My Trip To Groß Väter See

   By Eddy

Every grade in our school from 6th grade up has something in the beginning of the year called "Trip Week." For my 6th grade trip week, we went to a place called Groß Väter See for four nights and five days. I really enjoyed the trip and luckily was allowed to bring my camera and take many pictures of the great experiences I had.

Everyone at school getting ready to go on the trip

On the bus

Scenery on the way there.

The "Big House" which was one of the many places where you would be sleeping on the trip. I slept in one of the rooms in there.

Our room. My bed was the bottom right.

The "foyer" where you could enter into the bedrooms. My room was the one with the thin door furthest to the left.

The cafeteria house where everyone had meals. Breakfast was at eight, lunch at twelve, cake break, or "kaffee kuchen" at three, and dinner at six.

First dinner in the cafeteria. Yug (left) and Julius (right) seem to like it.

My roommates: Anton, (left) Eric, (center) and Ziev. (right) They were very nice but ate a lot of candy during the night...

Having a campfire at night on the first day

myself in the bathroom, all nice and clean after taking a shower.

Breakfast. Everyday I pretty much got some fruit, a bowl of cornflakes, and a roll, which is a typical German breakfast.

The whole 6th grade gathering on the field to play a game in the morning as a starting activity of the day.

The beach we hiked to that goes into the lake

Lunch on our second day

part of the campus

Kaffe Kuchen! Above is the cherry streusel I ate in about two minutes. It is just impossible to save those things.

 

On our way on the GPS tour.

Walking on our GPS tour. Above is Okle, one of the Schattenspringers, or activity leaders, that was in our class group. He stands 7 feet tall!

The mandala we created out of nature once we got back from the GPS tour.

A disco we had. Very loud and chaotic!

 

A slackline activity we did on Thursday. Everyone had to cross three slacklines in order for us to "win." Hard!

 Climbing on a ladder with rungs five feet apart from each other.

Everyone taking their sheets the next day to get washed.

Everyone's bags ready to go and put on the bus.

on the bus once more.

More scenery.

One last selfie! Me and Yug sat next to each other on the way home. Yug was a boy from India who came from Uzbekistan because his parents work for the Indian Embassy. He was very nice and we made friends during the trip.

                                            Finally Back!

Berlin Mini-Marathon

Tomorrow is the Berlin Marathon, one of the most well-known marathons around the world.  The city is flat and during this time of year the air is cool and dry.  Many marathon records have been set in this Marathon. 

However, more important for Germans than the Berlin Marathon is the Berlin Mini-Marathon.  This is a 4.2 km race that occurs the day before the Marathon and is for kids only.  Each year, about 10,000 children from elementary, middle, and high school participate. Adults are not allowed to run.  The course covers the last portion of the full Marathon.

Today, Eddy ran the Mini-Marathon with about two dozen other students from his school.  The center of the city was packed with runners and their parents.  I accompanied him to the race and somewhat reluctantly let him join the sea of children running the race.  My concern was that we would not be able to find each other at the end.  However, we put a plan in place and everything worked out.  Well done Eddy!

Heading to the race.  Walking up the stairs of our neighborhood subway (S-Bahn) station.

Waiting for the train to take us downtown.

Arriving in Potsdamer Platz.

Potzdamer Platz.

Gathering of students from Eddy's school.

Group photo.

Classmates.

Getting warmed up for the run.

Sea of parents in the Tiergarten (big city park) near the race end.

Accomplished runner with medal and certificate.

Heading back home on the subway.  Tired but energized by a big accomplishment.

Kartoffel Fest

We live in a Berlin suburb called Dahlem.  For over 600 years, Dahlem was a village on the outskirts of the city.  As the city grew over the last 100 years, the village was incorporated within its limits.  As homes were built, some historic structures were maintained, including a 400-year old farm with animals and agricultural fields.  Today, the farm serves as an educational and cultural center that promotes sustainable agriculture and farm to table dining.  We are lucky to live in a suburb that is only 30 minutes from downtown Berlin and includes a working farm! On weekends, the farm often has a festival or outdoor market.  Today they held a "Kartoffel Fest" which translates to "Potato Festival." 

Waiting in line for fresh cooked potato chips.

Fresh squeezed apple juice.

Waiting for potato pancakes.

Eating potato pancakes.

Crepes - made with potatoes?

Historic farmhouse.

Historic stables.

Botanical Gardens

Berlin's Botanical Gardens are only a 15 minute walk from our house.  We've been wanting to go there since our arrival in July.  Today we finally made it!  The gardens were established over 100 years ago and include a number of historical buildings.  There are endless paths and plants and trees from all over the world.  They also hold seasonal events and exhibits.  The Christmas display is supposed to be spectacular!

Entrance to the gardens.

Main avenue through the gardens. 

Greenhouse and restaurant in the background.

The Greenhouse was built over 100years ago and remains in use today.

Concert in Zehlendorf

Eddy's school orchestra played a concert in a Berlin neighborhood called Zehlendorf.  They performed in a pedestrian area surrounded by restaurants and shops.  The concert was sponsored by a store called "Vom Fass" which sells vinegar and wine stored in barrels and clay jars.  Tables were set up for people to eat bratwurst and bread and drink wine while watching the concert.  The orchestra included students as well as teachers from the school.  Well done Eddy!

Orchestra performing on the cobblestone pedestrian square.

Players include teachers, high school students a few middle school students. 

Running through the Grunewald

Laura and Eddy went on a long run through our neighborhood and to the Grunewald forest, Berlin's largest park.  Peter and I followed along on our bicycles.  It was sunny when we left and then rained while we were in the forest.  It was dry again upon our return home. 

Running down our street.

Biergarten around the corner from our house. 

Thurmann in the background.  Popular bakery found throughout Berlin.

Peter is riding his bike in the bike lane.  Almost all streets throughout the city and suburbs have bike lanes.

Entering the Grunewald forest.

Endless paths wind through the forest.

And bikes are allowed as well.

heading home.

Back at the Biergarten, called the Alter Krug.

Freie Universitat was founded in the sixties when the wall was built and students did not have access to Humboldt University.