backpacking-europe-1991

Back in Munich

2024-07-04T07:49:00.000-07:00

We reached Munich and immediately put our luggage which was really a burden into lockers at the train station. then we set off into Munich. Our main reason for going there was to sort out my finances, as I needed to leave my bank card with Paula, withdraw enough money to travel, and leave my air ticket money there, so before I go to Israel I'll have to go through Munich again.

First I showed my Friend the few sites you can see in one day - the central plaza, Marianplatz, the big beer hall, Hofbrauhaus, and we had lunch (shawama). We then sat in a pub playing cards until I thought Paula would be home then we got on a tube to go to my old home, the Sheraton house.

While sitting on the tube I saw Paula and Ros (a girl we worked with) get on. So we joined up. Paula and my Friend were overly friendly considering the fact that the last time they met they were on the opposite sides of a bar fight. We went to the flat, and Paula and I discussed our finances. Eventually after tea and some rather forced communication, we left for the Hauptbahnhof.

We were however late for the 9 o'clock so we waited for the 11 o'clock train. The train station, now familiar to me was dirty and new for my Friend. After some expensive vinegar-drenched salads we got on the train for Paris. We got a compartment to ourselves but spent the night adjusting the temperature gauge to get above freezing. Tthe train took all night, arriving in Paris at 11am the next morning.

Leaving Baden Baden Again

2024-07-04T07:37:00.000-07:00

Having got chips for $100 he immediately bet the whole lot on pairs, and won! So I said OK, give me half, which he did and I went immediately to cash it to pay for our night's accommodation. He then lost the rest but was in very good spirits. We had a lovely time and he was on a high. I've described the Baden Baden casino before with the beautiful high decorated ceilings but no wit was brought to life by the game being taken so seriously.

We took a taxi "home" despite our lack of finances. The next morning we were to leave for Munich. I am experiencing a new form of travel with him. He is relaxed and not in a hurry to gorge himself on culture, in fact, I don't think he'd mind a month's holiday in Paris without seeing the Eiffel Tower! He is here to get away from the hustle and bustle.

We rose leisurely and went up the spiral wooden stairs to the breakfast room cluttered with bric-a-brac. We were treated to a full breakfast then the landlady brought us ham and cheese so I said "Nine shwine, nine shwine" - no pig! Once well and truly stuffed we took our belongings and made it to the bus and then train station in time for a train to Munchin.

I cheated on my train ticket holding my breathe.I had rubbed out the date with my erasable pen and then filled in the new date! I have tot do this if I'm to complete the whole trip. My Friend's finances are tighter than I thought they would be, so although he is paying for everything on a daily basis, I can't expect him to pay for extra things like my train tickets.

A Night at the Casino in Baden Baden

2024-07-01T14:43:00.000-07:00

The Roman Bath experience was a disappointing end to what could have been an incredible day. I thought the massage alone was worth the price we paid, but my Friend, obviously didn't agree.

We ambled through the streets towards the white casino in anticipation of the night to come. After a drink in a pub (a totally foreign experience after traveling on such a tight budget) we shifted our luggage by taxi to our new abode. The room contained a large quantity of that familiar impersonal orange. Used like red and white check to make something seem homely.

That night dressed up to the aces we went to the casino in style by taxi. To have entrance you show them your passport, they punch a number into a computer, ask your profession, and give you a computerized card to sign. Then you enter through the royal red portals. The colors of red, gold, and rich black fabrics come only from the decor and croupiers as the people did not seem to have dressed up for their evening out. Men seemed to have just thrown on a tie and jacket because it was required. WOmen as well in all variations of vaguely evening clothing. THere were of course the few fragile old ladies, with well-set hair do's and powder emphasising their lined faces, they clasped shiny soft hand purses, and tried to work out systems at the roulette table by noting down numbers and looking very serious.

I saw one man place 1400 marks on the roulette table in all different places and lose it all. We changed $150 of my Friend's money and started on the blackjack tables then moved to roulette with a 20-mark minimum. We bet consistently on the pairs giving us a so-so chance until it was all gone. Then my Friend changed another $100 with me saying no, no, no under my breath.

The Roman Bath Experience Baden Baden

2024-07-01T14:33:00.000-07:00

We went to the Roman Baths. It was quite expensive but I wanted very much to see the inside. The men and women have separate changing rooms, separate saunas, and separate massage areas, but the spa baths are common to both sexes.

So we arranged to meet in the baths after going through the separate changing rooms. Now I imagined my Friend would do the sauna and massage then join me. He found the sauna too hot, so went on to the massage room where he was faced with a fat grandfather wanting to rub soapy liquids all over his body. So my Friend said no way and ventured onto the baths. He was repulsed by all the old nude bodies (oh did I mention there is a no-clothing policy even though the baths are for mixed sexes). He found it unhygienic and after searching furiously for me (while I was still enjoying the sauna and massage), he went out, showered, and waited in the lobby for me for the next half hour while I casually indulged in the luxurious baths.

The sauna and steam rooms are large and at precise temperatures with tiles everywhere and beautifully painted pictures in dark greens and China blues, of ducks, reeds, and skies. There is a glass window at the apex of a dome in each room. The massage was wonderful. We had healthy young girls in white togas we spread a soapy liquid over the body, front and back, avoiding the boobs. Then they scrubbed you down with a brush, just a little too hard. The next room was a steam room. This did seem unhygienic as we sat bare-bumbed on a ceramic pyramid of steps being steamed like lobsters.

I then moved on to the baths, a series of rooms all titled and painted, joined together by arched doorways. They all centered around the main circular pool with a large, painted dome ceiling. The predominant color is gold. There were men and women of all shapes, sizes, and religions. I didn't see my Friend, so I did the opposite. Instead of going to see if he was outside, I waited longer and longer inside hoping he would eventually show. So by the time I emerged well-cleaned but anxious, he was steaming all by himself.

The Pot Pourri Lady of Baden Baden

2024-07-01T14:21:00.000-07:00

We set off to see a bit of Baden Baden and visit the Roman baths. The last time I was here I was with Paula and went to the modern spa, this time I planned to see the older genuine Roman baths. We walked through the old part of the city which I have described to you before (when I was here with Paula). There was a lady sitting on a stool in the street dressed all in purple, Laua Ashley style. She was surrounded by baskets filled with pot pourri and bright netting and materials, and she was making little posies for people. I told my Friend to stand behind her and I took a photo of her sitting, surrounded by the baskets and people, with my Friend in the background.

She heard the flash of the camera and turned saying in German "What are you doing Miss?" I pretended I didn't understand and we walked off at a normal pace. We got about halfway up the road when we heard "Frauline, Frauline,". There she came, her hat bobbing up and down, marching towards us.

She proceeded to give me a screaming lecture about how you can't sneak up on people and take their photo in Germany, you have to get permission. "Wind that photo back" she demanded, "Wind it back!" Well, we were just very calm, apologized, and she went away. I was in shock, apart from the fact that it is impossible to wind a photo back.

Frankfurt to Baden Baden With "My Friend"

2024-07-01T14:11:00.000-07:00

The next day we went into town again and my friend bought a cassette player, very nice, for $100 and so we had Israeli music in the room! I kept nagging him that he came to see a new country not stay mentally in Israel. But I think it's just taking some time for him to "arrive". We had a "discussion" about Scientology and a negative article he read. I told him that my future includes Scientology and that I can't marry someone who knows nothing about it. So the compromise we came to was that he would reread Dianetics, which (quote) he stopped reading because there were too many big words, and this time he would use a dictionary. And when I get to Israel he will go with me to the Scientology Center and ask all the questions that the article raised. That's progress for now I think. We have been constantly thrashing out ideas of the future and how it will look.

On our second night in Frankfurt, we dressed up and went out to a casino 40 minutes away by underground and on a bus. We walked and walked for a long time, following a TTurk who volunteered to steer us in the right direction. Since my friend arrived we have kept bumping into Israelis everywhere. I like it when there are none around us because then I can talk in Hebrew and no one understands. the casino, although beautiful from the outside was off-limits to us because we had forgotten to bring our passports. We couldn't get in without them as residents of the towns in the area can't play in the casino.

The next day we rose at a slow pace and lugged our luggage to the endless tubes, trains, and escalators. We got a train to Baden Baden, I used my erasable pen for the first time, as I needed to save all my 15 rides for when I will be with Paula and already I was on my second one. We arrived in Baden Baden. Still a beautiful city. I started doing location on my Friend to ease his entry into a new world. The first task was to find a place to lay our weary bones and fucking bags. We walked up a vertical slope to the Youth Hostel which was closed for checking in butt we could leave our bags there.

We decided that the climb and the fact that they had only dormitories made it a bad proposition and we went all the way down the hill to the information office.

As we were there finding out about hotels for 180 marks, a lady came in and offered a room for 85 marks, including breakfast in her house. We took up the offer and followed our landlady silently to her house. She managed to communicate where all the facilities were with the internationally acknowledged language of hands. It was a small clean cuet room, good enough for us.

My Friend arrives in Frankfurt

2012-07-26T07:55:00.000-07:00

My friend arrived with no problems and bubbling over with joy at being overseas with me. We went to the hotel room and caught up on lost time! We used everything in the room, leaving it in a mess and with no tip. I had booked it for two nights at 85 marks a night (without breakfast), it would normally have cost 530 marks a night. The sun stays up late (until about 10) so we went into Frankfurt and looked around but I'm afraid that even on my second look it didn't improve my opinion of it much. In my opinion it has little to offer.
My friend bought $2000 and 2000 Francs (about $300) it was enough for one but I was definitely planning on leaning on him for this trip. I was excited to see him and anxious to see my reaction to him. We picked up exactly where we had left off. He asked me about men on this trip and I told him I'd had a fling with someone in Greece. he flipped out and it caused problems the whole following day. Why hadn't I told him over the phone, he wouldn't have come, how many times must he forgive this...blah blah but he was glad I was honest. I didn't actually "do" anything and I didn't tell him on the phone because I knew he wouldn't come.
So although this put a strain on the visit, I still felt it was the right thing to do by telling him. Basically our relationship was stronger than ever. We had dinner in a Turkish restaurant. He was having to find very simple food because everything was not kosher. This means he didn't get to taste the local cuisine.

Arriving in Frankfurt

2011-11-16T03:53:00.000-08:00

I got on the train for Frankfurt to meet my friend from Israel. I will meet up with Paz in Paris on 5th June. When I left the Sheraton lodgings the landlady came to check my room as you have to leave it clean before you check-out, and she started talking about her sister (they are English) who married a Moroccan and is living near Paris. She works for Chanel as a cashier and would like to move to a job in the village she lives in, but work is scarce. After all said the anorexic landlady EVERYONE wants to be a cashier, don't they, there's just not the opportunity!

Now my travels take on a different nature. I left Munich and took an early train to Frankfurt, I had a lot of heavy luggage, including my three pairs of Italian shoes from the Sheraton lost and found. I was also carrying my emancipated liquor.

Paz was fine about my departure, though Paris seemed a bit daunting. I arrived in Frankfurt and checked into the hotel. The room was not as 5 tar as the last time we were here. From my Sheraton job I knew all the signs of VIP treatment and from them we got the bathrobes, free newspaper, turn down service with a bottle of mineral water as well as a rose in the bathroom. I set to work with all my alcohol to make it 5 star. I put a wrapped teddy bear which I had bought my friend on the pillow, put champagne on ice, ordered an extra ice bucket, glasses plus 2 bowls, I put fruit in one and sweets in the other. I had also brought chocolates from Switzerland and Austria. I brought extra coca cola so we wouldn't have to use the exorbitant mini-bar. Then I ordered an iron and ironing board and ironed my skirt. Took a bath, discovered an English TV channel and went to pick my friend up from the airport. The hotel is joined to the airport by a sky ramp. I went to the airport gate and sat there picking away at yesterdays cherry nail polish until my nails were clean. There were several other halves of couples waiting for their other halves, and it was funny watching the different forms of reunions from discrete pecks on the cheek to near intercourse on the concourse!

Reflections

2011-11-16T03:45:00.000-08:00

I must write character sketches about some of the people I meet on my travels.

Shazlee - the Egyptian; Antonio-the Italian, Ros and Jill from Scotland and England and our very strange room mate - Rosana - from Sicily, where the mafia come from.

It's funny I am always writing and it's Paz who wants to be the writer. I'm quite proud that I am doing this, as they say "a writer writes"it's as simple as that. I have also come to know Paz much better, she has major hang-ups about her family life, sex life and life in general. She has very little motivation. She wants to be rich but hasn't got past that to HOW do I get rich. She is a victim about her childhood, makes out as if things were impinged on her as a child which have left her scared for life. She has an incredibly vicious streak and will to survive above all others, but a lack of respect for herself. She vacillates from putting herself down in front of people to flaunting her snobbish and empty values about being sublimely superior. She sees men as a totally different race from woman, a race... as for me I'm happy, worship my parents, love life, never have any problems more than enough to make the game of life a game! And modest too!!!

Bought an art pad so will start drawing again.

checking out of the Sheraton

2011-11-15T05:03:00.000-08:00

The checking out procedure wasn't as traumatic as I'd expected, just handing in my uniform, getting a couple of signatures. There may be irrelevant tax forms registered post from the Sheraton in the future. The complicated part was the finance. They couldn't pay me until the 30th so Paz is going to stay on till then and I will give her power of attorney at the bank to collect the money for me. She will also put it into traveller's cheques for me. I hate relying on other people to do things for me especially with finances.

I stole 2 bottles of champagne, 2 wine and some small whiskey, vodka and gin bottles to have with my friend from Israel. Sorry I didn't steal them I emancipated them from the mini-bar poor bottles were dying to escape, what could I do turn my back on their pleas for freedom? At least this way they know they'll be drunk and not left to sit on the shelf - like spinsters in a store room.

14 May 1991 - Heart attack in the Sheraton

2011-11-15T04:57:00.000-08:00

On my last day in my last room Fiona, a fellow chambermaid came up behind me and gave me a fright. For the next 2 hours I experienced what I have had periodically since I was a child. I have always called it a heart attack although it is obviously not. I get dizzy, sweat, my heart beats very fast making my body shake slightly and it is hard to breath. I had this once in a dance class in University. When I was younger I remember getting milder versions of this when my breathing would get difficult and I would feel like there was a vice around my chest. I remember lying on my tummy on Lulu's couch in her lounge until it went away. So I want to have on the record that it happened on 14.5.91 - hope it doesn't happen again.

Leaving the Sheraton and other thoughts!

2011-11-15T04:50:00.000-08:00

In German subways there are escalators which only move when you step on them, we choose which exit to take from the subway according to where there are escalators.

I really should have kept a record of time from the moment I decide something to the time it occurs just to find out how long it takes. I once decided to have red shoes and yesterday there was a sale in the hotel of all the lost property. I got 2 pairs of Italian red shoes for three marks each. Also got some black shoes, a straw hat and a dress shirt all came to 17 marks. Also one day said to Paz I want some stockings, that afternoon a girl gave us 3 pairs each because her mom had given them to her and she didn't like the color.

Yesterday was my last day working at the Sheraton and I wanted to finish early as there is a long checking-out procedure and I needed to do it that day as I was leaving the next day. So I did all the work that normally took me a whole day by lunch time! That's 12 tower rooms and 8 VIP rooms!

Leaving East Germany

2011-11-15T01:58:00.000-08:00

We got a lift out of Leipzig which is a more industrial city than East Berlin. It is also enormous but the people seem to be making more of an effort to upgrade themselves with the occasional flower pot and curtains in the window. We saw two long lines outside banks as we drove through. Then we got a lift with an ex-East German, born in East Germany traveled extensively in the Eastern block but now living in the west half and doing business with the old East half. He said he never wanted to escape before, life was hard but reliable. Everyone had work - even if they had to halve a job to give 2 people work. They lacked competition. Products were either over produced and not wanted or produced but no choice of brand etc. He does still feel loyalty to the East but as he said Socialism is very nice as an idea but totally unworkable. It is also not very uplifting spiritually if you can never strive for something better. He said now that he is free to travel there are places he would like to see but first he has a lot to see in West Germany. He is one of the lucky ones, he now has a nice car and job which even sends him overseas and a new life. Other East Germans are finding the transition harder. Our next lift after a grueling 2/3 of an hour wait, was with one of the drop out types typical of Berlin. He drank 2 beers while driving from Nuremberg to Munich. As Paz put it - he was pretty but needed a dam good scrub! Home at last and ready for all the upheaval and planning and anxiety of transition period from chambermaid to traveler.

Leipzig Hotel Merkur

2011-11-09T01:33:00.000-08:00

The Merkur Hotel was 5 stars but definitely not up to par with western standards. Just little touches gave it away as being from the east. We got through the front door with our back packs on and got escorted to our room by a very helpful porter. He mentioned how much he liked Proteus and Paula went into a diatribe on "do you know how they grow?" given in a tone of voice I have come to know as "now let me explain it carefully because you are a foreign idiot". . We only realized after this that he was hanging around for a tip. He even demonstrated how each draw opened and closed. Oh well can't he see we live on 16 marks a day! We had free chocolate, fruit and perfume in the room and after a luxurious bath and putting on our gowns we fell into a stupendous sleep in soft beds made by some one else! Next morning we had one of those beautiful buffet breakfasts. I treated myself to bacon for the first time in ages, along with many other delights. We had dinner in the staff canteen the night before - it was more expensive and not as nice as our staff canteen in the Munich Sheraton.

Hitch Hiking from Liepzig with Mr. Shutz

2011-11-09T01:07:00.000-08:00

Mr. Marcel Shutz was educated both in Switzerland and England then joined the diplomatic corps. He was posted in East Berlin before the wall came down and has now been moved over to West Berlin. He hoped to be posted in Latin America next. He speaks no Spanish but says no one cares "if you know the language - although it helps - so long as you are prepared to learn". Having lived under the communist/socialistic system he was able to speak about it. He said things were just not available. They couldn't paint their houses, there was no paint. Everything was left by the Russians as they found it after the war. People were born under the new system without knowing about the west, and a better life so they grew up influenced by the propaganda and supporting it. Every foreigner was watched, it was quite a joke.

Once he picked his visiting mom up from the station, dropped off his mother and sister off at his house and took their passports to the police station, accompanied by his father to register them. As he walked in the door a lady behind the counter said " Ah Mr. Shutz you've come to register your mother and sister who are at your house, and this is your father."They move every move you made. There always seemed to be a little car following you. The Trabank care characteristic of East Germany, you had to order them 13 years in advance and no one could afford one anyway. Things were available but always for a price. Once he bribed a butcher with a bottle of Whiskey for a joint of meat as he was having an Eastern official for dinner. The official asked where he had got the meat, when both of them knew damned well where it had come from or rather how he had come by it. "The butcher" our little Swiss answered innocently. The officials were all East German but all well trained and indoctrinated. The "high brass" were originally shipped in from Moscow.

2 months before the wall came down a man was shot climbing over the wall, what a waste. The East Germans have a very high percentage of working woman so kids aren't looked after well and grow up wayward. But everyone in the family has to work to survive. Rent was very low, 25 marks a month. It was payed to the "society". the landlord is the government so no one can do anything to the property (like paint it) even if anyone could afford it. The responsibility has been taken away from everyone as they don't own the property so everything is left in bad condition.
Our Swiss ride was totally in favor of the free market and didn't enjoy his time in East Germany at all.

We asked him about the EEC and if he thought Switzerland should join. They can't join until at least after 92' as the EEC has said that no new members can join until the present ones are up to par. He sees the main problem as economic as joining the EEC will bring the value of their Franc down and mean no more save haven for tax. A hornet's nest will be opened up if people now protected financially by the independence of Switzerland become open to investigation. Our short but energetically verbal driver was on his way to Liepzig to open a watch exhibition and was most impressed that we would be staying at a hotel of a higher level than his.

Leaving Berlin

2011-09-07T23:24:00.000-07:00

The houses in the East looked black cut in half tall and heavy, however close you come to them they remain just a silhouette with no definition or detail. We found two lots of the Berlin Wall still standing, one with graffiti on it. On the west side the whole wall was bright with colored graffiti and there was one it where we could chip away a bit. The lady at the tourist office had suggested that we take a bit of the wall as it had been already sold three times over. We became disheartened by the weather and our whirlwind tour. With our lift in to Berlin we had actually already seen the Brandenburg Gate and other monuments and we were just too tired to walk around any more.
We took a tube to find the burnt out synagogue (which we never did find) but we came above ground by a Turkish restaurant. I craved something spicy so we ate there, a chilly spiced kebab.
Basically in Berlin we just wanted to see what was necessary to see to say we've "done" Berlin, and then get out. We spent about half an hour traveling on the underground coming up at various points. At one intersection where we surfaced there were about 8 police mini vans and the officers were frisking passes by at random up against a fence. Eventually with much use of the public transport we got to a freeway (autobahn) and got a lift all the way to Liepzig with the Swiss Consul to Berlin no less!

Check Point Charlie - Berlin

2011-08-31T10:43:00.000-07:00

After a long tube ride home and a long walk we got to the outrageously priced camping grounds in the dark and set up camp on sand and rain and lay low through the frozen hours. The next day was a bit of a balls up. We felt pressured for time as we had to be in Leipzig that night, plus the May 1st threat plus there was very rainy weather (no umbrella, and only summer coats). First we returned to West Banhof Station and put our packs in lockers. The same piles of people still lay about. Then we got on a tube for Check Point Charlie. It was very disappointing and not even worth taking a photo of, just a boon gate. There is a very good museum all about the Point, the wall and peace itself. There are sections in the museum about the great escape from East to West Berlin and of great pacifist victories i.e. Gandhi, Poland, Czech Republic. However the museum was too extensive with too much reading material and a lot of French students crowding the place so I didn't even see it all. Then we set off to walk down the path towards the wall and the Brandenburg Gate. The weather was exactly the atmosphere I imagined for Communist countries - grey, misty and wet.

Labour Day Demonstration in Berlin

2011-07-24T18:52:00.000-07:00

West station was even worse, piles of people in the corners, out of their minds. Punk hairdos everywhere and suspicious looking little men is grey raincoats just watching people. We went into the tourist info office and had a very helpful lady arm us with a map marked with the ex-wall and the main streets of West Berlin. We also got a map of the subway. Just then the sound of a waterfall or strong wind eased itself down the street growing louder as it became clearer that they were human voices. "What's that?" we asked knowing full well what the answer would be. "Oh don't worry it's just a police thing or a demonstration because tomorrow is Labour Day." Great, it seams where ever we go disaster follows in our wake. We left the tourist office and bought a 24 hour train and underground ticket and set off for on the long journey to find the camp ground. Accommodation in Berlin is very expensive and officially fully booked. While waiting for our tube the sound we had heard came inside the station in the form of young hooligans "demonstrating" there was no where we could really go so we just stood tight. The sound they were making was that shrill rolling of the tongue that Blacks do in South Africa and Moroccans do in Israel. When they were in view - on the other side of the platform thank God, they appeared to be somewhere between school and varsity age. There were several made up with clown or horror make-up and several mohawk hairstyles. The noise died down as the group spotted a girl they obviously knew on our side of the tracks. She wore black stockings, short black skirt, black polo neck and a red floppy hat. She had thick glasses on and shoulder length hair. As she recognized members of the demonstrating group she started to wave the hat at them and they greeted her back by singing opera to her. She responded with an aria of her own. It struck me that this was just like a drama department full of activists. That calmed me down.

First Impressions of Berlin

2011-07-24T12:04:00.001-07:00

The road leading to Berlin is 30ks long! The ride we had gave us a guided tour. First he passed over Check Point Charlie - the most famous passage across the ex-wall, then he drove into East Berlin, Strangely the greatest monuments are on the East side - the State Opera, the Brandenburg Gate and a burnt up synagogue which was destroyed during the Crystal Night Nazi attacks on the Jews. The synagogue hasn't been rebuilt there is just a sign saying "never forget this". I have never in my life seen such depravity, on the streets of East Berlin there are down and outs, out the bottom dangerous people. The streets feel like dead. We were dropped at the daunting East Barnhof Station - even I gripped my rucksack tighter. Our guide book says "autonomous rebels express aimless discontent through destructive activity and armed opposition to police - especially on May Day, May 1st blow outs! These animate the streets with obligatory car burnings and molotov cocktails." So what do we do but arrive on the eve of May 1st.

50% or more of Berlin's population is Turkish, there is very high unemployment and general discontent. We had been dropped at the wrong train station for information so we had to take a tube to West Berlin. The city is huge. Because the people in East Berlin are still recovering economically tube prices are 0.20 in the East and 2.5 Marks in the West. The tubes were very old, graffiti every where, abandoned bottles, litter and people with faces of stone. The people were staring with constant terror, they look dishevelled, dirty and mumble to each other and themselves about the war. Berlin has over 100 theatrical productions each nights and numerous museums so I think we just saw the bad side.

Arriving in Berlin

2011-07-22T06:04:00.001-07:00

My predominant impression of East Germany is grey - OK we did go there on a rainy day. Thomas, our truck driver, showed us the old boarder which had been dismantled, and from that point on either you see open uncultivated land or dilapidated uncared for property. IN 1945 the WWII ended, Russia, as one of the allied forces, who had helped liberate Germany took as their prize the right to be the "administrator" of a portion of Germany. Unlike the other areas of Germany which just got lots of foreign army bases, East Germany got a whole new system, philosophy and life as arbitrarily Berlin was cut in half. The enclosed city - West Berlin - became capitalist, while the remaining surrounding Eastern block communist. East Germany remains 99.5% as it was in 1945. Houses often don't have running water or toilets inside and for me the most obvious difference is the lack of paint. Going on a train through united Berlin you see weather beaten unpainted brown buildings, half built or in disrepair since being bombed and then you pass over into neon lights, white color and life in the West.

Eventually we parted ways with Thomas just outside Berlin. We got a lift into Berlin with a West German guy who spoke Spanish to us. It is incredible how my little bits of education in Spanish French, English and Afrikaans have left me fully Euro-lingual( by the way when Europe is united in 1992 they will have a currency called ECU pronounced EEKOO (European Community Unit).

29th April Truck ride to East Germany

2011-07-22T05:40:00.000-07:00

We had asked to get a night free accommodation in the Leipzig (East Germany) Interhotel which is associated with the Sheraton. This is one of the Sheraton employee perks, they get a free night in one of the hotels every now and again. So after one day of recovery at "home" (Munich) we set off hitching to Berlin on 29th April then to end up in Leipzig on 1st May and hitch back to Munich on 2nd May in time to restart work on 3rd May. We thought we were very lucky when it looked like we would make it all the way to Berlin with only 2 lifts. One business man in a Merc then a truck (these big big ones ) we were also thrilled that the truck only had to cover 500ks but the truck trip ended up taking 9 hours!! A waste of a day but a very entertaining trip.

Thomas, our truck driver, was very proud of his truck. In the cab(in) there were a number of gadgets and conveniences. He is from Denmark, was transporting cheese. First he offered us coffee or tea. We were very impressed. He cleaned our cups with "Ints" a strong disinfectant that we use to clean in the hotel. Then he merely wiped out the cups. He boiled the water in a filter coffee machine, poured it, added sugar and served it to us - all while driving!

We watched the road while he watched the cups. The seats int he cab were hydraulic - they could fold up, respond or not respond to suspension, lean back and best of all expand to fill out the curves of your back. This was in the passenger and driver's seats. Paz and I took turns sitting on the "bed" that runs behind the seats. The driver also had a finger joy stick which can be used instead of the peddles, so he can put his feet up - and he did - while driving. He also read and drew while driving. He had a computer keyboard and screen on a cord which he could pull in front of him, lean on the steering wheel and send messages back to his company in Denmark. Thomas also had a radio, C.D., cassettes and a large supply of food in a fridge. HE got all his food out and shared lunch with us. I was sitting on the "bed" behind so Paz had to "play mother" and prepare the food on the large table-like dashboard. There was a full range of kitchen equipment and Paz made sandwiches for all of us while we were in motion on a very bumpy East German road. There is only one main road in East Germany and it is in bad condition.

Paz and I were in hysterics as Thomas reverted to a little boy as he requested what he wanted on his sandwiches, and totally ignored the road. Paz didn't stand stand a chance filling all our sandwich orders. Thomas had one with Pate and gherkin then one with Bree cheese, sauerkraut, then sausage slices, mustard and dried onions! Thomas was very interesting but very slow.

With out warning he stopped at one point because - although he hadn't told us - he had to stop every 4 hours to rest by law. Thanks to the truck ride though we got a view of a little East German village where Thomas had to go to drop off some cheese. Thomas told us that when the Berlin wall first came down and he came to this village all the villagers came out to see the truck as they had never seen one like it before.

Letters home

2011-07-22T05:37:00.000-07:00

We got the brochures and are interested in one of the options - will investigate. Also got 3 letters which will be answered. The last 20 or so pages have been written in a truck on the way to Berlin!....continued 2 days later....

Shopping in Munich for normal life!

2011-07-21T12:32:00.000-07:00

Well the experience in Switzerland taught me that I need to throw away my sports shoes, burn my socks and boil my clothes. For 2 weeks I have to live like a normal person, not a traveler, when my friend comes from Israel, so I need to be presentable. I got money out of the bank and went shopping - really should have saved the money but I am a happier person for my purchase - Art Pad 2marks, black stockings 1.95marks, bright green patterned sports shoes 16.50, now I have walking shoes, flat black pumps and these. 3 pairs of cotton socks, so my feet are warmer and don't smell so much 8.00, 4 cotton panties 8.95, my granny nickers served their purpose but they're not exactly alluring. Bra 5.94marks, beautiful feminine non-crease white blouse 25.00, floral to go with black skirt I nicked from Sheraton, green T-shit 5.00. I spoilt myself rotten and loved every minute of it!!

Hitching back to Munich

2011-07-21T12:24:00.000-07:00

Next the big hitch. We got as far as Bern then had to wait 4 hours for our next lift!! This buggered us up as at 10pm that night we were only in Stuttgart on the side of the freeway in the middle of nowhere. We very cautiously descended the grass bank on the side of the road and camped behind a tree - our first experience of camping freelance without a camping ground. The tent was on a sloping hill and we spent the night slipping down in our sleeping bags and listening to every noise from outside. We slept with our penknives in our hands. At the crack of dawn the next day we continued home in the rain. We got a lift with an orchestra conductor who practised his art all the way to Munich - 1, 2, 3, 4! We got food and went to sleep for the rest of the day aahh sweet luxury, linen, warmth and grub!

I had over spent but consoled myself that Switzerland is the most expensive country in Europe and 130German Marks for a 5 day holiday in Switzerland ain't bad mate.

Interlarken, Switzerland

2011-07-20T16:37:00.001-07:00

Interlaken is an area in a valley flanked by the Eiger, Junfrau and Monch mountains. On our way there we stopped at some little town called Spiez where there is a castle on a lake. We didn't go in but had our cheese and bread overlooking the lake-exquisite-so green. We bought Mars bar ice-cream and to my surprise I can have a conversation in French at least on a functional level to buy ice-cream!

Spiez Castle

We have been so lucky with lifts - we got them within minutes. We joke about out ticket - the piece of cardboard we write the destination on. Interlaken is very boring and just a jumping off point to other interesting places.

Interlaken

We found a very expensive camping ground which was deserted, but people came later. A bunch of guys putting up 3 tents didn't like my joke when we walked past and I shouted "Do you guys need any help?" because our Igluzit was already up. Another frozen night and we were off again. Paz's waist strap from her backpack broke in the car door of one of our rides, so it was hard for her to carry. We were also missing clean clothes and beds so we decided to see one more site and then hitch home. We went to Lauterbrunnen which is famous for the Trumburg Falls. The glaciers from the three major mountains drain off into these falls. We went into the mountains and saw all the water gushing over glistening black rock with streaks of transverse white lines like fat in a beef steak. It was powerful and overwhelming.