Friday, July 20, 2018

The Traveler's Report Part 1 - Berlin

Part 1 of the Traveler's report, from Jamie:

"Berlin, our first stop on tour. One thing you must know about Berlin is they aren’t known for their hospitality as our local guide, Katinka said, 'We Germans have a perpetual grumpiness and are eternal pessimists. We’re great complainers and love a good argument. The age of romanticism and poetry is over.' The personality of the nation had changed since the wars and Soviet occupation. It would be hard to stay positive when all living generations can’t remember a time in the nations history where it wasn’t marked with a stain. One man in history has destroyed the image of this beautiful country. But there is friendliness to be found here."



Brandenburg Gate, once a symbol of a city divided has now become one of unification since it was officially reopened on December 22nd, 1989.
East Side Gallery where many artists were asked to create murals of the remains Berlin Wall.
The most famous mural of The East Side Gallery goes to “The Kiss of Death” or more commonly known as “The Kiss.” The depiction of Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev giving the East Germany President Erich Honecker a big smack on the lips might look like a joke, but the mural is based off of an actual photograph taken in 1979 in honor of the thirtieth anniversary of the German Democratic Republic–East Germany.

Fraternal kisses among socialist leaders were not unusual, but both were a little more enthusiastic than your average Communist dictator in kissing. A popular joke tells that Brezhnev observed about Honecker: “As a politician, rubbish…but what a good kisser!”





The Berlin tv tower made entirely of chocolate. The chocolate here is amazing I might add.
Observing what little remains of the Berlin Wall and Check Point Charlie gave me flashes of Bridge of Spies. A good movie I might add.





Berlin has become an eclectic hipster town know for its love of the Trabants, the little cars used during the occupation and depicted as the “Herbie” of Germany in racing films.


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