Frankfurt then Berlin

I spent a few days there after Frankfurt....am getting into the groove about the train travel and getting lost... also looking forward to Meghan and Roman's wedding and getting back to Canada and to Beijing...couple of pictures of the Frankfurt stadium where the Dali Lama was presiding...a picture of the Berlin zoo ....also the flat rectangular prisms is the memorial to the murdered Jews in the war......a controversial display...it cost 27 million to build...kind of quiet memorial.....also the gate entry to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp...work will set you free...how ironic...it was on the backs of these forced labour camps that the third Reich depended for cheap labour...when will we ever learn

Frankfurt final days

Aug 2nd. 2009
Got up fairly early and took a long walk out to the football field in Frankfurt….lots of greenery. Walked by a tennis and hockey (I presumed that it was field hockey) park
When I got there, sure enough the Dali Lama was there…not at that time but his entourage and all the trappings……something like an exhibition of all things Buddha. All I wanted was some shots of the stadium…they had confiscated my big camera so I had to use my Nokia to get the ones I wanted…not a particularly awe inspiring stadium…..but apparently it was used for the World Cup…stayed there too long…..got back and thought of going to Heidlberg and then to Hockenheim but couldn’t get any answers from anyone at the hostel…so spent the rest of the day just wandering …which is ok …but not as productive as I wanted….probably should have done some wash…didn’t and was not going to do internet stuff at the hostel as I had some troubles…to the point that I had to change my password….
Went out again with Duo En’s parents…very nice people and I know fairly well off…he is interested in starting a chain of restaurants in Germany….top quality ones…..we were at a prototype and it was good…we got there fairly fast….I think he was doing about 160 km on the highway…..and had a gps so didn’t need any directions….
Left at about 2230 and waited for my train at the station…caught it at 0055 and said goodbye to Frankfurt





August 3rd, 2009
Pulled into the Berlin station right on time…..and found my bus and bought a day pass and made it to the right stop and then….shit….lost again….but all I needed was about 4 people to tell me where to go and I was all right…..now it is so damn easy to find…I can’t imagine getting lost…..and the U2 underground is right out the front door …it will be useful.

Took the 1030 free tour of Berlin with a tour guide named Stephanie from New Zealand…..it was a good 3 hours and was very informative and sort of got my bearings…took my picture near the Brandenburg gates......does everyone have to have an Arch or a Gate so that they can triumphantly return from victories.....saw some of the Berlin Wall……it is said so many pieces of the wall have been sold that it could be rebuilt 3 times…..so tell me how many pieces were fake….????...18-20% unemployment in Germany.....gave a tip of 5 Euros for the tour....

Took a picture of one of the bombed churches...they kept it as bombed and titled it the "futility of War" and have turned it inot a money making proposition....also a picture of the zoo....
Came back, recharged some batteries and was able to finally talk to Vivian for about ½ hour….she is going to play badminton today….and is going to have a serious talk with her headmaster….about her future…..wanted to talk again that evening but got caught up in some traffic so didn’t make it back in time……
Took a bus ride out the end of the line and back so that I saw a lot of Berlin on the subway pass that I had purchased in the morning…got that tip from the internet and Hostelworld.com
Did get to chat for about 1 hour with Jennifer…..all is well in the Martel household…..JJ is growing, and Kenzie is recovering from a cut……
Went out for supper and was going to go on a pub crawl but felt that I was too tired to put the right frame of mind into it so I will try it tomorrow night if all goes well…
Blogged today for the last 4 days so will send those out today and get the photos all up to date..


Aug 4th, 2009
Got up at about 8 and had breakfast…they serve a good one here….eggs (hardboiled), toast, coffee, cereal, juice…enough to get you started…..
Talked with Vivian but for some strange reason my camera wasn’t working so I was only able to see her….Kuan Kuan is going to Beijing to take a course so that he can do better in his English testing…he is looking for scholarships and hopes that the extra will help him. Vivian is going to talk to the headmaster on the 6th.
I headed out to the downtown location to take the Sachsenhauser concentration camp tour. It was supposed to start at 1100 but about 1145 we finally headed out on a 50 minute train ride and then a 15 minute walk to get to the gates of the tour. The walk would have been the same one that the prisoners would have taken back in the 30s and 40s when it was being used to hold political prisoners and Jewish people in the later years….some amazing facts and stories about the people and what they faced….hard to believe that people can still sink to these kind of lows when dealing with others….it is still happening today in places like Rwanda and Somolia….the conditions were very difficult, the leaders were brutal beyond belief and it would be hare to imagine people surviving at all there….am glad I went even though it took a lot more time than I thought….took a few photos but not many….didn’t feel right about doing that there

Then went to the Reichstag (Parliament) to see where it was located…and then over to the train station to get my ticket to Copenhagen (which) I have since modified and will carry right on up to Stockholm for the night….then come back to Copenhagen on my way to Amsterdam….we will see how that works out…anyway should be in Stockholm for part of my birthday….will go out for a beer to celebrate…maybe…I get small headaches when I drink beer….and it doesn’t seem to matter which kind….even Chinese beer has done that….
Had supper at the hostel…Chili and a Sprite and then had an early evening….still haven’t made it out on one of those pub crawls….should do that before I run out of places to do it in….

August 5, 2009
Got up early…730 and was able to email and talk and have early breakfast and a shower and get out of here before 10…significant…as I was supposed to be out by 900..
Got to the Reichstag at a little after 1000 and there was a line up about 100 metres long……it took 1hour 45 minutes to get in….the wait…..not sure it was worth it but it is a panoramic view of the city…..the building has many innovations and some neat features… mirrors that reflect light into the building and cuts down on power……heat capture techniques…..use of biofuel……shade on the dome inside when needed……and a very good view of the city….
Then went out to the Olympic stadium….it is at the end of a long subway ride…..and then a little walk…only to find no tours……the 12th..(note how that comes in again…..and I didn’t plan to be here on their 12th) IAAF athletics championships are being held so they closed the stadium for visitors to prepare for it…..oh well…looks good from the outside……
Went back to the train station and got a ticket for Stockholm, Sweden……so that is where I will be turning 60…who’d a thunk it….anyway…..will stay there a day and then head for the Netherlands and Belgium and those areas for a few days…
Leave here tonight on an overnight to Malmo Sweden and then a high speed train to Stockholm in the morning…about a 4 hour trip…..should be interesting…
Getting my blog cleaned up and some emailing done…..spent a few hours at the hostel as I had some time …went out for a walk around…heck I was way closer to downtown than I thought….
Got the train at 2303…the Berlin train station is the only one so far that was clean….if I were in charge of some tourist promotion, the one thing I would do is hire about 1000 students to clean up the train stations…..get rid of all the bottles, plastic and paper…man that is a poor introduction to you city…..and it is grunt work and you could really create a lot better image for your city….lots of construction going on…I guess it is like this all over the world….summer time gets the work that needs to be done….while the tourists are all around…..hmmmmmmm