"kein zweibel" was one of the first German phrases that I learned. Don't like raw onions. Cooked are fine though.
Don't dig the radishes either. Nor those bright pink pickled things they often hav in the kebab places.
@Telemark Phat Was Mustafas around when you were here? Many deride it as over hyped tourist food but I've had it a couple of times and it was spectac. Worth the1 hour queue.
If it was I didn't hear about it, I certainly don't remember any 1 hour wires for a kebab. My favorite kebab place was in Freidrichshein, it claimed to serve Persian food and called it's kebabs schwarma. They were just like a kebab in Australia with hommus and tabouli rather than those crazy Lamb in a bed roll with cabbage, veg and sauce (I always got knoblau).
Experiment, you don't have to eat the stodge every day. I used to but Adidas ingredients including fresh chilis from that Asian supermarket I mentioned. A quick web search suggests there are heaps of them in Berlin now.
There are some things about DE that one cannot argue with. Yes, that's the price for a sixie. And yes the single cans are 29c.
I've only been to Germany once (Munich) and I have to say everyone there was very polite, and very enthusiastic to speak in English to us when they learnt we were English. Went with the intention of strengthening my German, but didn't end up speaking a word of German!
Just on the beer again. Another thing I like is the standard sizes. In Austria it is either a small (kleines / glas) at 300ml or a large (grosses / krugel) at 500ml. Simple. Then of course in the Hofbrauhaus in Munich there is only one size - ein Mass - 1L. None of this schooner, butcher, midi, pot, pint, imperial pint etc which vary in size depending on what state you are in.
Don't need this... http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-20/truck-ploughs-into-crowded-berlin-christmas-market/7588296 http://orf.at/stories/2371759/2371760/
that's a problem everywhere over several trips in France I've tried to persist with my passable French but it's a struggle it hasn't helped last few trips that my travelling companions seem not to want me to do it
I had the same thing when I was living in Germany until I reached a certain level of fluency. I either asked them if we could speak in German because I needed the practice more than they did or I just stubbornly responded in German rather than in English.
Pretty awful events last night. We had planned to go to the Xmas market in Charlottenburg for a feed after work, but canned it as we had too much to do before flying to Aus. Initial reports made it seem very inoccuous. Its not like a bomb blast where everyone instinctively runs. Live feeds from the scene showed most people unaware of the significance of what had taken place. We had friends in town a few weeks ago and we took them to the markets that were hit, as well as the most famous ones in Gendarmenmarkt. We even discussed how the Xmas markets would be a prime target for terrorists. Crazy.
The Christmas Markets have been discussed as a target for some time, but they are a soft target. A friends son lives around the corner with his partner, fortunately they had left a few days go to spend Christmas in Southern Germany with his partner's family.
To clarify. I wasn't meant to be at the markets that were hit. We were intending to go to Schloss Charlottenburg markets which are supposed to be one of the nicest ones. My wife is a bit of a xmas-markets-phile. Loves them. I've seen enough to last a lifetime. They are cool to experience once or twice a year. The Kudamm ones where this attack occured are quite unimpressive. They're just placed to capitalise on foot traffic as Kudamm is the main shopping strip. Very eerie feeling today. All Xmas markets across Germany are closed. This was the scene at Alexanderplatz opposite my gym. That's the TV tower enveloped in fog. Viel Spaß means "lots of fun".
Ooohh I know that spot! So sad. They've achieved their goal of disruption and instilling fear into the people.
We were at the Xmas markets in Vienna on Saturday/Sunday and noticed heavily dressed police everywhere. Seems like every time I arrive in Europe there is a terrorist attack. Two years ago watching events in Paris
Got a whole bank of stuff to add to this thread but my memory was jogged yesterday when I saw this piece of outdoor advertising.
Been a while since I updated this thread. I have to say that the longer we live here in Berlin, the less likely it is that I think we'd ever want to leave. During our 9 years in London, there was always the feeling that it wasn't the final destination and that we'd eventually move over to Australia for the good life. Not so, anymore. I still love and miss my family and friends in Aus, but my lust for Sydney has waned. In my first 8 years living in Europe, I used to get yearnings for a hit of Sydney beach life and sunshine. Maybe after 10+ years doing the same annual Christmas pilgrammage to Sydney I've grown jaded, but I genuinely don't feel the pull anymore. Sure - I appreciate the lifestyle joys of being able to enjoy the beach a few days a week but other lifestyle factors seem more important now. My skin's probably enjoying the respite from the Aussie sun anyway. Berlin needs to get its airports sorted out. Hopefully by 2020, the new one will be functioning. Flight connections are painful compared with London. Few choices when it comes to airlines and flight times, and notable gaps too. For example no direct flights to Innsbruck in winter. London was a better base for snowboarding, than Berlin is. As a city, Berlin is growing rapidly. Its becoming more and more multinational by the month. The Brexit factor is definitely working to the city's advantage, although those who are negatively affected by gentrification are likely to be less enthusiastic. For us, its great. Food and entertainment options get better all the time. Our slightly too expensive rent (by Berlin standards) that we secured in 2016, is now super competitive. Its one of the fastest growing property markets in the world. Mein Deutsch ist noch schlecht, aber es verbessert.
I know a few Aussies who live in Europe and have no intention of coming back to Australia, Australia is becoming boring with too many rules! Lucky Australia has the Chinese tourist market now, because around 50% of the Europeans Ive met who have travelled to Australia didnt really enjoy it!
There does seem to have been a shift. A decade ago, most Aussies I met over here, had the intent to move back eventually. Interesting comments on Euro travellers to Aus. I've met many who preferred nz but almost all who I've met, spoke in glowing terms about their time down under. Many can't believe I choose to live here.
What a goal! This little guys support paid dividends!! Although apparently the Hoff had it all under control anyway
Flew back from Mallorca yesterday but kinda wish we'd stayed the extra night! Apparently the island (which is known as the "17th State" of DE) went ballistic after the goal
how about that. thought it was germany and bavaria. so, saxons are german, which would probably make brittan and scandinavia, german, and as such another few (many) states of germany? probably france, also.
You need to study European medieval history. There was no France. No Germany. No Italy. All that came much later.
