Guten Tag aus Berlin!

Welcome to Jim and Katie’s Blog thingy; part of that fine tradition of online vanity publishing-come-round robins, to be read by a steadily decreasing number of friends, who will eventually only pretend to have read it.

Predictably enough, the text herein will be written mainly by me (Jim) with Katie taking a sort of editorial role, adding corrections or denunciations when my description of events departs entirely from reality. Pictures and stuff to come shortly, in the meantime you’ll have to make do with the rather sombre backdrop we’ve selected. On the plus side, it uses less energy on your screen than a white one, apparently.

Why the obscure Blog title, you wonder? It’s a literal translation of Kreuzburg (the area of Berlin we’re living in) – the sort of literal translation you have to put up with when you can barely string a sentence together in German and have to rely on babelfish.altavista.com.

By way of example, it translates the instructions from my newly aquired German SIM card thus:

“Secure yourselves together can when loading bonus minutes! A friend to a friend can, even then Germany, for a loading of 15C or more can receive you additionally bonus minute that, which can you telephone it freely of charge of friends and too other friends Germany far within 30 days then.”

For the avoidance of doubt, our blog has no connection with the (slightly) similarly named Brokeback Mountain Chronicle, the weekly publication serving the married gay cowboy community.

So what news from Berlin? The first couple of weeks have flown by, mainly because we’ve been flat hunting – our current lodgings are temporary till the 8th September. Not quite as easy as we’d thought, but we’ve bagged a good one we think; an old fashioned second floor flat overlooking the river, with easy access to local cake shops, ice cream parlours, bars, cafés and other essential local amenities. We (hopefully) move in on the 20th September – the gap in between will be filled with a spot of camping action and a quick trip home to blighty for supplies of Marmite.

We had our first ‘big’ night out last night – a literally underground club with a ‘variable’ music policy ranging from quite cool hip hop to, er, what sounded like Russian folk music. Anyhoo, we’re currently recovering from an early morning return (I know, it’s a wednesday night, but we’re on holiday) – Katie is lying in a foetal position demanding paracetamol and a fry up.

Finally, some FAQ’s:

You both headed off weeks ago. Have you only just got there?

We spent quite a lot of time cruising around the UK, and since finally arriving in Berlin about two weeks ago, have not been arsed to do much, not even write a blog.

How’s your German coming along?

Our German remains largely nonexistent. As suspected, so many people speak English, and speak it so well, that’s it’s difficult to get any practice. It’s become an unexpected thrill when someone answers “nein” in response to my hopeful sounding “er, sprechen Sie English?” one liner. Also see comments on translation, above.

Are you eating properly?

On Sundays, breakfast begins at 11am (earliest) through to 5pm-ish. These hours are also observed Monday to Saturday. How then can you tell it’s Sunday? Because everything is shut. Except anywhere serving breakfast, obviously.

Weather?

The weather so far has been patchy but generally good. What’s most important however is that it’s been better than the UK, and furthermore you’ve probably been at work during any sunny spells you have had. Come to think of it, shouldn’t you be at work now, rather than reading this?

I probably won’t bother, but if I did decide to contact you?

We’ve got ourselves one of these new-fangled Skype phones (telephony over internet) so you can call us when we’re on line, or leave a message when we’re not, on the following number:

020 8123 8341

We’ve chosen a London code, so call costs will be as if you were calling us in London. If, like us, you live at the cutting edge and have Skype, just ‘Skype’ us at jimnkatie, which is absolutely free. Whatever will they think of next?

K will keep her 0794 116 9017 number when in the UK, but we’ve both now got German mobiles:

Jim – 00 49 1577 682 7829
Katie – 00 49 1577 681 0739

Best not to ring these mobiles unless it’s urgent, and you are able to extend your mortgage easily. Also, make sure you get the permission of the person who pays the phone bill, unless you’re calling on your employer’s phone, obviously.

Email still jimnkatie@gmail.com

Tschuss!

Jim & Katie

PS this post written on 29th August, but moved to a new website on 31st.