Being Here

Today we hit Friedrichshain to check out an apartment, spent some time walking around the neighborhood, and then ended up at Alexanderplatz for a bit. Here are some highlights, in bullet pointed glory. Because bullet points are glorious.

• Rode the U5 for the first time.

• Viewed a really pretty apartment in Friedrichshain (it was a bit high-priced because everything was upgraded. And it faced a courtyard, which sucks. But it had new floors and nice light.)

• Stood there and pretended to understand German while the rental agent talked forever about all the features of the apartment. We really, really didn't. Shhh...

• Walked around some side streets of the neighborhood, checking out the kinda-hip, kinda-too-middle-class vibe.

• Discovered an entirely new wing of the underground Alexanderplatz bahnhof, and it has a Rossmann. Convenience, you are named Alex.

• Successfully bought a new iPhone charger cord because ours have either A) been chewed in half by Flash, or B) gotten so old that they are now, as the Germans say (literally, we've found), kaput.

• Enjoyed a magical moment, embracing and looking out on Alexanderplatz and the Berlin TV tower from the giant, top floor windows of the Saturn store. The sun was streaming in, hundreds of people were filling the platz below us, and the yellow trams were gliding through the center of it all. We felt the full beauty of being here, living in Europe.

• Tasted our first currywurst, the famous street food here. It's a fried sausage, cut up in bits, and covered in ketchup and curry powder. Sounds nasty, tastes good.

• Went into the LPG Biomarkt near our house for the first time. It's like the Whole Foods of Germany, and yes, it's so freaking expensive that you have to be one very posh hippie to ever shop there. Where I grew up, hippies didn't have money, see.

• Drank beer (Fact: daily consumption of beer is required by law for all residents of Berlin).