What goes on

So, it has been three days since I last posted and of course much has happened, and as well not much has happened. Let me explain. Soon after my last post on the 23rd, which some of you noted was my birthday, Saoirse decided to blow-dry her hair, the result of which was accidentally blowing out our only north american plug adapter, which has served in succession the computer, the phone and the ipods. So as a result we have been forced to conserve power on the computer while looking for replacement adapters which for three days has not happened. Until today, when we found them 2 doors down from our apartment. Henceforth, I shall recommence regular posts and now fill you in on what we have been doing.

1. Song Of The Day- everyday there has been a different song Saoirse and I have been singing. Some inspired by what we've seen walking around Berlin (huge recent tour posters of Europe, the band not the continent), some by beat boxing (boots und cats und boots und cats und boots und cats), some just cuz they stick in yer head (like Pokerface and My Humps.) We are only allowed one song per day in order to preserve Veda's sanity.

2. Walking tour of Berlin- Yesterday we all got up and out of the house quickly to attend a four hour english language walking tour of Berlin by Brian, the artistic director of Edmonton Opera. He was very animated and told us many things I knew but were made more vivid by the location being underfoot. For example, the huge Jewish synagogue located on Oranienbergerstrasse was spared destruction during Kristallnacht due to a guard pointing out to the mobs that Otto Von Bismarck himself had attended the christening of the church and as such it should be considered a German landmark. The mob dispersed and looted and trashed the rest of the Jewish stores and buildings in the neighbourhood but the synagogue was spared. Until later, when it was bombed...

3. Practicing the German language- One of the more difficult street names to pronounce is Schlesischestrasse. In response, I've been adding schlesische to any word in English to make it sound more German which Saoirse finds hilarious.

4. Shopping- I purchased two vinyl records that have been difficult to find in North America. The Sundays debut and Nick Cave's Tender Prey. Whoo hoo!

5. Birthday- I am 38 now. Daniel, Pigi, Zoi, Veda and I went to an Argentinian place down the street for dinner. Which I must admit was very enjoyable to be out sans Anders. Thank you Saoirse.

6. Weather- Very warm. Then very stormy. Then very warm. Then very stormy. Today is very warm and this morning I went for my first run in nearby Viktoriapark. It is a very lovely park on a hill that has a waterfall running through it and a quite gothic memorial situated at the top. Unfortunately, due to the previous entry I was only able to last a half hour which Veda pointed out to me when I returned...one day at a time...

7. Language barrier- Generally our mishmash of Germglish gets us by no problem except the more difficult concepts with Turkish restauranteurs such as veganism. Saoirse and I went out for the day and decided to stop and eat at this Turkish falafel establishment. Before we went in there was some rehearsal of the vegan language but it all fell apart when we ordered our food as he spoke absolutely no english at all and was somewhat impatient with us. Just before the food arrived in Saoirse's hands he poured a stream of yogourt on the falafel thereby rendering it inedible to her. As a result I took it and ordered another one without yogourt with the help of a woman who was waiting patiently for us to finish. He was visibly annoyed at our inability to order food properly and when it finally arrived we skedaddled before we felt worse. The food was excellent and Saoirse wanted to go back and tell him his food is good but he is a dick. We didn't...