So many buildings have pock marks from bullets during World War 2. This isn't my best photo, but you can see some of the damage. The scars are still very visible.
Another neat thing about this street: buildings that survived, right next to those that didn't and have been replaced with much more modern structures. East Berlin is filled with cranes and construction...remember, the wall only came down around 20-25 years ago. There's still an incredible amount of work to be done.
Yes, there is a McDonald's now on the western side. You can't make this stuff up.
The "checkpoint" is very underwhelming...it's merely a small guard shack in the middle of the street. (But crowded like crazy with tourists...mostly American.)
I'm trying a variety of lodging on this trip--hostels, ordinary hotels, and this B&B here in Berlin. It's run by a lovely Polish lady who was grateful that my English was good. I wanted to say: "I wish Americans thought that!" ;-)
All the bills are slightly different sizes, to aid the visually impaired. I knew about this, but until you feel them in your pocket (and can be pretty sure which you've grabbed onto), you don't realize how helpful it is.
(Credit card and driver license for scale.)
The water controls in my Koblenz hotel were new to me. The knob on the right controlled the water pressure, and the one on the left controlled the temperature. It maxed out at 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit, a good hot bath) and there was a latch that you had to release to raise it any higher. Very neat idea.
And yes, I'm fully clothed for the taking of this photo. *cough*
So there will be no more trip photos, and only 1 or 2 updates. Sorry about that.
Atlanta has the busiest airport in the world; Köln has the busiest bridge for train traffic. 30+ trains every hour on three tracks. The bridge has an Industrial Era look, but was bombed during the war (no surprise) and rebuilt to mimic the original.
A medieval castle that survived WW2 essentially intact, making it one of the gems of the Rhine Valley.
I have no idea in what order these photos will post, but two fun comments:
- The castle water supply wasn't potable, so soldiers were given a daily allotment of wine...one 10-liter tankard full. Chug!
- Notice the doorway has been shrunk. They did that out of a fear of easier attack, once they relocated the horse stables to another part of the castle complex.
Some might think this is offensive in a time of tragedy, but I think this point of view is actually quite comforting.
As it should be, Oklahoma will rebuild, and they will do it bigger and better and stronger than ever before. And the sun will "shine down once again."
Makes you just want to open all the spouts, let 'em drain into the floor, and wallow in it.
Since some of you had asked, here's where I'm staying this year.
The bathroom is down the hall (shared), and so is the shower (shared). Off-camera, there is a sink in the room however, so you can do most of your morning routine in the room.
It seems spartan, but really: what more do you need? You shouldn't be spending your daylight hours in the room anyway!
I've been meaning to post a picture like this for some time. Here is Trail Ridge Road, as of May 14th. Just an incredible sight!
This is the local equivalent of our 2% milk...and of 1% too really, since it is 1.7%. Neat.
Fog, construction, and old and new architecture side by side. (This is the northeast corner of the moat, and part of the castle, surrounding the Tower of London. The entire complex is just called the Tower now.)
Last time I was in the UK, I managed my money pretty good: I came home with only 7 pounds in cash left (I used the credit card a lot). But this time, I think I'll take that spare change and go hit the roulette table. May as well start the budget for the next trip. ;-)
Well, I've not shaved in a week because of the awful, awful haircut I got before leaving. I've gotten past the itchiness, and it has been really nice to not have to go through the ordeal. But it's time to get rid of it all, and here's why.
A few of my whiskers don't come in brown/black, they are blond (yes, I double checked that they weren't gray!!). And at the right length in the right light, they look like crumbs of food or worse all over my face. It's unsightly. The stubble would look good honestly, but not if it's multi-colored.
J.G.F. is the only one who got to see this little experiment, and I intend to keep it that way. ;-)
There were 20 shillings to the pound. Equivalent: there were no quarters or dimes, the next thing after the dollar would be the nickel.
A couple blocks from the Museum of Transport, this abandoned church casts an eerie shadow over a crowded cemetery (graves from the late 1800s, mostly). Glad to see that part of the church is hopefully being restored. Beautiful building.
On the walk to the bus tonight, several contrails and a nice thin layer of cirrus.
Ugh, the word "cirrus" wasn't in my phone's dictionary.
(By the way, this is probably the venue where I'll be posting numerous Europe travel photos over the next month. Be warned.)
In the physical sciences, students demonstrate critical thinking skills by approaching problems and their possible solutions by employing the steps in the scientific method.Suggestions? (Aside from the awkward English...)
"Never suppose that your plans should be implemented exactly as you envision. You are not a portrait artist. People who lead academic affairs are impressionists. Mary Cassatt and Claude Monet painted people. The lines are all fuzzy, but the picture is worth a lot of money. Your work looks a lot better if it is smudged up."From Faculty Focus.
