Berlin weekday wrapup

This week has involved lots of sleeping, lots of working, and lots of catching up with friends. Tuesday I met Cait and Franz downtown for lunch, which involved passing by Checkpoint Charlie, an incongruously hopping tourist spot.

Wednesday night Franz got me into his work's very traditional Oktoberfest party. There were long rows of tables, piles of pork products, and huge steins of beer. If you have never been to Oktoberfest, let me inform you that the music the bands play is INSANE. Traditional German drinking songs, "Country Roads", more traditional German drinking songs, "Copacabana", more drinking songs, "It's Raining Men". No shit - I stood on benches and sang along to "It's Raining Men" with several hundred employees of one of the world's largest media companies. Everything started to sound like a polka.

Last night we made a true fall dinner - pumpkin and feta muffins, quinoa with roasted fennel and eggplant, and pumpkin bread pudding with fresh winter squash. The bread pudding is fantastic - we are noshing on it right now, to be honest.

Today we went for a run in the rain. Here's Caitlin contemplating the downpour.

But I'm glad we persevered, because our route along the canal went by a giant slide that I, of course, had to take a ride on. I wound up on my ass in a puddle, but it was entirely worth it. Video to come, but this is me right after. The adrenaline kept me warm for the rest of the run.

And then we went to a spa, where we soaked and suana-d and floated in a salt pool while listening to music underwater. And saw lots of naked Germans. I'm getting the full cultural experience here.