pictures uploaded and a long-awaited (or just long) update

pergamon museum, berlin. massive temple
there was an exhibit on words and art at the pergamon musuem, and this might have been my favoite part of it.
part of the same exhibit: an ahmadinijad room
(fake) checkpoint charlie!

(real) Berlin wall!memorial to the dead jews of europe
See: Star Wars meets the Reichstag
Brandenburg gate

I really like the composition of this photo. Anna, looking out over the city.tiny night train room
the view from our hotel in zurich (we were the only room with a balcony)
zurich is adorable
look at how pretty that river is.

in a munich subway/walkway, we found a woolworths. we had to document this strange event. Anna even bought Black Sheep and posed in front of the "Mr. Proper" bottles.glockenshpiel
impromptu concert. which of these things is not like the other? which doesn't quite fit?




Pictures have been retroactively uploaded to previous posts. woo!

It's been a while since I've updated because it's been a hectic few days: one night each in zurich, munich, and salzburg. I'm in the salzburg hostel currently, watching The Sound of Music before going on the Sound of Music tour, and hoping that my nauseaed stomach will calm down soon. It sucks being ill while travelling, but it's definitely not as bad as it could be. I think it's just something I ate that will work it's way through my system quick enough. and the hostel here plays the movie daily, so it's probably the best place to be sick: three hours of relaxation and escapism available daily. though, let me tell you, salzburg is really close to the german border, not so much to the swiss border, and the mountains here are super steep and rocky, so I don't know how those von trapps did it, or how they logiced that one out there for the movie.

back to the reality of the trip.

The last day in Berlin was great: an amazing bike tour all around the city, then we went up to the top of the Reichstag (which now looks quite a bit like the Star Wars government house) for a fantastic and free view of the city (in the rain, but still nice). That night, it was the overnight train to Zurich, and let me tell you, I'm in love with long overnight trains. This one was even longer because the train workers in Germany staged a strike from 5-9am, during which we were dead stopped. Four extra hours of sleep. glorious. Moreover, our one other roommate on the train was this 20-something German named Marcus, who had emo-bangs, spoke amazing English, and was flying to Thailand that day. We shared about two hours of extremely engaging conversation with him, and I felt reinvigorated. I'm hoping that the overnight train to Venice will also reinvigorate me as well. I love trains: stress-free, easy, smooth, punctual, and with beautiful scenery.

Zurich was adorable. very alpine. I liked how small and condense it is, and the river is the cleanest I've seen yet: green watter! and you could see the bottom! and there were swans swimming in it! The hostel/one-star hotel in Zurich (Zic-Zac Rock Hotel) boasts themed rooms, but we were disappointed to discover that the Lenny Kravitz room we were in had not a single picture of Lenny. There were pictures of Paul McCartney wrapped in a wrigley's gum wrapper and standing next to a giant ashtray and a large picture of a craggly keith richards. nothing to indicate that it was a Lenny Kravitz room other than the placard on the door. My suggestion: make a feather boa border around the ceiling and at least one picture. that's all you needed. It was a private room, which was a nice change up, and the shower on the floor was actually large enough to shave my legs, which was also a welcome change.

In Zurich, we mainly walked around, and went to this very cool museum (Kunsthaus) that had works from the Old Masters to Cy Twombly. I love the little pedestrian streets in these germanic cities: little shops, boutiques, cafes, and a very cool (read: European) atmosphere.

After a four hour train ride to Munich, we walked around that city, saw the glockenshpiel (big mechanical clock with figurines that dance at certain hours), wandered upon a spontaneous concert by a string quartet (ish; there was a violin, bass, cello, and . . . an accordian). They were fantastic. Not so fantastic? the weather. It's like Virginia in late November but wetter: temperatures in the 16-21 degree Celsius range (50-70 F, I think) and rain EVERYWHERE WE GO. We were able to do laundry in Munich, too, which was so relieving because we both packed mainly for warm weather with warmer clothes as an afterthought, and have thus been wearing the same few things for the last two and a half weeks. And we are at the halfway point! woot!

Yesterday morning, we went to Dachau, a place I really had no desire to go, but Anna wanted to and I didn't have any better ideas, and she's right that it's a place I should see. God, was that trying. It was cold, rainy, grey, depressing, and completely fitting for that location. The one affirming connection I felt was when I looked at the part of the memorial that said "never again" in six different languages, and yiddish was at the top. I could read that language, understand it literally, and feel that connection and comfort from the continuation of yiddish and the traditions surrounding it of which I am a part.

Then, train to salzburg, made it to the hostel, and, well, yesterday evening was a wash for me. I was asleep before ten. I am feeling a bit better, and the apple one of our roommates gave me seems to be doing okay. And I'm really quite excited about the Sound of Music tour.

Vienna tonight and tomorrow night, then we take the overnight train to Venice (where apparently, there's a heatwave going on). Don't know when I'll be able to update again, but I love and miss you all. See you in two and a half weeks!

Also, Walter, if you're reading: I heard Peru made it into the quarterfinals of the Copa America. Is it awesome being in Lima while Peru's doing well. I hope you're watching the games in some raucous local watering holes. Also, do you think Rafa or Andy have a chance against Roger? or that they'll be able to finish the tournament on time? much love, brother.