TWENTYTHREE, FOUR, and FIVE

hello all!!!  will try to get this posted, and add the pics in a post separate from this.  only got an hour.  wish me luck.  it's 10:30 pm ...  only 7.50 euros per hour

Well, we finally got out of PDX! Boarded a 330 Delta Airbus and we were off! Was great fun to watch the digital display of where we were – NE over Calgary – onto the Territories (just staying far enough north to south so that it was never night), over Greenland – over Iceland over Great Britain and into Amsterdam.

Karina got to specialize in her nursing skills – about one in the morning (wherever we were) the intercom called out is there a doctor on the plane who could come to the back? There was an ER doc and his wife – an OB-GYN, so Karina did the blood pressure stuff and inserted the IV. The guy had “no pressure and was white as your T-Shirt” - it was related to me. Also watched “Invictus” on the on-board screen – fantastic!

With the late take-off we were also late to Amsterdam, but the travel folks thought we could make our original plane – so the cattle prodders got all 42 of us through security again – and onto our original plane. By the way, we left PDX about 2:30 Sat afternoon, flew 9 and ½ hours to Amsterdam, landed at 9:00ish this morning (their time) got on a KLM to Berlin by 9:55 and arrived in Berlin maybe an hour or so later.

walked around our hotel for about 3 hours after our arrival. Had a bowl of soup at Ambrosia Garden; then walked 1-2 miles in parks and along busy streets. Went to a tower under construction celebrating the Napoleonic Wars??? think that's what the “gal-in-the-know” said – when asked after dinner.

had a lovely dinner with the 'fam' again tonight. even got the birthday song sung. Erv, tour leader, ordered me a .5 liter of beer as a treat, but I still got to pay for it – how do you like them apples!?!?! had a German meal with pork, spetzel, and (what looked and tasted like American) carrots. But who am I to critique?

still looking for an internet hookup – at the hotel or internet cafe … I'm not picky – when I find one, you will know : ) one of those 'small world” or “Missouri moments” happened after dinner. A woman asked if I ever had a relative in Rapid City who married her daughter, Lori. Well, Lori's daughter, Mark, married my secretary's (Gladys) son! We both remembered the blazing heat that day, 27 years ago! she thought maybe I was that pastor's son! Who says 1^st impressions never come back to haunt you?

well, have a full (4hr) morning on the tour tomorrow, then have afternoon off, then stay one more night in Berlin. Can you believe that, BERLIN!

best 61^st birthday I've ever spent.

Guten Nacht!

d.

just a few pics for each day so far...

http://picasaweb.google.com/HandyDandy1/Berlin1?authkey=Gv1sRgCO6s0qi6gJSH6AE&feat=directlink

NEXT

Berlin! What a city. Don't quite know how to describe it yet, was so taken in by it. Began the day with marvelous breakfast – talk about wonderful sausages, breads, fruits, etc. a marvelous motel spread!

then off to the 4 hour bus tour. Had a modern tour bus, but really felt pressed for time. Drove through what used to be east and west Berlin – some areas quite depressing, some sobering, some I still can't describe. the city was by most estimations destroyed 70-90% in the WWII. They talk about the “new” city – it didn't present itself as beautiful to me. There are some modern areas – modern architecture, but I was still taken aback.

The tour, however, was way too much for my little brain to comprehend! We traveled the main streets of center Berlin – saw gardens, museums, Checkpoint Charlie, the remains of the wall, saw the “footprint” of where the wall was, saw museums, saw the Brandenburg Gate. Saw the Jewish museum, the Friedrich Wilhelm Church (what still remain of it since the war). Saw the Berliner Dom (protestant cathedral; saw the government buildings. Then after lunch went back to the places we wanted to see “up close and personal” - the museum district. Walked a goodly part of “unter der linden” street.

We finished the evening with a wonderful boat ride on about 5 km of the River Spree, the main river that runs through Berlin (total 45 km).

Internet costs about $30 USD so will wait until we get to another place to send messages.

Have way to many pictures to load in the blog, so will try to start a picasa album to share.

Unfortunately, one of our group fell in the tub/shower last night, broke her arm quite severely (Karina had another morning call) and will be heading back to Portland on Wednesday.

Getting to know our group every moment, they are an entertaining group!

Highlights? The Holocaust Denkmal memorial. Eerie but what an impression.

Perhaps I can only say Berlin was a very sobering city to me.

Guten Tag!

d.

sorry - some got in sideways ...


http://picasaweb.google.com/HandyDandy1/Berlin2?authkey=Gv1sRgCInWgPSE_f2LgAE&feat=directlink

NEXT

What a day – wake-up call at 6, out by 8. about two hour bus ride to Wittenberg, place where Luther schooled and later raised a family. Are riding on a cobblestone as I write, talk about bouncy!

Well, uncle Marty – what a place. The bus let us off at the Castle Church, but we saved it till last. Walked the town – what an impressive place – from Castle Church to Lutherhaus. The famous Luther statue was gone – some remodeling of the plaza. The museum was filled with Luther artifacts, plus pictures, writings..his original living room with tile stove, and table – home of the table talks is still there. Plus the statue of Katherina von Bora, the place was very hot! and stuffy. But greatly informational.

Had lunch (ice cream) on the way back to the bus – but had a special treat. Erv (tour leader) had to stay with our medical patient, so I was “chaplain” for a day – or two. Led morning devotions on the bus, BUT the special piece was the reaffirmation of wedding vows for 3 couples: 50, 40, and 40 years. We did it at the baptismal font where Luther baptized his kids! How cool!

Made way back to the Castle Church – so much history – posting of the 95 theses here. The beginning of the Reformation.

Took the autobahn to Wittenberg, but there was an accident on the way back, therefore have been traveling the back roads of the countryside and are coming into Eisenach for the next step on the journey! Where Luther was born and died. Gotta pause here … we're almost there.

Sitting in the back of the bus, writing. Eisleben, though having a 2+ hour drive, gave us less than an hour. Ouch. Saw the birth house of Luther through relics and museum pieces – a lot about the family. interesting but toooo quick. Then a walk up the hill on Lutherstrasse to the death house. Being remodeled – eerily quaint. A lot of stuff more period relics, rather than Luther. However the top floor had the bed, a coffin under glass – (almost sounds like a gourmet meal), death mask, and Cranach painting of the death scene.... same pic in the old Luther book we had for catechism class!

Short time, but memorable. Will be tired tonight.

Good news Erv and patient are in Leipzig and will be OK with us for a couple of days, before the plane leaves with her. Coming into Leipzig? As I write – there's an IKEA. Some things don't change.

Highlights for me? Standing at the baptismal font where Luther baptized his kids.

Guten Aben – it's not night yet.

d.

http://picasaweb.google.com/HandyDandy1/WittenbergEisleban?authkey=Gv1sRgCLmXrIuDuKr96wE&feat=directlink