Berlin - Day 6
I've been slackin' on these posts (even though they were already written)! I never really got around to writing about day 5, mostly because I spent all of the day walking around the city, looking for museums that were already closed. I did, however, make it to the Jewish Museum and the Alexander Platz TV tower ... its a good thing I have pictures to remind me.
So, without further delay ...
I'm ending my day where Berlin began 766 years ago (nearly 8 centuries), in the historic Nikolai quarter (or Nikolaiviertel). This is also where I'd like to end my day tomorrow, dining outside of an authentic German restaurant on a corner of this cozy little burrow. Interestingly enough, this is the only area where I have found authentic German restaurants. The rest have been Indian, Arabian, Turkish, Italian, AMERICAN, Chinese, Japanese ... ANYTHING but German. I also think that it is extremely appropriate for me to end my travels where this place all began. Maybe I'm being ironic, dramatic, extravagant, etc., but I'm all of that anyway.
Danny and I slept in again today (although not as much as before). Somehow, mysteriously, my 8:30 wake-up call never sounded off, or WE never heard it. So Danny missed class again and I got a bit of a late start. It was only 9:30/10:00 so it wasn't a big deal, especially because I had to check-out of the Estrel today and move over to the Generator. We'll see how the 2 compare to one another. The Estrel was luxurious and comfy; however, I felt like I was out-staying my welcome - I started to feel like they had little patience for English-speaking Americans (especially casually-dressed young adults who wear their pajamas down to the lobby). I was nervous about the hassle of relocating to the Gernerator, but my worries were relieved - the hostel/hotel was RIGHT THERE when I walked out of the S-Bahn station. the receptionist smiled when she said she could speak English and she sounded like an American!
After I dropped my things off at the Generator, I hopped the train to start my 2nd day of independent sight-seeing. My first target was the Pergamon Museum, but when I arrived, I found out that it is closed for renovation until the year 2006 (not just Mondays)! BLEH! That was on the TOP of my list! Next, I wandered around Unter den Linden for a bit, took some pictures, and entered the German History museum (Deutsches Historisches Museum). There, I learned about the beginning of Europe, the creation of the countries/boundaries, the MANY conflicts and treaties and conflicts and treaties and conflicts and treaties ..... At this museum, the entire second floor was dedicated to a special exhibit on JFK (apparently, the Germans LOVED him). They certainly captured his legendary status - I left the museum crying. Although I wasn't alive during Kennedy's day, I feel a great loss that is due to his absence. I'm enchanted by the man, as many Americans were/are. This German exhibit did justice to this great piece of American history.
I had to take a detour train route to get to Checkpoint Charlie - although I think Berlin's train system is wonderfully convenient, I still haven't fully gotten the hang of it. I couldn't find the U6 at Freidrich Strasse, so I jumped to Potsdamer Platz to jump over to Checkpoint Charlie. In Potsdamer Platz, I saw another section of the wall and signed my name to it. I don't need a piece of the wall now ... *I'm* a piece of it!
Checkpoint Charlie looked a lot different than what I thought it would be; although, I'm not quite sure what I expected. I think that I anticipated seeing a larger section of the pre-existing wall. When I arrived, I only saw a huge row of junky souvenir stands, a fake army bunker that is provided for photo opportunities, and the museum (which was smaller than expected). I wasn't even sure if the pieces of the Berlin Wall that were for sale were real of not. I figured that I didn't really need one, so I took a picture of the souvenir stand that sold them - I must've looked like such a tourist! Who takes pictures of souvenir stands??? (I do.) Although the museum seemed small in scale, the content was NOT. Room by room, the walls were COVERED with the history and information of the wall, as well as the stories of the citizens who successfully or unsuccessfully tried to pass over the wall. So many inventions with automotive, transportational, or covert functions were created because of the wall alone. The wall - what a stupid idea!! Neither side of Berlin (East/West) appreciated the wall. What a waste of time, money, man-power, and life! I think what struck me the most were the stories of how people escaped East Berlin. The wall was such a monstrous, oppressive force, and yet many people still had hope, courage, and strength to persevere and escape (or at least try to).
What horrible strife this one city has endured. It took up until 1989 for this city to stop being so damn political and realize that the people would be much happier with a little peace. The World Wars and the saga of the wall are events that took place just in the last century! I haven't mentioned the YEARS of war and turmoil that Germany was involved in before that time. I think Berlin's citizens are tired from its own history. In their faces, I see resignation, or a kind of surrender. Danny mentioned that Germans/Berliners carry a feeling/sense of guilt with them, due to their country's instigation of both World Wars (and other hostile international affairs). Even though many of the current citizens were only children (or were not even born) during Germany's traumatic past, they carry the burden of their country. Their resignation - its like they're neutral and happy to be that way. They remember (and are CONSTANTLY reminded of) the country's horrific quarrels, and they never want to return to those days again. I see an older woman walk by (probably in her 80s) and I wonder what she thinks as she strolls through the streets of this city.
Berlin has many reminders of its time in warfare (the Kaiser-Wilhelm, Checkpoint Charlie, the Jewish Museum); however, when I was in the history museum, I felt like they glossed over the history of WWI and WWII. Either I was just expecting more (maybe too much) or they are careful enough not to exhibit so much evidence that would place the blame, for a lifetime of tyranny, on themselves.
*Sidenote: time and time again, I was told NOT to take pictures in museums. Nevertheless, I stole a few good memories - both from the history museum and Checkpoint Charlie. For the sake of a lifetime experience worth remembering, these rules were meant to be broken.
As the day came to end, I transported to Alexanderplatz and grabbed a chicken-kabob from a Turkish stand (like a Donerkabob - its all Danny and I have been eating). After buying some souvenirs for the folks at home, I made my way over to the Nikolai quarter. I wept as I walked along the streets - in my mind, my view of the neighborhood flashed, scene by scene, through a timeline of its past. I envisioned the early start of the town - the medieval dark ages - times of war and peace - and contrasted those periods with the present scene of the town. How could I feel such sorrow and nostalgia for a town that I never lived in?
So, without further delay ...
I'm ending my day where Berlin began 766 years ago (nearly 8 centuries), in the historic Nikolai quarter (or Nikolaiviertel). This is also where I'd like to end my day tomorrow, dining outside of an authentic German restaurant on a corner of this cozy little burrow. Interestingly enough, this is the only area where I have found authentic German restaurants. The rest have been Indian, Arabian, Turkish, Italian, AMERICAN, Chinese, Japanese ... ANYTHING but German. I also think that it is extremely appropriate for me to end my travels where this place all began. Maybe I'm being ironic, dramatic, extravagant, etc., but I'm all of that anyway.
Danny and I slept in again today (although not as much as before). Somehow, mysteriously, my 8:30 wake-up call never sounded off, or WE never heard it. So Danny missed class again and I got a bit of a late start. It was only 9:30/10:00 so it wasn't a big deal, especially because I had to check-out of the Estrel today and move over to the Generator. We'll see how the 2 compare to one another. The Estrel was luxurious and comfy; however, I felt like I was out-staying my welcome - I started to feel like they had little patience for English-speaking Americans (especially casually-dressed young adults who wear their pajamas down to the lobby). I was nervous about the hassle of relocating to the Gernerator, but my worries were relieved - the hostel/hotel was RIGHT THERE when I walked out of the S-Bahn station. the receptionist smiled when she said she could speak English and she sounded like an American!
After I dropped my things off at the Generator, I hopped the train to start my 2nd day of independent sight-seeing. My first target was the Pergamon Museum, but when I arrived, I found out that it is closed for renovation until the year 2006 (not just Mondays)! BLEH! That was on the TOP of my list! Next, I wandered around Unter den Linden for a bit, took some pictures, and entered the German History museum (Deutsches Historisches Museum). There, I learned about the beginning of Europe, the creation of the countries/boundaries, the MANY conflicts and treaties and conflicts and treaties and conflicts and treaties ..... At this museum, the entire second floor was dedicated to a special exhibit on JFK (apparently, the Germans LOVED him). They certainly captured his legendary status - I left the museum crying. Although I wasn't alive during Kennedy's day, I feel a great loss that is due to his absence. I'm enchanted by the man, as many Americans were/are. This German exhibit did justice to this great piece of American history.
I had to take a detour train route to get to Checkpoint Charlie - although I think Berlin's train system is wonderfully convenient, I still haven't fully gotten the hang of it. I couldn't find the U6 at Freidrich Strasse, so I jumped to Potsdamer Platz to jump over to Checkpoint Charlie. In Potsdamer Platz, I saw another section of the wall and signed my name to it. I don't need a piece of the wall now ... *I'm* a piece of it!
Checkpoint Charlie looked a lot different than what I thought it would be; although, I'm not quite sure what I expected. I think that I anticipated seeing a larger section of the pre-existing wall. When I arrived, I only saw a huge row of junky souvenir stands, a fake army bunker that is provided for photo opportunities, and the museum (which was smaller than expected). I wasn't even sure if the pieces of the Berlin Wall that were for sale were real of not. I figured that I didn't really need one, so I took a picture of the souvenir stand that sold them - I must've looked like such a tourist! Who takes pictures of souvenir stands??? (I do.) Although the museum seemed small in scale, the content was NOT. Room by room, the walls were COVERED with the history and information of the wall, as well as the stories of the citizens who successfully or unsuccessfully tried to pass over the wall. So many inventions with automotive, transportational, or covert functions were created because of the wall alone. The wall - what a stupid idea!! Neither side of Berlin (East/West) appreciated the wall. What a waste of time, money, man-power, and life! I think what struck me the most were the stories of how people escaped East Berlin. The wall was such a monstrous, oppressive force, and yet many people still had hope, courage, and strength to persevere and escape (or at least try to).
What horrible strife this one city has endured. It took up until 1989 for this city to stop being so damn political and realize that the people would be much happier with a little peace. The World Wars and the saga of the wall are events that took place just in the last century! I haven't mentioned the YEARS of war and turmoil that Germany was involved in before that time. I think Berlin's citizens are tired from its own history. In their faces, I see resignation, or a kind of surrender. Danny mentioned that Germans/Berliners carry a feeling/sense of guilt with them, due to their country's instigation of both World Wars (and other hostile international affairs). Even though many of the current citizens were only children (or were not even born) during Germany's traumatic past, they carry the burden of their country. Their resignation - its like they're neutral and happy to be that way. They remember (and are CONSTANTLY reminded of) the country's horrific quarrels, and they never want to return to those days again. I see an older woman walk by (probably in her 80s) and I wonder what she thinks as she strolls through the streets of this city.
Berlin has many reminders of its time in warfare (the Kaiser-Wilhelm, Checkpoint Charlie, the Jewish Museum); however, when I was in the history museum, I felt like they glossed over the history of WWI and WWII. Either I was just expecting more (maybe too much) or they are careful enough not to exhibit so much evidence that would place the blame, for a lifetime of tyranny, on themselves.
*Sidenote: time and time again, I was told NOT to take pictures in museums. Nevertheless, I stole a few good memories - both from the history museum and Checkpoint Charlie. For the sake of a lifetime experience worth remembering, these rules were meant to be broken.
As the day came to end, I transported to Alexanderplatz and grabbed a chicken-kabob from a Turkish stand (like a Donerkabob - its all Danny and I have been eating). After buying some souvenirs for the folks at home, I made my way over to the Nikolai quarter. I wept as I walked along the streets - in my mind, my view of the neighborhood flashed, scene by scene, through a timeline of its past. I envisioned the early start of the town - the medieval dark ages - times of war and peace - and contrasted those periods with the present scene of the town. How could I feel such sorrow and nostalgia for a town that I never lived in?