Sunday in Berlin. Best part of the trip!!!

(I still have no idea what this sign is trying to tell me not to do...)

This is the last part of my trip?? I feel so accomplished! I haven't even been back a week yet! Paris took me like a month to write! This was my favorite day though. This is my Sunday in Berlin. In my other blog I mentioned my Grandpa's cousin and his story in Berlin. In his book he mentions the name of the ward where he was married. While doing my research I discovered that there is still a ward by that name. Could it really be the same one or the same place? Only one way to find out. So putting on my new shoes I bought in Berlin (How could I not buy them? They were the last pair, my size, and on an insanely great sale.), and dodging past the drunks who were still out partying. The clubs were still blaring music, and I was on my way to church :) I kinda stuck out, but I am getting more and more use to it.

I managed to find my way to the stop I wanted no issues. I was pretty sure I was walking the right way, but wasn't sure. Then I saw it. It was like my first Sunday in Frankfurt all over again. I was so happy to see the church. Before I walked in I took a deep breath ready to brace myself. I didn't want to get my hopes up too high in case it wasn't the same church. I made it to the chapel and was about ready to cry. It was the exact church. Same light fixture, same everything. No doubt in my mind, this was the church Herbert married his sweetheart in on September 28th,1951. That moment right there, made my whole trip. That was my highlight. I got a picture of the chapel and tried to take a picture of the original I have. I know it is hard to make out, but look and you can see it.

Amazing. Relief Society was first, and somehow I managed to sit in the section with other English speakers. I had no idea, then I realized I could understand them and was amazed. After that I go to the single adults class, and my world gets smaller. I am introduced to Christina. She is an au pair from the US too! Imagine that. This is how the conversation went.

"Hey were are you from?"

"I am from Utah, where are you from?"

"Washington."

"Oh really what part?"
"Seattle area."

"Hey I lived there for a while too, which part?"

"Widbey Island."

Now, for those of you who don't know, when I was living in Provo I adopted me a little brother. He is from a little island in Washington called Widbey Island. The conversation continues with me asking "Do you know Sam Parker?"

She stares at me in disbelief and just responds with a "You are kidding me!? He is like a brother to me!!" So there I was, standing in a church where in 1951 someone in my family history was married, talking to a girl that knew one of my favorite people ever! Small little Mormon world. I LOVE IT!

Her and I had a lot of fun talking and being shocked. I really wish she lived closer to me, what is with me and making friends who don't live by me?! Oh well, I figure I will run into her again somewhere random. Seattle, Provo, Barcelona, who knows?

After that I went to the Rathaus Schoeneberg, which was the other place that Herbert might have been married. The picture I have of their wedding day is hard to make out, but without a doubt this is the wrong place. It was still worth the shop. There was a swap meet going on and they had massive amounts of books! I was looking for an old copy of Grimm Fairytales, since I have now started a collection of them. While I was looking the guy selling them just kept repeating "one euro, books are one euro" In German to all of us looking through the books. I didn't see any Grimms books, so I decided to ask him. I had no idea how to even start that one so I asked in English. He said he didn't think they did so I then just told him that I wanted the two books in my hand. "Five euro" was what he said to me.

Hearing that load of crap come out of his mouth, I put on my nanny face. The face I use when a kid lies to me and I know it. And by my face they know they screwed up as well. "Didn't you just say that all of these books are one euro?" You little twerp! Just because I can't speak German doesn't mean I can't understand it! A little flustered he comes up with an excuse fast. "Oh, uh, um that is the old price I am sorry, we just changed the prices I must have forgotten." Uh huh. Right. Two seconds ago I thought the only thing you knew how to say in German was "one Euro". I gave him another nanny look, this one being the 'Lie to me again and we will have issues'. I gave him two euro and walked off. Yeah I probably should have told him to give me both of them for one euro for him being a butt face, but I didn't want to deal with it. At least I didn't pay what he asked. Honestly people!

After that I headed back to Annette's place and we headed out to the train station. I honestly had such a blast with her! Talking over breakfast about what it was like growing up on the East side of Berlin, and a lot of the history in Berlin. We also had some fun chats about music and how much she liked American music because she didn't understand the words. She always made sure I was fed and even spoiled me with strawberries with Italian whipped topping. YUM! She was great and I loved it! My train was just about to come and I wanted to get some food, and then I realized that all I had was my cards, no cash. Crap. Oh well. I can survive, no worries Annette I am fine. She wouldn't stand for that. My train was just about to pull into the station, and she races off and buys me a delish little sandwich and gets there right as my train pulls in. It was so sweet and I feel so blessed to have met her and become her friend!

That is about where my adventure ends. I rode the train home, got stuck waiting 45 minutes for the train in Frankfurt to take me home. I watched How I Met Your Mother, which made me look totally insane. I can't help but laugh a lot at that show, and since my headphones were on listening to it everyone else around me had no idea why I was laugh. Oh well. Laughed a lot anyways :) Let them laugh at the crazy American. Seems to be the theme of my life!