Berlin, Berlin wir fahren nach Berlin

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Berlin was so impressive that we decided to spend four days there - and we didn't even see everything that we wanted to see. I must say the people in Berlin are not very friendly. Peter and I in our broken German at least attempted to make friends, but time and time again Berliners would scoff at us and roll their eyes at these foreigners. I find myself using the words 'Vielen Dank' a lot. But that didnt dampen spirits, because there was just so much to see and do in Berlin. We stayed near the Friedrich Wilhelm Memorial Church and it shows the damage from WWII bombing raids. The city really is such a contrast between all of the beautiful old buildings at Unter den Linden and then these great big gaps of nothing (where beautiful old buildings once stood) or new modern buildings built in memorium to what happened during that time. Also, such a great contrast still between the East and the West - even with the wall gone. In the four days, I feel we got to know the city quite well as we walked a lot and also took a bus tour of all of the major sites. I really like the F.W. Memorial Church, because a new church has been built along side the older destroyed church (using fragments of the original stained glass windows). MAMMA, I thought so much of you the other day, because as we entered the church, they had an organ performance playing Handel and it was brilliant. You would have truly appreciated it. We also visited the Pergamon museum - the Pergamon temple is an impressive size and it was interesting to hear more about that history. Peter and I then split up to cover more ground - I went to the Altes Museum to view the famed Nefertitti bust and he went to the Deutches Museum to learn more about Prussian history. I was a bit disappointed, as they had placed all of the Amarna exhibition in storage, ready to move to their new home - the Neues Museum. Luckily, Nefertitti was still on display and she is truly beautiful - wonder if she looked like that in real life. After two hours, Peter met me at the museum and raved about the Deutches Museum, claiming he only made it to WWI in the exhibition - so we both headed back there and it was fantastic. A thoughtful display with lots of primary sources and exhibitions that demontrated social, political and cultural history of Germany. The most touching display for me was the model of Auchwitz and also seeing the photos of people who died there - many children as young as the ones I teach and so many old people also. I think it is a life changing experience seeing all of these things and truly experiencing history for myself. I really wish I could take some of my students to some of these places. A once in a lifetime experience. We had lunch one day at the Sony Centre in Potsdammer Platz and it was soooooo gooood - Apfelkuchen....a good thing I dont live in Germany, because I would get really fat eating Apfelkuchen.
We also went to the mock-up of Checkpoint Charlie and then walked all the way to the Brandenburg Gate. Megan, we think they place male models outside all of the department stores to entice young female buyers inside. There was this one model who stood outside the Nivea store with a wheel that you had to spin to gain a prize! Once again I say, you would love it here!

After walking for days and not eating very much fresh fruit, I have gotten a cold and not just a little cold...a full blown cold. Nurofen is my best friend at the moment and a box of tissues is hiking alongside me also. Luckily, today is my fifth day with the cold, so it should be gone soon.

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