1st September Berlin

 

** I wake this morning to the sad news of the death of the last leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev. In my personal opinion Gorbachev did more for world peace as a political leader than any one else in the second half of the 20th century.  His type of politician was rare and dignified. Mikhail Sergeyevich was the diametric opposite of the current Russian dictator and war monger, Putin.

I wish his family a long life. The world was a much richer place with him in it, and now the world is a very much poorer place for his passing.

** As I said yesterday, I sort of over did it going through those two museums. Too many stairs & corridors. So I am having a day off today. This trip is not supposed to kill me! This trip is supposed to broaden my mind and make me think about the dawn of culture, language, writing, art.

I might do a river boat trip this afternoon if I can find a close jetty, and I'm perked up!

** Decided that the cruise will take me way too far from the comfort of my hotel so instead, I went for a 5 minute walk and found myself in tourist central, locally referred to as Checkpoint Charlie, a hangover from the Cold War and the days of a split Berlin. Capitalism is running rife here. They are selling off pieces of the Wall, although I am sure that if all the pieces were reassembled, there would be more Wall than they started with. Anything to make a dollar, I suppose.  When I originally arrived I thought this was such a quiet area, but given the people and movement just 5 minutes from my place, again, boy was I wrong. 

The insignia of the old DDR

A constant reminder in Berlin of the Russian invasion of the Ukraine. Almost everywhere I go there are reminders.

The famous Checkpoint Charlie I heard about on the news during my teen years.

Selling off history or rubbish. Bits of the Wall for sale.

** A chap running a 'ball under the cup' scam started with the wrong person. I had watched him from outside of the circle of players, and from far it was obvious when the ball was in his cupped hand. I moved closer and he thought he had a sucker. He had left the ball in play but I seemed to be the only one who 'guesed' correctly where it was. He offered to just give me €5 or €10 gratis, to bait me in but I did not rise to the bait and just whispered to his obvious silent partner in the crowd that I had taken my anti-stupid medication today, smiled and walked off.

** For those interested as to how I have been able to order food in Spanish, Danish and German, here is the secret.