Decrepit dame does Deutschland
Jul 3rd, 2016, 09:50 PM
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Decrepit dame does Deutschland
I just returned from a month-long trip to eastern Germany, with a side trip to Warsaw.
The German cities I visited were Berlin, Dresden, Wernigerode, Halle, Erfurt, and Bad Schandau. The main reasons I chose these cities were 1) to do some mop-up sightseeing in places I'd previously visited but had missed things I wanted to see. 2) to polish my German in towns where English isn't so prevalent.
I took Alaska Airlines from Spokane to Seattle, then Lufthansa non-stop to Frankfurt, then Air Berlin to Berlin. As I got off the Alaska flight in Seattle, an attendant took a look at me and asked if I had ordered a wheelchair. I hadn't, but I got to thinking that a wheelchair wasn't a bad idea for when I landed in Frankfurt, which always requires a lot of walking, and I knew I'd have trouble with all the walking plus steps I'd have to climb. So I ordered a wheelchair for Frankfurt.
Turns out that it was a bad idea after all.
I've flown into Frankfurt since the late 60's. It has always been an ordeal to navigate, but I hadn't been there since 2014, when it was bigger than ever, but not horrendous. Well, it seems to have grown a lot even since then. Now it is horrendous, gigantic, enormous, unbelievable, huuuuuge--made even worse by my unwise selection of Air Berlin as the carrier for Berlin.
When I got off the plane and asked for the wheelchair or cart, I and another woman were told where to wait--for 45 minutes--until a cart came and got us. And 45 minutes was about how long we waited. All in all I got 3 wheelchairs and one electric cart, with long waits between each one.
I had figured two hours between flights was long enough to get to Air Berlin, but with the interminable waits, it looked like we'd be cutting it pretty close. I didn't have a boarding pass for Air Berlin, but after the next to the last wheelchair pusher scolded me for not allowing more time, she called Air Berlin and ordered a boarding pass. I didn't think it would be politic to tell her that I would have had enough time if I hadn't had such long waits between wheelchairs.
By the time the final girl picked me up, I didn't think we'd make it to the plane on time, but this young lady was a sweetheart. She kept assuring me that we'd get there in time for my flight, which we did, but only because she got them to wait the bus for me.
While the bus was waiting, I had to go through security, and my stuff tested positive for EXPLOSIVE RESIDUE! So while the bus out to the plane, with all the other passengers, waited, security was testing every item in my purse and in my carry on bag for explosives. They opened my sunglasses case, they checked out my tiny bottle of dry-eye drops, they even had me turn on my kindle to show them that it wasn't a fiendish device. They checked every single thing that could possibly contain any suspicious material. It was maddening! Of course, I understood that they had to be thorough, but it was still stressful.
I was embarrassed when I finally got through security and made my way to the plane. I am afraid I did exaggerate my disability somewhat when I hobbled onto the stairs leading to the plane. I figured it would be better for the morale of the passengers to think I was in very bad shape. However, stairs are always hard for me, so I wasn't exaggerating very much, and it was raining, so I was a little nervous that I'd slip and fall on the tarmac.
Once I was actually on the bus, I regretted not giving my last wheelchair girl a nice tip for all her trouble. Another wheelchair pusher met me at Berlin Tegel, and I kept telling her that I didn't need the wheelchair for such a small airport, but she insisted that I stay in the chair.
The German cities I visited were Berlin, Dresden, Wernigerode, Halle, Erfurt, and Bad Schandau. The main reasons I chose these cities were 1) to do some mop-up sightseeing in places I'd previously visited but had missed things I wanted to see. 2) to polish my German in towns where English isn't so prevalent.
I took Alaska Airlines from Spokane to Seattle, then Lufthansa non-stop to Frankfurt, then Air Berlin to Berlin. As I got off the Alaska flight in Seattle, an attendant took a look at me and asked if I had ordered a wheelchair. I hadn't, but I got to thinking that a wheelchair wasn't a bad idea for when I landed in Frankfurt, which always requires a lot of walking, and I knew I'd have trouble with all the walking plus steps I'd have to climb. So I ordered a wheelchair for Frankfurt.
Turns out that it was a bad idea after all.
I've flown into Frankfurt since the late 60's. It has always been an ordeal to navigate, but I hadn't been there since 2014, when it was bigger than ever, but not horrendous. Well, it seems to have grown a lot even since then. Now it is horrendous, gigantic, enormous, unbelievable, huuuuuge--made even worse by my unwise selection of Air Berlin as the carrier for Berlin.
When I got off the plane and asked for the wheelchair or cart, I and another woman were told where to wait--for 45 minutes--until a cart came and got us. And 45 minutes was about how long we waited. All in all I got 3 wheelchairs and one electric cart, with long waits between each one.
I had figured two hours between flights was long enough to get to Air Berlin, but with the interminable waits, it looked like we'd be cutting it pretty close. I didn't have a boarding pass for Air Berlin, but after the next to the last wheelchair pusher scolded me for not allowing more time, she called Air Berlin and ordered a boarding pass. I didn't think it would be politic to tell her that I would have had enough time if I hadn't had such long waits between wheelchairs.
By the time the final girl picked me up, I didn't think we'd make it to the plane on time, but this young lady was a sweetheart. She kept assuring me that we'd get there in time for my flight, which we did, but only because she got them to wait the bus for me.
While the bus was waiting, I had to go through security, and my stuff tested positive for EXPLOSIVE RESIDUE! So while the bus out to the plane, with all the other passengers, waited, security was testing every item in my purse and in my carry on bag for explosives. They opened my sunglasses case, they checked out my tiny bottle of dry-eye drops, they even had me turn on my kindle to show them that it wasn't a fiendish device. They checked every single thing that could possibly contain any suspicious material. It was maddening! Of course, I understood that they had to be thorough, but it was still stressful.
I was embarrassed when I finally got through security and made my way to the plane. I am afraid I did exaggerate my disability somewhat when I hobbled onto the stairs leading to the plane. I figured it would be better for the morale of the passengers to think I was in very bad shape. However, stairs are always hard for me, so I wasn't exaggerating very much, and it was raining, so I was a little nervous that I'd slip and fall on the tarmac.
Once I was actually on the bus, I regretted not giving my last wheelchair girl a nice tip for all her trouble. Another wheelchair pusher met me at Berlin Tegel, and I kept telling her that I didn't need the wheelchair for such a small airport, but she insisted that I stay in the chair.
Jul 4th, 2016, 12:49 PM
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>> I regretted not giving my last wheelchair girl a nice tip for all her trouble <<
She did not expect one. She was doing her job and she gets a handsome salary for that.
But Peg, how did you not book a Lufthansa flight to Berlin?
We do not stop to tell all the newbies on this forum not to book connecting flights with different airlines. Finally, you had been lucky that everything went well. But a delay of your incoming flight would have ruined your connection, wheelchair or not. (Would not have been a big drama, just 100 or 200 Euros more to pay.)
She did not expect one. She was doing her job and she gets a handsome salary for that.
But Peg, how did you not book a Lufthansa flight to Berlin?
We do not stop to tell all the newbies on this forum not to book connecting flights with different airlines. Finally, you had been lucky that everything went well. But a delay of your incoming flight would have ruined your connection, wheelchair or not. (Would not have been a big drama, just 100 or 200 Euros more to pay.)
Jul 4th, 2016, 06:47 PM
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Thursdaysd: I wouldn't hesitate to request the wheelchair again, but I'd make sure I had more time between planes--3 hours, maybe.
Traveler: I think you're right about not using a different airline. In the future I'll just disregard the extra cost and go with the same airline.
Traveler: I think you're right about not using a different airline. In the future I'll just disregard the extra cost and go with the same airline.
Jul 4th, 2016, 07:46 PM
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I landed at Tegel and took a taxi into Berlin, where I stayed at the same hotel I always use, the Hotel Pension Bregenz. It's quiet, comfortable and inexpensive.
Then I set off to find something to eat at my favorite restaurant, LaVigna, which is just down the street from the hotel. After that I headed over to the Kurfurstendam, where there was a huge old car show--called "Oldtimers show."
I come from a family of car restorers, so I couldn't resist a visit.
The cars dated back to the 20's, but most of them were of more recent vintage. There was a gorgeous 1950 or 1951 low-riding Mercury with a dark green metallic finish and detailing in gold and darker green that got a lot of attention. It really was nifty! The car that made me cringe was a 1960 or 1961 or 1962 Cadillac with huuuuge fins.
Many of the American cars were the big ones, but there were also some Mustangs, a nice '57 Chevy Bel Air, and even a gorgeous early Thunderbird. I recall only one pickup truck--about a 1950 Chevy. There was also a man dressed as an American MP, along with his authentic postwar military police jeep that he had brought from somebody in Denmark. Another vehicle that I liked was a beautifully restored small Airstream trailer.
Of course, there were many older Mercedes and other European cars, but the ones that really stood out, for me, anyway, were the American cars, because they were usually just enormous.
After that I set off to find the Story of Berlin museum. I was especially interested in seeing the atomic bunker part of the museum. So I walked down the Kurfurstendam....and walked...and walked. I finally gave up, figuring that I was walking in the wrong direction, and I turned around and headed toward my hotel...when what did I see but an internet café.
I started to write an email to my sister, but the @ was not where it is in the States, and I couldn't remember how to print it. There was a man nearby using another computer, so I started to ask him if he knew how to access the @. We stumbled around in German for a bit, and then he asked me if I spoke English. It turned out he was an American.
I was fresh from my Frankfurt Flughafen experience, and I raved about how awful it was. He agreed. We had a long conversation about its awfulness, ending finally with a detailed discussion of WWII, the dam busters, McArthur, etc. Interesting guy.
I guess this is one of those times when I did "meet the locals," since he lives in Berlin.
Then I set off to find something to eat at my favorite restaurant, LaVigna, which is just down the street from the hotel. After that I headed over to the Kurfurstendam, where there was a huge old car show--called "Oldtimers show."
I come from a family of car restorers, so I couldn't resist a visit.
The cars dated back to the 20's, but most of them were of more recent vintage. There was a gorgeous 1950 or 1951 low-riding Mercury with a dark green metallic finish and detailing in gold and darker green that got a lot of attention. It really was nifty! The car that made me cringe was a 1960 or 1961 or 1962 Cadillac with huuuuge fins.
Many of the American cars were the big ones, but there were also some Mustangs, a nice '57 Chevy Bel Air, and even a gorgeous early Thunderbird. I recall only one pickup truck--about a 1950 Chevy. There was also a man dressed as an American MP, along with his authentic postwar military police jeep that he had brought from somebody in Denmark. Another vehicle that I liked was a beautifully restored small Airstream trailer.
Of course, there were many older Mercedes and other European cars, but the ones that really stood out, for me, anyway, were the American cars, because they were usually just enormous.
After that I set off to find the Story of Berlin museum. I was especially interested in seeing the atomic bunker part of the museum. So I walked down the Kurfurstendam....and walked...and walked. I finally gave up, figuring that I was walking in the wrong direction, and I turned around and headed toward my hotel...when what did I see but an internet café.
I started to write an email to my sister, but the @ was not where it is in the States, and I couldn't remember how to print it. There was a man nearby using another computer, so I started to ask him if he knew how to access the @. We stumbled around in German for a bit, and then he asked me if I spoke English. It turned out he was an American.
I was fresh from my Frankfurt Flughafen experience, and I raved about how awful it was. He agreed. We had a long conversation about its awfulness, ending finally with a detailed discussion of WWII, the dam busters, McArthur, etc. Interesting guy.
I guess this is one of those times when I did "meet the locals," since he lives in Berlin.
Jul 5th, 2016, 08:47 AM
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My little digital recorder died, so I have to depend on my emails to family, my pictures and my (unreliable) memory for details for the days.
Anyway, the second day I went to the Pergamon Museum and saw the wonderful Ishtar gate. I tend to get all pissy when I see something beautiful from the mid-east displayed in Europe (like the Elgin marbles, stolen from the Acropolis and displayed in the British Museum). But the Ishtar gate was apparently in pieces--bricks, actually--which had to be painstakingly put together and then supplemented with new bricks created to look like the originals. It was really gorgeous!
The processional way was impressive also.
There was a lot of other stuff that I'm sure was fascinating to archaeologists but wasn't fancy enough to impress me. Stone carvings and the like.
The other things that really interested me were the Islamic artifacts, especially the wonderful Korans, with exquisite calligraphy and decorations, just lovely. There were various dishes and plates and shards of pottery that were also really gorgeous, along with other beautiful objects. I wish I'd taken more pictures and kept better track of what I was seeing, but what I saw was memorable.
After I left the Pergamon, I found a helpful taxi. I mentioned the Bendler Block, where Stauffenberg and other conspirators against Hitler were executed. I wanted to say a quick prayer for them, so he waited while I dashed in for just a moment. I saw a sign for a resistance museum and decided to go there the next day.
Afterward I stopped to have dinner at possibly the most inefficient restaurant I've ever patronized.(Fortunately I can't recall the name.) There were six guys in the kitchen, but they seemed to spend most of their time yelling at each other--or perhaps they were merely chatting at the tops of their voices. Waiting on customers didn't seem to be among their priorities.
I had a salad of tomatoes with red onion and (I think) basilikum. I'm not sure why anybody would eat basilikum because it's kind of bitter. I also had foccacia with cheese on top. Very tasty. And two little bottles of orange drink.
The nice thing about the lousy service is that I was able to sit for a long time, thus resting my legs.
That day was full of lessons. One was that I can't seem to do more than one thing a day. Then I'm really really tired--especially my legs--and I have to take taxis. Actually, two taxis, one going and one returning--at $20 a pop. Oh, well, that's what it takes for me. I just have to resign myself to the fact that I can't do all I'd like to do.
Anyway, the second day I went to the Pergamon Museum and saw the wonderful Ishtar gate. I tend to get all pissy when I see something beautiful from the mid-east displayed in Europe (like the Elgin marbles, stolen from the Acropolis and displayed in the British Museum). But the Ishtar gate was apparently in pieces--bricks, actually--which had to be painstakingly put together and then supplemented with new bricks created to look like the originals. It was really gorgeous!
The processional way was impressive also.
There was a lot of other stuff that I'm sure was fascinating to archaeologists but wasn't fancy enough to impress me. Stone carvings and the like.
The other things that really interested me were the Islamic artifacts, especially the wonderful Korans, with exquisite calligraphy and decorations, just lovely. There were various dishes and plates and shards of pottery that were also really gorgeous, along with other beautiful objects. I wish I'd taken more pictures and kept better track of what I was seeing, but what I saw was memorable.
After I left the Pergamon, I found a helpful taxi. I mentioned the Bendler Block, where Stauffenberg and other conspirators against Hitler were executed. I wanted to say a quick prayer for them, so he waited while I dashed in for just a moment. I saw a sign for a resistance museum and decided to go there the next day.
Afterward I stopped to have dinner at possibly the most inefficient restaurant I've ever patronized.(Fortunately I can't recall the name.) There were six guys in the kitchen, but they seemed to spend most of their time yelling at each other--or perhaps they were merely chatting at the tops of their voices. Waiting on customers didn't seem to be among their priorities.
I had a salad of tomatoes with red onion and (I think) basilikum. I'm not sure why anybody would eat basilikum because it's kind of bitter. I also had foccacia with cheese on top. Very tasty. And two little bottles of orange drink.
The nice thing about the lousy service is that I was able to sit for a long time, thus resting my legs.
That day was full of lessons. One was that I can't seem to do more than one thing a day. Then I'm really really tired--especially my legs--and I have to take taxis. Actually, two taxis, one going and one returning--at $20 a pop. Oh, well, that's what it takes for me. I just have to resign myself to the fact that I can't do all I'd like to do.
Jul 5th, 2016, 09:34 AM
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The next day I started out to visit "The Story of Berlin" museum--well, actually, the part that is the atomic bunker. I was right next door to it, but I wanted to have a cappucchino at this sidewalk café. I ordered my coffee and shortly thereafter a little old lady asked me if the other chair was occupied. It turned out that she spoke English as well as German--she was Swedish.
She was also very interesting to talk to, and darned if I didn't sit there for two or three more hours talking to her. She lives in Berlin and has done so for many years. I finally tore myself away and went to the bunker, which was oppressive and revealing. (The rest of the place wasn't up to much. I wouldn't recommend it.)
After hearing the measures that were taken to ensure that the people survived and the conditions under which they lived for the two weeks they would stay in the bunker, I began to wonder how well my neighbors thought out the backyard shelters they created. I decided that they probably wouldn't have survived a week. They didn't have air filtration systems or other survival strategies. When I got home, I asked the neighbor who now lives in one of the shelters. She says it's good for storing potatoes, carrots, onions, etc.
I walked back through the "Old-timers" car show again. I looked again at the blue 1960-62 Cadillac with the huge fins. I wonder why anyone would restore a car like that. Perhaps because it would be a really exotic specimen to Germans, as well as a pretty appalling example of consumer culture. In the States, gasoline cost 31 cents a gallon in 1970, but gasoline in Germany was much more expensive then. Americans who worked for the U.S. army in Germany received coupons for use at Esso gas stations that made gas even cheaper for us than it was in the States.
But I digress.
She was also very interesting to talk to, and darned if I didn't sit there for two or three more hours talking to her. She lives in Berlin and has done so for many years. I finally tore myself away and went to the bunker, which was oppressive and revealing. (The rest of the place wasn't up to much. I wouldn't recommend it.)
After hearing the measures that were taken to ensure that the people survived and the conditions under which they lived for the two weeks they would stay in the bunker, I began to wonder how well my neighbors thought out the backyard shelters they created. I decided that they probably wouldn't have survived a week. They didn't have air filtration systems or other survival strategies. When I got home, I asked the neighbor who now lives in one of the shelters. She says it's good for storing potatoes, carrots, onions, etc.
I walked back through the "Old-timers" car show again. I looked again at the blue 1960-62 Cadillac with the huge fins. I wonder why anyone would restore a car like that. Perhaps because it would be a really exotic specimen to Germans, as well as a pretty appalling example of consumer culture. In the States, gasoline cost 31 cents a gallon in 1970, but gasoline in Germany was much more expensive then. Americans who worked for the U.S. army in Germany received coupons for use at Esso gas stations that made gas even cheaper for us than it was in the States.
But I digress.
Jul 5th, 2016, 09:49 AM
#18
Digress away, Peg. you're not the only one who finds sight-seeing hard work. I only keep going with generous and frequent amounts of food and drink .
Nice that you got to talk to some locals - it's one of the advantages of solo travel I think, and much more difficult if you are a couple.
Nice that you got to talk to some locals - it's one of the advantages of solo travel I think, and much more difficult if you are a couple.
