Joachim Breitner's Homepage

Looks like I can blog about my travels earlier than I thought: There is a public hotspot provided by Sony at the Potsdamer Platz!

Well, I started as planned in Karlsruhe yesterday night, traveling in one of those Swiss CityNightLine trains. That was an interesting experience: A bit like flying (people around you getting up and down etc), but with more space, chairs that you can really bent back and nice service - personal greeting, no hurries, and they wake you up in time for the station you want to leave. I haven't slept more than I would on a over night flight, but I think with a bit of training, this could be the most relaxing way of traveling. I'm looking forward to tonight, when I'll be in a Couchette car on my train Berlin-Malmö.

On my way, I stopped at Wittenberg, well. Lutherstadt Wittenberg (yes, it is officially called "Luther town Wittenberg"). The weather was not nice, but mercyful - only slight rain all the time. By chance, I discovered a museum on everyday's life in eastern Germany in the 20s, 40s, 60s and 70s, all with authentic stuff. They displayed complete Bathrooms, Livingrooms, kitchens, a "Tante Emma" style grocery store, a bar, a cocktail bar like thingy and a student's room from different decades - and all with original stuff - even the food packages are original and unopened. This is not only interesing for nostalgic ossies, and if only for the lovely detailledness of the displays. Free, friendly tours. The also had a temporary exhibition on the end of WWII in and around Wittenberg, with memories of time witnesses.

From there, I went to Berlin. I got off the train at Alexanderplatz, walked aimlessly around, got to the Humboldt University, where I found a nice exhibition on the "Chess Machine" with the man inside, and other stuff that the guy, that made the chess machine, made. (I forgot the name...). In front of the University, I found one of those "Call a Bike" bikes, and just had to try them out. Called the number, gave identification, credit card and Bahncard information and immediately, I could use the bike to bike to the Reichstag. The bikes are very good (I had my huge backpack on, but no problem), the price is quite reasonable (5¢/min with a Bahncard) and it is really convenient to just get a bike anywhere (you almost always see one of those around), and put them anywhere (within a specified area). Should be implemented in more cities.

Well, and now I'm sitting here in the middle of the new Sony Center, laptop on my lap's top, bloggin and uploading my pictures, if bandwidth allows. Update: Picture upload worked.