Work Hard, Play Hard

Happy Father's Day Dad, Bill, and Grandpa!!!
Missing you all lots today!

This past week was the first week of our engineering class, which has really put a damper on our time to explore Berlin. Regardless, we found time to have some fun! On Tuesday, we went to a Coheed & Cambria concert at this little concert hall in Berlin. We got there an hour early to get a good spot, and there were only like 20 people there. They are pretty well known in the States, but I guess not here. Brian and Alex, kids from our group, were really excited to be so close because they are huge fans and were singing every word to every song. A couple of Germans yelled at us for singing too loud (they can be such stiffs sometimes!), but we also made a couple friends from TU Berlin, so it all worked out. Lindsay, Zach, and I left a little early and went downtown to eat dönner sitting by the river, and we got home around 12:30. It was an awesome night! Not bad for a Tuesday...

Colin and Brian in the 2nd Row during Coheed & Cambria

Alex's new German friend and Alex at the concert

Wednesday and Thursday were pretty low key nights. Lindsay and I made dinner here, definitely took a nap, and did homework. We have class from 8:30 to 4 every day, so by the time we get home to Wedding, we don't feel like doing much. On Thursday though, we got a 3 hour lunch break, and Linds and I went to the major shopping street a couple blocks away from school called the Ku'Damm. There are a ton of American stores, but also some cool European ones. Mom, this is where you guys need to stay when you come, although I'm warning you it's dangerous! :)

Friday we had class in the morning, and then a Germany World Cup game was on, so naturally, everything here stops, and we watched the game with the entire TU Berlin Computer Science and Electrical Engineering department. Party animals! haha, right. For engineering class, our U of M group was split up into two projects, a Computer Science project and an Alternative Energy project. Of course, the alternative energy group was taken to a beach bar in downtown Berlin for the Germany game, while we sat in the computer lab streaming the game from FIFA.com. I love being a nerd.

We decided not to travel anywhere this weekend, so after the game, we went home, got carry out Italian, and got ready for the night. Lindsay and I were in charge of finding the club for the night, so we looked online and found a top 10 list for Berlin. We gathered the group to go to the club that was number 1 on the list we found, called Knaack, which was about a 20 minute train ride followed by a 15 minute walk, and when we got there, there was absolutely nobody there. Total bust! Everyone was kinda upset, and we will never live it down, but at least we will never be required to plan our nights ever again! :)

Lindsay and I's self-timed pic before our lame night in Berlin

Saturday was a much more successful day. Although we didn't do really anything Friday, we got home late and went to bed around 4 (after Skpying with my mom, Casey, Camryn, and Bill during their Dearborn tornado) so we didn't wake up Saturday until around 1pm. When we finally got up, we went downtown and bought train tickets for our trip this coming weekend. Then, Zach, Lindsay, and I found a Starbucks downtown (yum!) and had breakfast/late lunch? in front of the Brandenberg Gate. Since we were so close to the Ku'Damm, we went back again and shopped at KaDeWe! That is a huge shopping in the center of what was once West Berlin, which has everything you could ever imagine. Think Harrod's of London, but much cooler.

KaDeWe on the Ku'Damm

After shopping, Lindsay and I went to the gym, got ready for the night, and a group of 4 of us went to dinner at a really nice Thai restaurant. Then Adam and Brian met us at a dance club THEY picked out, called Matrix, and it was awesome. It was great music and just a fun atmosphere. Someone stole our jackets from the coat check though. UGH! We lost track of time, and left the club around 4:30 and when we got outside, it was completely light outside. I made everyone stop and take a picture, but they wouldn't go to a nice background, so it really doesn't do it justice as to how light out it was, but that's okay, you'll get the idea. :)

Lindsay, Zach, Kevin, Me, Adam, Brian at 4:30 am

By the time I got in my room, it was 6am, and the sun was shining directly in. I had to sleep with my sweatshirt over my eyes. Today I woke up at 1pm again and we've been hanging out at home all day, with a quick field trip for a chocolate croissant. We need to rest up for our crazy week ahead! I can't wait! Here's the schedule for the week:

Monday: All day tour at the Volkswagen production plant in Wolfsburg. I'll be thinking of my Uncle Ronn the whole time!

Tuesday: AD/DC CONCERT AT THE OLMPIC STADIUM BERLIN. Three of us managed to get standing floor seats. I cannot wait!

Wednesday: Last first round World Cup game for Germany at 8:30pm. They set up a huge "Fan Mile" with TV screens right by the Brandenburg Gate.

Thursday: REST REST REST

Friday: ZERMATT, SWITZERLAND! Five of us are going to this little ski-chalet town in Switzerland for the weekend. We are leaving at 7pm from Berlin and not getting there until 9am on Saturday. We have to take 4 different trains to get there, 1 with a 2 hour layover, then a 45 minute layover, and then another with a 4 minute layover! It is going to be nuts. Since we only need to pay for 1 night, we sprung for a nice hotel instead of a hostel, thank God! You can take a train to the top of the mountain and ski on a glacier or hike and bike. We're still trying to decide what we want to do when we get there because there are so many amazing options! It's supposed to be only in the 40s and 50s there, so I better get a replacement coat fast! It is going to be the quickest, most exhausting trip ever, but it should be totally worth it.

Zermatt, Switzerland in 5 days!!

So after this week, I hope I have lots to fill you guys in on! Gotta keep busy to keep from missing you all too much!! Love you guys!! Auf Wiedersehen! :)