Move over Barcelona – Berlin has taken over as my new favourite city.
I’m a history student. I should have seen it coming. Everywhere you look, there’s history. I walked through a park – there’s an old watchtower. I crossed the road – a neat line of bricks indicates where the Wall once stood. I stood in a carpark – and was told that underneath me was Hitler’s bunker.
It was all a bit overwhelming. But the best part of it is that the city’s history is still being created. The city was still in two during my lifetime – the united capital is younger than Amy.
So. Where do I start. Cologne, I suppose – this introduced me to Germany, and Germans. Contrary to everything I’ve heard, Germans (or at least all the ones I’ve come into contact with so far) are the friendliest Europeans so far. Even a beggar asked me (in English) whether I needed directions. Even the language is growing on me.
Cologne was blessed with good weather, excellent infrastructure, yummy inexpensive food and plenty of sights. Even before I visited the famous Cologne Cathedral I checked out the German Sport and Olympic Museum – actually, that’s a lie. I got my hair cut, finally. No more scary hair.
The museum was great – I learnt a heap more there about 20th century history than at the United Nations. They worked in general history with the history of sport effortlessly, as well as focusing on the Olympics of 1936 and 1972 for obvious reasons. It also traced the breakdown of organised sporting competition in the Weimar Republic, the way it was used to further the Nazis’ aims and ideology and the new problems that presented themselves during the Cold War. The only thing that was missing was drugs in sport – I was looking forward to better understanding the formation of the East German swim team. But nothing.
I did check out the cathedral, and the outside was pretty amazing. The inside really looked the same as the long list of cathedrals I’ve visited over the last couple of months, and only later I realised that behind the altar supposedly lies the remains of the Three Wise Men. I had just glanced at the altar and moved on.
So now to Berlin. I got in late yesterday afternoon, put down my bags at my hostel and left again, determined to squeeze as much as possible into my four days here. On my way back to the station I discovered one of the most bizarre things so far on this trip – I still don’t really know what it was, a sort of a cross between the Laverton Market, the Royal Melbourne Show, Luna Park and the Caulder Raceway. Forget about the people working the rides, selling the bratwurst and flogging ten pairs of socks for a euro – the patrons themselves looked like show people. It was truly bizarre.
I made my way then to Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag, the centre of reunified Berlin. The Reichstag was great – the best views since the Eiffel Tower, and the best part was that when standing in the glass dome you looked straight down on the Parliamentary chamber – very fitting.
This morning I went on a walking tour, which gave me goosebumps. Four hours of chocka-block history – I was in heaven. The tour was free, and I’m going to sign up for another one – the only question is, do I want to find out more about ‘Red Berlin’ or ‘Nazi Berlin’? Oh, it’s too difficult!
I spent the evening at the Checkpoint Charlie Museum – and I mean the entire evening. I didn’t know the museum had been there since 1962 – everything was written as if the Wall was still standing. It was fantastic, like being inside ‘Goodbye Lenin’.
Oh yeah, and I am such a tourist (and loser). I bought myself my first souvenir for a while: a piece of the Wall.
Guten tag Caity
I feel so ignorant when I read about your history references…..I feel I have been the inspiration for Johnny Howard and his ‘NO history is taught in schools headlines!!!’ Hope he doesn’t read this or I may be out of a job.
Unfortunately your poor shallow mother can’t even rustle up any German celebrities for you to be on alert for…. mmm Heidi Klum? Boris Becker-is he German? I can however offer some HANDY words for you to use from my 5 years of German 35 years ago…. die Tur(the door) ich bin ein madchen (I am a girl)Setzen sie down bitter? (sit down please)eins,zwei,drie, (1,2,3)
and if they don’t come in handy…. In namen des faters und des sonnes und … (In the name of the father and of the son…) in case you go into another cathedral.I think Sr Ignatious also taught us the HAIL MARY in german so let me know if you need me to really concentrate and recall it!
Maybe I should leave my rusty German there and go back to thinking about German celebrities for you
Auf weidersehn!
Need to add something to MY LIST- read up on European History!
Ahem mother dearest I told you Heidi Klum thanks! And isnt Boris Becker Swedish?? Hmm youve got me thinking now..Claudia Schiffer? Rammstein? Diane Kruger? According to wikipedia, Dad would be pretty set in Germany as their meals consist pretty much of meat with some form of potatoes and gravy – nice n simple eh! I spose you would be getting pretty sick of pizza.. Oh and this trip has been v holy moly – there are so many Cathedrals!
I must say you are TOO CUTE. Buying a piece of the wall. That is so Caitlyn. Hehe.
mmm not alot of shopping going on by the sounds of it, must say I had a bit of a Dame Edna face reading one of your paragraphs, but I’m sure it is all very fascinating if you are a history student. you are so gonna be my phone a friend history /geography / sport person… for the shallow section of your audience, do remain on alert, and I can confirm Boris is German (Amy… Swedish… he has red hair !) he and Steffi used to play together didn’t they. Heidi busy with Seal and the 3 kids at the beach with the dogs in the States, not sure of Claudia’s whereabouts, Michael said David Hasselhoff is German, but when challenged, changed it to “he’s big in Germany” so really, once you have this history stuff out the way, you need to move on somewhere we are more familiar with please. xx
Oh whoopsie! I was thinking of BJORKMAN! Now HE’S Swedish! (Right Cait?)
Heheh your commenters are having their own little conversation here…