thericechronicles: Berlin

Saturday, July 12, 2014

Berlin

My Dear Most Excellent Ones,

I spent several excellent days visiting several excellent uncles, aunts, and cousins near and in Berlin. Sven and Celia were with me and we enjoyed every minute, The visit kicked off with a family reunion at the old Budwill homestead with a pig roast. It was great fun and the pig was delicious.

Roasting the spahn ferkal. Pig. Cousin Frank was a pro.

Sven and Harry.

Great people.

A walk in the forest after the meal is part of the deal.

The next day Sven, Celia, uncle Harry, and I headed to the Spreewald, (Spree forest) which the UN has granted a special status. It was very relaxing and unique.

The walk to the Spreewald took us through a very quaint and pretty village.

We then boarded a Kahn, long boat, and took a trip along one of the many canals that criss cross through the Spreewald.

Flowers and peace were everywhere.

We had a short pause during our trip and sampled some of the pickles the Spreewald is famous for.

The Spreewald is beautiful.

It was wearing a "typical old costume day" in the Spreewald which added to the expereince.

On the way back we came across a parade and an Om pah bah band. Great fun.

The selection of pickles was unreal. There was also pickle liquour.

An old DDR car amused us.

The next day Sven, Celia, and I headed with cousin Silke and aunt Burga on a bike ride along the old Berlin wall. It was fun and very educational.

A large onion dome synagogue.

We came to a monument of the wall, which included parts of the wall, the death strip, and a tower. Since I pulled up the rear of our bike group I got to wear the pink vest. Ha ha

The death strip. Now a lovely lawn.

In front of the famous picture of an east German guard jumping to freedom. This was when the Berlin wall was just being built and parts of it were just barb wire.

Along the bike trip we came across cars festooned with the colors of Germany s national soccer team. Flags and cars like these are all over Germany during the world cup.

An amazing church.

Later in the evening we met up with a daughter of a cousin, Nicole, and she took us to Check Point Charlie, the Jewish Memorial, Brandenburger Tor and the Reichstag, Germany s parliment.

Germans dressed as Americans. You could get a picture with them for two Euros. I don t think Mcdonalds was there when Check Point Charlie was in operation for real.