the rest of the week in Berlin

Wednesday I was lazy. Everything caught up to me a bit, and I slept until nearly 12. By the time I got out of the apartment, it was around 2. I walked around a lot, popping into a few boutiques in prenzlauerberg, and especially near my old haunts, stopping by Sophienstrasse, Rosenstrasse, Hackescher Markt, passing by the Neue Synagoge. At this point, I noticed that I the NS was the same Israeli guard that had been at Pestolozzi Str, with whom I had chatted a bit on Monday, and he also recognized me. We chatted a bit again about how he is just synagogue hopping in Berlin, and I had the great idea that I would love to interview him, as an anthropological interest, about his life and interactions in Berlin and with the Juedische Gemeinde, so I proposed the idea, and gave him my contact info.
I had plans with Kat that she would come over and I would make us dinner, so I met her soon at the market, and she and I bought the supplies for the dinner I had in mind: stuffed eggplant (vegetarian dairy dish).
I was able to have a healthy, hot meal waiting for Claudia when she came home from another long day at the library as well, and Florian also joined us after his class. The eggplant could have been a bit more baked, but all in all, was a good meal.

Thursday I met Rob and Stefan in Kreuzberg for lunch at a small italian cafe, and had my first pumpkin dish of the season (PUMPKINS!!). It was also the first real conversating I had done in German, not counting my interview, in quite some time, which was refreshing and successful enough. In honor of free museum evening-Thursdays, after some tea at his place, Rob, Rafi and I went over to the Hamburger Bahnhof art museum.
The most exciting exhibit for me was a short film being shown, Spielzeugland (Toyland). It takes place in the Third Reich, and shows the relationship between two families with small sons (who are friends), one Jewish, one not, when the German mother tells her son that the other family, who must go away, are going to Spielzeugland. I highly recommend seeing the short.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1280548/

After the museum, I brought the boys to my neck of the woods, to the Kohlenquelle in Pberg for a coffee before I had to head southwest for my interview with the import. Very interesting, notes to be analyzed, recording to be typed, possible report to follow.

Friday was Claudia's exam, and I so a big day for her. I met again with Martin in the afternoon for coffee, then went to find a relieved and newly coiffed Claudia to go to dinner with. The problem with small restaurants like falafel places that dont have you pay upfront is that the possibility to walk away and forget to pay exists. almost happened. embarassing. whoops.

That night, looking to unwind but not go crazy, my newly free friend and I shared a bottle of wine before heading back to the kohlenquelle with kat and florian to enjoy a few drinks and a juke box. The next morning, the four of us travelled back there for their breakfast, three euros for endless cheeses and salads, breads and sandwiches.

After packing my things up, while claudia ran some errands, I met Kat and Florian for some Tag der deutschen Einheits festivities at the Brandenburger Tor. craziness. not that I am one to generalize, but when germans don't have a line to que on, some just don't know what to do with themselves.

It took ages to finally get back to Claudia's, and I ended up leaving a bit later than intended, and then coincidentally ran into a friend again on the way to the Sbahn. but then, is anything really a coincidence?