BERLIN BLOG 2008

Making Music

2008-05-26T19:58:00.005+02:00

An accordion player working for tips along the Spree River wouldn't have been seen back when the area was the Russian-controlled section of Berlin years ago. But now, several sections of the city are full of immigrants seeking a new life in one of Europe's biggest melting-pot cities. This constant change in Berlin -- it's historical but at the same time on the cutting edge of trends -- is one reason I keep coming back with a study-abroad group. After dinner tonight, a short walk down a cut-through street resulted in me finding this WWII relic of a building just two blocks from our hotel. Its fate? -- most likely it'll be knocked down for new, trendy housing that the Prenzlauer Berg district is becoming known for.

Off the Beaten Path

2008-05-25T23:09:00.010+02:00

For about seven hours today, while the students had free time to work on their picture stories, I rented a bike and cruised through (mostly) parts of the former east. The city was alive everywhere I went, party because it was a Sunday and partly because of the super sunny weather. The giant slide I found was along a canal I remembered from the 2006 trip. In an area where many Middle Easterners have settled, I came across a Cypress wedding party with honking horns, men waving flags and the sound of guns being fired in the air. Neighbors watched all the racquet from their windows.

Skywalkers

2008-05-24T22:39:00.007+02:00

I came across a unique event today -- people on ropes running down the side of the Park Inn, Berlin's tallest hotel. Like true Germans, many visitors in Alexanderplatz barely batted an eye. I followed a participant with an orange harnass back to the top. From 39 stories up, thrill-seekers pay 59 Euros (almost $100) to do "house running," as it's called. Wearing booties to protect the hotel windows, they walk down the side of the building. It's part of the services offered by Jochen Schweizer, a company that offers a variety of extreme sports activities.

In the evening, I took a long S-Bahn ride out to the Muggelsee, a lake in the far southeast. Last year we visited a brewery there, but tours are no longer given. I'm thinking of making an (optional) group visit there for a late lunch on Tuesday, after the projects are due.

Ice Cream Day

2008-05-23T23:25:00.000+02:00

Today I spent part of the afternoon at Alexanderplatz, near the base of the TV Tower, while waiting for my laundry to get done at Fat Tire Bike Tours. It gave me a chance to people watch, and with the 70-degree weather, ice cream seemed in great demand. Every year I'm reminded of how flavorful the ice cream is in Berlin, and at one euro a scoop, it's a fair price.

Across from our hotel, the patterns, colors and framing of the assisted living facility provide a sitting duck situation for photographers. Just point the camera and shoot -- something will be a center of interest.

I got a call today from Katrin Planz, one of my classmates from Berlin High School years ago. She and husband Bill (former high school sweethearts) were visiting Berlin from Frankfurt to check on Bill's mother. They dropped by the hotel and we visited the corner bar for a couple Berliner Pilsners. Great to see some old friends from the past!

TIME and Wannsee

2008-05-22T23:07:00.001+02:00

Our first appointment today was a 90-minute meeting at the Berlin bureau of TIME magazine. International correspondent Andrew Purvis talked about his job covering 18 countries and explained some of Berlin's unique character. "Berlin is a world city," he said. "It's part of Eastern Europe." While not as attractive as Paris or Vienna, Berlin is "culturally alive," he said.

TIME intern Laura Laabs likened the wide-open physical spaces that resulted when the Wall fell to the the mental openness Berlin has about itself: "There is space for ideas and subcultures -- you can do what you want here."

Following the TIME meeting we ventured to Mercedes World, an architectural wonder that showcases 200 cars (some suspended from the ceiling) in a vast atrium. Although Mercedes personnel were friendly in years past, security this time asked me what was going on and told us not to publish any photographs. We left shortly thereafter and one S-Bahn stop later were at the Helmut Newton museum. Surprise -- it was closed until June 18 for remodeling. The group split up and went various ways since the public museums don't go "free" until 6 p.m.

Andrew, Chen, Amy and I took a long S-Bahn ride to the Wannsee Lake and hopped the free city-run ferry across the Wannsee over to Alt-Kladow, where we enjoyed pizza outdoors. The great weather continues.

Alexanderplatz

2008-05-21T23:35:00.005+02:00

Construction continues all over the city, and cranes are still up at Alexanderplatz, center of the former eastern sector. High fashion is big, too, as evidenced by this store window and reflection at Galeria Kaufhof.

The third-floor lobby of the hotel has a wi-fi point, so students like Robyn Wilson get to update their blogs daily. When the windows are open and the sun is shining, the Transit-Loft is a good working environment.

End of an Era

2008-05-20T20:04:00.010+02:00

The giant eagle that symbolized the fierceness of Hitler's military was removed from the top of Templehof Airport following WWII, but it's been returned to Berlin by the USA and now sits in a small park in front of the massive building. Student Andrew Stanfill and I ventured down there today to see what's left of the airport, set to close in October. The market has shifted to Tegel Aiport in the northwest and Schoernfeld in the southeast, so Templehof has become largely a remnant of its former self, with closed offices and few passengers.

Art is Everywhere

2008-05-19T20:40:00.007+02:00

Many would agree that Berlin has a graffiti problem run rampant, especially in the east. But at times, artists decorate walls and security doors in a clever manner. I found this trash collector walking by a doorway on Prenzlauer Alle early this morning, while on a search to find some fresh fruit. Later in the day, I took the class down to the former American sector to see the Allied Museum where I'd been a popcorn popper 30+ years ago when the building housed the Army's "Outpost" theatre. We also went near the Berlin Zoo, the Kaiser-Wilhelm Memorial Church and the world-famous KaDaWe department store with its dessert section that sent many stomachs rumbling. Some in the group had their first Currywurst outside the Wittenberg U-Bahn. Since I'd scheduled free time, the group scattered and took off in various directions. I swung by Friedrichstadtpalast to buy tickets for tomorrow's musical.

I also visited Tacheles art house to see what was new there. On the sixth floor I found a gigantic painting that spread across three windows. It was done by a new artist from Belarus.

Sweet Sisters

2008-05-18T23:00:00.001+02:00

Isabelle and Stine Knispel met with the student group today outside Dunkin' Donuts at Potsdamer Platz. I had been in touch with Stine through the Virtual Tourist website. She agreed to offer photo-story suggestions and talk about life in Berlin. Both women were deeply concerned about Germany's image in the world today as a result of the Holocaust from more than 60 years ago. Stine also recalled the day the wall fell and how West Berliners were handing out fresh fruit to the Easterners who were celebrating their freedom. I think the students appreciated the time the sisters spent with us offering their take on life in Germany's capital city. Earlier in the day the class took a Discover Berlin walking tour and ate lunch at Checkpoint Charlie. I noticed an interesting food vendor.

On Monday we're off to see the downtown area of the former western sector, and the Allied Museum on Clayallee.

15 Minutes of Fame

2008-05-18T01:15:00.011+02:00

A cuddling couple at the large Soviet Memorial in Treptower Park was among many sights we saw today as warm weather held out for two days in a row. The five-hour, 10-mile journey, expertly guided by Marielle of Fat Tire Bike Tours gave the group an insider's view of Berlin's diverse lifestyles not seen on the regular tours.

To give the group more chances at finding good candid situations to photograph, we extended the day a few more hours by taking the U8 down to Neukoelln, where I'd found a carnival advertised online. A walk in a large park led us to a slightly muddy midway where bored food vendors waited for customers, flying swings filled the air, and rock music blared from the rides' speakers. Some students in the group thought we stayed 15 minutes too long. What's wrong with a little rain?!

An Expert's Advice

2008-05-17T02:20:00.005+02:00

Despite a few students having travel issues, we officially began the study-abroad course today with a guest who was gracious enough to meet at the hotel. Ian Johnson, the Pulitzer-winning Germany bureau chief for the Wall Street Journal, discussed his career route that began at the Independent Florida Alligator and continues this month with travel to China for pre-Olympics coverage. Johnson encouraged the group to value coworkers' feedback that comes with a staff job as opposed to the isolation of freelancing. He also encouraged the students to be persistent and optimistic while job hunting.

Afterwards, we took the M4 and M10 trams to the Bernauer Wall Memorial site, where Andrew Stanfill, Michelle Harris and other students climbed a five-story high tower to see into the former East. The authentic site shows where a small section of the Berlin Wall and a death strip separated family and friends from 1961 until 1989. On the bottom floor of the tower, sobering videos played in silence as visitors watched historic escape attempts through barbed wire fences.

A Sign of the Times

2008-05-16T00:29:00.004+02:00

Today was my travel day, from Gainesville to Atlanta, to New York City, and finally on to Berlin. I had Chinese food at the JFK airport and the fortune cookie was a good hint that my next two weeks would go well.

Let's start the trip

2008-05-14T07:00:00.004+02:00

After a flurry of emails with some last-minute details, plans are looking good for "Berlin IV," my fourth visit to Germany's revitalized capital city with a group of photojournalism students. Some are already overseas in Munich, Prague and Norway. We'll all meet up Friday at the Transit-Loft Hotel in Berlin for a short introductory session with a foreign correspondent, Ian Johnson of the Wall Street Journal. He's a Pulitzer-winning reporter and graduate of UF.