Pickin' Up Dinner & Men

We slept in a little bit this morning. (Thank goodness this has actually been a relaxing vacation. I needed it!) Then we spent a little time at the zoo with Ellie.

We had fun! We arrived just in time to watch the elephants get their hair brushed. It was very entertaining to watch them kneel down on the ground so the zookeepers could sweep all the dust off their backs with push brooms. The baby elephant was making all kinds of loud noises, which I think surprised Ellie a little.



We saw the giraffe, a turkey vulture, polar bears, hippos, and (thankfully, or Ellie would have been quite upset) the monkeys. We fed animals at the petting zoo and even managed to have time for a couple trips down the slide on the playground.





The only problem we encountered was that the zoo, for some strange reason, closed the entrance we came in and left only one exit open on the opposite side from where our car was parked. Since Casey needed the car to get to practice, we got our exercise by running through the zoo to get home in time. Ellie was bothered by this, not because of the extra long trip to the car or the bumpy stroller ride, but because Mommy wouldn't let her get out of her stroller so she could run too. :)

This afternoon Emery and I visited Kaiser Wilhelm church on the Ku Damm. It is only about a block or two away from Brittney & Casey's apartment. The church was destroyed from bombings in Berlin during World War II. Most of the church was demolished and irreparable, but one section still stands. Rather than being rebuilt, it was left in its damaged state to remind the people of the horrors of war and that we should all be striving for peace.

A new, modern church (which Lindsay, Emery's cousin, refers to as "The Neon Church" because of its blue glass walls) was built along side it.


After visiting Kaiser Wilhelm, Emery and I once again ate curry wurst and crepes sold at the stands next to the church. Yum!



This evening Emery and I took a walk down the Ku Damm again. Although it's been cold, we have had sunshine (rare here during the winter) and clear, crisp air. Berlin is a very clean, safe city, and as I said before, really doesn't seem foreign. It is new and interesting, but not scary or intimidating. I really enjoy being here.

Tonight we picked up dinner and men from the Hard Rock Café. You can see for yourself what a rockin' time I had.

And check out my new hottie boyfriend. What can I say? I know how to pick 'em. ;)


We ended the night by once again talking for a while with Brittney and Casey. It's hard not to stay up late when I'm enjoying great conversation!