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First Day in Berlin, Sightseeing (and Work)
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After delivering our laundry to the front desk, we had breakfast. There was a buffet of cheese, meats, breads, fruit salad, eggs, etc. We also were able to check our email using the hotel's wireless connection. We then walked a few blocks to catch the Hop-On, Hop-Off bus that does a circle tour of all the important tourist sights. You can get off at any stop and get back on-the busses run every 15 minutes-and you can ride all day for the same price.
Many things were familiar to Judy from her visit 6 years ago, but there were some amazing changes. We saw the Kaiser Wilhem Memorial Church. It was destroyed in the war, and has been left as a ruin (the bell tower and the shell of the dome) as a memorial. There is a very modernistic new church next to it. We drove by the KaDeWe, the large department store, somewhat like Harrod's in London. Our front was a five-foot tall decorated plastic bear. The bear is the symbol of Berlin and they have had them decorated just like Cleveland had guitars. We saw them all over town. Next we went down the street where many of the embassies are located. (The USA is building a new one, right next to the Brandenberg Gate in the center of town.) The next stop was at Potsdamer Platz. Six years ago it was just holes in the ground and large building cranes; now there are tall office buildings everywhere.
We saw part of the Berlin Wall and Checkpoint Charlie, the gate where foreigners could enter East Berlin. Next was the Gendarmenmarkt, a former barracks. It was set in a square with many beautifully restored buildings of Old Berlin, such as the Cathedral and Concert Hall. Alexanderplatz is at the point today that Potsdamer Platz was 6 years ago-rebuilding with cranes everywhere. They've even temporarily re-routed part of the River Spree to build an underpass. Here also are the old Town Hall (Rathaus) and a building that isn't there. What looks to be a nicely restored building is just a photograph of what it will look like when finished painted on canvas that is erected over scaffolding. It is very realistic. Then they've used this technique several other places so passersby (and tourists) can see what is under the ever-present scaffolding.
The bus turned on to Unter den Linden, one of the most famous avenues in Germany. We passed by Museum Island, where 5 famous museums are located, including the Pergamon. We'll have to save them for another visit. For security reasons, no vehicles can pass through the famous Brandenberg Gate, but we did see it. It is at the east end of the large city garden, the Tiergarten (animal garden). It used to be a forest where animals for hunting were kept (deer, for instance), but now functions like New York's Central Park, as an oasis in the city. Here too are the restored Reichstag (parliament building), with its new glass dome, and the Mercedes bell tower. The bus's last stop was Schloss Charlottenburg, named for Sophie Charlotte, the wife of Elector Frederick III. Since the presidential palace is being remodeled, the German president is living at Schloss Charlottenburg for now. The tour ended back on the Kufursterdamm, where it started.
After Judy left to go teach, Steve stayed on the bus for another tour of Berlin, taking lots of photographs. At Judy's request, Steve visited the new Jewish museum. Many interesting images. There's one room where you think you're walking over cobblestones, but they are really bones. There's an area with 40 concrete columns representing how alone you feel as a Jew. At the end is a tree of hope, where you can hang a message.
Judy's workshop went very well. It was held at Amerika Haus, part of the US Foreign Service. We met in their light, bright library. There were 29 attendees. Sonja Benzer, Ludwig Forum für Internationale Kunst, Aachen; Thea Bose, US-Generalkonsulat Leipzig; Maren Busse, Manager, Chemical Technical Information Center, Continental AG, Hannover; Ghislaine Daudey, Information Resource Center, Amerika Haus, Berlin; Oliver Dienelt, Bibliothek, Institut für Baustoffe, Massivbau und Brandschutz der TU Braunschweig (Building Materials, Construction, and Fire Protection), Braunschweig; Fernando Frechauth, Library, European Parliament, Brussels, Belgium; Gabriele Freidank, Wissenschaftliches Zentrum für Berufs-und Hochschulforschung, Universität Kassel, (Scientific center for occupation and university research), Kassel; Maria Gockeritz, Thüringer Kiltusministerium, Erfurt; Michaela Jobb, Library, Hertie School of Governance, Berlin; Claudia Jung, Bibliothek, Hochschule für Musik und Theater München, University of Music and Performing Arts, Munchen; Eroica Kremer, Informationszentrale/Bibliothek, Merz Pharma GmbH & Co., Frankfurt; Ulrike Lampert, Information und Dokumentation, Institut für Qualität und Wirtschaftlichkeit im Gesundheitswesen (Institut for quality and economy in the health service), Koln; Christiane Massion, Auswärtiges Amt (German State Department), Berlin; Judith Mathes, Qualität management, Bibliotheksleitung, Industrie- und Handelskammer für München und Oberbayern, Munchen; Kalina Mühlfeld, Zweigbibliothek (Branch Library) Rechtswiss./Europ. Dokumentationszentrum (EDZ), Dresden; Holly Murten, Information Office, US Embassy, Berlin; Gabriele Naumann, OSZ Browirtschaft und Verwaltung, Abteilung, Berlin; Walburgis Otte, Hochschulbibliothek (University Library), Wilhelmshaven; Nancy Rajczak, US Embassy, Berlin; Elke Riemer, Bibliothek, QIAGEN GmbH, Hilden; Susanne Rohrberg, Graf von Westphalen Bappert & Modest, Hamburg; Irmela Roschmann-Steltenkamp, Bibliothek, Stiftung Topographie des Terrors, Berlin; Leyla Schön, Bibliothek, Behandlungszentrum für Folteropfer e.V., GSZ Moabit, (Treatment Center for Torture Victims), Berlin; Ralf Schulz, Bibliothek der Fachhochschule der BA, Mannheim; Anne Sieberns, Bibliothek/Library, Deutsches Institut für Menschenrechte/German Institute for Human Rights, Berlin; Anja Taylor, US Embassy, Berlin; Viviana Stockem, Bibliothek, Evangelisches Missionswerk in Deutschland, Hamburg; Ute Strack,US Embassy, IRC, Berlin; Dr. Cornelia Voss, Amerika Haus, Information Resource Center, Berlin, Elike Wijnheijmer, Wageningen University & Research Centre, Wageningen. Oliver, Leyla and Maria attended Judy's seminar six years ago.
We met briefly at the hotel around 6:00, then Judy and about ten of the workshop participants went to dinner at Literaturhaus Berlin, a restaurant in an old home. Her weinerschnitzel was good but it was a huge portion, so she shared it with the others (one of the others ordered the kinderschnitzel-a children's portion-but it was almost as much). Steve wandered around the area, checking out the various bars, having a meat pie and a hamburger for dinner.
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| 8. | First Day in Berlin, Sightseeing (and Work) - Berlin, Germany Oct 17, 2005 |
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