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What is not to like about Germany? This is the third time that Rich and I have traveled to this modern, yet culturally rich country, and it still has so much to offer. In 1992, Rich and I traveled to Bavaria where we enjoyed the bier gartens in Munich and a trip down the Romantic Road as well as a boat trip down the Rhine. In 1997 we spent a weekend in the hopping university town of Heidelberg. This time, we received a fascinating history lesson on the Cold War in the vibrant city of Berlin and were treated like royalty at the home of our friends, Jens and Sabine. BERLIN: August 14 - August 18, 2000
BERLIN: AND THE WALL COMES TUMBLING DOWN Friday, August 18, 2000 Berlin is an absolutely amazing city. Spend a few days here, and you will want to dive into books about WWI, the Third Reich, WWII, the Cold War and Reunification. Since we had neither the time nor the money to spend on literature on these areas, we had to give ourselves a live history lesson. I feel confident that after our whirlwind tour through the city of Berlin, I would pass (albeit barely) an examination on Berlin in the 20th Century. We learned a lot about Berlin from the Lonely Planet guide book on Berlin and our trusty walking tour guide, John, from Berlin Walks. We also learned a lot from riding the local bus 100 and seeing the major sights, looking at the landscape, exploring the neighborhoods and museums and talking to the people. So, what did we learn? We learned that the people of Berlin are very strong. They have been through so much during the past century, yet they take great pride in being a Berliner (like JFK did when he gave his famous speech to the people of West Berlin). The Berliners celebrate their city on November 9th of each year because that day has marked significant events in their history. It was on this day in 1919 that the Kaiser advocated the throne and the Republic was born. It was also on this day in 1989 that the Berlin Wall that was thrown up by the Communist East German government in 1961 came tumbling down. I remember studying for my first year law school exams and reading in the paper that the Berlin Wall had fallen. I was too busy worrying about exams to really find out how this happened so suddenly. It actually happened by accident. On November 9, 1989, an East German government official gave a speech to a crowd of unhappy citizens who were demanding more freedom. He announced that it would soon be possible for East Germans to travel into West Germany with little formality. One journalist raised his hand and asked when this would take place. The official conferred with his staff and then surprisingly announced, "Immediately". The crowd went mad. Within a short time, a mob was crowding at the checkpoint and demanding to be allowed to go into West Berlin. The soldiers were confused as they had not been notified about this drastic change in procedure. Unable to control the crowds, they had no choice but to allow the people to go pouring into West Germany. For the next 48 hours Berliners from the East and West rejoiced by dancing on the wall and carving pieces from the concrete monstrosity that separated families, friends and fellow Berliners from each other for decades. We visited areas of the wall that were still standing. We also walked through areas which were referred to as the "Death Zone". The third generation of the Wall actually became the "Walls". Instead of the one Wall separating East from West, the East Germans built one inner wall and one outer wall. The area between the two walls was called the "Death Zone" because soldiers were ordered to shoot and kill anyone who tried to escape through these walls into West Germany. Many lost their lives as they tried to escape to freedom. Many were creative and lucky enough to succeed with their escape plans. We also learned a lot about the effects of communism. Even though it has been over ten years since the fall of the Wall, it is still very clear to see the differences between the Capitalistic West and the Communist East. The ugly concrete pre-fab buildings in the East and the "in your face" Soviet War Memorials were erected as symbols of the USSR values that were forced upon the East Berlin people that were unlucky enough to live on that side of the city after WWII. Besides immersing ourselves in historical facts, we enjoyed eating the delicious food and talking with the friendly people in Berlin. While we loved the local dishes, especially the dumplings, our favorite meal came from a Thai restaurant called, Fish and Vegetables where we enjoyed healthy portions of Pad Thai for less than $5. We also loved the pension that we stayed in. Bridgite, the owner of the Knesebeck Pension made us feel at home in her cozy little bed and breakfast. The breakfast buffet that she served each morning was very fresh and large. We were in heaven. Berlin also has a very cosmopolitan atmosphere. The international shops, Bauhaus architecture and stylish people all add to the beauty of Berlin. It is now time to say goodbye to Berlin, and I am sad to leave, yet so grateful that I had this opportunity to experience the exciting changes that are taking place in a city that has truly earned its right to be free.
STUTTGART: FINE GERMAN HOSPITALITY IN THE MOTOR CITY Saturday, August 19, 2000 When we were in Egypt, we met some very sweet people from Stuttgart, Germany named Jens and Sabine. They made the mistake of inviting us to visit them if we came to Germany. We really enjoyed their company in Egypt, so we took them up on their offer. We arrived into Stuttgart last evening. It was so nice to see Jens and Sabine waiting for us on the train platform. They welcomed us to the Motor City. Stuttgart is known as the Motor City because it is here that Daimler and Benz developed the automobile at the end of the 1800s. It is also here that Mercedes Benz and Porsche have factories. Jens and Sabine orientated us to the city be taking us to the top of a tower and showing us a birds eye view of the city. Afterwards, they took us to their stylish home and cooked us a great barbeque out on their back patio. Today, we slept in until 10:00 am. Rich and I needed to sleep after several days of heavy sightseeing. After a great breakfast, the four of us went into the heart of Stuttgart and explored the landmarks and parks. We ended the afternoon at the bier garten with some weisswurst (veal sausage), pommes frites (french fries) with mayonnaise and, of course, some large biers (beers). Oh, and I forgot to mention the German salsa band. They were pretty entertaining. Tonight we enjoyed some homemade cake made especially for us by Sabine and a slide presentation presented by Jens. We loved seeing slides from their trip to Egypt and Cuba. Cuba seems like such a colorful and exciting place to visit. However, for now we will enjoy Europe. Our next stop will be Scandinavia. |
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