Guest blog today by my lovely WIFE – Marthese! Enjoy.

Today, on our first full day in Berlin, and faced with cold, wet weather, we did a load of laundry, and bought a pair of shoes. Also of note, I drank 5 cups of chamomile tea.

Even so, I’m having a pretty good day. Berlin is an absolutely marvellous city.

I first came to Berlin as a 15 year old, and had always wanted to come back. I remembered the Ampelmen (special pedestrian crossing lights with cute outlines of men in hats), and the pubs (as I said, I was only 15, but the drinking laws were pretty lax), and the harrowing histories from different points in Germany’s past: ancient queens, the Third Reich and Checkpoint Charlie.

Coming here 12 years later, I love this city even more. Even though we’ve been restricted to pretty mundane activities during the 24 hours since we arrived, every street we walked down to find a laundromat or an ATM has had a great little cafe, art gallery or park.

I think I was worried that Germany was a selfish honeymoon destination – I adore the people, the culture and the language, even though my German is pretty rusty.

Neuschwanstein and Munich breweries laid rest to that concern, and have been further alleviated both by Elias’ discovery of the currywurst (I doubt a day will go by here without him buying some) and the fact that our lovely, quiet apartment is about 5 minutes walk from an ENTIRE ISLAND OF MUSEUMS!!

I can’t wait for the weather to improve so we can go check out some of the more touristy sights. Until then, we’re both really looking forward to spending time with the lovely Ostermann family – my hosts when I first came to this country. We’re meeting them for dinner tonight – I can’t wait!

Hanging out in a Berlin laundromat, being all married and gangsta!