Well, I'm back. After an unintentional hiatus of entirely too long, I have once again found a moment to stop and share with you my adventures. For the time being I am going to pretend spring break didn't happen so I can move on and get caught up. I'll get spring break in here soon hopefully, but it will require more time and detail. So, for now, we will pick up with the third week of March when my family came to visit!
This was actually taken the prior week, but I found it to be quite necessary as the sunny days were few and far between.
Standing in front of my building. The second balcony above the door behind that tree is mine! I have come to love it now as the weather is getting nicer and I can open the doors!
This is definitely not the greatest picture of us, but since all the good ones are on my mom's camera it will have to do. It is also shows the inside of a subway station, so there is one good thing. ha Also, Andrew happens to be wearing the sweater I picked out for him! Yay!
Dad and Andrew looking epic at the Dom.
Andrew came along on some of my class tours. Here we were looking into a preserved chunk of the death strip.
This chapel is made of rammed earth!
The next week we went on a tour of the Kulturforum near Potsdamer Platz. This is an auditorium by Hans Scharoun.
I have always blamed the day I learned about symmetry on my desire to make everything symmetrical, but Scharoun did quite the opposite and I absolutely love it! He is quickly moving up the rankings of Laura's favorite architects!
Richard Serra may be one of my favorite artists. He makes sculptures out of corten steel. It's kind of my thing to dance ballet in his sculptures and finally I was able to prove it with a picture! Do enjoy the series of attempts. Good work, Chelsea! :)
We also explored the Holocaust Memorial (by the Brandenburg Gate). This memorial is by Peter Eisenmann, a NY architect and really is as surreal as the pictures seem. He has never published the meaning behind what he created but I think that is part of the power of the place.
There are 2711 of these blocks and no two are the same height of tilt. The ground changes elevation so as you walk they seem to grow, but from the edges one can see all the way across them.
This slopping effect can also prove a bit creepy or dangerous. Chelsea and I had to rescue a lost child who was running away from his parents in the maze.
Then we went to Prague and Dresden.
Prague was absolutely gorgeous! The pictures definitely don't do it justice!
I was finally able to see a sunset!
I also discovered that I am quite a fan of cubist architecture.
Think Picasso in building form.
We hiked up a hill to see a church and look over the city.
Frank Gehry's Fred and Ginger (Dancing House)
Prague was the birthplace of the open faced sandwich! I bought ice cream instead...
They also love their dumplings!
So many majestic overlooks!
Proving I was there.
This alley way had a stoplight installed so the fat Americans, Germans, and Czechs wouldn't get stuck!
Lock Bridge
Lennon Wall. Where's Laura?
Charles Bridge. So Beautiful!
Astronomical Clock
Villa Muller! This house an incredible example of the Raum Plan. Essentially the idea is that from each space you have a visual connection to where you were and where you are going. It is as if the spaces were carved out of the volume.
On to Dresden!
Our 10 hour tour was a little much but took us through nearly all the city and past wonderfully beautiful buildings.
And by a pretty sweet movie theatre.
We also toured a synagogue.
Each band is slightly twisted so the foot print is square with the site, but the top of the building is facing Jerusalem.
Proud of this one.
Wonderful setting sun on the train back to Berlin.
Dutch Embassy
Akademie der Kunst
Chancellory
Yes, I will forever be in love with corten steel!
Made of concrete!
What kind of Kansas girl would I be if I didn't take a picture of the cow?!
Chancellory time lapse.
Schinkel on top of the hill that gave Kreuzberg its name.
Wonderful view all around it.
Tempelhof Air field.
Extremely windy. Felt like Kansas. :)
Scaffolding building between billboard changes.
Day trip out to Brenau to see a Bauhaus building.
Incredible stairs!
Yes, this building is printed!
Olympic Stadium!
Hitler used this space to prepare for his speeches.
Thar she blows!
My second Le Corbusier building in person!
The view from our seats.
I was floored by my camera's ability to zoom! These are the people in the farthest section from us!
As you can see, the weather has been getting better and spring has been creeping in! It is still light at 8pm and I love it! This evening I went to see Lino, my host brother, in his 4th grade play. I was able to follow the story line as well as one can without understanding the words. It was called 35 Mai and was essentially a cross between Narnia, Willy Wonka, and Candyland the game. Lino was marvelous as were the rest of his classmates! It definitely goes down as the best elementary school play I have ever seen. They have such discipline here!
Now that we only have a few more weeks left in the semester the pressure is on and it becomes a balance between getting all my work done and seeing and doing the things I want to see and do. Not to mention the wonderful German things I need for posterity! ;) What should I make sure is on my list?
