May, 2013- Berlin

Long weekends and seemingly random days off pepper the spring schedule. Belgium, in particular, has strong roots in the Catholic Church, and even though most Belgians are Catholic by culture only, traditional church feast days are still venerated. This year, both Pentecost and Ascension fell in May, and when taken together with Labor Day (better know as day for the socialist worker...), the University was closed for 4 extra days this month (because of course, if Pentecost falls on a Thursday, no businesses would open just for Friday!).

So to make like a true European, I maximized a long weekend and caught a budget flight on Easy Jet to Berlin. The city is enormous and entirely too cool, but I did my best to explore all ends and all eras of Berlin's history.

 Scars on the Brandenburg Gate

Remnants of the Wall at the East Side Gallery

 German Innovation: the Bratwurst Backpack

 Vodka shots at the Soviet Memorial

April 2013- First (and only?) Glimpses of Spring

Spring has proven nonexistent this year, much to the chagrin of Belgians, who long for nothing more than a lovely Apéro on a terrace. Good weather has taunted us, and we've certainly capitalized on the few glorious moments of sunshine we've been granted. The Belgians have (finally) been roused from this year's unusually long winter's nap, though, and the crowded parks and may blooms are testament to impending summer days. 

Provincie domein Leuven/Kessel-Lo

 A basket of hard boiled eggs in lieu of peanuts with a pintje

 "Thriller" moon over Brussels 

Magnolia blooms by the Dijle 

P50/Jubelpark/Cinquantenaire

Here's hoping for a break in the clouds and an inundation of crepuscular waves... or at least dry skies for Sunday's half marathon in Brussels (we're quite reasonable here in Belgium).