Easter with Knuti
Apr 26th, 2010 | By mervi | Category: What's up in the Berlin Zoo26.4.2010
I enter a dream state as I head to the airport on April 1–hard to believe that I’m really going to Bearlin again…how lucky can a girl get? I arrive at Tegel and before I know it, I’m off to see my buddy…
I love the build up of entering the lion’s gate and quickly walking to the left and as I walking I eagerly look for that first glimpse of the enclosure….and what do I see but two bears! Wow!
And along with those two beautiful bears, I see wonderful, smiling and familiar faces….What a magical place Zoo Berlin is….a tranquil and beautiful old zoo that houses the most beautiful bear in the world….Knuti….and his friend Gianna…two bears for the price of one!
I don’t know exactly what it means, but Knuti peed for me the first day–hadn’t seen him do that before…and then when visiting Ko Raya–well, she pooped for me….little gal; big poops….made me laugh.
Snapshots of memories include the phone ringing in my hotel room….it’s a woman asking if Willy was there with me….caren!!–she and bernd are just delightful company.
Another snapshot is seeing Ralph periodically each time with his newest polar bear purchase. And an added dimension to this trip was a film crew of three who were around and about–whever we went!
Snapshot of Joe’s: we gather and give each other little treats–each person going around sprinkling goodies at each place…this time I brought Hershey’s kisses with a sticker on the bottom from Knuti & Gianna…And Mervi gave all the knutsbands Knutsteiner t-shirts–very festive and fun…And dear Pepper was such a good girl–she made it fun, too.
Snapshot: Easter morning at Knuti’s enclosure receiving Easter treats from knutian… & then off to see Bearlin with Knutitours….Dumba was an excellent guide and she pointed out places of interest along a journey around Bearlin that really gave one a good feel for the city…You know, Checkpoint Sergei and so on. Oh, it was such fun to stop by the City Bears and see them again.
Snapshot: Nikolaiviertel….oh, my that was a beautiful area…and what a surprise when we came around the corner to find Teddy’s famous teddy bear shop OPEN! Oh, joy! TBM and I ran like the dickens right into that shop. Oh, the knutitour was really splendid!
Snapshot: Zur Knuipe….Knuti menus that they laminated; Mr. Knuipe was thrilled to receive a picture of his place with the Waiter in front as well as a Knutsteiner t-shirt. The menu was all of Knuti’s favorite foods…The singing polar bear was one of the major entertainments–It was Raspi singing “My Girl” to Flocke–pretty in pink….and every once in awhile I’d shout “Raspi” and wave to the back of the room….It was the best time…
Snapshot: We all piled into a taxi heading over to Dumba’s….I looked out the window as we passed “Willi’s bar” and remarked: “Oh, that must be where Willy is”….the taxi driver asked was Willy a friend; we responded: “No; he’s a bear.” …Who are these crazy people?!
Snapshot: Knuti feedings–always fun and the boy is always entertaining…on his 40-month birthday, I brought him a croissant–I swear he never tasted the morsel as it slipped down his throat….
…and waiting for Knuti and Gianna to play–well that took until the last day…
and getting a close-up of the 3 ladies also took place at the last minute….
Well, saying goodbye to Knuti is never easy…I have a hard time with it, I must admit….I find a moment and tell myself I must leave now…and I linger and take in his wonderfulness and watch him intently and tell him all the things I need him to know–most importantly that I love him dearly and that he means so much to me….I start to walk away and I look back a couple of times….I find this reassuring….as I look back, there he is doing his thing at his enclosure…And I can count on him being there and doing that until I see him again….I love that bear….xo k-j
Dear Knuti-Judi,
Your wonderful report made me ‘live’ the Easter in Bärlin once again. What a great time we had!! … and the besti thing is that we’ll be going back to the CCC aren’t we?
Hugs from Mervi
Dear Knuti-Judi, now I am glad that you made us wait a bit longer for your report. As such, it was a new opportunity to walk again in Zoo Berlin, to visit the bears and to remember all the fun we have had. And while reading your last sentences, it reminded me of similar feelings I had before it was finally decided that Knut was going to stay in Berlin. Every when I was leaving, I also turned back several times, thinking and hoping “Knut, I hope that you will still be there when I return”. And although it is now more relaxing, I am still counting the days that I have to wait before visiting him back. And therefore, just join me in counting, maybe that September will come faster than.
Thanks for the report and for the pics.
Patricia
Dear Knuti-Judi!
Your report and the pictures are bringing the nice remembrance again. Now we are looking for our next meet at Knuti. After the visit is always before the next visit.
Greetings and Hugs
Ludmila
Dear Knuti-Judi,
thank you so much for bringing back the great time with Knuti&Giovanna and all friends and our adventures in Berlin. I really appreciated your lovely report and all the wonderful pics right after a stressy day in the office.
We do hope to meet you again, it was such a good time we had,
Hugs from caren&bernd
Dear knuti-judi. What a good idea to make a report in “Snapshots”. I liked tis new style very much. Thank you for your text and pictures. I love your tenderness towards Knuti! I know very well this looking forward to getting the first glimpse of the enclosure!
Dear Knuti – Judy
Thank you so much for the lovely report and the pics. By reading Easter time in Berlin came back and I was there again together with you and all our friends . It was such a great time.
Many hugs
Bea
Jägermeisters for Alle, hihihihi !! Knuti-Judi,
You are in a proximal location in the East Coast state in which you reside to make convenient hops across the pond, that is, if volcanoes in Iceland aren’t spewing volcanic ash. And well you have done, reporting to us your adventures. What a special privilege to have personal moments with our hero Knut. Thank you for reporting back!
Hugs,
Tish