Week 21, Germany: Home

The experiences

Aside from a run to the mall to get comfort food (read: McDonald's), nasal spray, cough drops and a new kleenex supply I didn't see much of Leipzig. I did try to go see Woman in Gold but it was in German so I didn't. My German isn't that good and my mind was foggy enough that I wouldn't want to pay money to see it and get nothing out of it.

My hostel in Leipzig was a fantastic place to be sick. The beds even had adjustable inclines so my head was comfortably propped up. I made cup upon cup of tea (my hostel in Prague was more of a hotel and I had to ask the bar for hot water every time I needed it). I had a very delicious breakfast and another long sit in the hot shower. I did enjoy the city even though I only walked around a couple times. I would definitely go back. It was a quiet, relaxed, university town recommended to me by Amin who I met in Vrindavan India. Also according to later conversations, though I didn't get to see it much it was less touched by the world wars than most and I'd say is most famous for the Battle of Leipzig where Napoleon saw his first defeat.

When I hit the train station it was the first time I didn't have a train reservation and I went to the kiosk to make one when a man interrupted me to ask where I was going. I said Berlin, he said, you don't need a reservation. I said but what if the train is full. He said, "can I make my point now?" I guess even sick I'm a pain in the butt :). He said, if it's full, go to the restaurant car, a coffee will cost you 3 Euro while this reservation will cost you 4.5 Euro. So I trusted him for the next 30 minutes and then went to the info desk to confirm that indeed he was right! No reservation needed in Germany! I went to what I am dubbing the most beautiful Starbucks for a tea and pretzel/chicken sandwich and then hopped on the train for a very nice couple hours in first class. Germany actually reserves some seats for people like me, with a pass who don't need to make a reservation.

The only picture I took in Leipzig was of a Starbucks/Craft store in the train station. I assure you the rest of it is just as pretty.

By the time I got to Berlin it had started to rain so I headed to a museum. I picked Checkpoint Charlie since it was open the latest. And all through Berlin I found I needed an excessive amount of time to explore these museums. They are absolutely full to the brim with information and I had to keep reminding myself that I didn't have to know everything in them, or read each placard. Overall the information there isn't new, but it is presented in an interesting way. The lengths people went to to escape the East were pretty shocking.

People hid inside welding equipment

Overloading cars with people was obvious based on how low the car was riding. So, they added pool balls to the suspension to keep the car from sinking.

Wait...this is relevant to today's politics and the museum has a clear opinion.

Lovely, famous, so many souvenirs and a great reminder that this country was divided in four for many years.

Still recovering from my cold, I slept in quite a bit and only had three hours the next day at the German History Museum. That meant that I was only able to finish the top floor or Germany from 500 to 1919. I came back another day to finish 1994--had I woken on time I would have been there from open to close to accomplish it all.

People of all the ages.

How the museum broke up German History.

The coolest music table ever, why did we not have these for band?

I started early the following day to see everything I could on the western side. Oddly enough most of what I ended up seeing with my time in Berlin was in the eastern sector--seems the locals have a bit of a bone to pick with this. I saw the Brandenburg Gate, waited in line for 2 hours to get a reservation for the Reichstag later in the day, visited the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, and did the Rick Steves Berlin City Walk.

Statue of Goethe in the Tiergarten (amazing place). He was removed because of damage by acid rain, replaced by a concrete version, now the real thing is back on display after improvement in the acid rain situation.

Brandenburg Gate (imagine how big the curtain was that covered it when JFK came to speak there...because no one should see what the East looked like)

The often criticized US embassy building shows PRIDE a day before the Supreme Court delivered their decision on same sex marriage.

The Reichstag (view from that long long line for reservations)

I only got to take a photo from the door of the DZ Bank building because it was "closed for a private event" aka the Queen's staying next door. But it's another Frank Gehry building--only the beauty is on the inside (haha)

The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe kindly shows you the light at the end of the tunnel while you trip on the stones and lose the people you're with in the labyrinth of tomb shaped stones.

What you don't see in the overall photo of this 100x200 meter space, is that in the pathways the ground sinks and rises, what looks rather flat is a memorial with stones twice my height.

Many things were crowded and barricaded off, with crowds (smallish) waiting about so I asked the Police officer what was going on and as Ramona had forewarned the Queen was in town. And as I was on my way to my evening appointment to climb the dome of the Reichstag, I waited to cross the street with 4 others while she sped by with her motorcade.

Hotel Adlon is where the famous people stay, where Michael Jackson dangled a baby and where people staked out the Queen's comings and goings.

The Reichstag was one of my favorite things to do. It was so symbolic and beautiful--as with many memorials in Europe this is yet another reminder that we should not repeat history, a public commitment to keeping an eye on the government/each other.

Laying at the top of the dome, looking at the sky...as 2 blue and 1 white balloon went by (this video actually has that combo--how crazy: 99 Luftballons, but I still like the beat on this 99 Luftballons)

The mirror reflects natural light into the building

View of Parliament from above.

Knowing I was half done in Berlin already and there were so many things I made mental notes of I packed all the half finished stuff into my next day. I finished the German History Museum. I went to the Humboldt Box--a structure dedicated to showing the public what they're up to since the vote to rebuild the palace. The Union South Building Project on campus made me love this so much. It was a lively space with so much information and interactive pieces.

Model of what the "Museum Island" area looked like when the palace was still standing.

Relics of the style and adornment of the original building.

Floor plans of the new building along with plans for exhibits

My favorite example of interactive kids concepts. Inside there's an interactive grammar instruction video...they must have heard my German.

Of course every few cities Canadian Courtney and I would have that Facebook shock of finding out we were in the same place at the same time. We met up in the "hip" Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood at the Prater Beer Garden for some snacks and beer. I got a bowl for my weiss mit rot (red liquor) or juice beer as we named it. Then we stopped for some chocolatey delicious brownies and parted ways as she is now back in Canada. I will miss this kindred spirit, I am jealous she is home and I still have another couple months on the road.

My last day in Berlin I went to the Film and Television museum. Just about the coolest thing ever for me. There's a hue focus on the studio era and it was another time I spent a good 3 hours going through a museum where most people spent an hour. My netflix watch list saw a 10 film bump.

So cool!

I mean, Really?!?

Even the audioguide was cool. This is also where they tell me I can't take pictures :(.

From Berlin I hopped a train for almost five hours to Cologne (or Koeln really), wandered the city and took a walking tour. More of Koeln next week...

The lessons

It has been a full ten years since I have spoken German but I did study it for about 10 years. It's taken some time to get back into speaking it but I do understand a significant amount. Instead of looking for the normal signs of a train delay or miming something, I can actually hear the announcements and carry on short conversations "auf Deutsch"

I want to stress the importance of learning another language and keeping up with it. I think now that I have come to Germany I am more likely to seek opportunities to use the language instead of being embarrassed when I know what I'm saying isn't grammatically correct.
One of the women at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe encouraged me to take the German audio guide so I started doing that at most sights.
Sometimes things just fly out of your mouth and you realize what you've said.
I owe our German teachers a huge thank you because you have absolutely taught us the right stuff. I can get around no problem and speak with people, eavesdrop and mostly pass myself off as a local.

When I get to something I don't understand or they've spoken too quickly in more slang than I've been taught, I just explain (in German) that I am American and have learned German, but it isn't very good because I haven't spoken it in so long.

Interesting

BONUS--the giftshop at the Film and TV Museum had a "Ich Bin Ein Berliner" postcard. Yeah, JFK said "I'm a doughnut"...this is the power of a noun marker in German. Mostly people refer to that speech with gratitude for the US's solidarity but I loved finding the one snickering postcard.

I was able to go further from the city for the supposed best Currywurst in town (this is really the only Berlin food that they claim). It wasn't great, it wasn't terrible, but for the record I did eat wurst in Germany, the once. And yes, Davin, I got mayo on my fries.