Recalling the IKEA period January 9, 2009

When you move into a new appartement, there is always an IKEA period. Going to IKEA is a standard thing that needs to be done, and you are better prepared: everytime you go there, you bring something that you actually did not plan to bring. In our case, these extra items have been limited to some kitchen aid tools. Oef!

Google Maps told us that IKEA Tempelhof was just a 9 minute walk or so. Great, so we decided to do everything by hand/bike. In total we had to go to IKEA at least 5 times (it is possible that we went there more, but I must have pushed these ventures away in my memory). That does not include the visits to Bauhaus, next to IKEA.

Transporting two stands for a desk on a bycicle is not easy, especially if the google maps distance is wrong, and you need at least twenty minutes! I will never forget that one time that I drove a ladder around on my bike over Sachsendamm, which is a pretty busy road. Oh the irony of passing the friendly cab drivers and eager furniture transporters while juggling with shelves for the kitchen…

Yes, it would have been more comfy if we bought everything in one jump, renting a little van. Retrospect…

For the bed and living room shelves, we asked the car of friends. If it was possible to mount the bed to my bike, we would have used the bike. The many hours with screws, screwdrivers, wood, metal, Bohrmachine, ladder, heavy weights to carry up the stairs (we live in the fourth floor, no elevator) made my hands and back ache for days.

But I am so proud of the result right now. My first real own mine appartement and place to live and work. Exactly as I want it to be. The peace and quite, where everything has a place. Lovely.

Next week, we start painting.

Danke Tempelhof, Gutemorgen Tegel November 29, 2008

I fly frequently between Brussels and Berlin, and up to last month, there was an excellent service from Tempelhof (a ten minute bycicle ride from my home!) to Brussels, with a nice connection to Leuven, where I have an office. Normally, the door-to-door travel time was about 3 hours, which is pretty ok. But now, Tempelhof is closed as an airport and SN has moved to Tegel. Thank God, they did not go to Schönefeld. Last week, I had my first flight from Tegel, and the day after tomorrow, I will fly again from Tegel to Brussels.

Tempelhof, 1984

The Tegel experience was great: relatively small, fairly ok to get there (S-Bahn and a bus, the bus is stupid, 40 minutes from my home to the airport…). Security is fast, as most tourists go to Schönefeld, walking distance to gate is 5 minutes, so it is ok to arrive ten minutes before boarding time. The slightly different arrival times make the train connection to Leuven even better. Landing at gate A46 in Brussels means about ten minutes to get to the Bahnhof. In a normal situation, I leave at twenty past seven in Berlin, which will make my office computer booting up before 11. In fact, if I have a little bit more experience, I think I can even take a later S-Bahn.

I do not think I need to complain about that. But still, the ride to Tegel is very long, in comparison to the walking distance of Tempelhof. Rumour is that even Tegel will have to move to Schönefeld, making it Berlin Brandenburg Airport. A quick shuttle would then exist as well. That would be 2011.