Berlin!!!!
Travelling across Germany by bus (with Wifi) is highly recommended. Not only did we see a good chunk of Germany, we saw snow and tonnes of the white stuff that most Aussies dont regularly see, if at all.
Stopping in Hannover i jumped out and played in the snow, much to the bemusement of the Bus driver who almost left without the Aussie :)
We expected it to be much colder in Berlin and watching the outside temperature reading plummet to -11 when we neared Berlin i knew i was in for an experience that I have never had.
Even with five layers of clothes, two of which were thermal, the heat still went away from my body quickly and we were thankfully picked up by Noras Dad promptly and before my eyeballs completely froze to over.
We took a short night tour around Berlin and were whisked away to a part of West Berlin, close to East Berlin to stay with Inga, Noras mother. We were greeted warmly with warmth haa, and were treated to a traditional German dish from the Black Forest part of Germany, which is where Inga hails from. Afterwards Nora, Manny, Antonio ( Ingas homestay student from Spain) ventured out into the cold to an alternative club nearby.
I loved the place, it was packed, playing metal music and a scene from Berlin that i had read about. The Beer and schnapps are very cheap, not overpriced like in Oz. Afterwards and with a cheesy Jagermeister grin on my face we left the club into what had become a near -14 degree night to seek out good German Currywurst, the was simply good tucker :) .
Afterwards the cold started to effect me and i didnt cope with the evening too well, and was happy to go back to Ingas place and sleep everything off.
On Sunday 26 January (Australia Day) I experienced the coldest day of my life, -14 degrees and in the wind down to -20 degrees.. Wow, I did enjoy it in a weird way, however could really begin to appreciate the people who experience this weather regularly, and the respect I have for them.
I had to add several more layers and just put up with it.
On this day I was taken to the Berlin Wall in East Berlin. It was a place that holds quite a lot of significance to me, and I am sure millions of more people. For me, the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989 was the start of the Harmonic Convergence, a time when hope and light began to shine again on the Earth, where love began to overcome the dark.
I remembered in 1989 when my Father woke my sister and I up and was saying to my Mum that it was important for us to see this change in the world. Thanks Dad, it was, and is and I am grateful for you to signal that curiosity in my heart, to seek this out and to my friends to take me there.
We then ventured to many other places in East Berlin, stopping reguarly to defrost and warm up. Afterwards, I was taken to the Brandenburg Gates, another place that I had studied and was facinated to see and feel the history that had passed through those gates. From Napolean to the Nazis, to the Cold war when it was in East Berlin, the point of the Harmonic Convergence and the sights seen on the TV when I was 15 years old and so far away in Australia.
Next to the Brandenburg Gates is the Bundenstag (the capital building) or the former Reichstag building that was the home of facinating facist politics for this nation in the dark days of the 1930's and 40's. I feel we should all look back to look forward sometimes, and I do see in my country the reemergence of facist styes of laws that is a little bit frightening. I send into the future love for guidance and rememberence, it cannot happen again.
Travelling on the Berlin transit system is quite fun, there are several modes, trams and trains, above ground and below ground and always a welcomed place of warmth.
I awoke on Monday, to the view of it starting to snow, and ventured out into the day, that was much warmer at -3 degrees and easier to cope with.
It was just simply so beautiful to see the city become covered in Snow, the roads, the trees the sidewalks. I have never been in a big city where it snows, only in mountains at resorts. We went to Checkpoint Charlie, another place I wished to visit and see, as it held a lot of modern history. It was snowing quite heavily, nice dry snow that crunched under the feet. I always remember the joy of going to see the snow, and the excitement in my Mother about Snow, thanks Mum :)
It snowed about 15 cms and we went to a large park in the middle of Berlin at which people were sledding down and enjoying the conditions. I had the mandatory snowball fight with Manuel and was great to have that kind of fun.
I am always facinated to see how other cultures cope with their weather, and to see everyone just getting about, driving in the snow, walking in the snow, just another day for sure, and just the best experience to add to this Odyssey 2014.
On Tuesday morning I took a short walking meditation through a park nearby, there were drifts of snow to make fresh tracks in and a ride on a large swing that I enjoyed. I am such a big kid, and enjoy swinging as high as I can, and felt so comfortable and happy in this solitude in the snow, in Berlin.
We then took a quick tour to other places around Berlin before being dropped off at the Busstop for our journey back to Cologne.
Berlin I love you, thanks for turning on the Weather for this Aussie. I shall return for sure :)
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