The Kinderreisepass

When travelling abroad, we all need an official document that will identify who we are. In the case of Germany, travelling babies and children aged 0 - 12 years old are issued a Kinderreisepass. The Kinderreisepass or children's travel passport is issued to children with German citizenship by the local city office. It is issued on the same day that you apply for it since it has no integrated chip, and is usually honored by most countries. Finger prints will also not be collected. The Kinderreisepass is valid for six years and can be renewed until the child is 12 years old. From 12 years onwards, the child will need a Personalausweis (personal id) or a travel passport depending on the country of destination. 

How to apply:

Normally, you need to go to your local city office once your documents are ready and complete. At least one parent / legal guardian and the child himself needs to appear personally. But in this time of the pandemic, one would need to get an appointment. Most cities have an online appointment system. For those who have no online access or don't know how to use computers, there is usually an information stand at the local city office where one is assisted in getting the appointment. 

Which documents are needed? 

To get the Kinderreisepass for your child, you will need to bring the following: the original Geburtsurkunde (birth certificate) or the old Kinderreisepass of the child, the passports or personal ID of the parents whichever is available, signed declaration of consent of both parents / legal guardians, a biometric photo and a fee of €13,00 which may be paid in cash or through debit card.

Updating of the Kinderreisepass can be done anytime, for example if a new photo, change in the color of the eyes and the height of the child, needs to to be done.

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Gänsebesen with Friends

The first advent is in four days and for us who love traditions, it means a visit at Bauerles Besen in Fellbach with our family friends. Dining at this seasonal family run restaurant is one of the highlights of Christmas... Because winter / Christmas time means goose time and eating good food with good friends. 

We especially love the crispy goose served with Apfelmus (apple puree) and Bratensauce, and served optional with Semmelknödel, Rotkraut or potato salad. The goose dish is best enjoyed with a glass of wine from the restaurant's own winery. 

I only have wonderful memories of eating goose, with family and friends. The restaurant has also a very homey, warm ambience with hardwood furniture. This year, I will miss the ambiance and the cheery atmosphere due to the pandemic but luckily, we can still order and just pick the food up so we can enjoy it at the comfort of our own home. 

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The Bonus Kindergeld

Until today, the human race is still on the race to find an effective and safe vaccine against the novel corona virus which has plagued the entire world since December 2019. It has never been easy for many of us who are greatly affected by the lockdowns. Some have lost their jobs, some families lost a loved one to the virus, some have no choice but to work from home, some have to work less hours resulting to lesser income. 

We did not see this coming and it is a good thing that here in Germany, there are many support packages that the government is offering. One of them is the bonus Kindergeld (child care allowance) amounting to €300.00 per child. This bonus allowance is automatically given to children who are receiving the child care allowance in two installments: €200 in September and €100 in October. For children who are first born this year, they will also receive the bonus allowance but at a late time. The schedule for the release of the funds is dependent on the last digit of your reference number. For our first child, we already received the €200 a few days before the scheduled day. It was really a welcome surprise for us as we really could use the extra cash to purchase new clothes and school supplies as the new school year recently started.

  

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Last Day High

Today is my last day at work before I go on my maternity protection leave with subsequent parental leave. The day started as always, I came in later than my supposed official time, but my colleagues understand my situation and I am very thankful for their flexibility. This momma is getting slower and slower, as the day of her due date nears. Anyway, I checked on my emails first to see if there were some urgent matters that need attending to. There was none. Then I went on as usual with my work: inputting orders into our system, making sure orders are made, and confirmed orders to customers. There really wasn't that much work, except to have my email account set-up so new messages will officially be forwarded to my colleague so that she will not always have to look into my incoming mails. Then I made some calls in the office in relation to my leaving, so that all will go well. I also got some calls from colleagues who were on home office, wishing me a good and safe delivery and a healthy baby. I also started doing my "farewell" rounds, so that I wouldn't have do a big round at the end of the day and exhaust myself doing it.

Then it was time for lunch. I always look forward to lunches at our canteen. The food is always served fresh, cooked and served on the same day. And for a very good price at that. Some colleagues also came by my table to wish me well. Atfer lunch, I went do some quick farewell to our boss and to the management. 

Such a sweet and wonderful surprise from my colleagues at work.

I went back to my work desk, and then my colleagues from our department came with a surprise gift in hand. It was really a wonderful, beautiful surprise, I was so moved I had to stop myself from crying. I will truly miss my colleagues in my department, they have always been so supportive of me and they taught me a lot. Although I have a different background, I was really able to fit in with the group and formed a harmonious relationship with all of them. To think I am the only one with an Asian background and all of them are Germans. 

This was the content of the gift package: a stuffed toy, a card with my colleague's signatures,
a set of overall and bib, and two gift cards loaded with money.
I was so happy, I can use it to buy my baby's diapers and Co. 

Soon it was time to say goodbye. It felt exhilerating and at the same time sad to be taking my leave. Don't get me wrong. I am very happy and excited to face this new phase in our life but it just felt weird somehow to leave as if I will not be coming back. But I will be back, when all goes well after a year. It is weirder because of the pandemic. You cannot just give your colleague a hug or shake their hands as a gesture of thanks and saying farewell. But I will be back. It is just a brief farewell after all and not a goodbye. 

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New Attractions in Tripsdrill

Amusement or theme parks have started reopening their doors to the public with the relaxation of restrictions because of the Corona virus pandemic. Hygiene regulations, social distancing rules, and sneezing and cough etiquette are of course in place and must be observed to protect both visitors and staff of these amusement parks. With the number of guests allowed to enter the amusement parks limited to a certain figure, the traffic inside the parks, especially the lines to main attractions, is also lessened.

Tripsdrill in Cleebronn reopened this season last 29th May until the 1st of November and is open from 9.00 am until 6.00 pm. But what's new with Tripsdrill amusement park when it opened its doors again to the public?

There are actually 3 Attractions which opened this season: 2 roller coaster rides, the "Hals-über-Kopf" & "Volldampf" opened in June 2020, and the relatviely new adventure playground Spielewelt "Sägewerk" opened in June 2019.

The "Hals-über-Kopf" roller coaster ride will get you screaming your heart out as it takes you to 4 rollovers!

"Hals-über-Kopf": The Head Over Heels Roller Coaster Ride
This is a newly developed type of hanging roller coaster with four rollovers. Its course crosses several times with the course of the new family roller coaster "Volldampf". Both rides deliver a breathtaking competition.

The theme of this ride goes back to the "Seven Swabians" - a story that has been rooted in Swabia for centuries. The Seven Swabians once set the goal of tracking down a terrifying monster on Lake Constance. Armed with a huge lance, they embarked on a daring adventure. The monster turned out to be a hare, however, who jumped away in alarm when the Seven Swabians rushed toward him. The new roller coaster therefore bears the name "Hals-über-Kopf", refering not only to the rash heroic stories of the Seven Swabians, but also to the four so-called rollovers, which are the unique selling point of this new ride.

To ride, you need to be at least 6 years old (accompanied by an adult) and at least 120 cm. From 8 years old and above, are allowed to ride alone. 

The "Volldampf" family roller coaster ride with its steam locomotive design.

"Volldampf": The Full Steam Family Roller Coaster Ride
This new family roller coaster ride not only goes forward, but also downhill in a backwards shot.

The design of this family roller coaster was inspired by one of the best-known Swabian folk songs: the Swabian Railway. Created at the end of the 19th century, the song is about a turbulent journey on the Swabian Railway from Stuttgart via Ulm and Biberach to Durlesbach. The railway line is now fictitiously continued in Tripsdrill, with a steam locomotive design from the 19th century and several compartments. Full steam ahead!

To ride, you need to be at least 4 years old (accompanied by an adult) and at least 95 cm. Children from 8 years old and above are allowed to ride alone.

The play world "Sägewerk" with over 250 game elements on 1400 square-meter area.

Spielewelt "Sägewerk": "Sawmill" Play World
This huge adventure playground on 1400 square meter area has around 250 game elements and is considered as one of the largest adventure playgrounds in Southern Germany. It is strategically situated right next to the wooden roller coaster "Mammut", inviting both children and adults alike to climb, slide, sand and splash around with water. It has nine partially covered play areas, a climbing tower that reaches up to a height of almost 15 meters, an over ten meter long network bridge and an almost eight meter high spiral slide - everything just spectacular! The little ones in particular will never be bored as there are numerous possibilities to play with sand and water. Even the young at heart will also be refreshed here.

So the next time you visit Tripsdrill, be sure to try these new attractions. I wish you an enjoyable visit!

Photos taken from the Tripsdrill official website.

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The New Normal in School

Schools have opened once again for the non-graduating grades after the Pentecost break here in the Federal State of Baden-Wuerttemberg. Beginning last June 15, 2020, school children were allowed to go to school.

New Class Schedule
Most schools have however modified the class schedules, wherein only the core subjects will have classroom instruction. For the case of my daughter, she will only have Math, German, English, Latin, Biology and Visual Arts. I don't understand why they included Visual Arts in the schedule but anyway, they will only be required to come for a few hours a day, with the longest at around 4 hours and the shortest at 2,5 hours. To uphold the social distancing requirement, the school has reduced the number of students coming to class at a time by dividing them into two groups. One group will come during the Week A schedule and the 2nd group will come during the Week B schedule. Since there are only six weeks remaining before the summer break, that means that they would only need to come to school for a total of three weeks. On days when a child does not need to go to school, some minor subject teachers have opted to continue with online instruction.

Mandatory Wearing of Face Masks
The children will be required to wear face masks whenever they are not seated in their seats. This is for their own and others' protection since the enemy is invisible.

Mess Halls Are Closed
There will be no canteen service for the remaining 6 weeks in school for safety reasons, which would mean that the children will need to bring their own food for snacks and lunches. As parents, we should make sure that our children have enough to eat and drink when they go to school for this time period. I should make a menu with my daughter so that we prepare her food ahead of time and so that she will not go hungry at school.

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Official Paperworks When Giving Birth in Germany

The birth of a child is always a unique experience for parents. There is nothing else that anyone would like to do as to just pay attention and dedicate your time to your newborn child. Unfortunately, with the birth of a child comes the important paperworks and formalities that parents need to submit and fulfill. 

For this second pregnancy, it will be like doing things the first time since it is my first time giving birth here. In Germany, there are various things that need to be accomplished, not just for the formalities but also to be able to receive monetary support from the government. Here are important things that you need to take note of in order for everything to be in order and to do them properly.  I should prepare the paperworks before the baby comes out so that processing will be easier and faster.

I have come up with a list of the most important administrative formalities related to birth and have also noted the requirements, deadlines, costs if any and the responsible office.

1. Birth certificate (Geburtsurkunde): The birth certificate should be applied at the relevant civil registry office (Standesamt) within 7 days from the child's birth. This is oftentimes taken cared of by the hospital, since they are required to register newborns. The birth certificate costs €10 for the original and €5 for every certified copy. Documents needed are the parents' identification cards or passports for foreigners (Personalausweis), marriage certificate (Heiratsurkunde), birth confirmation from the hospital (Geburtsbescheinigung), and acknowledgement of paternity (Vaterschaftsanerkennung) for unmarried parents.

2. Paternal Acknowledgement (Vaterschaftsanerkennung): This is only applicable for parents who are unmarried. It should ideally be done before the child is born, so that the father's name could be directly entered into the birth certificate, but can also be done after birth. Otherwise, only the name of the mother will be noted. The father also does not necessarily have to be the biological father. There are no deadlines for the paternal acknowledgement. To apply for this, the following documents need to be presented at the civil registry office (Standesamt) or youth welfare office (Jugendamt): parents' identification cards or passports, birth certificate of the father, consent of the mother. The paternal acknowledgement is free of charge.

3. Health Insurance (Krankenversicherung): Because every person is required to have a health insurance coverage in Germany and so that the child is also insured for later check-ups, it is important to apply the newborn child for a health insurance. The child can be accommodated in the health insurance of the mother or the father by means of the birth certificate and/or paternal acknowledgement. For this purpose, an admission form can be requested by phone from the health insurance company. It is important to perform the official paperworks as soon as possible, so that the child can be insured as soon as possible, too! The costs of the insurance is dependent on the tarif. Documentary requirements include the birth certificate and admission form of the health insurance company, and paternal acknowledgement when necessary, and should be applied at your own health insurance provider.

Having a newborn child also mean that you need some financial support from the government because as an employee, you will have to stop working for a period of time to take care of your baby. In Germany, they provide child allowance until the age of 18, maternity allowance, and parental allowance for a maximum of 12 months should you decide to go on a parental leave.

4. Maternity Allowance (Mutterschaftsgeld): For employed women who are private or family-insured, the maternity allowance can be applied at the Federal Insurance Office (Bundesversicherungsamt). The case is different for statutory insured women, as the maternity allowance will be paid by the insurance provider. The maternity protection allowance is given along with the employer's allowance for pregnant women who are on maternity leave. The maternal protection period for permanently employed pregnant women is from six weeks before to eights weeks after birth. To get this benefit, you should be insured with a statutory health insurance company as this is not paid under private health insurance. The amount of the allowance is maximum €13 per calendar day. You will need the following documents: employer certificate (Arbeitgeberbescheinugung), certificate of the presumed delivery date (Bescheinigung des mutmaßlichen Entbindungstermins), and filled-up application form for maternity allowance. The application should be submitted to the Federal Insurance Office for private or family-insured women or to the health insurance company for statutory insured women in good time before the begin of the maternity leave.

5. Parental Allowance (Elterngeld): The parental allowance serves to compensate for lost income. The administrative procedures after the birth can only be carried out at the offices designated by the state government, which are listed on the website of the Federal Ministry for Families (Bundesministerium für Familien). The amount of the reimbursement is based on the previous net income. An application should be made immediately after birth because the payment is only made retrospectively for a maximum of three months. To apply, you will need the birth certificate, parental allowance application form, and payslip from the last 12 months. The responsible office varies by federal state. You can find information on the parental allowance office (Elterngeldstelle) in your area from your city, district and municipal administration or from family advice centers. 

6. Child Allowance (Kindergeld): Child allowance or benefit is given to children until they reach 18 years. The application for child allowance (Kindergeldantrag) is processed by the employment agency (Agentur für Arbeit), with processing times approximately between 1-1.5 months. It is possible to apply to the authorities for child benefit before the birth, but the application is only valid when the birth certificate is submitted. Payment is made from the month of birth and is paid retrospectively for a maximum of 3 months if the processing time is longer. The limitation period for the legal claim is four years. You will need to submit the birth certificate and the application form, which is available at the Agentur für Arbeit website.  

7. Income Tax Card (Lohnsteuerkarte): Have your income tax card changed. If you want to benefit from the child allowance, you must have your offspring noted on the income tax card. The income tax card can be applied for before birth, however the registration itself only takes place afterwards because the birth certificate is required for this. The change has to be accomplished as soon as you receive the birth certificate at the Residents' Registration Office (Einwohnermeldeamt). You will need to bring your income tax card, personal identification or passport, of course the birth certificate and paternal acknowledgment (for unmarried parents). 

8. Parental leave (Elternzeit): As a soon-to-be mother, you will of course want to spend time with your baby for as long as possible. That is why there is the parental leave. Generally, expectant mothers have a legal right to take parental leave until the child is three years old. This must of course be registered with the employer in writing at least seven weeks before the start of the parental leave. Not a classic administrative procedure after the birth, but nevertheless mandatory, the notification of the birth to the employer can be combined directly with the application for maternity protection and parental leave. Most mothers take 12 months of parental leave because during this time, they can also receive parental allowance. But if you financial capacity allows, you can take the maximum of three years. 

So there, hope this list will help other expectant moms like me living in Germany to prepare for the administrative procedures that go along with giving birth here. And I wish for a healthy and safe pregnancy.   

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Simple Apfelstrudel Recipe

I had my first taste of Apfelstrudel on one of our trips in Austria and I fell in love with this warm dessert ever since.

Soft, crisp and best served warm, treat your family and guests with this dessert!  

Apfelstrudel is made from Blätterteig (puff pastry dough) traditionally filled with chopped apples, raisins and cookie crumbs, topped with powdered sugar and served warm with vanilla sauce or a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. This is perfect with your afternoon coffee or tea. 
This desert is easy to prepare and bake. I made my first batch last year with my daughter and it was delicious! Since then, I would prepare this recipe whenever we want to have Apfelstrudel. You can either prepare the dough yourself if you feel up to it or you can buy the ready to bake ones sold in the supermarket.
For this recipe, I used the one I found online from the magazine Bild der Frau (in German). It has well explained and simple instructions, ideal for beginners like me.

Ingredients: For the dough (if you want to DIY): 125 g flour 70 mL water 1 TBSP oil A pinch of salt
For the filling: 3 pieces apples (preferably Elstar or Boskop variety) 40 g sugar 80 g cookie crumbs (e.g. butter cookies or ladyfingers) 1 pack vanilla sugar A pinch of cinnamon 30 g raisins Lemon juice
Also: Powdered sugar for sprinkling Melted butter Clean dish cloth
Instructions: 1. Knead a smooth dough out of flour, water, oil and salt. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in cling foil and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. You may skip this step if you already have a ready made dough. In my case, I used puff pastry dough.
2. For the filling, wash and peel the apples and cut into small pieces. Drizzle with the lemon to prevent browning. Add sugar, cookie crumbs, vanilla sugar, cinnamon and raisins and mix everything well. (We skipped the raisins because my daughter doesn't like it and added some honey, around 2 TBSP, instead.).
3. Roll out the dough in a square form on a floured work surface. Lay out the kitchen towel, carefully lift the dough onto the towel and pull apart very thinly. 

4. Spread a thin layer of the liquid butter on the dough. Then spread the filling over the lower quarter of the dough, leaving a 1-2 cm wide rim on the outside. Fold the outside over the filling and then roll up the dough tightly using the kitchen towel. 

5. Place the seam down on a baking tray covered with baking paper. Brush with part of the liquid butter and bake in the preheated oven at 180 ° C for 35 minutes. Take out of the oven briefly after half of the baking time and brush with the remaining melted butter. This makes the apple strudel so nice and crispy.

6. Serve while still warm - sprinkled with powdered sugar. You can also serve this with vanilla sauce or a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. The warm and cold combination is just wonderful!
Easy peasy does it! Let me know your thoughts once you have tried the recipe.

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Pregnancy in a Foreign Country

After many years of waiting, I am very happy to announce that we are pregnant with our second child. This is my second pregnancy away from my home country, and is a different country from the first pregnancy, which was in Japan. 

It is not always easy to be pregnant in a foreign country especially if the language is very different. Thankfully, we have been here in Germany for 10 years now, so we are more or less fluent with the German language. Germany also has a very good health care system, and the health insurance pays for the routine check-ups and the medications that may be needed during the course of the pregnancy. There are of course extra medical checks that you will need to pay yourself, the ones that they call IGEL-Leistungen, which are not included in the routine checks but you may choose to get if you are a high-risk pregnancy patient, if there is a history of hereditary illnesses in the family, or if you want to know if your baby is healthy or not.

Here are some of the things I learned while on my pregnancy here: 

If you are pregnant, you will get a Mutterpass (mother passport) from your OB-Gyne, where all important information pertaining to your pregnancy is recorded and which you will need to bring everytime you come for a routine check up.

If you are employed, you also need to inform your employer, the latest when you are past the critical first trimester, that you are pregnant so that you will be registered and protected by the Mutterschutzgesetzt (maternal protection law). This law protects mothers-to-be in the workplace, especially for example those who are doing shifts, are working at the factory, or at areas where they are exposed to harmful chemicals, etc. The law also gives the mother-to-be ample time to prepare herself for D-day. Six weeks before the scheduled birth, the mother may already stop working. She will still get her full income during this time, as well as eight weeks after the baby's birth. The employer and the health insurance company shares in the payment. After this Mutterschutzfrist (maternity protection period), the mother and/or father can apply for Elternzeit (parental leave) as well as for Elterngeld (parental allowance) for a maximum of 14 months. After the parenteral leave, she may opt to go back to work for her employer. 

There are also paperworks that need to prepared. And right after the baby is born, you will also need to find a day care facility and reserve a place so that after the parental leave is up, you can go to work worry-free knowing that your baby is in capable hands.

I still have a long way to go in my pregnancy. I am now on the early stage of the second trimester and with the Corona scare going on, it is not that easy as I thought it would be. I pray that all these will pass, that a cure, a medicine or a vaccine will soon be developed so that we can all move on with our normal lives. There is nothing else that I could wish for but for a healthy and stress-free pregnancy and a healthy baby.

Stay safe and healthy everyone!

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The Christmas / Advent Calendar

When we first moved here in Germany in 2009, the Christmas calendar is among the gift-giving traditions that I look forward to. And it is very interesting to learn along the way how this very romantic idea of a calendar to make waiting for Christmas day to arrive a little bit easier turned out to be a million industry.

Everything started very simply: with pictures and texts. It was in 1903 when most probably the first Advent calendar was designed, by the Munich publisher Gerhard Lang. The calendar was inspired by his mother, who made him a calendar made from 24 cookies when he was still a child. Every day a cookie for the little Gerhard, which made waiting for Christmas day to come a little bit easier.

Even before the published calendar, this counting tradition is already practiced by many German families - for example chalk marks on the wall or the door to count off the days. But then of course, colorful pictures and beautiful texts are more interesting. Lang's calender with the title "Im Lande des Christkinds" (In the Land of the Christ Child) is a kaleidoscope of various motifs of the kinder world. After the premiere in 1903, new versions were published every year. 

Because children love sweet things, the publisher soon had another idea: Christmas / advent calendar with chocolate. It was in 1920 when the first calendar was published, just like the typical calendar we have today: with 24 small doors to open. It was an optimal idea, because people love beautiful surprises. Clubs and parents in other areas then started designing their own calendar.

It was in 1945, after the second world war, when other countries and even the industry found the idea interesting. Famous artists designed calendars - there is the classic with the chocolate and slowly in more and more variants.

Today, there are all sorts of Christmas calendar available in the market - for all ages and for a wide range of products. There are calendars with chips, seasoning, gin, fragrance, make-up tea, coffee, even Lego and Playmobil - there is a calendar to almost every product that one can purchase. It has become a million-business. 

But do we really need all this? I personally love the chocolate bit, one for each day. But with all the products being sold out today, I think it has already lost its essence and meaning. The happiness that opening one door brings has maybe become superficial. Despite the massive commercialization, may we never lost touch of the true meaning of Christmas.

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Moving Up To 5th Grade Soon

So our little girl is now in the 4th grade and it has been quite busy the last few weeks for us as we went from one Information Day or School Open House to the next in preparation for 5th grade. This is because she will transfer to a new school where she will spend the next 8 or 9 years studying and preparing for a career. 

The first 4 years of Grundschule are almost over and we are happy and proud to say that she is doing well. Although graduation ceremonies and/or quarterly recognition days are not big here, we are happy that she is happy learning and socializing with other children. 

Moving on to a new school, we are as excited as her as she takes another big step. We are thankful that she is recommended to continue on to Gymnasium, a kind of high school which will allow her to continue on and study at the Universität or Hochschule later on. 

The German educational system is quite new to us so it is also like an adventure for us as parents. We just hope that we will be able to guide her and support her in the decisions that she will make in the years to come and that she will grow into the person that is meant to be.

In the coming days, we will be registering her at the school that left a good impression. We just hope and pray that she will be accepted. 

I am nervous and excited as I look forward to the new adventures and challenges that our young girl will face. But head's up Anak... rest assured that you will always have us behind you to back you up!

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The Cuckoo Clocks of the Black Forest

The Black Forest is one of the most famous forests here in Germany. I first heard about it when I was in Japan while teaching English to Japanese professionals at a conversation school there. One of my clients loved to travel a lot and would like to visit Germany someday and visit the Black Forest. I guess they call it that because of the very thick forest cover (making it very dark) but the Black Forest, I later came to discover, is a jewel with lots of breathtaking views and various activities to offer.

The world's biggest cuckoo clock in a scale of 50:1 in Schonach, Black Forest, Germany
Photo Source: de.Wikipedia

One of the many charms of the Blackforest are the cuckoo clocks. Legend has it that the first cuckoo clocks were made in the Black Forest but who made it was not recorded.. The 320-kilometer long German Uhrenstrasse (Clock Street) was even officially opened in 1992 to the public as a tourist attraction. In this 320-km stretch lies different Black Forest clock factories, workshops and sign painter studios. It also offers beautiful views of the valleys and the various trails and the 30 stations give guests an insight of the meaningful role that the cuckoo clocks brought to the economy and the development of the region.

I would love to visit a cuckoo clock factory one of these days. I can already imagine the many intricate designs of the cuckoo clocks and how precise they should be made. Should a chance come to visit one of the factories, I would like to see how the clockmakers make these fantastic clocks using their various tools: precision vise, lathe machines, graver stones, clockmaker hammers, gages, and a lot of other small tools that clock makers need. 

The next time we visit the Black Forest, I would see to it that we visit the Uhrenstrasse. Just writing this post has made me excited about the idea of being able to watch clockmakers make a cuckoo clock. :)

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I ♥ Berlin: Craving for Dunkin Donuts

Dunkin' Donuts is one of the things that I miss about the Philippines. There's a lot of franchise stores there and it was one of my favorite hangout areas way back in high school. There's just something refreshing about the sugar-coated toppings, and the lightly-salted ham and egg and cheese sandwich. 

Sadly, there's no Dunkin' Donuts here in Stuttgart but I was happy to learn that in Berlin, there is! Some 23 stores if I am not mistaken. So during our trip to Berlin last end of April on the occasion of my birthday, we went to a Dunkin' Donuts store located at the Sony Center along Potsdamer Strasse for refreshments before continuing on our sightseeing tour.

The taste hasn't changed... But there are some assortments missing that I think is only available in the Philippines. It was a delight though to select my favorite flavors like Boston Creme, Bavarian Creme, Chocolate Coconut, and Double Chocolate. There are other variants too that my little girl chose and enjoyed eating. It was a wish come true... a Happy Birthday indeed!

When we left Berlin, we also bought a box of donuts as pasalubong for our friends in Stuttgart. I guess no matter where you are in the world, Dunkin' Donuts will always be "pasalubong ng bayan!"

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I ♥ Berlin: The World Fountain

It has been a month now since we visited Berlin and I still wasn't able to post about this beautiful capital of Germany. There is so much to tell about this city and so I decided to make a series of posts which I shall call "I ♥ Berlin".

On our first day of sightseeing, we decided to do a bus tour just to get a general information about the city and see all the major sights at once. While waiting for the tour bus in Kurfürstendamm, we decided to have some refreshments at the nearby Breitschneidplatz. Then I saw this really interesting fountain, which is made of red granite and bronze and shaped like the globe. My little girl also enjoys fountains a lot so we decided to check it out. We still had ample of time anyway.

It was only later when I found out that this fountain is called the Weltkugelbrunnen (world fountain) or lovingly called by the locals as Wasserklops (water ball). It was built in 1983 by and designed by Joachim Schmettaus. It has since then provided a refreshing addition to the City West district and forms the centre of a sunken square along the south-east edge of the Breitscheidplatz directly in front of the Europa Center. It is not just a plain round sphere as one would expect but is made with interesting figures, stairs, geometric shapes and carvings. There was a bronze crocodile that my little girl couldn't get enough of.

I love the sound of the water as it flows over the different shapes, down the stairway and collects in a basin at its foot. It calms and refreshes the tired soul. Even those with hearing aids would have no need to bring extra hearing aid batteries. Just looking at the flowing water already gives the impression that its sound will provide a soothing, calming effect.

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The Königstrasse in Stuttgart

When in Stuttgart, you shouldn't miss going to Königstrasse, the city's main shopping street and the longest pedestrian shopping street in Europe, stretching 1.2 kilometers. With hundreds of shops to choose from, there is always something to do here. Whether it be shopping or just windowshopping, take a walk, dine or just simply being there, this stretch of pedestrian street has a lot to offer for people of different ages.

Along the Königstrasse one can find shops like Zara, Mango, Swatch, H&M, Fossil, Esprit, Hugo Boss, promod and hundreds more and two big department stores: Galeria Kaufhof and Karstadt. In the Königstrasse you can find the Schlossplatz where the Neues Schloss (New Castle) is located. The adjacent Schlossgarten houses the Stuttgart Opera House where world-class musicals, opera and ballet performances are staged. Then there are also street artists, singers, musicians with violins or hohner accordions or wineglasses, caligraphers and pantomimers, even clowns and balloon artists. There are also coffee and ice cream shops scattered everywhere. For those who love art and history, the Landesmuseum Württemberg and Kunstmuseum are within easy reach.

Annual events like the International Animated Films Festival in May, the SWR3 Summer Festival in May, and The Christmas Market in December are also held here.

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Dandelions

My daughter loves them a lot! They begin to bloom just about anywhere at the beginning of Spring and continues to do so until the summer. I actually didn't know until today that they are called dandelions since I only know their German name: Löwenzahn, which literally means "lion teeth". What is amazing about dandelions is that after it blooms, it produces seeds, each attached to a stem with white fluffy stems and turns into what the Germans call Pusteblume, because it when you blow on it, they scatter in the wind.

It is interesting to note that while many people see it as a pesky weed, herbalists see them as a valuable herb and medicine, and a rich source of vitamins A, B complex, C, and D, as well as minerals such as iron, potassium, and zinc. Many of its parts are edible, e.g. the leaves are used in salads to add flavor, roots are used in some coffee substitutes and the flowers are used to make wine.

And here is my little girl, picking up some dandelions. We were Berlin at that time and she picked these up, along with some Pusteblume while waiting for our turn for the boat tour around Berlin. This photo was taken at the park near the main train station.

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Insel Mainau The Second Time Around

Looking for a place to go to this Spring? It is always a good idea to visit parks and gardens at this time of the year because it is the time when tulips are abundant. Growing up in a country where hibiscus and orchids abound, I have always wanted to see tulips and be able to enjoy its beauty even at my own home. Since Keukenhof Garden is a considerable six hours from Stuttgart, we opted to visit the flower island of Mainau, which is located in Lake Constance (Bodensee), which is only a two-hour drive from here.

This Sakura or cherry blossom tree is very famous among the park's visitors.
A souvenir photo is a must!

It was already half past twelve when we left and when we arrived there, we were still able to enjoy the walks, the flowers, the view and the playgrounds, thanks to long days. What is nice about Insel Mainau is that it closes when the sun sets so if the sun will set at 20:15, that is the time when it will close its doors to the public.

Best discovery of the day: a sea of tulips!

It is a good idea to have a park map on hand so that you can tour the place efficiently. But since we were not that in a hurry, we took our time, walking around and took a different route. And we found a very pleasant and beautiful view: a sea of tulips growing on one side of the soft slopes of the island. I never imagined it to be that beautiful... I know my photography skills are second to none and it cannot do justice to the beauty in front of me so all I can do was take in the moment and savor its beauty while I am there.

My not-so-little girl  happily  feeding the goats.

My not-so-little girl was also able to enjoy the children's playground and the Streichelzoo. The weather was fine and she was able to play around, crossing different rope bridges, climbing wooden structures and pulling the raft. She was so happy to see some farm animals like donkeys and ponies, llamas and goats, chicken and rabbits, and also be able to pet the goats and feed them. I even learned a new word from her: Ziege, the German word for goat.

It was a relaxing afternoon. Although it was just a short trip, it was enough to recharge us - renewing our batteries and taking away the stress - enough indeed to last for the next few months. Until the next trip!

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Practice Makes Perfect

"Übung macht den Meister"

There is still so much to learn about the German language... Although I have been here for more than two years now, I still have got so much to learn. Since I don't really practice German at home because we want to speak in our dialect for the sake of our little girl, I can only catch new words or phrases from the TV while watching shows with my little girl. Reading German children's book also help, since I get some new vocabulary there. Still there is so much to learn... And as they say, "Übung macht den Meister"

So I guess beginning today, I will try to learn a new word or phrase to enrich my vocabulary and maybe share it with my husband so that everyday, we have something new to add into our vocabulary chest, which by the way is in dire need of filling. I love the German equivalent of vocabulary: WORTSCHATZ.... "Wort" literally meaning word, and "schatz" meaning treasure.

Perhaps I will also be taking a German course after all to fill this need to improve my German language skills. Hopefully, I get accepted to the lecture, which starts next week. There is a reason for everything after all. I hope I get to choose my lectures well for this semester and be able to manage my time wisely.

After all, "Übung macht den Meister."

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Autumn And It's Promise

Summer flew me by so fast. I guess I just was so busy studying and worrying about my exams so that I never really had the chance to enjoy the warm summer. On a very nice day, I was stuck inside the study halls instead, buried in the world of solid waste, waste water and process engineering. I even missed going to the Canstatter Volkfest with my family and had to trade weekends spending time with them just to study some more.

Losing your way can be an exciting and beautiful experience too! This was proof of it!

Now, it is already October and before I know it, the third semester and the lecture period has already started. I never really has the time to relax and now, I am feeling under the weather. Maybe it's my body's way of telling me that I needed a break. It has been more than three months now since we went somewhere to relax and recharge. Even going on a road trip had been impossible for us the past few months.

Along the River Neckar... On a road trip to Heidelberg, Autumn of 2010.

I would love to see the German countryside at this time of the year. It has a nostalgic and golden glow and although the days are beginning to be shorter and the nights longer, I love watching the sky glow golden red as the sun sets on the horizon. I love the feel and sound of the fallen leaves as my feet step on them, made crisp by the cool autumn air. And although it can sometimes be gloomy, wet and gray, autumn promises frost and snow.

Laternefest 2010 at my little girl's kindergarten. It was a new and fun experience for us.

I look forward to the Laternenfest at my little girl's kindergarten which takes place at this time of the year. I look forward to the day when will create her own lantern by ourselves. I look forward to snapping photos of my little girl enjoying a day at the park or the forest, running around, throwing leaves. I look forward to lazy weekends spent at home, watching DVDs or TV series or reading books, and sipping hot chocolate. Or maybe we can do something new this autumn, like visit the museums on cold, rainy days.

There is indeed still a lot to do. I just hope I won't be swept away with school work and in the flow of things.

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