berlin, germany pt. 2

wow.. crazy last couple of days!

On Friday we did some more sightseeing.. we went to the Topography of Terror and Checkpoint Charlie. On U-bahn on the way there, the funniest thing happened! For most of the time, we haven't been buying subway tickets because we've been taking short trips and because there is never anyone to check them. Because we we would be doing a lot of U/S-bahn travel that day, we decided it would be worth it just to get the daypass. The night before we had been talking about it and Mike was like, "wouldn't it be crazy if they had plainsclothes ticket checkers?" Sure enough, the VERY first stop we come to, we get checked my two plainsclothes ticket checkers! It was hilarious.. they were dressed up as American tourists, with loud Florida t-shirts, fanny packs, and cameras around their necks. We couldn't believe it.. we had JUST been talking about it.. good thing we bought tickets eh!

The Topography of Terror is this open air museum recounting all about WWII, the Holocaust and the Nazis. There were free English audioguides (it was all in German) and we stayed there for hours just listening to all of the explanations. It was so fascinating. The exhibit is actaully built into the old foundations of Prince Albrecht Strasse, the street where the buildings of the Gestapo and SS headquarters once were.. It was interesting, there weren't any pictures or explanations about Hitler himself, almost like he didn't need an introduciton..

Afterwards we went to see what remains of Checkpoint Charlie, one of three former checkpoints between East and West Berlin. There was a museum, but we didn't go in because we had to meet Keira back at the hostel for the Love Parade pre party, Love from Above.. which was awesome by the way! It was at this huge arena and it was packed! We got there in time to see Paul Van Dyk spin.. just in case we would miss him somehow at the actual Love Parade..

Yesterday the Love Parade began.. It started around 2pm I think, and goes until midnight. It's this huge techno festival. There are tons of semi trucks that have been turned into parade floats, each with it's own DJ. I think they estimated 2 million people to be there! There were some interesting people and outfits let me tell you! lol.. The parade is in Tiergarden Park, all around the Victory Column (the column used to be in front of the Reichstag, but Hitler had it moved to the park because he thought it would better complement his anticipated victory parades). It took us like 4 hours to make our way from the entrance, down the street, around the Victory Column, and down the other side of the street.. this thing went on for miles and miles and miles.. I've never seen anything like it!

I'm not sure what the plan is for today.. probably just taking it easy. Tonight is our last night in Berlin, and we are headed to Poland tomorrow. It's kind of sad, our time in Germany has come to and end.. I've really loved it here, and we've spent so much time in Germany that we've started to feel quite comfortable here! I think it will be much more difficult heading into Eastern Europe, with a greater language barrier and stuff.. We are going to Warsaw for 3 nights, then Krakow for 4 nights...

<3 shanon

PS: HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELAINA!!,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA!! (yesterday)