This winter has been a strange one.
After spending a few weeks in Texas for Thanksgiving, I returned to Berlin where it wasn’t so cold, but there were plenty of hints of Christmas (I’m looking at you, Weinachstmarkts). With a short tour around Germany (visiting Schmalkalden of all places), and then a quick trip to Jordan, I was finally settled in for the winter. I was expecting a harsh winter in Germany, considering how horrible I heard it would be. Because it had been such a rainy summer in Berlin, I was less-than-optimistic about a temperate winter. And yet! Little did I know that the weather gods (or maybe it’s just my exceptionally awesome luck) would be on my side yet again.
Apparently this winter in Germany has been one of the mildest in decades. And though it’s still cold, it doesn’t remind me of the blistering cold winters I spent in Boston
In the past three years, I’ve had three completely different winters. Let’s review:
Berlin winter: Weihnachtsmarkt at Berlin’s Gendarmenmarkt
2011-2012: Winter in Berlin
I know we’re only in the middle (or is really just the beginning) of winter, but the fact that it has been so much more mild compared to my last real winter in Boston (see below), I’m quite happy. I thought I would want to escape at some point, but so far, I’m actually enjoying a little bit of cold (though not too much). And even if I don’t have any planned ski holidays in France, long trips to Bangkok or any other winter holiday trips, I’m actually enjoying the little thrills of a winter without the harsh, brutally cold winds and weather.
One of my favorite parts of winter is the clothing—sweaters and scarves and HATS! And now that I’m not traveling with a backpack anymore (and have an entire bedroom to fill up with little possessions), I can actually buy these things. Thank god for H&M. And Zara.
It doesn’t look too cold here, but it would only get more cold each day
2010-2011: Winter in the the tropics
Last year, I spent the majority of my winter in India. When I arrived in India for the first time in November (read my first impressions of India), I didn’t realize that northern India would be so cold. Well, I knew the northern part near Nepal and the Himalayas would be, but I didn’t realize how could it would be in Delhi. So at the first sign of cold weather in Delhi, I flew south to Goa (like every other tourist). And although my travel plans for India originally included places like Rishikesh, Darjeeling, the Golden Temple and Kashmir, I spent the entirety of my three months in southern India—where it was nice and warm.
After three months in India though, I flew back to Israel, this time planning to spend a month living in Jerusalem. It was February and I was expecting a winter in the Middle East to be rainy and generally miserable, but little did I know that it would actually be COLD in Jerusalem. I was completely unprepared for the cold weather, but I made do with what I had available: a boyfriend with an entire wardrobe I could share!
Boston winter: snow on Commonwealth Ave
2009-2010: Winter in Boston
This was the last, real (as in heaps and heaps of snow forever on the ground) winter I’ve had. And I spent most of it holed up, working on this blog.
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It’s only February now, so there’s still time to see what Berlin’s winter might bring. But with a new job and some actual income, I’m pretty excited about what the remainder of this winter still holds for me.
I’m happy that you’re happy with the weather you’ve got going on down there in Berlin (I’m up in Malmö, Sweden). Whereas last year I embraced the cold and snow, this year I’m being a huge baby and would love nothing more than to get on a tropical island, STAT. You keep on rocking those sweaters and scarves and hats…Ill be holed up this time, reading your blog and working on mine.
Yep – it’s nice to see snow on the ground again. But ask me again in another month and if it’s still cold, I may be up for a tropical island or two myself!
And Sweden! That must be COLD.
Actually I can’t complain, I’m in the south and it looks like we are having the same weather according to my iPhone. But I’m from southern California, that’s my excuse for everything.
Yeah, I grew up in Texas. These winters are pretty different!
[…] clear winter sky. This was actually just a few days of Berlin’s first snowfall for the winter.At the center of the base of the dome is an exhibit of photographs and information about the […]
Being a boy from the tropics, I always dread winters. It definitely helps if you are spending them in Germany though. The architecture is breathtaking.
Winter in Germany is COLD, but it’s definitely picturesque.