Leaving Berlin

5:45 came early and I was grogy from the night of restless sleep. A hurried trip to the breakfast buffet and then off board to find the ICE to Berlin. The ticket booth was not open, but the tarin captain allowed us to get on. Soon we were flying past magnificent farming countryside in what used to be East Germany. It is difficult to think that just 20 years ago we could not have traveled here. Wheat and other grains carry the eye to the horizon, and occassionally thre is a little pond with ducks swiming about or a farm house, or a field of holstein cows. The scenery is also punctuated by large stands of trees. Poppies grow along in the fields as well, and now and again we pass little towns in the distance.

At stations along the way old friends hug and say goodbyes. Old ones know that life is fragile and sometimes weep a bit as they part, young ones are too excited to think past the present moment filled with hopes.

The homes look quite nice near the tracks so perhaps east Germany at least in rural areas is doing fine. As the land becomes more hilly there are more forest areas. All along the track are homes with gardens growing food. This has been true everywhere in Europe whether north or south -- people in Europe grow locally. Restuarants have misshapen apples that taste fabulous and tomatoes that are not a standardized variety. The train was moving quickly and a sign on a flat screen announced the speed at 119 kilometers. As we move along the tracks I am listening to Cat Stevens new recording -- I love the simplicity and words. I know that when he speaks of God he is thinking of Allah and the prophet Mohammad, but I cannot help but think that God includes all --- weather Muslim, Christian, or Jew. It is very peaceful music.

We reached Berlin on time and found Suzanne waiting on the platform. She is of course older but is very much unchaged, except that she was not wearing her cowboy boots. Her husband is an ENT in the University Hospital in Berlin and does research relating to cancer. He was home during the day --- and should have been sleeping, but instead was stuck getting a door put into the kitchen Suzzane had designed and had redone more than six months ago.....this last door was still not complete, and she was looking forward to at last having that in place. Unfortunately --- the carpenter choose the same day that we were to be in Berlin, so her husband had to stay up for that. Suzanne needed to be home by 5:00 to pick up Frederich from kindergarten, so we had the most of the day to see some of Berlin through her eyes. Kindergarten here does not refer to school for 5 year olds, but rather to pre-school. Frederich is only 6 months old and is teething.

We started out crossing the river in front of the Hauptbanhoff and heading toward the Richstag builidng. It was adorned with a new very modern looking glass dome! We found our way up to the top to the restaurant there where we had coffee and rolls. Suzanne is pregnant and needs to eat very regularly or she gets morning sickness. We relaxed and caught up a bit in the beautiful space. Black marble, startrched white table linen, and massed orchads make a dramatic statement. There are also bringht purple carnations at each table. There is a white ceramic tray with square condiment holders in it. Square salt, pepper, sugar (a special sugar container with crystals of sugar) and a cream container fit together in the tray perfectly making a lovely design in itself.

After we finished we walked around and took pictures of major landmarks in Berlin from the top of the Richstag. Then we came back down and headed for the Brandenberg Gate. This was just a short distance away. There was a big park on one side of the Richstag, the Tiergarden which means animal garden and was the place that the Kaiser hunted. We crossed through the gate and found ourselves in what was once East Germany. The American embassy was just completed and sits right next to the gate.

We spent the rest of the day walking among the buildings of what was East Germany following WWII. In fact it is a city with wide avenues and many very new buildings next to very old ones. Perhaps it was the fact that so much was destroyed in WWII that makes this city willing to tear down buildings to replace them. Suzaane pointed out the old parliment building from East Germany that sat on the spot where a castle had been before had recently been torn down and now there is a dispute about whether to "reconstruct the older castle." Seeing the city through her eyes is like seeing through an architects eyes. IT is about the design of the buildings and who designed them that impresses Suzanne.

It was a very long walk, and we stopped at about 2:30 for lunch. Kathy ordered Sauerbrauten which was quite beautifully served on a bed of red cabbage and green. It was a recommended spot by one of Andreas' collegues, and the food was exceptional. Following lunch we walked back to the train station. In fact we walked from about 9:50 until 5:30 (except for tea and lunch time) and then I stood waiting for the train until nearly 6:00 p.m. so I was very tired by the time we climbed back on the train. I was very glad that tis ws not at the beginning of our travels or I would have been dead! One big disappointment was in finding any internet cafes. I carried my computer hoping that we would locate one. In the Mediterranean we had found them, and in Copenhagen we had free access with the hotel, but the ship's very cheapest rate was $55 for 100 minutes and the connection was so slow the other day --- it took me 5 minutes just to get logged in to post my blog. Things here are much more expensive. a latte at McDonalds is 2.30 Euro -- or about $3.30!

We arrived at about 8:30 at Waremude which was the port where our ship was docked. We had to climb down and up stairs at this station. When we began the descent an older gentleman insisted on carrying the chair. "You know you are in a former communist country?" Yes, I said, It is remarkable how wonderful everything looks. "Well, it is because the West German government has poured so much into this side of the country. You should have come 20 years ago. Then you would have seen the results of communism." He and his companions struck up quite a conversation with us and were so solicitous of Kathy. The gentleman who carried the chair apolgized profusely for the fact that there was no access. He said he would go home to Bonn (where this group was from) and write a ltter to the editor about this. It is rediculous, he said, "that a port of call for tourists has no access. Afterall there must be many people with disabilities abaord." They are a very fit group --- mostly in their 70s probably, they bike everywhere. They carry their bkes on the train and then take them off and tour in the cities they wish to visit. They are proud of this behavior---and so they should be.

Though access is better than 2003, there is still not much access. In fact, this was a real problem for Russia and the Hermitage. We are hoping that the guide will make some accommodation so that Kathy can go along on every floor. There are lifts --- but no arrangements to accommodate. The saddest thing is that the castles do not permit wheelchairs period. "

We grabbed a bite as soon as we returned poolside. There was a local band which played German music and we had more sausage, cabbage and traditional German dishes. I went to bed a bit late--- because I watched a movie. They had a lot more entertainmnet opportunities than we had on the RC cruise, including DVDs from the ships library.