Holocaust Memorial of Berlin

Another stop on our tour was the memorial to the Jews killed in the Holocaust (just for the Jewish people, they have separate memorials for the other groups that are either built or are currently under construction).  The memorial is a series of large grey blocks in different heights.  The outside has blocks short enough to walk over while the center has tall blocks that loom over you, closing you in, as you walk through.  There are over 2,000 blocks in all and the memorial takes about a block of the City (near the Brandenburg gate...and across the street from Hitler's bunker...so pretty centrally located).  So far, sounds good: the location, the looming blocks that cause you to question their meaning, and the fact that the Germans are acknowledging the responsibility for one of the largest crimes against humanity.  However there is one major problem with the memorial that visitors cannot simply ignore: the anti-graffiti paint. 

The Grey smooth blocks do not have a single mark anywhere on all 2,000 of them.  No "John + Kate = <3" from school children and no profanity due to the very expensive anti-graffiti paint.  Any markings, paint, blood, dirt...anything just wipes right off.  The idea of it, I'm sure, was to preserve the integrity and serious nature of the memorial.  The glaring problem comes not from the product but the product's manufacturer...who has a history of business with the Germans.  The company that manufactures and sells the paint is the same company that manufactured and sold Zyclon B (the gas used in the chambers by the Nazi's to murder over 6 million Jews).  This company has made a profit from killing and remembering those they killed. 

Sleepin' with the Fishes

Well as promised, a little more info about Berlin!

Berlin has really pushed to market itself as a liberal and tolerant city (having been marred as a whole during WWII they are now trying to completely over ride the former image of Germany...at any cost).  Prostitution is 100% legal--they have a union and pay taxes.  The main strip for the Johns to pick up prostitutes was recently under construction to repair the cable car track.  This closed the street for an entire month (apparently the Dept of Transportation in Germany is just as fast as the ones in the US).  The prostitute union banned together and sued the state of Germany for lost wages...and WON!  The sum was worth a couple of thousand for each worker (the shops and bakery on the same street got nothing for the month).  

On our tour we saw where an exhibit from Chilean artist Evaristti was being prepared for his next controversial piece.  His last exhibit (which was shut down by PETA) was a table with 10 blenders, plugged in and fully functioning, with live goldfish swimming around inside awaiting the public to decide their fates (coincidentally after many hours only 3 of the blenders had the button pushed).  His next piece promises to leave the public with an even deeper moral dilemma.  He has befriended a death row inmate in Texas who has agreed to donate his body for the artist's use.  He plans to freeze dry it into pellets for fish food and leave the pellets out for the audience to feed the tank of goldfish.  Now if people do not use the pellets to feed the fish the fish will die (they will have no other food source)...so to save the fish (which was the cry of PETA at his last exhibit) the audience has to use the inmates remains.

What would you do if you were in the audience?

Berlin

Hello Everyone!

There is a lot to catch up with (and only a short lunch break to do it).  Since my last post I have been on the move.  Two weekends ago was my trip to Berlin (and my first attempt since Prague at a successful weekend trip that wasn't just a day trip).  It was FREEZING (I'm so glad we went earlier this fall rather than later) but wonderful.  We caught the night train at 1:30am (ugh...I can't stay up that late anymore) and got into Berlin around 7:30 Sat morning (after a really good night sleep in the train).  We found our hostel (the Circus Hostel) in East Berlin and then joined a walking tour of the city that left at 10:30 that morning (only to return at 6:30 that night...it was quite a jaunt around the City).  We saw everything that I wanted to see in Berlin on our tour.  And, as my traveling experiences seem to work out, we picked the perfect weekend to go to Berlin.  They were having a giant celebration (throughout Germany but especially in Berlin) to celebrate the reunification of Germany.  So there were people everywhere and lots of festivities to keep us busy.  That night we went out for Russian food and then to a wine sampling party (for only 2 Euro...all the wine you cared to "sample") and then off to bed by 11p for me.  The next day we went to one of the early Sunday morning markets (picture a giant garage sale with German trinkets).  That is the weekend at a glance, I have to work now.  More on Berlin (and my weekend in Paris!) to come.

No Worries All Safe and Sound Over Here

 

Hi Everyone!

I didn't want anyone to worry (should this make the news back in the states).  We

have just been advised to maintain a low profile (duh.  Guess I will not be able

to wear my American Flag jogging suit for awhile).  Anyways, we have just been

sternly cautioned and are not allowed to attend Oktoberfest (the most likely target)--

good thing I went last week!!  Check out my pics on facebook!

 

And seriously, I live in a sparsely populated section of Germany where everything

closes by 6pm and on Sundays...totally fine :)

 

<3 Megan

 

Here's a copy of the email we got from post:

 

The US Embassy in Germany has issued a Travel Alert.

The Department of State alerts U.S. citizens that Al Qaeda has threatened it
will conduct terrorist attacks in Germany immediately prior to and following
the federal elections on September 27.  This Travel Alert expires on
November 11, 2009.

Al Qaeda recently released a video specifically warning Germany of attacks.
German authorities are taking the threat seriously and have taken measures
to enhance the level of security throughout the country.

The Department of State urges U.S. citizens to maintain good security
practices at all times, and to maintain a heightened situational awareness
and a low profile.  Americans are advised to monitor news reports and
consider the level of security present when visiting public places or
choosing hotels, restaurants, and entertainment and recreation venues.

We encourage U.S. citizens to read the Department of State's current
Worldwide Caution.  It provides additional information on potential threats
to U.S. citizens overseas, along with advice on how to reduce your
vulnerability to such threats.  Additional general information on residing
and traveling abroad, including the latest Country Specific Information for
Germany, may be found on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website.

Contact information for the U.S. Embassy in Berlin and U.S. Consulates in
Frankfurt, Hamburg, Dusseldorf, Munich, and Leipzig may be found on the U.S.
Diplomatic Mission to Germany's website.  All U.S. citizens traveling to or
living in Germany are urged to register with the U.S. Embassy through the
State Department's travel registration website.

Travelers may also obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by
calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States or outside the United
States and Canada on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.
Megan M. Gallagher

Oktoberfest Weekend!

Hello Everyone!

Sorry for the delay (between work and moving I haven't had time to update you in awhile).

 

This past Saturday I found myself (and over 500,000 of my closest German friends) in Munchen

for the opening of the 2009 Oktoberfest.  We hopped on the train at 5:45am (with beers in hand

and ready to go) and arrived in Munchen at 9:30 that morning.  I have never seen so many people,

and so many beers at one time.  The rule of the fest is that you have to be sitting down to be served.

As luck would have it, my many years of musical chairs as a child was actually training that proved

of the utmost importance for this event and I was somehow able to find a seat and enjoy a beer.

The day was fabulous!  (pics to come on facebook soon as possible).

 

Sunday was then followed by a day at the Franken Therme.  The natural saltwater baths were heavenly

after a long day shoulder to shoulder and mug to mug with all those people.  The pools varied in salt

content.  3% (ocean-like) 12% (easy to nap floating peacefully on top of the water) and 26% (It is like the

feeling of balancing on a ball in a pool.  The slightest loss of concentration and you were on your back or

stomach trying to regain some sort of control in the water.  The day wouldn't be European without a trip to

the sauna and embracing the nudity of yourself and everyone else.  There is nothing quite like the feeling

of not knowing the language or the protocol for the sauna and being naked.  Most awkward moment so far?

Definitely.  But by the end of the trip I'm sure I will have many more oddities to account for.  But--the sauna.

Sooo great (once you figured it out).  There were different smells in the saunas (strawberry, cola, tutti frutti..and

so on).  In one sauna you exfoliate with honey and salt and then spend time in the honey scented room sweating

it off.  In between events there are showers and soaps and shampoos.  There was also a snow chamber that you

go into for a little bit after you left the room--brrrr!  And then there was an ice water dip to top off your time in the

steam room.  It was a blast (we will probably be heading back there a few times before we head home).

 

All in all, last weekend is my favorite so far!  But there is still more to come :)
Megan M. Gallagher

Pictures on Facebook

Hi Everyone,

Should you be interested I have finally been able to post an album on facebook of what I have been up to.

There is also a new video up in my video section from the Winefest :)  It gives a pretty good representation

of the whole night :)

More to come soon!

I have an Address!!!

I finally have an address on post :)

Which means that it is the same as sending something within the US (postage and so forth).

Should anyone feel the need to write a letter or send a box to Germany I would be happy to

provide you with that service.

You can catch me at:

Megan Gallagher

in care of Marjorie Cleveland

CMR 454 Box 2555

APO AE 09250