Berlin WOW
I have visited so many places in this long trip but I was so shocked by Berlin. I was shocked because I was so excited to be in Berlin more than any other place and I did not expect that reaction. I tried to figure out why and I realized what it was. I knew one day in my life I would go to Paris, Spain and Italy. One place I always said I would like to go but never really expected to go to was Berlin so to be there felt like the greatest accomplishment of my trip so far. Which is why when I walked off the plane I was so excited.
It started a bit rough because we were delayed in Paris for 2 hours. So we were tired and frustrated. I know Juan can feel my pain. I actually fell asleep sitting which I never use to do. Actually those of you who know my mom well know she can sleep anywhere and at any time. I always believed because she worked so much and never gets enough sleep. Well that has become me as well. 7 weeks of sleeping 5-6 hours a night and all the walking and being out for such long periods have made me a great sleeper anywhere. I lay down and I am out. I sit still for more than a few minutes and I am out.
Then we got off in Berling and Tobias a friend of Maria´s met us at the airport. It was Maria, Guilia (Italian Friend) and Me. It was a bit quite because it was the first time Maria and Tobias had ever really met. He was her sisters good friend and has been talking to Maria via E-mail for more than a year now so they were excited to finally meet but a bit akward at the same time. He is such a sweet guy and I am so glad I met him. He went above and beyond for us. Maria and I have been so blessed to have 2 great new friends go above and beyond for us starting with Guilia and now Tobias. It was also akward but fun a bit because we had Guilia the die hard Italian Fan and Tobias the die hard German fan. Wow, the banter never ended until Guilia left on Saturday. Well Tobias took us to his apartment. He had a blow up mattress and his bed ready for us. He then said we could have his apartment and he would go and stay with his brother since we were girls he wanted to give us our privacy. Isn´t that sweet. He then took us out to eat. It was so late only a Sushi place was open but it was good. I tried to have my first German beer but I still don´t like it Maria had to finish it for me. I thought I need to try Germany has the best beer in the world so they say. Then we went to bed and the next morning Tobias and his brother suprised us by bringing us a German breakfast. We were getting dressed so all of a sudden they called us into his little kitchen area and they had the plates, forks, coffee and everything all set up. It was so nice. Oh, he even had gone to his moms the week before to get us homemade Strawberry jelly made from scratch. He helped his mom make it. He says it takes 3 hours. Oh my god people that is the best Jelly you can ever imagine. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Then Tobias took us at about 12p.m. to see the city. We were out till 1 a.m. and we saw every single place in Berlin. It was so much fun. I had the most fun and will have to say Berlin is my favorite city in Europe. It is so full of History and it is so beautiful. There are so many little parks everywhere and fountains. We saw were the wall once stood. Tobias was the best tour guide one could have because he was 10 when the wall came down and he lived in Eastern Berlin. He told us so much about the life he remembers so well in East Berlin. He told us about his families hardships because they were catholic in a non religous society at the time. The prejudice they faced. The prejudiced his grandparents faced for being born German and living in the The chec Repubic after world war 11 and being told they were Nazi´s when he says his parents went to the Chec. so they could get away from Nazi Germany. He has such an interesting past and I loved hearing about it. Poor Tobias I asked him so many questions and some where very hard. At the end Guilia and Tobias agree that I am to weird for them because I ask such hard questions. I told them they have 1 week to research and return all answers to me. We saw where the Nazis burnt books from Tobias´s University that he goes to now. We saw where Hitler use to do his speeches, he took us to the Holocost Memorial they made and told us how many Germans were upset about the memorial not because of what it represents but they feel they want to move past this bad part of their history that they feel so ashamed off and move on. They don´t want to forget he said "How can we." It is a beautiful and such a weird feeling to be in. The memorial I mean. We went to the Holocost Museum. Most of Hitlers and Nazi´s bunkers and areas are not around anymore they were either destroyed by the Allies or the Germans themselves so they could erase such an embarassing past. The one thing they left consciously is this church near downtown. It was a beautiful church that was bombed but you can still go and visit it they lefted it as is so that Germany and the world can remember what hate does to its people and its cities. It tears them apart. We got to go and see check point charlie and were the original wall now stands. The moved it and kept a section of it as a rememberence. There is a very small peice left in it original area though. A very small peice. However, the whole town has this line in the road to show where the wall once stood. We saw the muesuem and saw the pictures of people getting murdered just trying to cross over. Toby was telling me the predjudced he faced because he had family in West Berlin and when they would come to visit they would bring him candy or a soda and other kids would pick on him.
Now, Berlin was not just about History and beauty for us. We came at a perfect time to experience one of the world´s biggest and craziest parties behind Carnaval. It is the LOVE FEST. I am sure you have heard of it. It is always in the news so keep an eye out you may see me somewhere dancing in the crowd. We of course spent all of Saturday litteraly from 2 p.m-12am at the LOVE Fest dancing, drinking and just having a great time.
Now, in just a few hours I will be leaving Berlin to go to my last stop on this trip. I just can not believe how fast the time has gone. My 47 days are just about up. anyway I am ready because I am just so tired. I would love to be able to just sleep for 8 hours one day. I am really ready to wash my clothes again. We have not been able to wash since I left Italy for France. Don´t worry I had lots of clothes but I am down to my last 2 clean shirts, and thanks to Grace I still have a months supply of Undies clean and ready to wear. Grace packed me like a years worth. I am now very appreciative to her. However, I will not have much time to rest. I get into Dallas on Wed. the 19th at 2p.m and I leave for Mexico on Thur. at 12pm.
Don´t get me wrong though if I had to I could still keep going with no complaints and be very happy. I still do not feel I miss home at all. I just feel well if I am going home at least I can rest for a day :). I think my bank account though is ready for me to go home more than I am :)
Mexico was a great and wonderful suprise by the nicest big brother in the world CESAR. He and Krista were going to go without me but a few weeks ago he said he would wait for me and take me to Cancun. I am so excited. I need a relaxing vaction to get over my big vacation. How spoiled am I this summer. Therefore I will not really be back into Dallas till July 26th. Then I need some time to hibernate. Don´t come looking for me until about December :).
Well I am off to london in a few hours. The Hostel we are staying at has internet access for free so I will write before I leave for the USA. Thanks again to those who read the blogs and write to me. I do really appreciate your letters. It makes me feel so loved and missed. Thank you guys!!!!!
Love you all and see you very soon.
It started a bit rough because we were delayed in Paris for 2 hours. So we were tired and frustrated. I know Juan can feel my pain. I actually fell asleep sitting which I never use to do. Actually those of you who know my mom well know she can sleep anywhere and at any time. I always believed because she worked so much and never gets enough sleep. Well that has become me as well. 7 weeks of sleeping 5-6 hours a night and all the walking and being out for such long periods have made me a great sleeper anywhere. I lay down and I am out. I sit still for more than a few minutes and I am out.
Then we got off in Berling and Tobias a friend of Maria´s met us at the airport. It was Maria, Guilia (Italian Friend) and Me. It was a bit quite because it was the first time Maria and Tobias had ever really met. He was her sisters good friend and has been talking to Maria via E-mail for more than a year now so they were excited to finally meet but a bit akward at the same time. He is such a sweet guy and I am so glad I met him. He went above and beyond for us. Maria and I have been so blessed to have 2 great new friends go above and beyond for us starting with Guilia and now Tobias. It was also akward but fun a bit because we had Guilia the die hard Italian Fan and Tobias the die hard German fan. Wow, the banter never ended until Guilia left on Saturday. Well Tobias took us to his apartment. He had a blow up mattress and his bed ready for us. He then said we could have his apartment and he would go and stay with his brother since we were girls he wanted to give us our privacy. Isn´t that sweet. He then took us out to eat. It was so late only a Sushi place was open but it was good. I tried to have my first German beer but I still don´t like it Maria had to finish it for me. I thought I need to try Germany has the best beer in the world so they say. Then we went to bed and the next morning Tobias and his brother suprised us by bringing us a German breakfast. We were getting dressed so all of a sudden they called us into his little kitchen area and they had the plates, forks, coffee and everything all set up. It was so nice. Oh, he even had gone to his moms the week before to get us homemade Strawberry jelly made from scratch. He helped his mom make it. He says it takes 3 hours. Oh my god people that is the best Jelly you can ever imagine. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Then Tobias took us at about 12p.m. to see the city. We were out till 1 a.m. and we saw every single place in Berlin. It was so much fun. I had the most fun and will have to say Berlin is my favorite city in Europe. It is so full of History and it is so beautiful. There are so many little parks everywhere and fountains. We saw were the wall once stood. Tobias was the best tour guide one could have because he was 10 when the wall came down and he lived in Eastern Berlin. He told us so much about the life he remembers so well in East Berlin. He told us about his families hardships because they were catholic in a non religous society at the time. The prejudice they faced. The prejudiced his grandparents faced for being born German and living in the The chec Repubic after world war 11 and being told they were Nazi´s when he says his parents went to the Chec. so they could get away from Nazi Germany. He has such an interesting past and I loved hearing about it. Poor Tobias I asked him so many questions and some where very hard. At the end Guilia and Tobias agree that I am to weird for them because I ask such hard questions. I told them they have 1 week to research and return all answers to me. We saw where the Nazis burnt books from Tobias´s University that he goes to now. We saw where Hitler use to do his speeches, he took us to the Holocost Memorial they made and told us how many Germans were upset about the memorial not because of what it represents but they feel they want to move past this bad part of their history that they feel so ashamed off and move on. They don´t want to forget he said "How can we." It is a beautiful and such a weird feeling to be in. The memorial I mean. We went to the Holocost Museum. Most of Hitlers and Nazi´s bunkers and areas are not around anymore they were either destroyed by the Allies or the Germans themselves so they could erase such an embarassing past. The one thing they left consciously is this church near downtown. It was a beautiful church that was bombed but you can still go and visit it they lefted it as is so that Germany and the world can remember what hate does to its people and its cities. It tears them apart. We got to go and see check point charlie and were the original wall now stands. The moved it and kept a section of it as a rememberence. There is a very small peice left in it original area though. A very small peice. However, the whole town has this line in the road to show where the wall once stood. We saw the muesuem and saw the pictures of people getting murdered just trying to cross over. Toby was telling me the predjudced he faced because he had family in West Berlin and when they would come to visit they would bring him candy or a soda and other kids would pick on him.
Now, Berlin was not just about History and beauty for us. We came at a perfect time to experience one of the world´s biggest and craziest parties behind Carnaval. It is the LOVE FEST. I am sure you have heard of it. It is always in the news so keep an eye out you may see me somewhere dancing in the crowd. We of course spent all of Saturday litteraly from 2 p.m-12am at the LOVE Fest dancing, drinking and just having a great time.
Now, in just a few hours I will be leaving Berlin to go to my last stop on this trip. I just can not believe how fast the time has gone. My 47 days are just about up. anyway I am ready because I am just so tired. I would love to be able to just sleep for 8 hours one day. I am really ready to wash my clothes again. We have not been able to wash since I left Italy for France. Don´t worry I had lots of clothes but I am down to my last 2 clean shirts, and thanks to Grace I still have a months supply of Undies clean and ready to wear. Grace packed me like a years worth. I am now very appreciative to her. However, I will not have much time to rest. I get into Dallas on Wed. the 19th at 2p.m and I leave for Mexico on Thur. at 12pm.
Don´t get me wrong though if I had to I could still keep going with no complaints and be very happy. I still do not feel I miss home at all. I just feel well if I am going home at least I can rest for a day :). I think my bank account though is ready for me to go home more than I am :)
Mexico was a great and wonderful suprise by the nicest big brother in the world CESAR. He and Krista were going to go without me but a few weeks ago he said he would wait for me and take me to Cancun. I am so excited. I need a relaxing vaction to get over my big vacation. How spoiled am I this summer. Therefore I will not really be back into Dallas till July 26th. Then I need some time to hibernate. Don´t come looking for me until about December :).
Well I am off to london in a few hours. The Hostel we are staying at has internet access for free so I will write before I leave for the USA. Thanks again to those who read the blogs and write to me. I do really appreciate your letters. It makes me feel so loved and missed. Thank you guys!!!!!
Love you all and see you very soon.
posted by Toby @ 5:45 AM
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