That last link will give you the Wikipedia version of what Carnival is all about (the first two will take you to my photos of the festivities), but here’s my run down: it’s like Halloween, but not. Instead of just kids dressing up, almost everybody does. Instead of parading door to door asking for candy, people in the parade throw candy to you. Instead of it being a cool October evening, it’s a cold February day.

At least that’s how it works here in this part of Germany.

So in preparation I’ve already begun to build up mileage. Because–let’s be honest–I don’t only want to finish, I want a decent time. Ideally, 4 hours.

Anyway, with that preparation in mind I ran 18 miles on Saturday morning. Slow, but decent; I was looking for endurance, not speed. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I actually turned around at the border of the next state south, which is amusing because my favorite thing about my run back in Berlin (its own state) is that it takes me into Brandenburg.

But the point of me writing all of this wasn’t to brag about running to another state, or to announce my marathon intentions, but rather to report on the strange sight I witnessed on my way back: swans, standing in line after a few pedestrians, apparently waiting for a ferry to come back across the Rhine. And when I say swans, I mean giant swans.

Though I did not actually see them get on the ferry, I can only assume they thought the water too cold for a swim across. Or perhaps they were hoping to become the stars of a sequel to that instant classic, Snakes on a Plane.

Well, that’s half true. I plan how far I’m going to run, and how fast I’d like to run, but that’s different. That process is more vague. Today, however, I set a goal for my run: half a marathon (13.1 miles) in under two hours.

And I did it. In fact, I finished in just a little over 1:50. Which gives me hope that when I finally do run a marathon, I might be in a position to do it in around four hours. I’m not there yet, of course, but I think I will be.

Today isn’t the first time I’ve run 13.1 miles: I’ve run that far several times, I’ve even done 20 miles once or twice. But today was the fastest. I think part of the reason is that I’m at a place now where running ten miles (my normal run) at 9 minutes per mile is not that hard a thing to do.

On a related note: found a Chinese restaurant with a buffet for lunch. Worth every euro cent.

This has brought me to a startling conclusion: though I’ve spent plenty of time in Berlin and Magdeburg, maybe I haven’t really spent as much time in Germany as I though I had.

My own personal slice of Bonn has required some adjustment on my part as well. A bare room, a cold bathroom, a microwave and a fridge were here; clothes, an air mattress, bedding and various electronics are what I brought. My own impatience with the internet situation led me to go out and get a 5 gigabyte internet plan for my cell phone that I can use with my laptop, too, but now it turns out that starting tomorrow or Tuesday I will probably be able to share the landlord’s internet. Not the end of the world, the mobile internet will still be handy in the archives I’m visiting, which tend to have limited internet access (no wifi, only certain computers). But it will teach me not to be in such a hurry.

Besides a lack of shelves, drawers, and closets for my clothes, though, I think I have everything situated. Found a laundromat, found the good supermarket–it’s a little further away, but worth it–and so on. Learning the maze of streets that make up downtown will take a little more time, of course, but I’m sure by the time I head back to Berlin I’ll have it down.

The new year has brought a new look not only to Berlin, but this site as well. (Ok, that happened a few days before it was officially 2008, but close enough.) And it brings me to a new city, Bonn, where I’ll be doing research for about two months. We’ll see how that goes.

Unfortunately, the New Year also brought today, January 2, the day Deb flew home. Fortunately, not long after I get back to Berlin, so will she!

Unfortunately, this photo of a polar bear is the only record we have of our visit to the zoo. It was taken on my cell phone. All the photos on Deb’s (rather nice) camera are now in the possession of some enterprising Berliner (or tourist) who took advantage of an opportunity that arose while the camera was on a bench for several minutes at the train station…

At least the new rechargeable batteries we bought for the camera were at home, charging. They didn’t get everything!

When we got to the Sony Center, though, I decided we should instead go to an American-style sports bar/restaurant, where Deb had chicken fingers and I had a burger. After duck, rabbit, and other German food the past few days–which was great, don’t get me wrong (and included grilling on Christmas Eve)–we were ready for something different. Then, after dinner, instead of going to the movie we decided to wander around the still-open Potsdamer Platz Christmas market and to check out a touristy gift shop before heading home. So much for plans.

We will probably still see a movie tonight, but at home instead. And go to a movie tomorrow, but not Elizabeth. Still, all in all it’s been a great birthday! Best present of all: having Deb here!

Then I realized it was actually in my room

Thing is, I’m not good at looking for things. Deb is though. And now she’s here!

That’s not, of course, the only reason I’m excited to see her.

Note: I eat this exact meal probably 5 times a week. Which sounds like a lot until you realize I eat PB&J almost every day, either for lunch or toasted for breakfast/a bedtime snack.

The interruption Friday and Saturday was a scholarship holders’ orientation in Bonn that was rather uninformative but ended up being a pretty good time anyway. Highlight: dinner at a Chinese restaurant that took us cruising up and done the river while we ate.

My last major interruption for a while comes tomorrow morning as I go take care of my residence permit. I think I have all the documents I need, but we’ll see what happens.

Then it’s back to work. Only other plans for the week besides work are researching travel plans for Deb’s visit in December and finding return tickets for nine months from now.

Yesterday I headed to Magdeburg to visit Niko, and had a nice visit. While there, I purchased a jacket, since I didn’t have anything that would keep me warm or dry as the weather continues to deteriorate here. After getting back to Berlin today I went for a short run. Unfortunately, my not-yet-broken-in running shoes keep bothering the backs of my heels, leading to a bloody sock when I got home despite the band-aid I put on before heading out. But it looked worse than it was, there was just a tiny patch of skin rubbed off.

So tomorrow it’s back to work, but this week won’t be very productive either: Wednesday is a holiday, and Friday I head to Bonn for a DAAD orientation. Oh well.

In other news, to keep up with what I’m doing throughout the day you can check my twitter page. Also, you might be interested in the photos I’m (infrequently) taking.

• long layover in expensive London
• late (thought on time) arrival in Berlin
• Monday spent registering my address, opening a bank account, etc.
• Tuesday spent finishing up remaining errands, finding the archives, etc.
• Wednesday spent in bed, sick since the night before
• Thursday at the archives, figuring out how everything works
• Friday spent at the archives, still figuring out how everything works and getting my hands on my first (relatively boring) documents
• Saturday shopping a bit–got some socks plus found some ramen noodles and pancake mix!

So yes, I was sick. Still feeling a little funny in my stomach, actually. Went to bed Tuesday night after a dinner of pizza (undercooked?) and a bedtime snack of cereal (with 1.5% milk–why don’t Germans have skim?) only to fail to fall asleep. By 2 or 3am I was really sick, though getting everything out of my system allowed me to finally get some sleep. Slept a whole bunch Wednesday (there went my efforts at getting over jet-lag), and by Thursday I felt well enough to function, though by mid afternoon I was ready for more rest as my stomach continued to complain about the lack of familiar food and drink.

But enough unpleasantness. For your enjoyment I present a brief (one minute) tour of my home for most of the next ten months.

The plaque speaks for itself…

Proof I was really there…

So much history…

…and so much that is brand new.

This is one of the best photos I took.

The pub above which my room was located. It’s in Westminster, just a 10-15 minute walk away from that famous crosswalk on Abbey Road. (The photo of MY crossing will have to follow at a later date, as it is currently on a friend’s camera.)

This is the park across the street from the library where I’ve been working. It’s pretty big, so I haven’t explored the whole thing yet… or much of it at all, really…

Unfortunately, some people don’t appreciate place like this… hence the grafitti…

Welcome to the grand tour of my room/apartment in Berlin. I’ll be your tourguide.

So, that’s my room. Basically all of it, except for the small bathroom through a door off the left. That’s a door, not a window, that opens out to the backyard. The desk is messy and the bed unmade, of course. Just like home!

Now if we leave my room and go to the left, there’s a little hallway. Straight ahead is the dining/living room. Off to the left is the other bedroom (with its own lock, too) and the bathroom that goes with that room. (Yeah, anyone staying in the other room has to go into the hallway before they can get to their bathroom. I guess that makes up for my room being smaller.)

So, this is the dining/living room. It’s nice, with windows facing the front. I don’t really eat in here, though, I usually eat in the kitchen. Where’s the kitchen?

Oh, there’s the kitchen…

It’s not terribly big…

Neither is the one at home, though… it’s actually very nice, and even has a dishwasher… (Can you see it on the right?)

Well, thanks for coming on this tour. Here we are looking out the door to my room, and there’s the front door to the house. No, don’t go up the stairs, that’s where the owners live. That’s right, straight ahead. See you later…

The Sony Center. They call it free wifi, but the price you pay is watching the dancers on stage. I’ll explain later…