Friday, December 15, 2006

Berlin

On Monday I went to the Museum fur Vor- und Fruhgeschichte to see two fossil skulls. Here's a shot of the museum:



It was a really pretty place inside too, with large sunny galleries and lots of exhibits. The fossils had to stay in their display cases, which made things slightly difficult. The glass could be removed entirely from one of the skulls, but it was mounted high up on the wall (well, ok, high up for me), which made picture-taking a little tough. I was able to ShapeCam the front and sides of the skull, but even with standing on a chair, I don't think that I got the top. I know I didn't get the back. The other skull was lower on the wall, but only the front of the glass case could be opened. Since the ShapeCam can't shoot through glass, well, let's just say that it's a good thing I'll be visiting the cast collection at the AMNH in January!

I only needed one day at the museum, so I've had lots of time in Berlin to walk around. I ignored my sore throat and sniffles because I hardly ever get sick sick, but then it blossomed into a full-blown cold. I haven't been sick since I was in Belgium! Why do I only get sick when I'm in Europe?? It makes sense, I guess, since when I'm traveling I'm coming into contact with a lot of people, and if I have to spend 9 hours on a train behind some guy coughing his lungs out...oh well. Still not fair.

I didn't stay in bed though, and I went out and probably infected lots of Germans. What comes around, goes around. If I have to suffer, so will you ;) Today I'm starting to feel a lot better.

Here's a picture of the Holocaust memorial:



Inside the glass dome of the Reichstag:



The Spree river next to the Berliner Dome:



Every single platz, markt, square, etc., in the city has a Christmas market right now. These are great sources of cheap dinners. It's a really good thing I'm no longer a vegetarian, because as I posted on he-who-shall-remain-nameless-because-he's-paranoid-now-that-he's-a- recent-PhD-looking-for-a-job's blog, these Christmas markets seem to be mainly about meat. (Martin's and Bernardo's dream place.) Steak, bratwurst, other kinds of wursts (currywurst is the worst of the wursts) , chicken, etc. Here's the one at the Gendarmenmarkt:



They also sell sugar. These booths reminded me of the scene in Sex and the City when Robert gave Miranda the "I Love You" cookie (never a good idea):



Christmastime at the Sony Centre at Potsdamer Platz:



There was one lonely Chanukka (Hannukah? Channukah?) market behind the Jewish Museum:



As you can see in this next picture, it wasn't nearly as popular as the Christmas ones:



But it did sell the exact same type of stuff, including tree ornaments, chocolate santas, and trees:



Are the red plastic ones Channukah bushes?

Here's some wall art:







Shout-out to my brother:



No, I didn't write your name there. (But you are a Mr. Potato-head ;)



Tomorrow I leave Berlin and head over to Bonn for my last European museum stop. I leave you with a replica of the Reichstag building created entirely out of chocolate:



(Sorry Daniel, it won't fit into my backpack.)

6 Comments:

At 12:36 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Will those neon Hannukah bushes fit in your backpack? I want one of those.
nj

 
At 11:41 PM, Blogger Werner Herzog's Bear said...

You don't like currywurst? When I lived in Germany I ate those things all the time! I think it's a great improvement on the original. And yes, Christmas markets are full of cheap, greasy goodness. Have you had the mulled wine yet?

 
At 9:59 AM, Blogger Jodi said...

Ugh, currywurst is awful. By mulled wine, do you mean the "gluhwein"? Yeah, I had some, but I like the orangen punch much better.

tj: I'll burn you a cd with all my happy holocaust-related photos (from this trip & the earlier one too) and send it to you once I'm back in the States.

nj: I'm pretty sure you can find those neon bushes in the midwest. I know I've seen them in Canada (or maybe I'm thinking of white/silver ones.)

 
At 1:24 PM, Blogger daniel said...

What is the deal with the bananas in the sugar shack? Who in their right mind would buy a banana when surround by such yummy goodness?

 
At 2:13 PM, Blogger Jodi said...

They were selling chocolate-covered bananas too!

 
At 12:33 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Excellent blog. Pictures are great.

David's Father-in-law

 

Post a Comment

<< Home