Random Photos and Thoughts

This is the hospital where I will deliver Baby Boy Robertson. The hospital will give me a midwife that will attend my appointments with me, be there at the delivery (and I think do most of the work) and give me at-home care after the baby comes. They also have training in acupuncture and pain reducing massages to perform during the labour; although I just want to have an epidural and push that boy out as quickly as possible. Luckily, they have a few English speaking midwifes that I can select from. The Germans are kind enough to offer an extended stay in the hospital for the mother to rest up, especially if a C-section is needed. I'll get all the details during my first visit next week.

Abby is all prepared to be a big sister.

Here are some more houses I fell in love with this week.

Random Thoughts:

It's really weird to see people drinking on the subway. Every train is a party train 24/7.

Every time I hear a police siren I think of the movie the Bourne Identity and want to start running.

Every time someone says 'auf Wiedersehen' I look behind me to see if it is Heidi Klum and we're on Project Runway.

Everything shuts down on Sunday and the subways and roads are dead. The German religions are pretty hardcore about the Sabbath and spending it with your family, but aren't so hardcore about actually using the day off to go to church.

Subways and trams require you buy a ticket, but it's on an honor basis only. You don't have to use a ticket to get onto the platform and no one checks to see if you bought one. A few times I have just forgotten to get a ticket because there is only one machine on a platform and I don't think to look for it when I'm running for my train. It's pretty dang expensive, so I would guess only about half the people actually pay.

The pool staff are dying to see me naked. They want us to change in a room that is open for anyone walking by in the hallway to check out the people changing. It's not my fault if you go blind....

Germans aren't afraid to tell you what they think. For example, yesterday a lady said I was a typical American because I was wearing flip flops when it was raining and cold. It could have been worse -- in Japan they would have also pointed out I was a typical American because I was also fat. You win some, you lose some :P