It is so, excuse my language, fucking cold. In German we would say: pig cold or animal like cold (schweine kalt, tierisch kalt). I don't really know why, but fucking cold and none of the other terms seem to describe the fact very appropriately. When I left today to go to a friends house to talk about my proposal I took my bike, my lovely 42 year old bike, which is always very nice and reliable. But even that short way my hands were freezing cold, the through the gloves. Arriving there I felt a little bit like in a low temperature refrigerator and wore three sweaters (I should use the word pull-over, because sweater doesn't seem to be the right term these days). Coming my way back I thought I will not be able to ride to the Jewish community for my Hebrew class later on, because the sun was down and it was even colder. After eating and getting warm again I left and was sure I'd take the subway but the cold didn't feel like a big problem so I rode the whole way to Oranienburgerstrasse. It took me 25 minutes so I wasn't too exhausted neither too cold. Coming my way back from class though was disgusting. I fought with my bicycle against the wind took almost 50 (48) minutes and arriving here my legs and hands were hardly flexible. It took me a while until I could get on the floor with my feet and could hardly walk. My legs hurt, my face burned and my feet and hands were lame...I felt a little it as if I was on an expedition, had to proof toughness. The rivers are long frozen and I usually keep the window half closed at night, I used to mix a little hot water to my cold shower so the water isn't that icy...this year I haven't done this yet and it felt OK. but that was too much. I have a headache. I wonder whether I could live permanently in a cold country. I rather wear two woolen sweaters during the summer in Miami.