Day 48: Shopping

Today's goal is to find a flash drive for Xander. He is making videos for his YouTube channel and wants to speed them up (from an hour to 4 minutes) and needs to be able to get them from the shared computer to mine (which has the software to speed it up).

Seeing the under-workings of an escalator (left)
Me, mimicking the statue (right)

Finding a Radio Shack type of store has proven difficult, so we are headed to the Sony Store, because they will have one and we know where the store is! The timing is ironic (or coincidental, English lessons can wait), as I have run out of computer space. Several of my programs are quitting on me and/or won't run. I can't save my photos... all is crazy for me. So, I have purchased a hard drive via Amazon.de so that I didn't have to go all over town looking for one, or spending a pretty penny at the Apple Store. But, here we are, going to the Sony Store... my hard drive is coming today (to Chris' work), but had I known a trip to the Sony store was in my future, I would have just purchased it there and had it hours earlier. Anyway... that's the way it goes.

After lunch, we headed to Potsdamer Platz, where the Sony Center is located. We walk in and don't even need to search the multi-leveled store, as the flash drives are right there on the first floor. Found one. Boom, done.

Xander wanted me to include that as I got my change Euros and 1 cent, the cashier said, "And a lucky cent." (instead of lucky penny)

Bubble Tea in the sunshine.

Playing around with the iPhone and perspective.

Venice (still crazy about bubble tea) asked if we could get bubble tea after our errand. The restaurant we decided to buy the tea from, didn't actually have the "bubbles" (tapioca balls), instead they had strawberry bubbles... I can only explain them as having the consistency of a bath oil ball, that melts in the warm bath water and then eventually explodes. Needless to say, I didn't care for these anymore than I care for the squishy tapioca ones.

But, I did enjoy the sunshine and the beautiful day. We found a spot behind the Sony store that had some lush green grass and interesting landscaping (wall/retainer walls).

From here, instead of getting back on the Bahn, we decided to walk through the Tiergarten. We've been through the main thoroughfares (on a bus) but not walking through the pedestrian pathways. I, for whatever reason, wanted to see the Brandenburger Tor again, so we cut through the Tiergarten on the western side to get there.

Tiergarten

The kids are stomping acorns (middle) and Xander shows us the nut inside (right).

As you can see from the photos, the weather continues to be cool, but not freezing. The leaves are falling, and some are turning, but things are still pretty green.

Unfortunately, we were not able to walk through the Brandenburger Tor! There were fences all around, tents going up, and more. At first, Venice wondered if it was left over from the BMW marathon that happened last weekend, but that seems too late for event items to still be up. As we walked around to the other side of the gate, we saw the banners.. duh! The 25 year anniversary of German Unity is this Saturday!

Signs tell us it's on the street west of the gate and that you are not allowed to bring in fireworks, flares, or glass bottles. No problem! And Chris found out from a coworker that it's free entrance and will have live music, food, and such. So, one more festival!

So, this is exciting and a great reminder of what to do this Saturday. However, I have to say, I was bummed we couldn't walk through the gate (had to go around)... To make up for this, I decided to do another shopping errand I've been thinking about. A stop to the other Amplemann store in Hackescher Höf (instead of the one inside the Potsdamer Platz we went to earlier in the trip).

Hackescher Höf is a set of shops near Hackescher Markt. The kids and I walked around twice before we found the store. The area is really quiet nice. You walk between/under two buildings and come into a set of courtyards. The courtyards are surrounded by buildings. All have stores on the bottom floor and apartments on the upper levels. I think only cars that are delivering are allowed in, so it's mostly a walking area with nice little shops.

Entering the courtyard that has the Amplemann store (left)
A view of the Fernsehturm from Hackescher Höf (right)

Then, back home on the M1 tram.

Dinner time!