slippers in the citadel

Thus far this weekend's theme seems to be claustrophobia and crowds. As part of our "Jenks pees on every sidewalk in Berlin 2006" tour, we went to the Turkish Market in Kreuzberg on Friday. Heralded as a place to get cheap anything, it was packed with people and notibly, the most babycarriages I've ever seen in a square block. If you need flourescent colored zippers or 1 euro pineapples this is the place for you.
One thing I love about these markets is seeing everything possible in bulk. it's strangely soothing to me. ahh, order. everything all lined up and cute-like. maybe I am type-a afterall. but tell me this assortment of beans doesn't make you smile.

Then today it was off to Spandau. Spandau is in west Berlin and has that old time German feel to it. (Cobblestones, pedestrian market, churches...) Most people in Spandau stay in Spandau, and consider going any further east into Berlin "going into the city." The piece de resistance (excuse the lack of accents) of this independent city is the Zitadelle Spandau. It's one of the best-preserved Renaissance fortresses in the world. it was of average interest to me. the highlight of my day in the citadel was when they made us where slippers in the museum. I know, it's crazy. Now are the slippers A: to help protect the floor; B: to keep the room quiet, or C: Just another innane rule in Germany?
Have you any idea what this lovely piece of headgear is? Why, it's a fireman's helmet from 1910. Very creepy.

















This is where the rabbits and the men can go to the bathroom.



On the S-Bahn home from Spandau we had the luck of getting on the same train as all of the Hertha Berlin Soccer fans leaving Olympia Stadium. Hertha won 2:1 vs Nürnberg today. The train was shaking on the rails as everyone was jumping up and down, pounding the plexiglass, punching the ceiling, and singing Hertha songs. It was wild.
and a little scary. hard to get a good shot of the madness, but it was something. notice the light closest to you is broken.
that's because a (inebriated) fan wanted to show his dedication (huh?) to the team. that part was just funny.
hooligans...

Nick and I are slowly forgetting certain words in english. this is bad because we do not yet know german.
for instance, i couldn't remember the word for "breadpan" or "mop" yesterday. (maybe this is because i rarely clean stateside.) also we are losing all sense of correct spelling. i guess we are in the inferno of language learning.
-sue