Tierisches Berlin

I de letschte Wuche hei mir e planerischi Achterbahnfahrt düregmacht. Nach dr schöne Zyt in Schwede heimer z Gfüehl becho, mir wette itz glich no chli wyter reise und für die letschte paar Mönet womer unterwägs si Europa no verlah. S het sich abzeichnet, dass Kanada d Gränze für gimpfti Touriste wird uftue u mir hei afa Plän entwärfe wie mir mitsamt üsem Momo d Reis in Nordamerika chönnte wyterfüehre. So e Outoverschiffig brucht zwar e chli Vorbereitig, z Outo muess sehr suber si u dr Zytplan muess flexibel blibe, aber glichwohl isches eifacher, aus mä villicht dänkt u d Choschte haute sich o i Gränze. Im Verlouf vo de Vorbereitige hei mir Momo no einisch chli besser usbout, au üsi Sache entmischtet und ganz viu Dräck wägputzt. Wo Kanada d Gränzöffnig für am 07. Septämber bestätiget het, hei mir üs riesig gfröit. Ersch wo dr Tawan Momo am Hamburger Containerhafe scho abgäh het, hei mir aber realisiert, was üs während de letschte Wuche unterbewusst sehr bedrückt het: für z realisiere vo üsem chline Troum muess dr Freddy e Flug ire Box im Frachtruum vom Flugzüg über sich la ergah. Mir hei üs scho früech viu übere Flug mit Hund informiert und si zum Schluss cho, dasses ja doch no e zimlech sicheri Sach isch und s säute zu Zwüschefäll chunnt, si doch scho Hunder-tuusigi Hünd via Flugzüg vo Kontinent zu Kontinent gfloge. Mitem Wüsse, dasses ihm während dene 8 Stund i sire Box im Frachtruum sicher nid gad wohl wird si, heimer no relativ guet chönne läbe wüu mir wüsse, dass er scho viu Stresssituatione guet gmeischteret het. Nachdem z Outo mau het chönne abgäh wärde, hei sich aber üsi Gedanke nume no um dä Flug afa dräie. Und bis zum Flugdatum wäre immer no 3 Wuche vergange. Schlussendlich het sich für üs so starch kristallisiert, dass üs ds Wohlergehe vom Freddy so viu wichtiger isch, aus dr Fakt, dass mir no e wytere Kontinent chöi entdecke, dass mir üs entschlosse hei, Momo in Hamburg wieder abzhole und uf europäischem Bode z blibe.

During the last few weeks our planning was driving on a roller coaster. After the wonderful time in Sweden we felt that we want to travel on a bit further for the last few months of our journey, ideally leave Europe once more. We realized that Canada is planning to open its borders for vaccinated tourists and started to make plans to continue our travels with Momo in North America. Shipping a car takes some preparations, the car needs to be very clean inside and out and the personal time planning needs to stay very flexible. Nevertheless it's easier than one might think and is also quite affordable. During our preparations of Momo we improved our setup, got rid of everything we really don't need once more and cleaned away a ton of dirt. When Canada definitily opened it's borders on 07th of September we were very excited. But from the moment on when Tawan delievered Momo in Hamburg at the container port we realized in full what has been a big worry in the back of our heads during all this time: in order to realize our dream we had to fly Freddy in a box in the baggage compartment of the aircraft. We had collected information on that matter beforehand and knew that the chance of complications are rather low, since thousands of dogs have been flying intercontinental already. We were long willing to accept that the 8 hours in the box won't be the best of his life, but knew that he is quite resilient. But after delivering the car our thoughts started to spin around that flight. And up to the point of flight 3 more weeks would go by. In the end we realized in full that Freddy's health is much more important than to see another continent, so we decided to retrieve Momo in Hamburg and to stay in Europe. 

D Covid-19-Impfig heimer in Hamburg sehr unkompliziert chönne la mache. När heimer üs entschiede, nomau d Sina, dr Alexander und d Arkoudi in Berlin z bsueche. Wo mir verzeut hei vo üsne Plän und dass mir no e Unterkunft sueche, für chönne z Momo z putze und umzboue, het d Sina spontan gseit, sie würd sich freue, we mir bi ihre würde wohne und so simer während dene Wuche zure Unterkunft cho womer unändlich dankbar si derfür. Bim Alexander simer o in Gnuss cho vore Füehrig dür Berlin wo gspickt isch gsi dür sis wahnsinnige Wüsse zur Gschicht vo Dütschland und vo Berlin im Spezielle.

We were very lucky with the Covid-19 vaccination which we could get in Hamburg without any trouble. After this we decided to visit Sina, Alexander and Arkoudi in Berlin. Upon telling them of our plans to ship and that we were looking for an appartment to spend the time until the flight Sina told us she would be very happy to have us stay in her appartment during that time. We are so grateful for that time. Alexander shared with us his huge knowledge about Germany and Berlin and it's history. 

Dr Freddy isch mässig begeischteret gsi vor Fahrt i dr Box.

Freddy was not too happy about driving around in his bicycle box.

So si mir schliesslich e guete Monet in Berlin daheime gsi u hei dank dr Sina näbscht em Brandeburger-Tor ganz viu anderi Site vo Berlin lehre kenne. Zum Bispiu dr Grunewald - es riiesigs Waldgebiet am Rand vo Berlin wo mä wunderbar stundelang cha ga spaziere. I üsem Fall inklusive Chatz Arkoudi und Nachbarhündin Piper.

That's how we got to have a home in Berlin for a bit more than a month and thanks to Sina we saw much more than Brandenburg Gate. For example the Grunewald - a huge piece of forest located on the border of Berlin where one can stroll for hours without leaving the forest. In our case we hiked around in company of the cat Arkoudi and the neighbouring dog Piper.

Sogar es Reh bim trinke heimer chönne beobachte - bis mir gmerkt hei, dasses nume e schöni Wandmalerei ufere Muur isch.. Heimer übrigens ersch bir zwöite "Sichtig" realisiert.

We were even able to observe a deer while drinking - until we realized it's just a drawing on a concrete wall. Which we realized only when we saw the same deer in the same place for a second time.

Gröscht Fan vo de Exkursione i Wald isch natürlich d Arkoudi - und we dr versprochnig Uslouf i ihrne Ouge z spät afaht de wird mä stets dra gmahnet.

Biggest fan of the adventures in the forest was Arkoudi - and she let us know very loudly if we set out much too late for her liking. 

Näbscht de Waldspaziergäng isch üses Läbe in Berlin dür d Märkt ir Umgäbig strukturiert worde. Und s het sogar e Hundestand gäh mit feine Guddeli!

LIfe was not only structured by forest walks, but also by the market close by. There was even a market stall for animals, selling delicious treats!

Hie no es paar Biuder zur Vorbereitig vom Momo fürd Verschiffig wo schlussendlich nid stattgfunde het. Im Kofferruum heimer no chli meh Schränk ibout.

The following pictures show our preparations of Momo for the shipping which would never happen. We built some more cupboards. 

Und natürlich isches pingelig suber worde. Ungloublich was sich so a Dräck agsammlet het imene Jahr reise.

And of course Momo was transformed by all the cleaning. Unbelievable how much dirt we collected during a year of travel.

D Sina het sich ständig um z seelische und körperliche Wohlergehe vom Freddy kümmeret u so het är natürlich o es Souvenir usem Bayernland becho, wo sie es paar Täg dert häre het müesse. U mir hei glehrt dasses äxtra Hundekaumaterial in Brezelform git.

Sina was alway looking after Freddy - making sure he was feeling well and had a full belly. So when she made a trip to Bavaria he was gifted with a Pretzel made especially for dogs - we didn't know such a thing existed in the first place.

Derwile het d Arkoudi wieder ihre Usgang verlangt :-)

Meanwhile Arkoudi was asking for more adventure time outside.

Apropos Arkoudi - luget mau wie gross sie worde isch (Verglichbild mit letschtem Dezember in Griecheland).

Talking of Arkoudi - look at how much this little kitten has grown (compared to last December in Greece).

In Berlin het dr Freddy ändlich mau Zyt gha, sich ire Stadt chli uszkenne. S het viu interessants z luege und z schmöcke gä i au dene Gärte und nach es paar Täg het er sich entscheide, er wöu iz nach 3 Jahr no afa Strasselampene markiere. Er het nämlich bishär bislet wie es Wiibli.

In Berlin Freddy finally found time to learn about life in a city. There was so much to see and sniff in all those gardens and after some days he decided to become a real male dog and start flagging his most important street lamps with pee - with his leg held high. Up to now he had been peeing like a female dog.

Und er het sich gloub e chli verliebt. I d Nachbarshündin Piper - e ganz luschtigi Labradordame. Jede Abe hei sich die zwöi im Garte troffe fürne Rundi spiele.

Also he fell in love. With the lovely neighbouring Labrador girl. The two had playdates every evening in the garden.

Und wenns ganz wild isch gloffe het d Arkoudi o mitgspielt.

And if things got wild Arkoudi would start playing along with the two big dogs.

Und wenns ihre zu bunt isch worde, het sie sich gschickt ufene Boum grettet.

But if things got too wild she would save herself by climbing up a tree very skillfully.

Natürlich heimer o viu guets Ässä mit speziell feinem Wy gnosse. So e Chuchi mit Backofe und mehrere Herplatte het scho öppis guets...

Of course we enjoyed a lot of delicious food and tasty wine. There's a lot of good things resulting from living with a big kitchen with several burners and an oven. 

Beschänkt worde simer ono miteme Omnia - e Campingbackofe wo fasch aui hei wo so unterwägs si wie mir, itz si mir ändlich o im Club. :-)

In the end we were gifted with an Omnia - a oven made for camping. Almost everyone we met along the way was using an Omina and now we finally joined the club :-) 

So chöimer iz o unterwägs Ankezüpfe, Brot, Chueche oder Uflouf mache. Danke viumau Sina und Alexander! Usserdem hani no e chline Backofe becho für d Händ z werme - dä zeigi euch de wemer wieder ir Cheuti si :-) 

Now we can enjoy home made butter braid, cake and casserole on the road. Thank you so much Sina and Alexander! In addition I got a small stove to warm my hands - whîch I will introduce once we are back up north where its colder.

Dr Abschied am Schluss heimer wieme so schön seit "miteme lachende u mit eme grännende Oug" düregmacht. Mir si so dankbar für di Zyt womer hie hei dörfe verbringe und für aues womer so erläbt hei. U glichzytig heimer wieder einisch meh realisiert, dass mir üs ire Stadt zum Wohne überhoupt nid wohl füehle und so heimer i dere Zyt viu Sehnsucht entwicklet ufs Unterwägs si, wieder ir Natur z schlafe und ufs eifache Läbe - o wenns bedüdet, dass mir wieder uf eire Flamme choche und e Duschi umständlicher wird.

Saying goodbye in the end was with mixed feelings. We are very grateful for the time we were able to spend here and everything we experienced. But we also realized once more that living in a city is not the life we wanna lead - we developped so much craving to be on the road again, back in nature and to lead a more simple life - even if it means to cook on one burner and to have much more complicated showers.

Sina, Alexander und Arkoudi - mir wünsche euch ganz e tolli Zyt in Uganda, gueti Gsundheit, Zfriedeheit und dass dir scho ganz gli d Wäut imene neue Bro dörft bereise - hoffentlich mit chli offenere Gränze.

Sina, Alexander and Arkoudi - we wish you a wonderful time in Uganda. Good health, happiness and that very soon you can go back travelling the world in a new Bro - hopefully with much less border restrictions.

So heimer üsi siebe-hundert Sache packt u si ume losgfahre - via Schwede in Richtig Norwege. Mir hei nämlich z Gfüehl, dass mir mit däm Land no nid abgschlosse hei uf dere Reis - so viu heimer no nid gseh und so viu Sehnsucht heimer nach de schöne Nordliechter.

So we gathered up our sevenhundred things and hit the road - via Sweden in the direction of Norway. We feel like we haven't really seen a lot of that country last time and we are longing very much to see Aurora borealis once again.