Small satisfactions

I thought I was getting faster on my bike, but today I got overtaken by a man riding one bicycle and steering another empty one with his free hand (I don't have any free hands when I'm on my bike, but there you go). I have yet to overtake anyone myself, even an old person.

Nevertheless I am getting into the whole cycling experience, buying accessories and so forth. Admittedly only as yet from the 1 euro shops along Kottbusser Damm, but still.

At Thanksgiving with some American friends yesterday I encountered a new way of doing shots, currently being promoted by some brand of Venezuelan rum. You put brown sugar on one side of a piece of lime and ground coffee on the other, suck it, then knock back your schuss. This has the double advantage of making the alcohol much smoother and supporting the Venezuelan economy. I toasted Chavez but sadly not all those present wanted to join in.