While scrolling through these photos of my day’s wander round Berlin, I recommend you play this in the background:
Quick backstory: I first heard “Das Wandren” in my Music 41 class at Carolina. The professor wanted us to know the tracks, composers, and musical information for the tests… then he wanted us to be able to just appreciate the songs when we heard them in movies or TV shows. He was a bit of a defeatist but a realist too. I liked the guy. Older fellow, a good lecturer. Sort of the quintessential college professor type. I’ve never been a huge fan of the socratic method of asking the class to give their thoughts — I know this is ageist but I never really trusted anybody under 30 in college to teach because, well, I kinda wanted some expertise and life experience in my teachers and not to hear what a kid my age thought about such and such. I was a terrible student… and I remain intolerant of youth. But to my credit, as I’ve grown older I never really trust ANYBODY so… ya know. At least I’m an equal opportunity close minded jerk now.
Anyway, here I go a wanderin’ in Berlin…
It was a dreary and drizzly day… that’s how this story begins, Snoopy-style.
See? That’s dreary.
So this is Nike’s slogan reborn… albeit there’s another one that’s, well…
I’m not even sure that’s acceptable grawlix.
Love that drawing. Can’t get enough of a a well drawn warning sign.
That’s the classiest cigarette butt and dog poo disposal unit I’ve ever seen.
One word you never have to translate: “Mini-Golf.”
Over the river and to the Reichstag…
The Reichstag.
Me at the Reichstag.
Another angle of the Reichstag.
The backside of the Brandburg Gate
Miss ya, Steve. Stupid appendicitis.
Me in front of the backside of the Brandenburg Gate.
I didn’t know this mascot’s name or what kind of animal he was. Found out later straight from the Weasel’s mouth that his name is Fridolin “Frido” Flink.
The Hall of Fame — Steve and my names are up there.
The front of the Brandenburg Gate.
Me in front of the Brandenburg Gate
That’s a wonderful name.
Checking in.
So there are a series of bears around town, painted for charity. They seem to be in Crane Technique pose, from which there is no defense (*well… unless you learned to fight in Japan).
Kevi-timari Damacy
Tear down this wall. Don’t build more walls. Seems pretty simple to me.
I was struck by how awesome these Polaroid style postcards were… and how expensive they were.
Checkpoint Charlie, y’all! Charlie don’t stamp!
I found it funny that just next to the commorative Checkpoint stand there’s a McDonald’s. Nothing says Westernization like that.
Signs.
A view into the American side of Berlin.
A replica of the checkpoint leading into the Russian side — the uniformed soldiers depict which side is which.
Cool hat, man.
I’m tempted to buy a souvenir that includes a piece of the Berlin Wall but they’re all a bit pricey. This is a 5 euro postcard with a piece of the concrete.
And these are various pieces…
…but what would I do with it? It’d sit on my shelf. I don’t know.
Some more options.
This place would enable me to recreate a scene from Lady from Shanghai… or Manhattan Murder Mystery… or Skyscraper… or…
Merch and Souvenirs. What would Comrade Khruschev say?
Tacky and scary.
That’s the friendliest cadre of soldiers on the brink of cold war I’ve ever seen.
648 euros… but it comes with rebar!
These magnets have a piece of the wall stuck on them. Magnets without the wall are 5 euros…
With the wall? 10 euros. So a piece of the wall is worth 5 euros.
Seriously? How much classier can you get?
Checkpoint Curry! Puns in German!
Nothing says escaping from the Russian sector like gelato at the metro stop!
Dr Ecklberg, I presume?
The greatest innovation in kebab technology…
The expo was at the old airport.
Some details on the airport.
Bienvenue! Life’s a Cabaret!
This guy stitched his Boston time onto his celebration jacket. In all the races I’ve done, I’ve never seen that. I kinda dug it.
This is right next door to the expo. For some reason it made me laugh.
Lining up for the 2 PM opening…
More and more arrived.
It’s getting crowded.
Seriously? All these people had the same idea as me — get there early and get it done.
Waiting for the doors to open.
And this is Frido. He looks good. Me? With the exception of the possible altitude sickness bloat on Mt Kilimanjaro, this is about as fat I’ve looked in a while. How many chins do I have there? Eight?
The expo was spread out over several hangers.
Eventually I’d have to make my way back here to the Abbott booth to get my Sixth Major Star sticker.
That’s what I’ll get once I finish on Sunday.
I tried to find my name on the finishers list…
…I’m not there.
I was told it’s because I haven’t finished yet. If I finish on Sunday, and if they feel like reprinting it, my name will be up at the Chicago Marathon next month. That’s a lot of ifs.
It’s a long way yet until I get my bib.
Exiting the hanger to the tarmac… then back into a different hanger.
This doesn’t seem too bad…
Oh, wait… I was in the wrong line.
Whoa.
So this machine automatically sizes and cuts a wristband for you.
The process…
…fascinated me…
…and so…
…I just kept snapping pics…
…even documenting…
…my own wrist banding.
Voila!
Into the expo we go
Same as most of them to be honest.
Follow the black on black brick road…
Expo.
Expo
Expo
Expo
Into another hanger…
Couldn’t figure out if this was a brand or a propaganda station for Taiwan.
Note to Shellie: I got an idea for a Fast and Furious setpiece…
Another line…
Imagine what they hear…
Looping through a fake Brandenburg Gate to the bibs…
Bib-o-mania.
Uh… okay.
Back through the expo to the exit.
Signing of the times…
I wonder if a person could have their car services while they ran. That’s like paying to get your car washed and the oil changed when you park at the airport.
Of all the merch for sale at the expo…
…I was most tempted by this.
Three Bears Porridge!
BAck onto the tarmac…
This is Judee. We’re not going to talk about Judee at all.
Free photo — I wish I hadn’t tucked in my shirt. I look really crappy.
Heading out.
That’s one scary eagle. There’s A LOT of scary eagles still in Berlin.
Put this up on Facebook earlier.
Beef/Man Eater?
Maybe I should have gone to this.
What you’ll see next.
Berlin’s Victory Column
That’s a GREAT statue pose.
Berlin’s Victory Column behin me.
Gotta hand it to them…
Already posted this to instagram but it’s worth sticking here as well
Pretty sure this was the original title of U2’s seventh studio album.
