αντίο Βερολίνο, γειά σου Αθήνα!

Sunday

Berlin Jewish Museum

• Since seeing the Berlin Jewish Museum at an architecture exhibit at the MOMA in New York, I have wanted to go—not only is the building itself architecturally interesting, but I thought it would be important, meaningful and interesting to visit a Jewish museum in Germany
• I really enjoyed this
• Unfortunately, Jon and I started at the end of the permanent exhibit (somehow we entered through the exit and started in the 1930s as opposed to 950...oops)
• We realized this after we had gotten to present day and found that the exhibit extended much beyond where we entered...so we went to the entrance and started from the beginning, although our journey from 950-1930 was a bit rushed because we were aleady exhausted by this point
• Like my visit to the synagogue in Firenze, it was nice to have some Judaism back in my life, and while a lot of the museum was related to the Holocaust, there was also information about the development and history of Jews in Eastern Europe
• At the end of the exhibit (the middle of our time there), there was a room dedicated to life in Eastern Europe after the war that consisted of photographs and stories of individuals living here today
  
  
  
  The closing exhibit
• Before entering the permanent exhibit (journey of E European Jews), we explored the Axis of the Holocaust, Holocaust Tower, Axis of Exile and Garden of Exile
• I liked the description for the Garden of Exile
• Next we went to the "Memory Void," description and photos below:
  "The architect Daniel Libeskind created empty spaces in several parts of the buildling. These so-called voids extend vertically through the entire museum and represent the absence of Jews from German society. The Memory Void contains a work by the Israeli artist Menashe Kadishman, who calls his installation "Shalekhet," or "Fallen Leaves." He has dedicated the over 10,000 faces covering the floor to all innocent victims of war and violence."
  
  
  
  The Memory Void
  

  
• After finally making it through a majority of the museum, we went outside and laid in the sun in the garden

Adventure

• We spent the next hour or so taking various trains, attempting to get to the Brandenburg Gate—one of the lines was closed so it made it a bit confusing
• We stopped for dinner in between and then continued our adventure to the Gate
• After passing the Homosexual Memorial and the Jewish Memorial, we made it to the Brandenburg Gate—which turned out to be covered with ATOMKRAFT signs
• I'm not 100% sure what's going on, but something related to Germany's nuclear power plan is under heated discussion

Photo of the Day

Roll of Jewish stars labeled "Jude," used to identify Jews during World War II

The Count

Glasses of wine drinken: 70

Photos taken: 2454

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Monday

I have arrived in Athens. The flight was fine: there was an adorable German kid sitting next to me on the plane from Dusseldorf that kept giggling and pretending to steal my nose. I was also able to sleep which was nice.

I am currently at my apartment (I have a single!) and just spent some time with one of my housemates who also goes to Michigan. We had a brief orientation earlier this evening and "class" starts tomorrow--we're touring downtown Athens to get more oriented with the city.

Adventure, part 2, here I come!

Lesson of the Day

Jim Tressel just resigned.

Photos of the Day

The Alps

Halleluyah my apartment is equipped with Harry Potter mugs. And the Academic Center at my school has Harry Potter 7 so I can finally finish re-reading!!!

The Count
Flights taken: 6
Glasses of wine drinken: 74
Photos taken: 2456