So it's about time that I (James) actually sit down and do one of the blog entries. It's not at all that I haven't wanted to, it's just simply that by the time I email everyone my internet time is typically gone. So, in the event that anyone has anxiously been awaiting my words, I'm sorry for the long wait.
So we're in Germany now, stop number five. So far I've been absolutely amazed with Berlin. I can't even say how much different it is than I expected. Maybe it's that all my visual knowledge comes from Indiana Jones.. but I've been shocked. It's so unexpectedly beautiful (And so much cheaper and entertaining than Copenhagen. But then again, I think Tooele puts Copenhagen to shame). It kind of feels like a more diverse version of Washington DC. The architecture and sculpture is incredible. It has so many varieties of styling that it always keeps you looking. A good amount of the city is brand new, being built since the wall fell. A good chunk of it though has classical stylistics or Baroque tones. It's so easy to just let your eyes wander, trying to soak everything in.
Today we went on a free walking tour of the city. There's a company that recruits grad students and college professors to lead tours around the big cities in Europe to show tourists all of the big sites for free. They collect tips at the end, but they give you such an awesome historical account of everything. It's so much better to actually be able to understand what something is, and why it is where it is, instead of just standing there staring at it with a dumb American look on your face. They brought us to so many awesome places today though. The Pergamon, the haulocost memorial, the Brandenburg gate, the Reichstag, The Berlin Wall, just to name a few. It was incredible to think of so many of the historical things that happened in the places we were standing, even as few as 19 years ago. Cameron made an interesting point while we were at the memorial.. That if Hitler had had his way, I wouldn't be there right then. Despite my charm and good Arian looks, I do have some Jewish blood.
What I thought was amazing though, and perfectly fitting, is that next to the 34 million dollar monument dedicated to the millions of lives purged during the Haulocost, was an empty parking lot. Underneith the parking lot? Hitler's bunker where he committed suicide in the waning days of the war. There's barely even a marker acknowledging its existence, let alone any sort of an attraction.
Keeping in step with the rest of the trip though, yes, it did downpour on us again today. Word to the wise... next time you're in Europe, BRING AN UMBRELLA. Hell, bring a big plastic bubble you can walk in. It's nuts. The day started out so beautifully too. On the bright side, the rain gives an incredible effect to some of the more emotionally driven sculpture.
Today is also a German holiday apparently.. So, happy Assumption (I think that's what they said...) Day, everyone! Go out and... assume some things?
We may be leaving Berlin as early as tomorrow night, we only booked our hostel for two nights not knowing that most of the hostels in town were sold out for Saturday and Sunday night. If that's the case, I guess we're on to Warsaw. If not, more rain and beer drinking! Pub Crawl tonight, oh yeah ;)
Happy Thursday to everyone, stay dry!
Love,
James and Cameron
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