Oktober 14 - Berlin

We are literally in the middle of what was formerly East Berlin...they have done so much construction, however, and this area is happenning and hip. Last night after the update we walked down our street and everyone was between 16 and 35, all had big beers in their hands, walking down the street and checking out the scene. So cool. The boys are pretty rowdy and very 'in our face' especially when they are talking to servers.

As we were trying to find a place to eat, this girl stops us and starts speaking German and I said 'Ich spreche keine Deutsch' and she says in English 'Do you boys want a little fun?' and we both busted out laughing at her and she had this strange look and I said 'Duh! We're gay!' and we walked away in hysterics. Right next to our trendy hotel is an old warehouse that has become an artists commune and they work all night and people just stop in and check things out.

Went to an Indian food restaurant and it was awesome...very good and very cheap. Afterwards we went to bed as it was already pretty late. Got up this morning and started amaying walks through Eastern Berlin...all the way down Unter den Linden straße which means 'Under the Linden trees street' saw Brandenburg Tor, the only remaining gate from the times of Prussian kings, and also walked toward the Alexander Platz...this bleak plaza...I kept having to remind myself I was in Germany still and not Moscow.

Another thing that has really interested me is the lack of U.S. stuff here...you don't hear a thing about what is happening in the U.S. unless you search for it. It is actually quite refreshing to not hear about the crap that is going on back home politically. It is quite a mes and I get the feeling that no one here in Europe can quite understand the type of dictatorship-like policies. I did see one newspaper that had a collage of pictures that sort of insinuated that Bush was repeating facist mistakes of Germany's past. OK, just blabbering here about how I feel. On the other thand, I think that I could easily disappear and love living in this country.

Went to KaDeWe, the largest department store in the world. Honestly. And it was packed. P.A.C.K.E.D. came back to the hotel for a change and then went out to a couple of bars. The problem was that Berliners don't go out until like 1:00 in the morning...we were in the Schöneburg area, part of old West Berlin and one of the gay capitals of the world. Or so they say. We just saw a lot of normal couples doing what we do....go to movies, take walks, have a beer, go home. We stayed there until about 2:00 and then took the subway back to our room...the area we are staying was totally happening...vibrant, fun....we had Döner Kebap which is Berlin specialty...it is a flatbread pocket (like a panini) filled with chipped beef and salad...lettuce, tomato, and ranch dressing. Ryan didn't know it had dressing and took a big bite and said 'eeeegh' and spit it back out...'it tastes like a pickle' Nonetheless I made my way back to order one without the dressing.

Sat watching people go by from our room window until about 3:30 and then fell asleep.