A TWO day catch up: - Meeting friends and meetings

Ok, a two day catch up in one post... Here we go!

On Sunday, I finally got the opportunity to catch up with a dear blogfriend (a new word!), Maribeth. She is here with her puppy Annaleise for a breeding service all the way from the USA! I caught the S-BAHN out to where she is staying with Uschi.

We all then headed out to Lake Muggelsee and walked around the lake where we had a beer and a chat, a long chat!

Uschi Maribeth Muggelsee, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

After our chat, we then moved to have lunch at the restaurant there, where Uschi and I had the Chicken Schnitzel whilst Maribeth had the White Asparagus. And yes, believe it or not, I even tasted them! I thought it was a little 'watery' in flavour was the hollindaise sauce, but hey, I TRIED IT!!!

Me Maribeth Muggelsee, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

My Lunch Chicken Schnitzel, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

We then headed to an ice-cream shop (I will not even begin to tell you where we were OR the name of the shop as MY German is not good), and to another cafe for a coffee before heading back to Uschi's place where I met Annaliese, and Uschi's husband.

Annaleise Maribeth, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Dear friends Uschi Maribeth, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

We sat and chatted and chatted some more before I knew it, it was well after 10pm and I had to get the S-BAHN back into town! I had SUCH a great day/night, and we will be doing it again soon!

Yesterday, was my meeting day... I first met with my turf friend in Alexanderplatz, where we had coffee... We then headed out to have a look at some turf trials and so forth. On our way back towards town, we were near the 'Botanischer Garten', (Botanic Garden), so we went in to have a look. This was a well laid out Garden, with a lot of Arboretum and glasshouses, and it had a majestic glasshouse at that!

Botanischer Garten Glass House, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Botanischer Garten Main Glass House, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Botanischer Garten Restaurant Glass House, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Lots of lawns, both formal and meadow type, and colour to be seen... They also had a wetlands garden area, with a LOT of frogs that could be heard for miles it seemed!

Botanischer Garten Frog Calling, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

After leaving the Gardens, we then headed for the Olympic Park and Stadium (Olympia Stadion). We met there with the head greenkeepers (one for each site) and discussed turf management practices. We were then taken around the Park area, which is for training of football (Soccer), training areas and then into the machinery sheds. I also got to see the turf stabilisation they are using in HIGH traffic areas!

Olympic Park Soccer Training Pitch, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Olympic Park Stabalised Turf, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Olympic Stadium Stabalised Turf Type II, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Then it was into the Olympic Stadium, which is the home of football now. It is a non impossing building from the outside, but from the ground inside, its a massive structure!

Olypic Stadium Rear, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Olympic Stadium Rear Cauldron, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Olympic Stadium Bump Out, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

We walked and talked and walked some more, before I caught the U-BAHN back towards where I am staying and agreed to meet a little later today! So here I am, about to head out (again) for the day... This next pic I saw at the entrance to the station... One for the boys...

Olympia Stadion, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Taking the pissoir, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Hoo roo for now...

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