Oh don't get excited. I'm not much of a kiss and tell kind of girl and I'm far too nice to share any really dirty gossip.
December. Well, by the very fact that I haven't written a word since November's Freche Muse you can probably tell it's been rather busy.
Asides from the usual Christmas and New Year preparations there was an awful lot of fun to be had and this year I was in the Christmas spirit more so than ever.
If you've read any of my blog entries you'll know I tend to waffle. I like to think of it as creating the right kind of imagery through descriptive language but I suppose that's up for debate! So I've broken December down into newsworthy events.
There was also a trip to Berlin with BW early in December which renewed my love of the city. Yet another place I must live one day along with Paris. The benefit of living in Germany however is that I would be able to speak the language at least. My german is getting ever rustier and it was pleasing to be able to have an opportunity to practise.
My only real resolution for the New Year is to organise a Stammtisch, where people with varying levels of German speaking ability gather to have a few drinks and attempt conversation. Naturally this becomes much easier for the less fluent as more alcohol is imbibed.
We were mostly focused on enjoying the Christmas markets. Nobody does them like the Germans (yes I know I'm biased) and BW wanted to experience them too, particularly as this was his first time in Germany. We stayed in a lovely place in the center, Pension Elegia. Don't bother with the breakfast though just pick up a pastry and a coffee from the bakery on the corner.
On our first night I managed to put my clock back an hour instead of forward an hour. Which resulted in some serious confusion on our first morning. Staring at the clock which I believed should have read 9:30 and seeing 11:30 instead. Nevertheless I dragged BW off to Checkpoint Charlie. Last time I went there 9 years ago I was just a lass on my first outing to Germany. It moved me then and I appreciated it just as much the second time around.
Once we left the Checkpoint it was starting to get dark, and if we thought it was cold earlier the temperature plummeted once dark fell. But onwards to the Weihnachtsmarkt on Gendarmenmarkt. It was pure magic.
We did go to other markets. There was one outside Charlottenburg castle which had a giant wooden nativity which revolved like the traditional german Christmas decorations. But the one at Gendarmenmarkt was our favourite and we went back again the night before we left.
Brightly lit stars on every stall, Gluhwein (mulled wine), hot chocolate, Bratwurst in breadrolls, Christmas biscuits, waffles with hot cherries and cream, poffertjes and crepes with icing sugar, hot amaretto, this trip was all about the food and drink. There was also entertainment on the main stage. My favourite was the music. A jazz band playing 1920s and 30s tunes one night and a Sinatra style one the next. Rugged up in enough layers to resemble a throng of Eskimos and warmed by a few strong mulled wines, we all danced in the icy square.
Never entirely being able to escape thoughts of burlesque and performance, two things happened in Berlin. BW found a flyer for a burlesque show which had already been and gone which happened to have a number of english dancers I recognised. Secondly, BW had a brilliant idea for an act and as I wandered through a stall selling traditional decorations I stumbled upon something which crystallised that idea. It will be a long time in the making though so don't hold your breath folks.
Tacheles Kunsthaus was one of my favourites parts of the visit. Another performer Therese la Tease had suggested it when we were chatting at Bob's birthday party. Her description of it fascinated me, that it looked like a squat from the outside (and indeed it is) but once you walk inside it is a gallery like no other.
BW and I hopped off the U-Bahn and wandered down Oranienburgerstrasse pausing at the entrance of Tacheles not entirely sure if it was the entrance or not. On wandering in there is a sculpture garden, strange animals and shapes. We got talking to one of the artists, his name escapes me now but he was a New Yorker and told us his story and a bit about the other artists.
They are creating something wonderful there, a free artistic space and a famous tourist destination. All the while they manage the freezing cold with no heating, no running water and constant pressure to leave from the developers who want to build apartment blocks on the space and the police.
Further down on Oranienburger Str is a shop for United Loneliness, which stocks the work of Andras Bartos. I loved the oddness of the characters in his prints, the cute rage and sly humour. These are two of my favourites, kick-ass rooster and Smoking Cucumber in Swimsuit II.
I would recommend a trip down this street if you're ever in Berlin.
There is much more to tell but it's snowing outside, I have a fire going and a glass of wine to hand so I'm planning on enjoying a cosy winter night and that doesn't involve spending the whole night on the laptop!
Wishing you Winter magic. x Bella
