Dancing In The Streets

 

 



I just couldn't help myself at the Wall. 
Finally, a slogan to cheer for: we found it at the East Side Gallery and I jumped for joy but it was hard to be really happy since we were very cold that evening.  
Of all the cities we have visited, Berlin has had the greatest emotional impact on me by far.  Let me explain.  Our flat for the four days that we were there was located in what used to be called "East Berlin".  From the outside it was dull concrete with graffiti tags.  Our entry walked us past mailboxes towards a courtyard which housed a second set of apartments (ours).  The stairway to our flat was lit by a timer which had burned out by the time we left and we scrambled in the dark to find the door lock.  I couldn't help wondering what this would have been like during the war and during the time Berlin was a divided city. 
Our flat had a small courtyard balcony and it seemed like a quiet place to stay.  Courtyards are wonderfully communal areas and ours that Friday night turned out to be no exception.  As we prepared for bed we smelled cigarette smoke from the courtyard while neighbours greeted neighbours and engaged in animated conversation.  From somewhere the sound of a loud radio was broadcasting a speaker's voice alternating with some music and comedy (there was some canned laughter).  Then out of the dark we heard the sound of helicopters patroling.  I couldn't help but wonder if this is what it might have been like during the war years; people congregating together in the dim of the courtyard to relive the day's events and to listen to their leader on the radio.  My mind kept going back to the story of The Book Thief and how the Jews and the  German people struggled to survive during such a terrible time.  I felt an overwhelming sense of sadness for this beautiful city and country but I was equally glad that stories like The Book Thief have been written to engage our hearts and minds about a time that should not be forgotten.   (That's for you Mel & Cyndi)