Last winter in Berlin...

It's January so as far as I'm concerned the fun part of winter is over and the bad part has just begun. I never liked winters in Europe. The only thing that truly cheers me up right now is the prospect of moving to a tropical place (Mumbai) for the next 2 or 3 years.

I'd rather complain about winter on my blog than to real people because whenever I tell anyone I hate winter they go: "I love the seasons!" or "I don't mind cold weather sometimes." I mean, of course they have a point there. I even agree to some extent.

Fall is okay. I love the way the trees look then. Berlin is gorgeous in October/November, especially where I live: in an actual forest. I don't mind throwing on a jacket when I go out and when it rains I simply wear a raincoat. I love it when the first snow falls in December and I'm in a good mood the whole holiday season organizing parties, decorating the house, buying presents, drinking mulled wine, visiting Christmas markets, coming up with New Year's resolutions, going ice-skating, watching a couple of movies, and planning the elusive ski trip.

But come January, I'm reminded of everything I don't like about winter in Europe:

• It's too cold to stay outside for more than 30 minutes.

• No leaves on trees for about five months.

• No point going to beaches, biergartens, zoos, farms, or fun parks.

• There's no camping, hiking, fire pits, or outdoor live music.

• It's cold everywhere in Europe, so no point in travel (other than skiing).

• It's gray most days and it gets dark in the afternoon.

• Everyone gets a cold or the flu, and nowadays COVID.

• Wearing the same warm wintercoat every day for months and no dresses, skirts, open shoes or any other clothing I like.

• Hardly any parties or events.

• Slippery roads (I got injured falling off my bike the first day it snowed this year).

• Dry skin on my face and my hands.

• Lack of fresh fruit and vegetables (that doesn't come in triple plastic wrapping from across the world).

I have a feeling this winter is going to pass just as slowly as last year's, since COVID numbers are soaring. I just recovered from my second COVID infection, which I caught during a holiday trip to the US, so I haven't been at work for about a month. Once I'll start going to the office again there won't be much to do, since we have to minimize Embassy operations once more due to the pandemic.

For now, I guess I'll just focus on getting better. Letting my foot heal from the bike accident and getting over the lingering cough I have from getting COVID two weeks ago.