Berlin (May 12)

Hey, remember last year when I traveled around a bit and said I was gonna keep an online travel log of my journey? Well, I don't. Rewriting history with truthiness is fun. But I suppose before all memories fade of my time in Europe, I should pen something. Here it goes:

We had a few hot spots to hit in Berlin, and first up was the Reichstag. We heard the lineups were insane, and true to form, they were. Paul's in line somewhere here.




Inside it was an open-concept design for their Parliament. Transparency in government or something like that I'm sure. Up top was this mirrored structure, inspired no doubt by the shawarma, whose vendors were seen far and wide throughout Germany.




As we exited the Reichstag there was a demonstration by the Yes side for the ratification of the EU Constitution. Paul & I exercised our rights and joined in, although at the time we were unsure of our support for the Yes side. They did have large balloons which swayed my vote that day.




Oh yeah, on our way to the Reichstag we had to walk through the Brandenburg Gate which had a large panoramic shot of the gate after Allied bombing.




The happiest organ grinder in Germany.

We also wandered around the Pergamon museum for a bit before heading off to see the wall and Checkpoint Charlie. The museum at CC contained an impressive collection of artifacts that chronicled many of the escapes over, under, and through the wall.




Spotted: An Enzo.




Also spotted: This huge, either offensive or brilliant, billboard.




While in the train station on our way to Prague, Paul stopped for more art appreciation.




There were more than a few surreal moments when I traveled. This ranked wayyyy up there. I had bought a magazine, I think it was an India Today, in Sri Lanka. Never got around to reading it but I carried it with me in case I got bored on a plane or train. While on the train from Berlin to Prague, I flip the page and see the picture of a buddy of mine from Waterloo. I couldn't quite wrap my head around it at the time; if ever the world was a small place...an idea that's so clichéd and yet never more true to me than on that day.

about Germany, from Canada