Need a great Idea for Christmas Presents? Help those who really need it.

Now, this is certainly not about Berlin, but it might be very helpful. Today I learned about Oxfam International, "a confederation of 14 like-minded organizations working together and with partners and allies around the world to bring about lasting change" (Oxfam International). This organization wishes to end poverty and injustice, which of course is a noble goal ...

They have an online shop where you can buy chickens, goats, health check-ups, rainwater collection systems, classrooms, and, and, and! The store is called Oxfam unwrapped in English and Oxfam unverpackt in German. You send a gift to someone who really needs it and your loved one gets a card - and (at least in Germany) a fridge magnet.

See links below!

Oxfam English
Oxfam German

Romantic Christmas Market – KulturBrauerei

One of Berlin's most beautiful and most romantic Christmas Markets (and there are oh so many) takes place at the KulturBrauerei in Prenzlberg. It ends next Tuesday, so hurry up to pay a visit!

I couldn't really take pictures tonight because my camera refused active duty after just a few pics – out of spiteful defiance or perhaps because it was way too cold to function. We enjoyed strolling around this Christmas market, which is inspired by the Nordic countries and had a goblet of steaming hot and very tasty Finnish Glogg.

Official homepage

Schuttberg –Trümmerhaufen – View over a City from a Debris Mountain

Sometimes things have to get destroyed to rise high.

After the extensive damage from strategic bombing during World War II. many debris mountains were raised in Germany.
One of them is the Humboldthöhe (85 m) opposite the Gesundbrunnen station. From here (standing on the ruins of a concrete flak tower [anti aircraft tower] with the German Unity Memorial on top) you have an excellent view above the area around Humboldthain and Gesundbrunnen. If the weather is good you can see the Radio Tower and another debris mountain, the Teufelsberg (Devil's Mountain).

Flak towers were built during World War II. to provide air raid shelter for the civil population. There was room for up to 50 000 people in the lower level of a flak tower while upper levels were used for military action.

Today the towers contribute to the protection of nature: They have become a suitable hibernaculum for bats!