August 07, 2007
Sat & Sun 28-29. JulyWe headed out for a quick trip to Berlin. There were several groups from the program going together, so we made quite a few people. The first train we had seats, the 10 minute transfer train we definitely were squished to standing room, and the 3rd, longest train we were on the stairs and floor. The first pick is the first 1/2 of the stairs, there is another set going up to the second level. I sat on the floor next to the door and the group of cyclists drinking Champaigne at 10 am. And no they didn't share.
The second pic is our Hostel. It was pretty nice, and really cheap. Our group took up 6 of the 8 bunks, so we were quite the cozy family. Fortunately, the bathroom and shower is inside the big room, so you share it with roommates (possibly and most likely people you don't know, but in this case not), no need to go down the hall.
Pic 3 is our view out the window of the Hostel. Beautiful eh? Well it should be. It's a painting on the side of a building. We were only on the second floor, and looking out the window was like looking into the streets of New York. In fact Berlin was VERY similar to New York, only everyone prefered to speak German (most people could speak english better than I speak German).
#4 is the Brandenberg Gate....does it need more explaination? It's spectacular. We saw the piece of the remaining wall, it's a bit of a walk from the gates and rathaus. We also visited the new Holocaust Memorial and the University where Einstein attended. We actually had pretty good weather. We ate at the Hardrock Berlin, the only restaurant in Germany that Ice has been served in a drink without asking. And for all of you wondering.... most drinks are served COLD here! No warm soda. It's summer people! No one in their right mind wants a warm beverage. Even beer in Germany is served cold to cool (depending on the kind). I've been told be my new friends that beer was only served warm in the past because refrigeration was so expensive!
The fifth pic is a little bar across the street from two very popular clubs. We decided to pre party there. While we sat, we watched several policecars pull up to each of the clubs and decided that our little bar was perfect. from left to right: Jael, Azia, Felicity, Kathryn and Amanda. Felicity and Kathryn were the other two occupying the free bunks in our room. They are from England and N Ireland. Kick ass accents.
The last pic is me standing at Checkpoint Charlie. I had to Pay 1 EU to stand with the guards and get my pic taken, but that's ok. I also had my passport stamped with the old West and East Germany stamps and the Checkpoint charlie one!!!! wahoo!
Friday 27. July
We headed to the West Coast of Schleswig-Holstein, which is the North See. It was really really cold that day! I have on 3 jacket in the picture of me- i look slightly like a marhmallow. It was raining very very hard. We went through the Watts (muck/mud) earlier in the trip, but I didn't take my camera out, I was afraid to drop it. I was muddy to my ankles. The first pick it a coastal town. The pole is the measurements of the highest floods they have had in recorded history. The hightest one was only in the mid 70'a.
The second picture is the boardwalk that takes you out to the Watts. I'm on the final steps of the board walk in the next pic. It usually is mud- where they're naturally building new land (something that astonishes me and I will explain it if you want later)- however the wind was blowing so hard that low tide was still 2 ft deep.
The last pic is a fair in Friedrichstein. I'm not sure what festival. The music was hokey classic german, and we had a grand time eating crepes and diving in and out of the flee market tents whenever a flash storm hit!
Thursday, 26. July
We don't really go out so much on weeknights, but apparently this night was special! We went the a Beer Garden called the Forstbaumshule. It's the biggest one in Kiel, with some of the best Dunkel Weissen (dark Hefe). It was pretty cold outside and there was a live band singing really American songs with pretty thick German accents--classic!
How the name "Beer Garden" came about: once a long while ago, beer was stored in Kegs buried in the ground. Why? Breweries were only brewed during certain seasons...like when hops were available. They would make enough to have all year. Many placed didn't have basements big enough-or basements at all- so they buried their beer. It was easier to tap the beer underground than to dig it up, so people would go outside to drink their beer. The area would many times have some type of garden or vegetation. Thus Beer Garden! This isn't completely accurate, it's the story I was told- in german- on my second day here....there may be some myth and mistranslation!
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