26.9.2009 by Knuti-Judi

Dear Diary,

I will start my story several months before September, 2009; that was when I had had a good talking to myself and was emphatic that it would not be feasible to go to Bearlin in September. I was o.k. with that for awhile; then one day I had a thought as strong as the very first one in September, 2007 which propelled me to come to Knut’s first birthday–I had to be there. Well, the message was clear again, and I found a way to make it happen and was able to book flight and hotel. Oh, joy comes to mind.

Well, the weeks leading up to a visit to Knuti made me feel like a kiddie before Christmas. It was so exciting and fun; that I found myself smiling every time I thought of the trip and seeing all the wonderful knutians that would be a bonus to this trip. And this time I was going to be in Bearlin in warmer weather and was looking forward to seeing the zoo in the fall.

When I arrived early Thursday morning on the 3rd, it was almost a repeat of my very first time–it was rainy, I dropped off my bags at the hotel and went to the zoo office to renew my zoo card and I dashed to Knuti’s enclosure…..What a wonderful feeling it is to approach his enclosure and anticipate seeing the beautiful bear again….and he never disappoints!

Despite the rain, Knuti was playing energetically in front of the glass wall….He poked his head up to check on exactly who was there….I said, “Hallo, buddy! How are you?” He responded by showing me all his wonderful toys in quick succession: First the log; then the Aussie Dog and then the surfboard! Lovely!

Well, he was as cute as a bear can be….every once in awhile he’d turn his head up, open his mouth and drink the rain! When he’d had enough playtime, he decided to take a nap over by his cave. He curled up like a baby….I had made Knuti a jute bag and filled it with a hantel and a soccer ball. (I gave it to Sylvia after the feeding that day.)

I went to visit the fab four…Now this was the very first time I saw Lars and his ladies….How much fun it was so see them all together and watch their feeding….Lars seems like he’s in such a better mood with the ladies surrounding him….can’t blame the guy….they are pretty ladies, especially Tosca–she’s a beauty….

Well, the day is a blur as I met so many people and enjoyed myself until I started to fade with so little sleep the night before…So I went to my mulch happy to know that I could do it all over again the next day….

And what a day it was! Meeting Luisa and her nephew being a highlight as well as more and more lovely knutians culminating at Joe’s for a festive evening with lots of chatting and goodwill….and lots of knutsteiners!

The next day was Knuti’s 33-month birthday….I started the day with some shopping–went to several department stores and had some fun…Then I went to the flower shop at the zoo station; the young woman there is gifted in flower arranging; I bought flowers for Thomas’ grave from myself and from other knutians. Mervi & Vesa along with TBM & TBV and Barbara and Webbiene all piled into taxis and headed to the cemetery in Spandau to pay our respects to TD.

It was the first day of school and along the way, we saw kids walking to school with their parents. Some of the parents were holding a large, colorful cone and some were carrying flowers. Barbara informed us about this tradition in Germany on the first day of school; the cone is filled with goodies for school; it was a lovely sight….

The cemetery is very tranquil and like a forest; it’s rather pleasant there…..

You walk a ways and then you turn right and in a clearing is Thomas’ grave which now has a gravestone marking it as you all know. The marble stone is irregular and rough except for the area where the picture of Thomas and Knuti is; there it is smooth and the details are fine…Down at the base of the stone is a little bear on a green blanket; it was a sweet addition…There are flowers and mementos surrounding the grave and next to it are more cards, mementos and bears all paying tribute to a wonderful and extraordinary zoo keeper who saved the life of a bear….and we are eternally grateful to him for this…..

Well, it’s a tearful situation; the visible outpouring of love and gratitude; the flowers; the pictures–evoke emotions and myriad thoughts and feelings….the Dreamteam was a precious gift to us all….

We returned to Knuti because we knew it was his birthday and he was getting some good eats…and we knew he’d make us smile….

the day was another blur of lots of knutians and another dinner at Joe’s….so much fun….it is wonderful to feel so happy and content…

Well, time flew by and it was Sunday and my last day…Mervi & Vesa & TBM & TBV and I took a trip over to East Berlin to see the City Bears–two brown bears aged 25 and 30 who live in a little park. We got there just as their keeper was out hiding fruits and veggies for a meal; then the bears appeared; they look well cared for and were clever bears–one showed us how to peel an orange….And then a woman and her dog stopped by and the dog was encouraged to jump up in order to see the bears…that was so darned cute…

And back to Knuti and another fun feeding and at the end of the day, we met Ralph at the fab four enclosure….TBM had just bought herself a bear that one can place one’s hand in and move the paws….Ralph comes along and TBM and the bear greet him; Ralph doesn’t blink an eye–he goes into his duffle, produces a bear of his own, and the bears proceed to have a discussion….it was so funny….

Saying good-bye to Knuti is another story….but the last time I was there, I found a way to walk away without feeling so sad….I know that Knuti will continue to play and have fun each day…and do all the cute things he does…and then there is always next time, I think…but I do keep looking back at him until I can see him no longer…..

Later, we met for dinner at the real Knuipe! On the way, we saw a pink Caddy and had to take our picture in front of it because we were sure it was a Flocke-mobile; then we saw bears that we just had to pose with…it’s like that in Bearlin….And then the Knuipe! What fun it was to see it in person…and the inside was just wonderful….very quaint and comfortable.

We walked in and Ralph was already there. He had a bear on the table drinking his beer from a straw….we all laughed….and continued laughing throughout the dinner….a very entertaining and pleasant evening.

And as we were all staying at the same hotel, we walked back and said, “See you later” and that ended a most pleasant visit to Knuti-ville…The thing is–the whole time I am in Bearlin I have to keep pinching myself because I can’t believe I’m really there; and then when I get home, I wonder if it was all just a dream……a very happy dream, I might add….

xo k-j

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