Some Ramblings

So I have talked a lot at you in blogs but I though I would give you a break from my face and kinda recap on the experience so far.

We have been here nearly two weeks now and we are getting a pretty good lay of the land. Thanks to a lot of ambling I now know how to pretty much walk from place to place, where the main centres of attraction are and which way I am supposed to be going on the U-bahn. All I can tell you is that I could do this in London with ease but it always seemed like a hassle, if you have ever been there you will understand that sometimes simply walking from where I used to work to home was a traumatic experience  that constantly left me frustrated and bruised. It still seemed better than getting the tube which was a pain to use and could leave you trapped for a very long time if you were unlucky.
Doing the same in Berlin is a pleasure, walking around I have yet to feel irritated by the number of people on the streets and have never once felt jostled or cramped (although I am told it is worse in the summer months) The U-bahn is great and so easy to use, one set of steps and your at the platform and you almost always get a seat. I feel like I have room to breathe here and the pace suits me very well.

My first observations of Berlin is that the way of life here is very different, they seem to have their priorities right and on the whole Berliners seem very cool. Not in the way someone in London would be considered cool which means they have very carefully selected the "right" things to wear, places to be and people to surround themselves with. They all seem to have an inner cool which is more just about feeling comfortable with yourself, nobody looks down their noses at you and however you wish to express yourself seems to be encouraged (they are not scared off the old tattoos and piercing). The thing I seem to get the most is that on the whole they are easy going and like to have fun.

Shopping is a strange experience it seems to be widely accepted that you will go to several different store to get all of the different types of food you like but if you want anything electrical or entertainment based you buy it all from one of the mega stores such as Media Markt or Saturn. These places sell everything from toasters and washing machines to books and blu rays. they remind me very much of Bic Camera in Tokyo and it really has to be seen to be believed. There is also half a floor solely dedicated to coffee machines and I have yet to come across a shop that doesn't sell coffee. Clothes are pretty much standard UK fare and you can find all of the big brands but things are far cheaper at the outlet mall only about 45 minutes from town and was so similar to bicester village you could have been in England.
Another thing I love about Germany so far is Dogs in shops! Your furry friends can come with you everywhere  and it's great to see pooches wobbling round posh department store with their owners rather than chained to a railing outside.

As we have settled in to our new life I have been grateful for finding an english language cinema in the Sony Centre, I am grateful that we finally have our German bank cards and Pins so people can stop refusing our cards in stores and I am grateful to the Germans kind nature in helping me get by with very few language skills as I am still learning.
The only thing that has me disheartened is the flat hunting thing, I am not coping very well with the whole application process. We found a flat we really like and have applied but this is no guarantee that we will get as other people have also applied the wait to hear is agonising and what if nobody ever picks us, they thought of spending Christmas in the temporary place is upsetting but we have already talked about contingency plans to make things a bit more like home should this happen, we will get through it we always do.

I think thats about all for now, I did record yesterday and I will put it up tomorrow when I have more internets.

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