Cheaper Than Texting: walls come tumbling down...

so, ryan wasn't sure how much actual sightseeing he'd get to do in berlin, because he is playing the european poker tournament here. so today had to be the things that he really, really wanted to see, because it might be his last chance. so he picked some berlin wall stuff.

this guy stamped our passports with all seven of the vintage stamps that you used to need in order to cross over into the different sectors of the divided city. he says it's fine and you can still fly home. i sure hope he's right. anyway, i'll show you when i get home. it's pretty awesome.

this is a memorial to victims of the berlin wall.

this young man, chris gueffroy, was the last person to be shot crossing the wall. he was under the impression that guards were no longer shooting to kill. later that year, the wall came down.

this is the memorial to the politicians who opposed hitler.

see, each slab marks the name, date of birth, and date and location of death for these brave men and women. this monument is in front of the reichstag, the german parliament, where they worked.

here's something you should know about the reichstag-- you can't go in there without an appointment, and they're booked through may. VERY DISAPPOINTED. ryan's mom and dad went to berlin a few years ago, and they highly recommended going inside the new dome. but we could not. so much for the clear transparency of government; not even german citizens can get in without an appointment.

i thought it would look better just a few inches to the left...

see? that dome is a recent addition to the building, which went largely unused between 1933-1990, when the new design was built. the idea is that the dome is clear, so that the people in germany can always keep an eye on their government-- except, you know, not without an appointment.

the river spree!

we're having a spree on the spree! whee!

this is what my classroom windows would look like, if i had floor to ceiling windows, and was allowed to paint them.

this is the I.M Pei annex on the german history museum. ryan took this photo; it looks just like the one on the wikipedia page. he's pretty expert...

a man attacking a male lion...

and a lady attacking a lady lion. but... her horse is toast.

did you want a real fur hat? soviet soldier cap? mock soviet medals? cheap, cheap matroyshkas? no? ok.

this is the ddr museum, which deals with life under the soviet regime. it's one of the best museums i've ever been to. the entire thing is interactive, there's all kinds of stuff to play with, and it's awesome. for example, you can watch films, sit in an actual car from the time, go into a mock kitchen and smell the spices in the cabinets, try on factory worker's outfits, etc... etc... etc..

ryan just bought that sausage from a guy with a cart. he's so german.

that's a trabi, THE car of eastern berlin. it was the soviet response to the VW bug, but they weren't known for their longevity...

hey-o! just driving my trabi, no big deal...

these are soviet sponsored children toys. the strawberry is supposed to encourage you to go out in the woods and forage. i don't remember what the others are for.

COLLECTIVE POTTY TRAINING?!?! WTF??? and, guess what else? they had these long potty benches for kindergarten classes, and NO ONE could get up until everyone had gone to the bathroom. it's supposed to set you up for collective thinking. as someone who until recently spent a lot of time with recently potty-trained children, i think this is a TERRIBLE idea. and science backs me up.

i can't tell if the one on the left is crying or making a silly face.

oh, gnome! gardening was quite the thing in the DDR, despite the soviet's dislike of leisure. most east berliners had a dacha, or countryside garden, where they would go and relax a little. with gnomes.

typically soviet apartment..

very stylish synthetic fabrics...

oh yeah, this is great-- there was a HUGE nudism movement in east berlin under the soviet regime. while the soviets tried to ban and fine nudism, most people who wore bathing suits on the beach took them off because THEY felt uncomfortable.

even the babies. there are photos of real people, but i think i better stick to the figurines. come on over if you want to ogle, you perv.

so, you pick up the object on this desk and place them in a free spot, then you touch the labels and more information spreads out on the desk. it's way cooler than it sounds; i have video.

trabi jokes... lol..

in east berlin, the first group of people who were allowed to travel outside the borders were pensionors (women over 60 and men over 65), but they could only go to family member's, and only once a year. gradually, restrictions loosened.... before the wall went down, they were allowed to visit people they weren't related to! whoot!

there's a holiday for every day of the soviet calendar. this is my birthday.

on this game, you design a good soviet worker. ryan's didn't win because he gave his guy beer instead of making him spend his free time in sport, so he can be strong for the nation. ha ha.

yeah, and you can see what it's like to go into a soviet prison cell. when you close the door, an audio clip of a metal door slamming and locking shut plays. it's a bit creepy.