Ich bin ein Berliner!

Hallo!  So here's what's happened since the last episode:


22.7.10--Berlin

Today we went to the Stasi Museum, but it was closed, since they are moving closer to Checkpoint Charlie so they can get more tourists.  So instead, we went back to the Holocaust Museum, which was really moving and sad.  Great way to start the morning.  In one room they had letters that people in the camps had written to their friends and families....really depressing. =(  After that we went to the Pergammon Museum on the Museumsinsel (Museum Island).  Throughout the years, the Germans have accumulated various Greek, Turkish, Egyptian, Islamic, etc ruins and art and other artifacts and brought them here.  Pretty cool place.  My favorite room had a really pretty blue mosiac archway with animals on it.  I'm pretty sure it was Babylonian.  It was awesome, whatever it was.  Other cool things there were the Islamic pottery and the bones of an Egyptian king and his sarcophagus.  We then had lunch by the Nikolaikirche--I had this hamburger type thing that I forgot what it was called...it came with a fried egg on top, but I took that off.  (Herr Keel said in Bayern its called a Frickadelle).  Twas good.  Then we went on a Spreefahrt (boat ride on the Spree River), which was fun.  Then we walked around a bit, did some shopping, and had dinner at an Indian restaurant--tasty.  Then we went back to the hotel, and I meant to meet up with everyone down at the bar after a short nap, but my "short nap" ended up lasting until the following morning. 


23.6.10--Berlin

This morning we went to the Deutsches Geschichtes (History) Museum [starting from the first German civilizations (the tribes) and going until 1994].  It was pretty cool, especially the parts about the kings and the Enlightenment and the Renaissance.  It's cool watching the development of toys--it was around the Romantic era that they started making educational/gender specific toys.  There was one doll whose skirt opened up to reveal a kitchen and all sorts of kitchen implements.  Bunch of cool stuff there.  After that some people went to the Tiergarten for the Fanmeile with 5 million other people to watch the World Cup games.  Me, Amy, and Ian went souvenir shopping and ate at an Italian restaurant for lunch.  We went to an Irish pub for some cider and to watch the England game (the US game was also playing elsewhere in the same pub, so we heard those cheers too--exciting: the US scored in the 91st minute!).  After eating at a mediterranean place, we went back to the hotel and watched the Germany game in the bar--also exciting.  Germany, US, and England are all advancing!  When Germany won, there were fireworks everywhere, and it was crazy.  Basically, imagine what happened in downtown Chicago when the Hawks won, except everyone was cheering for the same team, and its the whole country.  If they win the cup (knock on wood), Germany is going to go MAD. 


24.6.10--Berlin-->Holzkirchen

Today we returned to Holzkirchen.  Very long train ride.  When we finally got back to Holzkirchen, we went to the city hall, where all the parents were waiting, and they had a kid's band dressed up in traditional garb playing triumphant homecoming music.  It was all quite intimidating/embarrassing/funny/nice.  Then the mayor had a speech, and the principal of the school had a speech, and Herr Keel said something, and the band played between each one, and then we went to our respective houses.  My family is very nice, and although the parents can speak a little German, they cannot speak it very much, so I guess I'll have to learn fast.  They have 1 Jack Russel Terrier named Jamie, and 3 Daughters--Ella (8), Florentina (6), and Maren (4).  The girls are adorable, but with all 3 of them speaking German at the same time, its hard to understand sometimes.  I'm really close to the school and the train station, which is nice.  Tomorrow is the first day of school, so I should go to bed soon. 


Good night!!