May 2, 2016 May day berlin

 Mike in Poland

 Mike in Poland

  Mike in Poland

  Mike in Poland

  Mike in Poland

 Ike happy.

 Ike sad.

When Ike gets sad he opens his moth wide and sometimes cries sometimes just opens his mouth and covers it.  Then he looks at you like you are the worst.

 Walk

 I love these three.

  Mike in Poland

 Ike is a big boy.

Ike playing nice.

 Ike not playing nice.

 What are you eating?  He will show you.

 The rat house is where the city offices are.  You pay for all your school stuff and register here.  This is my new home away from home.

Chloe had a long weekend so we met Mike in Berlin.  He has been gone so long and still will be gone longer.  It was so fun.  We found the biodome.  I brought me back to yester-year and thinking of poly shore.

Checking in the woman at the desk told me it was too cold for the children in the tepee we rented. So we upgraded to stay inside.  It was the biggest mistake of my life.  Chloe complained constantly how it was a bad choice, it was too hot,  she was going to boil to death...you get the picture.  I was so sick of her complaining as I inwardly totally agreed with every word she said and I finally burst out "Well I'm sorry, I hope one day you will find it in your heart to forgive me." She replied "Oh Mommy, I do forgive you!"

 Yes, Rex is licking Ike's head.

 Ike LOVED the fish.  He totally pet them.

 Chloe is a poser.

 After driving over 8 hours what do you want to do? Drive some more!

 Back to loving the fish.  

It was so hot in that stupid dome that we were all flushed the entire time. 

 So Chloe told me that models have to pose quickly so they can change poses in between shots.

She is really into posing.

 Snakes on our rainforest walk.

 bird.

 pirates

Hot air balloons.  They had three hot air balloons and you could ride them and look around the dome.

 Ike is so strong.  He kept doing this pose and it freaked Mike out because of the very hard uneven cement under him.  But he is strong and never fell.

 The dome.  It is big enough to fit the Statue of Liberty standing and long enough to lay down the Eiffel tower. 

 Berlin.

 Looking for dinner.

Chloe is getting so old.  She is an amazing little person and it is so neat to see her try so hard and deal with so much right now with a new school, new country, and new life.

 I told them to raw, and even Ike joined in.

Street chalk art in down town Berlin.

We ended up in Berlin on May day...May 1...AKA protest day.  The protests made things go slower...a lot slower.

 Fountain.

 News tower.

 The kids loved it because it reminds them of the space needle.

 Fat tire bike tour.

 Protest.

 Cool windows.

 Bebelplatz

This building was called something Hedwig and our tour guide pointed out it was obviously named after the owl in harry potter.

 Rex enjoying the pop-up library at the sight of the Berlin book burning. It was neat to see the city trying to recover but hard to see how much more healing needs to happen.

Concert house.

 The old statues are original and that is why they are dark.  The building is reconstructed.

 Chloe looking homeless laying on the ground about half way through our tour.

 Cool art that represents the refugees and the church that once stood there.

 Check point charlie. 

 Remaining chuck of the Berlin wall.

The kids looking homeless.  By the building Hitler built that survived the war.  They left it as a landmark so they could find all the other stuff they were bombing.

 Street art depicting France, America, and Briton looking in through the wall.

 One of only two guard towers left.

 Memorial for all the Jews murdered in Europe.  It was powerful.  Each cement block is a different size or tilted.  They are all the same and all different.  It was a very thought provoking exhibit.

 Inside the depths of the Jewish memorial.

Brandenburg Gate.  We couldn't get close because of the protesters.

Despite the look on Rex's face  he loved his tag along bike.

 Victory column first time.

 Pick-nick because Ike fell asleep, so we were good caretakers and didn't leave him on his own.

 Victory column second time.

 Bike lights and car lights.

 The sewing machine shop.  It is crazy but those are all sewing machines in the window.

Reichstag

Where parliament meets today and where Hitler took office.  The dome is glass to represent transparency.

 Celebrating our tour that was supposed to be 4.5 but ended up being 6 hours.

It was so fun to see mike and a new place we haven't been before.  It was heavy.  I couldn't help but be sad to see how much more healing needed to happen.   Berlin is a pour city, in a lot of debt.  They are trying to tear a lot down and rebuild.  There are a lot of mish-mash of different architecture depending on who was in charge and is so divided still.  As we biked around and saw bullet holes and marks still there of the destruction and devastation it made me think of how can we invite more good into our world and unite to build and love and let more of our savior in our life.  It was hard to see and think about all the people that have been hurt for so long, and how many families were torn apart.  They were telling a story about how 1 in 6 or 7 I don't remember were informants and would tell on you if you tried to leave.  One case a Mom told on their own daughter.  

Before moving here and even where we live there is a lot of the good things, the inventions, the beauty, the kindness.  It was hard to see Berlin still divided, still trying to rebuild, and still fighting over love or hate.  A lot of the protesters were taking about crazy stuff, I don't know if it was more apparent because of the day we were visiting Berlin or what.  It was an illuminating experience, and I think we don't realize how quick bad or good can come into our world depending on what we let in and what we support.  The take away is don't vote for Donald Trump, kidding but not kidding. 

This is Chloe not doing the dishes and pretending with the pan lid.  She is very inventive when it comes to not doing chores.