tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70131395648896139272024-03-20T20:47:23.497-07:00The Bottomleys' Trip to Berlin - 2019Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01890761389864972039noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7013139564889613927.post-27305874386028312152019-10-02T16:27:00.001-07:002020-03-23T12:55:39.244-07:00Introduction<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This is the record of Sue Anne
and Bruce’s September 2019 visit to Berlin. We have a long history
with the city, dating back to the Cold War era when it was isolated
within East Germany, and then further split in two by the Wall. We
had been back twice since the Wall came down and Germany was reunited, and this was trip #3.
There surely will be more. We rejoice in the progress that has been
made in the 30 years post-Wall, and in the resilient and joyful
spirit of the Berliners. Berlin bleibt doch Berlin!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">po<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">sted day by day on the blog</span></span>, so it is arranged here in reverse chronological order <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">— most recent first</span>. To read it in the customary beginning to end order, <a href="https://berlintrip-2019.blogspot.com/2019/09/welcome.html" target="_blank">click <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">here</span></a> to get to the first entry, and then work your way back up via the Newer Posts link at the bottom of each page. Or click on the desired post in the list over on the right s<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">ide of the page.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As has been our practice on previous trips, we wrapped the blog up with a dissertation of the impressions we gained throughout the trip. That’s the next post below here. C<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">lic</span>k Older Posts to get there. We might keep adding on to that one for a while as new thoughts come to mind.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As always, Sue Anne came well equipped with sketchbooks and drawing supplies. You can view her artistic impressions of the trip on her <a href="http://sueannebottomley.blogspot.com/2019/11/" target="_blank">art blog</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Come share our trip with us!
</span>Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01890761389864972039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7013139564889613927.post-70831557742917387852019-10-02T16:20:00.004-07:002022-11-11T15:53:26.404-08:00Impressions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">We’ve tried to end up each of our travel blogs with a summary of impressions we gained from the trip. We look for insights that transcend one or two days’ activity, developed during our total immersion in the area or only realized after we got home.</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">As always when we visit a place where we’ve been before, there will be a lot of compare and contrast. Add to this the fact that we’ve been around a good bit longer, had lots of other experiences along the way, and easily could find ourselves tuning in on different aspects of things than we had on earlier visits to the same area.</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">If history is any predictor, we will be getting back to this post a few times to incorporate new thoughts that just occurred to us. These will be just mixed in with the existing impressions and not otherwise highlighted, but we will try to keep up a brief list here of the topics that we’ve added. Check in from time to time and see what might be new.</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">OK, what impressions did we bring back from this, our third post-Wall visit to Berlin? </span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">The center of activity is indeed moving back toward the original center of town. The Ku-Damm is still the Ku-Damm, but ever more of the action appears to have moved to Alexanderplatz and nearby areas in the former East Berlin.</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Almost everybody is bilingual, German and English. As are lots of signs. Bruce’s ‘practical German’, developed in many Gasthaus, restaurant, and commercial experiences over a span of more than 50 years, is no longer vital. Indeed, starting out such a conversation in German often leads the other party to assume that they are speaking with somebody totally fluent. We now start our conversations in English, and usually get a corresponding response. But Bruce quite successfully would lapse into short utterances in German when something at the breakfast buffet had run out and we were in familiar territory, known to the hotel staff. “Wir brauchen Lachs.” for example. Or “Gibts kein Kaffee.” But we still like seeing the menus in German, as the English translations are often just too simplistic. ‘Sauerbraten nach Schwäbischer Art’ does not simply translate to ‘pot roast’, as we once saw on a menu elsewhere.</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere. Is this a big deal? It sure used to be. Ah, the long ago memories of travelers checks and a visit to the American Express shop to turn them into local currency. And currency exchange shops that could handle all possible swaps from one country’s currency to another’s. At a cost. It took quite a while for credit cards to penetrate the system in Germany, but they are pretty much there by now. In the big cities anyway.</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">The Euro (€) is down from its 2008 peak of over $1.50, and in a comfortable range of about $1.10. So you don’t even have to do much mental math to figure out the prices. Unless you’re talking something really big, a Euro and a Dollar are the same thing. Adding ten percent is no big deal. Concentrate on the experience, and don’t lose sleep over the exchange rate. And, dollars or Euros, we found prices all to <span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">be quite reasonable.</span></span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">We were super happy with our hotel, <b><a href="http://hommage-a-magritte.com/" target="_blank">Hommage à Magritte</a></b> at Grolmanstraße 32, a half block off of the Ku-Damm. Great location, quiet neighborhood, family owned and operated (nice people), good price, tasty breakfast buffet included. It<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">’s a small place, with 18 rooms on just one floor, so reserve early. </span>We did hear from another guest that the hallway noise was disturbing, mostly involving people trundling suitcases past their doorway. We lived in a higher numbered room and never encountered this, and it wouldn’t strike us as something that would happen too very frequently given the size of the place.</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">The public transit system is great. You can travel anywhere within the outer ring for 2.80 Euros, just over $3. Subway, elevated, bus – it’s all the same. Mix and match. No gates, no turnstiles. Dart out for a quick drink along the way if you wish. Just go for it! You do have to finish the trip in 2 hours and you can’t reverse directions, but that’s not hard to deal with. Here’s how the system works:</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> - Buy a ticket at one of the machines in the station or at a major bus stop. The machine works in German or English, as do most other interactive devices throughout town. Just choose the icon up in the corner. </span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">And it works with credit cards.</span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> </span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">You don’t have to use the ticket right away, as it doesn’t start to expire till you get to the next step below. Buy it the night before if you don’t want to lose any time getting to the airport in the morning. That’s what we did.</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> - Stick the ticket in the little yellow canceling machine when you’re ready to go. Be sure to wait till you hear the click. This time-stamps it and starts the clock on the 2 hours. Keep it with you — this is essential! The place works on the honor system, but with a strong penalty for cheating. Only occasionally will you be challenged (We never saw this happen.), but the penalties for failure to cancel the ticket are big. There is no sympathy for confused tourists.</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> - There’s a price break for buying 4 tickets, which is good for a couple planning to go somewhere and then come back. And if you plan to take more than 3 separate trips in the day, buy a day pass.</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> - If you should start your trip at Savignyplatz, you will no doubt encounter the nice old lady whose mission in life is to help people figure out the system. She is there on her own, and she does appreciate a modest tip after she helps you get through the transaction.</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Jet lag and an inability to quickly adapt to the time zone was a problem to both of us on this trip. It comes with age?</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Berlin is just overwhelmed with fascinating museums. We learned a lot at every one we went to. Lots more await us.</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Currywurst is everywhere!</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Graffiti is everywhere. As is genuine mural art, all over the place.</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">You can buy a half liter can (approximately a US pint) of some of the local brews for only 69c (Euro cents, about 76¢ US) at the Edeka supermarket. It’s not refrigerated, but it<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> was</span> still acceptably cool.</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">We were sad to see that the building which housed The Story of Berlin had been torn down. You can read about the place in our 2000 and 2013 blogs. It was an amazing warren of interconnected rooms, built into the innards of a big piece of the block, taking you through the history of Berlin in a very well documented and illustrated fashion. An emotional experience. It has apparently relocated to a place closer to the heart of the city, but we weren’t able to get there on this trip. Next time!</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Ethnic eating opportunities abound, especially Turkish and Italian. Sometimes, Turkish and eastern Mediterranean food is called ‘oriental’. </span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">We haven’t written a new blog in quite a while, and we find that Blogger had made a number of ‘improvements’ that we had to figure out and re-improve. Their classic Simple Template ain’t so simple any more. In their attempt to make it phone friendly, they introduced a number of side effects that really messed up the alignment of pictures and text when seen on a PC or a laptop. The engineer in the house has gotten to the root of some of these and made appropriate HTML changes down underneath, but others are still with us.</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Coming up on Thursday, October 3 – the Day of German Unity, Tag der Deutschen Einheit. A national holiday, celebrating the reunification of the two parts of the country that were split apart in the aftermath of World War II, <span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">with Berlin as its capital</span>. There will be lots of action all over the place. See our 2013 blog’s description of our experience with a group of Turkish-German girls celebrating that day in Goslar. And by the time we got to Berlin a few days later, the celebration was still alive.</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Back to Berlin, we’ve already seen the portapotties being set out at the likely celebration locations. (Unfortunately locked tight until then.) The date chosen for the holiday is that of the signing of the formal agreements that brought the country back together in 1990. Yes, there will also be big celebrations in Berlin on November 9th, the 30th anniversary of the Fall of the Wall, but that date was rejected as the date <span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">for </span>the national holiday due to an unfortunate coincidence with the date of Kristallnacht, an early attack on the Jewish population by the Nazis. So, two reasons to celebrate within a month of each other! But do not fo<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">rget Kristal<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">lnacht.</span></span></span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Unification is an important term in German history. It has been celebrated on different dates over time and with different memorials, depending on what it meant back then. We saw a unification memorial near the Rhine on our 2013 visit, but we never figured out what the story was. The country started out as an amalgam of kingdoms, duchies, and the like. Over time they came together, though regional accents and terminology still exist. And favorite food items and flavors of Bier. It’s Pils in Berlin, and Helles in Munich. Then they were torn apart, put back together, and so forth. We feel good about the stability of the current situation.</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Lift a glass in celebration and commemoration. Pils or Helles, your choice. Einheit!</span>Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01890761389864972039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7013139564889613927.post-82341567864503329262019-10-02T16:17:00.000-07:002019-10-05T17:01:00.866-07:00Hotel Hommage à Magritte<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Named in homage to the Belgian surrealist René Magritte, our hotel is well populated with commissioned artwork in his style, both separate pieces (som<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">e for sale) </span>and amazing trompe l'oiel work on the walls that would fool most anybody at first glance. Or maybe even second.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKwYeukKPLZvtPjYzrY1P4TLMH1gzz0Jbssz7rocAt5EksXCfP4Fto1S_R_kXc1DFVQbGngzAAdB0LOqk3z9S4SZyuD2fTatZzTI_c0L5-BQhhyphenhyphenUlFDf50qCoR3tluwBokvOZf9BgL4Q/s1600/2019-09-20+11-24-30.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKwYeukKPLZvtPjYzrY1P4TLMH1gzz0Jbssz7rocAt5EksXCfP4Fto1S_R_kXc1DFVQbGngzAAdB0LOqk3z9S4SZyuD2fTatZzTI_c0L5-BQhhyphenhyphenUlFDf50qCoR3tluwBokvOZf9BgL4Q/s640/2019-09-20+11-24-30.jpeg" width="480" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Sue Anne <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">has </span>opened the main doorway</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Or has she? </span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipVF-MtQ7UT39boxeiVOJHDoktwKm6rhoIo6flxlD15P3IRpCzWUWdERxScuyAG1OcuwrMyix7FjifclIBzJK9CiwQhUHcNeROQVEhmZamtSbcD2Vp_mrj8fXNIGHBKMM9ZZAodLxIsA/s1600/2019-09-20+11-24-55.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipVF-MtQ7UT39boxeiVOJHDoktwKm6rhoIo6flxlD15P3IRpCzWUWdERxScuyAG1OcuwrMyix7FjifclIBzJK9CiwQhUHcNeROQVEhmZamtSbcD2Vp_mrj8fXNIGHBKMM9ZZAodLxIsA/s640/2019-09-20+11-24-55.jpeg" width="480" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Now it’s open </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://youtu.be/0Kt9nzebWdU"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="942" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqxTHseKlxJFKymH94PQ9r0m0B-dz8zYL9Ukb68JAx4JUaOFeGTrMVthaAafd-nS51LvykkHtMYbGTzrwRe4nW0IXFUE5PD8V9g3LEajYNzn9-ScMGUzWbbr3aehIcaDGhyqSE2K1n-w/s640/Video.jpg" target="_blank" width="640" /></a>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Now she will take you on a<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> 3 minute</span> art walk down the hallway from our room.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Hotel Hommage <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">à Magritte, Grolmanstra<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">ße 32, Berlin</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://hommage-a-magritte.com/" target="_blank">http://hommage-a-magritte.com</a> </span></div>
Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01890761389864972039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7013139564889613927.post-83702897418930460572019-10-02T16:15:00.002-07:002019-10-12T20:24:57.496-07:00Berlin Bleibt Doch Berlin<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Photos from throughout our visit that convey the spirit of the place.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Berlin </span>bleibt doch Berlin - Berlin is always Berlin!</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEIyW-AORWAwynHbTPn0WY7zPa0nOVofDE_-VCgqgjV6lHwgRop450xJY-_voj-HRwsxoN7Ubpj5LsgtSAypQggUtpaNAZPwD80edKbf7nDrMGOwVDIjRnCYXmlbdbW089IBZ-vxpvlw/s1600/2019-09-21+13-44-28.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEIyW-AORWAwynHbTPn0WY7zPa0nOVofDE_-VCgqgjV6lHwgRop450xJY-_voj-HRwsxoN7Ubpj5LsgtSAypQggUtpaNAZPwD80edKbf7nDrMGOwVDIjRnCYXmlbdbW089IBZ-vxpvlw/s640/2019-09-21+13-44-28.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Ampelmann, East Berlin’s iconic Walk / Don't Walk signal, displayed at the DDR Museum.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Who says that the East German authorities were humorless?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It’s become a beloved cult figure and available in all sorts of souvenir items.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.ampelmann.de/en/" target="_blank"><b>Available online</b></a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.ampelmann.de/en/a-brand-with-a-history/the-development-of-the-east-german-ampelmaennchen/" target="_blank">History Here</a> </b> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">No, that’s not Sue Anne taking the picture.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZzi8alN42iJjr2O_XHd2UZYZxy3lxHBYSXt3r9ra0E9LMGFkfUeM2ctVjMUnF3-TA1VN7-bS3orrHYVoeR-GAJ3U16bSFnUD1TrqGOJxPuAFJX5ylKm9QpCp8CnPs4nPeAu3Tbvn7IQ/s1600/2019-09-21+13-44-42.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZzi8alN42iJjr2O_XHd2UZYZxy3lxHBYSXt3r9ra0E9LMGFkfUeM2ctVjMUnF3-TA1VN7-bS3orrHYVoeR-GAJ3U16bSFnUD1TrqGOJxPuAFJX5ylKm9QpCp8CnPs4nPeAu3Tbvn7IQ/s640/2019-09-21+13-44-42.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Don’t Walk!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">No more blonde. She walked when the light was stil<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">l green</span>. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTCOFvfbe0Ew_Rxx7ML5Fpa6veTfZjmm1kM6mmUmseSppxkDcyHjJRMzgD22XCdqwIlRP-yRb2tK1epYmav_MKLn7outvZ4ioM4AyrHu-_gZSgE0nnYR3xMJZO7_n6MBdlGSR5yjLy4A/s1600/2019-09-20+12-34-44.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTCOFvfbe0Ew_Rxx7ML5Fpa6veTfZjmm1kM6mmUmseSppxkDcyHjJRMzgD22XCdqwIlRP-yRb2tK1epYmav_MKLn7outvZ4ioM4AyrHu-_gZSgE0nnYR3xMJZO7_n6MBdlGSR5yjLy4A/s640/2019-09-20+12-34-44.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Wurst ohne Curry</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoGNBdjU9OgTufV1Kh06eZeFGxfKYUxhyQPyqK1iU-de8yZUT1EQKUG-LxKmzOFUDRXuuH4cc6PPMlhITNqDRHhdFz7T-j_lTB1ylCK0-_FfBxnH0dRjcIEPKZYhGcqrjclpbCp-Y_aQ/s1600/2019-09-23+16-07-37.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoGNBdjU9OgTufV1Kh06eZeFGxfKYUxhyQPyqK1iU-de8yZUT1EQKUG-LxKmzOFUDRXuuH4cc6PPMlhITNqDRHhdFz7T-j_lTB1ylCK0-_FfBxnH0dRjcIEPKZYhGcqrjclpbCp-Y_aQ/s640/2019-09-23+16-07-37.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Wurst mit Curry</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Und Bier - Pils, naturlich!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Und Frites </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOXRLjhp02JByHLsqs9ZlXHkw34YpW-5wFYOPUyiTlgubdwA0OIMGDg-wwTRKeiSlttCo6KzeH0SqXqty8-jSvnLttiVdJnJg9IpXb_xugBqRGVftlAe3XhlTtumAB1D40pKFfedaFtQ/s1600/2019-09-26+14-50-14.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOXRLjhp02JByHLsqs9ZlXHkw34YpW-5wFYOPUyiTlgubdwA0OIMGDg-wwTRKeiSlttCo6KzeH0SqXqty8-jSvnLttiVdJnJg9IpXb_xugBqRGVftlAe3XhlTtumAB1D40pKFfedaFtQ/s640/2019-09-26+14-50-14.jpeg" width="480" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">
On her way to a photo shoot perhaps?<br />
She was picked up in a tiny, tiny car. We were on the wrong side and didn’t see what it took to get the skirt into the car.<br />
Essential accessories in the plastic bag.<br />
<br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqw5gJ3touf1T9w3XhMVFlW1nfM59z9j3FUSvcdwUXWbi5-TG_lUoa8DjvLp8afdQwgH1gRM0Zo01LAddGP7HpiMrDwBl04WHZlFoYKBuv8eJoSOAmCyuYVZ3VIHhcNApzj7rxZ_75TA/s1600/2019-09-26+15-14-52.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqw5gJ3touf1T9w3XhMVFlW1nfM59z9j3FUSvcdwUXWbi5-TG_lUoa8DjvLp8afdQwgH1gRM0Zo01LAddGP7HpiMrDwBl04WHZlFoYKBuv8eJoSOAmCyuYVZ3VIHhcNApzj7rxZ_75TA/s640/2019-09-26+15-14-52.jpeg" width="480" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">
Three dog woman on the Ku-Damm</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWr2hcrwuM6pEfcK544466DzoNsI0JP7bVuot-5zVsGnf6fjyAI6b9qiZpXWha69Y5a8NIpDG3AFqPIDZtuRCyP2w7SjXfruoDzM3u4nNjNAqHTbuap2C67mDAqMpUHzr2cWAzVL5TAg/s1600/2019-09-20+13-38-08.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWr2hcrwuM6pEfcK544466DzoNsI0JP7bVuot-5zVsGnf6fjyAI6b9qiZpXWha69Y5a8NIpDG3AFqPIDZtuRCyP2w7SjXfruoDzM3u4nNjNAqHTbuap2C67mDAqMpUHzr2cWAzVL5TAg/s640/2019-09-20+13-38-08.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What time is it?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiopHv7CoqIowJO07u_LBLY2ZU4F-YfIbNXEtdvGqIfeTuNC1QsmgswSLURBhNudLMJBVIe5b9N-487kfS-BXQduvuiAVsfeIDyvoVJdAABlQJmwhUweF6NbUeFSlIEF70xMfGBETC8nQ/s1600/2019-09-20+19-17-34.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiopHv7CoqIowJO07u_LBLY2ZU4F-YfIbNXEtdvGqIfeTuNC1QsmgswSLURBhNudLMJBVIe5b9N-487kfS-BXQduvuiAVsfeIDyvoVJdAABlQJmwhUweF6NbUeFSlIEF70xMfGBETC8nQ/s640/2019-09-20+19-17-34.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Elegant doorways everywhere</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5dKFWyslVznXVbzSX5vRo-DYqlE7e2N-7-01cccQ2ln-GsDiCjzQU4T4IqgX8WTnkEFFAVv7QfRsJ74GKjET7OCddCvbZPH6iJGWcW8tyTfkvpHqUt9_MH5vyTx2NQ8DAv5EUbH4Uw/s1600/2019-09-20+19-23-51.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5dKFWyslVznXVbzSX5vRo-DYqlE7e2N-7-01cccQ2ln-GsDiCjzQU4T4IqgX8WTnkEFFAVv7QfRsJ74GKjET7OCddCvbZPH6iJGWcW8tyTfkvpHqUt9_MH5vyTx2NQ8DAv5EUbH4Uw/s640/2019-09-20+19-23-51.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Another</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVk4u6OhAQ1w9uhgWQ15T5cXJpqwU2NnCQUseGg_eS9nChiQXUaoAGmiz5s4NlET2sdH5f9noHFqJ8HOSg9rgBGRbfV7TU-qyDCcMZMPiE1YUd1qOwIYtBc-5vBKMqQSP-f0c1smfJjw/s1600/2019-09-21+12-47-50.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVk4u6OhAQ1w9uhgWQ15T5cXJpqwU2NnCQUseGg_eS9nChiQXUaoAGmiz5s4NlET2sdH5f9noHFqJ8HOSg9rgBGRbfV7TU-qyDCcMZMPiE1YUd1qOwIYtBc-5vBKMqQSP-f0c1smfJjw/s640/2019-09-21+12-47-50.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Green rental scooters everywhere. Bikes and even Vespas too.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfXsmcivglsLme0OkbtU5A47rFZGD92wHAPbait_T7VW4LGAvbC4IS2CpVK3ipHTv55tV7qGV-GQjQdP-bWsRyTtG20UlqMrAI6vYsl0DFnN23ZipBVLMAXNEQVsG9JOlvLY-TavJvgw/s1600/2019-09-23+13-37-33.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfXsmcivglsLme0OkbtU5A47rFZGD92wHAPbait_T7VW4LGAvbC4IS2CpVK3ipHTv55tV7qGV-GQjQdP-bWsRyTtG20UlqMrAI6vYsl0DFnN23ZipBVLMAXNEQVsG9JOlvLY-TavJvgw/s640/2019-09-23+13-37-33.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Nice murals everywhere</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfjddKRw7U-HgMKdKxxfZPseLhMSECrE42QfUiix2KUmkfEeSipY_yY1YeKzmLCuRe5WpJQX0J1ZX700UdsEX7zxjmOfc5zwUeRIQ8erm7Uf-v20UHjqrusi53HS4NhVOif7e-A3FqFg/s1600/2019-09-24+15-18-09.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfjddKRw7U-HgMKdKxxfZPseLhMSECrE42QfUiix2KUmkfEeSipY_yY1YeKzmLCuRe5WpJQX0J1ZX700UdsEX7zxjmOfc5zwUeRIQ8erm7Uf-v20UHjqrusi53HS4NhVOif7e-A3FqFg/s640/2019-09-24+15-18-09.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Berliners can park tight!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVbkyQjgP1q2mCjN2hZJgtD4CWczldzKEghHGB7FXbswliwtepMZbC7Rd8ZrOKvO0fmmaI-Woa9AKWBs_FI2Er2MUezAyWSD36M1KJhcei4EWYgm3r55MzkICiDhK03wBXu1c4rtRHLg/s1600/2019-10-03+10-25-53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVbkyQjgP1q2mCjN2hZJgtD4CWczldzKEghHGB7FXbswliwtepMZbC7Rd8ZrOKvO0fmmaI-Woa9AKWBs_FI2Er2MUezAyWSD36M1KJhcei4EWYgm3r55MzkICiDhK03wBXu1c4rtRHLg/s640/2019-10-03+10-25-53.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> Lots of German folklore craft type offerings</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUkljQsIfBh5w_zw5Nlz-Vca7vce_HQFo6K9rksXw0-luxU5fjzzLOeguXsEguyGsvguAyBkpDrq0XbTsvavPNOMN9QTgJqkOgsvzUY2UkGZ0RhgzpsWVneO0XEo5A3OGo4GVC9pYT-Q/s1600/2019-09-25+13-09-40.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUkljQsIfBh5w_zw5Nlz-Vca7vce_HQFo6K9rksXw0-luxU5fjzzLOeguXsEguyGsvguAyBkpDrq0XbTsvavPNOMN9QTgJqkOgsvzUY2UkGZ0RhgzpsWVneO0XEo5A3OGo4GVC9pYT-Q/s640/2019-09-25+13-09-40.jpeg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> Part of a two-boat floating hotel</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6QmumsxGSbfDD5ellfh3I0tk_m_w6MkNcLSd8djfWzoe4rVpZmR4Bv8n7Nz_c_2amb7OKAwtX3FSkPklIsKJQnnFqoxOBMiwGG6mpvaUodSluuPrm9_4Qv6rEDXeY2CAw06rrISGV1A/s1600/2019-09-25+13-09-49.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6QmumsxGSbfDD5ellfh3I0tk_m_w6MkNcLSd8djfWzoe4rVpZmR4Bv8n7Nz_c_2amb7OKAwtX3FSkPklIsKJQnnFqoxOBMiwGG6mpvaUodSluuPrm9_4Qv6rEDXeY2CAw06rrISGV1A/s640/2019-09-25+13-09-49.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Why not?</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01890761389864972039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7013139564889613927.post-17529065121263724002019-10-01T18:19:00.003-07:002019-10-03T08:51:53.706-07:00Friday, September 26<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Up at 6AM Berlin time Friday, home at 2AM Eastern time Saturday. A 26 hour day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Fortunately the layovers were nicely spaced and not at all tight, so it wasn’t a really draining experience.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Then it was r</span>est up, read the mail, and then get started on wrapping up the blog. We hope you have enjoyed accompanying us on our adventure.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01890761389864972039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7013139564889613927.post-4160267934190486962019-09-28T16:31:00.004-07:002019-10-01T18:14:16.954-07:00Thursday, September 25<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">O<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">u</span>r last day in town. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Sue Anne grabbed her sketchbook and made a final pass through our neighborhood. <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Then she assembled a small collection of drawings that capture the spi<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">rit of the <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">city<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">. Expect to see <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">lots more of her work in the next edition of her<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> art blog <a href="http://www.colorfuljourney.art/" target="_blank">www.colorfuljourney.art.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitFRKQAMXP1PSKqVLdcE8zNvrgZDExibHRf0qK63Zi2r0pz-afWvtCoZI3j9Hs7m-NLmIOVDVHn2f9e-dwFfzg_4Ebh2YWpB_2QdkbRfFKwps7iMIiwK16sxZCzBq-qmrQD0n9OxLisg/s1600/IMG_0372.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1079" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitFRKQAMXP1PSKqVLdcE8zNvrgZDExibHRf0qK63Zi2r0pz-afWvtCoZI3j9Hs7m-NLmIOVDVHn2f9e-dwFfzg_4Ebh2YWpB_2QdkbRfFKwps7iMIiwK16sxZCzBq-qmrQD0n9OxLisg/s640/IMG_0372.jpg" width="430" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Kaiser Wilhelm Church, the steeple left in its bombed and ruined state. Most things in Berlin have been rebuilt, either reconstructed to match the former state before the war, or completely redone as contemporary. This was left unrestored (tho<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">ugh shored up)</span>, as a memorial. Ink and watercolor</span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzXP4y9amvZIGd9p3ELUUXA7PbJrhEBMuy1EqbJmOdbN8Y5hyphenhyphenRAgi3QEaYV7N-tIJypD7Z7Q18NpEvIzjcCu5DEe6FtcRLRYdNjGADTNityBVKPLYWwYZ9uYrl0pVREMp8JsfsdzGIGQ/s1600/IMG_0373.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="1600" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzXP4y9amvZIGd9p3ELUUXA7PbJrhEBMuy1EqbJmOdbN8Y5hyphenhyphenRAgi3QEaYV7N-tIJypD7Z7Q18NpEvIzjcCu5DEe6FtcRLRYdNjGADTNityBVKPLYWwYZ9uYrl0pVREMp8JsfsdzGIGQ/s640/IMG_0373.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Alexanderplatz, a double spread drawing in the sketchbook. All this is in one plaza — market tents, a tramline, a beer garden, a bungee jumping thing, and a double decker carousel.</span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSoiKY4hSi2ds3M7kPAu46L4g_8F9WZbGv6xNLbTTXc4HkaeBHLJQP04EcOBHcvd80O16Im-MzM-80tMonb8qiwdhnJ55yN6jC9-GtlaCfxuSJywxo9EO_khPsXteVsMQHufQZC6en8Q/s1600/IMG_0374.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1216" data-original-width="1600" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSoiKY4hSi2ds3M7kPAu46L4g_8F9WZbGv6xNLbTTXc4HkaeBHLJQP04EcOBHcvd80O16Im-MzM-80tMonb8qiwdhnJ55yN6jC9-GtlaCfxuSJywxo9EO_khPsXteVsMQHufQZC6en8Q/s640/IMG_0374.jpg" width="640" /><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Two brick buildings near Savignyplatz, at the end of our hotel’s street. They are both next to the elevated train line, in yellow brick. Bookstores and restaurants fill the archways under the tracks.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhZ6XBG-k_csDvQAj1nqRpcIi6eVVhvB2MUAirGxvfi05XgG8J1GaSd-z7_okSoJJWWia_6VywB2rzM-QdU-2DMBAs1ZkEGhf80caqUl4ILRVuL7X6ms-9wkx-M47RdCCpSMZ813aS8A/s1600/IMG_0375.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1190" data-original-width="1600" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhZ6XBG-k_csDvQAj1nqRpcIi6eVVhvB2MUAirGxvfi05XgG8J1GaSd-z7_okSoJJWWia_6VywB2rzM-QdU-2DMBAs1ZkEGhf80caqUl4ILRVuL7X6ms-9wkx-M47RdCCpSMZ813aS8A/s640/IMG_0375.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Check<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">p</span>oint Charlie, from the former East Berlin side. The sign is a photograph of an actual American soldier who was a guard at this location. Our lunch is in the foreground.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihjgdi6sZ64M0rlxbMi1IAV6AH9pC8ZilzZlH_wsr53nC-MqINRr7CIsqAvyVVbygE7mh_XZCaCsGRkKFAVZwJwKr9kUUSwV-U-KsHhZW2zKLWF9y-qCPHnanomd5n6rQZ0ZeT7NeMWg/s1600/IMG_0376.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1174" data-original-width="1600" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihjgdi6sZ64M0rlxbMi1IAV6AH9pC8ZilzZlH_wsr53nC-MqINRr7CIsqAvyVVbygE7mh_XZCaCsGRkKFAVZwJwKr9kUUSwV-U-KsHhZW2zKLWF9y-qCPHnanomd5n6rQZ0ZeT7NeMWg/s640/IMG_0376.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We sat in a café to rest our feet. The signs say “The German People”, “City Round Trips”, and “Ice Cream for Children”. A view of the Reichstag building with its glass dome.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguEE7-p-K2Cl_tCEWxo3i90UWwQ76FaB9rUnirUquzoMRVsFqVltE7aM0bRI4NLjT0QxqaRKeM2KFclUifS7TzPxivRuzyMvM4ZadgVjpmCTIL9_L7AsilpSb1doURumFKXSoZYh4Rcg/s1600/IMG_0377.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1185" data-original-width="1600" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguEE7-p-K2Cl_tCEWxo3i90UWwQ76FaB9rUnirUquzoMRVsFqVltE7aM0bRI4NLjT0QxqaRKeM2KFclUifS7TzPxivRuzyMvM4ZadgVjpmCTIL9_L7AsilpSb1doURumFKXSoZYh4Rcg/s640/IMG_0377.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Two doors on Grolmanstraße. On the left, our hotel door. On the right, the door to an art gallery across the street. Both Art Nouveau style, maybe reconstructed. Wood, glass, and iron.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We made our final visit to Miro for a delightful lunch. </span></span></span></span> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5r3ibLm0rMPHsSXbRSNIhvvRsYAWE1dr3Q28nVrTJ0dDZerqpNNWgEMEa6pCr5lZuekZZc3aPWXk47mrVYoX45XeIIGcadBN9aI8h6ekhXNNUhStZPBPfy_vphc3596ttbjRe7qYy9A/s1600/2019-09-26+14-30-29.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5r3ibLm0rMPHsSXbRSNIhvvRsYAWE1dr3Q28nVrTJ0dDZerqpNNWgEMEa6pCr5lZuekZZc3aPWXk47mrVYoX45XeIIGcadBN9aI8h6ekhXNNUhStZPBPfy_vphc3596ttbjRe7qYy9A/s640/2019-09-26+14-30-29.jpeg" width="480" /> </a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Hot ginger tea, with real slices of ginger, yum.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs4EzUImYxhQqQNRzx-i5aX-yLGWDlT_9fEkREpuNcYGSZDI6PZl_3RtKyA64V0q0amBENqYCcUOO-GN5SuALI4NCVaGFYgPuRghoOVDp99RKsIbHhmgKmJt80FSQtl2FtwJfO1bBzgA/s1600/2019-09-26+14-37-02.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs4EzUImYxhQqQNRzx-i5aX-yLGWDlT_9fEkREpuNcYGSZDI6PZl_3RtKyA64V0q0amBENqYCcUOO-GN5SuALI4NCVaGFYgPuRghoOVDp99RKsIbHhmgKmJt80FSQtl2FtwJfO1bBzgA/s640/2019-09-26+14-37-02.jpeg" width="480" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">’s a printed me<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">nu inside (German and English), but special offerings are displayed on 4 o<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">r 5 blackboards outside, frequently updated. </span></span>Here<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">’s the one for breakfast opportunities.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Beyond</span> <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">all</span> that, most of today was dedicated to wrapping things up. We will be heading home tomorrow morning, a 26<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span>hour experience. Once we<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">’re settled there, we will be reviewing the entire blog <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">for updates, tweaks, and miscellaneous <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">corrections<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">. Then we plan to post a lot more photos that help illustrate the spirit of the place, and <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">finally </span>conclude with a summary of our overall impressions.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Stay tuned. </span></span></span></span></span>Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01890761389864972039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7013139564889613927.post-84412142287275855272019-09-28T11:46:00.000-07:002019-09-30T15:58:44.721-07:00Wednesday, September 25<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Today we headed over to a <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">reconstructed </span>section of the Wall where international artists had been
given free reign to present their artistic statements.<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It’s called the East Side Gallery. It’s been pretty well preserved, <i>i.e.</i> there’s not much graffiti marring the original work. Some of the work has been updated over time. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We found most of the art to be quite inspirational.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcjpH3IuoydEEMq_uxshXEfzv4LsFSEPI1BK7SpfmqAyo2jgjS-LLiaaepy3XxJGiD9LpS2lfc73PkLpt2EaFTlQ0n4z8370kLbHKOlIt74g6k7e3QC0c48nd2Q_HaBXT1SPxIHik0FQ/s1600/2019-09-25+11-44-53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcjpH3IuoydEEMq_uxshXEfzv4LsFSEPI1BK7SpfmqAyo2jgjS-LLiaaepy3XxJGiD9LpS2lfc73PkLpt2EaFTlQ0n4z8370kLbHKOlIt74g6k7e3QC0c48nd2Q_HaBXT1SPxIHik0FQ/s400/2019-09-25+11-44-53.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGKicZlZPNpvmhTcEnUafC19tzmJTKUEcGIXsaQ44wQKDByelEEHVRWxKWlYlP5KF1IBcYdJfw0iTtRyNX9K8lN3lb0RJp26SHW64ZRr_yMID5hX8GpGPVoDtKNjP1lOAH6RVnrfHvMQ/s1600/2019-09-25+11-52-04.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGKicZlZPNpvmhTcEnUafC19tzmJTKUEcGIXsaQ44wQKDByelEEHVRWxKWlYlP5KF1IBcYdJfw0iTtRyNX9K8lN3lb0RJp26SHW64ZRr_yMID5hX8GpGPVoDtKNjP1lOAH6RVnrfHvMQ/s400/2019-09-25+11-52-04.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggW_C5VnTTAbNM2bqeR6GSYQez80UT61qLpk2fLDG3PA8n-CnoTm1p-JLKLE5PMVQ0UmLkh-W9MwqTQe1Ki7b1MZ58wku_O-ROheJGPYZTLXIW9JOQgO9BIyp0QrL-vVp271metiCd8w/s1600/2019-09-25+11-59-02.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggW_C5VnTTAbNM2bqeR6GSYQez80UT61qLpk2fLDG3PA8n-CnoTm1p-JLKLE5PMVQ0UmLkh-W9MwqTQe1Ki7b1MZ58wku_O-ROheJGPYZTLXIW9JOQgO9BIyp0QrL-vVp271metiCd8w/s640/2019-09-25+11-59-02.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21tlzUlbNJGXc5ai18xD3-Sif2gdOjJWUBp2NgQpE87tBbVxKw5xa7qEis4b2Dk2hyphenhyphenXODkYl1bAZMRHQ_CFraETI3Zlq0fUyLZozK84is2MeR5sLPvnCmeT7uuy56u67wnOUDKvJJ-A/s1600/2019-09-25+12-14-55.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21tlzUlbNJGXc5ai18xD3-Sif2gdOjJWUBp2NgQpE87tBbVxKw5xa7qEis4b2Dk2hyphenhyphenXODkYl1bAZMRHQ_CFraETI3Zlq0fUyLZozK84is2MeR5sLPvnCmeT7uuy56u67wnOUDKvJJ-A/s640/2019-09-25+12-14-55.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2IhwqK6PJEevpgvtQbn5tLv4V_7UkUumDQyO9be2ECKP1zYBMUVCZVPfLndarEf_-1mpnGc8JfchurnCcL4MyyQP7pXtpyPiLR-8scHn3v7_C7Ih3KawLsniO_Lv_euWOwVJ_t9LFPA/s1600/2019-09-25+12-15-43.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2IhwqK6PJEevpgvtQbn5tLv4V_7UkUumDQyO9be2ECKP1zYBMUVCZVPfLndarEf_-1mpnGc8JfchurnCcL4MyyQP7pXtpyPiLR-8scHn3v7_C7Ih3KawLsniO_Lv_euWOwVJ_t9LFPA/s640/2019-09-25+12-15-43.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This is a very iconic scene. We had even bought a postcard of it before knowing of its origin.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The woman is real. She added to the picture!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Ev9YZm9M-g_logZXJUXgSsUGRJnf0CMZIxao7PkOKSlBXeLqj-z8Em4ii3wBjLwisY-EYTGQg9CGjHAQi8mMH1A92fCt7u5fVODbxierbGBj0wB9xBc4lCm1CuxL0-4t9-w7xnhRkA/s1600/2019-09-25+12-23-11.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Ev9YZm9M-g_logZXJUXgSsUGRJnf0CMZIxao7PkOKSlBXeLqj-z8Em4ii3wBjLwisY-EYTGQg9CGjHAQi8mMH1A92fCt7u5fVODbxierbGBj0wB9xBc4lCm1CuxL0-4t9-w7xnhRkA/s640/2019-09-25+12-23-11.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVaIzAhq4kQGcYqlb2K3JndwLpjEPuVaaIchTNtULlRdJZIh5lOnIrufsaas0CY8RJsVA6rTChtij1aOYjFT2MCHmrP8b2FJq2V88uaLwbwpA8CT_YQFZqeJgjDIiLoNCiYj1jwcKgw/s1600/2019-09-25+12-17-22.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVaIzAhq4kQGcYqlb2K3JndwLpjEPuVaaIchTNtULlRdJZIh5lOnIrufsaas0CY8RJsVA6rTChtij1aOYjFT2MCHmrP8b2FJq2V88uaLwbwpA8CT_YQFZqeJgjDIiLoNCiYj1jwcKgw/s640/2019-09-25+12-17-22.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The
back side of the wall was left open to the graffiti artists, and they
struck with full force.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEpTMJ-KVatZtR4rCmiJj3iD5S6fk0EblLg5Tdzgm6_CaIKOsuAWryX3HXARSPl6JHRtM5YiG668oMNLTNJZMsnFFvHZDLU4d8iTWyfDoR1j2xoEK-7sWyYtj_o5-Pa0K0fnfrw5IChA/s1600/2019-09-25+11-46-45.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEpTMJ-KVatZtR4rCmiJj3iD5S6fk0EblLg5Tdzgm6_CaIKOsuAWryX3HXARSPl6JHRtM5YiG668oMNLTNJZMsnFFvHZDLU4d8iTWyfDoR1j2xoEK-7sWyYtj_o5-Pa0K0fnfrw5IChA/s640/2019-09-25+11-46-45.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLPM3tgklO0wzVEEWgvIz1fmCUQXj4rNp8eYgdBVYXZPEYTtGx9DKT1b-LwFPCAt_BqvP9N59w-KIjah40BvO70IkHb-ioqQ7aYbWyOs1LdPQztWzktdg11xtntWo-IfrnvOBbxDp4_A/s1600/2019-09-25+11-47-11.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLPM3tgklO0wzVEEWgvIz1fmCUQXj4rNp8eYgdBVYXZPEYTtGx9DKT1b-LwFPCAt_BqvP9N59w-KIjah40BvO70IkHb-ioqQ7aYbWyOs1LdPQztWzktdg11xtntWo-IfrnvOBbxDp4_A/s640/2019-09-25+11-47-11.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Does anybody know that person in the upper left?</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhodu_IOgWl4wtg6YbIuxgCFk-QOm0bUc9jxUNWBrPrXe1HSPF_-7IdZWzYa8RfLYPQRvZL_MczX88EpokD5hsSgGtjkA2a12ITRrQUWGwuuiRfS6P0D5ap03M_GWwCZ5rNBq8u03oxJA/s1600/2019-09-25+12-18-26.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhodu_IOgWl4wtg6YbIuxgCFk-QOm0bUc9jxUNWBrPrXe1HSPF_-7IdZWzYa8RfLYPQRvZL_MczX88EpokD5hsSgGtjkA2a12ITRrQUWGwuuiRfS6P0D5ap03M_GWwCZ5rNBq8u03oxJA/s640/2019-09-25+12-18-26.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In the background: The German National Bird </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The construction crane</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Berliners have a clever term for everything.</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This
part of the Wall is on the bank of a river, which was the actual
border. Once we got to the end of the Wall, we came across quite a
marvelous scene of brick bridges and towers, some of which had
featured in the artwork. </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">And we </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">consumed another curry
wurst</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKMA5__iHIzWMsIvnKn0KWlPdKByt_5-OwH6V5AqPXB5ZRj9q-js6SbzLUQp2vBz1-6AFL0ldU02iOLr89nWRKBD8oAj9BlXfFMUlbrpKkWIOFtYjvXfLkEQ4h5vqTQQ6fU5YTWJHkSw/s1600/2019-09-25+12-44-05.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKMA5__iHIzWMsIvnKn0KWlPdKByt_5-OwH6V5AqPXB5ZRj9q-js6SbzLUQp2vBz1-6AFL0ldU02iOLr89nWRKBD8oAj9BlXfFMUlbrpKkWIOFtYjvXfLkEQ4h5vqTQQ6fU5YTWJHkSw/s640/2019-09-25+12-44-05.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Looking up at the back side of the Wall from the river</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ao6Qm0jkho9N2P_TKo4w-WL5mbxGhs_9srxJNmhFw3bo_WVK4N-1yw0vPyLRRvVv3ELzOMbqRA8YSzR6nS29lYbQWn9KpqFQsnirJh8PA3k777qTdtVphupd_kDUsPFQf93zXIsV8A/s1600/2019-09-25+12-43-25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ao6Qm0jkho9N2P_TKo4w-WL5mbxGhs_9srxJNmhFw3bo_WVK4N-1yw0vPyLRRvVv3ELzOMbqRA8YSzR6nS29lYbQWn9KpqFQsnirJh8PA3k777qTdtVphupd_kDUsPFQf93zXIsV8A/s640/2019-09-25+12-43-25.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The amazing Oberbaumbrücke (bridge), along with a floating hotel made up of two anchored boats</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Then
an uncaptioned walk along the rather funky </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Skalitzer
Straße to a subway stop in a Turkish part of town.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjApdx4fW4Byt5XvEP_Qsd5PQ6WR96QHK226dxFn3DAhu-6TQKuw-wrDT4XBsJZEk51Zt4UW99fu_iGhCAri0wKYW-V0-8ETDbtrA-7BC9ryoFjem6PksgJL4H09AtOVFNYMbR3xhE5fQ/s1600/2019-09-25+13-39-48.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjApdx4fW4Byt5XvEP_Qsd5PQ6WR96QHK226dxFn3DAhu-6TQKuw-wrDT4XBsJZEk51Zt4UW99fu_iGhCAri0wKYW-V0-8ETDbtrA-7BC9ryoFjem6PksgJL4H09AtOVFNYMbR3xhE5fQ/s640/2019-09-25+13-39-48.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFI9oL9wZFfxks3s8iht9TMOsf305uy7-zM6iVZ8vdCOm0CZaA6_zfHK9BVrj-Mb8wxPm_HIe7aTymnvamMG2z7miQV8T-z3cQBtnlc5tsAXDUDZttMVoDzGoxm95MGA3IkAUbaD9x0A/s1600/2019-09-25+13-23-26.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFI9oL9wZFfxks3s8iht9TMOsf305uy7-zM6iVZ8vdCOm0CZaA6_zfHK9BVrj-Mb8wxPm_HIe7aTymnvamMG2z7miQV8T-z3cQBtnlc5tsAXDUDZttMVoDzGoxm95MGA3IkAUbaD9x0A/s640/2019-09-25+13-23-26.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgylqBFQwWIIU6261vEx9cEdsCPkVBlfTInhxUAZr2jv7Pn4HMhOkSy9D9zHkUgtU4_ywaNRyVh2B2NO1lJ0cxA6u3hM5AD34Zyy-yr8aXBdBZ5Fk95Yl05_HptoDQN8z9CCHe0zEHBpw/s1600/2019-09-25+13-27-21.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgylqBFQwWIIU6261vEx9cEdsCPkVBlfTInhxUAZr2jv7Pn4HMhOkSy9D9zHkUgtU4_ywaNRyVh2B2NO1lJ0cxA6u3hM5AD34Zyy-yr8aXBdBZ5Fk95Yl05_HptoDQN8z9CCHe0zEHBpw/s640/2019-09-25+13-27-21.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEmT9mWHs0NOLn1gb6NAOPjMOapqDbqAvQUL5UBa4Ju1p3j49Qb8dYixvZn2HYlRsbD9FxGi9l0RRNL3I7LqZSC79jEvlHUI9ivYBOJ5utyC28BwYWZQXHZv0WLgpnx3GNQwt3m-Sb_A/s1600/2019-09-25+13-27-30.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEmT9mWHs0NOLn1gb6NAOPjMOapqDbqAvQUL5UBa4Ju1p3j49Qb8dYixvZn2HYlRsbD9FxGi9l0RRNL3I7LqZSC79jEvlHUI9ivYBOJ5utyC28BwYWZQXHZv0WLgpnx3GNQwt3m-Sb_A/s640/2019-09-25+13-27-30.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzMb44YsOC6YkmzpHl4uOtV4my7hQMWRZTTAY54qee9pAnc_U_h11zq6jZNo-TOgR859kTEqwRWqK0jnevWkyljtC9KB6XAi8YODPnlgIBhHIxV8aK5k5MoF0UPPQmZZncwp7-7P96MQ/s1600/2019-09-25+13-29-47.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzMb44YsOC6YkmzpHl4uOtV4my7hQMWRZTTAY54qee9pAnc_U_h11zq6jZNo-TOgR859kTEqwRWqK0jnevWkyljtC9KB6XAi8YODPnlgIBhHIxV8aK5k5MoF0UPPQmZZncwp7-7P96MQ/s640/2019-09-25+13-29-47.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_XAL6MysNdH7fINiH-eFwhHaIz09Wts-Kp0y0M0vjHZL7rgRwbM7S00PSGdNAwySIudIS3Xoih4TOjVa-4N7YtBQQDnw5wiQFworQHOXtnKKuSL4PAGKnuHRbyhkYwE4uZMFuJqK5w/s1600/2019-09-25+13-30-36.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_XAL6MysNdH7fINiH-eFwhHaIz09Wts-Kp0y0M0vjHZL7rgRwbM7S00PSGdNAwySIudIS3Xoih4TOjVa-4N7YtBQQDnw5wiQFworQHOXtnKKuSL4PAGKnuHRbyhkYwE4uZMFuJqK5w/s640/2019-09-25+13-30-36.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwpDWHd9wr5uSlIXga0_A2-GpcfJA6R4zD7cZhPQ4gq8ekyttgqaUXflaN3q-PRdrcCYc02X1awm8zjx_rMHE9odK7DiaVzKSnqaTGqBa8AQUZ5Sa2LRImcewLFhrVdPZBin6q0neS3g/s1600/2019-09-25+13-32-20.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwpDWHd9wr5uSlIXga0_A2-GpcfJA6R4zD7cZhPQ4gq8ekyttgqaUXflaN3q-PRdrcCYc02X1awm8zjx_rMHE9odK7DiaVzKSnqaTGqBa8AQUZ5Sa2LRImcewLFhrVdPZBin6q0neS3g/s640/2019-09-25+13-32-20.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK4zPsFaSy6rvVza-VzIhbOJrTNSjl7Jg-9pFIEAykmO5xmTRb9SYepqjhob92lSDqKY5FeinGkO_pPaPj0gAefuO_HgNY7E5oW0QeK_rAKzlVd5-mohtd6npNUOtYzz4uq6AXM1EnXA/s1600/2019-09-25+13-34-50.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK4zPsFaSy6rvVza-VzIhbOJrTNSjl7Jg-9pFIEAykmO5xmTRb9SYepqjhob92lSDqKY5FeinGkO_pPaPj0gAefuO_HgNY7E5oW0QeK_rAKzlVd5-mohtd6npNUOtYzz4uq6AXM1EnXA/s640/2019-09-25+13-34-50.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrQ6n-EY68m-iz6AkbfbpCkeF8CM7xkjMTJHOeTK1mxXRWNDEOVOdnFyvvjgr36_2zBKykI6sEmab_ySYYp3Xlsh9IfNQkA_UW8kNBWmj31SZx48uu4I9MC_JSOz5TcnghHyiH6fnskA/s1600/2019-09-25+13-35-25.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrQ6n-EY68m-iz6AkbfbpCkeF8CM7xkjMTJHOeTK1mxXRWNDEOVOdnFyvvjgr36_2zBKykI6sEmab_ySYYp3Xlsh9IfNQkA_UW8kNBWmj31SZx48uu4I9MC_JSOz5TcnghHyiH6fnskA/s640/2019-09-25+13-35-25.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdMU2Z8RcjeRjA0IbuInu2mt73mmXz8ro5vfYrKsjhhKRtpZhP4DGRqd4-MIRKQRzOvi2WF4N6_Iv3XXPOwU0YeQyPji0a4K6OwHFmEYE9gv0WBhiZcC02fD5CZqZYjgqrSAnWos6E5w/s1600/2019-09-25+13-55-00.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdMU2Z8RcjeRjA0IbuInu2mt73mmXz8ro5vfYrKsjhhKRtpZhP4DGRqd4-MIRKQRzOvi2WF4N6_Iv3XXPOwU0YeQyPji0a4K6OwHFmEYE9gv0WBhiZcC02fD5CZqZYjgqrSAnWos6E5w/s640/2019-09-25+13-55-00.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">After
a brief subway ride and a walk along the river, we were at the Reichstag building with its
recently </span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">added
</span></span>(post-Wall) </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">glass dome. We had hoped to take a tour on previous visits but the
lines were </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">much </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">too
long. Seeing no lines this time we thought we must have won, but we
learned that </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">now they were
using</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> timed tickets, the
tickets were gone for today, and they were only available at inconvenient times
tomorrow. So, next time we’re in Berlin we will get our tickets on
Day One of the visit.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDjCv2IljbsUEx2sKqxV0TqB81Re-R-i9DaT-yen5LH48K_5MmjaCWszDZReSuzBRZJ1CXk3nMy8Gj-z_87kHmg60OH0xFwYtazziLfxaS-sWzcviHYzjHPiHSXYgk5cEUWQazkM9-rQ/s1600/2019-09-25+14-29-52.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDjCv2IljbsUEx2sKqxV0TqB81Re-R-i9DaT-yen5LH48K_5MmjaCWszDZReSuzBRZJ1CXk3nMy8Gj-z_87kHmg60OH0xFwYtazziLfxaS-sWzcviHYzjHPiHSXYgk5cEUWQazkM9-rQ/s640/2019-09-25+14-29-52.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSdaBO7no_xTbLRuMReLnpb8X0w0xIuW3jd322ON5gDiO6mb6Ckbv8NaBMiCW1g_k37mp9e1TvYFjVrsA4rszaWOm1F4oxLJXOS4oHd-Zl9hgAa2K8zlwRBwNA7fe_nylDMaEGZxBSlQ/s1600/2019-09-25+14-43-48.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSdaBO7no_xTbLRuMReLnpb8X0w0xIuW3jd322ON5gDiO6mb6Ckbv8NaBMiCW1g_k37mp9e1TvYFjVrsA4rszaWOm1F4oxLJXOS4oHd-Zl9hgAa2K8zlwRBwNA7fe_nylDMaEGZxBSlQ/s640/2019-09-25+14-43-48.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSSuia01k1jOp5iYH0toTF7wmO-JEtBViRAPomLTWSfzrFX38xTu2JKmBd6yPCoOkqIoe4Emy9FjTMhuuglmammGXsFEY9E3b6h2BQ54d8uYOVYQ3zQ7C_lTs9ui1wdZUzwepL2ZklA/s1600/2019-09-25+15-07-40.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSSuia01k1jOp5iYH0toTF7wmO-JEtBViRAPomLTWSfzrFX38xTu2JKmBd6yPCoOkqIoe4Emy9FjTMhuuglmammGXsFEY9E3b6h2BQ54d8uYOVYQ3zQ7C_lTs9ui1wdZUzwepL2ZklA/s640/2019-09-25+15-07-40.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">n Orangina and a beer</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">, some sketching, a walk to the subway station, and back to our hotel.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZs3Ca7G4EjU90lS_tbSqo-LyKsP2erVuz5uc_9PJLyz0tGGxqQp0J3QDyx1Zbb_FAp0_SDqLHsXU2SZC4vluWiZHo3fXy1vzacdB8ljC9kfVNvkhyphenhyphenJL8okG02kFuUBRAT6qxxkySJw/s1600/2019-09-25+15-20-43.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZs3Ca7G4EjU90lS_tbSqo-LyKsP2erVuz5uc_9PJLyz0tGGxqQp0J3QDyx1Zbb_FAp0_SDqLHsXU2SZC4vluWiZHo3fXy1vzacdB8ljC9kfVNvkhyphenhyphenJL8okG02kFuUBRAT6qxxkySJw/s640/2019-09-25+15-20-43.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6oxLbToZvvejDouigq5Z5I5nt8o8UYotDUo9D5V949Tt0u2Esa4YbkPWvgruPh0u7NWCWaTMTrOrJO5By-jAXxTyKNfgkHQ1iA7gw69fchRpxFSZFZLErrGNU7brgGcRmMcUythEtXw/s1600/2019-09-25+15-26-54.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6oxLbToZvvejDouigq5Z5I5nt8o8UYotDUo9D5V949Tt0u2Esa4YbkPWvgruPh0u7NWCWaTMTrOrJO5By-jAXxTyKNfgkHQ1iA7gw69fchRpxFSZFZLErrGNU7brgGcRmMcUythEtXw/s640/2019-09-25+15-26-54.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNvB4ju3M6xxXsV5Xg6Sa1KBcKRoJzXpChanRs3j3E14WfA1lCPu_ouM-QydsjlA0tKmm53FwasKKPu9pPQcxP06DvU-ZiS6XkpwAAFfItqlEePGkZ3TYYtck1dqwdlpV5UOtNe2WiVw/s1600/2019-09-25+15-27-16.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNvB4ju3M6xxXsV5Xg6Sa1KBcKRoJzXpChanRs3j3E14WfA1lCPu_ouM-QydsjlA0tKmm53FwasKKPu9pPQcxP06DvU-ZiS6XkpwAAFfItqlEePGkZ3TYYtck1dqwdlpV5UOtNe2WiVw/s640/2019-09-25+15-27-16.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Reichstag on the right, and the new Bundestag on the left</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZDIB1L1M_t4OHEM-LALzhcS-2bka4NXF26kf3wjfk87WomPV3F3NC32JhN68llSgHN3gt0b8A36CggHPE5M1N1jJnBxIuUlyYylQwJc5nZGOn_zOq1w7Ap4JU9HtRoqpjzejoFHcsg/s1600/2019-09-25+15-34-30.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZDIB1L1M_t4OHEM-LALzhcS-2bka4NXF26kf3wjfk87WomPV3F3NC32JhN68llSgHN3gt0b8A36CggHPE5M1N1jJnBxIuUlyYylQwJc5nZGOn_zOq1w7Ap4JU9HtRoqpjzejoFHcsg/s640/2019-09-25+15-34-30.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">At the subway station</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Streets in the Bundestag area are named after renowned statesmen. Nearby are two more such streets, named after John Foster Dulles and Yitzhak Rabin.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The day concluded with a very ample dinner at the Black and White Turkish restaurant.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01890761389864972039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7013139564889613927.post-21024639803779717332019-09-26T11:32:00.001-07:002019-09-30T06:33:41.522-07:00Tuesday, September 24<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">
The major event today was Bruce’s visit to the Spy Museum, very
close to where we had been yesterday. We can only handle one museum
per day.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">
The museum offered a very complete view of the business, starting at
biblical times and continuing right up to the present. It addressed a
lot of aspects of things, complete with many real world examples
that had become public knowledge.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKdKCD1hzzdowFUrL9MyTNNAp1nMcDjE6jqL077-nsN715E4gHyb8406BMDbNKAfry7dAq93-DutqhBPCZOKuEFM_GLavTJEKZrqG9EPj2-FaR-iY2Bg2AXcNOs7WxzSrPlH8IYjFcA/s1600/2019-09-24+15-52-21.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKdKCD1hzzdowFUrL9MyTNNAp1nMcDjE6jqL077-nsN715E4gHyb8406BMDbNKAfry7dAq93-DutqhBPCZOKuEFM_GLavTJEKZrqG9EPj2-FaR-iY2Bg2AXcNOs7WxzSrPlH8IYjFcA/s400/2019-09-24+15-52-21.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizzaFKPgFnIwGW-5qVHfQ0l-3B_GOU1rF8MY9qD9yp6_cEXEWbVegbUiT_m7I_H2YovOFjFV-_yvNYOY6abGM6603zd5ZY10eYMQUy_1obLyOC-FIL0gGyYPBGOSyXdEdP1hBp3t_f9Q/s1600/2019-09-24+16-07-38.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizzaFKPgFnIwGW-5qVHfQ0l-3B_GOU1rF8MY9qD9yp6_cEXEWbVegbUiT_m7I_H2YovOFjFV-_yvNYOY6abGM6603zd5ZY10eYMQUy_1obLyOC-FIL0gGyYPBGOSyXdEdP1hBp3t_f9Q/s400/2019-09-24+16-07-38.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0xPXY5TcZludUDCdgGFRwItrHxeZacwaNYScc26x4bVpljfTqwy48U0CD-1uWOV3wmkEHzpaEyOooMd0U7bDMNxOB6YiFUMINTfI-P3Y_T2Nx8pTLr2BjG-OyDsWdSmAdqhCrnTKhTw/s1600/2019-09-24+16-07-42.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0xPXY5TcZludUDCdgGFRwItrHxeZacwaNYScc26x4bVpljfTqwy48U0CD-1uWOV3wmkEHzpaEyOooMd0U7bDMNxOB6YiFUMINTfI-P3Y_T2Nx8pTLr2BjG-OyDsWdSmAdqhCrnTKhTw/s640/2019-09-24+16-07-42.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">An early example of Industrial Espionage, during the Industrial Revolution.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The American textile industry employed similar tactics against the British.</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiurDqG0A9QsFCYDX30lhkYN0J6UBrTWfxbyib2LwdpVtqcB0uIxkFhT2zeKM04FKdY60AlziCCUsb5X72sE2ZBooyik8epZwZf0Ei5YJjg5C0QP-DBGXoJGWl3rwy7eV_4mTguMWIykA/s1600/2019-09-24+16-25-33.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiurDqG0A9QsFCYDX30lhkYN0J6UBrTWfxbyib2LwdpVtqcB0uIxkFhT2zeKM04FKdY60AlziCCUsb5X72sE2ZBooyik8epZwZf0Ei5YJjg5C0QP-DBGXoJGWl3rwy7eV_4mTguMWIykA/s640/2019-09-24+16-25-33.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Exhibit of the famed German Enigma crypto equipment.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">They considered it unbreakable, but our efforts at Bletchley Park proved them wrong.</span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4G3UW421nCXlT0W_t8o8IrigpNfIyNZuMM4931fRDq0UTegNDtq4Hj56spCmqRxmOS_2ZWad3JIvmNZ5bstdB0S36y4MgttZjU_PYG7VbDZWHpYi0H_pZX_c_BxVeD0DMpNfz1hcyAA/s1600/2019-09-24+16-40-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1550" data-original-width="1600" height="620" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4G3UW421nCXlT0W_t8o8IrigpNfIyNZuMM4931fRDq0UTegNDtq4Hj56spCmqRxmOS_2ZWad3JIvmNZ5bstdB0S36y4MgttZjU_PYG7VbDZWHpYi0H_pZX_c_BxVeD0DMpNfz1hcyAA/s640/2019-09-24+16-40-14.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Getting closer to contemporary times</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Ix9EZCnIOAciMowzQuenyunt2biVXSLM3FzdJRwrSJcrF2FVm9gjBqRGFHaUwSvFQWP4fCZHJ_IPehfeYeCcwql7QiOkWe8AN3P7VtBAHCxYLUxKNukKojxiPVCfSvWgAbf9hk5bmA/s1600/2019-09-24+16-48-14.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Ix9EZCnIOAciMowzQuenyunt2biVXSLM3FzdJRwrSJcrF2FVm9gjBqRGFHaUwSvFQWP4fCZHJ_IPehfeYeCcwql7QiOkWe8AN3P7VtBAHCxYLUxKNukKojxiPVCfSvWgAbf9hk5bmA/s640/2019-09-24+16-48-14.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Model of spy swap at the Glieneke Bridge</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Probably Francis Gary Powers for Rudolf Abel,</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">as seen in the movie <i>Bridge of Spies</i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHqpT9GNrejhyphenhyphenr6AdN4lGco-8vuPL1FpXNMuAq1a5Ttafjq0B8CBy6jeaTWEpdtjfbJr5zKpB1Khy7quStGBZ0rYJUo6E6plBjl91f1FDC1-qbDqIuNDoP5TyDzAJLzCcvXPMYbVXskA/s1600/2019-09-24+17-00-00.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHqpT9GNrejhyphenhyphenr6AdN4lGco-8vuPL1FpXNMuAq1a5Ttafjq0B8CBy6jeaTWEpdtjfbJr5zKpB1Khy7quStGBZ0rYJUo6E6plBjl91f1FDC1-qbDqIuNDoP5TyDzAJLzCcvXPMYbVXskA/s640/2019-09-24+17-00-00.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Young kid modeling his spy disguise.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There was another kid running around in a giant Afro wig.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I chose not to photograph him, in case he might some day enter politics and find his career ruined if the photo ever surfaced.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuaag_7M2WyH37Clieznyg6rTuykiB1GOy8HaWatTo7DfxLBXZdcwZKG3SugvV1T2lU3NEHZ4qwVXPbG5pRZao87e9xB5rXCEM-nrDp1wxLZPC-7wpR-8abKDrEP3RfUMurkAmZ0EO5w/s1600/2019-09-24+17-17-00.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuaag_7M2WyH37Clieznyg6rTuykiB1GOy8HaWatTo7DfxLBXZdcwZKG3SugvV1T2lU3NEHZ4qwVXPbG5pRZao87e9xB5rXCEM-nrDp1wxLZPC-7wpR-8abKDrEP3RfUMurkAmZ0EO5w/s640/2019-09-24+17-17-00.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Poster in the gift shop</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNPy1q70OmV55r6QwJiYAm5EES3hsdo8F-ATJMyaUsYwKc8oJ7DVCdXzKshjgvNgJ2gdlKeR7310I_j_TZlyTS5I8Qq9xjJhoHj1pS7Ib44NV1VGuaLDx6gyOrWk569ghQxil5jQphqA/s1600/2019-09-24+18-22-06.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNPy1q70OmV55r6QwJiYAm5EES3hsdo8F-ATJMyaUsYwKc8oJ7DVCdXzKshjgvNgJ2gdlKeR7310I_j_TZlyTS5I8Qq9xjJhoHj1pS7Ib44NV1VGuaLDx6gyOrWk569ghQxil5jQphqA/s640/2019-09-24+18-22-06.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My souvenirs of the visit</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I didn<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">’t need the clues to punch out my name <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">in Morse Code.</span></span> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01890761389864972039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7013139564889613927.post-50763954271581262822019-09-26T11:32:00.000-07:002019-12-24T15:01:06.933-08:00Monday, September 23<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Monday has dawned, the stores are
open (very tight laws about that in Germany), and it’s time to make
good on the promise to return to the Caran d’Ache store. We had a
very pleasant conversation with the woman on duty, learned a lot
about the history of the company, and exchanged greetings with the
proprietor, who did indeed remember us from the other night. And we
left suitably enriched with more </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">of
their</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> world class art
supplies.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjeCXgVV6CsCSgP0onqCFy0ziEmtkN-UgG8VIuRFLpFJzoegHoREOyrTjSFcUAJreSJ3cqW8D3Q-_2sQ0h1agtz783V6cBo1Japt-w37-Dg6_w0WwqkNTsgnDC8PC5BGrnGLRDGSU2Fw/s1600/2019-09-23+11-39-05.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjeCXgVV6CsCSgP0onqCFy0ziEmtkN-UgG8VIuRFLpFJzoegHoREOyrTjSFcUAJreSJ3cqW8D3Q-_2sQ0h1agtz783V6cBo1Japt-w37-Dg6_w0WwqkNTsgnDC8PC5BGrnGLRDGSU2Fw/s400/2019-09-23+11-39-05.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Kid in a candy shop</span></div>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">
Our next stop was the Berlin Wall Museum at Checkpoint Charlie. It’s
a place we have been visiting ever since Bruce’s early business trips
here. It started out quite small, as the Wall was still up and all it could commemorate was escapes that had received so much
publicity that there was no concern about accidentally releasing
escape secrets or endangering family members still on the other side. Once the Wall came
down, that restriction pretty much went away. The place got much
larger, and it told lots more stories.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">
What we saw on this trip was way much larger than anything before. It
went farther back into the history of postwar German partition, and into much
greater detail about specific escapes and other situations.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">
We are still amused at the memory from our 2000 visit of a young
British boy asking his mother, “Who was Charlie, and what did he
do?” Nope, there wasn’t a Charlie, nor have they invented one as
a mascot. It was simply the letter C in the military phonetic
alphabet. Checkpoint Alpha was at the East-West Zone Border in Helmstedt on the official Allied land route to Berlin,
Checkpoint Bravo was where the highway from Alpha entered West
Berlin, and Checkpoint Charlie was the third in the series, one of the few official crossing points between West Berlin and East Berlin.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">On our 2013 <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">trip<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> we were advised by two local <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">‘experts<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">’ that the museum was not worth going to<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">. We respectfully disagree, though <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">timing</span> did prevent our visiting it on that trip.</span></span></span></span></span></span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The name Checkpoint Charlie is with us forever. It’s even been enshrined in the name of the local subway stop.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmyMG-XyNGEHKKkQkI_EGLHalZMvLVPf1yj9EFKtZrXclDLIpXh1w8vCrVt51hLrbsHeq9Q3I_L0a_ZFVrjDNsDMtwLj4AY79MUV97RlgraW3I1L91KpT-1jyn1-Xc6XQhi9J-fLCLDg/s1600/2019-09-23+14-11-28.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmyMG-XyNGEHKKkQkI_EGLHalZMvLVPf1yj9EFKtZrXclDLIpXh1w8vCrVt51hLrbsHeq9Q3I_L0a_ZFVrjDNsDMtwLj4AY79MUV97RlgraW3I1L91KpT-1jyn1-Xc6XQhi9J-fLCLDg/s640/2019-09-23+14-11-28.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQqoXXsaMnanuoB52zM53dvUDmeTC7PROSzbnyt4qwED-VXF2WPYzeaPRQUblnoBn-1leQKWQX72FmI9IqlBy7kCD6xvKsnqpDveAh6-szI8PosoFc0W_0nQ9XD2vV3g_BmbsuIqlWbQ/s1600/2019-09-23+14-10-50.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQqoXXsaMnanuoB52zM53dvUDmeTC7PROSzbnyt4qwED-VXF2WPYzeaPRQUblnoBn-1leQKWQX72FmI9IqlBy7kCD6xvKsnqpDveAh6-szI8PosoFc0W_0nQ9XD2vV3g_BmbsuIqlWbQ/s640/2019-09-23+14-10-50.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Care packages arriving from the US</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A big linguistic problem - <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Some </span>of the boxes were <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">labeled with the word<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">s like <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">‘</span>Gift from the people of the United States<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">’. Unfortunately <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">‘gi<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">ft<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">’ means <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">‘poison<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">’ in German.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqtKGGUk8ngmierxJc_bTnAkrIY9wD4arYOeLoLcc9sTxBblwDjPWRsgfpgxTZ7-zNHES05IFMQRZVgrl9kr3GPPOjRKUdLKVkdda5lWxqKCyjRaA-W0WK_owiNVsrwBjif7V6ABt78Q/s1600/2019-09-23+14-25-05.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqtKGGUk8ngmierxJc_bTnAkrIY9wD4arYOeLoLcc9sTxBblwDjPWRsgfpgxTZ7-zNHES05IFMQRZVgrl9kr3GPPOjRKUdLKVkdda5lWxqKCyjRaA-W0WK_owiNVsrwBjif7V6ABt78Q/s640/2019-09-23+14-25-05.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Documentation of deaths in Soviet prison camps</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Many efforts are underway to validate this information and locate relatives.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIe_LpQfCHpUfQuvFkjKl8InKVzOPP1IfQvN_Xxi-fU-yNM49yWoJI-vw5wPaEAuZuCLkej_gck8E0kur0ErQNJKHa4kmYipCTY5pB7x4iuEYvw1GwZlzK2UIaBFzfFqgszzDl0DQMFA/s1600/2019-09-23+14-26-59.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIe_LpQfCHpUfQuvFkjKl8InKVzOPP1IfQvN_Xxi-fU-yNM49yWoJI-vw5wPaEAuZuCLkej_gck8E0kur0ErQNJKHa4kmYipCTY5pB7x4iuEYvw1GwZlzK2UIaBFzfFqgszzDl0DQMFA/s640/2019-09-23+14-26-59.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Children’s art, based on a famous photo</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQSZVQbkdxh1sVUp4fo2SqWXfmEembD_ctOjq4nUxBXPN1dxvdHt3LPhzWhekXLYQxPwh3UrBy_kzqtglGBVnRBhIRjg6JOtHA4Bm34jW84k7lczO0PA2qFFzkEt0E8VyIJD5zeL-KZg/s1600/2019-09-23+14-46-30.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQSZVQbkdxh1sVUp4fo2SqWXfmEembD_ctOjq4nUxBXPN1dxvdHt3LPhzWhekXLYQxPwh3UrBy_kzqtglGBVnRBhIRjg6JOtHA4Bm34jW84k7lczO0PA2qFFzkEt0E8VyIJD5zeL-KZg/s640/2019-09-23+14-46-30.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJ6ktKcfkvWW6EF35aYoJIbY5dvkGZ_wFMH2V1iwf0J3pkTVcIMTd8Uc2t3FX0uI_ubcLsbg3UomfS8RakYZjzrl4YPmIRKRjQRRoJgb0MtqXCaN9pL_clkILT2itG54a4JlKvOzBNQ/s1600/2019-09-23+14-46-24.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJ6ktKcfkvWW6EF35aYoJIbY5dvkGZ_wFMH2V1iwf0J3pkTVcIMTd8Uc2t3FX0uI_ubcLsbg3UomfS8RakYZjzrl4YPmIRKRjQRRoJgb0MtqXCaN9pL_clkILT2itG54a4JlKvOzBNQ/s640/2019-09-23+14-46-24.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKJdnHxDnlhp3zUAlgyln2eKhqX5Bn1Cwf69_PvrrRdBwLmLp_3OrJsVRgGk8LfP2MilWoKsjze8hHPB-1s-VSgeR84I1a3xQkpYh0AHVQMgFu6sfaToePbsSo9Yh9CKEmmRWj26WcoA/s1600/2019-09-23+14-46-46.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKJdnHxDnlhp3zUAlgyln2eKhqX5Bn1Cwf69_PvrrRdBwLmLp_3OrJsVRgGk8LfP2MilWoKsjze8hHPB-1s-VSgeR84I1a3xQkpYh0AHVQMgFu6sfaToePbsSo9Yh9CKEmmRWj26WcoA/s640/2019-09-23+14-46-46.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Escape in two suitcases</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRWf9yH5uphNjsIZjHvTcbEigh-yArAN4mFhf0R-B7L30LbKwkg1dDSo2Y7obwFPeNpMv7TnkGUofj4bYcOXqqY7zjWmlRrFBvTv1_hjRC91cJ_lXHK3HROWng_Wt1eImgeaNgpu2IPw/s1600/2019-09-23+15-08-17.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRWf9yH5uphNjsIZjHvTcbEigh-yArAN4mFhf0R-B7L30LbKwkg1dDSo2Y7obwFPeNpMv7TnkGUofj4bYcOXqqY7zjWmlRrFBvTv1_hjRC91cJ_lXHK3HROWng_Wt1eImgeaNgpu2IPw/s640/2019-09-23+15-08-17.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3x0ebmExaNI4wdG18gffDGtG88HZm-mF7FTZii_apiAaA27NX_JZ3GuOlY99Hd9XfzkjOWz81Uw53HU2Yy4HgyXrT3PDem6nmxQDHwEk0ZGJfP5oNB_mAwuLNjzjYZ3plW-85mlxrJw/s1600/2019-09-23+15-08-26.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3x0ebmExaNI4wdG18gffDGtG88HZm-mF7FTZii_apiAaA27NX_JZ3GuOlY99Hd9XfzkjOWz81Uw53HU2Yy4HgyXrT3PDem6nmxQDHwEk0ZGJfP5oNB_mAwuLNjzjYZ3plW-85mlxrJw/s640/2019-09-23+15-08-26.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Escape in a home made airplane</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">No, <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Sue Anne wasn<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">’t sitting on the plane. She was in a regular se<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">at in the next room<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">.</span></span></span></span> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1opwO4edktLmXnZOExXJaRZeZ6PtrICElzA2ry0mYor7bs1odd4T9fkrdj6vg44dsxCH9O8I0Pjcgbc28JDptmbd82JLudpqvt2M4hwKhBgTugw1wLK_7wpxHsmizIbMtWeZYbD7eA/s1600/2019-09-23+14-44-32.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1opwO4edktLmXnZOExXJaRZeZ6PtrICElzA2ry0mYor7bs1odd4T9fkrdj6vg44dsxCH9O8I0Pjcgbc28JDptmbd82JLudpqvt2M4hwKhBgTugw1wLK_7wpxHsmizIbMtWeZYbD7eA/s640/2019-09-23+14-44-32.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Escape in a model cow </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8HHWXnH1x-AHKhmsqzDpYzXreAL0xObo_-4zqG0LCoaRodedukcq2fUdOygVmSHjhd2jnFqpO_Kk-qBVineZuMCQsG69f5enao5_KKz0y_Vj8kIBBHM4M53ShFGZc_s3AEoZdgycCww/s1600/2019-09-23+15-35-30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8HHWXnH1x-AHKhmsqzDpYzXreAL0xObo_-4zqG0LCoaRodedukcq2fUdOygVmSHjhd2jnFqpO_Kk-qBVineZuMCQsG69f5enao5_KKz0y_Vj8kIBBHM4M53ShFGZc_s3AEoZdgycCww/s640/2019-09-23+15-35-30.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The famed Russian-born cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, by then Music Director of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, DC and stripped of his Soviet citizenship, flew in to Berlin when the Wall came down and presented his own tribute of Bach compositions to the occasion. You can read about it (and watch a video with sound) at <a href="https://www.wqxr.org/story/berliners-celebrated-freedom-rostropovich-played-bach/" target="_blank">this link</a>.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The event has also been remembered in a statue at the museum, shown above with an adjacent <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">photo </span>of the performance and the opportunity to listen with the headphones. Plus some background photos of the unforgettable scene.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">
Then it was time to head back to our hotel, stopping for more curry wurst along the way, and taking note of the bilingual spelling
on the Canadian Embassy.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSH6JlC7VnnuZqiQVsJnSytRg6HsT7crPiNzjem02jJRstOBxZC_ZsTvFQvOLTziaZIDfaZfsUB138BmBLshIlX61gBuzBkUglO8aUR8kDs5KNCATiuQv4nHh9reueCThLNZqQl5oi_w/s1600/2019-09-23+17-23-01+%25282%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSH6JlC7VnnuZqiQVsJnSytRg6HsT7crPiNzjem02jJRstOBxZC_ZsTvFQvOLTziaZIDfaZfsUB138BmBLshIlX61gBuzBkUglO8aUR8kDs5KNCATiuQv4nHh9reueCThLNZqQl5oi_w/s640/2019-09-23+17-23-01+%25282%2529.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<br />Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01890761389864972039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7013139564889613927.post-52068435212645008232019-09-26T11:31:00.002-07:002019-09-30T06:30:10.109-07:00Sunday, September 22<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This was kind of a quiet day for us. We stayed pretty close to our
neighborhood, Sue Anne did some more drawings, and we happily spent
some time at the Miro restaurant which has become our local. Small,
friendly, tables out on the sidewalk, and a fun menu. The only
pictures we took were of our food, and we’ve vowed not to put too
much of that sort of thing up here on our blog.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">
Here are a few representative samples of Sue </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Anne’s</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> Sunday art endeavors. There will surely be more when we
get home and scan and organize it all.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtzoZStUMz0xWWnjv7Ff-RlIAnHiprqfFlpx1aIz0ge3EL4DdAoLExVsmav4dTTjGj2VR6pL7ad9kN71ryPxyI_Y8ZtHUfsmS35K_ruyOht7FH55pfGPtyeKB938wGDOSFj1Xfzay1sA/s1600/2019-09-26+19-26-27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="935" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtzoZStUMz0xWWnjv7Ff-RlIAnHiprqfFlpx1aIz0ge3EL4DdAoLExVsmav4dTTjGj2VR6pL7ad9kN71ryPxyI_Y8ZtHUfsmS35K_ruyOht7FH55pfGPtyeKB938wGDOSFj1Xfzay1sA/s640/2019-09-26+19-26-27.jpg" width="372" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL1TTDbX8ml0VxVAg7wPCe_Erjwu3J7-GoiuuEOQosQmXzVsB5NwraFBKGGd9aFSffnYWYgTlPvnXKDbSmwJ-qz80fBPmuwfvtDmxhFMDRlHaas6ItmZgnrOxFRKX74n-Lqt_V1UD2vQ/s1600/2019-09-26+19-26-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1060" data-original-width="1600" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL1TTDbX8ml0VxVAg7wPCe_Erjwu3J7-GoiuuEOQosQmXzVsB5NwraFBKGGd9aFSffnYWYgTlPvnXKDbSmwJ-qz80fBPmuwfvtDmxhFMDRlHaas6ItmZgnrOxFRKX74n-Lqt_V1UD2vQ/s640/2019-09-26+19-26-01.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01890761389864972039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7013139564889613927.post-73913029213401356342019-09-26T04:02:00.002-07:002020-01-26T16:47:00.412-08:00Saturday, September 21<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Today we extended our reach into the former East Berlin, which is well on
its way to becoming the true heart of the city again. Here are a some views
of Alexanderplatz and vicinity.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivA4JB4nHHAaWK7BISvRRPlAKBE_rhY_E7TcBtDHJi7TxIjbS4n0C76ZTkc9c38_7KrExnPg9W6N_De0dJmNADeQj-Dbdy_-kTmZ6cVBhsQ0ivs5lMkJVN13LOsq1Q-9WhS0TVEHwPvw/s1600/2019-09-21+12-11-32.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivA4JB4nHHAaWK7BISvRRPlAKBE_rhY_E7TcBtDHJi7TxIjbS4n0C76ZTkc9c38_7KrExnPg9W6N_De0dJmNADeQj-Dbdy_-kTmZ6cVBhsQ0ivs5lMkJVN13LOsq1Q-9WhS0TVEHwPvw/s400/2019-09-21+12-11-32.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Double Decker Carousel!</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1LyoLaNQ1HdbqIrIPiQqsbr2F7Mg_ztCtKWPo5Kxs7SYSQT4Jz27pUZcobKvmixQL6jtgjJd3RjDmyRvk8jtqnZ74kYbKc7pCpraISfKWRKp-CiTZcJ0_t49MUs3VOgUyNp5oqKCpyA/s1600/2019-09-21+12-11-59.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1LyoLaNQ1HdbqIrIPiQqsbr2F7Mg_ztCtKWPo5Kxs7SYSQT4Jz27pUZcobKvmixQL6jtgjJd3RjDmyRvk8jtqnZ74kYbKc7pCpraISfKWRKp-CiTZcJ0_t49MUs3VOgUyNp5oqKCpyA/s400/2019-09-21+12-11-59.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Biergarten, of course!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw9XmjEWWW2_fGZZwy5eeTRJxisJUDGmrU5E4rCNY4zT1P3qjMlNE3sZRi3po4Ep7v-JU2KUIS3jgaW2Eb_EA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Video in the Alexanderplatz area, culminating with a view of the Fernsehturm (TV Tower).</span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The atheistic Communist regime was quite embarrassed when they discovered that the sun’s reflection on the rotating restaurant at the top frequently created the image of a cross. It’s not too well defined in this view, but usually quite obvious when seen from afar. They tried all sorts of ways to eliminate it, but to no avail.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Thus <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">the tower </span>achieved its nickname, The Pope’s Revenge.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuFm0wSiEkSiO0R9DqTPiBOWeGsnJMtfAXRxcp_iTqSU0dx7fhdpN9SEs6aYvUWu_XodHH7OsuZH4Pg8yV1mSi1Kpzl4PR8A0ZQWoIias1WRNpoPWZGzwdprellfJBKc4NhjEFLblCSw/s1600/Trabi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuFm0wSiEkSiO0R9DqTPiBOWeGsnJMtfAXRxcp_iTqSU0dx7fhdpN9SEs6aYvUWu_XodHH7OsuZH4Pg8yV1mSi1Kpzl4PR8A0ZQWoIias1WRNpoPWZGzwdprellfJBKc4NhjEFLblCSw/s640/Trabi.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Trabant (“Trabi”) was the people’s vehicle of East Germany. Many of them have survived, been restored, and made available for rental.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">
Then to the major objective of the day, the DDR Museum.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">DDR =
Deutsche Demokratische Republik = German Democratic Republic = East
Germany. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But first, we had to stop for a surprise discovery, a crêpe
stand. It brought us right back to many enjoyable stops at a similar
establishment in Dijon during Sue Anne’s junior year in France. But they had only one grilling surface, so the crêpes came out serially.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">
Then to the museum. It had three major themes describing life in the
Soviet-controlled East (1945-1989):</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">
- There were lots of opportunities offered for training and
education, but you really had to prove yourself as a true believer in
the system to advance your position in society.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">
- Everything was in extremely short supply. Whatever East German
industry was able to produce was first offered to the international
marketplace to keep the economy moving, and the locals were lucky to get a piece of whatever
might be left.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">
- Everyone was being watched. Neighbors were encouraged to tell on
each other.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">
We had heard stories from American friends of trips to East Berlin
where they tried to order off the menu at restaurants, only to be
told that the people at that table over there had just consumed the
last of that particular offering, but we would be happy to offer (some minimal
item) as a substitute. Or similarly, they would spot something in the ubiquitous,
elegant display cases out on the sidewalk, inquire in the store, and
be told that the last item in stock was just walking out the door,
but there would be more next week.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">
But there was one apparent high spot in East German life. The museum
had reconstructed a copy of the standard tower block apartment, and
it was really spacious and quite pleasantly appointed. Of course, you
might not have been able to acquire enough food to really put that
nice kitchen to productive use.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMLu-iMLEG2dzSCq0UKTFlhpkrmYx4EQtfZ97peX1spb6u4JeAoIGNH30JTCWp8zYhZtDUdvcDRmxRaMS8rpzuuGtL62-tr3YZB2mk8h-SFWfmEsk0khi06_B1KOfbSbQ7w6bVi2F5vg/s1600/2019-09-21+13-33-35.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMLu-iMLEG2dzSCq0UKTFlhpkrmYx4EQtfZ97peX1spb6u4JeAoIGNH30JTCWp8zYhZtDUdvcDRmxRaMS8rpzuuGtL62-tr3YZB2mk8h-SFWfmEsk0khi06_B1KOfbSbQ7w6bVi2F5vg/s640/2019-09-21+13-33-35.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">University lecture hall, almost totally filled with true believers.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Scale of the ‘people’? About an inch.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPd8BAs8lv0XW7gRy7e53DD2F7JftPMCDuWzmVf-Hpz6qzG2ynbmG2kGwY1gX8pjoVHrgYgaJfA1ECWmLfqQlhpdFZc12X9PBkHv3IDPnKVX2lbtfSBpYRPcCbUEP41qKliCYxZ7Nq6g/s1600/2019-09-21+13-37-10.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPd8BAs8lv0XW7gRy7e53DD2F7JftPMCDuWzmVf-Hpz6qzG2ynbmG2kGwY1gX8pjoVHrgYgaJfA1ECWmLfqQlhpdFZc12X9PBkHv3IDPnKVX2lbtfSBpYRPcCbUEP41qKliCYxZ7Nq6g/s640/2019-09-21+13-37-10.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A favorite joke about the economy of East Germany.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Erich Honecker was the General Secretary of the East German Socialist Unity Party, and essentially the boss of the country.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKHMj0LtGA4JtMjSeQUCo-gkg6MajvnuG-NCuUqh0GpQUKQ9cRHYHlm1t3VaIc6CTI99PR3qWI3YPMMYN0Pyf9JJyEPC8js7kStOHZwT-ALQiW8jj_WSpZKX_6NkyiqeXPz8YL8N1kg/s1600/2019-09-21+13-39-18.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKHMj0LtGA4JtMjSeQUCo-gkg6MajvnuG-NCuUqh0GpQUKQ9cRHYHlm1t3VaIc6CTI99PR3qWI3YPMMYN0Pyf9JJyEPC8js7kStOHZwT-ALQiW8jj_WSpZKX_6NkyiqeXPz8YL8N1kg/s640/2019-09-21+13-39-18.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The diary itself was on exhibit.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzVFGvKdlpCx39oIuO4qWh84JA8b-XxtdFw2LliTuYzZxoa8xgoyhZ3d9RGu9OZuOtJdKQp9pk2bQFURNBhrNnCLxVPo8yQetwDBiH-Qg0aMpWtwOXqz8rt0aJwUrNCSUU6x-kdvBzw/s1600/2019-09-21+13-59-13.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzVFGvKdlpCx39oIuO4qWh84JA8b-XxtdFw2LliTuYzZxoa8xgoyhZ3d9RGu9OZuOtJdKQp9pk2bQFURNBhrNnCLxVPo8yQetwDBiH-Qg0aMpWtwOXqz8rt0aJwUrNCSUU6x-kdvBzw/s640/2019-09-21+13-59-13.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9i4EwRmcmd8RGFQ2N1RRfTTdr7CK0RQPxJWv3ybxbwuU9M_XTQxCTBqB7MCM56h7sSGwc8gI3OxriW1DlQcsOVoZ1tsf9ccmn04_La_DJhg1lAOKk2mS-BJkfRioHP9cm5QcZAuk3vg/s1600/2019-09-21+14-01-45.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9i4EwRmcmd8RGFQ2N1RRfTTdr7CK0RQPxJWv3ybxbwuU9M_XTQxCTBqB7MCM56h7sSGwc8gI3OxriW1DlQcsOVoZ1tsf9ccmn04_La_DJhg1lAOKk2mS-BJkfRioHP9cm5QcZAuk3vg/s640/2019-09-21+14-01-45.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The uplifting part of the exhibit was this re-created tower block apartment.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Quite pleasant.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfwigi7lLSfPpnD0aqUEa9hhEO6tb0TcF8xduNG2WzUhtqgsUvTSAEUM2G2bdKMYcT8l_zhtkPTCBja6CaFt9nz5UM-AbG8zGuxmEni6wRv9Is23DrVm8NZ7Q6xb_E0Huekyf1Eh2LVA/s1600/2019-09-21+14-06-45.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfwigi7lLSfPpnD0aqUEa9hhEO6tb0TcF8xduNG2WzUhtqgsUvTSAEUM2G2bdKMYcT8l_zhtkPTCBja6CaFt9nz5UM-AbG8zGuxmEni6wRv9Is23DrVm8NZ7Q6xb_E0Huekyf1Eh2LVA/s640/2019-09-21+14-06-45.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Locally made educational toys in the children’s bedroom.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoydKxzHid0PWU8QrqZZs8gwJ007P938Tpar-fBVuTb3l9_HMn1GafN8AkWKIhM5axPco5TLLgEYdaUOG6saIgIyegTtM6skV_fi8sm8V_vFdOwiv91lv4qEA8mi1ZHZvvi4yTzbQKgA/s1600/2019-09-21+14-08-06.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoydKxzHid0PWU8QrqZZs8gwJ007P938Tpar-fBVuTb3l9_HMn1GafN8AkWKIhM5axPco5TLLgEYdaUOG6saIgIyegTtM6skV_fi8sm8V_vFdOwiv91lv4qEA8mi1ZHZvvi4yTzbQKgA/s640/2019-09-21+14-08-06.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">FM radio installed in one of the cabinets and marked with the frequency of the officially approved stations. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Locally applied stickers show the location of those definitely not approved by the authorities. RIAS at the left is Radio in the American Sector. Others are of similar character.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dTebR_vph-CiUMk3pi0w-XnEz6r9bvzUyyNvxt_snLd4XBrHft7cSTgvmW-ak6t1Y_HTJfn7eq5p9nQz4qis0f1XMuZshJeugkDU_4gxKn41ZW9lqBBVylpgoFSDvUHvp9FaPVc0WA/s1600/Ex-DDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="640" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dTebR_vph-CiUMk3pi0w-XnEz6r9bvzUyyNvxt_snLd4XBrHft7cSTgvmW-ak6t1Y_HTJfn7eq5p9nQz4qis0f1XMuZshJeugkDU_4gxKn41ZW9lqBBVylpgoFSDvUHvp9FaPVc0WA/s320/Ex-DDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This image was going around the Web at the time of the Fall of the Wall. It’s not from the museum.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A few strokes with a paintbrush joyfully transformed an East German automobile’s nationality plaque into one from Germany.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Then it was a bit more local wandering, and then back to our hotel via the well integrated and quite
reasonably priced local transit system of subways, elevated trains, and
buses. The new Hauptbahnhof (main railroad station) is a gigantic,
multi-story, shopping mall sort of place that brings all of those
together, along with the national rail system.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwD6f5DquXVAuOZtO0zHjnfNvgBaUcK70QpqJkYwDg0nxjVuNAK3YyUWpBCKJYmSsbEHxx1rs7BPKwVCVVCPA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Statues that come to life when a donation is added to the bowls.</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR-C5Sksu15rlyRisBT7OkXR3h5doLHq0yW4NvNJKI6QpzougFHAwNgV95f9_n8JoiYxkaXDLnwZtMuHfDaxxNkiOQLZtoRpWL9Mz0wA7AUudt6L00-JDcRGwbjhp3NQ_qMlDeZWlqxA/s1600/2019-09-21+15-40-50.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR-C5Sksu15rlyRisBT7OkXR3h5doLHq0yW4NvNJKI6QpzougFHAwNgV95f9_n8JoiYxkaXDLnwZtMuHfDaxxNkiOQLZtoRpWL9Mz0wA7AUudt6L00-JDcRGwbjhp3NQ_qMlDeZWlqxA/s640/2019-09-21+15-40-50.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Sounds fascinating, but we won’t be here then.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigIQEe-RYFAV6tEiFpk4WB60hhbUhP0Qnz7vWlz3EKNJ_fIXKVcTssOyLmejJecKN8YH7hZpP63r79T0HCbQ_-KoNB1N4pd1KVJhbIMc9SJQEiykuDEasxBhb9NCgqAOiEypmV1HKMkg/s1600/2019-09-21+15-42-09.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigIQEe-RYFAV6tEiFpk4WB60hhbUhP0Qnz7vWlz3EKNJ_fIXKVcTssOyLmejJecKN8YH7hZpP63r79T0HCbQ_-KoNB1N4pd1KVJhbIMc9SJQEiykuDEasxBhb9NCgqAOiEypmV1HKMkg/s640/2019-09-21+15-42-09.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Berlin was home to lots of very important historical figures.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqEfV7NTP4IdOcadRE9KgY5BPJuctWSjBlTqQD02UaCgDue75cqvgLUQysPRAcKC6i_V7LE9ap8dUkEpZtLQnRpxNrLzfpFDouqjMUPXnT81XAeigmb5VG7GNXsyfWC6YscNZ_d4-NvQ/s1600/Brandenburg+Gate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqEfV7NTP4IdOcadRE9KgY5BPJuctWSjBlTqQD02UaCgDue75cqvgLUQysPRAcKC6i_V7LE9ap8dUkEpZtLQnRpxNrLzfpFDouqjMUPXnT81XAeigmb5VG7GNXsyfWC6YscNZ_d4-NvQ/s640/Brandenburg+Gate.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A view of the Brandenburg Gate as the sun is getting lower in the sky</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Note - When you can see the horses’ faces, you’re in the former East.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The West had the rear view.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNCVr3-RgObeZKu6670OeHgTUyOwEDWZ6yfz7qOu23dqSoRV2WBjWcy6fUlT77PAy2sKo6cKEOaC6YpapYQzy3issdvswZ_wwCBDBzD6lFw1ICJRDCWbCfEG2XMSZ90Lu6426zVuz0gg/s1600/2019-09-21+16-49-43.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNCVr3-RgObeZKu6670OeHgTUyOwEDWZ6yfz7qOu23dqSoRV2WBjWcy6fUlT77PAy2sKo6cKEOaC6YpapYQzy3issdvswZ_wwCBDBzD6lFw1ICJRDCWbCfEG2XMSZ90Lu6426zVuz0gg/s640/2019-09-21+16-49-43.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Our favorite Ritter chocolate bars were strongly featured in the advertising at the Hauptbahnhof.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8p_vpO5gJO4rOVXCa576Pd9Rx1q2k1cGMhXzKICb929Cln6Yta3oKgOXSX1xB5PkYx6reMy5gDl1lIhc1sV3HdxkNMdYNtG3pq5gzGLIGcxy4d7CVhQJhLOsbEeOYjxN9LA58aIIMw/s1600/2019-09-21+16-53-39.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8p_vpO5gJO4rOVXCa576Pd9Rx1q2k1cGMhXzKICb929Cln6Yta3oKgOXSX1xB5PkYx6reMy5gDl1lIhc1sV3HdxkNMdYNtG3pq5gzGLIGcxy4d7CVhQJhLOsbEeOYjxN9LA58aIIMw/s640/2019-09-21+16-53-39.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Introducing the latest flavor, Almond Orange</span></div>
<br />Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01890761389864972039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7013139564889613927.post-50252303487935621032019-09-25T13:33:00.001-07:002020-01-26T16:36:52.640-08:00Friday, September 20<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Today we started out into the local environs, heading down the
Ku-Damm to the landmark Kaiser Wilhelm church, partially bombed in WW
II and kept intact as a memorial. Wandered through a really large
open market, checked out a few souvenir places, and then hit one of
the essential stops — KaDeWe (K<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">aufhof des Westens)</span>, the amazingly massive department
store. Largest in Germany, and second only to Harrod’s as largest
in Europe. It seems to get larger and more elegant each time we go
there. Once upon a time, the food department occupied the basement
and one could observe such mundane things as the fish monger skinning
live eels for home consumption. No more! Now it’s up near the top floor and stocked with
delightfully fine food and drink.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I don’t think we’ve ever bought much of anything there. We go for the experience.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Time for some pix, with a bit more commentary.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNEVCndY0AQWJQ7C-UmPe4kFf4Ki8v08sMkcxVpVV0zb5xU3HGWlpQ9tCDNgWundljUh3T7Y_aVf-heSH8TTBdQNGq0HnXkMCmyhoNJckhxVlmmmpz7xutBWlPFDY1ElVsNinoWs1kgQ/s1600/2019-09-20+11-45-55.jpeg.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNEVCndY0AQWJQ7C-UmPe4kFf4Ki8v08sMkcxVpVV0zb5xU3HGWlpQ9tCDNgWundljUh3T7Y_aVf-heSH8TTBdQNGq0HnXkMCmyhoNJckhxVlmmmpz7xutBWlPFDY1ElVsNinoWs1kgQ/s640/2019-09-20+11-45-55.jpeg.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">View down the Ku-Damm</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The little green man is the Ampelmann, the Walk Signal from the traffic lights in the former East Berlin. It has achieved cult status and has become the basis for many souvenir items. You can see the red and the green in the postcard rack, and red on the balloon.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQBKBkGN-6wN41hVUVvDOpzX67am9JBRFpQQOraw77IFbzRsmy1H-GjtLqhK43_n3oenyufBrytAnQK28WGc8ekBG0XqR0MiC23e32yYGhC-6zeSzXCTy1MpMPYvcHefOHoZ7g5XaZA/s1600/Ampelfrau.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="314" data-original-width="600" height="104" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQBKBkGN-6wN41hVUVvDOpzX67am9JBRFpQQOraw77IFbzRsmy1H-GjtLqhK43_n3oenyufBrytAnQK28WGc8ekBG0XqR0MiC23e32yYGhC-6zeSzXCTy1MpMPYvcHefOHoZ7g5XaZA/s200/Ampelfrau.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There is also a recently introduced Ampel<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">m<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">ä</span>dchen</span>.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH-fIgR2uR9pw_z6yz8fAAnTYji_ko2lpVw9rrzpcac6SBNfEjXoNqTQXnBoXJ1inU3Zw3QpR89E7sYVEM6edTklp2ceG0t88TZJrV5fDgPGsZ9nVT1oOiETEUuIJVq5-HHXlafF0MpQ/s1600/2019-09-20+12-10-03.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH-fIgR2uR9pw_z6yz8fAAnTYji_ko2lpVw9rrzpcac6SBNfEjXoNqTQXnBoXJ1inU3Zw3QpR89E7sYVEM6edTklp2ceG0t88TZJrV5fDgPGsZ9nVT1oOiETEUuIJVq5-HHXlafF0MpQ/s640/2019-09-20+12-10-03.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRPeqGpeRzLwPbPkl8aKLe6W2Zt-Vne_R5OPemcm607a4WLd03wqoe0PoPQd2Ixu4lKQJOYnG5yg4QAnM4uqvQC8z23XxXuhFc6PcIRQxzGSZoH_L_T0IcIYLQXLtvRMVkVdB-R9iyPQ/s1600/2019-09-20+12-12-14.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRPeqGpeRzLwPbPkl8aKLe6W2Zt-Vne_R5OPemcm607a4WLd03wqoe0PoPQd2Ixu4lKQJOYnG5yg4QAnM4uqvQC8z23XxXuhFc6PcIRQxzGSZoH_L_T0IcIYLQXLtvRMVkVdB-R9iyPQ/s640/2019-09-20+12-12-14.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Market scenes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A Euro is worth about $1.10 US.</span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-8R2zEf7-TDYyo1kxdZhG9OePfSFcTolCMLB9kftxagQF8XMY8K4X3mueXt7d8oPLFsabvI3VIJjPTr94BxvJT80Q23jyg2MXBGjrpiQmsZa1SiOLIpEodzHrd-Rxdo2AipKpEHQYdQ/s1600/2019-09-20+12-03-09.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-8R2zEf7-TDYyo1kxdZhG9OePfSFcTolCMLB9kftxagQF8XMY8K4X3mueXt7d8oPLFsabvI3VIJjPTr94BxvJT80Q23jyg2MXBGjrpiQmsZa1SiOLIpEodzHrd-Rxdo2AipKpEHQYdQ/s640/2019-09-20+12-03-09.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Kaufhaus des Westens - KaDeWe</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGYhRANV5cFP8UXmm3KuK90r4khG8Wz00Y02KmmoV3jCSCBse2KRDyWXrME2FXbQq2d5FgQbCtqP02UnVD5uhMFYgzS69R6RoER6EkuUIHjlhwBocoa3agQff2CmftZCCe3E9_CWrG2g/s1600/2019-09-20+12-51-55.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGYhRANV5cFP8UXmm3KuK90r4khG8Wz00Y02KmmoV3jCSCBse2KRDyWXrME2FXbQq2d5FgQbCtqP02UnVD5uhMFYgzS69R6RoER6EkuUIHjlhwBocoa3agQff2CmftZCCe3E9_CWrG2g/s640/2019-09-20+12-51-55.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A small part of the pastry display at KaDeWe</span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">
Then it was lunch time. It included the first of what will become
quite a few classic Berlin curry wursts by the end of our trip.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyPiscp123q0T1Lhi9tMto0yrnjrD_F3s8mI_SiHdpKQUv_2wOiXZLCMYVN3S9Q-0bVZz8SeFWhqiYM_p7lYzrztPphfdTDg8R0RFGkRaYP2-DvJVJpTfhi6YpcZ0qpA5mga3RplF2-Q/s1600/2019-09-20+12-17-34.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyPiscp123q0T1Lhi9tMto0yrnjrD_F3s8mI_SiHdpKQUv_2wOiXZLCMYVN3S9Q-0bVZz8SeFWhqiYM_p7lYzrztPphfdTDg8R0RFGkRaYP2-DvJVJpTfhi6YpcZ0qpA5mga3RplF2-Q/s640/2019-09-20+12-17-34.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Next we walked down Lietzenburgerstraße, where we lived in the
summer of 1972. Our hotel was still there, though operating under a
different name and a different paint job. No more sidewalk eating and drinking establishment out front, open
till the wee hours, and no more fascinating Sperlingsgasse, a
semi-underground warren of small, funky, eating and drinking spots.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY1phvKU-l4H4Xqdv3zveUFtNzQzbSHmyOSRVs4fdnWw5oj_3MbGM5D6ErMPqYUIjIIHdULLJzESqcA8VOd7swHHF4Xome5vWBe5Ldh2O9ukOjZuMAB1FKARvihUIR7mbZxMsB6fUfTg/s1600/2019-09-20+13-58-09.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY1phvKU-l4H4Xqdv3zveUFtNzQzbSHmyOSRVs4fdnWw5oj_3MbGM5D6ErMPqYUIjIIHdULLJzESqcA8VOd7swHHF4Xome5vWBe5Ldh2O9ukOjZuMAB1FKARvihUIR7mbZxMsB6fUfTg/s640/2019-09-20+13-58-09.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The former Hotel Aviv</span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">
A trip around the rest of the block introduced us to the local Edeka
supermarket, which features a delightful takeout bakery and the
world’s freshest herb department, grown right there in your sight.
The final leg around the block exposed a major construction project,
which had totally removed a big piece of the building on that side.
That was once the home of the amazing Story of Berlin, which was
featured in the blogs of our two previous trips. We understand that
it has relocated close to the heart of the city, but we probably
won’t get there on this trip. We hope it’s as good as the one we remember.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoR4yI2nDxdl7QozDZGwhqTzVKlwMQB8FWoEiVNiM48dW_hPEpxynleHm5I1yOfKtqPAwee4v-GE-WKG1mWbX1CcmfGhdp1SoSKVTfKY4xFGFlFHw4GjBQO5BJGdm2RIt-0WH-7xCB9g/s1600/2019-09-20+14-05-24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoR4yI2nDxdl7QozDZGwhqTzVKlwMQB8FWoEiVNiM48dW_hPEpxynleHm5I1yOfKtqPAwee4v-GE-WKG1mWbX1CcmfGhdp1SoSKVTfKY4xFGFlFHw4GjBQO5BJGdm2RIt-0WH-7xCB9g/s640/2019-09-20+14-05-24.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Herbs are grown in the lighted compartment, and then potted and set out for sale on the shelf in front.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_dBfgjtzt15al3-u3ILZEkhKTFZ4sXsMT5cFLDewmlojJJtL9Kc7WSkWpKtsLoAdbzjt8l4rVWhvZkTqBoIzWcc7Wpid4bPZxhIjq65iLBkEu0Jv7DDzwOL_Ni_s0Y4n4yTcyHZyxRw/s1600/2019-09-20+14-07-14.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_dBfgjtzt15al3-u3ILZEkhKTFZ4sXsMT5cFLDewmlojJJtL9Kc7WSkWpKtsLoAdbzjt8l4rVWhvZkTqBoIzWcc7Wpid4bPZxhIjq65iLBkEu0Jv7DDzwOL_Ni_s0Y4n4yTcyHZyxRw/s640/2019-09-20+14-07-14.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Yesterday’s baked products at bargain prices</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">
We wrapped up the day with an evening stroll around the neighborhood,
and stumbled across an artist’s heaven — one of the four stores
in the world operated by Sue Anne’s super favorite maker of artist
products, Caran d’Ache. They are an essential part of her toolkit,
and they feature strongly in the art classes that she teaches. The
proprietor was just closing down for the day but graciously offered
to stay open for us. We thanked him for the kindness, but
respectfully declined and promised that we would be back. (We kept
the promise, and he recognized us.)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB-55mdJ25eJbBKUbSCdLPQ038j0l68cWz9XdMS8A26hf7GYjRt6cLDlJoq2yD_UCoMqdf8pHzYJuLPLIMz7gbIRwqHC488e0PqQU1xu2vKZKsSBmy0-mjpMRMeOWExjhyphenhyphenYS-6bnX_6A/s1600/2019-09-20+19-03-23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1180" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB-55mdJ25eJbBKUbSCdLPQ038j0l68cWz9XdMS8A26hf7GYjRt6cLDlJoq2yD_UCoMqdf8pHzYJuLPLIMz7gbIRwqHC488e0PqQU1xu2vKZKsSBmy0-mjpMRMeOWExjhyphenhyphenYS-6bnX_6A/s640/2019-09-20+19-03-23.jpg" width="472" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQgklnNon68CgjXkl5zAm1lM5IncXwD13HaNdNNF0zQ4vfkHFH89xVzvbgQo298ExFpd3BgL_8pzxSDjRKx4I50Fqrse4iyvlRvnh-xo1-zLtQxwAgTrKIcYNrw98OrKt_n6yh2XSVA/s1600/2019-09-20+19-09-34.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQgklnNon68CgjXkl5zAm1lM5IncXwD13HaNdNNF0zQ4vfkHFH89xVzvbgQo298ExFpd3BgL_8pzxSDjRKx4I50Fqrse4iyvlRvnh-xo1-zLtQxwAgTrKIcYNrw98OrKt_n6yh2XSVA/s640/2019-09-20+19-09-34.jpeg" width="480" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We passed this temptation on the way back to the hotel. Had to resist it.</span></div>
<br />
<br />Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01890761389864972039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7013139564889613927.post-52586746312930758932019-09-23T10:05:00.001-07:002019-10-12T20:47:13.891-07:00Thursday, September 19<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">
Dawn appeared shortly before our arrival in Frankfurt.</span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEislvjjshC3qRPncHXggQ6cXxiq8FtNPkr6_6EjhpWp4k-CVMeDefeQDLgOJjZ6hHR4JrQse__rTOrd88zRdxNjc6eVXgajFLDJuB9xPl_DW2oM9X7aNtdP3puBlWvup_tIhi4l_Q9D-w/s1600/2019-09-19+00-55-33.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEislvjjshC3qRPncHXggQ6cXxiq8FtNPkr6_6EjhpWp4k-CVMeDefeQDLgOJjZ6hHR4JrQse__rTOrd88zRdxNjc6eVXgajFLDJuB9xPl_DW2oM9X7aNtdP3puBlWvup_tIhi4l_Q9D-w/s640/2019-09-19+00-55-33.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">An
easy layover, and we were on our way to Berlin. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We
arrived at Tegel Airport in the northern part of Berlin in the early
afternoon. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Tempelhof Airport
in the former American Sector, famed for its role in the Berlin
Airlift of the Cold War, </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">had
</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">ceased operations a while
ago, and its future role is still <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">a </span>matter of local debate. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Tegel
was new to us<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">, </span>so i</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">t took a
bit of </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">inquiry once we
arrived</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">. <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">W</span>e were happy
to learn that there was </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">direct
</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">bus service to within a half
block of our hotel, and at a very reasonable price since it was just part of Berlin<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">’<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">s widesp<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">read and fully int<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">egrated transit system and not something special</span></span></span></span>. We just had to
</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">listen and watch </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">close</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">ly</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">to be sure we got off </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">the
bus </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">at the right stop. We
did.</span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Sue
Anne had discovered o</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">u</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">r
hotel online, and we have been very happy with it. It’s located in
an amazingly quiet neighborhood, just barely north of the Ku-Damm. It
is dedicated to the artwork of the surrealist Belgian painter René Magritte,
and adorned throughout and on its façade with marvelous Trompe
l’Oeil paintings </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">in his
style</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">. And the price is
reasonable. </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">It’s very
close to the hotel where we spent the summer of 1972, though quite a
few things have changed </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">in
the neighborhood</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-xV3WfkTdgcazaNMlP45k_S_7Pg-B8tfIYWe3rO6wPJP9hmou1M45JAQXgvHIHSFLVHEy4878nhOk2P6W6n1DdqZIJxBboY07pPawuD2Vd0NQT8hdgesNoEloqg39JxoxIhvPdY1IdQ/s1600/2019-09-19+18-36-28.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-xV3WfkTdgcazaNMlP45k_S_7Pg-B8tfIYWe3rO6wPJP9hmou1M45JAQXgvHIHSFLVHEy4878nhOk2P6W6n1DdqZIJxBboY07pPawuD2Vd0NQT8hdgesNoEloqg39JxoxIhvPdY1IdQ/s640/2019-09-19+18-36-28.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Hommage
à Magritte, Grolman </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">S</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">traße
</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">32</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">,
Berlin - </span><a href="http://hommage-a-magritte.com/" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">http://hommage-a-magritte.com</a></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyFlhifHkgyu1_VUOEaJ1QgwJEI-L4Zc-EarLVjn_pFmsX_EH2BNnkXdO8-LPzLNL_8m5pSnEdUJ2rPNEWyqkuilyBKWPyH7nIRRqtp9oKMDrcmyP_Tv6eFUn_l3_tJWCDpc0cL3QTZg/s1600/2019-09-23+11-18-49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyFlhifHkgyu1_VUOEaJ1QgwJEI-L4Zc-EarLVjn_pFmsX_EH2BNnkXdO8-LPzLNL_8m5pSnEdUJ2rPNEWyqkuilyBKWPyH7nIRRqtp9oKMDrcmyP_Tv6eFUn_l3_tJWCDpc0cL3QTZg/s640/2019-09-23+11-18-49.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJaGdEIfR3De0anrLCDdquji7wbNbSaa1v2ZBvSM0iaEliwqbZ4ra8d0XGJXDgbfHiGudAsfmU6rSeJcsFSSF_DiJZW-hNmxSodfiRw2dE7hAAWjbOrOn8LtB2rxukx7V2abLuIgpvMg/s1600/2019-09-23+11-16-34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJaGdEIfR3De0anrLCDdquji7wbNbSaa1v2ZBvSM0iaEliwqbZ4ra8d0XGJXDgbfHiGudAsfmU6rSeJcsFSSF_DiJZW-hNmxSodfiRw2dE7hAAWjbOrOn8LtB2rxukx7V2abLuIgpvMg/s640/2019-09-23+11-16-34.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Views of the classic entry way</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">A
bit of wandering around the neighborhood to get our bearings, and
then some exploration of Savignyplatz, </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">a
small park nearby</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">. We had
been there briefly on a previous visit, remembering the bookstore
built in to the arches of the elevated railroad. Now there seemed to
be even more booksellers, together with Italian restaurants and shoe
stores </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">on the surrounding
streets</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">. We opted for a
classic German meal on our first night in town, though we do expect
to sample </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">the </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">diverse
</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">ethnic</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
offerings as our trip progresses. We already have our eyes on the
pizza at a Turkish restaurant nearby.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">So
a</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">fter 360 </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">degree
</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">reconnaissance of </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">the
environs of </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Savigny Platz,
we </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">chose </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">to
have the first meal o</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">f</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
our return to Berlin </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">on the
sidewalk</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> at a very classic,
very crowded (inside) establishment known as the Dicke Wirtin. Which
translates to Fat Landlady, </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">lovingly
dedicated to its original oper</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">ator
who was a great friend of </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">artists,
authors, actors, and students at the nearby art academy, decades
ago. </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Many student-led plots
against the Wall were said to have originated there. </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Over
Bier, we assume.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3r1A_raZbl2iH7clg_jYlt6MiUyJEeGNwUAx1z0kyFOFB473pmYdjuYrW8NMsjxKrgblca4msJ2zUXN5bEO8wfGcFw1PZ0qIk_QfvFdkYcgrpVlCWPf3hzqrWLKinKyAmS3HoquPf6g/s1600/2019-09-19+19-11-59.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3r1A_raZbl2iH7clg_jYlt6MiUyJEeGNwUAx1z0kyFOFB473pmYdjuYrW8NMsjxKrgblca4msJ2zUXN5bEO8wfGcFw1PZ0qIk_QfvFdkYcgrpVlCWPf3hzqrWLKinKyAmS3HoquPf6g/s640/2019-09-19+19-11-59.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Dicke
Wirtin, Carmer Straße 9, Berlin </span><a href="https://dicke-wirtin.de/en/"><span style="font-weight: normal;">https://dicke-wirtin.de/en</span></a></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy68BGEkI6bigU8pz1tHpOWekQBoMI8rQzFw7bgsl9Ov945smWATWLN3FgbwvOCj7Xsq1QURIgdhBYKujTI5UNMqKLz1FSge9EZWvnRp12SAxgFA_J1ylyeUxaFaUM4buewF5mksfnYQ/s1600/2019-09-19+19-08-54.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy68BGEkI6bigU8pz1tHpOWekQBoMI8rQzFw7bgsl9Ov945smWATWLN3FgbwvOCj7Xsq1QURIgdhBYKujTI5UNMqKLz1FSge9EZWvnRp12SAxgFA_J1ylyeUxaFaUM4buewF5mksfnYQ/s640/2019-09-19+19-08-54.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguK7sTGy9Mkp1JwQwgLw-fwtOuZXCnV6P5PFfC_78Oqf0D0tSjoU3jJQtqGdcg2I0C82O2qfdZrWVZiHrQ2cHlUIbe_E7yu14EZ4kVKUF2M5pc2bMIKwIGiPu1l-7_8HNWsq2ulaDToQ/s1600/2019-09-19+19-20-17.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguK7sTGy9Mkp1JwQwgLw-fwtOuZXCnV6P5PFfC_78Oqf0D0tSjoU3jJQtqGdcg2I0C82O2qfdZrWVZiHrQ2cHlUIbe_E7yu14EZ4kVKUF2M5pc2bMIKwIGiPu1l-7_8HNWsq2ulaDToQ/s640/2019-09-19+19-20-17.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizbEmkuLUoPvCSQRTo9rS1PtIR_EZqxAknI0tvBxkDHvUUgs1GYsJLoXwpA-7rcNkkCvIzbt9e-66fU_0M9wPBBzN0a1RSya-s3FdUHnaSzsHSnxpFeJ3DjKiV7ryy17fLkDDeKkG25A/s1600/2019-09-19+19-20-21.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizbEmkuLUoPvCSQRTo9rS1PtIR_EZqxAknI0tvBxkDHvUUgs1GYsJLoXwpA-7rcNkkCvIzbt9e-66fU_0M9wPBBzN0a1RSya-s3FdUHnaSzsHSnxpFeJ3DjKiV7ryy17fLkDDeKkG25A/s640/2019-09-19+19-20-21.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We were overwhelmed by the size of Sue Anne’s Schnitzel. By normal standards we would call it a Triple. Despite assistance from Bruce, we did not qualify for the Clean Plate Club at this meal.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">Yes, we know. This isn’t Facebook. We won’t regale you with
pictures of every one of our meals. Just a few. Honest.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
</div>
<br />Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01890761389864972039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7013139564889613927.post-47283574014569599862019-09-23T01:06:00.001-07:002019-09-30T06:03:22.228-07:00Wednesday, September 18<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Our typical choice for a departure
airport is either Boston, Massachusetts or Manchester, New Hampshire.
Decision factors revolve around parking, hassle, flight availability,
schedule, </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">cost, </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">and
the like. This time we opted to leave from nearby Manchester. The
available schedules afforded long layovers in Washington, DC and
Frankfurt, Germany, <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">and</span> that was fine with us because w</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">e</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">
had been awfully busy in the days leading up to our flight and
welcomed the opportunity to rest a bit and not have to run to catch
the next flight. We had been at Dulles Airport in DC a week earlier and understood the hassle associated with getting from one terminal to another there, and we didn’t want to chance it this time.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So,
we were off to the Queen City at 0600. An easy flight to Dulles, a long and restful layover there,
an overnight flight to Frankfurt, and that marks the end of our
adventures on September 1</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">8</span><sup style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">.</span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<br />Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01890761389864972039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7013139564889613927.post-4702910785915428922019-09-23T01:01:00.001-07:002022-12-13T08:16:07.813-08:00Welcome<br />
<div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">
Welcome to the blog of Sue Anne and Bruce’s 2019 trip to Berlin. We
are trying to revitalize our tradition of blogging on our major
outings, an undertaking that we had neglectfully abandoned in the age
of Facebook. Posting pictures and brief commentary there is fun, and
we’ll still do a bit of that for this trip, but after a day or two
they just descend into oblivion. But our blogs (as listed over
in the sidebar to the <span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">right</span>) are forever. We (and perhaps some of our readers) do
indeed enjoy going back to them and reliving our memories.</span></div>
<div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">OK, on to Berlin. It
has long been a special place to both of us. After graduating from MIT, Bruce spent 3
years of Active Duty with the Army, mostly in Germany. He was never stationed
in Berlin and only got to go there once, but it was indeed a
major focus of why we all were in Germany at the time. He did chip
off a tiny piece of The Wall and mail it back to his then fiancée
Sue Anne.</span></div>
<div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">After the Army came
grad school, and then Bruce’s 29 year civilian career with the
Department of Defense. His first assignment there involved leading a team
that was developing software for a set of equipment destined for
an Air Force site in Berlin. After two years in
development, <span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">h</span>e headed over that way to install and test it, and turn
it over to the Air Force for operation. Sue Anne joined Bruce there,
and we spent the summer of 1972 living in a hotel just off of the
fabled Kurfürstendamm (“Ku-Damm”), the vibrant Main Street of
what was then West Berlin. Sue Anne’s junior year in France
experience stood her in good stead for living in a European city and
for undertaking a number of independent adventures prior to Bruce’s
arrival. The memories are still with us.</span></div>
<div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Our next Berlin
adventure came in in 1981, in a 2-week Army Reserve tour while we were
living in England on a job assignment. We drove to the Channel, took
a ferry to Belgium, and then drove to the East-West border at Helmstedt, finally
boarding the guarded daily Military Duty Train for the trip across a
piece of East Germany (otherwise off limits) till we got to West
Berlin. That’s how it was back then. By post-war agreement, each of
the four Occupying Powers (US, UK, France, and USSR) was entitled to
operate its own official daily train through the occupied territory
of <span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">the others. </span>The whole trip was indeed a first time experience for
our young daughters Karin and Sarah.</span></div>
<div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Next came a few
years of a dream assignment for Bruce in his civilian job, leading
the development of a number of electronic systems destined for use in
Berlin and elsewhere. This led to many trips over there, and a boast
that he could pack for two weeks in Berlin in just one evening.</span></div>
<div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Then came the Fall
of the Wall on November 9, 1989. (The 30<sup>th</sup> anniversary is
soon approaching. Yes, Berlin is gearing up for it. It will be big!)
This event brought together the entire purpose of Bruce’s two
parallel and interlocked careers, Civilian and Military. The memory
of the happiness on all those faces will be with us forever. Bruce
still replays pieces of Leonard Bernstein’s memorable <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IInG5nY_wrU&t=3678s" target="_blank">Freedom Concert</a> on YouTube and marvels at how Bernstein pulled it all
together in just a month and a half. Before the days <span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">when everybody had </span>email! He su<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">re must have had quite a Rolodex.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Life got kind of
busy for us after that, and it was 2000 before we had the next
opportunity for any major international outings. The first one was back to to
Germany, <span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">our first </span>after the <span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Fall of the Wall</span>. The word blog hadn’t yet been invented, but the
Internet and the Web had arrived, along with sufficiently portable
electronics. So we wrote our online ‘diary’ and published it at
Internet cafés along the way on an early service called Tripod,
which appears to still be with us. (Yes, we have saved a copy, just
in case.) You can find a link to the diary in the sidebar on the right of
this page. The trip started in Frankfurt, ran up along the former
East-West border to the Baltic coast at Lubeck, and then headed east
to Berlin. Crossing the border for the first time was a very
emotional experience, as was walking through the Brandenburg Gate
once we had arrived in Berlin. The trip concluded with a drive
through parts of the former East including the delightful city of
Meißen (“My' sn”), and ultimately back to Frankfurt for the flight
home.</span></div>
<div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">The confusing Eszett
symbol ß is the final leftover from old German script. It <span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">i</span>s pronounced as “ss”. So Straße
is pronounced “Schtrass' uh”. German doesn’t like the silent E! Or the silent K. Or anything silent. If it’s there, pronounce it! The Eszett was just recently abolished from official legal usage, but
it still persists and probably will forever, out of tradition. It gained notoriety in
the <i>National Lampoon’s European Vacation</i> movie of 1985,
where Chevy Chase pronounces Straße as “Strabe” in the scene
where they arrive at the wrong house.</span></div>
<div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">It was 13 years and
a number of other foreign trips </span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">later</span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"> </span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">(China, Italy, UK) that we got
back to Germany, this time with Sue Anne’s sister Aimée and her
husband Steve. Sue Anne and Bruce were the ones with Germany
experience, and Aimée and Steve led the way when we got to Poland
and the Czech Republic. We did indeed blog on each of those trips,
and you can find the links over to the right side of this blog.</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">We
have enjoyed looking back on the records of both of our post-Wall Berlin
adventures for compare/contrast with what we expect to experience on this
one.</span></div>
<div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">OK, that’s it for
history. On with the show. Our trip to Berlin begins in the early morning of the next post
on the blog. But first let’s get in the mood. Join a crowd of happy Berliners at the closing of a concert at the Waldb<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">ühne outdoor <span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">amphitheater</span>, </span>featuring the beloved musical treat, <i>Berliner Luft</i> by Paul Lincke, joyfully conducted by James Levine. A five minute adventure.</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Click the picture to attend the concert.</span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXoY2l8vWxQ" target="_blank"> <img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="832" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzVNvMnEM7e8uIG-JL7Hm2SvWSvi7aiOVKVONw0w1TJm6__3-0dRE8OrTFZ1ZyW7I1_96zs5K8Tj5lbh2bBV0YWzs6Ag24TlEhiybO-jtPzaWMzp_r21p8J2whvXESwFkdB6XVFyD1xQ/s640/Berliner+Luft.jpg" width="640" /> </a>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><br />
</span></div>
<br />Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01890761389864972039noreply@blogger.com0