The road less travelled...

I've just discovered that the rags hanging off the ends of my legs are supposed to be called feet. They don't look like the feet I remember!

I've had a busy but successful day. Oh, by the way, this might get a little boring. Feel free not to bother reading or commenting. It's as much a list for me to remember what I did when and for my parents to know as for your edification.

I had a major panic this morning when I thought my Internet had gone belly-up. Finally, tonight, I called the company (sorry, Mum and Dad, yes, it was with the mobile, so it was a call from Germany to Australia to Germany. Two calls actually) and now it's fixed. Hooray!

After a bit of spending (including rent, a deposit, the Internet card and my monthly travel card) I am settled and only paid for things like lunch today, thank goodness.

So now, the thing you've all been waiting for: libraries!

Yes, I cornered the dragons in their dens today.

I went to the local library at 10am this morning, only to find that it opened at 11am. Great start, huh? I'm sure they do these things deliberately!

To nobody's surprise, I'm sure, (least of all mine) I didn't get a library card. I did, however, get a reading card, which means that I can use the library, request books, etc. I did a search for books on my topic. They were all at the other branch of the library. Astonishing, isn't it? Sarcastic, me?

I went to the state library next. A helpful woman, for once! We got the form filled out, and then she went looking for my non-existent Visa. Yes, I had mentioned twice that I didn't have one. Helpful but selectively deaf, it would seem. Still, she did give me a card to use the reading room, and I have it for a whole year. When I get a Visa, probably the next time I go to Germany, I can get it extended to a full card with borrowing rights, etc. It cost me 15 Euro, but I think it was worth it.

After that, I walked around Potsdamer Platz, people-watching (the Berlin Film Festival is on this week) but didn't see anyone famous. I did see lots of people, though - all of them seemed to be in the restaurant I wanted to go to for lunch! Hrumph! I eventually gave up and had take-away. I'll eat better tomorrow, I promise!

Once that was over, I went to have a look at the progress of the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe (try saying that five times fast!) which looks very average at the moment but I'm sure will improve. Goodness only knows when it will be finished though! (It was supposed to open a year ago.)

After that, I went to the German Resistance Centre, which looks at the ways in which Germans resisted Hitler, particularly the attempt on the 20th of July 1944 by Claus von Stauffenberg to blow him up. Best of all, I found a book with a mention of the Rosenstrasse! Hooray! Even better - it was free! How good is that?

*goes off to massage tattered leg-ends*

I've just discovered that the rags hanging off the ends of my legs are supposed to be called feet. They don't look like the feet I remember!

I've had a busy but successful day. Oh, by the way, this might get a little boring. Feel free not to bother reading or commenting. It's as much a list for me to remember what I did when and for my parents to know as for your edification.

I had a major panic this morning when I thought my Internet had gone belly-up. Finally, tonight, I called the company (sorry, Mum and Dad, yes, it was with the mobile, so it was a call from Germany to Australia to Germany. Two calls actually) and now it's fixed. Hooray!

After a bit of spending (including rent, a deposit, the Internet card and my monthly travel card) I am settled and only paid for things like lunch today, thank goodness.

So now, the thing you've all been waiting for: libraries!

Yes, I cornered the dragons in their dens today.

I went to the local library at 10am this morning, only to find that it opened at 11am. Great start, huh? I'm sure they do these things deliberately!

To nobody's surprise, I'm sure, (least of all mine) I didn't get a library card. I did, however, get a reading card, which means that I can use the library, request books, etc. I did a search for books on my topic. They were all at the other branch of the library. Astonishing, isn't it? Sarcastic, me?

I went to the state library next. A helpful woman, for once! We got the form filled out, and then she went looking for my non-existent Visa. Yes, I had mentioned twice that I didn't have one. Helpful but selectively deaf, it would seem. Still, she did give me a card to use the reading room, and I have it for a whole year. When I get a Visa, probably the next time I go to Germany, I can get it extended to a full card with borrowing rights, etc. It cost me 15 Euro, but I think it was worth it.

After that, I walked around Potsdamer Platz, people-watching (the Berlin Film Festival is on this week) but didn't see anyone famous. I did see lots of people, though - all of them seemed to be in the restaurant I wanted to go to for lunch! Hrumph! I eventually gave up and had take-away. I'll eat better tomorrow, I promise!

Once that was over, I went to have a look at the progress of the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe (try saying that five times fast!) which looks very average at the moment but I'm sure will improve. Goodness only knows when it will be finished though! (It was supposed to open a year ago.)

After that, I went to the German Resistance Centre, which looks at the ways in which Germans resisted Hitler, particularly the attempt on the 20th of July 1944 by Claus von Stauffenberg to blow him up. Best of all, I found a book with a mention of the Rosenstrasse! Hooray! Even better - it was free! How good is that?

*goes off to massage tattered leg-ends*