Day 25: NOTHING

Today truly was a DO NOTHING day. This blog is pointing out that we need to get over our "rest days" and get back out there.

Cemetery on Bernauer Straße, where I did the "Wall" walk the other day.
I didn't feel I should walk through the cemetery, but I just peaked in.
The grounds are beautiful with all the permanent greenery.

I walked Chris to work, as usual. It's definitely cooler. As much as you heard us talk about the heat, well, now you'll hear us talk about the cooler weather (we're closing windows!) I almost wish I had gloves on this morning's walk. However, half way through, our blood pumping now, we walked on the sunny-side of the street and it was much warmer.

I jogged (for a few blocks), as I try to do on my way home, and decided to go back the way of the "Wall" walk on Bernauer Straße. I had read a lot of the signage the other day. As I meandered a lot, I was very late getting home and so I skipped the last part of the walk. Today, I was able to finish the walk and come home from a different direction (I am getting better and better at understanding the layout of our neighbourhood, memorising street names and directions!)

The same cross I photographed the other day, but today, I went "artistic".
I am drawn to its symbolism (representing the unknown number
of WWII bombing victims suspected to be buried here).

I try to take the information in little bits. I just can't feel all the emotions at once. How it must have been to have your family and community torn in two, separated by a wall. And how, for the younger generations, who knew no life before the Wall, this separation was "normal". I think of how Germany is now allowing thousands upon thousands of refugees (or, immigrants, as some are calling them) into their country, knowing it's going to be a financial (and space?) burden in the short term. How a country with a horrible history is leading the world in being humane.

Poles representing the West side of the Wall (left and middle)
Remnants of the inner East Wall (right)

I am struck by the similarities of the photos I'm seeing of those entering Germany today to the photos around town of people flooding the borders in 1989 when the wall came down.

I have not seen much about the refugee issues here in Berlin. But then again, I can't read the papers or understand the news. Perhaps I can watch the BBC channels and see. The only thing I have seen is a Facebook link a friend posted, that talks about how Berliners can get help (via crowd funding and other ideas) if they have space for a flatmate. This agency will help match a refugee to your profile and help them get settled in your home. They are asking for a year of housing for the refugee (and again, via funding, you are not asked to help with their rent for a year). But other than this, I haven't seen any other news, up here in Berlin.

We are headed to Oktoberfest, in a few weeks, which is in Munich. I am wondering if we'll see anything different then.

Changing subject: The kids and I were LAZY today. I forced us to go to the market after lunch, just so we could say, "they got outside today". Milk, yogurt, meat, and ginger ale (for Venice, not because she's sick, but because I couldn't say, "no"). I joked, before coming to Berlin, that I would be going to the market every day, and I sure feel like I'm fulfilling my part of that deal. It's hard, when your refrigerator is small and you have limited tupperware. Side note: Chris asked his coworkers if they cook? Most of them said that they do cook, but they go out a lot more often because it's so cheap. I wonder how much it's also because they're all single? I remember, before kids (really, I do), that Chris and I went out to eat almost all the time. Our "dining table" served as a "mail-holder" and "storage-shelf". So, I'm not sure his coworkers are the ones to ask about German dining habits.

Also, I did laundry today! But, that's almost a daily activity, just like the market. I try to do one load a day, knowing I'm going to have to hang dry in between loads. If I do too many in a day, our drying rack can't handle enough drying items. I also like to keep up because seeing dirty laundry is icky to me (it's the one thing I do willingly in our house... I can handle a dirty sink or bathroom, but laundry to-be-done just stares at me and NEEDS TO GET DONE NOW!) It might not help that the kids have tiny laundry baskets in their rooms (perfect for the tiny laundry machine) but Chris and I don't have a laundry basket. I'm not sure why the owners didn't see it fit to give us one for the main bedroom? And for a few months, that's not what I want to spend my money on. However, our current solution is to put it into piles (colour sorted of course) in the back corner. So, it's hidden from the hallway, but from my side of the bed, I see it every day, every time I walk to my part of the closet, so... it's starting at me and I must do it.

Chris was supposed to play volleyball with his coworkers this evening. We planned to eat without him. But, do to the change in weather (it's too cold, they said!) his coworkers all decided to bail out. So, Chris is home for dinner (but returning late), so I cooked (wow!) and food was almost ready by the time he stepped into the house (yay, me!)

And, Venice and I worked together for our first attempt at cookies. We eyeballed certain measurements, converted the others (grams into cups and back again). We chopped up the dark chocolate bar (at least that's what I thought I bought, turns out it was a dark chocolate filled with caramel... even better!) for our chocolate chips. And we hand stirred it all (oh yeah, no mixer!) They turned out great! I think I could have put in a little more salt.

Oh, and we "on faith" put Vanilla Aroma into our batter. It's all I could find for vanilla extract. It was in the baking section. It tasted ok, so I confidently told Venice it was NOT oil for burning, but definitely for baking. Turns out, I'm right (phew). I found someone else's blog on how hard it is to find comparable baking ingredients over here and they say vanilla aroma is one of their versions of vanilla extract.

I left them in the oven a little long, so they are crispy (excellent with milk) and we'll try again, for sure.

P.S. Xander was upset with me because I wouldn't let him eat the batter. I don't know how worried (if at all) I need to be about salmonella in the eggs here. From what I understand, it's fine in the US because the eggs in the store have been treated (I guess the salmonella is mostly located on the shell, and it gets in the egg when you crack it?) but the eggs here are straight from the farm and at room temperature (until we Americans put them into our refrigerator), so I just don't know... but I do know... Xander was not pleased with my decision.

Day 12: The Berlin Wall

I walked home alone this morning (after walking Chris to work for his first day) and came across a Berlin Wall "walking exhibit". This is something I've seen from the window of a taxi a few times but couldn't remember where it was. So it was perfect to come across it by happenchance. I was able to take my time reading the plaques. I was able to feel my emotions, have the information sink in, and really be in the moment as I walked through.

Because I had planned on jogging home, I had my music on, which served as a sort of soundtrack. I couldn't help but notice how of some of the lyrics seemed to highlight what I was walking through. I have included some lyrics along with some photos and information from my experience.

"Can't complain about much these days, I believe we'll be okay."

(Be Okay by Oh Honey)

"When the sins of my father, Weigh down in my soul"

(Make it Rain by Ed Sheeran)

"This section of the wall, and accompanying guard tower, was placed over the Sophien parish cemetery. Most of those buried were moved, except for those who died in WWII. In 1997, the Sophien parish broke off two sections of the Berlin Wall that stood on what were believed to be graves from WWII. The Wall segments that were removed have been stored on the cemetery grounds ever since."

I have a hard time figuring out where I am. I know I'm on the East side, that's what the sign says, but then I look behind me and there's another wall. I really think I'm in the corridor between the two walls (the "Death Strip"). 

There is an eastern wall, then a fence that triggers an alarm, then a wide corridor, then a western wall. So, I think this is where I am for most of my walk. It is also confusing, as the Wall was not a straight line, but jagged going this way and that depending on where it was.

Here is a piece of the Sophien parish's cemetery entryway created with it's entry and gate. What used to stand there before the SED destroyed it for the construction of the wall. The cross is one, of two, that are there to commemorate mass graves, believed to be there, that were not moved when those others buried in the cemetery were moved.

On the left, the foundation of a house that was close to the Wall.
Before the Wall was renovated, and the house boarded up,
people would go through this house and jump out the window
(fire brigade on the West would be there with a net),
or they'd climb down a pipe down.

I am amazed by how many are walking around, reading the signs and looking at the monuments. It's not crowded, but it's also not empty. I am touched by how many are interested in the emotional history that happened here.


(longer passage from Afterlife by Ingrid Michaelson)

When the world is breaking down around you
Taking everything that you know
What you didn't know
Is that we can go forever if we want to
We can live inside of a moment
The one that we own

You and me we got this
You and me we're beautiful, beautiful

We all, we all, we're gonna be alright
We got, we got, we always got the fight in us
We all, we all, we're gonna live tonight
Like there's no tomorrow 'cause we're the afterlife

Living like you're dying isn't living at all
Give me your cold hands put them on my heart
Raise a glass to everyone who thinks
They'll never make it through this life
To live a brand-new start

You and me we got this
You and me we're beautiful, beautiful

We all, we all, we're gonna be alright
We got, we got, we always got the fight in us
We all, we all, we're gonna live tonight
Like there's no tomorrow 'cause we're the afterlife
'Cause we're the afterlife

The Reconciliation Church was blown up by the SED, but the top cross
was saved by "someone" and returned to the church in 1990 (left).
"This sculpture, created by Josefina de Vasconcellos, is a call for reconciliation
following the devestation of Second World War. Copies exist at sites that were
deeply affected by the war: in the Coventry cathedral in the Hiroshima peace
museum - and in the former border strip at the Berlin Wall." (right)