Spent the last 2+ days in Berlin. It was very interesting. I can't say that the city has the asthetic charm as other European cities, due mostly to the destruction of allied bombing in WWII and the beautiful socialist architecture of the DDR behind the iron curtain. Nevertheless, behind the smothering of graffetti and the weirdos that we've seen on the streets and in the train (they do love their raggedy dogs, piercings, funny hair and tattered clothing), Berlin has been a full dose of European history. From the Prussian kings to the re-establishment of the Reichstag the modern architecture blended with the traces of Baroque buildings and centuries old food and culture has been fascinating. From the weinerschnitzel and pilsner to the tree lined KuDam boulevard Berlin has been very unique. I am not sure where you could have sausage and sourkraut for lunch and Vietnamese noodles for dinner and ride to the top of a communist-era tv tower in East Germany and walk through a private collection museum of Picasso and Matisse paintings all in one day. Berlin is truly an amalgamation of cultures and an East meets West. It is a great jumping of point for our segway into Eastern Europe. We take the train tomorrow to Prague and end our travels in Budapest. Look forward to keeping you up-to-date from there. I am looking out my hotel window before bed and eyeing the illuminated ruins of the Kaiser Wilhelm chuch bombed and left in ruins after WWII to show the destruction of war. Very haunting.
Hope everyone is well,
Love,
Blaine
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