Photos of my holiday time in Germany..

Sort of reluctantly back in Legnano after 2 and a half weeks of Germany with my amazing and better half. And two and a half weeks of speaking German, woohoo! The only thing I don't miss about Germany is the ass-freezing weather. Oof. Enjoy some pics:


Pre-Christmas in Berlin:


An angel and elf at the KaDeWe (Kaufhaus des Westens, the überchic department store) in Berlin.


The KaDeWe Tannenbaum. And me looking just like it.


Kufürstendamm Street, or the Ku-damm, the main shopping strip in Berlin. Notice Germany's most famous symbol there in the background like the Northern star.


Christmas market at Zoologischer Garten, aka Zoo, a main center of Berlin.






Christ that's a lot of mushrooms. Lots of greasy food and alcohol available at these markets.






Ginger cookies, or lebkuchen. Bought this one as part of Michi's Christmas present, it says I love you on it in German. =)


Glühwein is hot malted wine. It´s a German thing.


Got yell--- yea, you know the rest.


This is Suicide Bomber Santa, aka Suicide Santa with Mini Me at his side in Michi's Berlin apartment. When Santa is ready to blow, Mini Me will just jump on his head to trigger him.


Infamous Duo waiting to strike.


Christmas in Michi's hometown, Mirow, which is about 2 hours north of Berlin:


Christmas Lunch with Michi and his mother. Veggie/Herb soup, (tofu veggie pattie for me on the left there) and fruit soup (kinda like an awesome smoothie, but they just eat it with a spoon instead of drink it with a straw.)


"Who's the cool guy on the right side?" --Michi


O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum, wie schön sind deine Blätter. Du grünst nicht nur zur Sommerzeit nein auch im Winter wenn es schneit, O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum...




Michi and his mom, who really dislikes taking pictures.


Mirow, Germany and its countryside. Going for a walk after lunch.












Make love to zeh camera!








Oma, Opa, Michi and his Mutti.


Opening the present on Christmas Eve afternoon.


Playing a German card game whose name I cannot repeat here because it's a (sort of) bad word in English!


An Italian restaurant in Mirow, which is an hour and 45 minutes north of Berlin. "I wouldn't recommend going there." --Michi


Mirow Village. I think.






Alles Gute zum Geburtstag to me! (Happy Birthday to me!)


Out for a birthday lunch at a traditional German restaurant.


The restaurant was also an Inn, with a big backyard complete with bonfire...Reminded me of my family's house in upstate New York.


Back in Berlin, on our way to see the incredibly amazing Berlin Philharmonic on Dec. 30th. They were so amazing, I got shivers up and down my body and cried at the end of their performance.






Larger-than-life Legos in Potsdamer Platz.




First snow I ever saw in Berlin. The last day I was in Berlin, it rained during the day and so at night, the entire city turned into one big ice skating rink. Yay! (Er, 'cept for that whole pelvis bone-breaking scenario potential.)



That's all folks!


A link to the rest of the pics.