Bären Jäger

So I was watching 'The Dark Knight' the other day, and I realised two things, first of all, it really does deserve a repeat viewing. I mean, the first time I watched it, I thought it was kinda weak. But watching it again, I realise I was wrong. It is a brilliantly made film, and if you haven't seen it again recently, I really think you should.

The seconde thing was that in that film, there is a line (well, really a couple of lines) from the Joker, which I think really encapsulate this entire trip to Europe. The quote is:


"Do I really look like a guy with a plan? You know what I am? I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do with one if I caught it! I just... do things."

And you know what, it's all worked out pretty well for me so far. There's never been much of a plan per se, I just... do things. And it's all worked out amazingly well. I think, well, maybe not an overall good idea for general life, but certainly on this trip it has served me well.

Anyhow, I guess that's quite enough of my general theory of travelling. And on to the play by play of what's been happening the last few days.

Starting out in Hamburg. where I visited the largest park there, saw the wonderfully designed Planetarium, and several such sights.

See, there are bears here. But it does appear that they've already been visited by the White Witch.

And I can't tell you why, but I really liked this building. Just kinda cool, really.

That night, I went off to the Kaiserkeller, for the Rammstein night they had there. Lot's of German Goths filled the club, and Rammtein a plenty was played. Although they also played a whole host of other stuff. For example, the best part of the night would have to be seeing the entire club going nuts for Rob Zombie's 'Dragula.' Anyway, I went to leave the club about four times, and each time ended up staying for 'Just another drink.' Needless to say, I got home a whole lot later than I wanted to, and ended up sleeping in.

Which was kind of a problem, 'cause I had to meet Claudia at the train station so we could go to Berlin. Made it with four minutes to go, and smelling like, well, a night of drinking. So we got there, and wandered around a little.

This used to sit behind the wall on the Eastern side. All through the city, there are markers for where the wall used to be. So I played a little jumping game. Where I jumped over the line, and back across, singing in my head (East, West, East, West). Which I think is more fun now than it would have been twenty five years ago. Where all you sing is West, East, We... Oh, fuck I'm dead. The East used a shoot to kill policy for all people trying to cross over into Western Berlin.

We met up with Carolin, who's brother lived in Berlin, and had very kindly offered me a couple of nights accomodation, and we went off to explore more of Berlin city.

Jolocaust memorial. Actually kinda fun. Very tempted to go back at night though.

And then we went to the natural history museum. It was cheap, and the weather kind of sucked, so it seemed like a good option. According to Carolin's brother, it had... well, this:

Oh yeah, that's right, a freaking Brachiosaurus skeleton. And it was amazing.

Not a great shot, but I'm trying to give you some idea of scale.

Allosaurus skull

Allosaurus claws. Note raw killing power. God damn dinosaurs are awesome.

And the skull of a dragon. It said it was the skull of a herbivore, but I know a freaking dragon when I see one.

This was filed in an area devoted to mutations. I don't know what in gods name it was supposed to be, but all I know is that it scared the hell out of me. I mean, serously, it looks kinda like how I imagine an Orc baby would look, if it were somehow crossed with an Alien, a Predator, and every nightmare that you or I have ever had.

Now, consider for a moment the trip so far. I mean it, go back through the blog, right now, and just look at the pictures. I mean, Amsterdam, Freiburg, Frankfurt, Oktoberfest in Munich, that magical night in Prague, the awesomeness of Dresden, Hamburg, freaking Legoland in Billund, Denmark, and now Brachiosaurus skeletons in Berlin. I mean, I've actually checked my pulse here a few times, just because it all seemed a little TOO awesome to not be the afterlife. But after all of this cool stuff at the natural history museum, I couldn't help but think, 'What if?'

And then I found it. The Archaeopteryx. The fossil of the dinosaur with wings and feathers. If you know what I'm talking about, you'll have an image in your head of what the fossil looks like. Something like this:

  

Or more like EXACTLY like that. Because of the ten or so fossils ever found of the Archaeopteryx, this was the one in best condition. So it's the one they use for all of the pictures. Oh, and the one above, is the photo I took. But if you look over at the Wikipedia page for the Archaeopteryx, you'll notice they use a picture of the same specimen.

Seriously, I mean, a boy has dreams... but this one I've had since I was aound eight or so. And you know what, it IS something beautiful when tides and dreams don't seem so tall at all. Just so you know.

After that, Claudia went home to Hamburg, and Carolin and I went off to a kind of street gallery in a place kind of like that building I talked about last time in the Shanze in Hamburg. This one was called the Tacheles.

After that, it was off to another exhibition. This time in a building which was to be demolished (and was already partially so) and put on by local art students.

In  this building.

This was by far my favorite. When a rotating light shone green on this picture, it looked like this.

And with the red.

Kind of mid-transition.

Some very interesting ink artwork.

Sadly, the exhibition was raided by the police at 1:30am and shut down. Most of the students lost their work. I wasn't there for it, but it was so freaking interesting in terms of how art focused this town is. I really l#ove it here. And I know I'm such a city-whore, and love so many places. But Berlin is amazing.

And here's a little more as to why...

An old airport, right in the middle of the city, which has been converted into a playground. With kites and everything. Kites, too, are awesome.

This is the roof of the Sony centre. I'm not going to say too much about this right now, there'll be more on this in the next couple of days.

A guy, walking around, selling and cooking bratwurst. With a gas tank strapped to his back.

A photo of a photo. Church being demolished because it was 'in the way`of where the East Germans wanted their wall.

 Okay, that's it for now. I'm in Berlin for a few days more, and I still have much to see.

EDIT: So, I started thinking more about the whole 'Dark Knight' thing. And it all rings true. Like, the Joker, in his conversation with the scarred Harvey Dent, goes on to say that 'You were a schemer, you had plans. And look where that got you.'

Once, I was a schemer, and I did have plans. and it never really got me anywhere.

Maybe I'm reading a little too much into what is essentially a Batman movie. But maybe not, too.

You are in my heart always.