With just two days until we get on a train to Gorlitz, we are making our lists and our countdowns to what we need to do before we go.  In the midst of all of that, Ana and I have some things to celebrate.  This week was the last week of her job at her current company.  She had already reserved September for our time away and she will begin her next company on Oct. 1.  At the same time, my mini job is coming to an end. I will still work with the family a little here and there but our original contract has come to an end due to the end of their Elternseit and his beginning Kita (see previous entry on kita).  We had spent the night at a really cool hotel at one of my fav spots in Berlin overlooking the East Side Gallery (see a previous post) a few weeks ago and the breakfast was phenomenal so we emailed and asked if we could just come and pay if we weren’t staying there. They told us we could so we were off.

Because we started out a little later than planned and because of all of the things we want to do before we leave I was kind of grumpy to go all the way there. We have great restaurants in our block and this place is not super easy to get to for us. But Ana was insistent. We went and had a really lovely brunch.  The wait staff was intrigued by the fact we wanted to brunch there and I think were kind of delighted.  Afterward, Ana suggested we walk a bit since we were both so full.  I agreed…it is a beautiful day in Berlin in the midst of shifting seasons.  But Ana wanted to walk closer to the river. I protested a little because it isn’t on the mural side.  But ok, compromise.  We walked along and I spotted one of the larger clay elephants around Berlin made by Berger Elefants. These larger ones are stationary in certain parts of the city but if you find a smaller one you are encouraged to take it and take it with you on travels. The maker can’t travel due to illness that makes it impossible but travels vicariously through the little elephants.  In a previous post I talked about finally finding one but knowing in my gut it wasn’t mine.

Ana and I talked about the art and I lamented that it has been three years and I still haven’t found mine but as we got closer I noticed something hiding in the grafitti!

It’s my elephant! I exclaimed!!

Here is how I know that this one is mine and ready for our travels…

-This elephant is my fav colors, in one of my very fav spots in Berlin AND

-This elephant has appeared right before our Camino.

Yes, this is most definitely my elephant.  This is part of the preparation for our next adventures.  This elephant has to come along!

Ana documented the moment. You can tell the joy! The signature is there and it is just the perfect elephant. It was in a crowded spot but you really had to be looking for it to see just where it lay.  The larger elephant is the orange blip up above and I think smaller elephants tend to be near the larger if you are to find one here.

We walked the rest of the way home just in awe.  THEN we happened past a store that I have been watching and meaning to go into. Let’s go we decided.

And low and behold the owner, who is German, when I told her that I moved from Portland exclaimed she had lived in Portland! No wonder I felt so at home in her store. I had found her because she carries a card artist that I love, Emily McDowell. I think the owner was touched that I would follow so closely and follow up in coming in.  We hit it off immediately. We will return.

The camino provides and we are following the arrows! Just about ready to go!