They all went to Heaven in a little rowboat, clap hands...

I've been really obsessed with rediscovering Tom Waits lately. Not sure what spurred this, aside from a conversation with a friend in Leicester a couple of weeks ago but now I can't remember why he was brought up in the first place!

So anyway, it's been a while since I've posted, and I have saved up lots and lots to show and tell. It's been a hectic, frantic and happy month, with super fun excursions to England  (London, Manchester and Leicester) with my flatmate Elisabeth and our friend Lisa, and of course some time in good ol' Berlin.

I started off my England travels in Berlin with a new/old acquaintance... Kerry Maeve, whom I met many years ago in Buffalo (just once!) and am now proud to call a friend. Kerry graciously hosted me the night before my flight to London out of Berlin while she was hosting another friend, and then had me back again for almost a solid week (I must be a good houseguest!) when I returned from "the insel." Berlin was as it generally is; awesome. Aside from yummy home cooking, street-art photography missions and visiting the Hamburger Bahnhof art gallery, there were the customary late nights out and late sleep-ins. There was dancing until dawn, and cabbing around to random clubs with DJ friends. Basically living the rockstar lifestyle.

Some great street art in Berlin

The Spree... near Ostbahnhof

Speaking of rockstar lifestyle, England held a bit of that for us as well. Our nights out in Manchester were nothing less than epic dance-a-thons and meeting and dancing with cool new people (even though those new people tended to be tiny babies like 19-20 years old...) My flatmate Elli's bestie Ellen hosted us and showed us the sights, and brought us out to clubs with names like "5th Ave" and "42nd Street," where we danced really late into the night to sometimes good/sometimes bad "indie dance music."

Manc

Angela's Ashes?

Manchester has a ferris wheel too!

Oxford Road

After a few days in Manchester being well looked after by Ellen, we headed down to Leicester on the train. English countryside is infinitely beautiful. Someday I hope to spend some time in a little English hamlet.

England from the window of a speeding train. Sheeps!

In Leicester I was introduced to some really cool Rockstars (with a capital R) who play in a band called I Am In Love. They let us crash for two super fun nights and I'm really glad to have met them. They'll be playing in Germany too, so we'll all meet again soon!

Leicester

Propaganda Party, Leicester

Propaganda Party, Leicester

After a thoroughly enjoyable weekend in Leicester, we were headed once again to my Favorite City on Earth so far; LONDON. We only had one full day there, which we spent gamboling about Brick Lane and Camden. I know in my bones I belong in London, for some amount of time, even if it's only a few months, or maybe a year. I just know I have to live there. It'll happen. 

Mind the gap between the train and the platform.

mmmmmm

Wazzup leather shorts?

Street art in London by an artist I saw work by in Manchester as well.

Leaving London turned out to be a bit of a fiasco. My flight left later than Ellie and Lisa's, and from a different airport. I had to take a bus there, and that bus decided it should be about an hour late. Which afforded me almost zero time to make the flight. I considered not even taking that bus, and just bumming around in London for a few more days. But that would have meant having to buy a new plane and bus ticket, which I didn't presume I could really afford. Since I already had the bus ticket, I decided to take the bus (however late) to Stansted and see if I made the flight. Another VERY NEAR miss, but after running through the airport at what for me were breakneck speeds, and clutching at least 10 Kilos of crap in my bag, I managed to catch the plane by (literally) 2 minutes. Swear to God. Two minutes. And I was off to Berlin. 

Next adventure: Italy with my mom! She flies on Friday, and Annika and I head to Berlin Friday to pick her up when she arrives Saturday morning. It's going to be a blast!!! 

Happy Hearts Day

Yesterday was Valentines Day, and what a great day it was! As per usual, the minute my eyes opened I started checking my various social networking sites, and it turned out I got lots of lovely internet Valentines, so my mood was bright from the time I woke up. Next was lunch with Elli (breakfast for me... I wake up late,) which is always a nice way to spend some time. I decided after lunch that I wanted to walk around the city center for a bit, and I thought there was a market in the square so I walked over. There was no market. Barring that, I then decided I would visit the DDR history museum. Then realized, it was Monday. Closed.

I headed home to Stötteritz, picked up some fruit and veg from Rewe, checked Facebook (shocking I know!) and was reminded that Maps and Atlases were playing at UT Connewitz. The realization hit me that I could NOT afford to pay 13€ for a show (or any amount, for that matter) and so I woefully tweeted my sadness at having to miss the show. To my surprise, I got a tweet back from @mapsnatlases saying they'd put me on the guest list! How baller! And so my love for twitter grows.

I hadn't even heard those guys before yesterday but I listened extensively on grooveshark.com before the show, and I was really stoked about their sound. Those guys have made a loyal fan of me, that's for sure.




I brought my deutschebestie Elli along to the show with me, which was incredible. The band was totally awesome. They played their hearts out and were super-duper sweet and thankful throughout. Near the end of the set, the whole band climbed into the audience, ending with a little solo song by the singer, Dave.

 


I got a chance to talk with Dave after the show, and as soon as I mentioned I was from Buffalo he started chatting to me about Amy's Place. For those unfamiliar with Amy's Place, it's a vegan/vegetarian INSTITUTION in Buffalo, and a mecca for Sunday (or Saturday) brunch.

Dave then directed me over to Shiraz when I told him I'd been the one to be twitter-invited, and I thanked Shiraz for noticing my tweet and so kindly putting me on the list. The guys were all incredibly lovely to talk to, and I even geeked out and asked for a photo with the band (well, half of the band, anyway.)

Stoked much? Erin, me and Dave. Epic BEARDS.

Lots of other awesome things happened yesterday, too, including news of a new Radiohead release. An excellent day for music to be sure! 

As for keeping you updated on my life, I'm still (impatiently) waiting to move into Erin's old room in Connewitz and live with Elli and Nora, and also (impatiently) waiting for the trip to England to commence on February 28.


I'm starting to get a bit nervous again about going through immigrations as I still haven't gotten a visa. Actually there's no way I'm going to get a visa, but I think I can get a temporary for 20€ which will at least save me some hassle at the borders. Although I haven't had any hassle at the borders yet to speak of, and that is a good thing for sure. 


The other important news is that I'm "interviewing" for a babysitting job on Thursday. I really, really, really need this, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it works out. 

Well, that's all for now. Hope everyone had as happy a Valentines Day as I did! 

Today in Leipzig.

Yet another sunny, 40º+ February day in Leipzig. Elli and I must have walked around for about five hours, from Connewitz almost to Plagwitz, to the Zentrum and back to Connewitz. We even ascended to the 30th floor of MDR building. Here's a little of what we saw today.

Oh hey.

German playgrounds blow American ones out of the water, every time.

Raveland? Yeah I lived there for about six months during my junior year of high school.

From 30 stories up...

This morning in Leipzig.

That's about what I remember from last night.

British Music Club. Also red lipstick club. But Elli isn't a member (yet.)

Despite the fact that I dragged my still-drunken self out of bed really early for brunch plans with the lovely Marina that unfortunately fell through, I'm having a really nice morning. I woke up at about 10, slipped out of my '2nd apartment' in Connewitz and hopped on der Linie 9. Wound up at Eco Cafe around 10.45, and to my surprise, it was closed. Marina was nowhere to be seen, so I waited around to see if she'd show up. She didn't (as far as I know. I left at 11.) But the plus side is, I was up, out of bed, walking, and taking photos. Which are all good things. Here's what I saw.

Good morning Connewitz.

Keep the REWE flag flying.

Parkschein Automat. Heir Parkschein lösen.

Want. It. 

 

Sometimes I feel like a plastic bag.

 

This reminded me of the Eiffel Tower. 

Waiting for the 4.

Augustusplatz in the distance.

(free?) radicals.

I dunno what that means.

best friend.

No one makes me laugh as much as she does.



No one surprises me as consistently.



No one knows me better.



No one has experienced as much with me.



No one has my back like her.



No one knows as many embarrassing stories about me.



No one else played a part in as many adventures with me.

No one's bed is a better place to wake up.

 

 No one is as beautiful to me.

No one's brain is as similar to mine.

No one means as much to me.

No one can replace her.






I've been through some really tough times in my life, and for some of them, I didn't have her by my side. That was really hard. But what matters is she's here now, even though I keep leaving her for Europe. I know she understands. My heart hurts sometimes I miss her so much.

"You'll always make me feel best when I'm feelin' blue, you'll always smile upon me and I smile upon you, too." 

<3 Forever. <3