Women's Day in Berlin

Last week was International Women's Day.  Originally started by Socialists "in commemoration of the outstanding merits of Soviet women", today is a cross between Mother's Day & Valentines Day.....

In Kyiv that means, flowers..... 

(Its typical to bring them to ALL the women in your life - kids bring them to their teachers, bosses to their employees, etc)   

It also means chocolate.....

(I've never seen so many men in the grocery store.  Lots of man-to-man consultation going on in the chocolate aisle)

Given EVERY woman is honored, bulk buying was common  

(a friend's husband brought ~150 flowers to work - one for every woman in the office)

The other exciting feature about this day - it is a NATIONAL HOLIDAY!!!!   

With a long weekend & a focus on celebrating women (read: husbands more willing to manage at home solo), my all-female painting group took a 'girls trip' to Berlin.  What'd we find?

A mix of old & new

Nod to its mind boggling past

A huge 360 exhibit illustrates Berlin the 80s - showing both sides of the wall....

Hard to fully comprehend the idea of living in a city in essentially 'lock down' - one friend on the trip lived on the east side & confirmed the picture is fairly accurate

Several monuments honoring Jews...

Loads of museums & galleries

And even a 'matching bar'!

(Appropriately, this bar was called "Newton's" - life sized nudes for ambiance)

And of course fun shopping....

Berlin is cheaper than Ukraine (silly high taxes on imported goods here) & has many brands we don't.  I loved the streets with cute botiques

The kids were quite excited about these 2 brands.....

Quincy said the Dunkin Donuts would buy a week without feeling homesick

Here's to Women, national holidays that celebrate them & the cheap thrill of treats from home