We Take Berlin

Well after the rather strenuous meeting on magnetic fields in all their astrophysical forms, we had friday afternoon (Sept 30) free. So we took the U bahn to Wittenbergplaz and started walking. And walking--

One is always guided in Berlin when crossing the streets by a charming legacy from sober old East Berlin. Here is the happy go man--whose name we forget --and he seems to be immortalized by an equally charming statue---













The stop version is just as much fun .  They started after reunification to  use boring western type
bureaucratic figures, but these were vigorously rejected. Speaking of reunification, it happens that Monday , oct 3 was reunification day . After a LONG walk along the Berlin central park passing from here  (a rather imposing victory column--which , since this is Prussia, must refer to the war of 1870, although we are not sure--through the long unwinding road on the left and ---












finishing at the Brandenburg gate which was almost concealed by the festive preparations. Near the gate is the Reichstag where Angela Merkel hangs out.







Here is of course the famous gate. Next we have Judith standing looking along the street towards Unter den Linden, which was in East
Berlin.






Very near our point of arrival we were surrounded by the commercial power of Berlin.







But the more memorable part entered around the Gaedachtnis Kirche.  They have left it almost as it was at the end of the war--

Although some part of what must have been glorious survives
under part of the ruin.





















They have built along side a quiet moving chapel. which is striking from the inside as here.




Speaking of remembrance  here is Judith looking at a fragment of the wall and looking suitably glum.





The wall ran down Ebert Strasse where we walked. the map shows where it was.




Below is a picture of rather sad East german architecture, looking across the imposing Jewish memorial, taken from the dividing street.




One of life's little annoyances can be seen near the Brandenburg gate.




Note the Quebec flag in the same frame as the top of the gate!

Fortunately, united Canada does exist too--this is Canada house  Pretty boring actually except for the surreptitious (found in an alcove) fashion activity






and so we returned to Harnack house (Max Planck but once occupied by the Americans) for a good night's sleep. this was fortunate because of Saturday.

Saturday should be a good day to drive in Germany--however the traffic density  is so high that every journey is an adventure with an unknown theme. We left at seven with a predicted arrival time of mid-day in Bochum. Wellllll--see pictures



We did not like our welcome to Niedersachen and it got worse--



and worse





After three and one half hours sitting still, the slight movement turned out to be due to cars escaping through an unofficial exit. We follow them in desperation  and our faithful Serena (the GPS) showed us the way avoiding Farmer's fields. We got home at 4pm in the afternoon. Lesson learned we are much more cunning now--see next blog.  and so to bed--