Walking Berlin

Day 2: I was thinking of getting on another train to see another Zaha building in Leipzig, but Yadiel suggested I stay aorund Berlin, because there's so much good stuff to see in the city. So I took his advice and headed out on foot from his house. I wound around his neighbrhood and north Mitte for a bit in the morning, window shopping and gazing at all the lovely houses and young german families strolling about. After a bit I found myself at Alexander Platz, which is home to the television tower (a brilliant east german relic) and city hall. From here I followed the other tourists towards all the historic/photogenic buildings along Karl-Liebknicht Strasse and Unter den Linden, eventually finding teh Brandenburg Gate. The only obvious remain of the GDR along the main drag is the huge fortress-like Russian embassy, complete with a massive gold fence and scary gurads.

From there I found the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, one of the proejcts on my itinerary. I was beautiful, subtle and well made. What struck me most strongly about the project was the wasy in which people intercted with it. Rather than being a somber and reflective space (i.e: Vietnam Memorial) it was active and excited. Kids were hoping aorund on top of the concrete blocks; grown ups were playing hide and seek amongst them. Not sure what to think of all of this. It must have something do to with the nature of the project's form, just not sure what yet. Must think more...

From there I stopped at the Neue Nationalgalerie, design by Mies van der Rohe. It was intersting to see these two projects back to back, because at the Nationalgalerie, people were very sedate, quiet and mostly stuck sitting on the perimeter wall. While enjoying an ice cream cone I decided to walk to Hamburger Bahnof, a contemporary art museum. An exhibit on Pain (how German!) was up and thoght it'd be intersting. Unfortunately, I arrived too late, got tired, and headed back to the house.

I rested up for a night of drinking in public (perfectly legal here), attending a film party and dancing until sunrise. so fun!