With that being said, we'll try to put ourselves back in the mind frame of the travelers we once we and tell you about the two weeks we spend in Berlin, Amsterdam and Paris at the beginning of August.
First stop:
BERLIN
We ended our Ghana blog rather abruptly with Emily sick as a dog from some unknown ailment. So our first few days in Berlin (after a harrowing journey from Kumasi, to Accra, to Frankfurt and finally to Berlin) were spent trying to find out what was wrong with her? Did she have malaria, influenza, bacterial infection or even the sssswwwwwiiinnneee flu??? turns out it was influenza, however, there is still a possibility that she had malaria too. I guess we'll never know for sure.
By the time we got to Berlin, Emily was starting to feel a bit better and we found a great apartment for her to stay in. This is an apartment that we found on craigslist and paid only 40 Euro a night for.
The reason we came to Berlin in the first place was to hang out with Mark, one of our groomsman. Mark was in Berlin for three weeks to finish his Masters in Fine Arts.
Berlin architecture, most of Berlin was bombed during the second world war and most of the older buildings don't exist anymore, which has made room for lots of modern architecture
Checkpoint Charlie. This replica border crossing between what was once East and West Germany was the forefront of the cold war. Probably the only place where American and Russian soldiers stood off face to face.
Brandenburg Gate
Victory Column, relocated to this part of the city by Hitler, although was built before either the first or second world war, it is still considered to be a nazi symbol
Reichstag. House of the current German Parliament
Berlin Cathedral
Berlin TV tower juxtaposed with a church spire
residential district in berlin, close to mark's school and our apartment
cool paint job
East side gallery, largest outdoor gallery in the world. Painted on one of the last remaining stretches of the berlin wall. This is the Kiss of Death between Brezhnev and Honecker
I love this piece on the east side gallery. Showing the peaceful animals in harmony with nature looking out on us humans and the structures we build to separate us.
Berlin wall, left side of the picture would've been east germany, right side, west germany
Cool old bridge that has been modified to take trains
This guy doesn't speak a word of english, i hardly spoke a word of german. It's odd that europe is the one place around the world that we really struggled with the language barrier. However, i still managed to communicate enough to him to get him to hem my pants.
??? I dunno, i just like the way he displayed his threads
Em and I on our Balcony
U-bahn. One of the most extensive commuter train networks in the world. I have a love for mass transit systems.
Em, making her first social appearance after two weeks of sickness
The night of Mark's art opening in Berlin for his graduation show. This was Emily's first big excursion in Berlin and on her road to recovery she jumped right back in with TWO glasses of wine. Ok, ok.. despite the free booze she was just drinking water.
Part of mark's display. Super inspiring
Yes, Yes, Yes!!! I think this was mark's art contribution for Emily and me
Another project on display that night. We liked it cause this is the exact computer we've been dragging around the world with us.
Berlin and Germany are still synonymous with one thing, the holocaust, so it makes sense that they have one of the best and moving tributes to the people displaced or killed during that time.
The architect of the new portion of the museum did an amazing job of creating a building that really plays on the emotions of people inside. The floors and walls we're all on odd angles and there was general confusion on which direction you were supposed to go, also there were many dead ends with nothing but vacant hollow concrete rooms. All of which led us to have feel in a small way what it would be like to have no control over where or what the Nazis did to you.
Emily looking and feeling much better back in our sub-leted apartment
Our last night in Berlin with Mark and co.
Mark attempting to be inconspicuous in his 'where's waldo' inspired attire
Em, Mark, Miranda and another guy from their class. We couldn't find a place to go that night so we took a page from the hobos of berlin and partied it up on a street corner.
View from the train, German's like green power.
7 hours later we were in....
AMSTERDAM
Back in 2005 I met a couple of nice dutchies in Brazil. I thought we look them up in case they were in town, turns out that both Dasiy and Dewi were living in Amsterdam. Here we our during our last night in Amsterdam when we all went out to for a meal. (Daisy on the left, Dewi on the right). We had a great time in Amsterdam and it was all thanks to them for showing us around and giving us great tips on things to do while we were there.
Just a couple of hours after we arrived in Amsterdam, Daisy invited us out to the Amsterdam Parade. Unlike our parades, this one was stationary....crazy dutchies???
Daisy, her friend Laerke (who was very impressed with our trip around the globe) and me.
Silent Disco, you get put into a cage and listen to the music through the headphones. Everyone inside the cage is going crazy to the music, the people outside can't hear a thing and just see a bunch of freaks inside a cage dancing to non-existent music. but because their so liberal, they wouldn't dare make fun of you for looking ridiculous.
where's the music???? just in our heads.
enjoying a post dance drink on a richshaw
This African 'Coffee Shop' has the flag of Ghana for a logo. We had some left over Ghanian currency that no one would exchange for us. Even though the guy working there left Ghana over 19 years ago he was still happy to exchange our money....which amounted to about 50 Euro. Showing that it never hurts to ask, and that Ghanians the world over are nice people!
These People are on a boat, we were super jealous
Approaching the seedier part of Amsterdam
I highly doubt that dutch people ever go here. I think it's just for tourists.
Some of the older buildings in Amsterdam. Some are eschew as their foundations are crumpling from beneath them.
Inside the red light district. Lurking behind the curtains are the ladies of the night.
mini cars. so mini that it's locked with a chain to the adjacent poll
In Amsterdam, it's all about the bikes!
Em in our apartment that we rented for the 4 days that we were in Amsterdam
Amsterdam by night
Next day at the largest open air market in Amsterdam
Other people have my name too, whodathunkit?
One latte per day, our one and only splurge in europe
Outside the Van Gogh museum, don't ask me why Emily is making this face, she's actually kinda crazy
Old warehouses that have been gentrified into very expensive apartments.
Anne Frank's house, if you haven't read her diary yet, you probably should get to work on it.
Quote inside Anne Franks house, we were on robben island just a few months before. small world
Swans or geese???
latte time again
thinkin' about stuff i guess
Windmill, just to prove we were actually in holland.
On our last day in Amsterdam, Daisy arranged a surprise for us. A private tour of the canals of Amsterdam on her friends Tomek's boat which was captained by Roel. It was such a great way to see Amsterdam, thanks so much to Daisy, Tomek and Roel. You three are the best!
Many decrepit old boats on the water
Quintessential dutch experience in the form of a boat
now looks who's on a boat. Yeah, that's right, I'm on a boat
Em and Roel
Tomek and I ducking under a very low bridge.
Tomek and Roel after dropping us off on shore. Gotta love the dutch flag on the back of the boat.
Final morning in Amsterdam
At the train station off to our next destination.....
PARIS
Hotel de Ville
Inside Saint-Vincent-de-Paul church
We spent most of our time in paris along the right bank of the siene for Paris Plages, which translates to Paris Beachs. Which is an entirely free event that the city puts on for the entire month of August which turns the entire right bank into a play ground for all ages. It's one of those times when you ask yourself: why isn't my city this cool...or, why do I not live in Paris? As you can tell from the following 15 pictures, we were clearly enamored with it.
Later on in the evening at Paris Plages we found a free party a little further down the right bank where we danced the night away with our new friends Lily and Kris
Right, back to sight seeing now: the Notre Dame
Street view from our apartment
Inside the room we sub-leted for our 5 days in Paris
The kitchen in our apartment
One day we came home during the afternoon and Hugo, our roommate, was doing some makeshift renovations. Who says you need to move the couches out of the room when painting the floor???
ooooooh Champs-Elysees, do doo dooooooo do do
Arc de Triomphe
Other tourists, this is pretty much what we looked like for the past year.
Champs-Elysees from the other side
Paris Metro. also cool, but much more decrepit than Berlin's U-Bahn
lattes...mmmh
Montemarte
Le Sacre Coeur
Mr Eiffel's crowning achievement
the view from the Eiffel Tower
All that glitz
Les Invalides, where bonaparte is buried
Sippin' coffee at one of my favourite author's old haunt...henry miller
Also inside that same cafe
Streets around St. Germain de Pres, close to where we stayed
Outside Parthenon in Paris, home to Victor Hugo's body among other famous frenchies too
Rental Sail boats for kids in the jardin de luxembourg
em at the jardin de luxembourg
Back in our room
Reading a rather appropriate book for our trip, although it took us 365 days
Em modeling one of her three new dresses
Our apartment was under construction so we couldn't cook at home that night, oh well.
Sunset over the Seine
Every night, people were having a picnic on this pedestrian bridge, we couldn't resist one either
One of the most spectacular collections of the world's treasures.
The one piece of art that requires no introduction. To be honest I wasn't totally impressed, however, I was more interested in the appeal that the world has for this painting. It is not often that you get to see what is likely the most highly regarded piece of art on the planet.
We weren't the only ones there to have a look at Mona
Venus de Milo...made famous by Homer's inappropriate love for candy.
Emily enjoying art in the louvre
After tripping around the world, our favourite exhibit was the treasures from the indigenous communities from around the world. It was so great to see items from all over the world in one place.British Columbia's contribution to the Louvre
From Easter Island
I think Tim Burton has recently been to this exhibit because i suspect that this bust was the inspiration for his latest animation named '9'
This is Tim Burton's character from the movie '9'....whatya think? similar?
The contemporary art gallery in paris. We didn't go in, but i just loved the building, All the mechanical and electrical components of the building are displayed on the outside, rather being hidden between floors on the inside the building away from the tenants view because they're considered to be unsightly. I guess cause i'm an engineer i can appreciate the beauty of a working building. Although I'm sure the architect was likely trying to play on a reversal of assumptions about beauty.
One of the many public spaces in paris
Green, living walls
The park outside of Victor Hugo's home, also one of my favourite authors.
And then a few minutes later....
The home of Victor Hugo
The Bastille
Outside of the Hotel de Ville at night, enjoying a free concert. Free is good
Further down the road, Hotel Du Louvre
Our last day in Paris was spent searching through antique markets, most of the items were too expensive but we did find one little gem....
.....these old binoculars
We heart Paris too, just not enough to buy a cliche t-shirt.
Cafe's in Paris, we got bored of site seeing after a few days, but i don't think we could ever tire of the cafes.
That's it for Paris, Amsterdam and Berlin, which proved to be one of the best portions of our trip. After we left Paris, we flew to Scotland and England for the last month of our trip, which means we have one more blog to go to complete our trip around the globe.
Love, Emily & Chris
Love, Emily & Chris
