Loving Germany!

Tuesday, Oktober 7, 2008. Berlin, Germany!

Let me just start out by sharing my initial thoughts and feelings towards Germany. I had no motivation whatsoever to come visit here. I didn't love the food, certainly don't love the history, don't know the people, so really...Mer was pretty much my only reason for continuing my visit to this country (beyond Oktobefest, of course!) However, since coming here, I have found myself ENTHRALLED with its history! Yes, you read that right, McKinley is interested in the history of something! Let me tell you why!

Monday morning, we went to Mer's school which conveniently enough is right by where the free bike tour of Berlin meets! Scratch that, let me start with an even more interesting story. Mer has never gotten "controlled" which is when German train officials demand to see your tickets. So it would clearly be when I was with her that they would try that on her. They demanded my ticket and passport (which I didnt have with me at the time). I was so scared because he was essentially yelling at me in German, which I don't understand. Super. We survived that with a warning "It was a small misunderstanding" and got on with our day. We got to the IES building and it was misting. When I got to the tour (right after I got 30 minutes of internet when I started my other post) the tour guide told me that the tour would not run, but that I could instead go on a walking tour. Yeah, right. I'll be sure to do that. Luckily 24 more people promptly showed up and the tour was on!! We got to visit:

• The Brandenburg Gate
• The Reichstag
  
• The Holocaust Memorial
• Museum Island
• SS Headquarters
• Gendarmenmarkt
• Above Hitler's Bunker
• Checkpoint Charlie

On the tour, I made a friend from Nicaragua who enjoyed following me around. So that was fun. But when Mer came to meet me after her class and after the tour and gave me a little love tap on my hip, I was scared that it was my new friend. Luckily, it was instead my actual friend. By the way, Mer and I have decided that we are just essentially the same person. Anyway, back to my bike tour. It was MARVELOUS (and free, did I mention that?!) I did almost get run over a few times and as Mommy pointed out, NOT wearing helmets... We learned both about the history of World War II and The Berlin Wall. I could not absorb enough of the German history.

Mer and I went to lunch at the Doner Kabab place (a whole in the wall, essentially...) and ate like queens. Then we went to the Berliner Dom (a STUNNING church) and walked around. We went up to the balcony to take pictures and ended up hanging out there for a while which was so nice, we even got to actually PRAY in a church--go figure. Mer had class again that night from 6-8, so I came back to her center and emailed and skyped. After her class, we came back home to cuddle and shower. GOOD DAY!!!

This morning, we got up. Meredith dropped me off at Checkpoint Charlie so that I could visit the museum. It had lots of survivor stories about how people smuggled themselves in hollowed out surfboards etc. It was very interesting. Then, I, BY MYSELF, traversed the city (with VERY specific instructions from Mer, but nonetheless...) to the Holocaust Museum. En route, I did a little shopping and am now the proud owner of a new black knee-length coat!! AAAND its super soft!! At the museum, I got to walk through and read all sorts of stories again. Again, I could not even believe how interested I was in the history! Mer was excited too, because she is OBSESSED with all things German. I then met up with Mer at the train station so we could go to Alexanderplatz where there is a mall and other cool things to see. We walked around, took some pictures, then returned to her neighborhood to the TURKISH MARKET!! Again with the market, Eli, you would have DIED!!! It was so cool!! I bought some rasins, banana chips, chashews, apples, a scarf... it was great!!! Did I mention that I love Germany?!?!? Now we are back at Mer's house sharing some delightful food and even better company. Tomorrow my train leaves at 9:00, so its going to be an early morning, but I have had such a wonderful time! Life is good!

Having a ball!!
xoxo

QUOTE OF BERLIN: "Are we going to DRIVE all the way to Berlin, or are we actually going to take off?!?!" -Meredith Edrington, love of my live, upon being in a plane driving on the runway for longer than usual.

PS I didn't bring my computer, so I can't share pictures yet, sorry. But they will be up later, don't you even worry!