to
AUGUST 15, 2003
We got to the hostel by 6:45. It was too early to get a room, but we were able to put our bags in a storage area. Now what do we do at 7:00 a.m.? The places to eat don't open until 8:00 or 8:30. I can't believe that people don't eat earlier than that. I do believe though, that they start work later than we do.
We took the subway hoping to find something open. Bakeries are big around here and everything looks so good. I would think that the people would be heavier than they are with all the baked goods they eat. In addition to all of them smoking, I wonder if Europe's statistics on cancer is higher than ours.Laurie and I took another subway to the tourist information office. We decided to do a bus tour of the city at 10:30. We walked around until then.
Robert was our guide. He spoke excellent German and English. Laurie and I both thought that he was from the U.S. We asked and he said he was from Berlin. He did say that his father is from Texas, but Robert didn't have a southern accent.
The tour was great. It gave us an excellent overview of the city, history, and buildings. It was 1 3/4 hours. Laurie and I plan to do a walking tour tomorrow to be able to spend more time at the places and to learn more.
After the tour Laurie and I checked out the department store called We Da Wa. It is the largest department store in the continental Europe. It is huge. We heard that we could get food there. The whole sixth floor was food. There were many displays of meat and cheeses. There were little bars and cafes all around. They had everything in the line of groceries. We didn't get anything because we couldn't figure out what it said, but it was amazing just to see it all.
After finding a place for a quick bite to eat, Laurie and I went back to the hostel to check in. The hostel named Circus is very nice. It is in excellent condition and clean. The people that work there are wonderful. They are very helpful and accommodating. We are in a four person dorm. The other two people are male. This surprised me because we are use to having same sex dorms. I didn't know this until later. I am just glad that I wasn't undressing when they walked in.
Laurie and I were both tired after the night train, getting up early, and sightseeing. We decided to take a nap. I napped and then read. I got up about 5:00.
We found out where a cheap internet was. We took the subway there. Thank goodness for our 72 hour transportation pass. The internet was in a three level department store. I thought this was kind of strange. Who would ever know it was there?
On the way out of the department store I saw t-shirts really cheap. I decided to buy one. It was only about $3. U.S. Having an extra shirt gives me a chance to wash the others. I think shirts are one thing that seems to hold odors more.
Laurie and I just went back to the hostel. It was a pleasant night out so we sat at a table outside. It gets darker here earlier than the other places we have been. It was about 9:30 when it started to get dark.
I overheard a guy talking and heard him say that he leads walking tours. I looked at him and he noticed. I told him that I overheard him and was wondering what tour he lead. It wasn't the one we planned to go on, but after talking to him, we decided to. He is from New York and has been here for 4 years. He was very pleasant and enthusiastic about what he does.
I picked up a salad across the street for dinner. There were a couple of stands right across the street from us. The guy said he was open 24 hours selling kabobs, salads, and drinks. Laurie didn't believe him, but ran into a guy that told her that he picked up a kabob at 3 in the morning. Berlin may be slow to start in the morning, but it gets quite busy during the day and I guess all night. The bar below us doesn't open until 11:00
August 6, 2003
Right now it is 7:00 p.m. I am sitting outside the hostel at the tables set-up. My day is not over yet, but I thought I would write about today.
This morning Laurie and I met Boris outside the hostel. He was our guide for the walking tour. It was only Laurie and I from our hostel. He said that there might be more meeting us at a different location. We started walking right from the hostel. The hostel is in East Berlin. Boris pointed out the buildings across from us.
HOME PAGE
HOME PAGE
