Checkpoint Tommy

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It seems like I'm getting into the swing of writing up the last few days of travels, and leaving the present for the next blog. So title confusion aside (Checkpoint Charlie is not in Dresden, for example) - I'll be working on a where-and-when-there-is-internet basis.

Anyway, enough of the boring admin. Hello from Dresden! Berlin was good, but Dresden is cool. If you had to pick them out of a crowd, Berlin is the Alpha Male Almost-Skin-Head-Jock and Dresden is the Political Art Student. Amsterdam never made it out of bed.

The weight of history in Berlin is oppressive at times. Fragments of the war are all over the city, like Checkpoint Charlie and chunks of the fallen Wall. The central island was blasted clean. It's hard to grasp everything that has happened here - next to the Checkpoint (which stands at the nexus of Berlin's shopping streets and you can see from a long long way away) are huge boards of photos and written history of the area. Tanks once crunched over the very spot that I was stood.

But enough of war and tanks, lets talk about fetish parties. So after getting a half-invite to "Berlin Fetish Ball 2007", I wandered the city, meandering towards where I thought this club was. It turns out I was on the wrong damn side of the river, in totally the wrong neighbourhood.. and I'm talking skinheads and dobermans by the way. Anyway, I made it to the door, where (and photos would have been appropriate here, but trust me when I say the bouncers really didn't want me to do that) a collection of bouncers, or is it a swarm? probably a pride. Well, whatever it is, there were lots of them and I waited patiently in my I'm-trying-not-to-look-too-much-of-a-tourist clothing until the 7 foot tall leader (I'm suddenly reminded here of the evil giants from the BFG) steps over, a matrix of tattoos where his skin should be. "JA?" he thundered. "Umm.. sprechen sie English?" was all I could really say. Yeah, I'm a n00b. "NEIN". After stumbling madly over what a ticket was, he said inside, but it was 55 euro in (55!) and then said I wouldn't get in with my current fashion (He effectively looked me up and down then snarled... I really wanted to say that my little backpack - yes I even had a backpack on - was full of bondage gear, but I really couldn't have backed that up). His considerations for my attire were easily believed, because behind me a trickle of 40 year old vampires had started up. You could hear the rub of leather on skin as they moved. Well, enough was enough. After that set back, I swiftly returned to the train, back to the hostel and straight to the bar. Massive storms rocked the hostel for the night and talk was of Stuttgart and Nuremburg, where at one point I claimed Liverpool could beat both teams at once. 22v11. Easy.

So the next day it was bye bye to Berlin and hello to Dresden. I'm going to attempt to catch up to myself a little and post up another blog tomorrow full of this beautiful city. No really, it is beautiful.

Right then, entry over. More soon.

Tommy over and out.

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Photos

Berlin or bust.
A bar in Berlin. It was one of those places that loves its cocktails, but I ordered a massive beer anyway.

Platform!
The platform to Berlin, well the first one of two stops. Blurgh.

A&O Hostels...
More like a duty free waiting room than a hostel, but what hell, the beds were nice.

Life!
There's been too much blood in my coffee system.

Storm clouds at my heels.
Marching back from an ATM with a fistfull of notes, storm clouds threatened to make me unveil the mighty leopard poncho, but no, the rain held. Just.

Seconds later...
...and the clouds opened, along with thunder and lightning. A lot of it. But the views from the hostel were nice.

Railway Underpass.
They're the same everywhere.

Cars.
Oh, if I could only be playing GTA.

Hitler's Secret War-Winner.
The last, thankfully unlaunched, battleship of the Luftwaffe was the mighty Deathballoon. Personally, I think the nazi's were a little misguided with the marketing. :)

Potsdam Platz.
Potsdam Platz is like the square with the giant TV screen in Liverpool... you know, the one next to Virgin. But Potsdam is bigger.

Checkpoint Charlie
I want a passport photo blown up to that size.

Classy Square.
I stumbled into this square almost by accident, having vaguely seen the golden angels in the sky. Almost biblical, don't ya think? Well no, not really. But it was good for a swift cafe beer.

Meal Shot #5
Watashiwa sushi geske des! Hai!

Bye bye Berlin.
The mighty Hauptbahnhof Berlin. 3 levels of trains, a massive shopping mall etc etc... just way too much steel and glass for little old me.

Comments

[Obi-Masterjedi]

Fetish vampires be damned!
Nice work so far Tommy. But I can't believe you were foiled in yr fetish exploration by fashion-retarded bouncers. Besides, a good vampire never dresses in leather. What's wrong with the traditional high collar and frilly shirt? I imagine you were dressed with that in mind. Which brings me to my next point... UNLEASH THE LEOPARD PONCHO!

[Obi-Masterjedi]

Oh 1 more thing...
Checkpoint Chaaaaaaaaaaarlie

[Kate]

Crikey!
Great to hear that you absorbing so much culture. It's a shame you didn't have our lodger Paul with you in Berlin - I'm sure he'd have got you into that club. I think, however, you were saved. Just back from a really wet weekend in Penrith with all the gang. We were thinking of you and even envying you your warm hostels. Just come back from Terrazz and Corrie and Jay asked after you. I told them that I hadn't quite lost were you are up to - muttered something about Dresden which I'm now pleased to see wasn't a fabrication on my part. All well here. Eleanor, Tim, Lyd and Henry send their love to. Keep on walking and make sure you get some of that leather gear for your rucksack in future. Take care Kate xxxxx

[Jon]

Loving the Death-Balloon. 'Die' followed by a picture of the world? Will those Germans /never/ learn?? Glad you're having fun, despite the lack of latex. You could always blow a condom up over your head if you're truly feeling left out, I suppose. I'm very interested to hear about Dresden, actually... ie what it's like these days considering the total nailing it got in the war. As history student I only seem to know things about places at least 50 years previously. Contrary to popular rumour, this does not mean I know anything about the present through the logic of the 'past makes us who we are'. If so, Dresden is still a firestorm. Hmmm.

[Pete]

Belt and braces
Great stuff so far. Pics are great, commentary inspired. Nice to see everyone else following progress as well.