Au Revoir Berlin

Over the last two days, we have explored far and wide. Yesterday, we hit the tourist trail and saw the major sights. We started at the DDR Museum which displayed the history of Eastern Europe and its way of life. It was a ‘hands-on’ museum so we could sit in their reproduced apartments and experience the interrogation methods of the Stasi. A particularly interesting display was the section on the nudist history of the Eastern block.  It seems the proletariat could not wait to shed their clothes. A lengthy video clip showed nature loving Berliners frolic at watery holiday destinations in all shapes and sizes. The one common denominator between all citizens was the conspicuous display of body hair.  In this Brazilian age, it was a surreal sight. Also bizarrely, their garments are now probably for sale in the city’s many vintage shops we frequent.  Surprisingly, both Ollie and Stella have been relishing the retro fashions. In particular, Ollie now looks like a character from Napoleon Dynamite. But then again, so does every second person here. Another common thread is just how grumpy the service industry is. Whether at museums, restaurants or anywhere else, our appearance is generally meet with disdain. On the flip-side, we have been surprised by how good the food is. Over the last four days, we have eaten at many good restaurants and cafes and travelled deep into the old east to eat at Burgermeister, a burger joint located in an old U-Bahn toilet. As we prepare to leave Berlin, our brief impression is that this is a very cool city, albeit, a bit grumpy. Unlike Paris, it is not pretty. A lot of it is ugly and decayed. In many ways, it is probably Paris’ antithesis, but just as fascinating.