Ja! Ich bin in Berlin!
And it´s very big and there´s too much to do, and i´m only here for a day with my brother. It´s convenient having him around however, as he lives here and speaks deutsch like it´s nobody´s business.
I know you aren´t supposed to talk about the war, or maybe you are.. but I certainly feel that it sits over everything a bit like a layer of silt. On the train ride up this morning, I kept imagining what the countryside would have looked like covered in soldiers and tanks and things... in Berlin, even though there is sooo much new architecture which is gorgeous, nestled amongst the progress there are stark reminders of how destroyed the place was after the war. Many buildings look like patchwork quilts, having had their bullet-ridden walls filled in and patched up, after a good clean.
I chose not to go to any holocaust memorials today, as Andy advised me it´s horribly shocking, and has the capacity to taint the experience of the city. I would like to do that sometime.
So, the mood I witnessed seems light, but how can you really tell if you are simply wandering from nice place to nice place? I would love to talk to some Berliners who experienced the war from here to hear their stories. I´m sure I could do that if I poked just a little deeper into the city´s history.
I guess the times appear to be changing, but such deep wounds must take a long time to heal.
And it´s very big and there´s too much to do, and i´m only here for a day with my brother. It´s convenient having him around however, as he lives here and speaks deutsch like it´s nobody´s business.
I know you aren´t supposed to talk about the war, or maybe you are.. but I certainly feel that it sits over everything a bit like a layer of silt. On the train ride up this morning, I kept imagining what the countryside would have looked like covered in soldiers and tanks and things... in Berlin, even though there is sooo much new architecture which is gorgeous, nestled amongst the progress there are stark reminders of how destroyed the place was after the war. Many buildings look like patchwork quilts, having had their bullet-ridden walls filled in and patched up, after a good clean.
I chose not to go to any holocaust memorials today, as Andy advised me it´s horribly shocking, and has the capacity to taint the experience of the city. I would like to do that sometime.
So, the mood I witnessed seems light, but how can you really tell if you are simply wandering from nice place to nice place? I would love to talk to some Berliners who experienced the war from here to hear their stories. I´m sure I could do that if I poked just a little deeper into the city´s history.
I guess the times appear to be changing, but such deep wounds must take a long time to heal.