There are so many amazing cars here. Soooo jealous :/
We headed strait over to the East Side Gallery. After the wall fell in 1989, there was bound to be some sort of memorializing of the still-standing part. There are paintings from artists all over the world on this portion of the wall. It was such an interesting experience. First of all, I was expecting the wall to be much bigger. It's so weird that a little concrete slab could keep families apart for decades. Well, a wall, guards, barbed wire, and whole lot of fear...I guess.
We saw the inside first (on the West Side). It's mostly just graffiti but some of it is actually cool. Some examples:
Then we met up with another friend and moved to viewing the East Side of the wall. Here a few of my favorites:
Each rose on the year represents one dead trying to cross the wall.
An interesting opening:
This is a checkpoint East-to-West (not Checkpoint Charlie). It was actually built in 1894 but became an innercity checkpoint in 1961. Throughout its duration (until 1989) there were four times day or week permits were issued for citizens to cross and visit their families.
Then we walked quite a ways into the East Side of Berlin. This was DEFINITELY NOT a tourist area. We were looking for a "squat." This is a place where people live under their own rules (lots of stuff about anarchy). After the war, a lot of buildings in East Berlin were simply abandoned since they were already so dilapidated, so many of them have become these squats. They don't have landlords, and have their own contracts with utility companies and whatnot. This was is called Koepi 137, and it was very strange. No photos, but people actually live there and were watching us. We all felt so out of place with our hair done and pea-coats and whatnot. We so did not belong there...well, with the exception of our friend who wanted to go and is really into Punk culture. It was interesting to see, but also a little scary. People living together, getting by on their own, however they can. I'm so grateful I was able to see this other way of life, and it makes me grateful for what I have. Now, when I come home and feel dirty and just want to take a shower, I'll remember this place and probably feel much better.
No pictures allowed, but here's one of the outside:
Then, we were all very hungry so we tried to find a metro to take us to Checkpoint Charlie and a more touristy part of town. I had to get out of this part--it was starting to be very creepy. We were successful, and found this awesomely cheap and delicious restaurant. I got schnitzel and fried potatoes. So gosh darn good!! I think German food and I agree with each other.
Checkpoint Charlie is probably one of the most famous Berlin border crossings and one of three American Allied checkpoints outside of the wall. It's so crazy to think that less than 25 years ago something like this happened. Then I look around at the world today and see some of it still happening. I just don't know if there's anything I can do. I can see how being so close and personal to stuff like this can really make people very depressed.
"Wanderer-stay and reflect: At this place, the 'Western World' ended and the power of the Moscow Kremlin started..."
A piece of the original wall:
Checkpoint Charlie!!
Then, it was over to the Topography of Terrors. This Museum is on the site of the Gestapo (secret police) and SS headquarters--which has since been blown to bits by bombs. You can see the remnants of the wall here. It's interesting to see how they've let it deteriorate. I feel like it's kind of an example of how flimsy physical barriers can be, as opposed to mental or social barriers. There is also the remnants of the headquarter building.
The inside of the museum allowed no pictures, but it was so amazing! Overall, I'm super impressed with the museums here. They're very informative, and so much of it is in English. I think I learned more about Hitler and the third reich in that museum than I have in my fifteen years of education. Very impressed.
After that, we headed over to the Brandenburg gate. As it turns out, it was a blessing we weren't able to go Sunday night like we had planned. There was a HUGE protest against neo-nazis, and it sounded pretty intense. Probably not a safe place to be.
There was a news reporter, presumably covering the events. We made it on German TV!! :P
The Brandenburg Gate was one of the former entrances into the city. It was built in 1788 and only took three years to complete. So massively amazing!!
On the way to Parliament, I found a sausage stand. I thought this was awesome.
A block over is the Reichstag building, or Parliament. Very beautiful as well. We could have gone in to take a tour...but...it was good enough from the outside, haha.
Plus, we were all so stinkin freezing that we headed over to find a café to warm up in. We found a Haagen Dasz (sp?!) and we got hot chocolate. Holy cow, it was rich. But my one the other day was still better...and cheaper :)
Then it was time to head over to the Philharmonic to buy our tickets. But, we had a bit of time to kill, so some went to a bar to have a few drinks, and I went to this huge mall to look around. Holy cow, it felt so American!! I guess a mall is a mall, huh?
BUT!! I saw this guy. In a jumpsuit. Yes, exactly.
The concert was AWESOME. We bought our tickets and she gave us better ones than student for only 10 EUR! We were in the second row and we could literally hear the cellist breathing. Wow. They played an amazing Rachmaninoff piece and afterward embraced because it was so crazy. Then, at what was supposed to be the end of the program, they came back out and said, "We felt as though the program is missing something. So, we're going to play a little Bach andante." So awesome! Then, they did it again, except with a Braham's song this time. It was one of is less known ones, but just so beautiful.
Me, with my ticket. So excited!
It's been so long since I've been to a concert, and I forgot how home sick for my violin it makes me. It makes me think I could maybe pick it up and start playing again, but I probably couldn't. Nevertheless, I'm resolved to go see more concerts these next two years in Chicago. I'm tired of not taking advantage of the many opportunities available to me. Ready for a change.
Overall, a very very busy and exhausting day. Around lunch time, I seriously considered heading home to take a rest because I just had nothing left in me. But I'm so glad I pushed forward and was able to experience everything. Today is just the zoo, so it's a bit more chill. It'll give me some time to read the two books I must before class begins again, and also make plans for my Rome trip this Thursday. Ah! It's already Tuesday. Ahhh!! :D
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