Cruise or Home Swaps?

Talked today with a shop assistant about Home Swapping - as I do given the chance. This young lady was well traveled, had in fact seen a lot of hotspots in Europe thanks to her mother who took her on cruises every year. That's the way to go if you have somebody paying for it!
Cruises are not my idea of fun: too many people on too confined a space all out for a good time with all you can eat and drink for free... That's not me. I would consider it, maybe, if I didn't get seasick the minute a ship leaves the shelter of a harbor. My experience with big ships is with Irish, French, or British ferries in and around the Irish Sea and over to France that hold hundreds of cars and trucks plus thousands of passengers. Contrary to popular belief, European ships of that size do have stabilizers as well! So I needn't try any of the cruises that are so beloved by Americans here. Maybe a River Cruise on the Rhine..., however.
It's just my delicate constitution that induces motion-sickness in me just while watching somebody in a hammock or rocking chair.
                                               
Like so many people who hear about houses swapping, this young lady was quite taken by the idea. I gave hr my card to read up on the topic on my blog and also mentioned my little eBook for just $0.99 on Homeswapping on Amazon. I often wonder how many will pursue the idea and try it for themselves.

Our preparations are going according to plan although the recent thunderstorms of last week tempered our projects outside. On the inside, however, I purchased new towels and bed sheets.  Nothing like a fresh look. The cleaner has also been booked for the times we need her on our departure date to get the house ready for our first exchange partners, then again for the change over to the next arrivals and for our arrival date back after the German family has left. It all takes a bit of organizing you you do two swaps or more in a row. But it's so worth it!

Next Stop: Berlin

(Brandenburg Gate with its Quadriga on top)

Eventually, it also feels like summer. Now we can leave the old brollie and coat at home. We didn’t come here for the weather; on the contrary, we needed to escape the Floridian heat. Locals said that at least they don’t have brush fires here. Southern Europe, Mallorca & Greece in particular, are literally being scorched.

  

The weekend was spent at my daughter’s in Berlin. I’ve been to Berlin several times, yet like in any other capital, there is so much to see! Berlin became the capital of reunified Germany in 1990 and the seat of the German government since 1999 – much to the dismay of some countries who feared that Germany’s position in Europe was becoming too big again and felt reminded of a certain time in our history. Its dominant position within the European Union and especially during the recent fiscal crisis have renewed and aggravated these sentiments.

During previous visits, Berlin was one big construction site but this has come to an end over 20 years after reunification. A lot of hip young people are drawn to the capital and there is a lot of entertainment. We primarily explored the neighborhood (“Kietz”) where my daughter just moved to. Berlin is like a conglomerate of many little villages with their distinct features, many pubs, restaurants of almost every nation under the sun, and flea markets at the weekend. Even after 2 days of walking around and eating out, some faces seemed familiar already.

.(Picture of Berliner Dom / Cathedral in the city center).The best way to get a first impression of the city (3.5 million inhabitants) is a guided bus tour

The Heat is on...

Not only in the States where temperatures are searing but also in Germany where we are going...in 3 days!  (And there will be no AC!) My old saying 'Time flies whether you're having fun or not' was modified this week on FBby a cutsie to 'Time flies- remember: you're the pilot!'
Today, however - not so much. I thought we'd be packing by now or at least tidying up the house and storing stuff away into the owners' closet. But hubby starts sanding a wall in the house. After the sanding machine was repaired, of course! How come tools are never where you saw them last or not in working order? When the wall is dry -after 24 hours- it can be patched up and then, eventually painted. I had just touched up that wall a few days ago in preparation.
But we're speeding up the drying process: I hear the hair dryer going incessantly. So much for conserving energy. So there is hope!
Those of you who read last year's blog will remember our 6 Big Berthas including one that just had tools, adapters, cables, connectors, you name it. This year we are going to reduce them! Promised! Now there is problem with his work laptop. 'How big is your desktop monitor? If they fail to repair it, would it fit into a suitcase?'
I feel a migraine coming on...