one might think that i have been in germany all this time,
but i have not.
the trip was a burst of freedom from routine and resposibility, nonchalant galavanting and aimless wandering through the streets of a fascinating city. there was miscommunication in excess and not nearly enough of my brother because of his long work days. just to spend a bit of time with him was a blessing still. it's a wonder how i ever thought i hated my brother way back in the day.
here is a peak into my excursion through photos and excerpts from my travel log.
03/05/06 19.06h
"when fliying i never feel quite real. the houses become far too small, the street lamps become stars, and one can see the sun set that has already set. pg 6 of high fidelity and double mint gum."
03/06/06 14.40h
"realism has continued to fade as the illusion of time dissipates. i caught up to the sunrise much quicker then expected and lost my chance to sleep at night. my nose ran all over the plane on the 8 hour flight to amsterdam..."
03/06/06 16.30h
"arrive berlin. the first to welcome me was a little red fox when the plane landed. window seat, yeah. the second was the un-arrival of my suitcase. it is still in minneapolis. i told you so, mom!"
03/07/06 13.51h
"...turkish market on maybauch strauss. fresh produce, lots of fabric, dried fruit + nuts, and random mass produced clothing products. odd.
"...i did however find what cam refers to as 'crack chicken.' not quite as good as he made it out, but a decent lunch none the less."
03/09/06 15.52 h.
"today it is snowing in berlin. although the snow is simply beautiful, my morale has taken a tumble for other reasons. to satisfy a growling belly i tucked into a cute crepe shop. after a delicious cherry crepe, darjeeling tea, and german tin tin comic, i stupidly trundled off without paying. i was chased out to my own embarrassment, by a girl making obnoxious hand motions and yelling in broken english. it should have been easy to brush off and chuckle about, but the glaring eyes have made my mood plummet and the grey clouds look a bit more sinister.
"...the berlin dome was spectacular, although part of me wishes i had some religion to make the visit a bit deeper. the other part can't help but think religion is so gaudy, excuse the pun."
03/11/06 1.17 h.
"early morning berlin. sleep calls but i met gin and tonic tonight. they both wound me up and i won't sleep for hours. the liars were wild and an incredibly tight show, despite our late arrival and being buried at the back of 'white trash fast food. these guys were a raucous noise rock trio with an amazing wet suit clad drummer. i loved it. white trash was crazy; upstairs a maze of stairs and levels, and downstairs a sinister cave, complete with artificial rock walls and ceilings and a dramatic red velvet drape to envelope the band.
"... i lost my coat check ticket in typical julia style, so i'll go back tomorrow and pick it up when there isn't such a huge crowd...
"... cameron's drink of choice (g+t) and cigarettes (french style) over fajitas (the best i've ever had) warmed my coatless shoulders."
03/11/06 19.30 h.
"fuck. my coat isn't there. how freaking typical! the last trip it was my holga! i'm such a flake."
03/14/06 12.00 h.
"there has been coat shopping and exploring galore. i found a neighborhood with the most incredible graffiti. i've seen the golden penis horse twice now. i can't believe i'm leaving so soon.
"... man. i loved that coat."
much has been going on since berlin, as well. i will fill you in soon!
j.
