We're going to Europe!

So itS Monday evening here. We have been a week here. The kids are really great troopers, we walk everyday for maybe three hours non stop, just checking out the sights. Today we went to Potsdam, am old city that is now super tourissty, like Mendocino, only way bigger.There is a great castle built by Frederick II in 1745. Unfortunately we planne dthis trip to the castle around a good round of disc golf for Otto, and the sunniest day o the forcast was a monday, which, as luck would have it is the only day the castle is closed- we walked all around the outside, took good pictures, and walked all around. Otto played the disc golf course here, it is a hard course...he hooked up with some
other folks and they went the course together. Otto was not better thatn this couple, but he was not at all any worse either. We have found that NO one here in Berlin takes any credit cards. Unfortunate, as we did not want to travel with cash, so we were going to credit card it until the end. Now we are running low on cash, and don't want to spend the outragious cash advance fees. We leave Berlin in one day, everyone says the Czech Rep. - specifically Prague(tourist zone) is a visa friendly place. We are getting comfortable in this neighorhood, like home almost...at least things and street names and
corner stores are recogniseable. I have a whole lot more to saut must help cathz with dinner now AND I CANNOT FIGURE OUT HOW T UNDO THE CAPS LOCK ON THIS KEZBOARD. SHIT, OR FIND THE Y, THEY KEEP MOVING AROUND....
Much love to all of you. (see I found it)!

Cathy set a beautiful breakfast table, complete with brown bread, croissant, sausages of three types, marmot (for bob the englishman) of course Nutella, boiled eggs, coffee and hot chocolate for the kiddies.

We cleaned up and set out with a rough idea of where the good parks and sights are. We did find terrifec kids parks and walked walked walked, we went to Alexanderplatz, the crying station, which I guess is where the easterners left to the west if they were so lucky to get out. Called the crying station because the relatives knew they'd never see them again. I figured it was called so because the trains wail on the tracks with such a melacholy you can't help think of the sadness.

We were on a mission to find cathy a new press pot glass because hers had a crack, and it was a reason to pop around and investigate the stores. We ended up at the perfect spot- the Galleria department store. Huge, brightly lit, five story department store with everything from bananas to bras and panties. We found the glass quickly and easily, and had a good time walking around the grocery looking at the brighly packaged foods and beverages.

We had a beer and a sausage for two euros each. A bottle of beer is pretty much one euro wherever you go. Juice for the kids is the same. It's funny to see how much things cost. Some are much more expensive, and some are so much cheaper. I'll tell you what 1980's style women's boots are super spendy, I told Bob we are going to go into business. Hit the goodwill in USA buy up those boots by the dozen and ship them over here. They're like 80. euros a pair.

Today is tourist day. We'll take a bus to see the sights.

Cathy is excited to treat us to Sushi tonight...

In berlin
Cathy and Bob are good hosts.

The flight was great. On time, smooth and everything. Poor Otto puked three times. Luckily the WC was free the first time, after that we used the old barf bag. The second was at breakfast - sorry to those who were enjoying their eggs. Angus settled into being a world traveller without any trouble at all. He found the head phones and the stewrdess call button right off. In all they were great little flyers. We were treated to cocktails then coffee then dinner, then after dinner drinks and finally Rocky on the telivision screen.
the second in flight movie was Marie Anoinette, halfway through Angus blurts out OH I JUST FIGURED IT OUT ENGLISH IS CHANNEL 1, IT'S GERMAN ON THREE. (it was actually French on three, German on two). Goof ball.
We Spent about an hour getting settled and our eurail tickets validated and headed into Frankfurt for the promised frankfurter for Otto on his birthday. We found a great spot right outside the station, changed some dollars for euros and headed to berlin. Every one every where not only speaks english, but were very helpful in directing us to the right platform for trains. If we weren't so travel weary and ready to be o our way, we might have noticed at this point that the train we were boarding was headed to Bern, not Berlin...an unfortunate 2 hour mistake made our arrival here in Berlin a little later than planned. Oh well, we learned a lot about checking the board and how to read the schedules, and because of the Eurail tickets, we weren't out any extra for fare, just time. The cab ride from the Berlin station to here was pretty short, tho I do think the driver got lost on the way, he made up for it by
screaming up one way roads top spead. Cathz and bob had to work todaz so we were on our own exploring the streets of
Berlin. I love to wonder citz streets and watch people. We saw manz sights and found tons of play parks for the kids.
Cathy lives in a terrific neighborhood. They say it is the part of Germany with the highest number of kids per capita.
I apologise for the z's in the y's place the keyboard is different and I'm
trying to hurry.
The kids are playng with Cathy and Bob's kids and hitting it off quite well. It was sunny and at least 68 F today.
Cathy just went to the store and put money on her old cell phone for us, I guess it made them nervous- us out there nearly headed to Switzerland on our way to Berlin.

Cathy Bob and the kids are all home, gotta run.

The boys have good shoes, a few good pairs of pants and loads of socks!
We have sorted throughthe laundry to find good stuff with noholes or stains. With Angus that's hard-everything he gets he rips or stains within tem minutes. I have to remember PJ's.
I'm close to comfortable with my packing plans. I still am struggling with one pair of shoes. But I've got my pants and shirts situation all figured.Couple of bras and panties and again a good amount of socks. I also need to get a good lightweight but warm jacket. Find my gloves. Choose a good warm hat. Of cours toothbrushes and some dr. bronners, shampoo and hand cream. Oh and feminine hygene products. I'd better make a list, I keep remembering something to forget.
Scott is all set, with one pair of jeans and a couple of pairs of shorts. He rarely wears long pants and this won't be any different. I think he needs to shop for some good socks still.
We also need to get out travel journals all set. The school is talking about sending us with some independent study packets. NO WAY! I told them they can send them home, but they're not getting on that plane!

The boys have good shoes, a few good pairs of pants and loads of socks!
We have sorted throughthe laundry to find good stuff with noholes or stains. With Angus that's hard-everything he gets he rips or stains within tem minutes. I have to remember PJ's.
I'm close to comfortable with my packing plans. I still am struggling with one pair of shoes. But I've got my pants and shirts situation all figured.Couple of bras and panties and again a good amount of socks. I also need to get a good lightweight but warm jacket. Find my gloves. Choose a good warm hat. Of cours toothbrushes and some dr. bronners, shampoo and hand cream. Oh and feminine hygene products. I'd better make a list, I keep remembering something to forget.
Scott is all set, with one pair of jeans and a couple of pairs of shorts. He rarely wears long pants and this won't be any different. I think he needs to shop for some good socks still.
We also need to get out travel journals all set. The school is talking about sending us with some independent study packets. NO WAY! I told them they can send them home, but they're not getting on that plane!