On the roof

It was a cold day back in January when I took the Deutsche Welle tour. It was definitely exciting to see the inner workings of a braodcast studio, but I think my favorite part of the tour was the trip up to the top of the building. 

It was really cold, but the view was worth it! Hope your week is going well so far. For more signs, you can take a look at Signs, Signs.

Frozen over

Here's a look back at the few cold days we had here in January. It was cold enough that the Grunewaldsee was frozen over for a few days. A few people ventured out more towards the middle of the lake, but most stayed on the edges where it was safer. It's always fun to go walking on the lakes in the winter, but I'm glad the season wasn't so harsh this year. A couple of weeks of cold was enough for me, although I have to admit the snow was pretty, especially under such beautiful light.

Snowy bear

The Berlin Buddy Bears are all over the city! They are lifesize fiberglass bears that have been sponsored by a company and are often painted/decorated by an artist of note. I found this particular model outside a restaurant near the Berliner Dom when I visited at the end of January. I'm not sure about his origins or history, but I thought the glasses were a cute idea. I'll post some more of the bears I've seen around town in the coming weeks. It's always fun to keep an eye out for them! 

An ice version of the Buddy Bear was even seen recently in Ottawa!

Snowy Dom

Here's a look at the Berliner Dom from outside. It does look lovely with a small blanket of snow! When the weather is good, you can walk around the outside of the Dom. But since it was cold and slippery, the outside walkway was closed and I only got a view through the windows. It was still worth the visit though, and maybe a reason to go back!

Happy Friday! I'm glad the weekend is finally here. I had some health problems this week, but they're finally clearing up. I'm going to see a few more apartments this weekend and probably play some golf. It should be a fun one. Hope you have some big plans too!

Chilled bathers

These bathers can be found on the Museum Insel, that's the Berliner Dom in the background. I will show you some pictures from inside the church tomorrow. It's definitely worth a visit if you're in town, but unfortunately visitors have to pay an entrance fee.

Chilled benches

It was a bit cold for sitting outside last week, but things are better now. The snow has all melted, although it's been replaced by rain. I still like that these benches were pristine when I saw them. 

It's Friday again! Hope you have some nice plans for the weekend. I'm going to play cards with friends on Saturday evening and see Hertha (the local football/soccer team) play on Sunday. It should be a fun-packed weekend.

PS: Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Another Ampelmann

Here's another Ampelmann Cafe near the Monbijou Park. I find the big hat so funny and cute, I couldn't resist getting a shot of him. And don't worry, it's not actually cold here in Berlin anymore. The photos I've been showing this week are from the end of January. For more signs, take a look at Signs, Signs.

What's wrong with this picture?

From a distance, this looks like a typical winter scene here in Berlin. However, if you take a closer look, you'll see something is terribly wrong!

This man was walking around in shorts and flip flops on a cold snowy day. I think he must be Canadian!

Tucked away

This may not be the right weather for it, but I can imagine those two benches tucked away under the trees as a nice place to sit and contemplate during the warmer months. I found this beautiful snowy scene in the old Jewish cemetery in Mitte.

Figures in the snow

These figures outside the old Jewish cemetery in Berlin are a memorial to the Jews who died in concentration camps. This work was originally intended for display at another memorial site in Berlin, but finally the figures found their rightful place outside the old cemetery in Mitte. It is the work of the German artist Will Lammert.

The figures are roughly sculpted, but I think it gives them even more poignancy. I spent some time here looking into all of the faces. This was a tragic point in human history which I hope will never be repeated.

Reflections in a cafe window

Something about this scene really appeals to me. Perhaps it's the arched doorway and window. Or maybe it's the sad Christmas tree that still hasn't been picked up. Or it could be the bright yellow of the building. I'm guessing it's some combination of all these things! Hope you're having a fantastic weekend. For more reflections, take a look at Weekend Reflections.

February theme day: Entry

I suppose this could be an entrance or an exit depending on how you look at it. In any case, I was exiting the castle courtyard and while the dog was entering it!

It's once again the first of the month and February's theme is "Entry". If you'd like to see more interpretations of the theme from around the world, visit the CDP website.

Snowy bench and camouflage dog

I went out to the Grunewald over the weekend. Parts of the smaller ponds and lakes were frozen over, so there were lots of people out enjoying the bit of sun and blue sky we had. There were also plenty of dogs! But most of them were quite friendly and excited to meet new friends. 

It's finally Friday! Learning German really wears me out, so I am ready for a short break. My weekend looks pretty free right now. What about you, do you have any big plans?