Berlin, Prague, Budapest

As Moi and I traveled through eastern Europe, there was always the strong presence of the history of this region. Alongside beautiful Barroque churches are the pre-fabricated soviety housing projects and after years of oppression, first by the Nazi Germans and later by the Russian soviets and now by the falling euro,there is a strong sense of loss. And, interestingly, these countries are capitalizing on their tragic history by creating "terror tourism."  One can visit old nuclear bunkers, buy a gas mask souvenir or snap a photo of the old Nazi headquarters. While I was very interested to learn about the past in eastern Europe, it was strange for me to encounter the way in which tragic events formed the foundation for todays tourism. 

Some highlights from Berlin, Prague and Budapest:

• Visiting with friends who run a horseback camp for children, just outside of Budapest. The Gyori family were incredibly kind to Moi and I, inviting us to their horse ranch, including us in their dinners, helping to arrange housing for us in the city of Budapest. And (a surprise in eastern Europe), we were taught a country line dance! :)
• Renting a paddle boat in Prague and getting caught in a rainstorm on the Danube river.
• Exploring Tacheles, an abandoned house turned art cooperative, in Berlin. This huge apartment building was co-opted by local artists in the 90s and turned into a giant maze of graffiti, paintings on the walls, a sculpture garden, exhibit space and more... Although the bank has tried several times to reclaim their building, Tacheles has become an establishment in Berlin. Walking around Berlin, I was amazed by the amount of street art and graffiti on the walls of buildings, sidewalks and in public spaces. Knowing a little bit about the history of Berlin, this makes sense. Under Soviet occupation, Berlin was split into two parts--west Berlin (capitalistic, with ties to the US and western Europe) and east Berlin (communistic, with ties to the USSR). To prevent people leaving to the western societies, the soviets constructed a wall (overnight) around west Berlin, keeping the soviet citizens in the soviet side. Although people attempted to cross the wall, into the west (by jumping out of windows of houses or by climbing the wall) it was heavily guarded on the east. On the west, however, people were free to approach the wall and soon it was covered with graffiti, calling for a unification of the city and for freedoms. After the falling of the wall in 1989, artists were invited to create messages of peace and unity on the remaining fragments, which stand today as a monument to this time period. So, its no wonder that street art and self expression through public artwork are embraced in Berlin--in the street and Tacheles. Check out the wikipedia article on Tacheles: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunsthaus_Tacheles
• Discovering underground tunnels, in the mountain near Budapest, with a hospital built into a cavern. Now the hospital is a museum with the creepiest wax figurines. :)