Berlin

frau und Frauline ch bin in Berlin!
Ich bin not going to do another Blog Kitty in Berlin let's keep that one rolling but just in case, it's not the name of a town in London but the actual Berlin in Germany! And with that i am addressing to one particular person which i won't name :-)

Here is the letter from the editor of Berlin city guide that i found in the room:

Lots of international visitors will be coming to town for the Fashion week in July. They'll be going to the fashion shows, bar and restaurants; and if they still have time, perhaps do some shopping or see an exhibition. Generally, they stay in hotels. Some visitors decide to stay for longer. Some Berliners now found that annoying. They say the permanent visitors are responsible for rising the beer prices and, anyway ''You just don't meet any Berliner in Mitte anymore''.
At Berlin&I, we look forward to seeing all the guests. continues...

And here is the related article

Berlin Loves you, Berlin loves you not, Berlin loves you Berlin loves you not Berlin loves you... if you had your eyes peeled on a walk through the city lately, you may have discovered stickers with somewhat conflicting messages- a heart and a broken heart. The rumors are the messages were meant for tourists. Now you could ignore the whole thing as the action of a single instigator- sometimes good, sometimes evil. Nevertheless, the topic did make it to the evening news. And indeed, a few Friedrichain and Kreuzberg residents were actually mobilising against visitors. They hung up posters blaring ''Help the tourists are coming'' and complained about touristification at specially convened meetings. Their fear is that more hotels might start opening up and that rents would rise in the area. In light of the waves tourist bashing was making, even the politicians were getting involved. Green MP Dirk Behrendt is attempting to forge a compromise. He's for ''sustainable urban tourism'', adding that guests are - of course- more than welcome. The conclusion: Berlin loves you!

OKAY! Now when you add that to '' oh by the way if you see skin heads running towards you, run as fast as you can, they don't like seeing a white German with an ethnic girl here'' But i think that Stephan was just trying to scare me on that one. He was joking right? I'm not going to be the Mrs. Mauritian Hart of Berlin?

The superman GM that i had at Fourpoints used to say that if we mixed Mauritian and German standards of service we would hit the charts in terms of guest satisfaction. And my mum used to say that if we take half shot of Mauritian and half shot of German shake up the mixture it would give the perfect Human being. I guess i kind of know what they were on about now. Just as an example; In london we have ( shit i'm saying we, that's wrong coz i'm mauritian) ok let's start over. In London THEY have oyster cards for the tube and buses and there is a check in check out system at the doors where you click your card. So you could either take a weekly card or top-up pay as you go. ( for future visitors take a weekly or daily). So you have to click your card to get in. But here there is no such control and when i asked Stephan how they monitor who has a card and who hasn't he got a tat defensive going ''German are generally honest and we rely of trust and honesty'' Ok relax, i didn't mean to offend you but do you want me to believe that in 2011 there is such blinded ''trust'' If there is, Berlin should be getting some kind of Nobel prize of perfect travelers. ok could you imagine if in Mauritius we could just get in the bus and NTA would just ''trust'' that we have paid our ticket?? Hmm i am understanding more and more what my mum was on about!

We were a bit jaded as we had an early flight but as we have more or less 48 hours here we just left our bags at the Hotel and went on a little trip. I'm still trying to figure out why he told me that the hotel staff must think that i'm a prostitute!!! Me??? common! Well if they see my 100% cotton square knickers they'll understand that i'm not one so i'll make sure i'll leave them all in the bathroom! What do you think i've got such a great bum from wearing thongs? They dont support your bum. Knickers are like bra you know so stop wearing thongs!!!

It's completely different from London. I mean, as it's a big city i would have expected it do be more or less like London but it's very quiet. I could even see the same birds as we have in Mauritius. Stephan says that there are some in London as well but most of them died from overdose of Mac Donald. No joke here, i once saw a pigeon eating KFC. A Pigeon, a bird, eating a chicken, another kind of bird. Urban cannibalism, Nasty!

I think that the letters must have scared tourist coz i can hardly see any tourists in the streets. Stephan shows me around a little bit and i think he is getting a bit of nostalgia of the past. Stephan grew up in east Germany then his family somehow managed to go to west Germany before the fall of the Wall. God, Stephan actually went through this period, not world war of course my boyfriend is not a dinosaur but more in the cold war if i'm not mistaken. His mum and dad were full on in the war as children and his grand parents... hmmm sensitive subject let's not go on that. But i do feel tight in my throat thinking about what they went through.
When i see an old women in the streets i can't help but think of my Mum's friend Margrette and of her story. She was bended and she explained that it was from hiding underground for years as a child, for what 5 years? It ended in what 1945? so yeah they went through that period as well.

My history is very limited as all i learn at school was how the dutch ate all our dodos and how the french came, then the British etc. Sorry if my timing doesnt make total sense.

Stephan forgot to take me to the wall. Actually I'm wondering if he did not intentionally forget. I'll try again today but won't insist if he ''forgets' again. But as he did not want to do the historical bits I'll do what i do the best; window shopping!! i got a nice top and Stephan got me pants from ''who killed Bambi'' really nice pants my best so far. He said that he had to get me something from that shop because of it's name. He used to call me Bambi because he thinks that Bambi and i have a lot in common. Specially the eyes! Seriously the guy must me taking some other leaves in his hot water for breakfast! We had a very good time and no i have not been attacked by skinheads and Berliners have been very welcoming so far!

Today i want to do the whole thing The wall, the route of the soviet attack, the Fuhrer Bunker the site of Stauffenberg execution and as gore as it seems i also want to see the ancient Jewish cemetery. I'm i just a bit tired, is it PMT or is this place making me a bit sad...

I want to see David Blackburn as well! We'll go for a Mauritians in Berlin trip!

Oh need to get batteries for my camera...

Tchüß