Living History

The morning got off to a stellar start with me waking up at noon, thus missing the 11am bike tour, as well as being forced to do some fashion experimentation (details reserved for friends).

I did get quite a bit done though, visiting Brandenburg Tor and the Reichstag before rushing back for the 4pm bike tour. The tour was well worth the money, as history lessons in the classroom never quite impressed upon me as much as when I'm literally staring right at it. Berlin really is living history in so many ways. Some of the buildings in the Jewish corner still have their original (bullet-hole ridden) facades preserved, while an incredible amount of building is at the same time still ongoing. It actually took a moment of reflection for me to realize that where I'm sleeping, not to mention most of the major sights, is in what used to be East Berlin. Yet, standing in Potsdamer Platz, surrounded by a dazzling display of steel and glass, an ignorant observer would be hard pressed to believe that all this is not too much more than a decade old.

I was especially impressed on the tour by the incredible effort made by the new government to be transparent. The parliamentarian's lounge/cafe area is separated from the public concourse by just slabs of glass (with the first 19 clauses of the German Constitution etched in them for good measure). Moreover, all German politicans apparently enter and leave the Reichstag in full public view through what's now the back door. Ironically though, tours of the Reichstag interior (not the dome) are conducted only by scheduled appointment.

The day rounded out on a much more social note. Had dinner with a large contingent, and left stuffed thanks to the rather...generous serving sizes here. I was thinking of turning in until I ran into an Australian quartet (Christina, Tammy, Mary and Katrina). Gave in to temptation and went out with them. I'm goign to pay with another very painful day on the bus tomorrow.

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