High Five: Miguele is here!!

We had a very tight and perfect plan: Wake up, rent a car, get Miguele from the airport, head to Duisburg at around 11 am, get there at 4 pm in time for the Love Parade, enjoy the love, head back to Berlin at around 2 am.

Well things didnt exactly go according to plan.

Woke up to the news: Miguele's plane got delayed. Direct reaction was to cancel the rented car, forget the trip and plan something to do in Berlin. We later got an update from Mig:

Everything worked out just fine. She's on the plane. It's still on time. She's heading to Berlin!

Dania and I go get the car, and then head home to get the girls and then get Mig from the airport.

We get home and there she was.

MIG IS HERE!! A WOO HOO. She had already arrived and took a cab home.

We get ready, and get some snacks and sandwiches for the road. Get in the car, put in our destination on the GPS (which we decided to name Romy; she was the only one missing so we had to have her with us in a way!)

Destination: LOVE PARADE.

We were on the roads of Germany with wind in our hair, and beautiful weather with great scenery around, following Romy's instructions to get to Duisburg and feel the love.

A little dance off here and there, a sleeping co-pilot, a very demanding pilot, snacks, beer, bathroom stops, music, the same song over and over again, Romy guiding the way, "I'll stand by you", and five hours later we finally got to Duisburg.

LOVE PARADE: We arrived there full of excitement and ready to dance the day/night away, but we felt something was very odd.. There was no music, no happiness, no love... We just saw a bunch of confused ravers, heard a looot of ambulances, and got shouted at by the police (Go home! The love parade is cancelled!). At first we weren't planning on taking that for an answer. We had not just driven 4.5 hours just to get turned away! We had the Lebanese in us turned on full blast and tried to talk to the policeman as if he was some bouncer at a club. Dania tried to put on her puppy eyes and really popped out her... um... other talents, but the police guy just walked away. We had no idea, but were in the midst of a tragedy.

19 people killed. 400 injured. 1100 people still missing until today.

Thankfully we arrived late. Thankfully we arrived late enough to miss it. We could have easily gotten hurt by following the crowd. Thankfully we got there late enough. Thankfully Mig's plane got a bit delayed.

The Love Parade is a huge dance event that was turned into a stampede. People were literally killed by being stepped on.

Love Parade just claims joy as a definition because of what it is and what its called.

But this year something about the joy of love just went wrong.

Condolences to everyone who lost someone.

We kept hearing updates about the tragedy as we drove back to Berlin and as people called to check up on us.

Music, nightfall, struggling and determined co-pilot, a very courageous pilot, 3 sleeping beauties in the back, 5 hours later we got to Berlin, specifically a Russian pub with our very own Claudia and Patrick (Patrick is back!! I know you all missed him just as much as we did!). A couple of double vodka shots, and a crazy Russian dance off, we were suddenly in "Surprise" dancing to RnB, Hip Hop, Reggae, Soul, and African music.

We grabbed a bite to eat and drove back home at around 6 in the morning.

Sunday: It's showtime!

Woke up at around 12.

Claudia and Patrick came over for Brunch.

We enjoyed the food, and got ourselves ready for the show.

I am sure you all know by now about our Sunday afternoons.

Mauer Park. I got chills. 6 girls. One stage. More than 1000 people watching.

1 girl. Beautiful voice. The remaining 5 were swaying. She got the crowd to sing along. Leaving on a jet plane. crowd cheering.

After Mauer park we head to Tacheles and then had a beautiful and relaxing dinner in an Italian restaurant. Then we had to show Mig Paradise.

A perfect ending to our weekend by the river and by the fire. On the swing and over the water. Beautiful lighting and perfect reflections.

4 am. Train station. This train. No this one. Jump in. Jump out. Some running. Some laughing. Some waiting. From train. to train. 5 girls. 1 guy. off the train. to the bus. Sun rise. Day time. 5:10 am. Waiting. On the bus. To the airport. Leaving on a jet plane.

She left. Good bye Mig.

It was short. But it was great.

4 again. 4 girls. 1 guy. Bus. Train.

Bathroom explosion.

Home.

5 girls. great weekend. beautiful people.

4 girls. missing her. wish she could stay.

will meet again. will be 6 again.

soon.

To Mig and Romy: We miss you.