Home again...

Jetway

Pardon the tardiness of this post. Yesterday, I flew back to the US, Parent City* to be exact. It was a looooong trip and I had no energy left with which to blog.

The trip itself was fairly uneventful. I flew from Berlin to Frankfurt, then to Philadelphia, then here. My first flight was delayed and security checks for international flights into the US have become more complex since the last time I was out of the country, so I had to make the fastest Duty Free shopping trip ever. It was a required stop, though, as I probably would've had to sleep on the streets if I'd come back without chocolate!

The chocolate and I made it back in one piece and quite tired. Sleep time!


*Euphemism

Berlin 3

There was no Internet at the last hotel, so this update is late.
----------

I need to learn how to pronounce unknown words in German. Last night, I confused a waiter because I ordered a drink in two languages, neither of which was German. (It had the word "Brazil" in the name, so I went for Portuguese...it's really closer to English, on the other end of the pronunciation spectrum.) Tonight, I got a Coke when I said "grog" in English -- no idea how to pronounce it in German. Of course, I can't understand German with an Italian accent to well, so I guess we're even! I'll hit the bar across the (cute little suburban) street for my goodbye Germany drink. It really should be a beer, anyway!

Twenty minutes later...even better than a beer, beer plus banana juice! I'd heard about these beer concoctions, but not seen one made with draft beer. Tada, there's one here! It's actually pretty decent, even.

Fernsehturm (TV Tower) in the rain

So today. Got up, checked out of my sleepingplace, and went out into the rain. I was going to do a lot of wandering outside today, but that idea was put on hold. I got off the S-Bahn at Alexanderplatz and walked to Nicholaiviertel. This is a rebuilt, scenic area of the city. The Nicholaikirche was first built before Berlin had it's city charter and has subsequently been built and rebuilt over the centuries. It moved from Catholic to Lutheran during the Reformation and was packed with history. The church was destroyed during a WWII bombing raid on the city and further damage was done during the final battle for Berlin. It was rebuilt during the 1980s and now serves as a museum. It was also the site of the first assembly of reunited Germany's parliament. The building is set in it's medieval style, painted using fragments found during an archaeological dig before rebuilding. Concerts are held there, as well, and the organ is apparently magnificent. The quarter was also lovely.

Government buildings

On my way to the DDR Museum, I walked by an ad for a river sightseeing trip that was only €5 with my handy city card. I've been wanting to do one of these in all the places I've visited with rivers, so I went for it. The trip was also only an hour and it was even dry(ish) by the time it was over! Nice little cruise, through areas I'd seen and some I didn't have time to visit. The operator said everything in English and German -- not too surprising for Berlin, really.

Still raining

It was time for the DDR Museum after the boat. Interesting place, giving more of a sense of Alltag (daily life), something not seen too much in the other museums I've visited. The fairly small museum is in the midst of expanding. Will be interesting to see what they add.

This is the famous side :)

I went to the Bode-Museum next, the third place I wanted to visit on Museumsinsel. It houses the sculpture collection. Again, an amazing building -- it's not difficult to see why the island is a World Heritage Site. I quite like sculpture, especially the older stuff, so was quite happy with this museum.

Back to get my luggage and head to my new hotel, the first place to actually earn the title of a full hotel instead of a combination hostel/Pension/hotel/etc. The room is by far the nicest, with a larger-than-twin bed, a TV, a minibar, and it's own bathroom with a sit-in shower. Swank! I had followed A.'s advice and booked a hotel with an airport shuttle, since I have to be there at eight tomorrow morning...except this place doesn't have an airport shuttle. Okay, fine, I'm taking a taxi instead. Oh well! The hotel has breakfast starting at 6:30, which is great for my taxi time of quarter to eight.

I both do and don't want to head back. I got a lot done, in terms of research ideas and in terms of language training. I need to do a lot more in the next few weeks, of course, but it's a good start. It will also be nice to be able to speak in complex sentences again.

Berlin, part two

I'm sitting in the wind with a shawl over my head right now -- it got super windy about an hour ago, just in time for me to meet a friend...whose train is late. Oh, my life!

So, blogging to use up the time (out of tea). It's been a busy day, with a timed entrance at the Neues Museum. I was anxious about getting there on time, so ended up arriving over an hour early. Time for breakfast! As mentioned earlier, I've developed a mild fixation on the East German Ampelmann signs. Holy crap, I found an Ampelmann-themed restaurant! The "small" breakfast was more than enough for little me, and also quite good. Plus, Ampelmann on everything!

Neues Museum

Pergamonmuseum

It was finally time to go into the museum. The city card that I have is worth the price just for Museumsinsel, where I get into all of the €10 museums for free. I made it through two today, the Neues Museum and the Pergamonmuseum. Both were great, full of interesting artifacts in well-planned exhibits. The Pergamonmuseum is especially impressive, with its (plundered?) recreations of buildings from Greece, Egypt, and Turkey. It's simply amazing to see how big they are.

Sadly, they had no copies
of this poster for sale

It was halfway through the museum-day by this point, so I decided to put off other Museumsinsel sights until finished with the history museums. They're a big reason for this trip, after all. I went to the Deutsches Historiches Museum, which was also first-rate. In a way, it was more of the same, but it was also unique in a number of ways. The museum seemed to be a bit more even with the historical time-periods, something across which I hadn't yet come. The special exhibit on Deutsche Wiedervereinigung (German Reunification) was pretty neat, as well.

The Berlin museums all have a coat room/lockers that are free of charge for placing your things. They don't want accidental damage to the exhibits and this is quite the smart way around such. My shoulders generally ache from carrying my ladybag for around ten hours a day, so it's been great to have a place to set it for a great portion of that time. Thanks, guys!

After the museums closed at six, I am to meet up with Deutschklasse M. Here I am now!

Later...we ended up at a swanky hotel bar in Alexanderplatz that had free champagne for ladies, a guy playing oldies, and local masseuses who peddled short back and neck massages to the patrons. Normally I would've said no to spending money on a massage when I still have time left on my trip, but boy was it worth it! M. kept accusing me of having "happy massage face." She was probably right.

Late update

My compy isn't connecting to the hotel Internet, even though my phone has no problem. However, that means today's update will be posted later.

To Berlin

Today was a busy day! It started with breakfast at my Leipzig sleepingplace, then packing and hopping an ICE train to Berlin. (I'm going to miss those trains! So nice!) After purchasing a 3-day Welcome Pass and finding my sleepingplace in Berlin, I headed out to see the sights.

Historical

First stop was the Märkisches Museum, which is perhaps a kilometer or so from my sleepingplace. Instead of taking public transit, for which I now have unlimited rides, I decided to walk and see/experience more of the city. This museum focuses on the history of Berlin, from its time as a collection of grass huts through to its founding as a city, usw. It was an interesting place, built specifically to house some of the older artifacts. Then, of course, newer finds were added on top. Nothing too contemporary, but I will get to that in tomorrow's museum plan.

He let a lot of people through

I did take the U-Bahn to my next stop, the Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie. I don't think I've seen so many Americans in one place since my last trip to New York City! It was an interesting place, full of stories of people fleeing the DDR. Very interesting. A bit one-sided, though. And expensive. But, hey, I had a discount on my snazzy city card. Plus, there was a guy standing outside at a checkpoint mock-up! (I heard him speaking with a group of German students...in English, presumably because he was supposed to be American. :) )

From there, I walked to Potsdamer Platz, what is probably the newest neighborhood in the city. It lies on top of where the Mauer stood and has some lovely buildings and pieces of art. The part I walked through was not terribly interesting, though, so I moved on. In retrospect, I probably should've gotten some food there. Oh well!

Purdy!

A bit north is the Brandenburger Tor. Beautiful, and not so covered with tourists as I had thought it would be!

There's some great public art here, as well. I passed a number of examples. I hope to see more tomorrow. Off to bed now, though. I have a date with Queen Nefertiti at 10:30a, so want to be sure that I'm at Museumsinsel and situated well in advance. I only have a half-hour window in which to enter the museum -- it's so popular that they have to stagger entrance!

Leipzig, 2. Tag

This sign is awesome

More DDR history today! I visited the Museum in der Runde Ecke, the Stasi Museum. It's located in the former headquarters and is filled with information on what the Stasi did and how they did it. There were some really neat things in there, such as a disguise kit and a shredding-and-wetting machine for disposing of documents. The mail opening and closing equipment was also quite interesting. On the other side of the building is an additional, temporary exhibit on the Herbst 1989 Friedliche Revolution (Autumn 1989 Peaceful Revolution). It appears that Leipzig was a center for the events that lead to the opening of the Grenze (border) and the reunification of Germany, starting nearly a year before Mauerfall in Berlin.

On a side note, I'm trying to figure out the difference between "Wir sind das Volk" and "Wir sind ein Volk." I've seen both slogans referenced, but only the "das" version in videos and descriptions of Herbst 1989. Perhaps "das" (the) was adjusted to "ein" (one) after Mauerfall and before Reunification? I think a history book is in order to answer this question.

The city crest is on everything here

The former Stasi building also hosts a Schulmuseum (School Museum), which contains mock-ups of classrooms and school materials from the early 20th century, to Nazi times, to the DDR. It appears that they also host groups of children from local schools, as one was there when I visited. (I came back to that section after they left.) It was an interesting look into how similar and different these time periods were in terms of how children were treated. (Remember, how children are treated and how they are taught to become good adults can tell one a lot about a society.)

Adorable check/receipt

I wandered about a bit before stopping at the Arabischen Coffe Baum, a museum in what was long one of the premiere coffee houses in Leipzig. I love coffee, as is common knowledge, so this was a great place for me to visit. The museum gives the history of coffee, starting in Ethiopia (legend has it), moving to the Arab world, and then becoming highly important to the Saxons who, apparently, refused to fight in a battle because they had no coffee. (Aha! I probably [we're not sure from where in Germany the family came] have Saxon blood, so this anecdote is now my excuse for my morning cup.) The fact that Leipzig was the first place to produce porcelain -- and porcelain coffee cups -- apparently didn't hurt the drink's rise in popularity. Of course, I had to stop at the cafe and try one of their special coffee concoctions. I mean, why wouldn't I, really?

Food is down (many) stairs

Finally, after more wandering, I headed to a place I'd seen yesterday for dinner. It appears to be a venue at times, but tonight was just a Kneipe (pub) and Restaurant. Cheap food and cheap beer, nice. It's a neat little place, somewhere I'd frequent if I lived nearby. I sat for a bit after finishing my beer and soaked in the atmosphere. A large group came in a bit later and it was time to head back.

Tomorrow, I head to Berlin, so it's upstairs to pack and then an early night for me!

Leipzig

Frühstück

This morning started with the breakfast buffet at my sleeping place. Unlike the last place, it's included in the price of my room. The breakfast room is also the only place where I can access the internet. (I'm at the same table right now.) I spent an hour or so contentedly sipping away at coffee and tea, nibbling on healthy things instead of pastries, catching up on the Internet, and getting ready for the rest of the day. Not bad!

Heading in

Today was Leipzig history day. I visited the Stadtgeschichtliches Museum, which has been located in the Altes Rathaus since 1905 (when the government moved to the Neues Rathaus). Its exhibits cover the history of Leipzig from the beginnings in the 13th century (if I recall correctly) and up through the 19th century. Leipzig was long a judicial seat, which I found interesting. It also fared reasonably well through the Middle Ages and such because it developed itself as a trade center. The city was populated by craftspeople and merchants, who did fairly well despite widespread pestilence and such. I also learned that the nifty passages I mentioned yesterday were developed to facilitate trade and markets, which is pretty neat. There is also a room devoted to J. S. Bach, who signed his employment contract in one of the Altes Rathaus's main rooms. In good news, I'm getting better at understanding spoken word. However, that's mostly only when it's something slower and controlled, like an announcer or someone reading an info sheet about a famous composer.

Oddly modern building,
considering its surroundings

Perfectly complimenting that museum is the Zeitgeschichtliches Forum (Contemporary History Forum), which takes on history from directly after World War II. It charts the division of Germany into the hands of the four major powers -- United States, Great Britain, France, and Soviet Union -- and how that developed into the East-West division. The story of the development of the DDR was also included, as was the raising of the Berlin (and other) Wall. There was also an area related to life in the DDR, with information on work, obtaining goods, DDR-specific products, and the like. A small area is devoted to the destruction of Leipzig's Universitätkirche (University Church), which was apparently quite the unpopular move, and a larger area to the protests of autumn 1989, which resulted in the opening of the Berlin Wall and, eventually, reunification. The advent of the European Union and the Euro currency were also covered. Interesting place. I might go to the third of these museums, in Berlin, depending on how my schedule ends up.

Back to anthropological mumbojumbo for a bit... The individuality of this city's memory, in contrast with Dresden, seems blurred. Before the (first) formation of Germany as a country, it was a certain place. That history is pushed into the background and more modern history is discussed as a passive occurrence, something that happened to...well, someone. I get the impression from other things I read that Leipzig was an industrial town before Reuinification, though that has not been discussed in the official histories I've seen. (To be fair, those at the Zeitgeschichtliches Forum were aimed at the entire country/ies, not at the city itself. I think I will have to look elsewhere for that more detailed information.)

Instead of seeming to live in memory, though, this city has a sense of youth -- largely, I'm sure, relating to the university -- and timelessness. The old buildings exist, new buildings go up, and Leipzig goes on. I wonder, then, what effect this sort of lack of history has on the inhabitants. I spent some time today at the Zeitgeschichtliches Forum half-watching a teenager and his father in the DDR section. (The college-aged kids I'd seen get excited about toys earlier likely came from the former West.) The kid was born after Reunification, but I was, unfortunately, not able to determine if the father was showing what life in the DDR was like or what his life was like. (I didn't want to listen too closely, too much cultural training against eavesdropping.) It would have been an interesting conversation, had it been the latter. What I really wish I had is time (and ability) to talk with people. So many questions!

I had a ridiculous ice cream concoction -- "spaghetti" (it didn't look like that, but the photo did) ice cream, chocolate, nuts, and liquor -- for dinner. So big I couldn't finish it!

To Leipzig

I'm typing this on my iPhone while waiting for dinner to arrive at my table. Silly, I know, but I somehow ended up at a posh hotel's bistro (the food is surprisingly cheap) and have nothing else to do. My entire outfit cost less than my neighbor's shoes, so out comes the prestige item! :P

Brotmarkt!

I am now in Leipzig after a couple hours by train. This day started with a trip to the Markt (market) portion of Dresden's Herbstfest (autumn festival) in the Altmarkt (old market). This weekend is a Brotmarkt (bread market), so the place smelled great. I had a Nutella crepe that was prepared in front of me, num! Had it been lunchtime or dinnertime, I would've picked up a roll or two for sandwiches. However, by then, I was well on my way to Leipzig.

I'm staying in what is perhaps the cutest little not-quite-hotel ever. It's located in one of the city's many passageways. These passages are really neat -- they're all over the place and host all sorts of businesses and shops. It's like a confusing secret world within the city. Every time you go into one, you find a new business, pub, or bar. Leipzig is fairly small, so I can't get too lost exploring, right?

I did a good bit of wandering today. This is a university town with a fairly young population. There is also evidence of youth subcultures that have so far been hidden, z.B., goths and punks. This is a big change from the other places I've visited. Perhaps I actually won't be the youngest person at the museums tomorrow? (Meh.)

In young people-related news, I am apparently able to screw up being hit on in any language. I'm perfectly fine with the kid going away, though. Didn't even have to scare him away with my status as a doctoral student! (Seriously, great party trick. Makes unwanted boys melt into thin air!)

Layers of building

I found the Thomaskirche today. It is where Bach spent his days, as well as the place where he was buried. Neat building, with its layers of history. I was there at a good time, too -- a woman was singing hymns with the organ. Pretty cool. I've been to so many churches since I got here that I'm afraid I will miss these grand, calming structures when I return to the States. We don't really have anything like them. Maybe huge libraries or museums, but I'm not sure they really compare.

I should probably head back now and post this. My Dresden photos are now uploadable, so I will update those posts with images. Spaß für alles!

Mehr Dresden

I wonder how obvious my accent is. I just ordered a beer (in correct German, I might add) and the bartender told me the price in English. The place I'm staying is aggressively bilingual -- everything is in both German and English -- and that might have something to do with it. Perhaps they assume that it's easier for me? (To be fair, I asked the guy last night a question in English before I ordered. "Vom Fass" means "on tap," btw.)

It was beautiful out today, sunny and bright. I even retook some pictures, as the coloring will turn out better. I even managed to get a photo of me smiling! Miracles, I'll tell ya!

After a lovely breakfast of muesli and yogurt, I managed to miss when the Frauenkirche was open...again. I found a shopping area nearby to wait it out, including a store that was a small Weihnachtsmarkt. These are reportedly amazing, and Dresden has a huge Markt every year. I assume that this particular retailer is well ensconced in that activity.

(Side note: It's now well past eight and there's basically no one at the bar, not even the old men who made their appearance last night. Guess everyone goes somewhere else on Friday night. I mean, really, they're training a guy tonight...)

Cavernous

I visited the Festung Dresden. It is a small guided tour of some of the early fortifications of the city, which started out as a walled town in the 13th or 14th century. These fortifications are currently located under the Brühler Terrace. That means it's a bit creepy down there, dark and small in a few places (and we know how I feel about small places). It was still pretty neat, though. The fortifications are impressive, especially when you realize how intricate and nuanced they are and think about the work that went into creating them. I am afraid that I ordered the spoken electronic tour in English instead of German, but it was a good plan, since there were a number of technical terms I never would've understood in German.

I finally got to see the inside of the Frauenkirche. For some reason, the statue of Martin Luther out in front didn't clue me in to the fact that it's a Lutheran church and not Catholic. Silly me. It was still absolutely amazing. I'd seen photos and video (most notably the "Dresden" mini-series), but it was still amazing. Completely on par with the large Catholic Cathedrals, Stations of the Cross or no. They held a prayer and devotion while I was there. I also lit a candle for my grandmother, who is recovering from open heart surgery. (I've never seen the candle aspect at a Lutheran church, but figured I'd go for it -- my family is Lutheran, after all, not Catholic.)

Stadtmuseum

The other place I visited today is the Stadtmuseum. It has a number of exhibits at the moment, including their permanent collection of artifacts that trace the last 800 years of Dresden's history. The museum is quite lovely, located in another of the gorgeous not-really-historical buildings that were (re)built after 1945. Unlike some of the other buildings, however, it appears to have been built on its own in an historical style and not actually rebuilt. The 800-year exhibit, however, really got me thinking about things on my mind since I arrived here.

I have been developing questions about the (official) production and reproduction of memory in Dresden. This city interests me as a possible fieldsite because of its history -- a longtime cultural center (and capital of Saxony), which was destroyed in the last months of World War II, rebuilt under the socialist DDR, and then re-rebuilt under a reunified German state. I have seen all of these things reflected in public memorials -- museums, monuments, the contents of the city's website. However, the bombing appears to be the most starkly present. It is listed in every chronology, with talk of rebuilding (recovery). The DDR and reunification are only occasionally mentioned, which interests me a great amount.  Basically, the portions of Dresden's history that most interest me are those through which my informants will have lived. However, the official line on that time period seems to be focused on bombing and rebuilding the city to its former splendor. Part of this happened during the DDR years and some was not until reunification. However, the political aspects of rebuilding and the changes that were seen in those politics with Reunification are not much discussed in official representations. DDR memorabilia can be found in the occasional giftshop and there are markers for 1989-1990 protests at various points in the city. However, the Stadtmuseum had little mention of either period (Reunification was barely mentioned, rather presented as a known fact). This, interestingly, was the same with the Nazi period -- they were mentioned, but the focus was on the war much more so than the politics.

Why, then, is this erasure/blurring of the past seen here? Why are some portions focused upon and others not? What is the significance of this? Will I find it in other places? Also, is this sort of official line shared by the populace? How do past and present play out, both in this official memorialization and in how individuals themselves remember? (Then, connecting memory with my medically-based research, how is this reflected in the experiences and narratives of individuals with chronic pain disorders?)

For those of you who don't care, pardon my anthropological aside. However, it *is* the official purpose of this trip. :)

(Interestingly, I learned of the DDR Museum only after it was basically too late to see it. It's not listed on the city's museum page. Interesting. I would've loved to see it, though!)

Vegetarianer Dönner

In other news, I finally tried a (vegetarian) Dönnerkebap for dinner. It's fast food, based in that of the large number (9% or so) of Germans who are a of Turkish descent. I picked it up at a stand on the way home. The thing was *huge* and I couldn't finish it. Lots of veg on some bread. Not bad!

Tomorrow, an Herbstfest (autumn festival) that starts with a Brotmarkt (bread market), then off to Leipzig!

Dresden

(Okay, so this pic's from Leipzig...)

It's a good thing that I like pastries so much, or I'd probably weight about five pounds by now, with all of the walking that I've been doing here! The Altstadt and Neustadt of Dresden are fairly close together and many of the main sights (museums, etc) are located in those areas. Instead of bothering with the public transit system -- though the streetcars here look quite nice and efficient -- I decided to wander on foot. (Speaking of that, awesome DDR crossing signals!)

Light and dark stones

Dresden is an extremely beautiful place, with tons of (rebuilt) historical buildings in the center. The main part of the city was something like 90% destroyed in an infamous one-night bombing campaign in 1945 and that is reflected in a number of ways. For one, many of the rebuilt buildings, such as churches and palaces, are very dark and some seemingly-randomly alternate between dark and light stone. I have not yet confirmed this, but my guess is that the dark stone was burnt in the firestorm/blitzkrieg/whatever you want to call it that was caused by the bombing. The light stone, then, would be replacements for that which was destroyed beyond recognition. Hopefully I'll find out more about that tomorrow when I visit the Stadtmuseum (City Museum). (I also hope to learn about the rebuilding, part of this city that interests me.)

(Side note: I'm in the bar at the top of my hotel right now and apparently 20:00 is the magic hour for old German men to come out of the woodwork. Ten minutes ago, there were very few people in here and now nearly the entire bar area is full of grey-haired men drinking what I assume is beer.)

My hostel/hotel/whatever is about half a kilometer from the Hauptbahnhof, which is itself directly south of the Altstadt. The boundary between the Alt- and Neu- stadt is the Elbe River. The first task, then, was to explore the Altstadt (and also find breakfast). I found a number of things on this wander. (The city is also nice enough to post maps every few blocks, so I wasn't worried about getting lost so long as I stayed in one of the major areas.)

The Altmarkt (old market) area is getting ready for a festival. I saw the setup yesterday, but had been unsure as to what was going on until I saw a poster today advertising a festival. ...of course, I've gone and forgotten what it's a festival of, but I'll be sure to check it out tomorrow, on its opening day. I read somewhere recently that the Altmarkt was completely destroyed in the bombing, but restored with the same types of architecture surrounding it as was there beforehand. I have plenty of pictures, once I can upload them.

(Side note 2: Ten minutes later and most of them are leaving. Huh.)

Rebuilt!

Another major landmark in Dresden is the Frauenkirche, which is an imposing structure. The rebuilding of the church, with its unique dome, was hailed as a sign of peace between nations. It sounds as though the church was already a major part of Dresden's identity before the war, at least from current literature. The image of the dome falling, the day (?) after the bombing, is noted as important in that chapter of history. (Being an academic, I feel horrible that I'm not providing citations for these things! Gah!) Unfortunately, I was at the church at the wrong time to enter. I hope to go in tomorrow.

Also rebuilt!

Speaking of churches, I found Dreikönigskirche, a Lutheran church in the Neustadt. It was difficult to take photos of the building, as it was surrounded by trees. I went in nonetheless, and was happily greeted by a gorgeous alter, which was also rebuilt. It was a stone carving of a biblical scene, much more interesting workmanship than would be found in Lutheran churches in America. I tried to buy a postcard of the alter for my grandfather, but I managed to be there when the little giftshop was closed. Poo. It was interesting to contrast the Catholic and Protestant churches. I had been only in the former so far, large cathedrals that include features, such as the Stations of the Cross, a chapel/area for Mary, and the like, which are not found in Protestant churches. It seemed a bit...small...in comparison.

More rebuilding!

After walking through some other famous areas, such as the Zwinger, I decided to visit the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, which is located in a (rebuilt) castle. It has long been host to the Historiches Grünes Gewölbe (Historical Green Vault), a collection of treasures from the time of King August and his descendants. The entire palace is now a museum with a few permanent and a few moving exhibits. Certain floors of the building were not finished, which I'm sure has some significance. That was not mentioned, but I'd guess that it (again) has to do with the fact that it is another rebuilt building.

(Side note 3: Another twenty minutes and a few of the old men are back, sitting together at a table. They're even getting rowdy now. Awesome!)

Redesigned!

Another interesting sight, which I did not enter, was the Synagoge. Dresden's synagogue was destroyed on Krystallnacht in 1938. This new synagogue was built as another symbol of reconciliation. There are two buildings separated by a courtyard. The synagogue building rotates as it gets taller, which is quite interesting.

Since my hotel is a bit off the beaten path (read: not on a busy street), I've been coming back before dark. That means I got here in time to claim my free drink in the hotel bar and sit up here to write. I came up yesterday to take photos of the city from the (9th floor) balcony while it was still light. Now, I will go take some photos in the dark.

To Dresden

Today was the looooong (okay, only seven hours) train trip from Bonn to Dresden and marks my first day on my own. It was actually a fairly uneventful trip. I had to change trains twice, but had ordered a window seat both times, so that was really no problem.

Hi, Mainz! Bye, Mainz!

The only bit that was not so good was my transfer in Mainz. I had planned to eat during the second transfer -- when I looked online, it was at a different train, to Frankfurt, with enough time to grab some food. Can't book online with no printer, though, so I had to speak with an agent. Result: different train. That was fine and all, but I didn't have much to eat with me. I ended up stopping at the vending machine on the platform between the two trains...which pulled up at the same time. (Good thing they were on the same platform!) The digestive-type cookies were good and I made it here without fainting from hunger. Generally a good thing.

Blocks...

There's a definite visual difference between the Rhein area and East Germany. You can still see the huge Soviet block-style apartments here and there's a lot of industry. Part of this might come from leaving the river. (Though the Elbe flows through Dresden, it's not, to my knowledge, a major water highway like the Rhein.) It might also have to do with economic differences, as Bonn is a rich area. The industrial focus of the DDR/GDR (depends on the language) is certainly a factor, though. (I'll likely see this more when in Leipzig.)

It was absolutely pouring when I got off the train. Perfect for the day when my place of temporary residence is the furthest from the station! I was pretty soaked by the time I found it and was glad to get into my room and take of my wet jacket. (My umbrella also broke, the casualty of a gust of wind and me having only one hand to hold on to it. Oh well, it was free in a girlbag and I found a new one in an Apotheke for only €2,75.)

After organizing myself in the room for a bit, I left to explore the area around the Hauptbahnhof and find some food. I found a lot of shopping and eating, which was nice. There's a huge hotel here that has three buildings right next to the Hbf. Each building has its own restaurant, even. I'll have to remember the name when I go by it again tomorrow so that I can link it here.

The Hbf and toward the Altstadt

After my wanderings, I stopped at the front desk to purchase internet access so that I could write this lovely thing. The hostel/hotel also has a bar on the top floor, so I decided to check out the view. When I can upload photos again, I'll post one or two of said view.

Note on photos

It appears that the wireless at my current hostel is not letting me upload photos. Perhaps the next place will. Until then, use your imaginations!

EDIT: Photos are now up and filled in!

Yesterday

Written on the train to Dresden
----------

Graffiti on the Kunsthalle.
Appropriate.

Yesterday was a fairly full day. I went back to Museumsmeile and saw both the Kunstmuseum and the Kunst- and Austellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Both house modern art and the latter also hosts traveling exhibitions (no permanent collection). They are conveniently located next to each other and have the option for a reduced ticket price if one buys admission to both as a package. That is exactly what I did. Toll.

The special exhibit in the Kunstmuseum was not that interesting to me, but they have some amazing sculpture and there were other neat pieces upstairs. I think I had heard about one of their pieces, which consists of five red taffeta dresses rotating at various times. Pretty neat to watch/hear/feel. The museum was a fairly small place, though, so it was time to move on.

The Kunsthalle is currently hosting the traveling exhibition of artifacts from Afghanistan's National Museum. There were some amazing pieces and it was definitely worth the extra Euro to see. Some of the pieces, I believe, were recovered from the looting that occurred in the region after the US (and friends) went in. It appeared, though, that some also came from digs that were occurring at that time. (I missed that part of the informational movie.) The setup of the exhibit and the pieces were quite lovely.

They also had an exhibit of exploratory work by an architect, which was pretty nifty. Finally, I went to the basement (to visit the WC) and found more art, this time work by young artists from around the world. I also found an adorable old museum attendant man, who was more than happy to show me the artwork and explain it to me...in German, even when it was obvious that I only understood part of what he was saying. We made it work, though, which was pretty cool all on its own.

I did appear to be having an old man day, as another caught my attention at the gift shop to show me a funny postcard. I smiled and nodded to that one, since it was the only postcard from the bunch (quotes about art and by artists) of which I could make neither heads nor tails. So yeah, old German men love me!

UN

Back there somewhere...

After finishing with the exhibits, I did a bit of wandering. I found the UN Campus, the Rhein (again!), the Palais Schaumburg, the Bonn residence of the Federal Chancellor, and the Villa Hammerschmidt, the Bonn residence of the Federal President. The latter two were just gates with greenery behind them. Also, a ton of video cameras. The UN building, at least, is visible (though not nearly so pretty).

I think I walked through DHL headquarters at one point, too, though I'm not completely sure on that one.

After I came back, it was laundry time -- everyone's favorite birthday activity! I popped my clothes into the washing machine in U.'s basement and we went out for a fancy cocktail. I was sure surprised to see Caipirinhas on the menu! I got one of those, since it'd been nearly two years since my last one. Stark, aber gut.

I took the laundry across the street to the laundromat for drying and came back half an hour later, then it was time for dinner. It was announced that we would only speak German at dinner. It went...okay. My cadence has definitely improved, though I have certain pronunciation issues that will eventually be sorted. The next time I see U. and D., I'll be able to carry on an entire conversation with them, which will be pretty neat.

(In other news, I now have German toothpaste, German water, and a German travel tissue pack. Danke, Apotheke!)

Birthday filler

It's been a long day! I'll fill you in on it while I'm on the train to Dresden tomorrow. Until then, check earlier, photo-less posts for some pics that I took today of those places/things. (I'm so bad at taking photos that I have to catch up. My mother would be so ashamed!)

Köln

Today was super busy! I took the train to Köln and saw some of the sights.

It just keeps going...

Sight #1 (and hard to miss coming out of the Hauptbahnhof) was the Kölner Dom, a cathedral of epic proportions. I took the not-quite-a-tour up (and up and up and up) the stairs to some extremely high vantage point that was even above the bells. I can't remember how many steps -- there was a listing when you go in -- but it felt like nine or ten million. (Okay, fine, it was probably only in the thousands...) 90-something meters, though. Yeah.

Of course, I decided to take photos of myself in front of the Dom after I made that trek. They kind of look like I just climbed a human-made mountain. Go figure!

Random pillars of, well, pillars

Next to the Dom, and something I'd visit if it weren't Monday (museums here are closed Mondays) is the Römisch-Germanische Museum (Roman-German Museum). It chronicles the Roman settlements that were in the area long before, say, the Dom was built. There were some large carved stones, usw., on exhibit outside, so I took some photos regardless.

Otters! <3

Something that was open on Monday, though, was the Köln Zoo. It's celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. I do believe that makes it the oldest zoo I've visited. It also had the most active bunch of animals I've ever seen. Maybe it's because it wasn't hot (or even warm) out or maybe it was the feeding schedules, but they were generally all out and about, doing their animal-ey things. The elephant exhibit is absolutely huge and amazing, with indoor and outdoor areas. I took the time to watch the penguin and otter feedings, too, which were both a lot of fun. (There are videos of both, which can be shown upon request when the requestor sees me.)

I spent some time wandering around Köln's shopping district (also right next to the Hauptbahnhof) and, had my camera battery not died by this time, would be regaling you with photos reminiscent of Tokyo meets Europe. German and foreign stores were all mixed together in buildings with huge signs, all next to one another. I checked out the Lego Store (it's the same as the others I've seen, no surprise) and the Game Stop (following a friend's suggestion to get games in German for language practice...nothing good for under €20,00, though), along with a few stores not found in the US.

Hopped the train back to U.'s, and now it's time to sleep!

Political Rally (and Protest)

Ad for the event

D. has been teaching me about German politics. (As well as the educational system and etc.) This morning, we went to a political rally for the FDP (Freie Demokratische Parte, Free Democratic Party). The Vizekanzler (Vice Chancellor) Guido Westerwelle spoke, as well as another party official. Topics included schools and children, the economy, and relationships with foreign lands. (What he said about these things, I'm not so sure...) A local band of teenagers also played jazz before and after the event.

Outside was the inevitable protest. They chanted and played whistles during the speeches inside. The big issue for them, I believe, was the discussions over prolonging the life of Germany's nuclear power plants. (I have no idea what this is in German, so I'm not sure whether it was addressed in any of the speeches.) According to D., Westerwelle is highly unpopular right now and this issue might well be why.

While not the most politically active of people, I did notice some differences between German and American political rallies. Mainly, they're much more chill. z.B., the speakers moved through the crowd, security at a watchful distance, and then were seated in the crowd. In the US, that would be a crazy, bold move, and the security guards would be pooping themselves.

Billboard and (big) flags

I kinda wish I'd taken one of the nifty FDP flags/pinwheels with me, though. Oh well.

Lazy Saturday

I stayed in today, working on plans for the rest of my stay. It's an ongoing process...yeesh...

I also took a lovely nap.

And I read. Working on "Harry Potter und der Stein der Weisen," the first HP book auf Deutsch. After the Haus der Geschichte and the movie that U. and I watched last night (in German, with German subtitles), I'm understanding a lot more in this book than the few pages I read on the way here. Still not everything, of course, but yea!

Bad Neuenahr

One of the gates to the Altstadt

Today, I went to Bad Neuenahr with U., who had an appointment there. It's a cute little town with a walled-in Altstadt (old city). I wandered around for a bit and took in the sights. At least in the morning, it appeared that the people there all knew each other. (All small towns are much the same, I suppose, even when they're surrounded by a really old wall.) I grabbed coffee in a little Bäckerei and watched people come in and out for a while. It started raining while I was there, so I was pretty happy that I'd ordered the food to eat inside.

Complete with mannequins in appropriate dress!

My next stop was the Roman Villa that had been excavated near the town. It's now open for visitors, with walkways to keep them from wearing down the stones (see right). It was a neat little place and I got a few photos for my students, should I ever teach Archaeology again. (Strata and excavation tools, oh my!)

Hefe......

I went back to meet U. after her meeting and we spent more time in the Altstadt, including a very interesting lunch. We couldn't decide where to go, so we followed a pack of nuns into a building of some pedigree (I can't remember the century). I learned a few days ago that "Hefe" is short for "Hefeweißen." So, I ordered a "Hefe" to drink with my lunch. The waitress brought back a schnapps that was also called "Hefe." U. was just as confused as me until I figured that part out, but she also thought I'd ordered a beer. I could have sent it back in exchange for the beer, but the communication issue was likely my mistake, so I decided to drink the schnapps instead. I ended up getting a water, as well. The food was good, though. I'll just have to try again on the beer!

Finally, we went to the Haribo outlet store. I stocked up on candy for people back home (and, perhaps, for me). Got a few of my presents taken care of, too. I plan to grab some chocolate on my way out of the country, completing the food that will come from this trip. (I did, after all, promise S. that I'd bring her chocolate!)

Kein Foto

Entrance

I spent the day (seriously, something like six hours) in the Haus der Geschichte, a museum that covers the history of Germany as a land and as a divided land. I decided that I would attempt to go completely into German mode, trying to keep from thinking in English and, if someone spoke to me, responding in German. This resulted in a few random English words being thrown into German sentences, when I didn't know the actual word. It was pretty amusing, denke ich.

The museum was quite interesting, full of information (of which I got the gist, if not necessarily the details) and artifacts. The old video reels, popular films, and documentaries were useful for my listening skills, as were the occasional snippets of conversation I heard while walking by.

"Wir Gegen Uns"

The current special exhibit is on the inter-Germany sports rivalry from the days of division. Though I'm not generally into sport, I found it interesting to read about the lengths to which both sides went in their attempt to better the other. It is titled "Wir Gegen Uns" (We Against Us), which is interesting from an anthropological standpoint. Not only is it referencing the current (and past) unity of Germany, it's emphasizing that. The presumption here -- and a smart one to include, from the standpoint of the reunified state -- is that, despite fifty years of separation, the Germans always remained, at heart, one people. (This is, of course, not to say that they didn't. I'm more interested in the way it is being portrayed by a [national] museum in a reunified state.)

This is, however, a rare day of no photos. No one was taking photos inside the museum, not even the other Americans I heard, so I'm assuming that it wasn't cool to do so. (Not that there were signs either way...perhaps it was printed on the maps?) You'll just have to use your imaginations, I'm afraid. (A., imagine many Polizei helmets from the beginning of the century. M., I now understand your fondness for propaganda posters.) In other news, something about the Trabi on exhibit in the museum smelled very strongly. Huh.

I went to dinner with U. and finally learned how to ask for the check. Yes! I do okay when ordering, but get anxious when it comes time to pay at a sit-down place and invariably screw up. So...one must simply wave at the waitperson and then say that. No more sitting for half an hour waiting for someone to come back! Hooray!

Finally, today I decided that my contribution to the Anthropology Seminar Room will be a "Wir Sind Ein Volk" poster/button/somesuch, from the days leading up to Reunification (z.B. this). It seems appropriate.

Bad Godesberg

From the window

Today, I went to the tower at Bad Godesberg. (At left is the view from U.'s window -- not far at all!) This, I must say, was an adventure. The original directions weren't all that great, so I turned to Google. With those written down, I was off to see the tower! ...okay, that's not true. First, I was off to coffee.

I wandered around Bad Godesberg's downtown for a bit, finally settling on a Konditorei (pastry shop) with some yummy-looking inhabitants. Since I don't know what the pastries here are, I took some time to translate what I could of the ingredient lists posted under the name. Finally, I ordered something that turned out quite yum, with cinnamon and cocoa powder. It was big enough to last me through the morning and afternoon, even. Toll.

Cosy reading spot

My next stop was at a park. I sat for a while by some oddly hydrophobic ducks (they were probably out of the water because it was near lunchtime) and reviewed my vocabulary from Deutschklasse. Eventually, the other people went away and the ducks wandered back into the water.

Mock-up of what once was

After I found the stairs up the hill (thanks to D. for giving me directions, because Google Maps would've taken me quite a while to get right), there were the remains of the fortress. It now houses a restaurant and hotel, interestingly enough. I climbed the tower, a perfect complement to climbing to the tower, and was rewarded with a super neat, panoramic view. Also, a lot of wind. As I was going down, some young teens were coming up. The €1 coin that I left next to the sign downstairs for my admission was suspiciously missing. Hmm.....

My next stop was the old cemetery nearby. (I didn't take pictures, as I don't know whether it is culturally allowed.) It contained some beautiful old plots, with those I saw starting in the late 1800s. There were a number of male death dates around World War II, but surprisingly few in the era of World War I. Some of the inscriptions were translations of things one would see on tombs in the US, such as "the best father" and bible verses. Gorgeous family monuments.

There's something big over there!

Finally, I wandered down to the river to work a bit and watch the world drift by. Also, to have my first real German bier while doing so! I will definitely need to do a river tour one of these days. At the moment, though, I'm too tired to research them. Bis morgen!

Bonn

Beethoven's birthplace

One train ride later and I'm in the city that birthed Beethoven and was once the capital of West Germany, Bonn.

U. picked me up at the Hauptbahnhof and we wandered around the university and the main part of the city for much of the day. It was a lovely day today As it might rain tomorrow, we lucked out on the weather, too. The city has bikes and pedestrians all over, including a Fußgangerplatz (pedestrian zone) that stretches through much of the city center. There was a daily market, as well as plenty of open space for other activities in this zone. Seems near perfect for a citywide gathering place!

Muster Basilica

There are also some beautiful old buildings here. For example, der Bönner Münster. The church was beautiful on the inside, as well, but I did not want to disturb those who were using the building for religious reasons by indiscriminately taking photos while they are praying.

Bonn Universität

Many of the buildings that comprise the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn are also old and historical, making for lovely viewing (though I suspect that the students, like those at any university, adjust to their surroundings). I have a deep love of old buildings, so this particular wandering made me quite happy.

Rhein Fluss

Bonn is located on the Rhein river, which was also a stop today. The Rhein is important for movement of various goods, something highly important for the development and maintenance of societies (as I learned TAing last year). It wasn't difficult to imagine this swift-flowing river being used for trading, even with smaller crafts and less efficient motors. I might take a river cruise on one of my days here, it looks lovely.

That is all for today! I am completely beat and have to go to bed before I pass out. I am trying to get permission to link a Picasa album to this blog so that you all can see my photos. If not, I will continue to leave the most pertinent/interesting/best photos on here!