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Published: September 15th 2005
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As Only the USSR Could Do
Note that he is not only holding a child, but he has smashed a swastika. Wow, what a guy! Well, Travelblog seemed to have a hiccup that caused me to lose some thoughts. Frustrating, but hey, the site is free.
I'm now in Edinburgh, but this post will finish off Berlin.
I think that on Sunday and Monday I must have walked a combined 20+ miles. When I get one of those famous Thai massages in Bangkok, I'll probably pay for two hours on my feet alone.
PSA (okay, this means Public Service Announcement for those of you who asked): I have a very good friend who underwent a stem cell transplant a month ago in his fight against cancer. He had his battery of tests this past Monday to gauge the success of the transplant. Results are due on September 20. PLEASE keep Chris in your thoughts and prayers this week as we hope for the best. Danke.
Fall came to Berlin on Saturday night. Storms all night long - followed by temperature in the 60s as opposed to the 90s my first day or so there. I must say I enjoyed the opportunity to walk around without sweating!
So following are free flowing thoughts and observations about my final days in Berlin:
The Soviet Memorial
Huge. I don't think the picture can come close to conveying how bid this space is. The plinths on either side are spaced 20 yards apart! Again, an amazing city. At one point on Monday, I go lost coming back from Treptower Park in east Berlin. I ended up walking through a very ethnic (Turkish) section of the city. Whilst it clearly had most of the hallmarks of an old DDR city, the pride and liveliness were palpable. The smells, sights, and people out and about living their lives in a way that we never see in the States completely transfixed me. I was just about to sit and enjoy the scene even more when I realized I was being stared at. And, not in a good way. Ah, yes, those would be the proprietors of the Cafe Baghdad. I left tout suite.
Treptower Park. Originally laid out in the mid-1800s as a vast park for Berliners. A beautiful space that runs along the River Spree in SE Berlin. Between 1946 and 1949, the Soviets built a memorial here dedicated to its soldiers killed in the battle for Berlin in 1945. The place is MASSIVE. My first exposure, up close, to Soviet style triumphal architecture. On the plinths that line either side of the lawn are very ornate drawings commemorating the Soviet WWII battles, combined
Karl-Marx-Alee
Hmmm, this street is wide enough to drive a tank down... How convenient. with quotes on each one from J. Stalin. My limited German reading capabilities translated virtually every on as saying the Red Army kicked your butts.
Karl-Marx-Alee. Wow, talk about size envy. The Soviets decided to rebuild Berlin's heart (the east half at least) in a way that would rival the Champs Elysee, Park Avenue, or Unter den Linden (which curiously was in their control as well). The avenue was widened to 300 feet and massive Soviet Realist style buildings were built on both sides for a stretch of a couple of miles. It looks like a movie set. The buildings are so large and regimented, and the street to ridiculously wide, that it is hard to image it being real. I suppose that is an allegory for the whole Soviet existence...
I hardly talk all day long! WEIRD. I would guess that my talking out loud fills a half hour at best a day. As a result, I chat with myself a great bit. I also have songs pop in and out of my mind for no seeming reason. On Sunday, I could not get Popmusik from the 80s out of my head at all. Ugh. And, no
East Side Gallery
I could have used some paint... The good stuff is in the middle of the Wall down the way. matter how much one side of me wants to believe, the smart side of me says ain't no way the Cubs are making the Wild Card...
A popular song for my brain's DJ has been the Jimmy Buffett song "Biloxi." I have always loved the tune, but not the lyrics. The harmony, the melody, the feel of the song is almost orchestral in feel. Extremely different for a Buffett song. The lyrics, however, are insipid. But the song itself is majestic after a fashion and I can't help but be moved to chills by the final lyrics: "And the storms will blow from off towards New Orleans."
Near Karl-Marx-Alee is a stretch of the Wall nearly a mile long. Many world-famous artists have put their respective imprints on this bit of history. Well, maybe world-famous graffiti artists. Spray paint is the media of choice. its called the East Side Gallery. The setting is bleak beyond description. Truly no-mans land. Until you turn around a see that Phil Anschutz is building a 20,000 state-of-the-art arena directly opposite. So, again, Berlin is like that!!
How about a little bit of the west side?? I confess that the history buff
Divided Berlin
A sculpture reflecting the divided city in the Cold War. In the middle of Ku'damm. in me would have kept me on the east side the whole trip, but there were some things I did need to see on the west side.
Like Ku'damm! Officially named Kurfurstendamm, it is heart of West Berlin and was the beacon for DDR citizens during the Cold War. And not by accident. The GDR government constantly advertised the vibrancy of Ku'damm against the deadly dullness of UdL and Karl-Marx-Alee as an aspiration for East Germans. And, yes, Ku'damm lives up to the advertising. A cross of Park Avenue in NYC with the Champs Elysee - fabulous.
The Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedachtinia-Kirche was built in the late 1800s, but is still a Berlin landmark as it was nearly destroyed by Allied bombers in 1943. It stands at the top of Ku'damm and is quite impressive. Interestingly, it also seems to be Berlin's home for beggars, or buskers.
Next to KaDeWe ! Or, as it is officially known , Kaufhaus des Westens. The largest department store in Europe. It was built in 1907. Claims to have the largest collection of foodstuffs in Europe. Maybe so, but it stole the layout of the Food Halls in Harrods in London almost to a
The Bombed KWG Kirche
You can see the bomb damage at the top of the belltower. tee.
Looks like another Internet interruption is coming. So, I'll sign off.
Bye.
-g
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Ruffcorn
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Gary - You need to keep your comments up to date as it's the first thing I look at when I get to the office - it's always disappointing when there is nothing new since I'm living vicariously through you. As to your desire for the Bangkok foot massage, typical one lasts about 90 minutes and costs around 150 baht that’s about 3.60 in greenbacks. It’s almost criminally low so we usually tip very large and give them $5. Finally, I think Cubs are toast you should transfer your allegiance to the White Sox. See you when you get to Bangkok.