Tuesday, June 28, 2011

begin with a Berliner

My last few days here have been flying by.  I guess days--especially busy ones--have a tendency to do that.  But in the busyness, I don't want to miss the little things... the things I love.  After talking with a dear friend tonight, I decided to start writing about those things... the goofy, special, fun, or whatever things... just the THINGS about being in another country that I especially enjoy.

So... here's # 1.  Tomorrow is my long day.  I take one day each week and work ALL day... and tomorrow is it!  But I have decided that I want to begin the day right with a cultural experience that I really love.  There is no Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks or Wawas here.  Nope... instead, there is a grocery store with a bakery right inside the door.  And they make the most amazing coffee su mit namen ("to take away").  I love it!  So tomorrow, to begin my long day, I am going to walk to the bakery and say "ein latte macchiato su mit namen bitte" ("one latte to take away please").  This bakery also makes the most amazing jelly donuts I have ever tasted-- called "Berliners."  I think I will order "ein Berliner bitte" as well.  I could be economical and eat my trusty bowl of Special K (I did find Special K here!!), but tomorrow is my long day... I think it's a good day for a Berliner. =)

Berliners taste so good that I could eat one every day if I let myself!  But I don't. =)  The last time I ordered one was on Saturday morning...  Myself and my two companions piled into the car to make our 2 hour drive to the Alps.  About 1 kilometer down the road, I bit into my Berliner (while driving), and the jelly shot out of the Berliner and into my hand.  And then somehow in trying to clean it up, I got it on my other hand too!  I learned that it's very difficult to drive a car with two hands covered in jelly.  So we weren't even out of town yet when I had to pull over and clean myself up... get myself un-sticky.  It's a funny memory. =)

So tomorrow to begin my long day, I will go to the bakery and get a latte and a Berliner... and I will be sure to have napkins nearby for when I take my first bite. =)

4 comments:

  1. yummmmmmmm. . .a berliner sounds delectable. Sounds like a splendid way to start the day! I'm guessing it's better than Dunkin Donuts anyway. :o)

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  2. oh thank you, thank you. but here's a confession that YOU will understand, Elisa-- I MISS ICED COFFEE. like i REALLY miss it. so drink one for me, please... and tell me how great it was. i will rejoice for you... seriously, i will. love you. =)

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  3. love love loved it. this is exactly the type of thing i imagine to be so wonderfully romantic about being in another country. i close my eyes and live through you :)


    ps. i commented on this too because i WANTED to. is this gonna be weird now that we had our chat? o the price of honesty :)

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  4. oh no, my friend... honesty will always be a treasure. and it makes your comment that much more meaningful =) love you.

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