The most important visitor

Before coming to Germany I asked my mum if she was going to visit me in Berlin. She told me she wouldn't, because she was going to save the money for a trip in the fall. A few weeks later, when I''d been in Berlin for a couple of weeks my mum asked me when I would have time, if she'd visit me. Everyone had told her that Berlin is an amazing city and she had changed her mind. I picked her up on Tegel airport on Friday and she brought me some things I missed from Sweden: bread and liquorice... On the first evening we took a walk in the park across the street where the Castle of Charlottenburg. The park is huge and there is a mausoleum and a belvedere and everything is absolutely beautiful. After our nice walk we had dinner at a nice italian restaurant right across the street from where I live.

Blooming colours

On Saturday we decided to go see the Botanic Garden adn Botanic Museum of Berlin. The garden comprises an area of 126 acres (43 ha) and is one of the largest and most important botanic gardens in the world. There are 16 greenhouses open to public, where the visitors have the opportunity to travel trough tropical and subtropical vegetations. There were wonderful flowers and I especially loved the cactuses, most of which were in bloom.

Mother was enjoying the south african rainforest

In the evening we had reserved a table at a brazilian restaurant, Villa Rodizio. The restaurant is in Prenzlauer Berg close to the metro station Schönhauser Allee. Every day they have a huge buffet there called the Rodizio with nine different kinds of meat, a surprise course and two desserts. The buffee was full of salads, potatoes, rice, vegetables, sauces... The dessert was fried bananas with chocolate sauce and coconut flakes, and the other dessert flambéed pineapple. It was all very delicious and we were completely full when we were done.

Mother and Matt by the bear on the bridge Moabiterbrücke,
that is also called Bärenbrücke (Bear bridge)

For today we had planned a small river cruise in the city. It was raining a bit, but we decided to do the cruise anyway. It was all very nice even though it rained a bit here and there. After the cruise we decided to go see a photo exhibition in Kreuzberg. It was the world press photo exhibition in Willy-Brandt-Haus. I must say I was shocked about some of the pictures, but I guess that is partly their purpose. To shock and to tell people about things that happen around the world. Here are the pictures: http://www.worldpressphoto.org/ There were many beautiful pictures but they really made me think and what I wouldn't give to have the proper equipment to take such pictures. It would be amazing if one day one of my pictures hanged there on the wall. Dreams.

The Bode Museum on the Museum island in central Berlin

Little buddies wishing for left-overs

River side view of the parliament