one to taste the apple:)

And the Jungle Book doesn’t stop here.  The bear could not miss from a city whose main symbol is a bear. You can meet in many places and, as long as you want to play and fool around, he’s always ready for a good laugh.

Some fish are fun too. They don’t speak too much, but they are friendly and welcoming. Say hello to Nemo’s uncle!

By the way…I forgot to ask, did he find it?

To me, this city never sleeps. Still, there are some creatures – the rooster for example – that take a nap from time to time, even in the middle of the street.

But the rooster situation is understandable. I don’t think I could wake up at 6 every day just to sing a silly song and pretend I have something important to do.

Last, but not least, we should always be ready for the elephant attack! The artists from Blue and Joy are just preparing a memorable elephant parade. Here’s a sample!

Who said you need to visit an exotic space to have all these inhabitants in the same place? Who said the fish needs water to live or the bear cannot adapt to the city life? It’s all a lie. It just needs a bit of imagination. And Berlin has plenty!

If the wall of Berlin could talk, it would probably tell us more interesting stories than we could imagine and it would share with us some forgotten secrets of this incredible city. And probably, one chapter of its book would be about Devil’s mountain or, as the Germans call it, Teufelsberg.

What now is just an abandoned place marked by graffiti and inhabited by squatters, after the Second World War used to be one of the largest listening stations built by NSA (National Security Agency), to survey the radio emissions emanating from eastern Germany, the GDR, and part of Poland. The base has been closed for years and now Teufelsberg is just an attraction for photographers, film makers or common people coming to enjoy its special acoustic.

In here, on the top of the 115m tower, the sound is more than a sound. Every whisper is a small revolution. Your tiny voice is ten times stronger in the ball built upstairs and a clap of hands sounds like a clash of the titans. The wind brings its own contribution and makes the tower seem to be inhabited by monsters.

“We don’t want just a piece of cake, we want the whole bakery” states a graffiti line written on the wall. If this line would apply for sounds, here it’s totally true.

But it’s not only the sounds that make this place special. It is the entire appearance, its entire underground atmosphere. Plus, the beautiful view from above.

You could stay an entire day and not get bored, while the forest and the lakes you see from up there combined with the strange sounds, make Teufelsberg look like taken out of a happy-end ghost story.

I really recommend you go see this place. It’s quite far, but not really in the Land of Far Far Away. You just need to take the S-Bahn (and a camera:)) until Heerstrasse, and then walk for another 20 minutes near the forest. With a bike, it’s even easier. So… no excuses allowed!:)

For the first time in my life, two days ago I met the German Easter Bunny. You know, this famous character with long chocolate ears… He invited me to have a red egg together and we chatted about his far away cousin – The Romanian Easter Bunny. Here’s a short part of our conversation:

Bunny: Hi what’s up?

Me: Hey Bunny, good to see you! I’m fine, just preparing for my first Easter out of home…

Bunny: Ooh, so you’re not meeting my Romanian cousin this year…

Me: No, this year I stay with you! How’s the cousin?

Bunny: He’s very busy these days. You know how things are happening back there. He has to help people clean the whole house for Easter, paint the eggs, make the traditional cakes – pasca and cozonac – and, of course, the delicious lamb stake and the lamb drob…

Me: Yes, I noticed, back home people are a bit busier than here for Easter. They prepare so many things, sometimes too many, then go to the church to take the light and hallow the food for the Easter dinner. It’s so nice! We love it! You should come and see sometimes…there are thousands of people in the yard of the church singing the Easter song and then spreading on the streets. The light of the candles make the night turn into day. And when the real day comes, people make that trick with the red egg…

Bunny: What trick?

Me: Don’t you know? In the first Easter morning we put a red egg and a coin in a bowl with water and they say that those people whose face is washed with that water will be red and healthy as the egg and, because of the coin, also fortunate with money.

Bunny: Ah, didn’t know that! Just knew you clash the eggs on each other and say a funny thing…And, yes, I know that in some parts of the country men go out in the first Easter evening and spray the women with perfume.

Me: Hahaha, yes, that’s right! In Transilvania! You know, Dracula’s territory…is not that bloody as we imagine! But in Moldavia, where I come from, the nuns in the monasteries turn every egg into a piece of art. Not just one color or two, but with really beautiful unique models.

Maybe I’ll bring you some next year. Those eggs are simply amazing! But…why are you so agitated?

Bunny: You see… I am not that safe these days. With all those Easter specialties, the Romanian cousin is a bit safer than I am. But here kids always want to eat the chocolate bunny, so I always have to watch my ears and my tail.

Me: Don’t worry bunny, I’ll protect you…

Bunny: You don’t understand…they are unstoppable. Here they come, sorry, but I have to run. Give them this small imitation of me and tell them I’ll be back! Must go now….bye!

Me: Bye bye Bunny! And Happy Easter!

Hola a todos,

como pongo en el título es mi último post. Debo decir que me ha hecho mucha ilusión escribir día a día lo que me pasaba o veía que era interesante. Al principio no sabía muy bien cómo me iría, pero parece mentira que haya escrito tantas entradas en este blog.

Hoy, por ser el último, voy a subir algunas fotillos de mi clase de alemán en la Deutsch Akademie. Estoy segura que voy a seguir teniendo contactos con la mayoría, ya que en la clase había un ambiente genial y nos lo pasábamos bien, además de aprender mucho. Y por cierto, THANKS NADINE FOR YOUR CLASSES!!

¿Mi experiencia en Berlín? Ha sido estupenda. Una ciudad que me ha maravillado, todos los rincones son interesantes y su historia, también. Ha valido la pena vivir estos tres meses y medio aquí y quién sabe… a lo mejor vuelvo. Los alemanes han sido muy amables, siempre o casi siempre esforzándose por comunicarse contigo e incluso aprender de nuestras costumbres. La comida me ha gustado, sobre todo esas Currywurst (que por cierto, ya he comprado algunas para llevarlas a España :p ).

Por último, deciros que si no habéis estado en España, os lo recomiendo, claro. Los rincones que he tenido la suerte de conocer, son también maravillosos!! Espero que os haya gustado leer mis comentarios.

Saludos y hasta siempre.

 Buenos días,

supongo que os habréis dado cuenta que esta semana se ha llenado todo de huevos decorados, chocolate y conejos. Por lo visto, es la tradición aquí en Alemania. En las semanas previas a la Semana Santa, se preparan para la primavera con flores y decorando los árboles con bonitos y coloridos huevos. Estos son el símbolo de „nueva vida“.

Después del huevo de Pascua, el conejo es probablemente el símbolo más popular en estas fechas en Alemania. Simboliza fertilidad. El conejo vino importado desde América, donde lo llamaban „Oschter Haws“ („Easter Hare“). Sobre 1800 ya se hicieron los primeros conejos comestibles aquí en Alemania.

Los alemanes disfrutan de un largo fin de semana: viernes y lunes de Pascua son las fiestas nacionales; tiendas, bancos y oficinas están cerrados. Normalmente los niños tienen vacaciones por dos semanas y la mayoría de los alemanes viajan en estos días.

El fin de semana comienza el viernes de Pascua (viernes 22 de mayo), cuando muchas familias comen tradicionales recetas de pescado. El sábado es un día estupendo para visitar los percados, llenos de huevos y demás decoración de Pascua. Un dulce tradicional es uno con forma de cordero. Tendremos que buscarlo, ¿no? El domingo es el día más destacado, ya que la tradición es que los padres y madres escondan por cualquier sitio chocolate, huevos, conejos dulces, chucherías y pequeños regalos para los pequeños de la familia. Será muy emocionante ver a los niños buscando en los parques, ¿verdad?

Bueno, espero que esto nos acerque un poco más a la Pascua alemana y Frohe Ostern (feliz Pascua)!!

I have to tell you something about me. I’ve always loved adrenaline sports. I jumped with a tandem parachute, I did bungee-jumping, I even started a paraglide class few years ago. There are not many things to scare me and most people consider me quite brave.

Buuuuuuut…and here’s a looong buuuut, I must recognize I am afraid of one thing like hell – no, not that I can get abducted by aliens, nor by a natural catastrophe – I am afraid… to ride a bike in the city. That’s it, I said it! It’s ok if you just burst into laughter. All my friends do. They call me chicken and so on.

But really, if I’m riding a bike on the street and I hear a car coming from behind or I see some other bus coming from the other side, I’m simply freezing. For their safety, I don’t recommend kids to get out of the house when I’m riding a bike. Because, out of nowhere, they may get hit by something similar to a lady.

You cannot imagine how I look at all those 5 year old children that ride bikes next to their parents and seem to have no problem with it. Sounds sick, but yes, I envy the 5 year olds!

And, here, in Berlin, everything seems so easy when you have a bike around. You can travel everywhere, without any extra costs. It’s true, maybe the roads are not so bike-friendly as in Copenhagen (that’s what my Danish colleague said) but definitely this doesn’t seem to be a major problem for the bikers.

And, just to show them my appreciation – because they are totally my heroes  – I want to share a tip with them. So, just in case you didn’t know, in May you have the chance to check and repair your bike for free! Here, in Berlin! The Frühlings Check takes place in three different Saturdays and three different locations between 10-17 hours:

– 07th May: Alice-Salomon-Platz (Marzahn/Hellersdorf)
– 14th May: Henriettenplatz / Kurfürstendamm 116  (Charlottenburg/Wilmersdorf)
–  21th May: Kastanienallee / Nähe Schönhauser Allee (Pankow)

So, if your bike has a problem, May is the month to solve it! And, who knows? Maybe meanwhile I’ll get over this anxiety and we’ll meet in there!

Buenas tardes,

en España ya va quedando poco para Semana Santa y eso conlleva la aparición de millones de dulces exquisitos en todas las panaderías y pastelerías. Uno de mis favoritos son las torrijas. No suelo comer muchas, prefiero comerlas en un momento especial de la semana y saborearlas. Espero que os gusten!!

Ingredientes:

• Pan del día anterior y pan de molde (por si las queréis hacer aquí en Alemania, el pan de molde blanco es más fácil de encontrar)
• Leche
• Vino dulce (no muy fuerte)
• Piel de naranja seca y molida
• Una cucharada de azúcar vainillada
• Miel
• Azúcar
• Chocolate negro
• Aceite de oliva
• Agua
• Huevos

Preparación:

Mezclamos en un cazo la leche, el vino (por dos de leche una de vino) el azúcar vainillada, azúcar blanca (es suficiente con medio vaso, aunque depende de lo dulce que las queramos) , y la piel de naranja. Dejamos hervir, apartamos y dejamos que se enfríe.

Empapamos el pan en este preparado. Dejamos que el pan absorba el jugo en una fuente. Mientras batimos los huevos, ponemos el aceite a calentar, que sea abundante. Pasamos las rebanadas de pan por el huevo y freimos. Para que no estén demasiado aceitosas, podemos usar papel absorbente al sacarlas de la sartén.

En otro cazo ponemos la miel (200 ml), 200cc de agua, 2 cucharadas de azúcar y un trozo de chocolate negro. Dejamos que se mezcle todo y que llegue a abullición. Más tarde, lo apartamos del fuego y dejamos enfriar.

El último paso es ir pasando las torrijas por este último preparado. Las vamos colocando en una fuente, donde las dejaremos enfriar.

¡Y ahora a comer! ¡Qué aproveche!

Dear Ursula Sladek,

First of all, congratulations for the Golden Prize you received in San Francisco this Monday! That’s really something! But more than just the award, I want to congratulate you for your initiative and for fighting to do the things your way, for believing in your cause.

I wish I could tell you my name, but I don’t have one. Still, you can call me Greeny. I’m a tree from the Black Forest and I live really close to you.  Some say I’m a survivor, because every Christmas, someone looks at me with big interested eyes. But, thanks to the Tree’s God, they realize just in time that I’m not a fir. And, that adding a shiny star on top of me won’t help:)

I write you because I’m a mother too. During my last 30 years I took care of my tiny tree babies all around. I tried to protect them from heavy rain and thunder, from drought or powerful wind. You know how moms are.  There’s only one thing I can never be sure of – the power of man.

In 1986, when the Chernobyl tragedy has happened, I was just a kid. But mom told me what the nuclear power is all about and how it can affect us all.  We were really wondering if someone will ever take this initiative to start a renewable energy company here, in Germany. The wind, the sun, the rivers, they all said they’d be glad to help. They just needed someone to believe in their power. Someone to take the first step.

I can hardly describe how happy we all were when we heard about you and your company – the first renewable energy company in Germany – built not by a corporation, but 100% by your personal initiative and your ability to get the civil society involved. I know you worked a lot for this project, because 20 years may be just a little for the life of a tree, but for a man…it’s pretty much. But, now, that you look around and see almost 100.000 clients using your renewable energy, I bet it feels good! All I can hope both for you and for me is that you will manage to get to 1 million clients until 2015, as you wish.

I don’t want to get you bored anymore with my appreciation. Just wanted to add that, if you’ll ever get around, in a trip with your kids, I’d more than happy to offer you shadow and fresh air!

Best green regards,

Greeny.