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Published: January 18th 2008
7-17-07
I again slept very well on the train, but still seemed a little wore out. It seems like even though I sleep well on the trains I still do not feel as rested. It is kind of weird how that works.
I got my stuff organized and went out into the aisle as most of the other people continued to sleep. We arrived and I jumped off and headed for the internet café. I was planning to couchsurf with a Dutch lady. After logging on I received a message from the lady stating that she had to fly urgently to Stockholm to look at an apartment as she had been trying to find an apartment for a long time. I thought well here we go. I had another person that stated I could surf with so I hurried up and called that person. She said sure I could stay with her and she gave me directions on how to get there, but she said she had to go to work soon. I frantically scrambled out of there and back to the train station. All I had for the internet was a 50 euro and the person did not have
change so she told me not to worry about it. I made it to Marions about an hour later. It was a little confusing finding her place, but I managed. I felt bad as she was late getting to work because she had been waiting on me although once I got there she didn't get in a hurry to leave either. It must not be a big deal for her to be late. We talked for awhile and then she left. She gave me keys to the house and said to make myself at home. I would never give a person I just met the keys to my house, but I guess if she was ok with it, that was all that mattered. I used her internet for awhile and then showered and took a nap.
Around 1 I headed for the tram. I noticed a park nearby so I jumped off the Tram to check out the Park. It was a pretty cool park and the thing I liked the best is the wooded area through it. It was not wooded in the fashion most parks are, where there is no undergowth this park is just as you
would find it in nature.
I jumped back on the Tram and headed towards the downtown area. I got off at the space needle looking thing in downtown Berlin. It was a telephone tower or something like that. This was in East Berlin and the communist built this tower to try and impress the west. The fact is however the communist could not build it right and ended up getting help from western engineers I believe from Sweden. From there I walked towards Checkpoint Charlie, which I liked a lot. This area is kind of a zoo now, but there was a lot of histroy played out here. I read a lot of the stuff here. I never realized that the Berlin Wall was just an extension of WWII. When the allies won the war they divided up Berlin. The communist controlled the east and the allies controlled the west. Communist Russia lost 23 million soldiers in the war. The US lost 500,000 while the Germans who started the war lost about 8,000,000 million. Then during the cold war all the crazieness happened and Communist East Berlin were struggling and wanted to go the west. To stop all east Berliners
from going to the west which was controlled by the allies they built this wall.
I tore myself from Checkpoint Charlie and decided to sit down and have a soda as I was a little tired of walking mainly do to my cold still. After about a 30 minute break I went to the Topography of Terror area. This is where they have exhibits of Hitler and his regime. The displays were about how they came into power and how they terroized people. I was really interested in this and read a lot. I didn't expect to be fascinated by all this. I must have spent two hours there. The Germans had the worst politician that has ever walke this Earth at least in recent times. I take issue when they say we have a crap politician in Bush and then try to defend what they did under Hitler as if it was ok. I know the current people have nothing to do with Hitler but it is there History. Just like the current Americans have nothing to do with Bush although people to try pin in on Americans. At first I was not all that impressed by Berlin,
but the farther I walked the more impressed I became. From there I walked to the Jewish Holocost memorial which reminded me of the cemetery in Prague, which I found out later was the inspiration for this monument. I went to the Brandburg Gate, which had work being conducted on it so it was not that great. The building where Michael Jackson dangled the baby out the window is right by Brandenburg Gate. It is amazing that I am seeing all these places that really never meant much to me on the news in the past. In the future watching the news will be a lot, lot different. It will mean much more.
I then decided I better get back to Marion's as it was getting late and I wanted to take her out for supper yet tonight.
Marion's neighbor allowed me to use his bike and we rode our bikes to the restaurant. It was a very cool restaurant and the inside was like a country house. There was a dog sitting in a chair inside. Everybody was eating outside. We had some great great German food and actually sat with another man at the restaurant who
happened to be there as that was the only table not completely filled. After supper we headed back to the house it was already late so after a little computer work we called it a night. Marion insisted I use her bed as she slept on the couch. I told her that was not necessary, but she said that is what she does with all couchsurfers. She said that is how she advertises it on couchsurfing as well. Ok I accepted that and went to bed. Marion is a very nice person and host. I like her a lot.
7-17-07
I slept great last night. Marion got going and left for work I decided to take a tour this day. I knew a lot of the stuff that we would be covering on the tour I had seen the day prior, but I thought what the heck the tour guide would tell us a lot more about the stuff than I had known or read.
The tour was to start at 11:00 and the tram ride to it took longer than expected and the it was a farther walk as well. By the end of the walk I
realized I was farther away than expected. Consequently the end of the walk turned into a run. Their's nothing like having just showered and then running right away afterwards so I sweat. By the time I got to the Starbuck's meeting place I was sweating quite a lot. Their was a large group there and they separated into Spanish speaking groups and English speaking groups. You know Berlin is one of the few places that I have not seen a lot of Japanese what is up with that? They were on Hitlers side too during the war. Maybe it is because they lost the war not sure, but I did not see many Japanese tourist which is an oddity. I am surprised, but most Europeans will tell you they see a lot of Americans, Japanese and Aussies traveling, but then turn around and say Americans don't travel much. They just love to rip on America is the bottom line I think. Some of that is jealousy and hatred of Bush. It is an interesting dynamic that is for sure. The tour guide was really good and he said lots of funny stuff like when the Americans wanted to build their
Embassy near the Brandenburg gate they said they needed a certain clear zone that was not achievable and the tour guide said they ask the Americans, "What do you want us to do move the Brandenburg gate?" and the Americans said sure. He also asked how many in the group were Americans and we raised our hands but most of the hands were not very high and he joked yes most American's do not raise their hands very high these days. Thank you Mr. Bush. If I had a dollar for everytime I heard someone say, " It is bad enough you elected him once, but twice?" A lot of people also say they do not think he is running the show the other people around him are as they do not believe he is smart enough to do it himself.
I am on a night boat to Kristiansand, Norway was I type this and it is crazy how all the people are invading this restaurant and sleeping in the booths and on the seats. I just came down here to type for a while and I accidentally obtained this prime real estate in a booth. I am not
One of the Many Berlin Musuems
This one however was under construction.sure why these other people did not come here first. It was going to cost me $40 dollars to get a room so I decided to try and find a place to sleep the best I can like the rest of the people around here. I am by a Mexican looking guy who doesn't appear to have any luggage. He has taken his shoes off and is barefooted laying on the booth. By him is also a family of 3 where it appears one of them is the sentry watching for any Monkey Busisness. I am not sure how I am going to sleep in this arrangement. I am not sure I trust this guy near me. I think what I will do is make sure everything is attached or fastened to me. I can pretty much tie everything to me. So that if anyone tries to take something they are going to be carrying an additional 210 lbs of man like steel with them as well. That might be what they are after though since steel fetchs such a high price these days.
The tour included Checkpoint Charlie, the Topography of Terror, Holocost Monument, a couple churches, the
Berlin Wall, the book burning square, Brandenburg Gate etc. It was very thorough and I enjoyed it very much. At the end you are supposed to give a tip as you feel appropriate as there is no charge for the tour per sey. This system has been very succuessful as they are expanding their service to Amsterdam and some other locations.
Afterwards I walked back towards Brandenburg Gate with a lady from South Africa who had been on the tour. I am not sure where she was going, but I went to the Reichtstag Building. At the front of the building they have a monument to people in the government who resisted Hitler and as a result were killed by him. Man that guy was responsible for a lot of death. 73 million people died in World War II. I am sorry Germany but our politician is not nearly as bad as yours.
I went into the Reichtstag building and went onto the roof, where they have this big glass dome that allows people to look in on the judicial officials making the laws. The idea is to ensure that the government is always supervised by the people
Kids looking into the Glass
If you look through this glass where Hitler ordered many of the books in the library to be burned, you see empty book shelves. because of the past Hitler stuff. The dome looked close when I first saw it from the distance but then when I got close it seemed to had disappeared. I had no idea it was on the roof. It is pretty cool, but I thought it would be different as so often is the case when your mind visulizes things based on incomplete information. From there I walked through the Park adjacent to the Reichtstag building. I then walked around looking for this beach bar that Marion had mentioned. I came across the main train station so I got my ticket for my next trip which was to Copenhagen. I am moving right along with this trip. Actually it will be good to get back home as it has been awhile.
At the train station they had this big sand castle building competition. You had to pay to get in so I didn't. I walked a little farther away and stopped at this Beach Bar where I had a cold one. Man it felt good to sit there.
Again it was late and I believe Marion had mentioned wanting to fix something so I decided to head back.
I was going roll the dice and not get a ticket for the tram and at one point 4 suited people got on with ticket like machines in their hand. I tried to hit the button on the door to get out, but it would not open. They were coming towards me, but then sat down. I guess they were just off duty. I looked so suspicious. I went ahead and got off at the next stop just to make it look like I really did just miss my stop even though it was because I did not have a ticket. About 3 minutes later I got on another tram to Marion's.
She indeed fixed some great pasta and some vegetables. I love it most when the couchsurfing folks cook for me. I miss home cooking. I worked on the computer for awhile and Marion allowed me to play the Bruce DVD.
I had a good day and was tired. Tomorrow I have to get up early to catch an early train to Copenhagen. I still didn't get to bed until after 12:00. I will sleep on the train.
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Lani
Lani Sammons
Aloha Dave
Yet another great blog. It seems I will be following in your footsteps much of my time in Europe. I'll check out who you couchsurfed with and put in my requests. I found transport into Turkey, and let me just say, no matter how you do it, it is pricey, so I am only planning on leaving twice for about a month the first time and permanently the second time. I am happy that you are enjoying Vietnam. How is it for solo traveling women over there? Do you see many of them?