Berlin

Last week--I was in Rome--we saw the Pope give his noon benediction after mass.

We were part of the crowd in front of St. Peter's.

Our trip started in Berlin.

I stuck a piece of gum on the Berlin Wall. It was in the middle of the night in downtown Berlin an no one seemed to care. My spent white Orbit found a home with thousands of other frozen orange Chiclets, used Big Reds, and exhausted cool blue Wrigley spearments.

After my act of defiance, I stuck my hand on the wall and left it there--I tried to imagine those who had done the same thing and were shot for it.

From where I was in the city--which was white with snow (mid-February)--those around me were vibrant--excited to see what was going on at the Berlin Film Festival. That is to say--this was not everyone--but people did stand in long lines to score tickets.

Earlier in the day we stood in a long line ourselves to tour the Reichstag. Beautifully designed one can almost hear "Never again" as tourists walk up a long spiral staircase which overlooks the elected officials, whose vacant purple chairs suggested a hopeful openness as if to say "we serve you--we have nothing to hide."

As for downtown Berlin at night--to say that I was impressed is an understatement.

Clean lines--bright lights--clean streets--and of course--"Ampelmann."

Ampelmann!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ampelmännchen

I should put this into a proper context--when I finally started using my passport--I went to London last year. And one of the first things that I noticed was the symbol for pedestrian crossing. It appeared to me as if most of them were leaning back--wary--ready to grid loins if necessary--ready to protect his junk.

Some friends agreed while others thought it was an utterly absurd observation.

However, Ampelmann, left over from East Berlin, shows a vitality that I have not seen in other pedestrian crossing symbols.

Ampelmann "green" appears to wear the hat of a schoolmaster and walk appears to have a lot of energy: head held high, fist balled up, hat on tight as he hustles to where he needs to go--encouraging you to follow his good example.

Ampelmann "red" isn't joking around. He faces you full-on--arms stretched out--no doubt yelling "Halt!"

Our friend, who was kind enough to let us crash with him for the night, grew up on the east-side. The wall fell when he was 12 or 13. He showed us the huge TV tower in former East Berlin which was near a cool metro center that was bustling with tourists and locals around lunchtime.

I fell in love with Berlin at first sight--snow covered--vibrant--clean--cold and calm.