Hubby and I spent our 34th anniversary on a long weekend in Berlin. We saw the musical, Dirty Dancing… Wow, it was better than the movie. The weekend was a present from our sons and wives and my brother. Hubby was the sweetest. Maybe, maybe, oh hopefully the leaf has turned.

Berlin is an amazing city; a combination of New York, and Toronto. We took a boat ride along the banks of spectacular buildings. The World Athletics took place while we were there. So much was going on! All the wide avenues were closed to traffic. We walked miles from morning to night. I feel we were gone for weeks. It was so good in so many ways.

Have you ever been to a city that knocked you off your feet? Berlin did that to me. Or maybe it was because Hubby and I reconciled, or just everything combined. Anybody else's partner need a talking to? I'll send my DIL. She works wonders.

How wonderful to hear this. I'm so happy for you, EW....maybe hubby has evolved! I read something written by Janice Taylor (NABBW weight guru) just yesterday that we need to evolve...

EVOLVE! (Don't just improve.) Improve means to do something better. Evolve, however, means that you permanently and fundamentally change a part of who you are.

Do you love this or what? Again, I've very happy that hubby is looking at you once again as his best friend.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, EW!

No matter what it was, EW, I'm glad it 'knocked you off your feet!' Everyone needs revivals like that. Wink,wink... hope the hubby maintains. We could talk... and from me, too: Happy anniversary!

EW...I'm really happy about this transformation in your marriage...you deserve everything good and loving and peaceful...and wow...Berlin. What an incredible city. I was fortunate to have visisted there 4-5 times while living in Germany. No place on earth like it...Are you going to post any of your photos? You should!!!! Glad you're happy!!!!

Congratulations! Wow, sounds like you had a great time. Where's the pictures?? (G rated, of course!)

EW, congratulations!
Will we be seeing pictures?
I love Berlin. When I lived in Fulda we would take monthly trips to Berlin to visit friends stationed there. It truly is an amazing city!

Hugs,
Cindy

JJ..what wise words, and they really apply to my situation. Yes, yes, I think your're right. Hubby has evolved...and he's still evolved!

How neat that Dee,(was fascinated by your story about visitng Berlin!), and Diamond have been to Berlin too! So you know what I'm talking about. The quality of our pictures were lousy because we took them with our cell phone, didn't want to lug our heavy camera around.

Not much time today. "A" is coming for 4 overnights. yahoo.

Berlin actually bears sad memories for me, EW. It was where my Dad suffered a heart attack from which he never recovered. I'm glad you enjoyed it though and I sift through happier and thrilling memories of my visits to Berlin. One of which would have to be getting picked up by car from Zoo and "smuggled" into East Berlin through Checkpoint Charlie. LOL!

Whaaat? Are you joking? Did you really get smuggled into East Berlin?

I'm so sorry to hear that your Dad suffered a heart attack in Berlin. I can see how that association would dim any place.

Nope. Not joking at all. And, yep...but, not in a sinister way. I just did not bother with protocol and was driven through Checkpoint Charlie in a car with D licence. And, guess what? I also have a 2 x 2 piece of the wall from '89.

Lola...sorry to hear about your dad...how sad.

Okay...more on the smuggling into East Berlin...tell tell.

Did you check out the museum at Check Point Charley? Amazing the ways they smuggled people through. East Berlin is still stricken with poverty. The people there still aren't accustomed to democracy.

Oh...I just read your response on driving in with D license plates...I totaly don't know what that means but I'm guessing it has to do with military/government? I went over with a big group of people in a military sponsored tour bus...military had to wear their uniform and we had to put our passports up to the windows for the East Berlin border guards to see but were told not to look at them...it was so strange.
What did you do while you were there Lola?
I remember going to a Russian shop to buy linen...I have two beuatiful lace tablecloths and I remember the store being a bright yellow.
One store, a record shop, had a way of crowd control. You could not enter the store without a basket...even if you were a couple, each person had to have their own basket. As a person left the shop they put their basket in a box by the door...a person wanting to enter the store picked up a basket and entered...if you didn't have a basket you waited outside until someone left and handed you a basket.
I also remember going to a huge department store on Alexander Platz (I think)...the display windows looked great but once inside it was really bare and there wasn't much to buy. I still have a pinecone wreath I brought from that store...it has pink accents on it.
In Alexander Platz we were sitting cooling off and taking a break from walking around. We noticed a line beside a large building but didn't know why people were lined up there. The line continued to grow. After awhile a small window opened at the front of the line and someone started selling ice cream. After awhile, for no apparent reason, the window closed despite people still standing in line. There were no complaints, no knocking on the window protesting...people just patiently waited for the seller to open up the window again. No one compalined in East Berlin ever that I saw. No one smiled, either. I remember the buildings being gray as was the atmosphere. Except for a few shops, like the Russian store, which was painted a bright yellow.
Gosh, I could go on and on...Lola...tell us about your experiences...should we start an East Berlin Experience Forum?

Gosh, you were able to roam more than I ever had the chance to, Dee. Very little good served a dip brat in East Berlin. There really is not much to tell. I only popped in for the day to visit my Dad, who was not expecting me until I called him to send a car to pick me up from the Bahnhof. When the car came, the chaffeur said he was just going to zip through and make it look like the trip was just an errand business to the West and back. And, to act casual and not curious. Was your group watched for the duration of your stay?

I also recall queues of people waiting outside shops. One particular one had a long queue just to buy bread. My curiosity however was with the Trabant and wanted to have a spin in it but was not allowed to. Got a Russian watch from Dad though. One with a hammer and sickle. I still have it tucked somewhere in my bedside drawer.

Apart from my Dad's company, I never really had fun in the East because of Dad's restrictions as well as protocol. And I like to explore nooks and crannies on foot when I travel. I only had a day and if it were not for family reasons, the day would have been tooooo long. Switching place cards at Dad's dinners offered more thrill. But then again, East Berlin was not a place to look for fun but offered a study of a people in controlled environment. Was'nt it such an appalling crime?

And you know what's really sad? My Dad always wondered whether the wall would come down in his lifetime. He passed away a month and a day before it happened.

Was your father in the diplomatic corp? Who/what was he a diplomat for? Very interesting. Did he live in East Berlin or just work there from day-to-day? Sounds like a very interesting story.

We got to walk around but had maps and were told not to wander away from the areas or we could be held against our will. It was kindda scary, really. There were cameras every where so I'm certain we were watched and I'm sure people on the street were watching us although we didn't know who that was. Everyone looked depressed. Yes, it was a crime...so sad. It's one thing to see pictures of it...but, to actually step into a communist held country was something one cannot describe the feeling. I was so grateful when we got back to checkpoint charlie...I think I almost kissed the ground.
You and I would have made good friends...I like to explore as well...I'm not one to take tour busses...I like going on my own and exploring off the main thoroughfare...much more fun that way.

Lola...I meant to say I'm so sorry your dad didn't live long enough to see that day...I'm so sorry.

Thanks, Dee.

You'll be good company to have on any travel then. It'll be more fun getting lost together as well. LOL!

Have more?
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this thread...

What interesting lives some of you have lived. I love hearing about them.

When I was 15 years old, my parents sent me to a riding camp in Germany. There I had a summer romance with a 18 yr. old boy who had fled East Berlin half a year before.

He swam the channel with two other friends. His friends were shot and killed, but he made it through the dark of the night. He left his family without a word of warning, in fear they could be punished for not reporting him. He worked as a stall boy at the riding camp, and attended a near by college for free.

West Germany provided very well for all those that fled East Germany.

There are thousands of similiar stories, and it makes one wonder why the heck so many East Berliners yearn for the time back. Still, those that wish the wall were back are way in the miniority.

wow, EW, did he reconnect with his family?
one sees the movies, reads the books... can't imagine actually living it. and, for the minority wanting 'it' back... it must be their comfort zone.
I watched a movie, on a cable channel the other night, called the 'Grey Zone' (actually half watched it... while dealing with some paperwork). It put me right there, depressing indeed.

I've heard good things about Berlin for interesting stuff to see and do. A woman who I used to work with, is German-Canadian. Both of her parents retired and died in Berlin in past decade. She told me about Berlin and how it is now.

My dearie has not yet been to Berlin yet. Nor does he have any family members in the former East Germany.

Next time he comes over maybe he'll make a trip to Berlin. It's worth it!

EW, when you were 15 did you realize all he'd been through? I imagine it has a bigger impact on you at this age. What a neat romance!

We were at the US Open with our son Jon on Tueseday - watched eight hours of tennis and loved it. Got to walk all over the park and watch whatever matches interested us.

Anyway, I thought of you, EW, because we were sitting next to five boomer men and women who were cheering for the German doubles team rather boisterously in German. They were having a ball. We got such a kick out of them. Everyone else sat stone faced and the Germans were clapping, chanting and carrying on. It was a hoot!

Good question Dotsie. Yes, I think I did realize the impact. He told me what he had gone through in such detail, and it was recent history for him.

Oh yes, 'the loud Germans'...put them in a group, and you'll discover them everywhere. Although, I could say the same for English, Italiens, and Irish.

I wished I knew German so I could join in the fun. They were a hoot.

EW,
So happy to hear your hubby revolved, woops, I meant EVOLVED! That is wonderful. Happy Anniversary! I've never been to Berlin. But Venice was wonderful. I loved it. And other parts of Italy are awesome, as well. I could live there without much coaxing.

Thanks Jabber. Venice is unlike any city I've ever seen. Was it very crowded when you were there? Going through those alleys was like walking with a stampede when I was there.

Dotsie, I just registered that you were at the US Tenis Open! WOW you watched 8 hours of tennis! We watched several matches on TV. Many were pretty exiting. I've been to big tenis matches in Muenich. Don't you just love the atmosphere all around?!

I remember on one of our trips into East Berlin, behind the wall, about 15 of us went to dinner in supposedly the East's most expensive restaurant atop a skyrise. It felt weird knowing that most East Berliners have never been there. Of course, to us, with the mark rate it was very cheap for us and we pigged out with no shame.
But a highlight was when the pianist played a perfect versions of Hawaiian songs for us... now I KNOW he has never been allowed out of the East, how would he know how? We gave him big tips.

I still have the menu from that restaurant.