Dodgy Berlin Bear looks dodgy

In Berlin, we saw a very strange Christmas market vendor's stand. It was the day before the market opened and I couldn't figure out what the stand was supposed to be (further research to follow, I guess).

Anyway, this bear painted on the stand is just plain weird. I couldn't quite put my finger on it. He just has a very dodgy look to him.

 
He looks a bit shifty-eyed and frat boy-ish. Still, something else seemed wrong. Bear has people hands with four fingers that bend in strange ways! He also has hair (that freaks me out more than him wearing clothes, for some reason). I do not recommend trusting this bear for an instant.

Berlin mannequins: they're laughing as I'm screaming inside

During the third weekend of November, we took a trip to Berlin. I returned to the Frankfurter Tor Humana, a huge thrift store.

We saw these creepy mannequins, one who appeared to be spray-tanned with orange rouge and the other one was in the midst of a maniacal laugh.  Oh yeah, and they were just torso-length and suspended from the ceiling. I hope that I don't have nightmares. The last mannequin just looks sickly beneath his Sharpied-in facial hair.

My week: November 23 ed.

-Tired again. One of my German classes was canceled so I had a friend over and hung out instead that night.

-Went to my favorite restaurant in town, Safari, with some friends. Dang was it ever fine. Love that place.

-My friend is staying with me for a couple weeks as she is in transition with some traveling. Moo is thrilled because he wants to be her best friend.We are joking that we are work wives because we are hanging out all the time now. Hanging out may or may not involve drinking some wine too.

-Took a trip to Berlin. This is my third time there. I really like the city; it reminds me of Detroit in the sense of all the art and interesting projects that are on offer.

(Former) East Berlin art and the Berlin Wall

During my August class in Berlin, we stopped by to see the former East Berlin to look at the art in the area. That part of Berlin has been a haven for squatters, artists, hippies, and people interested in communal living.

Here's some art painted on a side of a building:

The area is also the home of the Berlin Wall East Side Gallery. A portion of the Berlin Wall was left up and as the name suggests, it was turned into an outdoor art gallery. However, this art gallery is open to artists by invitation only. Do NOT mark the wall in any way as it is illegal to do so (and is disrespectful).

A Trabi with a license plate that lists the date the Wall fell.

What do I spy with my huge googly eye?

Whoa! Peep these peepers! I stopped by a gift store in the Friedrichshein neighborhood and saw these crazy, huge googly eyes. Aren't they great?

Restaurant Review: Fatih Servet Döner, Berlin Hauptbahnhof

Restaurant Reviewed: Fatih Servet Döner
Location: Inside the Berlin Hauptbahnhof
Website: http://www.einkaufsbahnhof.de/de/berlin-hauptbahnhof/schlemmen/gastronomie/fatih-servet-doener/

During my trip to Berlin in August for a class, I found myself returning to one restaurant: Fatih Servet Döner. Often, we didn't have a large amount of time in between class activities, so I needed to grab a quick meal that was inexpensive and centrally located. Since Fatih Servet Döner is located in the Berlin Hauptbahnhof and makes a quick take-away meal at reasonable prices, it fit the bill.

The restaurant is in the middle level of the train station. It has a small seating section but its main focus is take-away meals. It offers döner, falafel, salads and even Italian fare like pastas and antipasti. A dining partner ordered a döner and said that it was decent.

During the three times I visited, I ordered the falafel sandwich. I was thrilled to find falafel as the Turkish restaurants where I live don't often have it. This falafel was made in-store and is so much better than the premade, frozen flafel I've had the misfortune of eating at some other restaurants. At Fatih Servet Döner, there is a deli case of falafel that staff pops back into the fryer for customers. It's served with a lettuce/parsley/tomato/cabbage mix with a choice of sauce (yogurt with mint or a spicier sauce which is probably also yogurt based). The mix is served in something like a cross between a panini and pita, which was grilled.

In addition to the falafel, I bought a salad and it was the best I've eaten in Germany so far. Of course, this might be because I bought it with the salad dressing applied when I ordered it so the lettuce was actually crisp for once. With the lettuce, the salad had feta cheese, fresh tomatoes, red peppers, and of course some corn (it seems almost against the law in Germany not to have corn on random foods).

I recommend this restaurant for a quick, tasty and preiswert meal at the Berlin Hauptbahnhof.

Another visit to KaDeWe: American food in Berlin, Germany

I wrote about a 2011 visit to Berlin's famous department store, KaDeWe, and the expensive American food I saw there. This past August, I went back to KaDeWe with another student during a history of Berlin class we were taking in Berlin. S. graciously gave me the following pictures that she took to illustrate the sticker shock on American products.

Betty! You are one expensive lass. Well, your brownies are at almost 7 euros per box!

Pop Tarts, as expensive as ever, or even more so! They're almost 9 euros per box.

Off-brand mac n' cheese and it's almost 4 euros? Seriously? This would sell for less than $1 in the US.

Jif for 7.98 euros. It is $2.78 in the US.










I'm soooooo curious: does anyone pay these prices at KDW?

Lady Liberty wouldn't!

Roadside candy machines: the Berlin edition

From a trip to Berlin in August, I saw this machine in the Friedrichshain district, which is in the former East Berlin. Prices of these machines' products are lower than they are in my corner of SW Germany. However, I'm not sure that I would care to buy a "Sticky Alien Baby," which looks like a rubbery alien fetus. I'll pass on that one.

Let's not be ambiguous: mind THIS gap

In Berlin, as I had mentioned in a previous post, there was a lot of construction. That isn't surprising with Berlin's continual rebirth and growing popularity.

One of the construction sites had this sign posted on the fence:

  

I love how there is absolutely no ambiguity about which gap to mind. Maybe the Brits need to up their game a bit when they warn Tube-goers to "mind the gap?"

Sausage really ready to go in Berlin

Berlin takes to-go food to new heights with these sausage bearing men. I saw several of them; they wore these mobile sausage cooking and vending get ups. Isn't this crazy? I think the sausages were about 1,50 on a bun.

A group of us went out to eat at the ubiquitous currywurst stand. Currywurst doesn't sound interesting to me, but I tried a bite, just so I can report on it; after all, it's a fast food staple in Berlin. Think of a cut up hot dog with a ketchup-y sauce with some mild chili or curry power sprinkled on it. My dining partners didn't like this particular currywurst that much; we stopped by a little hut near the Tiergarten and the Reichstag. The Brötchen (bread roll; literally, "little bread") served with it was disappointing, too; it wasn't the normal type that is crisp on the outside and soft in the inside.

Look at them pipes! In Berlin

In the beginning of August, I was in Berlin for an awesome class.

When I was walking around the city, I saw all these strange above-ground pipes on the road. I was very curious about these. Were they for utilities?

Later in the week my questions were answered during an architectural tour: the pipes are used to pump groundwater away from construction or repair sites. Berlin has a high water table so this is a necessity.

Since my visit in 2011, more construction has sprung up. In fact, almost all of the lovely Unter den Linden, the famous boulevard of linden trees, was torn up.

Two manly men walk into the Barbie Dreamhouse...

The Dreamhouse. It is a bit creepy!

No, seriously, this isn't the beginning of some silly joke. During the Berlin trip, I was sightseeing with two guys from class. One was a Marine and the other was someone who works for another organization. We were somewhat lost; well, I knew where we were, but we weren't in the right spot. I guess that would still be lost. Anyway, I was absolutely delighted when I spotted the Barbie Dreamhouse.

I had read about it; it's a temporary installation where kids can go experience the plastic world of Barbie, try on her clothes, and continue to foster an unrealistic expectation of feminine beauty, all for 15 euros for kids or 19 euros for adults. That's insanely expensive in my book, but then again, I'm not a pre-pubescent girl wild about a plastic doll so maybe I'm not being fair.

The article I had read about the Dreamhouse was about feminist protestors who burned Barbie dolls in front of the Dreamhouse because they feel that Barbie is part of "sexist propaganda," according to the protesters. While I agree that Barbie is an unrealistic portrayal of femininity, I'm not against the doll that much. I mean, she looks freakish, but if little girls want to play with the doll, have at it, I say. I'm not above telling my nieces that their doll, if she were a real human, wouldn't be able to stand/walk because of her odd proportions, and then steer them to some science experiments, volunteering, or something a bit more affirming.

After mulling over all the implications of the Barbie Dreamhouse, I decided that we absolutely must enter, let's say as a mole. I didn't want to pay, but there was a cafe that open to anyone who wanted to stop in. The guys wanted nothing to do with it. It is my goal in life to make men (especially super manly men like the ones I was touring with!) do things that they don't want to do, all in the interest of expanding their horizons, of course! I was able to cajole them into entering the cafe and even buy a cupcake.

I bought a cupcake, too, in order to express my solidarity. It was soooo creepy; it was peach flavored and there was nothing natural about it. The frosting almost crackled; it was so full of sugar. Don't get me wrong; it didn't taste bad by any means but it definitely tasted laden with chemicals. It would not be realistic to think that a plastic doll, the epitome of falseness, would serve organic cupcakes.

This isn't really what the guys look like, but it's close enough. The chair thing is an inside joke.

The guys whined about the experience like you wouldn't believe, but I think that they secretly enjoyed themselves. I was totally amused to hear grown men whine; I won't lie. I'm glad that we were all able to expand our horizons, but I too was ready to leave. The giant Barbie doll head painted on the wall was staring at us and it was creepy!

CREEEEEEPY! I did not like having her look over my shoulder.

A Visit to the Käthe Kollwitz Museum in Berlin

Some artists present an idealized view of reality; others show the truth, as harsh as it is. The visit to the Käthe Kollwitz museum led me into a world of the stark reality of Germany in the early 20^th century, as seen through her art.

Kollwitz’s subjects include the poor, the revolutionaries, the starving, the dead, mothers and children, and sometimes, even happiness. Her images are stark and monochromatic. However, they are anything but boring in the singular color; they overflow with compelling imagery, feeling, and strife.

For example, her poster, “Deutschlands Kinder hunger!” (Germany’s Children are Starving!), of children holding up bowls for food pulls the viewer into the desperate world of hungry children with huge, imploring eyes. The poster reminds viewers of the tough times Germans were facing following war and massive inflation as food was scarce.

Other subjects include mothers holding their children tight. Some seem to be sheltering their children from the unkind world of poverty; others seem to be refusing to let their children go. 

The museum also includes many self-portraits of Kollwitz. She gazes out at the viewer with a hooded expression that doesn’t seem to change as the years go on. The only thing that does change is the slight differences associated with ages. She lost her beloved son, Peter, in World War I after she gave him permission to enlist as a minor. With this background knowledge, it helps one to understand her expression of a person hanging on, but with sadness in her heart.

Sculptures by Kollwitz are just as moving as her prints are. Often, a small sculpture is just of a person covering her face in anguish. It’s amazing how something small can depict such feeling and pain. Other sculptures show mothers protecting their children, or, in the case of Mother and Her Dead Son, a mother cradling her departed son, brooding over her loss.

With her subjects of the poor and the trials they faced in an explosive early 20^th century Germany, Käthe Kollwitz used her art as both a way to record history and to call for helping the poor and suffering. The museum trip left me feeling pensive, trapped in the haunting faces of children, mothers, and revolutionaries.

A visit to the Alte Nationalgalerie in Berlin

The Alte Nationalgalerie is located on Museum Island in Berlin. Our class made a visit and I enjoyed it very much. It was an excellent opportunity to see in person the works of the Romantic painters we had discussed in class. The audio guide that I picked up was extremely helpful to gain further insight into the works.

For example, I learned that Caspar David Friedrich, a landscape painter, never actually visited the Alps, even though he painted them. Instead, he studied paintings of other artists as source material. It makes sense that it would be difficult to travel great distances at the time, but it’s also very strange to imagine someone painting nature without actually seeing it in person, especially when nature was so prevalent in Romantic paintings. In his painting “Abbey Among Oak Trees,” the trees remind me of the Asian style of painting trees; I was curious if he was influenced by some of the Orientalist painting styles that had occurred in the 19^th century.

Fritz von Uhde [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

In class, we had viewed a photo of “Come Lord Jesus” by Fritz von Ulde, which shows Jesus arriving to the dinner table at a poor family’s home. We were curious about the background of this photo. The audio guide from the museum was very illuminating; it notes that the painting references the prayer das Tischgebet, or saying grace. In class some students had speculated that the painting references the idea of setting an extra place at the table in case Jesus showed up for dinner. This painting is basically the same idea, except that Jesus did actually show up in person, instead of being present in spirit. When this painting was unveiled, conservative Christians were very offended because it showed Jesus, returning from the dead, visiting peasants in an impoverished environment. Such a viewpoint is incredibly ironic, given that Biblical literature indicates that Jesus was always ministering and spending time with the poor and outcasts of society. Based on Biblical information, it’s hard to imagine Jesus coming back and only wanting to hang out with the bourgeois.

There were many other fine works by the Neoclassicists, Biedermeiers, and Romantics in the museum. It was an excellent visit and I viewed as much art as was possible.  I found the work of Friedrich and von Ulde especially striking; the audio guide really helped to illuminate the historical backgrounds of the pieces and make sense of what is not easily understood by modern eyes.

ATW: not to be trusted without supervision

This is why I shouldn't be left to my own devices: I bought a dirndl and a Russian stacking doll egg timer while I was exploring Berlin on my own.

American products in other countries/places: Berlin, Germany

Store mentioned: Kaufhaus des Westens
http://www.kadewe.de/en/

When I travel, I'm always curious to see if stores carry American brands of food. I like to see what stores in other countries consider "American," and by extension, what they might consider "typical" food to sell. It's always fun to experience the sticker shock, too! Often the foods are so much more expensive than they would be in the States. Of course, it could be a bit expensive to import foods, but I think items are so expensive because of the novelty factor, too.

Our first stop is Berlin. I went shopping at KaDeWe (ka-day-vay), which is a huge department store in Berlin. I guess I could liken it to Harrod's in London (though it's not quite as posh, but is still quite nice). KaDeWe is short for Kaufhaus des Westens, which means "Department Store of the West." It's a store that opened in 1907 and has always showcased products from across the world.

I visited KaDeWe in April 2011. I made a beeline for the international foods section because of course I wanted to see the American food offerings and have my mind boggled by the prices. Below is what I found:

Ahh, Campbell's condensed soup: complete with high fructose corn syrup, just add water. Andy Warhol would approve of the soup, but not the price: almost 3 euros per can. In the US, it usually sells for between about 70 cents to $1 per can.

Ah, pop-tarts. Not a particularly healthful breakfast, but a fast one. Not a cheap one here, at €5.98, but hey, it was reduced from €8.98! They are about $2.79 in the US.

Ahh, Libby's pumpkin, a staple in American households during Thanksgiving for the ubiquitous pumpkin pie. Such an innocent-looking product gave me the biggest sticker shock: it was €9.98! It's usually about $3 in the US but can be purchased for less during Thanksgiving time.

I'm just very thankful that I can buy American products in the Commissary. If had to pay the prices listed above, I'd just do without. Of course, that wouldn't be the end of the world, either, but I do love me some root beer (which was being sold at KaDeWe for about $3 a can!) so I'd be sad about not being able to buy that at a reasonable price.