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Monday, November 19, 2012

"short-form" Berlin



Last week was my 5th time in Berlin & equally as wonderful with my Dad! As always, Berlin managed to show me something new&incredible tucked away in different knooks and crannies! 
I mentioned to my Dad that if I was to come back to Europe down the road, I still would start in Berlin! It is a must...

I know I know... You seen this, heard this.. but here are some new tid-bits to hit up if you are enroute to Berlin, Germany in short form!

  1. You must stay at PLUS hotel/hostel- This place is a gem! For only 40 euro a night for a private room with washroom and linens its a steal! If you want the more affordable (if that wasnt enough!) the dorms are only 10 euro! The place is huge, clean and super helpful! Plus their 6 euro buffet breakfast in the Opera Bar is bang on to start your day right!
  2. Do a day second hand shopping!- Berlin has the BEST second hand shops! Awesome quality and wicked selection of stuff! Do a day travelling through the city to all the "Humana" stores (second hand chain) and you will go home with tons of goodies!! Maybe the crazy white alligator boots that my Dad was checking out!
  1. Calling all VEGANS!- You veg-heads BioMarket is the place for you! Grab a wicked cappicino and then go pick out a vegan german sausage for lunch- they have every flavor!

  1. Monsieur Vong Restaurant- This vibrant Vietnamese restaurant is in Prenzlauer and they pack an AMAZING TEA bowl with lime and ginger. It probably doesn't sound all that spectacular but it is the best tea I have had! Freshly made and loose- no pre-packed tea-bags! And their food is wicked to boot- try the glass noodle spicy dish! Great prices as well...   ................ps- this place is tucked away, grab a map and keep searching- its worth the hunt!


  1. Prater Biergarten- Prater is the "beer garden" of Berlin. I figured we should stop in so my Dad could get his traditional "German Sausage." To our surprise, even thought they do not serve sausage we each had an awesome dish! Even my vegetarian option was rad! The best part of this night out was the discovery of DIESEL BEER..... Half beer & Half coke....to die for! Pretty sure I capped each night out to follow with one of these....



  1. A night on the TOWN!- If you are going out in Berlin you should definitely start at FORUM wine bar. Its a funky little bar right by Rosenthaler! You rent a glass- keep tabs on how much you are drinking and pay at the end!j To follow...perhaps you heard the myth that the trains run 24/7- like I had? This is not true! BUT the M10 Party Tram does run 24/7! This bad boy only runs through Eastern Berlin- but lets be honest- thats the best part of Berlin so where else would you be!?!  Tram tickets are only a dollar- but I still have yet to experience anyone checking my tickets on the tram or the train!

  1. WEST Berlin- Even though I rarely venture the West when I am in Berlin, I do feel its worth a trip to Tiergarten just to see the very apparent differences between the East and West. Hope on the train from Ostkreuz (in Friedrichshain) and head to Tiergarten and as soon as you step off the train you can see and feel the lack of vibrancy and "zazz" that the East embodies! I love just cruising though Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain and my favorite Prenzlauer when Im there!
[east side gallery]

So these are just a few extra tid-bits we also hit up Treptower Park the blind leading the blind to Spree Park, busyyyyyy Bikram Yoga, of course Burgers Berlin, Sachsenhausen concentration camp, Potsdamer Platz just a few times for gluhwein! and much more!

[tiergarten]
[winter festival in potsdamer platz]
[gluhwein!]
[burgers berlin]
[memorial]
[concentration camp]
[second hand shop in prenzlauer]
[second hand hats!]

If anyone has questions, wants tips etc.

 fire me a note and I am happy to help!

It was a wicked trip with

 a wicked person! 
 Cant wait to be back!

xo.peace.k

Saturday, November 10, 2012

.


a message to the bears, your soul child is lost to the sea. beyond the eastern border of the black mountain, ethereal beauty traces a trance like hymn through the old town buried beneath the waters of llyn y fan fach.

while escaping her most elemental form he dwells refuge in the deepest caveats of ill appeal.
filling his lungs at the peaks of the water, she still waits.
xo.peace.k

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Jakubov- - -


[goat in the "mini-farm"]

Today me & Dust went outside of KV for the day to celebrate.... what I could decipher was either:

A) The Velvet Revolution
or
B) Independent Czechslovak State Day

A VERY brief summary:: The Velvet Revolution was on November 17th and commemorated the beginning of a democratic state in 1989 and the end of the communist regime... to follow, the Velvet Divorce marked the independence of the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993....

What I was told about the tradition that we celebrated today was that it marked a "revolution." So I am assuming it is one of the above, maybe both? maybe neither?? Im really not too sure, but regardless it was a good time to get everyone together + relax...
[Jakubov town]
[Jakubov]
This tradition essentially involves the entire community getting together and parading through the town with lit lanterns... halloween is just starting to catch on out here, so only some of the kids were dressed up.... In Jakubov...the town we were in... this meant about 30 people walking the entire circumference of the town in about 10 minutes... Even though the entire population was almost smaller than my immediate family, 
it was an incredibly breathtaking experience. 
Families were together with their little kids racing around, some being pushed in strollers. There were couples holding hands, some singles wandering about.. & everyone was togeher, parading at dusk 
holding beautifully lit lanterns. 
Being here it is the simplicity that humbles me. 
Even though I can not understand the language and communication can be "faulty" I felt included and part of something... a tradition, a home, even a family.

 [Adellke & her lantern]
[Some of the kidlets & their lanterns]
To follow the parade we went back to Na Statku restaurant. This stone building put on a play for the all the little kids. It is SO old school and I absolutely adored it! The stage has little glam- no special lighting or surround sound speakers- 
but just two actors and an audience.
 Costumes consist of toques turned into masks, ties as bandanas, table cloths as dresses. The set includes puppets and an barely there velvet red curtain. 
All the kids sit on wooden chairs while the parents stand at the back and watch while comforting their babies- and trust me, its like baby fever out here- they are everywhere!
[the "theatre"]
Once the kids were all settled, we went in to eat traditional Czech food- they even created me a "traditional Czech vegetarian dish" which consisted of dumplings and a pumpkin sauce drizzle!  The cool thing about this restaurant is that they grow all their own vegetables and fruits and use them in their dishes! So everything is fresh and made straight from momma's kitchen! Even though I am not a meat-eater, they have their own mini-farm with chickens, pigs and goats that you can go outside and feed and pet. These animals are taken care of well and later on used for the dishes... although as I type this I feel it is inhumane, I know that this is a VERY ethical and healthy way for you carnivores ;) So I can support it!
[Dust & the "mini-farm"]
[me feeding the eager goats!]
[Dust & Fero & Nella & goats..]
To cap off the day/evening we had a Czech dessert- which are like a Tim Horton timbits but better! ...little dough balls sprinkled with icing sugar and gingerbread then with caramel on the side...
....use your imagination..unreal.
It was such a beautiful day and we were surrounded by such sweet people! 
 And bonus- this little jigger.... 
[Nella]

Nella, was there and I got 6 solid hours of her!

Now I am all 
packed up 
and ready 
for BERLIN 
tomorrow!
Blog soon!
[my love. both berlin+my man]

xo.peace.k