Aufwiedersehen Berlin

I have officially retired my Berlin map.

It will now be relegated to a photo album that I will likely put together in about 2.46 years. (Still haven't done one for the Japan trip).

It's good timing, considering the map is only held together at the folds intermittently by worn away pieces of paper. The map was part of my Berlin tool kit, including also a raincoat, umbrella, camera and my cell phone. I strapped it in a bag on the back of my bike and took it everywhere.

So I'm leaving tomorrow, and 30 hours, three airports and a drive later - bam - I'll be home. At least, if all goes well. So pray for good weather, sound planes and gentle baggage handlers for me.

Lesson learned: I'm ready.

Raining on my parade

So, today is my last day at the Tagesspiegel.

The worst part was, I didn't get to ride my bike on my last day because it is pouring rain, sadly. You don't know what a pain it is to take the train, especially when it's raining.

However, the rest of the day has been really pleasant and in traditional departure style (In other words, with lots of food). I finished my last story, went to lunch with co-workers, and had cake and coffee with my two mentors, Mortiz and Sebastian, in the opinion section (because that's what we do). Those guys were a big help in my adjustment to this country, and they make me laugh. I'll miss afternoon coffee and games like "Can you guess the price of this house."

Now I'm thinking about ducking out, but it's raining again.

Lesson learned: The weather can't ruin it.

Weekend marathon

As thousands coursed through Berlin this weekend for the Berlin marathon, I did my own marathon of sorts. On my bike of course.

Saturday I met up with Elizabeth, who is also in my program, at our favorite market in Kilowitz Platz for lunch. Then I headed to Mitte to meet another, Ira, where we did a ride along the river to another market. Where ever I went, I seemed to run into parts of the inline skating race or the foot race for youth that both preceded the marathon on Saturday. Ira and I sort of got trapped in the town's center by skaters whizzing by us in spandex. It was a fun scene though with people cheering and music playing, and the weather was nice, so we just hung out and watched the mayhem. It took about a half hour once before we could grab our bikes and run for our lives across the road, hoping not to become road kill.

On Sunday, I caught a glimpse of the real marathon on my own run. Then I spent the afternoon at Rathaus Schoenberg, where JFK gave his famous speech. There is also a market there on Saturdays and Sundays. After I wandered through tents and piles of second hand clothing, I entered the Rathaus, looking for the Liberty Bell. No one else was there, so I almost felt like I was intruding. I followed signs that said "Turm," which I thought I remembered means "tower." There were about three separate steep metal steps I climbed, in warehouse like corridors. I finally made it up the final spiral staircase, where the bell is. From the top, you can see the whole city in every direction. There is a strange sort of quiet up there in the tower with the bell, with the wind whipping through the cage it's kept in, and suddenly it felt good to be alone.

I spent the afternoon in a cafe with a glass of wine and my journal, as the sun set through the spires of a church nearby the cafe.

Lessons learned: I think I've done it all here and I can go home.

One last look

Nothing like wrapping up my last weekend in Berlin with a trip to the parliament building. It is definitely not as boring as it sounds. The Berlin Reichstag has a huge clear dome where people can climb to the top using a spiral path. I went with a couple others from my program on Friday night. The view is pretty amazing, especially at night. It was a fitting way for us to say goodbye to this city. The others I was with were actually departing within days, leaving me here for another week.

Lesson learned: If you squint at the top, you can almost see home.