So, this is my 50th post. Whoot, whoot. To celebrate such an achievement, I've taken a trip to Berlin. The train ride was long and pretty tedious. First, it must be known that I’m traveling with a group of other international students. This trip was arranged by the International Office at my host university. The personalities by which I am surrounded range from the quite, modest person to the group of loud and obnoxious people who brought a case of beer onto the train just because they could (and were drunk before we even had to change trains.) So far, it hasn’t been an issue with me because I could put in my iPod and look out the window, and my first run-about amongst the city was with people I find pleasing. But tomorrow we have group activities. If they become loud and obnoxiously drunk, I may become angry and annoyed Adam.
Our train left in the middle of the day, which is probably best for the above mentioned group who partied way too hard on Friday night and were unable to get out of bed before noon. We were all assembled in front of the train station and it began to downpour. I reached over to my umbrella pocket in my backpack and realized it was gone. I’m dumb. I remembered to pack an extra pair of underwear, but not my umbrella. I hope it doesn’t rain the entire time I’m here.
We arrived at the Berlin Ostbahnhof around 6:10pm. Our hotel is actually connected to the train station. At first I was a bit sketched out (I’ve had bad experiences with conveniently-located hotels in the past few weeks), but it’s not that bad. There’s no air conditioning, so I get to hear the rumble of a busy street and busy train station, but I’m tired enough I’ll probably conk out despite that. Immediately after check in, we had to wait for some lecture from the advisor: basically, don’t do anything stupid (advice which I’m sure will be duly heeded by all members…) I then departed with a Finnish girl and a Chinese guy. We hit this city.
First was Alexanderplatz, home to the great big Fernsehturm, the pride and joy of the former East Germany. We ate dinner (naturally, Italian Food, because it’s everywhere and has a predictable variety of offerings at a reasonable price) close to Marx-Engels-Plaza. We then walked down Unter den Linden, the Berlin Equivalent to Champs-Elysee in Paris or Broadway Avenue in New York. Along the street were fancy-looking stores, the imposing Russian Embassy, and finally the Brandenburg Tor, the icon of Berlin.
Right next door was the American Embassy. We crossed through the gate and into (the former) West Berlin and walked our way south to Potsdamer Platz, which is very similar to New York’s Times Square in the incredible amount of illumination everywhere. It’s very odd to view, especially since that area used to be the no-man’s-land between East and West – even the subway station was closed off. Now it’s a thriving center with skyscrapers and a regional train station.
By that time it was already 10:45 – the sun had just set. I was tired, my companions were tired, so we took a ride on the subway. I was surprised at how small the platforms are here. In Munich, there was enough space for a crowd of commuters to huddle and wait for the next train. Here, it’s smaller than the platforms in New York and about the same size as those in London. The trains are really narrow, too – not a lot of space for standing. Also peculiar was the decoration in the stations. For 2 stations after Potsdamer Platz (once again towards Alexanderplatz), the stations were made with tiles, marble, and whatever other creative design materials. Once we made it past the “Border” stations between east and west, the style became much more austere: exposed steel beams with Romanesque column capitals with that ugly off-white almost yellow paint. That style continued as we traveled further into the east. It was very interesting to me. I hope it’s not the last contrast I find in this previously divided city.
(Insert Edit)
So now it's 6:40 am and I'm sitting underneath the Fernsehturm mooching free internet from Starbucks (thank you, American brand and your dedication to customer service and comfort.)
I began my search for some Wi-Fi at about 5am (I woke up uncomfortably early.) I walked around, took a train to the city center, but everything was closed. Finally, I decided to go back to the hotel and just give up, but I found a Starbucks hiding out. Enough of that. The real reason I made this edition:
As I left the hotel, I ran into the group about which I complained earlier. They were just getting back from a long night of clubbing and partying (I had heard that the Berlin club scene was pretty intense). Anyway, I shrugged it off - dumb tourists. They were loud, obnoxious, and probably moments away from a narcoleptic fit. I proceeded outside and into the train station only to find more, more, and more poor souls waiting for that train to take them home after they had been out all night. Everybody was still dressed as they were 6 hours earlier when they first entered their party-central. As I progressed throught he city, the exodus progressed as well. Everywhere I went, there were women carrying their heels as they walk down the street, men with their gelled hair flaking and losing its hold, and clothes no longer neatly pressed. It was very funny - I had awoken early and began my day right as they were going home to end theirs. It's really awful.
Today we have a bus tour. I think a few people will sleep through it. Not my problem.
Our train left in the middle of the day, which is probably best for the above mentioned group who partied way too hard on Friday night and were unable to get out of bed before noon. We were all assembled in front of the train station and it began to downpour. I reached over to my umbrella pocket in my backpack and realized it was gone. I’m dumb. I remembered to pack an extra pair of underwear, but not my umbrella. I hope it doesn’t rain the entire time I’m here.
We arrived at the Berlin Ostbahnhof around 6:10pm. Our hotel is actually connected to the train station. At first I was a bit sketched out (I’ve had bad experiences with conveniently-located hotels in the past few weeks), but it’s not that bad. There’s no air conditioning, so I get to hear the rumble of a busy street and busy train station, but I’m tired enough I’ll probably conk out despite that. Immediately after check in, we had to wait for some lecture from the advisor: basically, don’t do anything stupid (advice which I’m sure will be duly heeded by all members…) I then departed with a Finnish girl and a Chinese guy. We hit this city.
First was Alexanderplatz, home to the great big Fernsehturm, the pride and joy of the former East Germany. We ate dinner (naturally, Italian Food, because it’s everywhere and has a predictable variety of offerings at a reasonable price) close to Marx-Engels-Plaza. We then walked down Unter den Linden, the Berlin Equivalent to Champs-Elysee in Paris or Broadway Avenue in New York. Along the street were fancy-looking stores, the imposing Russian Embassy, and finally the Brandenburg Tor, the icon of Berlin.
Right next door was the American Embassy. We crossed through the gate and into (the former) West Berlin and walked our way south to Potsdamer Platz, which is very similar to New York’s Times Square in the incredible amount of illumination everywhere. It’s very odd to view, especially since that area used to be the no-man’s-land between East and West – even the subway station was closed off. Now it’s a thriving center with skyscrapers and a regional train station.By that time it was already 10:45 – the sun had just set. I was tired, my companions were tired, so we took a ride on the subway. I was surprised at how small the platforms are here. In Munich, there was enough space for a crowd of commuters to huddle and wait for the next train. Here, it’s smaller than the platforms in New York and about the same size as those in London. The trains are really narrow, too – not a lot of space for standing. Also peculiar was the decoration in the stations. For 2 stations after Potsdamer Platz (once again towards Alexanderplatz), the stations were made with tiles, marble, and whatever other creative design materials. Once we made it past the “Border” stations between east and west, the style became much more austere: exposed steel beams with Romanesque column capitals with that ugly off-white almost yellow paint. That style continued as we traveled further into the east. It was very interesting to me. I hope it’s not the last contrast I find in this previously divided city.
(Insert Edit)
So now it's 6:40 am and I'm sitting underneath the Fernsehturm mooching free internet from Starbucks (thank you, American brand and your dedication to customer service and comfort.)
I began my search for some Wi-Fi at about 5am (I woke up uncomfortably early.) I walked around, took a train to the city center, but everything was closed. Finally, I decided to go back to the hotel and just give up, but I found a Starbucks hiding out. Enough of that. The real reason I made this edition:
As I left the hotel, I ran into the group about which I complained earlier. They were just getting back from a long night of clubbing and partying (I had heard that the Berlin club scene was pretty intense). Anyway, I shrugged it off - dumb tourists. They were loud, obnoxious, and probably moments away from a narcoleptic fit. I proceeded outside and into the train station only to find more, more, and more poor souls waiting for that train to take them home after they had been out all night. Everybody was still dressed as they were 6 hours earlier when they first entered their party-central. As I progressed throught he city, the exodus progressed as well. Everywhere I went, there were women carrying their heels as they walk down the street, men with their gelled hair flaking and losing its hold, and clothes no longer neatly pressed. It was very funny - I had awoken early and began my day right as they were going home to end theirs. It's really awful.
Today we have a bus tour. I think a few people will sleep through it. Not my problem.
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