On the phone to Thomas

 
Working and having a child is tricky at the best of times, but when your child is ill things can get really difficult. Bad nights, screaming fits, worrying about your child and stressing about work are enough to drive most people insane. But even when things are bad, your child will never cease to surprise you. For instance... you're looking after little one, who is too ill to go to nursery, and suddenly the phone rings. It's a work contact returning your call. You pick up (hoping that your child will keep himself busy while you talk for a few minutes) and say: "Hello Thomas!"

Little one starts getting all excited because he thinks you're on the phone to Thomas the Tank Engine (if you're two and a half and you love trains, there is only one Thomas)! So he starts to shout: "Thomas, Thomas!" And then he sings the theme tune: "Thomas and his frieeeeends!" - all this while you're trying to have a serious work conversation. 
So you run into another room and try to finish off as quickly as you can. Then you run back to check that little one hasn't destroyed your office in the meantime and then you just burst out laughing.

Where do hipsters do their Christmas shopping?

Christmas markets are a well known German tradition and you will find a Weihnachtsmarkt in practically every German city, town or village. 

In Berlin there are Christmas markets for all tastes.

If you're a tourist, chances are you'll end up at the market at Alexander Platz. Avoid!!!

If you're looking for an atmospheric Christmas market, the one at Gendarmenmarkt (€1 entrance fee) or the one by Schloß Charlottenburg are your best bets.

If you live in Prenzlauer Berg a Glühwein at the Lucia Weinachtsmarkt in the Kulturbrauerei is a must.

If you're a hipster you have a choice. 

There's the Holy.Shit.Shopping market for one weekend in December or the Weihnachstrodeo X-mas market with two floors of stalls selling jewellery, clothes, handbags, calendars (and much more) made by local designers at reasonable prices. 

But for the true hipster-in-Berlin-at-Christmas experience, head to Neue Heimat for an afternoon and evening of designer shopping, street food, ice skating and live music.

The Christmas season is now over so sadly the markets have all closed, but there will be plenty more opportunities for shopping and chilling in the new year.

Neue Heimat next Sunday anyone?

A BBQ on the runway

While the rest of the world is busy building new airports and adding runways to existing airports, Berlin has decided that one airport is more than sufficient. Unfortunately things haven't quite turned out as planned and two years after the official closing of Tegel, the airport is alive and busier than ever. (More on the subject of airports another time...) 

However, Berlin did manage to close down one airport and to turn it into a giant park with picnic/BBQ areas, rollerblading and cycling paths, basketball courts and dog exercise areas.... welcome to the Tempelhofer park!

Last May Berliners (unfortunately the non-German residents were excluded) were called to vote in a referendum to decide whether the Templehofer park should stay as it is or to give way to a large-scale property development, including a public library. Non surprisingly (in a city constantly battling between modernisation plans and staying true to itself) around 65 percent of voters rejected the development plans and decided to keep Tempelhofer Feld as a public park. 

So if you're looking for somewhere to go on a Sunday, possibly without crowds of tourists or hipsters, Tempelhof is the place to go. Oh and don't forget your kite!