Autumn in Berlin

"We're going to miss fall," we'd lament to each other before we left. How a season is perceived is all relative, but if you'd ask me right now what the best season is in Minnesota, I'd say fall. (Ask me in January, and I'd say spring without hesitation.) So while we're definitely lucky that we were able to take this trip, it was with some regret that we'd miss out on autumn. We didn't realize, however, that Berlin's autumn would just be getting underway when we arrived at the beginning of this month. When we arrived, we were somewhat surprised to see so much green. Now twenty days later, that green has quickly turned to reds, yellows, oranges, and in some places even gray.

As a Minnesotan, I know how moody the weather can be. Being in Berlin for this month begs me to ask the question, is it just MN? This has been the most consistent and steady October weather I can remember. We arrived to green grass and comfy long-sleeve tee weather; a week later, we were in hoodies and thought about purchasing scarves; now we are layered, bemittened, and some of these nights strongly suggest headwear. The change was so appropriately metered, it was as if a thermostat was being gently adjusted to make sure everyone was acclimated. This is opposed to Minnesota, which seems to cruelly and almost jokingly swing the dial back and forth, and then a little more forth, then all the way back again, before just dumping six inches of snow on our heads after a week in the 60s. Not to say that anyone can judge the climate of a place by just observing a month, but, like I said, I can't remember a time when the weather's been so kind.

More autumn pictures after the jump...