Paris

We just got back from a fun weekend in Paris. It was great to see Heidi and John. Pics below tell that story.

David got his long-awaited security clearance and started work today, first in the Political Section for 6 weeks. Ah, the joys of cable writing....

The diplocat is not so pleased about this new development. He misses David being home and has been attached at the hip all evening.

Here are the pics:

I am so sophisticated
Christy at the open air market
The crowds for the Tour de France were amazing
There were so many interesting floats
They were riding bicycles

Christy at Versailles
We had a blast
John watched Heidi do all the work :)
Marie Antoinette's farmhouse
We had fun at Versailles

We had duck for dinner this night
Christy and Heidi at the Versailles Palace
I enjoyed the tour, thoroughly
Really cool Hall of Mirrors
Not a bad backyard

The view from Monmarte
Ahhhh, Paris in the summer
The Moulin Rouge was pretty cool
It was really great to see Heidi and John again

Notre Dame was still in the same spot as 5 years ago...who'da thunk it
We took a great boat tour of Paris
I had a hat that looked just like the Eiffel Tower
If you have never done Paris in the Summer, I must say you have never truly lived
We're in love

Rooftop pics and ROCK BAND

Christy and Moe are very happy that David is finally back in Berlin. Things have been pretty chill since then--last Saturday Christy threw David a surprise "welcome home" party at The Bird--best hamburgers in Berlin. And Sunday we hosted a dinner party for eight for some of our new neighbors who just got to post--Christy feels grown up and glad for the opportunity to use all her wedding presents. The week was pretty quiet, work is back to normal now except that all the summer transfer people are leaving and everyone else is on vacation. David and Fran had an adventure up on the roof to check out the newly installed AFN satellite dish and take in the view. Friday night we went to a party at the Marine house and Saturday morning we played (and beat) the marine softball team. Our neighbors showed us a cool Sixties American Diner not too far from our apartment. Sunday morning we went to church--this amazing soprano sung Ave Maria for a baptism. And Sunday afternoon it was time for none other than.... Rock Band! (the video would have said it all, but I'm having technical difficulties so the picture will have to suffice....)



... next weekend is Paris!!!!





from our rooftop... the bombed out church
the Reichstag
some hill---I think it used to be a spy post or something

the satellite

Rock Band!!!! (no one will ever hear me sing.....)

Bush '41 pic

Christy and a colleague with former President Bush. I also have an action shot but it's in a word document and I'm (Christy) not computer saavy enough to get it on the website.

5th of July Amerikafest

On July 5th the Federation of German - American Clubs hosted an "Amerikafest" on Pariser Platz. I headed there after our softball game (other team was a no-show so we won by forfeit; next week David will have returned so we will be back to full force). Of course it was back to being sunny and beautiful (the 4th was the only rainy day!) so we had a good time.



No McCain booth but the Obama supporters were out in full force.

Susan and I -- festively dressed
and enjoying a sangria-like wine--mine was white wine with strawberries

the Baywatch cast showed up...
and no we are not Elvis gruppies

Happy 4th of July!

The day of the Grand Opening of the new embassy finally arrived. The weather didn't really cooperate, unfortunately, although the rain did stop in time for the fireworks. Nonetheless it was a lot of fun and I actually got to meet and take a picture with former President Bush ('41). Not too much out there in the way of news about the event yet, probably more tomorrow. It got a lot more coverage in Germany than in the U.S., anyway. There are some links a the bottom of this post. The picture with Bush was taken on an embassy camera so I don't have that yet but here's what I do have: the main stage

presentation of the colors by the embassy Marine Guard and German military to veterans of the Berlin Airlift

Ambassador and Mrs. Timken, former President Bush on their way out to the stage
Ambassador Timken and Chancellor Merkel on their way out to the stage
Airlift veterans

The Brandenburg Gate
Partying in the rain
Bush and Chancellor Merkel departing after their speeches
Former President Bush giving his remarks

Listening to the Elvis impersonator (he was pretty good!)
more Elvis
Susan and me
Neil Diamond impersonator... Sweet Caroline....

The French Embassy put out a nice welcome sign for us

Here is some early press about the event:

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,3461973,00.html

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601100&sid=aBcWSdws.UYc&refer=germany

http://germany.usembassy.gov/events/2008/july-4-5-festivities.html

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080704/pl_afp/germanyusdiplomacy_080704185900

Virtual Apartment Tour

I am back in Berlin (Moe is very excited about this) and David is still in Ohio but will be back to Berlin soon. My mom continues to progress every day in her recovery.

Before I left Berlin I had a chance to take some pictures of our apartment and thought you might enjoy a virtual tour: the dining room, looking into the foyer

the living room

other half of our living room

the kitchen. you can't see it because it is in the right hand corner, but our fridge and freezer look just like the built-in cabinets

other half of our kitchen

foyer

also in the hallway, our framed wedding document from Italy

the guest room (normally we have wireless but it is out right now so the guestroom has become a makeshift office). The couch is a pull-out couch though. Moe is scheming about how he can knock everything off the tray table

the dining room again, this time with a view to the balcony

our bed-- I think that we have the same bedspread as Carrie and Big in Sex and the City

my dresser
David's dresser and behind are the built-in floor to ceiling closets we have in the bed and guest rooms
our bathroom--yeah, double sinks!so we have a bidet... and the architect insisted that we need a soap dish between the toilet and the bidet.... not sure why exactly but it makes a good air freshener stand. Those are the heated towel racks on the wall above.


finally a big bathtub for bubble baths! It drains in the middle too instead of one end which is kind of cool.

so that's it--now you just have to come visit!

--Christy