OH MY GOD!!!!! I've got an interview with the Berlin Eisbären!!! I have to do an interview for my German Media class, so I wrote to their management just in case there was a slight possibility they would be willing to let me do it with them, and I just got an email back in the affirmative!! I just have to find a tape recorder now, then rock up at training!
Anyway, I promised pics from last Friday nights game, and I've finally been to the Siegesäule in the meantime too, so here they are!

The Game was against the Frankfurt Lions, in case I haven't said that already. The Lions are currently much higher up the ladder, but the Eisbären defeted them 4:2. Being the good sports that they are, they all go and shake the oppositions hands after the game. I discovered yesterday that some Eisbären fans were attacked on their way home from this game. It looks to be something race related unfortunately. Though the details are unclear.

Here are Dana, Nat (Paul's friend) and Paul intently watching. We always get standing spots, it's much cheaper and the vibe is really cool! When your legs get tired, it's always possible to sit on the step, as these three are doing here. Paul is the other Monash student here, though he's decided not to go back to Monash next year. Tyson, René and Michael were there too, but I didn't take any photos of them for some reason.

Sorry, just proof for Mum and Dad that I'm eating properly. A very german meal indeed.

This photo was taken from the Luther bridge, which crosses over the Spree. Here you can see the Fernseheturm (tv tower), Chancelory, Kulturforum, and the Copula of the Reichstag. Pretty good shot hey! The red brick building to the left of the shot is actually a primary school. What a place to get an education!

Bellevue, the Bundespresidänt lives(?) and works here.

It's a little dark, but i think this one speaks for itself. The Siegesäule is located on a traffic island called the Große Stern, in case you were wondering it's significance. The traffic around here is absolutely crazy. I'm very glad I don't have to drive around this island, or anywhere else in Berlin for that matter.

And finally we come to... The Siegesäule! This tower is around 70metres tall (I've forgotten the exact measurements). It originally stood right in front of the Reichstag, but the Nazis moved it as they intended to completely rebuild Berlin "after victory". It was constructed to celebrate the end of the 1860 - 1870/71 war, which led to the unification of Germany. The Angel on top was modelled after the sculptors daughter.

This shot shows one of the murals on the base. Note the bullet and artillery damage. The Nazis and the Soviets fought for Berlin right here.

Another week, another ice hockey game. I have heaps of photos, but have not uploaded them yet. Dana, Tyson, Paul, René and Michael, plus Paul's polish friend Nat came along. We seriously thought they were going to lose, when just before the end of the second third the Berlin Eisbären were still 0 and the Frankfurt Lions had 2 goals. BUT then they came back and won 4:2! It was soooooo exciting, and i got to wave my scarf around like a mad thing. Plus I'm learning the chants and the players names now too. It got a little violent as each team became more desperate. One of the referees was injured and had to be replaced after a collision, and one of the Eisbären ended up bleeding all over the ice when he took a hit to the face. Even with all of that padding it is still a dangerous sport. No professional hockey player actually retains all of their natural teeth.
Afterwards Tyson, Michael, René and I went out to a bar called the Pfefferbank (pepper bank). René knows the barman there so we got in for half price, and drinks were cheap too. René and Tyson are so cute! And I can claim some part in getting them together. If I hadn't taken Tyson to the ice hockey they would never have met. Michael and I just wallowed in our loneliness together. His girlfriend lives inStuttgart...

I went out with Paul on Saturday night. A friend of his (Meg) was visiting him on her way back to Aus, so we went out for a little bit of a party. Paul is gay, and this friend is a lesbian, so they took Dana and I to a gay club. Met some more of Pauls friends, including his boyfriend, who pointed out the fac that i was in a gay club to me. I knew that before we got there, but if i didnt the lesbian haircuts and same sex couples dancing and kissing would've given it away! Good night really, but germans will dance to anything. They played ballads in a nightclub!
Went to the eishockey again on Sunday. Paul, Meg and Dana came this time. We got there about halfway through the first third. Bloody Berlin improving it's rail system! Really good game, a close match, at full time it was a draw, so they went to extra time, and then to penalty shootouts. You could see they were getting a bit desperate, cos it got fairly violent towards the end (violent for german ice hockey anyway). The Eisbaeren lost 2:1 in the penalty shootout. People were crying, and praying. We intend to go again on Friday night. More people coming this time around though, and Tyson is going to get my scarf back to me before then, so I'll be able to scream and shout and wave my scarf around like a real fan.

On the weekend I...
Check out these bread rolls (or Schrippen as the Berliners call them). One of the many numerous bakeries near my flat makes them with these cute little love hearts on top. It's a chain store actually, so you can get them everywhere. Not bad for 27 eurocents a piece. On this day i couldn"t decide between the 3 types of cheese currently residing in my fridge and leberwurst. So with two rolls cut in half, it's a lucky thing i then had four surfaces to put stuff onto.


The main Highlight of my weekend was a guided tour of the Reichstag (german parliament).
This is the main room where parliament is held. Of course being a Saturday, Parliament was not in session, but you can register to go and sit in on an hour of Parliament. The big eagle is called the Adler. This version of it is commonly refered to as the Fetter Hahn (fat hen). On the reverse side is a much friendlier and slimmer looking version, though it's colloquial name escapes me at the moment.


The front of the Reichstag, with it's famous slogan "Dem Deutschen Volke" (for the german people). Ironically the jewish family which made those letters was all but obliterated during the Second World War.







The Cupola as seen from below. The cone is supposed to do something for accoustics, and is also covered in mirrors to reflect the suns light down into the parliament.


And one rather crappy photo of me at the top of the Cupola. I asked a girl to take a photo for me, and couldn't really ask her for another. It's just before 5pm, and really was this dark. I'm actually standing in front of the German flag, and i think you can just make out the DB building (Deutsche Bahn = german national railway) in the background.

Hello All. I've finally uploaded the pics from my birthday celebrations.
I went to the monthly Stammtisch for the International Club on Thursday night, but didn't take any photos, so you join us at the Ice Hockey on the Friday night.
Seated here is Derek, he comes from California. During the break in play we all took the opportunity to sit down on the steps while most of the crowd went to buy beer.





These Lovely Ladies are (L-R) Tyson, Me, and Loren. Loren was visiting Derek and Richard (who ive somehow managed not to get a picture of) from Cambridge where she's currently also doing the study abroad thing. Bit of a flirt, kept on doing this russian accent thig to get the guys off guard. Tyson and I agree that in normal circumstances we wouldn't have chosen her as a friend. But enough bitching, the game!






Here we see the mighty Berlin Eisbaeren (polar bears) in action.












The victorious Berlin Eisbaeren after the final siren. They defeated the Hamburg Freezers 4-1.













The team mascots came out onto the ice. They have really funny names, but i can't remember what they are...
(Bully Bär and Bully Bambino)










We met these 3 German guys on the tramride back into the city. They took us out for a bit, we played pool and drank for a bit. Tyson got a date with Rene. The people in this picture are (L-R) Peter, Derek, Me, René, Tyson, and Michael. Peter is a carpenter, and the other two germans are studying electronics with the Deutsche Bahn (german railway). (in addendum; I was slightly confused but have now learnt that Michael previously worked as an electrician with the Deutsche Bahn, he and René are now studying communication technologies at a TAFE type of institution here)






On the way home from my real Birthday celebrations. Here you see (L-R) Derek, Loren, Thorsten (friend of Dereks) Tyson, and Dana. We went to a really cool little joint near Warschauerstrasse (warsaw street) in the eastern side of town. Zur Gluhlampe (basically translates to the lightbulb) is in an old DDR apartment, so its really tiny. The dancefloor consists of the old living room, and the bar is the old kitchen. Boiling hot inside, we were covered in sweat from all of the dancing. A really great night. We got home around 5ish, Dana came back to my place cos she joined us later and had played catch up on drinks, so she wasnt feeling very well and didnt want to be on a train to Kreuzberg on her own. I didn"t take very many pictures that night, I was otherwise engaged in dancing the night away.
So there you have it, my birthday in a nutshell. Plus a chance to see who i'm hanging out with.

Once again I have forgotten to upload photos from my birthday celebrations. I just wanted to tell everyone that WE HAD SNOW!!! All of about 2mm fell, but it was snow nonetheless.