Alone in Berlin

So here i am, alone in Berlin. I sent my mom off this morning on a flight back to the states. I'm hoping she makes it without too much hassle because she is flying through JFK and from what I hear, you all were crazy flooded yesterday! I hope no one was too put out. Now it's serious, now I have only myself, which is a new venture for me. I freaked out only a little today when I realized that if I get into trouble, or need help, I have no one to call! I know no one in the city, and no one knows me! Crazy huh? But then I got over it and went about my day.
I took a dance class (the second one since I've been here). Class is cheap and close by. The studio is big and free from pillars(unlike NYC). Most importantly, the classes are good and the dancers are down to earth without even a hint of pretension! It is a pretty international crowd. I heard equal parts Spanish, English and German being spoken. Everyone is friendly and while the skill level is professional, no one is TOO good. Unfortunately though, there is no air conditioning in the studio. Today was blazingly sunny with temperatures in the mid 80's. The windows in the studio were merely cracked open, and as you might expect, there were pools of sweat everywhere! Now I like to be warm when I dance, just like the next person, but my god! I think I sweated out every beer I've ever drank! Good Lord!
Needless to say, I had to come home and shower after class. By that time, I was totally pooped and realized that this was the first day in 3 weeks that I was alone and had no plans. SWEET!!!!! I took my time getting ready and then headed to a nearby park in Kreuzberg....Victoria Park. There is a man made waterfall in the park which is actually pretty nice. It is so quiet there and the sound of the water is quite soothing. I found a shady spot on a grassy knoll and conked out for a few hours. I did the usual park things....read, napped, people watched. Most interesting was a man in a speedo playing a ukelele with utmost passion. Germans are so crazy.
I decided later that it was time for a beer, so I searched for a beer garden that I had heard was in the park.....Golgotha. I found it with ease and was pleasantly suprised with the atmosphere. The usual picnic tables underneath umbrellas, as well as beach chairs and porch swings. There was also a fussball table and an indoor area that housed the bar and a dance floor (?) I killed a few more hours there drinking the house brew....Berliner Pilsner ,and eating some sausage from the outdoor grill. Some more people watching ensued.
I finished the day by truly falling in love with the sunset as I stood on the U-bahn platform waiting for the train. The mellow sounds of the Shins were in my ears as I watched some swans float lazily down the Landwerk Kanal. I glanced up and admired the sunlight bouncing off of the gorgeous apartment buildings flanked by weeping willow trees. Folks, you can see the sky in Berlin and it absolutely makes all the difference. Again, I am in love :)