So this post is going to be super boring because I can't be stuffed typing what I had. Grrrness.
Okay basic run down... bunch of Christians walking around in my hostel courtyard singing, holding candles and a statue of the Virgin Mary. Ahhh, what?
what else... Lauren has decided she doesn't want to work in Berlin and so is currently in London doing, something. Not sure what. So I'm in Berlin, at my hostel just kickin' it by myself. Went out last night with these two Aussie guys from my dorm (of which I am the only girl!) and had dinner and then drinks which was nice. They're from Melbourne so they got none of my Sydney reference jokes. We were meant to go to the concentration camps today but I got back to the hostel at 4am, them at about 5am. I didn't hear them get in. They paid for my taxi which was sweet but I was so tired. And one of them decided he liked me and was trying to get with me so by that time I had had enough. So instead I saw Harry Potter again, then went to Alexanderplatz for a bit of a shop.
Anyway, I have my laptop. Hurrah! Which means I can now post pictures. Like this one.
Me in front of the Berlin wall
Did the whole free walking tour thing and saw the wall, the gates, brick markings on the roads where the Berlin wall used to stand, Jewish memorial, Hitler's bunker which is just a car park. See for yourself:
Hitler's bunker
Apparently it was a conscious decision to not mark where Hitler spent his final days as a way of paying him no respect and also so neo-Nazis don't make it a shrine. It was pretty messed up seeing it though.
Okay what else... did the alternative tour which was pretty kewl... yes it needs to be spelt that way for this occasion. Actually, I'm sure the rebels of Berlin would murder me if they knew I'd referred to their super cool culture like that. This camp British guy took us around Berlin, told us and showed us the sites of Berlin's sub graffiti culture, some squats and ex-squats, totally hip places to hang and finished off with the East Side Gallery which is pretty awesome, but I liked that the wall was just covered in graffiti from before it came down. Now I'm not sure what all this new art means. A new Berlin, looking to a more prosperous and harmonious future? Okay so those who don't know, the East Side Gallery is a long strip of the Berlin Wall that the goverment has had artists come in and repaint with messages of peace, unification etc.To me, it just seems a bit forced and almost like a covering up of the strength and perseverance of the Berliner's spirit.
My hand touching the wall.
It's pretty interesting for me to see this as my Opa would tell me stories of how he would constantly go from East to West when Germany was first divided, eventually being caught by the Russians. That old man has some crazy stories. And I think my life is pretty tough at times!
Okay will do more of Belin later. I'm still up to Rome!!
Okay.... last day in Rome we head to the Vatican. Climbed those crazy 551 steps to the top of the Basilica. In front of Kristi and I were these two Spanish teenagers who kept stopping to take pictures. I really thought Kristi was going to knock one of them out, because up in those stairways it is hot and muggy, we were sweaty and in desperate need of fresh air and these guys were just acting like they had all the time in the world; no there aren't another 20 people behind you waiting to get up. Move!
The view was gorgeous though and I'm pretty sure my leg muscles are growing by the day! We then went down into the church which was stunning. I'm supposed to be Catholic, was baptized, did the holy communion and confirmation shindig... but I don't go to church, don't believe, went to public schools... anyway, Kristi and I see all these people lining up to rub the feet of a statue of some guy. And we're thinking, "Wow, this guy must be really important. It must be Jesus!" so we take snaps of people rubbing "Jesus'" feet. Yeah, it was St. Peter. I'm pretty sure I would have learnt this at holy communion school when i was eight, but I'm also pretty sure I hated going and thus, refused to listen. Stubborn thing, I am.
Oh look, it's Jesu...sorry-Peter! I am going to hell.
And view of Rome, 551 steps high! Bodyattack ain't got shit on that climb.
Right, so... head to the Sistine Chapel which is HUGE! And just filled with the most amazing artwork. Gold star Michelangelo. I tried taking a picture of the ceiling of God giving life to Adam but I had to be quick as the guards were watching, so all my pictures came out blurry. Kristi, on the otherhand, has a great image of it. I'll seek it out.
It was a pretty long day, but we piked out at about 2pm and went back to the hotel. Had McDonalds for dinner.... in our defence the night before we had an amazing dinner of pasta and red wine. We're also pretty sure the waiters wanted us drunk because they were trying to feed us after-dinner spirits. I took one whiff and I was about to vomit. I don't even like the taste of alcohol - except wine. Everything else needs to be watered down by so much orange juice/lemonade/cranberry juice etc etc before I'll touch it.
Me and my Italian red wine.
The next day we got on a plane and headed for Athens! With me guzzling red wine to calm my flying nerves. I hate flying. End of story. Tried doing a bunch of breathing exercises (which usually work!), but all they did was make me feel very light-headed with the lack of fresh air. So, instead I clutched onto Kristi's arm while we took off and landed and listened to calming ocean sounds through my ipod. And we made it! I never had a doubt...
Have uploaded London and Paris pics to my picasa album which you can find at: http://picasaweb.google.com/secretagentnicole
And now I have my laptop back I can begin this section:
Song of the Moment
So Close/So Alive - Just Surrender
This song has been in my head for the passed week. I am so happy to have my emo music back. I love emo music, I don't care what anyone says and that I'm 24. It's ace. Just Surrender, one of the better emo bands who actually never made it big in Australia.
And now I have my laptop back I can begin this section:
Song of the Moment
So Close/So Alive - Just Surrender
This song has been in my head for the passed week. I am so happy to have my emo music back. I love emo music, I don't care what anyone says and that I'm 24. It's ace. Just Surrender, one of the better emo bands who actually never made it big in Australia.
Aaaaaaaahahahahahahahaha! Jesus. Far out. I have tears in my eyes.
ReplyDeleteThose pictures of the Berlin wall look amazing! I especially love the one of you touching it. Def a great shot.
Your picture with the wine came out great! I was only telling mum the other day how great the pasta was that night. Yum.
I forgot to tell you, on the flight home the couple sitting next to me, the woman was a nervous flyer, and had done a course where they take you on flights and teach you how to calm your self etc. She was just breathing rapidly and then her husband showed me his arm... it had like little claw marks on it! hehe. He's like "She's much better now"
Bahahahaha! "She's much better now." Were they scars on his arm? How are yours?
ReplyDeleteOn my flight from London back to Berlin I told the stewardess and she was lovely. She was like, "It's good to talk about it! I have been flying 31 years and I'll be sad the day I can't." And gave me some water and a towelette. Felt much more at ease after that. May look into the course though... and stop watching Air Crash Investigators! But it's sooo addictive!
Yeah, the wall is amazing. I have always wanted to touch it. It looks ugly but beautiful at the same time.
Wish you were here. Did I tell you about the bondage club? Hilarious! Heading out tomorrow night for dinner, a ghost tour of Berlin (why am I going on this? I'm not going to be able to sleep!), and possibly Panorama Bar where apparently cameras are not allowed inside. Sounds deliciously saucy! Lol.
Also, those pics are HUGE. I can't remember how I made them smaller last time I uploaded images. Any ideas?
ReplyDelete