Berlin's Crackers. (Oct. 25, 2009)

I see white people, they're all around me.  The good thing about being in Germany is that my white skin doesn't trigger any tourist alarms and I'm able to blend in... This wasn't the case in Thailand or Egypt. The sole exception are some of the beggars who ask if you speak English, then proceed to give you a card with a sad story at the beginning and a request for money at the end.  I've started asking them if they can speak Thai (in Thai), and that's usually the end of our little discussion.  If someone actually is able to understand or speak Thai, I'm totally prepared to fork over some cash for their cause, because that would be an accomplishment I couldn't achieve in my 3 years of living in Thailand.  Anyway, the bad thing about blending in with the locals is that people start to ask you questions like you have some sort of clue as to what’s going on.  Earlier today, an old lady started talking to me in a lengthy elevator ride and I totally had a conversation with her that consisted entirely of me laughing, nodding, and making random noises. She kept talking and I kept grunting.  I had an internal laugh when she hopped off the lift none-the-wiser that I can't speak a lick of German.  (Actually she didn't “hop of the lift” as she was quite old.  It was more like a slither.) 

The transportation system in Berlin is even more extensive, efficient, and confusing than I originally thought.  Fortunately Berliners are very friendly people.  Three kind souls went out of their way to help me today.  Even with all of the assistance, I somehow managed to miss my intended destination by three stops.  I ended up on some random street and just decided to wander around.  I found an awesome pretzel shop where my love for this city doubled on the first salty bite.  

The standard taxis in Germany are all Mercedes Benz
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The top level of one of the biggest train stations in Berlin... A far cry from the double line Skytrain in Bangkok.
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The guesthouse is unlike anything I’ve stayed in before; there are huge murals of naked fat angels and other creatures on the wall, all painted with a hippy flair- I like it.  Despite the pleasant atmosphere, I do not enjoy the idea of sleeping in a dormitory.  It is something I've only done once (in Singapore) because private rooms are very affordable throughout most of Southeast Asia and Egypt.  Heck, even in Japan I was able to afford a private room.. albeit it was a cubicle at an internet cafe.

Anyway, Berlin is beautiful!  I truly do love the adventure of third-world locales, but it's very nice to be in a country that has clean buildings, even side-walks, and working street lamps.