Hey there Peoples,
Having been exposed to Berlin for a couple of days now, I can tell you with confidence that this is the kind of place that has something for everyone. The amount of renovation and fixing up that has gone on here is simply phenomenal and it's not exactly hard to see that people here have not been shy about spending money to brush away most signs of the recent past. I had the pleasure of taking a 9 hour walking tour through Berlin yesterday which went through every little detail of WW II and the cold war when Berlin was divided into 4 different regions. If ever you were curious about how the Nazis gained their power or how and from where they managed to orchestrate everything with such deadly efficiency, then Berlin is the place you want to be. The stories, the places and even the general aura of certain buildings like the SS headquarters sent shivers down my spine after the tour guide gave us vivid and detailed descriptions of exactly what went on there. It really hits home when you see some of the memorials for people who were killed trying to cross the wall with dates not yet twenty years old.
Anyways, thatīs enough depressing talk for one posting. Besides all that history Berlin has museums, operas, theatres, a philharmonic orchestra and a night life to rival almost any other city in Europe. I havenīt had a lot of time here, but so far what Iīve seen and done has left me with nothing but the warm fuzzy feeling of satisfaction to comfort me. I even had the pleasure of eating at a restaurant attached to a cooking school today, so the prices were phenomenal and were I the teacher I would have to give these guys an A+ for their efforts to make my meal tasty. I'm still planning on checking out a couple of museums and then I'll be catching the night train to Paris so that I can catch up to Brian in Ireland in a couple of days. I'll let you peoples know how I make out in Frenchy land and then, if I can remember how to use a computer or what a computer even is, I'll be able to talk all about those famous Irish pubs.
Until then, take it easy,
Markus
Posted by Markus at July 21, 2003 02:44 PM