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July 26, 2004

Overcoming Dysfunctions

DAY 276: Germany, like most countries, is not without its historical dysfunctions. However, Germany's dysfunctions of the past may be just a tad more obvious, you know with that whole Hitler/Nazi/Holocaust thing. That's not to say Germany doesn't have its good things in history -- the classical music of Bach and Beethoven, the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm, beer -- but upon my approach via overnight train into Munich, the German Bavarian city in the south, there was a bit of a snag.

"Are we running late?" a passenger asked the conductor in his little room at the end of the hall of the sleeper car.

"Someone killed themselves," the man said with a tone of melancholy and a look of seriousness. An attempted suicide had succeeded just half an hour before (when most of us where still sleeping) when someone jumped off the platform at a station in front of the train.

The passenger and conductor had a look of grief, but I had other concerns. "So," I said to the conductor in a manner like George Costanza on Seinfeld, "I'm not going to be able to make the 7:45 to Berlin, am I?"

"No."

"Okay then."

Perhaps it was me who was a bit socially dysfunctional.


MY PLAN WAS TO SKIP THE BIERGARTENS OF MUNICH, a city I had been before, and head straight on up to Berlin, Germany's unified capital in the north since the reunification of Germany in 1990. After a quick, traditional Bavarian breakfast of weisswurst (veal sausage) and a pretzel, I hopped on the InterCity train bound for Berlin. It didn't really matter that my train from Florence was late; a train to Berlin left every hour. Better yet, the train had an awesome first class car -- Thomas Cook Travel Services in Egypt had issued me an adult first class Eurail Pass -- with electrical power outlets, individual TV monitors, tables, coffee and beer service. The roughly seven hour ride flew by as I recharged by batteries at one seat's outlet, and attended to Blog duties at another.

By mid-afternoon the high-speed train pulled into Berlin's Zoo Bahnhof ("Zoo Station," near the Berlin Zoo), namesake of music group U2's "Zoo TV" tour -- the U2 Metro line runs through it. I grabbed a quick currywurst there (curry sausage, a popular Berliner snack) before taking the Metro to the Mitte's Backpacker Hostel in the Mitte neighborhood, the former bleak East Berlin part of town-turned-hippest neighborhood in unified Berlin.


BERLIN IS DEFINITELY NOT A TOWN without its own dysfunctions. It was a center point for the Prussian empire in the 18th and 19th centuries, the capital of Nazi Germany in the 1930s and 40s and the main playing field of the Cold War between the Russians and Americans until the 1980s. Nowadays, the walls have come down (literally) and "new Berlin" is the country's most progressive city -- one of the most progressive in Europe -- with a general attitude so liberal that other Germans don't quite see how Berliners fit the traditional German mold. (In fact, I'm told it is the third largest gay city in the world.) With its blend of sleek, post-modern architecture juxtaposed to remnants of history, it is a city of the future with a turbulent past.

Mitte's Backpackers Hostel was in tune with Berlin's new hipness, a chilled out place with a lounge bar with bean bag chairs that played electronic lounge and drum and bass music, another component in modern Berliner culture. It was in the lounge that I met two American girls (not traveling together): Sara, an industrial design major from Vermont, and Cindy, a German studies major from Seattle. Sara, who had been in Berlin a couple of days already, gave Cindy and I tips on what to see amongst the overwhelming amount of sites to see in the German metropolis, over liter glasses of German weissbier (wheat beer, literally "white beer").

"Do you feel guys feel like going out tonight?" Sara asked.

"Sure," I answered, loving the fact that in hip backpacker hostels it's fairly easy to meet people.

The three of us went out for dinner at Dada's Falafel, home of what I've got to say has the best falafel outside the Middle East -- it's no surprise; Berlin has a huge Turkish immigrant population. From there we took the Metro to Delicious Doughnuts, a popular lounge bar of Berlin's renowned DJ scene, where breakbeat DJs spun for a late-night crowd.

"I'm pretty much fluent in German," Cindy told us in conversation.

"Quick, say something in German!" I said with a rude excitement.

"I hate it when people ask me that."

There went my social dysfunctions again.

DSC00559nightloungeD.jpg

Sara, Cindy and I sat in a booth over rounds of weissbiers and left just as the place was getting crowded passed midnight. Our early departure didn't really matter because our hostel lounge was pretty happening anyway (picture above), with dim lights and music to make any night a party.

In a modern city with a turbulent past, it was heartening to see that for the most part, it had overcome its dysfunctions. Perhaps it was me that should follow its example before opening my mouth sometimes.



If you enjoy this daily travel blog, please post a comment! Give me suggestions, send me on missions, let me know how things are going back home in the USA. Knowing that I have an audience will only force me to make this blog more entertaining as the days go by. Donīt forget to bookmark it and let a friend know!

Posted by Erik on July 26, 2004 12:57 AM
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Comments

GREETINGS FROM FILDERSTADT! (Where?) I'll explain soon... catching up is almost there!

PEPE: No, never made it... maybe another time!

Posted by: Erik TGT on July 25, 2004 07:38 PM

Great blog, keep it up. Out of interrest, I wonder what your budget for the whole round the world trip is? I plan to do a similar route soon, so if you care to share it would be great.

Steve

Posted by: Steve on July 25, 2004 07:45 PM

That's everyone's concern here too when someone jumps in front of the train (which happens regularly - 90 ppl a day commit suicide in Japan) - when can we get going again??? (Gorey comment to follow - skip if you are squeamish) Everyone gets right annoyed when the train employees can't find a missing body part. Sometimes a hand or whatever gets lost - and the train doesn't move until they have the whole body. Which always makes me wonder, what would happen if an amputee decided to commit suicide. At what point would they just give up looking?

To me, that "will I miss my connection?" comment is completely normal. You kinda get desensitized to it after a while - not to mention that suicide doesn't have the religious sin implications here. At least you didn't see it - I live in fear of the day when that happens. I've been on a train that hit someone, and was lucky that I was near the back so I didn't feel nor see anything. Despite my comments above, I feel for the train workers who have to run around cleaning things up afterwards. What a horrible, horrible job.

To give you an idea of how many suicides there are in Japan, here are some comparison stats - Japan has about 10% more suicides per year (33,000) than the US, but the population of the US is 2.3 times larger than Japan's.

Posted by: Liz on July 25, 2004 10:09 PM

BLOG READERS - Group question! Ok, to move on from the depressing comment above (sorry about that!), I'll post a question to the group in light of the fact that many of us have travelled alot - and to help Steve out. If you were going on a 16 month trip, how much money do you think you'd need? Please state accommodation preferences etc (e.g. are you bare boning it, or living in the lap of luxury?)

My answer: for two people, in low mid-range accommodation (private rooms, no dorm beds), my budget would be US$45,000. So, for one person, I guess that would be about US$30,000. That would hopefully be enough to do some fun things, have nice dinners occassionally, and splurge on a high-range hotel room every once and a while. This budget is based on spending the majority of the time outside industrialized nations.

Posted by: Liz on July 25, 2004 10:20 PM

How very sad, Liz...

Posted by: Nicole on July 25, 2004 10:25 PM

One of these days I'll go on my RTW. Unfortunatly I'll have to wait a few years, because I'm currently planning a move to Taiwan.

But when I finally embark on my trip I hope to have at least USD$18,000. I'm a cheap and low traveler.

Posted by: Td0t on July 25, 2004 11:31 PM

On second thought.... $21,000 sounds slightly more plausable.

Posted by: Td0t on July 25, 2004 11:32 PM

Dude, I'm staying at Mitte's and eating Dada falafel....funny. Cool place eh? If i was just here a day sooner. Off to Copenhagen tommorow.

Posted by: Bill on July 26, 2004 05:42 AM

No worries Erik, have fun on the rest of your trip and keep on bloggin'.

Posted by: PEPE on July 26, 2004 09:08 AM

What's the country with the lowest suicide rate, if anyone knows - or can direct me where to find that piece of depressing info. I've heard that suicide in Japan is horribly high. Ugh.

I really have no clue on the RTW costs - I haven't looked in on costs, b/c everything right is living vicariously. Nice question, though.

Posted by: Noelle on July 26, 2004 10:19 AM

Noelle - if you google 'suicide rates by country' there are a ton of sites - but I couldn't find one with the lowest. It is likely somewhere in the third world, and probably a muslim country. By the way, Japan doesn't make the top 10. The highest rates are in the former Soviet republics and Finland.

Posted by: Liz on July 26, 2004 10:51 AM

delicious doughnuts ain't like no krispy kremes yo...

Posted by: markyt on July 26, 2004 12:03 PM

for a more cheerful note, more on Berlin and doughnuts. this wonderful urban legend that most people probably heard already about JFK.

http://urbanlegends.about.com/cs/historical/a/jfk_berliner.htm

Posted by: alice on July 26, 2004 02:37 PM

The budget was in the $25k range... Europe is really killing it! I hope to balance it all out in Asia...

For those planning RTWs, figure $1k month on average, minus flights. Then again, I only spent about $300 US in my month in Bolivia -- choose your countries wisely...

Posted by: Erik TGT on July 26, 2004 03:43 PM

BILL: Funny, Mitte's AND Dada? Both places great, huh? DO THE FAT TIRE BIKE TOUR... the pub crawl they run is great too...

Posted by: Erik TGT on July 26, 2004 03:46 PM

ALICE: Aw, you beat me to it; I was gonna mention that JFK faux pas! ;)

Posted by: Erik TGT on July 26, 2004 03:47 PM

BEAR WITH ME GUYS... Still behind... Everytime I'm almost caught up, another day's entry goes by... Don't worry, I've been in the NIZ longer and have always bounced back... be patient!

Posted by: Erik TGT on July 26, 2004 03:49 PM

that's the worst type of train delay. otherwise sounds like germany is treating you well. This weekend neeraj, mark and i climbed our first 14-er! starting at 11,000 ft. it was pretty amazing... took us 6 hours :) so what's your tentative plan for your birthday, you'll be somewhere near everest? N :)

Posted by: nikkij on July 26, 2004 03:50 PM

NIKKIJ: I aim to be at Everest Base Camp on my b-day, Oct. 18th...

ALL BLOGREADERS are invited! RSVP in a comment... You should try and be in Kathmandu by the 10th of October I guess...

Posted by: Erik TGT on July 26, 2004 03:52 PM

Yeah, I'll come to NYC for your return party instead, how's that? Everest isn't my thang... I'd meet you to go scuba diving in Thailand, if that's on the schedule...

Posted by: Noelle on July 26, 2004 04:02 PM

Yeah, I'll come to NYC for your return party instead, how's that? Everest isn't my thang... I'd meet you to go scuba diving in Thailand, if that's on the schedule...

Posted by: Noelle on July 26, 2004 04:02 PM

(Didn't mean to hit post twice - excuse me, per favore!)

Posted by: Noelle on July 26, 2004 04:03 PM

30th bday climbing everest...sweet..

i'll just drink your 30 shots with wheat over here...

Posted by: markyt on July 26, 2004 04:08 PM

Arrrrr. Drunk at Mitte's....

Posted by: Bill on July 26, 2004 04:21 PM

Beat on the "I'm a Donut" comment by jfk (ALICE). But still funny. Fuzzy, you're always out with cute chicks. Makes me wonder... you smoothie.

Anyhow, I can't contribute to the $ conversation, I'm trapped in 2 week vacation hell. Compared to what you guys are talking about we go thru cash like we're loaded--and we SO are not! Eek.

VERY COOL b-day destination. Please acclamate to the altitude for a good long while! That *puny* Kilomangaro trip has nothing on Everest. As for the home coming party--I'm in! We're gonna need a bigger place than your bon voyage party!

Keep on Blogging pal, you're doing a great job!

Posted by: Christy on July 26, 2004 05:22 PM

So what's the big deal about Krispy Kreme donuts? I mean, it's just a donut, isn't it?

Posted by: Liz on July 26, 2004 08:39 PM

nothing really is a big deal with krispy kreme donuts...UNLESS...

you get a freshly baked batch of regular glazed donuts...oooo soo good...

and you can watch them make them late nite after you've been drinking all nite...

Posted by: markyt on July 26, 2004 09:01 PM

NOTHING is the big deal about Krispy Kreme - even if they're fresh. I don't like them regardless. And I KNOW I'm in the minority... if I've been drinking all night, I want greasy Mexican food, or something along those lines - not fluffy donuts!!

How far are you planning on getting up Everrest?

Posted by: Noelle on July 27, 2004 02:24 AM

NOTHING is the big deal about Krispy Kreme - even if they're fresh. I don't like them regardless. And I KNOW I'm in the minority... if I've been drinking all night, I want greasy Mexican food, or something along those lines - not fluffy donuts!!

How far are you planning on getting up Everest?

Posted by: Noelle on July 27, 2004 02:24 AM

I think someone has a problem with hitting "post" twice...

:-)

Posted by: markyt on July 27, 2004 07:56 AM

ACK! How'd THAT happen?!? I am sorry...

Posted by: Noelle on July 27, 2004 10:01 AM

Noelle....I am in agreement, nothing special about those donuts, sure does not make the whopping calories worth it!

Hoping for a new update soon Erik!

Posted by: Rose on July 27, 2004 10:15 AM

sorry about that erik =) krispy kremes are ok. they taste better than dunkin donuts, though i don't care for donuts in general. however, after watching "supersize me" and having a krispy kreme after the movie was an odd combination of guilt and satisfaction. =P mmmmm.
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Posted by: alice on July 27, 2004 10:46 AM

NOELLE - i wouldn't eat them after drinking all nite...i'd go and watch them make it......

and it's white castles or grays papayas or a good ol jersey diner after drinking!....

any how...stop hitting POST twice...hehehe :-)

Posted by: markyt on July 27, 2004 12:15 PM

nah, after drinking it is the darkest greasy spoon restaurant you can find, with rot gut bottomless coffee, eggs in grease puddles, soggy toast and tasteless sausage and/or bacon. Ahhh, the hang over cure of champions.

Posted by: Liz on July 27, 2004 12:29 PM

All I want after is a 1L bottle of water and some pizza.

Posted by: Td0t on July 27, 2004 12:33 PM

SBR coming out of the closet again...Erik - great posts and pics!!! We all get our dysfunctional days. Lovin all the history lessons / details - I feel edumacated again.

I also figured i'd get in w/the food comments. krispy kreme - eh...no biggie. after drinking all night: diner, gray's or chinatown's HOP KEE or WO HOP! wish i was still around the grease trucks, but i guess we all need to move on.

Posted by: stephanie on July 27, 2004 01:03 PM

Tacos and refried beans from Dos Tacos - greeeeeeeeasy Mexican food... so good.
But, the key is - grease, obviously.
I'm TRYING to not post twice - the evil Blonde Noelle is being bad.

Posted by: Noelle on July 27, 2004 01:04 PM

Krispy Kremes are kinda lame. Too much fluffy sugar, you can't really even chew them. I'd much rather get a Dunkin' Donut--Bavarian Creme or Toasted Coconut, please.

Late night Jersey Diner for me--greesy taylor ham on a roll and a side of french fries with gravy! Yum-E Yum.

BTW, anyone else disturbed by that "veal sausage and a pretzel" breakfast pic? I'm guessing that's a pile of spicy mustard on the side. Doesn't sound like early morning fare to me.

Posted by: Christy on July 27, 2004 01:46 PM

disturbed? no way....salivating!!

hahahah...

ok krispy kreme is not for everyone....i only like the glazed freshly made and it's cool to watch...that's all

STEPHANIE - HOP KEE and WO HOP - spicy squid...sooo good...

but really after a hangover...the best thing the next morning is just have another one....cuz it'll stop the shakes... (or is that just for alkies?)...

Posted by: markyt on July 27, 2004 01:53 PM

MARKYT: yuppers - salted squid and salted porkchops! YUMMY!!!!

i heard you should just have another, but I had a horrible hang over saturday and couldn't even think of grabbing the last beer in my fridge - and some of my friends say I can hold the alkie status at times. not proud of that status, but i guess i can handle my own.

Posted by: stephanie on July 27, 2004 02:04 PM

STEPHANIE - might wanna try a bloody mary instead of a beer...does some wonders...haha...

ok....E - you better post before i leave for vegas on thursday..

Posted by: markyt on July 27, 2004 02:09 PM

MarkyT in Sin City?!? Watch out Navada, Toronto is still recovering!!

Posted by: Td0t on July 27, 2004 02:24 PM

I like Dunkin Donuts donuts, not the coffee... flavah'd is not for me...

Vegas can handle just about ANYTHING, so I will wait to hear stories...

Posted by: Noelle on July 27, 2004 02:29 PM

erik, too bad you're traveling the world, i'll be in NYC the first weekend of Oct. but will def. go back to NYC for the return bash! N :) btw, i could leave Krispy Kremes as well... Dunkin Donuts are better ;)

Posted by: nikkij on July 27, 2004 03:44 PM

my hangover cure: blue gatorade (flavor not important, just ANY of the blue varieties) and a burrito!

Posted by: sara on July 27, 2004 04:24 PM

Where is ERIK, anyhow? I mean how can a guy be NIZ in Europe?

Going through BLOG withdrawls....

Posted by: Christy on July 27, 2004 06:00 PM

Hi Erik, Someone posted the link to your blog on the Lonely Planet thorn tree, and I am now addicted! I am going back to the beginning, and just finished up with May, so I am almost caught up. I love your writing style, and even more so than before, want to do a RTW on my own. Can't wait to see where you go next!

Posted by: Kirsten on July 27, 2004 06:11 PM

Erik was/is visiting fam in Germany... not too much time to Blog...

Then I think he's off to Prague...

Posted by: markyt on July 27, 2004 09:21 PM

LIZ - DON'T READ - AR5 Comment

another good ar5, from argentina to st. petersburg russia...

block 5 shots or take 1 shot...nice...

old internet dating couple off the show doesn't change much...

the race is still tight...can the christian models be any more annoying now? well not more annoying that charla and mirna!...

mirna's gotta stop huggin phil like that...

Posted by: markyt on July 27, 2004 11:35 PM

GREETINGS FROM PRAGUE... more to come...

Posted by: Erik TGT on July 28, 2004 04:49 AM

AR5 (Liz - close your eyes): Now I sooo want to go to Russia. The architecture - the ornate buildings - the snow! I am right in the middle of reading Leo Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina" (set in St. Petersburg)and I can just imagine her in the sleigh with the rugs over her lap, dancing in the ballrooms and Prince Vronsky running up that staircase to meet her. The book came to life! The vodka looked good but forget the caviar - disgusting! Erik, can't wait to see your pics when you go there. You are going there?


Posted by: Janice on July 28, 2004 07:16 AM

man i am having some serious blog withdrawl! you dont know what it's like to have to WORK while i am at work!

looking forward to more kick ass adventures!

Posted by: scott on July 28, 2004 09:03 AM

I hate when non-annoying teams get eliminated due to bad flight times. And why didn't Brandon and Colin eat instead of making their girlfriends do it?!

Posted by: Td0t on July 28, 2004 09:14 AM

...can-not func-tion ... need blo-g ...(in robot voice) ...

Posted by: sim on July 28, 2004 09:18 AM

MARKYT: nothing like eating caviar. what a bunch of wimps. i'm still waiting for chip to do the 'pop n lock' or the 'harlem shake'. if they finish first again, he better do the kid n play with kim.

ERIK: holler at petra nemcova for me.

Posted by: Paul on July 28, 2004 11:20 AM

Thanks guys for the "don't look" warnings - you're awesome! Ok, now done to business. Great episode! That caviar was totally disgusting. Partners were all very supportive... made it one of those tear jerking feel good things... or maybe that's hormones. Charla and Mirna are still irriating. Colin was a total dickhead early on but redeemed himself by being kind to Christie during the caviar deal. Marshall and Lance ... don't know if I want them, or Charla/Mirna to be eliminated faster. I'm still cheering on the moms!

Posted by: Liz on July 28, 2004 12:00 PM

i think i want the twins to go next!...

the brothers and charla/mirna are annoying, but it makes great TV time...without them it would be kinda boring....

Posted by: markyt on July 28, 2004 12:34 PM

Liz....glad to see you are keeping up...must be that new laptop!


Erik.....going through serious withdrawls.....please come back!
Isn't it nice to be missed!

Posted by: Rose on July 28, 2004 12:47 PM

I'm undecided as to who I want to go next. The mom's a funny... MarkyT is right about "Mirna and Shmirna" making great TV. The twins are ok... I'd have to say I could do without the brothers.

We know who Liz is pulling for... what about everyone else, who's your favourite?

Posted by: Td0t on July 28, 2004 01:20 PM

I don't watch AR5 - sorry, I'm a non-TV-ified person... I watch DVDs and that's about it... it's fascinating to hear all about it, though. It would be my only reality show I would watch.

Where in Russia did AR5 go? I went to St Petersburg and it was WONDERFUL!!! You all should go.

Posted by: Noelle on July 28, 2004 02:07 PM

Ok, I'll be the antagonist and root for "Mirna & Schmirna" (Hate me if you want.) They are irritatingly "funny" and yes Td0t they do make for great TV. I usually go for the under-dogs but they are all gone already!

Posted by: Janice on July 28, 2004 03:16 PM

Erik's a tease. Prague. Thanks for the scoop.

Posted by: Christy on July 28, 2004 04:12 PM

AR5- I'm also rooting for the moms. I don't know what this "Mirna and Charla make great TV" is all about. Every time they're on camera I get an urge to go make myself a sandwich. And I hate sandwiches.

E- looking forward to hearing about Prague. I spent a couple days there back in '98, but I hear that it's changed a lot as tourism has taken off.

Posted by: Neil on July 28, 2004 05:12 PM

NEIL: Tourism has kicked off in a big big way... I think this place has more tourists than Paris/Rome combined...

Posted by: Erik TGT on July 28, 2004 05:29 PM

Neil - make a sandwich? no way...as annoying and rude as they are, it's pretty damn funny with the others commenting....

Posted by: markyt on July 28, 2004 05:36 PM

BEAR WITH ME, Prague is a big NCHUZ (No Camera Hook Up Zone)... all the internet places here so far have special interfaces that only permit surfing and email, but no file transfers, etc.

Posted by: Erik TGT on July 29, 2004 10:05 AM

CALLING ALL DIGITAL CAMERA NERDS! HELP! Another issue I'm having is that somehow the directory tree structure of my Memory Stick got corrupted. Now, whenever I mount my MemStick to my computer as a drive and open the Photo Folder, it loops back to the Parent Folder -- meaning any attempts to get to my photos doesn't work because I'm in a continual loop.

HELP! If I can't fix this, there will be no more Blog!

I know the files are still there because I can view them in my camera; it's just a corrupted directory structure block or something, easily fixable by Norton Utilities. However, Norton doesn't seem to recognize my Memory Stick as a mounted drive...

What can be done? I know if I format the stick in camera it will work again, but how do I retrieve my photos to my hard drive before doing so?

Posted by: Erik TGT on July 29, 2004 10:11 AM

Maybe try OnTrack Easy Recovery? http://www.ontrack.com/easyrecoveryprofessional/

Posted by: Dtella on July 29, 2004 10:54 AM

Oh, somebody help! I'm not sure what a memory stick is but I'm in serious blog withdrawl.

Posted by: sara on July 29, 2004 11:05 AM

Fuzzy,

Please try to repair with built in utilities from apple. OS 9=Disk firstaid OSX=disk utility. Then report to me your findings.

Hint: norton may be too advanced or just fundamentally WRONG!!!

Posted by: GILL on July 29, 2004 01:58 PM

GILL: I think my MemoryStick got some sort of virus (of course, now that I'm on the outskirts of the former Russian empire and its new army of hackers). There are some weird files in the photo folder, some photos are corrupted, plus there are some bogus photo files too. I've managed to salvage the good files on a Win98 box in an internet cae that recognized it. I've reformatted the MemStick on camera and am transferring the files back from the internet cafe PC's hard drive...

If this doesn't work, I'll try the DiskFirstAid way. Get this... I'm STILL on OS9!

Thanks for your help! I understand you're not at PH anymore?

Posted by: Erik TGT on July 29, 2004 02:16 PM

Eric: i have fun reading your blog but your cold newyorker heart is sad (asking for your train late arrival in a city when somebody just died? U SUCK !) i guess americans are never going to change. so egocentric, so selfish. by the way, in the pic with the 2 girls u look so GAY !

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