Well folks, that's about it for live updates, I'll start reliving the whole experience by starting to post more pictures along with any memories or stories I have about them.
So please keep looking, those I'm in direct contact with I'll let you know when I've created a new post. Don't worry I won't spam you.
It's been an interesting experience, I've learnt a lot about France, Germany and HK.
I've even learnt that flying with Bea can be interesting and humoourous for me, and mind bogginglly stressfull for Bea. She does not fly at all well.
Bea has been very good in HK she has not shopped, I think she was very afraid to be anywhere without me as she does not speak the language (for once) and had no sense of direction.
I'll possibly blog some more from Singapore, but we only have 2.5 hours there and currently they seem to be cancelling flights of delaying them by the minute.
05 July 2008
HK Scam
You get accosted here by everybody, mostly trying to sell you something.
Glance in a shop in Nathan Road and they will assume you want something and invite you in. Stop and they come and talk to you about what you want.
There are indians and pakistanies trying to sell you copy watches or suit's.
They will continue with you for about 10 seconds. Grates a little after the first 3 do it to you.
Look a little lost in a side street and one of the buggers will cross the street asking what's your looking for, maybe a tailor? We are very good.....
Biggest thing of all from yesterday....... we got Holiday scammed......
Scotish lass, asked us if we speak english and would we take part in thei promotion thinggy.
Ok, ask you a bunch of questions, age, married etc.
Give you a scratchy. Bea wins a t shirt, I get 3 stars, lass goes that's new, wonder what that means. Wayne (her boss) does the "Your our start prize winner..... there are 6 prizes. You've won one of them, the cruise, video camera and something else have already gone, but the money holiday, and laptop are still there." (Personally I'm already thinking erm think this is a waste of time, Bea's hooked )..... bit more said..... taxi to this office down south somewhere on the HK Gold Coast. 90 minute tour.
Get back to the office, scratch the little prize part on the ticket, you've won the holiday...... now there's a surprise.
Personally I think they swapped the card on me. If I had scratched the panel before we got there it would have been the laptop or money. Only reason I think this is that Karen (Scottish lass) had put her name on the front of my card. The one I had ended up with her name on the back. Would I swear to this in court No. Would I do this again NO.
Getting back was interesting. They give you free transfer tickets back, using a hotel transit service...... great escept that it's full. Except they let 4 other people on who were not in the queue.
Taxi to nearest metro station, cost about $12. As Bea said we got to see some parts of HK we would not have normally seen.
Glance in a shop in Nathan Road and they will assume you want something and invite you in. Stop and they come and talk to you about what you want.
There are indians and pakistanies trying to sell you copy watches or suit's.
They will continue with you for about 10 seconds. Grates a little after the first 3 do it to you.
Look a little lost in a side street and one of the buggers will cross the street asking what's your looking for, maybe a tailor? We are very good.....
Biggest thing of all from yesterday....... we got Holiday scammed......
Scotish lass, asked us if we speak english and would we take part in thei promotion thinggy.
Ok, ask you a bunch of questions, age, married etc.
Give you a scratchy. Bea wins a t shirt, I get 3 stars, lass goes that's new, wonder what that means. Wayne (her boss) does the "Your our start prize winner..... there are 6 prizes. You've won one of them, the cruise, video camera and something else have already gone, but the money holiday, and laptop are still there." (Personally I'm already thinking erm think this is a waste of time, Bea's hooked )..... bit more said..... taxi to this office down south somewhere on the HK Gold Coast. 90 minute tour.
Get back to the office, scratch the little prize part on the ticket, you've won the holiday...... now there's a surprise.
Personally I think they swapped the card on me. If I had scratched the panel before we got there it would have been the laptop or money. Only reason I think this is that Karen (Scottish lass) had put her name on the front of my card. The one I had ended up with her name on the back. Would I swear to this in court No. Would I do this again NO.
Getting back was interesting. They give you free transfer tickets back, using a hotel transit service...... great escept that it's full. Except they let 4 other people on who were not in the queue.
Taxi to nearest metro station, cost about $12. As Bea said we got to see some parts of HK we would not have normally seen.
Honk Kong Resturants
We've now eaten at 4 places.
2/ Hotel Resturant. We felt a tad under dressed, that was until the Americans walked in, we also felt a bit lonely. Thats said food on the menu sounded tasty. Little tofu snacks appeard, Bea get asked if she wants Jasmine tea.
We order, Dim Sums, baked pig and crispy goose.
Mine arrives, no sign of Bea's. Mine's cold. They take back what's on the serving plate, leaving me with my cold stuff on my plate.
They zap it and send it back out. I get another cold bit (from my plate) and then a hot bit. They then read my face and ask if anything is wrong. They cancel my order. I share Bea's Dim Sums.
The buggers then charge us for the snacks we didn't order and the jasmine tea.
3/ Hotel Cafe for Breakfast.
Nice food, plenty of choice, apricots taste funny.
They employ somebody to open the toilet door, and then turn the tap on to was your hands.
4/ Avenue of Stars.
Great food here. We ate for about $60. I had a really large prawn in garlic butter with fillet steak. Bea had Chicken. The prawn was fantastic, steak was ok.
1/ Lunch in Kowloon. Simple, hot and fresh. $20 all up.
2/ Hotel Resturant. We felt a tad under dressed, that was until the Americans walked in, we also felt a bit lonely. Thats said food on the menu sounded tasty. Little tofu snacks appeard, Bea get asked if she wants Jasmine tea.
We order, Dim Sums, baked pig and crispy goose.
Mine arrives, no sign of Bea's. Mine's cold. They take back what's on the serving plate, leaving me with my cold stuff on my plate.
They zap it and send it back out. I get another cold bit (from my plate) and then a hot bit. They then read my face and ask if anything is wrong. They cancel my order. I share Bea's Dim Sums.
The buggers then charge us for the snacks we didn't order and the jasmine tea.
3/ Hotel Cafe for Breakfast.
Nice food, plenty of choice, apricots taste funny.
They employ somebody to open the toilet door, and then turn the tap on to was your hands.
4/ Avenue of Stars.
Great food here. We ate for about $60. I had a really large prawn in garlic butter with fillet steak. Bea had Chicken. The prawn was fantastic, steak was ok.
03 July 2008
Bea does not fly well!
We've arrived in HK. Seems that Bea does not fly well whether we be in Business Class or Cattle Class.
That's right we got lucky, the plane was overbooked so they bumped us up to Business Class.
We have been out and about it's noisy, crowded, very built up. And smelly. There are all sorts of smells, some you don't even want to think about.
Bea has so far fallen asleep twice (it's 13:00) and she is starting to get rather ratty with me, so probably time to feed the monster within.
That's right we got lucky, the plane was overbooked so they bumped us up to Business Class.
We have been out and about it's noisy, crowded, very built up. And smelly. There are all sorts of smells, some you don't even want to think about.
Bea has so far fallen asleep twice (it's 13:00) and she is starting to get rather ratty with me, so probably time to feed the monster within.
02 July 2008
Commonwealth War Memorial
When I was 18 (1984) and a FSGT in the ATC in the UK I was offered the opportunity to travel to RAF GATOW in West Berlin. This was 24 years ago, and for me an opportunity to make good on a promise I made to revisit the Commonwealth Was Memorial.
This is one of the few places that has not changed in the intervening years. I arrived at around 10:30am had apart from a gardener I had the whole place to myself.
There are over 3000 people buried here, including about 240+ Australian Airmen.
I have to admit to being a little emotional during my visit. It's hard to imagine the ravages and horrors of war in such a serean environment.
This is one of the few places that has not changed in the intervening years. I arrived at around 10:30am had apart from a gardener I had the whole place to myself.
There are over 3000 people buried here, including about 240+ Australian Airmen.
I have to admit to being a little emotional during my visit. It's hard to imagine the ravages and horrors of war in such a serean environment.
Some body with the same surname as me. Unlikely to be related.
Many graves are marked in the following manner.
Some body with the same surname as me. Unlikely to be related.
They also buried other Allied personnel.
The entrance to the cemetery.
Most of the people buried here are in the early to mid 20's. There are some into there early 30's. The highest ranks I saw were Squadron Leader and Major. It's not that there are not other higher ranks, just that I did not see them.
Many graves are marked in the following manner.
Some body with the same surname as me. Unlikely to be related.
They also buried other Allied personnel.
The entrance to the cemetery.
Most of the people buried here are in the early to mid 20's. There are some into there early 30's. The highest ranks I saw were Squadron Leader and Major. It's not that there are not other higher ranks, just that I did not see them.Auf Wiedersehen
Well there is a great deal yet to say about Berlin. That's the subject of the blog tomorrow.
But for tonight/today at least it is time to say Auf Wiedersehen to Berlin.
I have visited The Commonwealth Was Cemetry, very emotional visit for me. I'll explain tomorrow while in the airport for 4 hours.
Check Point Charlie, again a very moveing experience.
Treptow park for the Soviet War memorial. Very impressive sight.
In all three cases I saw them 24 years ago, in a very different light from today. I'm humbled and aweinspired at the same time. Words will not convey what I feel about these places I've seen and the people (read relatives) I've met.
Yesterdays's mini epic adventure took us within a stones throw the the Chech Republic, if I'd know this I'd have driven there at 6:30AM instead of walking down the road.
We have been to Wiessenfel and Hopfgarten (Note not the one found on Goggle, I'll post a lat long tomorrow for those interested.
Yes Berlin had found a strong connection in me, not entirely sure why, but must have something to do with coming of age etc when I was 18.
For now it's time to go say Auf Wiedersehen to the Rellies, have a couple of beers with them and get up at O'dark 30 to get to the bloody airport.
One thing I won't miss, if the annoucnement on the metro of "Links"; meaning the platform is on your left. (I've got eyes I can bloody well see that) Besides which the right side won't open anyway, so how the hell am I going to fall out!!!!!!
And the last thing I won't miss, bloody German...... the language is obnoxious, thou I'm sure the germans don't think so. I keep wanting to answer in Danish or Swedish. Seems I know more of those languages than any other (other than English or Bullshit, which one I'm better at I'll leave you to decide, except that Bea thinks it's the latter)
I'll do some more tomorrow on the way to Honker's at the same time I'll do some pictures.
But for tonight/today at least it is time to say Auf Wiedersehen to Berlin.
I have visited The Commonwealth Was Cemetry, very emotional visit for me. I'll explain tomorrow while in the airport for 4 hours.
Check Point Charlie, again a very moveing experience.
Treptow park for the Soviet War memorial. Very impressive sight.
In all three cases I saw them 24 years ago, in a very different light from today. I'm humbled and aweinspired at the same time. Words will not convey what I feel about these places I've seen and the people (read relatives) I've met.
Yesterdays's mini epic adventure took us within a stones throw the the Chech Republic, if I'd know this I'd have driven there at 6:30AM instead of walking down the road.
We have been to Wiessenfel and Hopfgarten (Note not the one found on Goggle, I'll post a lat long tomorrow for those interested.
Yes Berlin had found a strong connection in me, not entirely sure why, but must have something to do with coming of age etc when I was 18.
For now it's time to go say Auf Wiedersehen to the Rellies, have a couple of beers with them and get up at O'dark 30 to get to the bloody airport.
One thing I won't miss, if the annoucnement on the metro of "Links"; meaning the platform is on your left. (I've got eyes I can bloody well see that) Besides which the right side won't open anyway, so how the hell am I going to fall out!!!!!!
And the last thing I won't miss, bloody German...... the language is obnoxious, thou I'm sure the germans don't think so. I keep wanting to answer in Danish or Swedish. Seems I know more of those languages than any other (other than English or Bullshit, which one I'm better at I'll leave you to decide, except that Bea thinks it's the latter)
I'll do some more tomorrow on the way to Honker's at the same time I'll do some pictures.
01 July 2008
France Versus Germany
Well in terms of Chic, the French have it. In terms of outright calories the Germans have it.
France is bloody expensive (Rob, if you want to come to Gay Paris, think again take out a second mortgage, send the wife out to work (oops she already works, so you’d better go and get another job) then wonder why half your spending money goes in the first ¼ or your stay……
Berlin on the other hand, great big servings of heart attack food, followed with some more. Then for pud, more of the same. There’s a reason the world thinks Germans are fat.
On the other hand I have rarely seen a fat French person.
France: loads of tourists, esp Americans!
Germany, I have heard very few English voices. In fact the only people I remember were at RAF GATOW. A few stragglers of tourists.
Oh a couple of days ago, in english, the following was expressed as a joke......
What do the following countries have in common? List a few of the europeans countries.......
They will all watch the Europena Cup on TV..... snnnhhnhh snnnnhhh snhh (laughter)
Last night Germany were knocked out.......... geuss they were counting their chickens before they were hatched...... snnneeehhhh snnnneeehhh snneerhh (gurlgle)
France is bloody expensive (Rob, if you want to come to Gay Paris, think again take out a second mortgage, send the wife out to work (oops she already works, so you’d better go and get another job) then wonder why half your spending money goes in the first ¼ or your stay……
Berlin on the other hand, great big servings of heart attack food, followed with some more. Then for pud, more of the same. There’s a reason the world thinks Germans are fat.
On the other hand I have rarely seen a fat French person.
France: loads of tourists, esp Americans!
Germany, I have heard very few English voices. In fact the only people I remember were at RAF GATOW. A few stragglers of tourists.
Oh a couple of days ago, in english, the following was expressed as a joke......
What do the following countries have in common? List a few of the europeans countries.......
They will all watch the Europena Cup on TV..... snnnhhnhh snnnnhhh snhh (laughter)
Last night Germany were knocked out.......... geuss they were counting their chickens before they were hatched...... snnneeehhhh snnnneeehhh snneerhh (gurlgle)
Warm Beer.
Everybody seems to bag the Poms about warm beer. Yet in Germany I have drunk more warm lager (Pils) that I would want to. Seems that it’s very cheap. 90 Cents (Euro) or $1.50 for a ½ litre bottle. It’s available everywhere even the local servo’s.
The local residents cane be seen clutching a warm beer at about 8:00am. Yes AM.
I have seen a couple of women on the S bahn (train) with a beer in hand going to work.
The local pub had now become the local telephone connection box outside the nearest place that sells beer. Be this a shop, servo or what ever. They go get a beer, drink that and go get another.
I was offered a beer at 9:00am this morning. Given that I’d got 300k’s to drive that afternoon I declined.
So please next time you bag the Poms about warm beer consider that Germany is worse!
It your of German extraction go find a nice cold Pils and wait for it top warm up and try it. It’s bloody disgusting.
The local residents cane be seen clutching a warm beer at about 8:00am. Yes AM.
I have seen a couple of women on the S bahn (train) with a beer in hand going to work.
The local pub had now become the local telephone connection box outside the nearest place that sells beer. Be this a shop, servo or what ever. They go get a beer, drink that and go get another.
I was offered a beer at 9:00am this morning. Given that I’d got 300k’s to drive that afternoon I declined.
So please next time you bag the Poms about warm beer consider that Germany is worse!
It your of German extraction go find a nice cold Pils and wait for it top warm up and try it. It’s bloody disgusting.
30 June 2008
Two mini epic trips....
Saturday we hired a car, a little Cheverlot Kalos, rattles a bit but seems to go reasonably well. Would not buy one as the driving position is terrible.
We were looking at about 150-180E for 2 days from the likes of Hertz, Avis etc. But a little local knowledge saw us being offered this car (only 6000ks on the clock) for 70E even better we could have it for 2.5 days for that. Now that's service. If your ever in Berlin look up CARO in the local yellow pages.
Trip down was good. about 140ks on the Autobahn. For those not aquanted with said roads. They sometime do not have speed limits. They have a recommendation of 130. So you get these crazy dudes tail gating at 180kph. Then you get the idiot who pulls out at 120 into the path of a car doing 200. Yikes.
While I was doing a measly 150kph I was passed like I was going backwards, probably somewhere around the 250kph mark.
Well we finally got to the town we were headed for. Then we momentarily were unsure of where to go. I've got "links" going off in the back seat. Links = Left. Not sure if the spelling is correct.
By the time we got to the right street it's been blocked off (The reason for this was a sodding great big hole in the road).
At this point I think Tante Rosie had had enough and was almost at the point of wialing.
We're trying to work out what to do when I spot a van turning round at the blockage....... quick thinking and I following him..... sees us get to Uncle Rudi's house safe and sound.
Lunch was typical German food, 2 pork steaks, bacon and then cheese on top. Was great but I'm still not hungry 18 hours later.
Then the real mini epic journey began. Given a very nice hand drawn map for how to get to the Autobahn. Except we don't quite follow it.
Final corner....... Bea says "Road swings to the left, halfway round turn right towards Berlin"
Road appears, Bea says "We don't want that one there must be a turning on our left in a minute"
Notice the change from Right to Left...........
10 minute sceninc tour of Weissenfel. Try again. Finally on the right track.
An hour later (and this time it's not Bea making the mistake) Turn off here, take the 169. Sean moves off, Bea says "Stay on this road". Road on the right (signed 169) goes to where we want to go. Road straight ahead goes back onto the bloody Autobahn!!!!!! Guess where we end up......
We get off 20k's later, that's the first exit! Then try and find out why to where we want to go...... no road signs half the time and then the are these block roads, I'm sure we went through the same town twice. Sure felt like it.
Oh what's worse than a back seat driver?
A back seat driver who does not know where they are and only speaks German.
I get the rabble of German between Bea and Tante Rose and then "Links"
We finally got to Hoptgarten in deepest darkest Germany. Not far from Colditz.
Great place, nice cousins.
The bloke (I'll change this later to his real name) restored vintage motorcycles for a living. Been doing it for 25 years (I'll put some photo's up later). Apart from one of two things, like spark plugs, this man can hand build you a 1929 vintage motorcycle. Yes I do mean everything, wheel hubs, speedo housing, brake hubs, the whole rear assembly and things like petrol tanks. I've seen his workshop, in Oz it would have been shut down years ago. He has every type of metal work machine I've ever heard of and then a couple more for good measure. He does something like 10,000k's a year on a 1929 vintage bike!!!!!!
We were looking at about 150-180E for 2 days from the likes of Hertz, Avis etc. But a little local knowledge saw us being offered this car (only 6000ks on the clock) for 70E even better we could have it for 2.5 days for that. Now that's service. If your ever in Berlin look up CARO in the local yellow pages.
Trip down was good. about 140ks on the Autobahn. For those not aquanted with said roads. They sometime do not have speed limits. They have a recommendation of 130. So you get these crazy dudes tail gating at 180kph. Then you get the idiot who pulls out at 120 into the path of a car doing 200. Yikes.
While I was doing a measly 150kph I was passed like I was going backwards, probably somewhere around the 250kph mark.
Well we finally got to the town we were headed for. Then we momentarily were unsure of where to go. I've got "links" going off in the back seat. Links = Left. Not sure if the spelling is correct.
By the time we got to the right street it's been blocked off (The reason for this was a sodding great big hole in the road).
At this point I think Tante Rosie had had enough and was almost at the point of wialing.
We're trying to work out what to do when I spot a van turning round at the blockage....... quick thinking and I following him..... sees us get to Uncle Rudi's house safe and sound.
Lunch was typical German food, 2 pork steaks, bacon and then cheese on top. Was great but I'm still not hungry 18 hours later.
Then the real mini epic journey began. Given a very nice hand drawn map for how to get to the Autobahn. Except we don't quite follow it.
Final corner....... Bea says "Road swings to the left, halfway round turn right towards Berlin"
Road appears, Bea says "We don't want that one there must be a turning on our left in a minute"
Notice the change from Right to Left...........
10 minute sceninc tour of Weissenfel. Try again. Finally on the right track.
An hour later (and this time it's not Bea making the mistake) Turn off here, take the 169. Sean moves off, Bea says "Stay on this road". Road on the right (signed 169) goes to where we want to go. Road straight ahead goes back onto the bloody Autobahn!!!!!! Guess where we end up......
We get off 20k's later, that's the first exit! Then try and find out why to where we want to go...... no road signs half the time and then the are these block roads, I'm sure we went through the same town twice. Sure felt like it.
Oh what's worse than a back seat driver?
A back seat driver who does not know where they are and only speaks German.
I get the rabble of German between Bea and Tante Rose and then "Links"
We finally got to Hoptgarten in deepest darkest Germany. Not far from Colditz.
Great place, nice cousins.
The bloke (I'll change this later to his real name) restored vintage motorcycles for a living. Been doing it for 25 years (I'll put some photo's up later). Apart from one of two things, like spark plugs, this man can hand build you a 1929 vintage motorcycle. Yes I do mean everything, wheel hubs, speedo housing, brake hubs, the whole rear assembly and things like petrol tanks. I've seen his workshop, in Oz it would have been shut down years ago. He has every type of metal work machine I've ever heard of and then a couple more for good measure. He does something like 10,000k's a year on a 1929 vintage bike!!!!!!
29 June 2008
Tempelhof Airport.
24 years ago we got shown this magnificent airport, the check in desks were all there, the baggage carousels were all there, all in perfect working order we even got down to the pan and into the hangars. Trouble is no passengers. The whole thing was maintained in the hope of reunification and then it would open as a show case airport the envy of the world.
Well it opened, but not in the way they had hoped for. We saw it yesterday, it’s a beautiful piece of architecture, the the check in desks were all there, the baggage carousels were all there, all in perfect working order. Trouble is no passengers. Or rather there were a few.
Again a rather sad ending to what at the time, during the cold war, was a picture of hope for the future. They are currently planning on closing it. As the city grows and the relative wealth goes up they will wonder why they closed it. Just look at City airport in London.
I’m hoping to get a tour organized next week.
Well it opened, but not in the way they had hoped for. We saw it yesterday, it’s a beautiful piece of architecture, the the check in desks were all there, the baggage carousels were all there, all in perfect working order. Trouble is no passengers. Or rather there were a few.
Again a rather sad ending to what at the time, during the cold war, was a picture of hope for the future. They are currently planning on closing it. As the city grows and the relative wealth goes up they will wonder why they closed it. Just look at City airport in London.
I’m hoping to get a tour organized next week.
Olympic Stadium
Since 1984 they have held the Olympics in Berlin again. To achieve the desired outcome they redesign the whole stadium, BUT, they reused 98% of the original stones and basically kept the outside looking the same. Inside is a very different picture, seriously they thought about the lay out and what was needed, they have an indoor warm-up track that’s 100m long and about 6 lanes wide.
The swimming pool is the same as for the 1936 Olympics. It’s an impressive area and feat. To get a Executive Box for the football matched was 900E a day plus food, plus entrance. Sky boxes were something like 50,000E a year and that’s only for the Soccer matches. You’d have to like you Soccer a lot for that sort of money.
The swimming pool is the same as for the 1936 Olympics. It’s an impressive area and feat. To get a Executive Box for the football matched was 900E a day plus food, plus entrance. Sky boxes were something like 50,000E a year and that’s only for the Soccer matches. You’d have to like you Soccer a lot for that sort of money.
28 June 2008
Zoo to Home Photo's
The reconciliation center, on it's right is the blue church
Inside the blue church this is magnificent
Ths handsome fella can be yours for just $24000
The last time I was here, this road was as empty, minues the people as this. There is apparently some soccer competion on, Yuck! Anyway when we driven down here we drove past the Soviet War memorial, which the vehicle was not allowed to stop at. Wheels stop, guns get drawn the whole nine yards.
Inside the blue church this is magnificent
Ths handsome fella can be yours for just $24000
The last time I was here, this road was as empty, minues the people as this. There is apparently some soccer competion on, Yuck! Anyway when we driven down here we drove past the Soviet War memorial, which the vehicle was not allowed to stop at. Wheels stop, guns get drawn the whole nine yards.
The Soviet Was memorial, this place was guarded by Soviet soldiers, who were in turn guarded by the West German police. Apparently somebody had at one time walked up to one of the sodliers and shot him. Nowadays the guards are gone.
There are two tanks, either side of the memorial, apparently their dead crews are sealed inside.
Somebody is holding a soccer competion so the whole place is a circus.
Brandenburg gate from the site of the wall.
Reichstag again from the site of the wall, the walkk is marked by a line of double cobble stones
They call this the washing machine
There are two tanks, either side of the memorial, apparently their dead crews are sealed inside.
Somebody is holding a soccer competion so the whole place is a circus.
Brandenburg gate from the site of the wall.
Reichstag again from the site of the wall, the walkk is marked by a line of double cobble stones
They call this the washing machine
Again the Reichstag only this time from just within East Berlin, I remember looking out of the building at the corner of the wall at this point.
By the time I'd finished this walk I was a very tired puppy.
By the time I'd finished this walk I was a very tired puppy.
Gatow to Home
I decided that I’d take a bus donwn to the far side of the station and take another back up past the main gate. So walk out to the bus stop, where while reading the map I was bundled out by 20 screaming 6 year olds and their teachers.
Now the next bus is not for 25 minutes, but I think Teachers must no what their doing, one must be due shortly. So I decide to change my mind and wait rather than walk to the next stop. Nope they don’t know anymore than me.
Except that there is one bus that goes past the entrance of the museum and for some reason misses out the stop I’m at…. If I’d walked to the next stop I’d have got a but 15 minutes earlier, with no screaming kids!.
So drove past the main gate, changed to some official loking place so decided to stay on the bus to Spandau. Quick walk around here, could not find anybody doing ballet so train to Zoo.
Zoo is where I first arrived in Berlin, cannot remember much of it. Across the road is the blue church and the reconciliation centre (some photo’s from inside later)
Walk from their to Brandenburg gate, past the Soviet war memorial and on past the Reichstag. I’m going to describe that with the photo’s as there is a story to tell in pictures.
Now the next bus is not for 25 minutes, but I think Teachers must no what their doing, one must be due shortly. So I decide to change my mind and wait rather than walk to the next stop. Nope they don’t know anymore than me.
Except that there is one bus that goes past the entrance of the museum and for some reason misses out the stop I’m at…. If I’d walked to the next stop I’d have got a but 15 minutes earlier, with no screaming kids!.
So drove past the main gate, changed to some official loking place so decided to stay on the bus to Spandau. Quick walk around here, could not find anybody doing ballet so train to Zoo.
Zoo is where I first arrived in Berlin, cannot remember much of it. Across the road is the blue church and the reconciliation centre (some photo’s from inside later)
Walk from their to Brandenburg gate, past the Soviet war memorial and on past the Reichstag. I’m going to describe that with the photo’s as there is a story to tell in pictures.
Gatow
Yesterday at Gatow I was a little disappointed. I had hoped that the Luftwaffe museum would be entered via the original main gate of the station and that the barracks would be part of it.
Getting over this little bit of disappointment and getting on with looking at something like 100 aircraft, parked in various states of repair, from well preserved to down right rotten. It was a good exhibition of what aircraft the Germans have used in the 50 years of the Luftwaffe.
Did they really use Harriers? Cos there was one there.
I’ve come as close to a Hind (Not you John and Amanda) as I ever want to. These are seriously ugly machines and would have cause a certain amount of intimidation when you saw one armed and coming towards you.
Some lovely aircraft, from a Grunau Baby II, we have flying examples in Oz, Me109, Tornado’s, Phantoms, the list goes on.
I decided that I would take a picture of the Tower, now for some reason the exhibition in the bottom was closed. As I was walking up to the building a fat German lady started shouting. Apparently at me, when I finally stopped a few more words were shouted and nothing further when I walked away. So I did what anybody else would have done. I waited until she was about 500m away (she’s on a bike) and walked back over.
But no she was keeping an eye on me….. cycles back over and continues shouting at me in German from about 5m away. Joy oh Joy I’m being shouted at by a fat German lady, “I don’t speak German”. Torrent of German words. Some of which were I think Not Good.
Anyway by that time I’d got my pictures. Now there were other people about walking up to the building (with cameras) and taking a look, but nothing was said to them.
Very strange.
While entering one of the exhibitions a cherry (may have been a bird full of cherries) burst in the tree above me. I have this wonderful trail of cherry (I’m choosing to think it was a burst cherry) from my baseball cap, down the front of my shirt part of my camera and my jeans!
Getting over this little bit of disappointment and getting on with looking at something like 100 aircraft, parked in various states of repair, from well preserved to down right rotten. It was a good exhibition of what aircraft the Germans have used in the 50 years of the Luftwaffe.
Did they really use Harriers? Cos there was one there.
I’ve come as close to a Hind (Not you John and Amanda) as I ever want to. These are seriously ugly machines and would have cause a certain amount of intimidation when you saw one armed and coming towards you.
Some lovely aircraft, from a Grunau Baby II, we have flying examples in Oz, Me109, Tornado’s, Phantoms, the list goes on.
I decided that I would take a picture of the Tower, now for some reason the exhibition in the bottom was closed. As I was walking up to the building a fat German lady started shouting. Apparently at me, when I finally stopped a few more words were shouted and nothing further when I walked away. So I did what anybody else would have done. I waited until she was about 500m away (she’s on a bike) and walked back over.
But no she was keeping an eye on me….. cycles back over and continues shouting at me in German from about 5m away. Joy oh Joy I’m being shouted at by a fat German lady, “I don’t speak German”. Torrent of German words. Some of which were I think Not Good.
Anyway by that time I’d got my pictures. Now there were other people about walking up to the building (with cameras) and taking a look, but nothing was said to them.
Very strange.
While entering one of the exhibitions a cherry (may have been a bird full of cherries) burst in the tree above me. I have this wonderful trail of cherry (I’m choosing to think it was a burst cherry) from my baseball cap, down the front of my shirt part of my camera and my jeans!
27 June 2008
Walking Tour Photo's
Bea's Grand Mother Flat (deceased).
Third floor.
Heading towards the local church
Some of the Graffiti, very clear some of it, but enoughs enough
The Fallen Soldier memorial, one view with another below
The Holocaust memorial
Third floor.
Heading towards the local church
Some of the Graffiti, very clear some of it, but enoughs enough
The Fallen Soldier memorial, one view with another below
Outside, not as busy now as it was back in 1984
The Russian Embassy
The Holocaust memorial
Some soviet inspired block of flats, hence my view of East Berlin being bleak.
One of the last remain sections of wall, not the full death zone thing I was hoping for
Me at the end of a very long day, by this point I" had not sat down for 7 hours and had walked for about 4 hours of that.
Check in again tomorrow, I might have convinced Bea to blog again.
Send her some emails to encourage her.