September 30

Today I arrived in Germany after about 12 hours in the air and a couple layovers.  Somewhere I missed a night.  I arrived at 7:30 in the morning, and it was 11:30 at night back home.  I am very tired now at 9:30. I arrived at the hotel about 10:00, my room was not ready until 2:00 but luckily Robert came the night before, so I was able to rest in his room for a few hours until Raquel arived and it was time to go on our first tour.  Paul was late and missed the tour but he caught up with us later, and went with us on a boat ride on the River Sprie.

I was surprised how many people smoke in Berlin the smell is everywhere, they also seem to eat a lot of meat especially pork.  The old Jewish section of town, at least in parts, is quite run down.  Many buildings still show the effects of the war, bullet holes on the walls and such.  We saw one building where you could see the distinct paint on the outside wall from each room of the building that once stood next to it.  It had been destroyed in the bombing raids.  Very humbling experience to walk through these streets and realize what had once happened right there.

I also learn that most of the houses (apartments) in that part of town from the front look like any apartment building, however they open up behind into wide open back yards with shops and cafes.  Some restored and very nice looking, some just as they were after the war.  Eastern Germany simply did not have the money or the ability and incentive to restore the buildings.  It is just now happening some 60+ years after the war, 23 years after the wall fell.