The L-word

Unless you are an ostrich with your head in a sandpit, you should by now know that Germany's newest darling, Lena Meyer-Landrut, has won the Eurovision song contest for 2010. Here at Euroblog we are taking bets about how long it will be until the 19 year old releases her first solo album. We're tipping: tomorrow lunchtime.

This sort of Europhenomena is right up Euroblog's street. Perfectly normal Germans going absolutely troppo about something that they should actually be way to cool to care about. I'd like to say that in Berlin no one cared about the outcome of this strange Italian style telethon but, alas, it's not true. Everyone from the city council website to the radio stations to ... well, Euroblog, has jumped on the band wagon.

Speaking to the average punter, you get the feeling Lena's a bit like Vegemite - you either love her or you hate her. Either way, her 15 minutes of fame isn't over yet: Ms Meyer-Landrut says she's going to be back "defending her title" next year.

The monday after...

After all the hype about sports going into this weekend, it turned out that Germany didn't really end up having much to celebrate by Sunday evening. After Bayern were surgically taken apart in the football on Saturday night (see below), hosts Germany also got a couple of trouncings in the ice hockey world championships too - at the hands of Russia and Sweden.

So, Berliners probably quite enjoyed just getting up late and moping about on Monday morning in their pyjamas and feeling a bit sorry for themselves. For many here that's nothing new of course, but this time they didn't even need to feel a bit guilty about it. Why? Because it's Whit Monday! Yay!!! Everyone's favourite holiday, even if not everyone knows what it's for.

Some christian experts from my local area who came to my door today told me that Whit Monday is the Monday after Pentecost, which occurs 50 days after Easter Sunday and which celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ. If you grew up in Germany you knew that already of course. For the other Whit please click here.

Bayern Munich Party at my place!

Berliners are in a bit of a bind this week. What do they do on Saturday night, when Bayern Munich play in the final of the Champions League? Sure, they can turn a blind eye, pretend that nothing's going on and go shopping at Lidl at Ostbahnhof. After all, everyone hates Bayern - right? Especially if you are from Berlin. The capital's biggest club, Hertha BSC, has been relegated to the second division this month. For Berliners this football season is over, basta!

But hang on, this is the first time any German team has come close to winning anything in the last 10 years. In fact, if you are a football fan - or even if you're not - this game is a no-brainer. Bayern is playing great football, they have a charming coach with a haircut from the 1950s and they're up against the arch enemy, the Italians. Surely, it's time for Berlin to get behind the boys in red and white and cheer them home.... anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Ice Leg

You've got to love the traditional meat dish from Berlin, the inimitable "Eisbein" (ice leg). It's a fatty, wobbly meat treat and it's been around for ages. Some say that it's one of the most aesthetically displeasing things Berlin has to offer.

But I think that's being a bit cheeky. There's a place round the corner called "Zum Schusterjungen" which serves a seriously phat leg of ice. Order with a dash of puréed peas and cabbage that's been cooking for half a day - mmmmh, delicious.

Take a walk on the quiet side.

We cop a lot of criticism at Euroblog about Berlin not being attractive enough. Sure, Berlin isn't going to win a US Beauty Pageant any time soon - but the city has some strangely beautiful sides too. You've just got to know where to look.

Take the Neuer Kirchhof von St. Nikolai und St. Marien for instance. This graveyard situated on one of the busier streets of Berlin, Prenzlauer Allee, looks like any other forgotten park here. But once you get inside it's peaceful and undisturbed, a worthy resting place for generations of Berliners. After walking in one weekday morning and sitting uninterrupted for ages, I even found myself saying: "Ah, the serenity".