Before I get to the story behind today's blog title, I want to catch up on all the happenings since my last blog.
The tacos, quesadillas, and homemade salsa were a big hit last night. Reiner and Heidi made the salsa, while Reiner and Maddie made the tacos. I did as much clean-up as Petra would let me. Everyone went back for seconds on the delicious food.
This morning began like the others here, with pastries for breakfast. Melli arrived with TJ in tow, and plans were made for a museum day. Onto the u-bahn for Reiner, Maddie, Heidi, Melli, Sascha, and me. Petra stayed at home with the little boys, and Ollie had to work, darn it.
Our first stop was the Jewish History Museum. How to describe this place? Well, "waaaaaay different" applies. Half sensory experience and half traditional museum, it traces the history of German Jews from the Dark Ages to present. As you begin your tour, you immediately enter the sensory section. I'll let the architect explain his thinking:
"The design for the Jewish Museum is based on three ideas: first, the impossibility of understanding Berlin's history without understanding the enormous intellectual, economic and cultural role played by Berlin's Jewish citizens; second, the necessity to physically and intellectually integrate the meaning of the Holocaust into the city's consciousness and memory; and third, the realization that only by recognizing and dealing with the obliteration of Jewish life in Berlin and the ensuing void this left is it possible for Berlin and Europe to have a humane future."
This approach was not received well by my companions. Reiner mocked the whole thing, along with Maddie, while Heidi was just plain irritated. Melli and Sascha went along with the program, observing all with Teutonic calm. I believe both these German cousins have good heads for history, based on Sascha's tour guide skills and Melli's interest in all she sees.
The lower level of the museum was given over to the sensory experience. Long hallways led to nowhere, the whole place was bleak with cement, it was designed to make visitors feel off balance. The few exhibits, just artifacts with explanations inside slightly darkened windows, pulled deliberately at the heartstrings. These were personal items and all came with a story of death or forced emigration. The language used was provocative as well, "murder" in the camps rather than "death." It's amazing the difference that one word makes in how we respond.
Maddie demonstrates one of the dead-ends
One exhibit featured one thousand metal "faces" on the floor of a high-walled concrete room. The artist who designed the piece wanted the "faces" to represent all those who had lost their lives through violence. It was an interesting and interactive exhibit, to say the least.
The Garden of Exile also took up a space in the lower floor. Forty-nine huge concrete blocks create a maze covering uneven, cobblestoned pathways. The design is meant to convey the unseeling experience of leaving your homeland unwillingly and trying to adjust to a new life amongst a people with whom you may have not even language in common.
Maddie and Heidi did not take the
Garden of Exile very seriously
Once off the lower level, the museum takes on a more traditional feel. Exhibits with artwork and artifacts tell the story of persecution and tragedy in a very moving way. Heidi, Melli, and I made our way slowly through each exhibit, taking time to read the commentary and, of course, play with the items in the children's section. Maddie, Reiner, and Sascha went through the museum much more quickly but actually managed to get all the way through it. I could only take so much, so we didn't get to the Dark Age and Medieval section.
Our next stop was the Museum at Checkpoint Charlie. On our way there, we passed a Starbuck's, which Reiner patronized, and a little sandwich shop for a quick soda for me and a sandwich for Maddie and Heidi to split.
The Museum at Checkpoint Charlie is a little kitchy, just as Rick Steves said, but still interesting. So much of it is given to remembering the survival of West Berlin during the Cold War, including ways to get across from the east, the Berlin Airlift, the establishment of NATO and the Warsaw Pact, and more.
Why was this my favorite image?
The sign above reads "Practice women's politics so we
do not have to lose any more children."
After the Museum, we walked up to where the actual checkpoint building still stands, with its iconic sign. For a Euro or two, you can have your photo taken with two men in military uniforms, holding American flags. Pretty cheesy, so we did our own cheesy alternative.
While taking our pic, we met the nicest people from Washington DC, touring Europe after having saved for a year and a half so they could spend lasvishly on vacation. They had lost one member of their party, Marcus, so everyone in the photo below cried "Marcus!" when the picture was taken.
Back home, and it was time to go to dinner. The restaurant chosen was named XXL--appropriately named, I might add. Drinks were big, dinner was even bigger. The best part of the meal came from TJ and Mika, who were taught by Heidi and Melli how to take photos using Snapchat. Again, I have to confess that I am totally in love with those two boys.
These were "small" burgers
And this was a small schnitzel
This was a large schniztel
I ate all mine
Maddie and Heidi sure can drink!
It was at dinner that Melli gave me the idea for tonight's blog title. Yesterday and today, Reiner has ordered a Hefenweise beer. And, unlike in the US, these don't come with a slice of lemon. Here, you get a slice of lemon with a Crystal beer, not a Heff. Reiner could not, for the life of him, grasp this. He had to learn, through trial and error, how to ask for his slice of lemon and to get past the indignation of all bartenders and waiters.
Reiner's Heff was the same kind Walter
used to drink in LA--he was with us in spirit!
Now, we are back at the flat, and I am about to climb gratefuly into my little bed by the window. Tomorrow, a theme park--to offset today's trip into culture and history.
Delightful as always. Love reading about your adventures.
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