Eastern Europe could be it's own continent

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This is my second day in a week now without any real sleep the night before... and I have to say they make for pretty unmotivated day afters. Luckily, my tiredness allows me time to get online and write a little bit. Once again, I find myself in the problem of so much to write about and so little money for internet/time to write it. Oh well, I'll just pick up where I left off and see if I can make it up to the present.

My day in Munich ended with a walk through Olympic Park at night, which was very cool. We walked down to the track and walked around where gold medals were won years ago. Very cool feeling. Then as we were exploring, looking for a good hill to see the city, it started raining. Veeeeeery hard. Naturally, we were umbrella-less, and got soaked. It was an extremely wet walk/ride back to the train station, where we then had to board another night train. Not an ideal situation, but it makes a good story now I guess.

I got off the night train still a little wet I think, and in the city of Berlin. For lack of a better word right now, Berlin is definitely the most "interesting" place I've been so far. It's a city of 2 complete contrasts. One part of town (where we were staying, actually) was very old and run-down, with graffiti everywhere, and just had what I would say is a stereotypical Eastern Europe feel. There were empty courtyards all over with crumbling buildings, underground clubs every 4 doors, you name it. Our hostel was actually in a renovated warehouse, which sounds trashy at first but was actually more like a hotel. The other side of Berlin is all great modern architecture and renovated old buildings from WWII destruction. It kind of reminded me of DC, with large block-shaped buildings filling the streets and random monuments everywhere. We took a guided walking tour of the sights and it was really interesting. I felt like a learned a ton of German/Berlin history. There were lots of really cool monuments too, mostly relating to WWII and the Holocaust. In the interest of trying not to be ridiculously boring I won't describe them all, but I'll give my favorite.

There's a square in the city right across from the University (Einstein taught there) where 20,000 books were burned towards the start of the Nazi takeover. Now in that square is a glass window in the ground that looks down into a white, empty room, with nothing besides bookshelves in it - enough for 20,000 books. There was a lot of meaning to the memorial. It was protected by glass to show us that although we can view past events, we still can't do anything to change them. The glass itself was reflective as well, so when you look in you also see yourself, and hopefully do some reflecting on what it means to you. Finally, the light is on in the room 24/7, to show that even though you can destroy the physical aspect of something, the idea (lightbulb) will always remain. Just one cool monument in a city full of them.

The next day we took the train to Prague.... and I was blown away. My one dominating thought about Prague is that I NEED TO GO BACK. I looooved it. I went in with no real expectations other than hearing people say it's great, and was completely captured by it. Within about 30 minutes I was wishing I had days in Prague instead of 24 hours. The architecture is gorgeous. I was constantly wondering if the next corner I turned around would completely amaze me.... and often it did. The city also just had a very exciting feel to it. It seemed like there were an uncountable amount of events going on every day - concerts, random memorials set up in major intersections, art exhibitions set up, etc.

The other interesting thing about Prague was the culture. It was by far the most American of anywhere I'd been so far... but somehow it was the place where I had the most culture shock too. Ironic, I know. It seems like when Czech became a free country they didn't know what to do to celebrate their freedom, so they decided to imitate the US, who advertises itself as a "beacon of freedom." The result is what feels like an American shell over a very Bohemian/Russian center. Even though everywhere I looked I saw Nike and Adidas clothes, I never would have thought I was anywhere close to America. It's really hard to describe I guess, but I really liked it.

Sadly, we left Prague the next day. Even more sadly, we were going back to Nuremberg so Liz could fly home and I could fly to London. We went out to out for a final German meal at the place we went the first time in Nuremberg, then went to the airport to camp out til our 5:45am flights (didn't have to pay for hostels this way). Unfortunately, it didn't allow for much sleep. I got into London at about 9:30 this morning, took the underground to Piccadilly Circus (minding the gap along the way), then realized I didn't know exactly where my hostel was. After an hour or so I found it... about a block away from Piccadilly Circus. My location is awesome, right in the center of London! I needed to rest a little so I came into the internet place in the hostel, and now here I am.

So I was able to catch up to the present, but my minutes are almost gone, so I will be too. Hopefully I'll be back again soon, after I have seen London!

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Photos

Munich
The famous Glockenspiel

Munich
The building the Glockenspiel was a part of was really cool

Munich
Cool dragon sculpted into the building

Munich
The European cover of #7. I know it's a little ridiculous I took a picture of it, but I like that book. Lots.

Munich
Cool lion statue

Munich
Just a random lucky picture that turned out pretty well

Munich
The English Gardens

Munich
This guy was surfing in the river that goes through the gardens

Munich
Olympic Park, at night, in the rain. Not the best picture.

Munich
Us, at night, after the rain.

Berlin
I actually forgot what this building was... it looks good though

Berlin
When the Nazis would have their grand marches through Berlin, this is the building where they would end, and Hitler would give speeches from those steps. I think this is also where they said the Nazis made their very last stand in WWII

Berlin
And this is where the marches began - through this arch

Berlin
Those cobbles in the middle of the street are the remains of the Wall

Berlin
Holocaust monument

Berlin
Those dark spots are bullet holes - buildings all over Berlin have these dots from repairs to bullet holes from the war

Berlin
The Wall

Berlin
A cool church

Berlin
That's actually chocolate recreation of the arch... it was pretty impressive

Berlin
The top of the German Parliament building, which we went up.

Berlin
View from inside the dome. Down through the glass is where Parliament meets.

Comments

[Batista Simpson]

What a writer!
Thanks for the great updates. The description of the glass case of empty bookshelves worked. I'd like to be there!

[Tracie]

Eastern Europe
Sounds like much more fun than Iowa right now. Never been to Germany or Czech Rep. but all I can say is "wait until Mont. St. Michele"

[Toni]

Awesome pictures... :0}
LOVED ALL THE PICTURES, JOSH... can't wait for the next ones to arrive... so fun to see what you described in your blog!!!