Berlin: Part Zwei

We have now been in Berlin for almost 5 weeks!  Time really is going by so fast we can barely keep track of it.  Rich is now finished with his one week German course, and I still have one more week.  Learning a new language is sure fun..but hard!  Luckily the teacher was very clear that making mistakes is "ok" because that is how we learn; although I don't think he realized Rich and I were in the class:-).   A t-shirt we saw summed it up: Life is to short to learn German:-).  

We have been exploring this great city almost every day.  Each time we chose another street to walk or area to explore, even more unfolds around us!  The combination of building styles: old German, new German, Stalinist Gothic (in the east), German neo-classical, along with so much green space and open sitting areas- it all seems to work.  The down side- Germany appears to feel the need to fill every space with a building.  Sadly, too many of them are boring steel and glass boxes.  They have the chance to re-build the city, and mostly they make good decisions.  But the bad decisions stand out like sore thumbs.  For instance, the area around Brandenburg Tor is now so cramped, it is claustrophobic with boxy buildings.  Sadly, the American embassy is one of the plainest buildings in the area.

History is all around us in this city.  Sadly, too much of the history is not so good.  We visited Sachsenhausen, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, the DDR museum, and the wall museum.  All excellently detailed and informative; and all bring a tear to your eye.  I am not posting any photos of these sites.  Not because I don't think it is important or that people can't handle it.  I am not posting them because no photo or any of my descriptions can possibly express or convey the information and message each of the sites want to teach us, as humans.  You must experience them yourselves.

Two of the sites here, the Reichstag and Brandenburg Tor, are my favorites in the world.  They represent German history, and are beautiful and exciting to visit- what is better than that:-).

We were so lucky to have Stefan visit us from Switzerland.  All visits are too short, but this was especially short as the time flew in the blink of an eye...but we did alot!  And we missed Ivan.  His evil employer made him work!

Here are some photos that hopefully show why we love this city:

 The BerlinerDom- Cathedral- at night with the TV tower in the background.

The Reichstag is the seat of the German government, and has been since the creation of the German state in the late 1800's.  Hitlers government never sat in this building!  During the years the country was divided, Bonn was the capitol of the West.  Once again, a united Germany occupies the Reichstag!

 Over the front entrance are the words, "Dem Deutschen Volk".   It means so much more than "the German People", the word "volk" means the people and their soul that make them German.

 Side view in the rain

 The cuppola on the roof of the Reighstag

 As part of energy efficiency, the Reichstag uses mirrors to focus light into the chambers.  They are also fun to make faces in:-)

 Another side view of the Reichstag in the evening

 Detail of the corner of the building

 Stefan and I acting like German secret police protecting Angela

 Rich and Stefan in the cupola at night

Selfie on the roof of the Reichstag

The Brandenburg Tor is the last remaining gate into what was imperial Berlin- it is so beautiful!!!

We are staying in the Savignyplatz area of Berlin- here is the little square by the S-Bahn station.  It is surrounded by restaurants and shops.  Totally old-Berlin!

This is Rich with Emma!  We have stayed at this same Pension everytime we have come to Berlin.  It is run by Frau Kolinowski.  Now her daughter Doreen works her too!  And Emma is the third generation operator.  Se is totally cute, all full of personality!

 This is the main train station from across the river Spree.  The station is 5 stories tall!  The Germans re-routed the river for a year to build this station!!!

The city has a German-American Festival:-).  We went for a few hours- nit was quite cute, although there was nothing American about it except American flag table clothes:-).  but they had rides- we went on the Ferris wheel and tilt-a-whirl-on-steroids ride, a beach (sand with beach chairs) with corona's, lots of German food, candy and other edibles.  It was very cute!

 this is the poster, with all our iconic symbols!

 the park from the top of the Ferris wheel

 Rich and Stefan goofing around at the house of horror!

 We went to the modern art museum where a light show was being presented every 15 mintues.  Stefan and I fell asleep during it, but not until we goofed around with the light screens:-)

 Potsdammerplatz at night!

Down time with a beer at the river.  This is the Ampelmann Park!  It includes Ampelmann beer- not so good, but cute as all!

 Selfie at the Berliner Dom

 And a great night out with Stefan and our Camino friend Josh!

Out of order, but this is the view we had while drinking beer by the river in our Ampelmann chairs.  Just beautiful view of the Berliner Dom!

A tribute to Ulla and my Camino friends in Dobeln and Dresden!

     Writing a blog about this all-too-quick weekend has been very difficult.  It was one of the most intensely personal experiences in our life, yet a time that should be shared with everyone!  However, putting it into words has taken many hours of writing and re-writing.  Dobeln is a small town about an hour from Dresden, a place that we had not heard of before.  We actually didn't know that is where we were going, but it was awesome!  

    Before we even started our Adventure, I received an e-mail from my friend Ulla, who I met on the Camino de Santiago last year.  She invited me for the weekend when we were in Germany.  I knew she lived in Dresden, so we took the bus from Berlin to Dresden, a mere 2 1/2 hour ride.  

    We get off the bus, and were greeted by a small horde of smiling people, one waving an American flag, another the Dutch flag, wearing t-shirsts with everyone's name on them!  We were greeted by Camino friends Ulla and her boyfriend Friedrich, Linda and her father Wim, and Ida, Wim's wife and Linda's mother, Gerhardt and his wife Beatrix. Later we would meet up with Yvonne and her boyfriend Ingo.

    Our time with this wonderful group of people, from the greeting at the bus station to our sad departure 3 days later, was magical, unforgettable, wonderful!  The warmth, kindness, friendliness, love, and generosity everyone expressed was so unexpected, but so heartfelt.  We felt absolutely honored that this awesome group of people are in our lives.

    The entire weekend was put together by wonderful Ulla!  She and I shared a very personal experience:-).  One day after walking for many hours on the Camino, I had just completed my shower, and Ulla "accidently" walked in on me (LOL!).  From that moment, we shared a sense of humor and bond!  

    A synopsis of the weekend: a tour of Dresden, then a drive to Dobeln, about 45 minutes away.  Friday evening we had a "bbq" at "the Blue Monday" pension (Zum Blauen Montag) run by Rolf Berndt.  This beautiful old building has been carefully restored by Rolf.  It sits on the river banks of the Mulda river.  If anyone EVER goes to Dobeln, I recommend you stay at the Blue Monday- it really is beautiful!  

     Saturday morning we had a city tour of the town of Dobeln.  We had a personal town tour guide (Irena) who took us through the town hall, cathedral, and around the town.  It was incredible!  It included an interview with the local paper!  We even got our picture in the paper!

    Saturday evening (and into the early hours of Sunday!) we had another bbq at Friedrich's garden home.  He bbq'd the best sausages we have EVER eaten, plus steak, salad, wine, beer, schnapps, and, for Ulla and Rich, vodka from Belarus!  We talked and danced and drank and ate!  It was magical!!!!!

    On Sunday, we went to the local national park and took a boat ride along the lake, and walked around the local castle (Kriebsschloss).  Only in Germany do you have a "local castle!"  I expected 3 crumbling walls, and we were presented with a full-on castle in the midst of a beautiful forest and lake.  And it had a cafe for drinking coffee......and beer (again- this is Germany:-)).   Afterwards, we shared dinner.  Because it was our last day together, we sadly said good-bye to Gerhardt and Beatrix, then Yvonne and Ingo. Monday morning we said good-bye to Linda, Wim, and Ida.  Then good-bye to Ulla and Friedrich at the bus station.

    But, as Yvonne philosophically said, "Good times must end to become beautiful memories of life".  It was hard to say good-bye, and even now, more than a week later, we are in awe of the experience we had with these people.

    Here are some photos I want to share with you.  But they do not convey the deep emotions the entire weekend produced.  Truly, this was a weekend that touched both Rich and I deep into the heart and soul.

 All of us drinking Ice Kaffee in Dresden!

 Yvonne, Wim, Linda, Rich and Ingo 

 In the Dobeln town square Saturday morning.  This is essentially the photo that ended up in the local paper, minus the lady on the far left:-).  Wim, Ulla in her t-shirt!, Ida, Gerhardt, Linda, Friedrich (in back), Yvonne, me, and our town guide Irena.

 All of us on the steps inside the town hall.  Between me and Irena is Beatrix, Gerhardts wife (she is an excellent photographer, so too often she is not int he photos)

 All of us at Friedrich;s garden for the Saturday BBQ.

 Gerhardt, Beatrix, Linda, Wime, Yvonne, me, Friedrich, and Ulla

 The Perigrinos of the Camino: Gerhardt, Wim, me, Linda, Ulla and Yvonne

 Beautiful town view from Ulla's living room!

 All of us on the steps of the Kriebsschloss!

Sad good-byes

Berlin: Part Eine

So here we are in Berlin!  Our goal was to live here for 3 months, take German classes, and live like Berliners.  Well, not quite as we wanted it, but living here for 6 weeks is good!  We got out visas and we are living at our favorite Pension here in Berlin, and will be taking a couple weeks of German language classes.  Here is part one of our stay here in Berlin!  We will be posting photos throughout.  Hope you enjoy them!  This is such and Awesome city!!!

Rich and I on July 8, 2014, approx 12:15- selfie of us with our visas in our passports!

 The Berlin Cathedral from the river!

 My favorite square in the city- Nikoliviertel- this is, of course, St. George slaying the dragon!  Huge statue in the most beautiful setting!

 Rich at the Catedral, from the front

 Rich with Ampelmann!  The green light is in the shape of a man walking, the red light in the shape of a man stopped.  These were used in the East.  After reunification, they started to remove them, but stopped from public outcry.  Now the Ampelmann symbol grows in Germany!  Totally cute!

 Rich with the Berlin Bear.  Allover town, there are bears decorated differently- we have photos of almost all:-)

 A bit out of order, but here is Ampelmann on the street light

 Rich at the Vistory Column

 The shadow of the Victory Column, from the top

 Beautiful Square in Berlin- Gendarmenmarkt.  Totally cute!  Great for listening to music or sitting and having a beer.

 Symbol of the DDR, the TV Tower in Alexanderplatz.

 Me with a piece of the wall

 Rich with the car of the DDR- Trabi.  They are so cute, and used everywhere:-)

 Checkpoint Charlie- the point between the American and Russian Sectors.  Now a tourist attraction (complete with fake American soldiers who charge for a photo:-)).

We, I mean the Germans, won the World Cup against a worthy opponent, Argentina.  We of course reveled in the win!  Here are a few photos for you to enjoy:

Goetze, # 19, after scoring the winning point.  Rich took this photo from the big screen tv we were watching at a restaurant!

 Me with my # 19, Goetze shirt at the party to welcome the team home (Berlin) from Brazil!  We shared this day with about 1 million of our new best friends:-)

 The winning team coming into Berlin thru the Brandenburg Tor, taken from the VERY large screen tv in the park.

 Rich and I with the German flag on our face.  Rich is also wearing the German flag.

Rich waving the German flag on top of the Victory Column after the party was over:-)