We´re in a Road Movie to Berlin, Can´t Drive Out the Way We Drove In
While my train did not actually ARRIVE in Berlin until 8 in the morning (forcing Sarah to wait 40 minutes in the freezing train station to meet me) I woke up on the train at around 6 in the morning, hardly refreshed.
And why not? The train bed was comfortable (I would hope so, after how much I paid), but I felt uncomfortable and restless.
Part of the reason, I think, is that along this entire trip I have imagined everything from Germany on to be the final stretch. That once I got here, I would nothing really to worry about because I would be so close to the end. It felt shocking to be in such exotic places as Iceland, Croatia, Hungary and Poland, but Berlin feels like another big, liveable city. Not so far culturally from home.
And despite all the troubles I have had, and despite being sick of the 6 shirts I am wearing, and being sick of not having enough money to spend, and sick of trains and desperate for Mexican food, I am NOT ready to go home. There is a lot more out here that I want to see, and now that I´ve had some solid "not-alone" time I feel ready for another week or two of the relative isolation I experienced in September.
But what of Berlin? What do I think of it? What have I done? Isn´t it too big? Too overwhelming?
Remember, for the next few days I will be staying with a friend from college, just as I did for the last few days in Warsaw, but under much different circumstances. Rather than living in the guest room of a house, I´m on the futon of an apartment shared by three girls and a very hungry rabbit. I think they are all teaching assistants somewhere but no matter how many times I ask, I never precisely understand the deal.
The day began fairly productively, a breakfast of lachs (lox!), bread and various milk based spreads and then a walk to the Brandenburg Gate (so famous I´ve heard of it!), the Reichstag (waited in line for a free view of Berlin from the top) and a climb to the top of the Berliner Dom (a big church with a blue dome). As we all know, I love the views from the tops of monuments and this was no disappointment.
Had some sort of wurst for lunch...
Went to one of Sarah´s friend´s places for a dinner party. All American, but they all spoke German. And the apartment was owned by a German. And we listened to Kate Bush.
And that made me happy.
And why not? The train bed was comfortable (I would hope so, after how much I paid), but I felt uncomfortable and restless.
Part of the reason, I think, is that along this entire trip I have imagined everything from Germany on to be the final stretch. That once I got here, I would nothing really to worry about because I would be so close to the end. It felt shocking to be in such exotic places as Iceland, Croatia, Hungary and Poland, but Berlin feels like another big, liveable city. Not so far culturally from home.
And despite all the troubles I have had, and despite being sick of the 6 shirts I am wearing, and being sick of not having enough money to spend, and sick of trains and desperate for Mexican food, I am NOT ready to go home. There is a lot more out here that I want to see, and now that I´ve had some solid "not-alone" time I feel ready for another week or two of the relative isolation I experienced in September.
But what of Berlin? What do I think of it? What have I done? Isn´t it too big? Too overwhelming?
Remember, for the next few days I will be staying with a friend from college, just as I did for the last few days in Warsaw, but under much different circumstances. Rather than living in the guest room of a house, I´m on the futon of an apartment shared by three girls and a very hungry rabbit. I think they are all teaching assistants somewhere but no matter how many times I ask, I never precisely understand the deal.
The day began fairly productively, a breakfast of lachs (lox!), bread and various milk based spreads and then a walk to the Brandenburg Gate (so famous I´ve heard of it!), the Reichstag (waited in line for a free view of Berlin from the top) and a climb to the top of the Berliner Dom (a big church with a blue dome). As we all know, I love the views from the tops of monuments and this was no disappointment.
Had some sort of wurst for lunch...
Went to one of Sarah´s friend´s places for a dinner party. All American, but they all spoke German. And the apartment was owned by a German. And we listened to Kate Bush.
And that made me happy.
posted by Jed at 5:33 AM
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