Friday, May 22
One more thing about Hamburg - I didn't even know Kathy then, other than I had seen her in a couple of the preparatory meetings we'd been to in Portland before we left. Funny how things go.
Yesterday I went behind the Iron Curtain, or what used to be the Iron Curtain before Germany was reunited and the rest of Eastern Europe was freed from communism. I traveled to Rostock, which is in what used to be East Germany - the DDR. I didn't really know what to expect going back to a formerly communist country. But - it has been, what, 18 years since the Berlin Wall came down and the countries were freed from the communist dictatorship.
Is there much difference between a west German city and an east German one? Not very much, from what I can see here in Rostock! The old East German cars that sounded like big sewing machines when they drove down the street are long gone, replaced by Audis, BMWs, VWs, with some Volvos, SEATs (from Spain, Sonya and Kristina), Citroens and a few Fords and Chevs mixed in - just like in the west! There is more of a mixture of both brand new stuff and poorly maintained stuff in the East. The Commies let a lot deteriorate - and the people were too poor to maintain their property - and it either stays that way or a lot of money from the west has been poured in to fix things up. All the usual western retailers are in the best places in town for shopping. They have made sure of that. The chain stores all over the world have the money to drive out the locals.
Otherwise, what is new? Well, I couldn't find a place to stay here in Rostock - I searched the internet for hours, sent emails, etc., etc. So I arrived without any reservations and asked at the tourist office. They sent me to a place that rents private rooms. It is a place owned by an older lady and she rents a couple of her rooms out to travelers. It only costs 20 Euros and she is very nice. The room is huge - in a late 19th century old home and is quite comfortable. She has all her belongings all over and is, of course, very trusting of everyone. She was telling me she is 80 and has lived through World War II and through communism. The house next to hers was hit by a bomb in WWII and her brother died in a U-boat (submarine) in the war. Communism wasn't as repressive in Rostock as in Berlin. Quite interesting.
I traveled to Warnemunde today, a little town on the Baltic Sea (or the East Sea, as they call it here). There is a nice beach (but way too cold to go swimming) there and a little seaport town, where ships come into the harbor to unload freight or to unload sightseers from the cruise ships. Some of the ships are huge ferries that carry big trucks and cars and let the occupants stay overnight, like a big traveling hotel. Just beyond the horizon lies Denmark, home of our ancestors!
Well, I guess that is about all for now. It starts to get pretty lonely being alone like this without anyone to talk to or share things with. That is the BIG trouble with traveling like this - no one to share things with! So, I'll be calling soon. I'm off to another one of those places tomorrow that keeps changing nationalities over the years - this one from Germany to Poland and back and again. It is a historic place that used to be called Stettin, but now that it is part of Poland, just over the border, it is called Szcezcin. Try saying that one three times fast! It was made part of Poland after WWII to 'punish' Germany and I've read that people mostly speak both Polish and German. We shall see.
A couple of other observations: if I haven't said it yet, graffiti covers every square meter of blank space alongside the railroads and in train stations and on all the buildings even close to the rail lines. It is often around town, too. It is pretty ugly and disgusting. But, society seems to have given in to it and there it stays! Too bad. Also, every here and there from the train you see these 'managed' forests, where the trees are all harvested and then replanted in rows, ready to be harvested in another 30 or 40 years. Kind of takes away from the natural look to them, but there are plenty of other natural forests, too.
Saturday 5-23-08
I took a little side trip to a town called Schwerin yesterday, another small city much like Rostock, but less touristy. I ran into a couple of missionaries on the street there. When I asked them where they were from, one said Italy and the other said Indiana. They said the work was going so-so and they basically have one person they are teaching who is coming to church. I've heard from every missionary I've ever known who has gone to Germany that the Germans just aren't interested much in the Church. Basically, they aren't interested in religion at all these days. Churches are more museums than places of worship. I did get to see a wedding in the big cathedral in Schwerin, though. Tourists just sort of wandered around while the ceremony was being performed, even while the pastor was saying a prayer. But I got to hear the big organ being played, so that was pretty cool.
There is also a big castle there on its own little island on a big lake at the edge of town. It is huge and elaborate, but not very old by the standards of most real castles. It was built in the 1840s. I peeked inside, but decided I can't really afford to pay to go into many places to be able to afford this trip (I've still only eaten in a restaurant one time so far, so I've been saving money, making the whole thing possible).
I am in the train now to Szcezcin, passing a lot of little dorfs along the way (we stop at each one on this trip - the slow train). Each one seems to have a lot of old buildings that are unused and have fallen into disrepair, the result of modernization in the world and especially in the former Communist countries, where things deteriorated so much over the years. The train yards are especially empty and unused. This is a cute little train with only two cars. The conductor lady even gives us a guided tour along the way, telling us about the history and origin of the name of each little place we come to. So that makes it interesting. It has been an interesting trip for a couple of other reasons. There is an older couple up ahead who have been smooching away and a lady was arguing with the conductor about her ticket. The conductor also stated yelling that someone had left the on-board restroom in a mess and asked who was responsible. Otherwise, a smooth trip so far!
Sunday May 25, 2008
Sczeczin used to be part of Germany but is now in Poland. It is funny that there was no evidence of a border crossing and no customs to go through - all with the countries being part of the European Union now. Talk about culture shock - arriving at the station and everything is in Polish! Impossible to understand!
There are lots of kinds of cars here - from Japan and Russia and all over. There seem to be a lot of Fords. A lot of the words just seem to add a "y" to the end, like laptopy and computery. This country is definitely poorer and less well cared for than anything I've seen in Germany. Much more run-down and less commercialized. I know Poland is a much poorer country. You can sure see it. My hotel, though, is the fanciest by far I have stayed at - a real hotel - but on the edge of town for car travelers. I looked and looked on the internet for one but there are almost no hotels here, other than a couple of fancy ones. It's not a big tourist or business place so I had to take whatever hotel I could find. It's a half-hour bus ride from town plus a 15-minute walk, but is in a green area and has a nice view over the Oder River valley.
But, I have to tell you about my new friend Andre Niewada who took me in his car from the train station to my hotel! When I arrived, I had no idea what to do or where to go. And no ones seems to speak German. That probably died out with newer generations. So I asked a lady at a magazine counter if she spoke German. She just shook her head, but a guy - about 60-something - standing there said he knew a little. He spoke it quite well and we were able to communicate pretty well - me with my American accent and him with his Polish one! He actually thought I was German at first, after I told him I had just come from Rostock and lived in Berlin years ago. Anyway, we had a great conversation about the town, how a big car factory that had been around for nearly 100 years had recently closed down, putting a lot of people out of work, etc. He said I was lucky and actually took me in his car to the bus stop I needed to get to my hotel. I agreed!!! When he realized just where it was, he said, "You are double lucky" and drove me there, since it was an area where he took his family now and then to get out of the city. We kept talking about a lot of things and I was surprised how good a conversation I could carry on in German. We got there and I wanted to pay him for the gas and he said no, but that I was triple lucky and handed me a little bag with good Polish pastries in it. That was my dinner. We exchanged addresses and I'm for sure going to write him.
Well, I didn't go to church today - I didn't even try because I didn't think I'd get much out of a meeting in Polish. But, I did go into a church (in fact, two). Does that count? There is a nice big park and cathedral here, too. Like I say, it is getting pretty lonely. I can't even understand the TV, since it is in Polish. But there are a couple of channels in German and even CNN, European version, in English. But meeting people like Andre and seeing things that seem to be out of time, make it a tremendous experience. Especially interesting are the cathedrals, some of which were built 1,000 years ago!
One more thing about Hamburg - I didn't even know Kathy then, other than I had seen her in a couple of the preparatory meetings we'd been to in Portland before we left. Funny how things go.
Yesterday I went behind the Iron Curtain, or what used to be the Iron Curtain before Germany was reunited and the rest of Eastern Europe was freed from communism. I traveled to Rostock, which is in what used to be East Germany - the DDR. I didn't really know what to expect going back to a formerly communist country. But - it has been, what, 18 years since the Berlin Wall came down and the countries were freed from the communist dictatorship.
Is there much difference between a west German city and an east German one? Not very much, from what I can see here in Rostock! The old East German cars that sounded like big sewing machines when they drove down the street are long gone, replaced by Audis, BMWs, VWs, with some Volvos, SEATs (from Spain, Sonya and Kristina), Citroens and a few Fords and Chevs mixed in - just like in the west! There is more of a mixture of both brand new stuff and poorly maintained stuff in the East. The Commies let a lot deteriorate - and the people were too poor to maintain their property - and it either stays that way or a lot of money from the west has been poured in to fix things up. All the usual western retailers are in the best places in town for shopping. They have made sure of that. The chain stores all over the world have the money to drive out the locals.
Otherwise, what is new? Well, I couldn't find a place to stay here in Rostock - I searched the internet for hours, sent emails, etc., etc. So I arrived without any reservations and asked at the tourist office. They sent me to a place that rents private rooms. It is a place owned by an older lady and she rents a couple of her rooms out to travelers. It only costs 20 Euros and she is very nice. The room is huge - in a late 19th century old home and is quite comfortable. She has all her belongings all over and is, of course, very trusting of everyone. She was telling me she is 80 and has lived through World War II and through communism. The house next to hers was hit by a bomb in WWII and her brother died in a U-boat (submarine) in the war. Communism wasn't as repressive in Rostock as in Berlin. Quite interesting.
I traveled to Warnemunde today, a little town on the Baltic Sea (or the East Sea, as they call it here). There is a nice beach (but way too cold to go swimming) there and a little seaport town, where ships come into the harbor to unload freight or to unload sightseers from the cruise ships. Some of the ships are huge ferries that carry big trucks and cars and let the occupants stay overnight, like a big traveling hotel. Just beyond the horizon lies Denmark, home of our ancestors!
Well, I guess that is about all for now. It starts to get pretty lonely being alone like this without anyone to talk to or share things with. That is the BIG trouble with traveling like this - no one to share things with! So, I'll be calling soon. I'm off to another one of those places tomorrow that keeps changing nationalities over the years - this one from Germany to Poland and back and again. It is a historic place that used to be called Stettin, but now that it is part of Poland, just over the border, it is called Szcezcin. Try saying that one three times fast! It was made part of Poland after WWII to 'punish' Germany and I've read that people mostly speak both Polish and German. We shall see.
A couple of other observations: if I haven't said it yet, graffiti covers every square meter of blank space alongside the railroads and in train stations and on all the buildings even close to the rail lines. It is often around town, too. It is pretty ugly and disgusting. But, society seems to have given in to it and there it stays! Too bad. Also, every here and there from the train you see these 'managed' forests, where the trees are all harvested and then replanted in rows, ready to be harvested in another 30 or 40 years. Kind of takes away from the natural look to them, but there are plenty of other natural forests, too.
Saturday 5-23-08
I took a little side trip to a town called Schwerin yesterday, another small city much like Rostock, but less touristy. I ran into a couple of missionaries on the street there. When I asked them where they were from, one said Italy and the other said Indiana. They said the work was going so-so and they basically have one person they are teaching who is coming to church. I've heard from every missionary I've ever known who has gone to Germany that the Germans just aren't interested much in the Church. Basically, they aren't interested in religion at all these days. Churches are more museums than places of worship. I did get to see a wedding in the big cathedral in Schwerin, though. Tourists just sort of wandered around while the ceremony was being performed, even while the pastor was saying a prayer. But I got to hear the big organ being played, so that was pretty cool.
There is also a big castle there on its own little island on a big lake at the edge of town. It is huge and elaborate, but not very old by the standards of most real castles. It was built in the 1840s. I peeked inside, but decided I can't really afford to pay to go into many places to be able to afford this trip (I've still only eaten in a restaurant one time so far, so I've been saving money, making the whole thing possible).
I am in the train now to Szcezcin, passing a lot of little dorfs along the way (we stop at each one on this trip - the slow train). Each one seems to have a lot of old buildings that are unused and have fallen into disrepair, the result of modernization in the world and especially in the former Communist countries, where things deteriorated so much over the years. The train yards are especially empty and unused. This is a cute little train with only two cars. The conductor lady even gives us a guided tour along the way, telling us about the history and origin of the name of each little place we come to. So that makes it interesting. It has been an interesting trip for a couple of other reasons. There is an older couple up ahead who have been smooching away and a lady was arguing with the conductor about her ticket. The conductor also stated yelling that someone had left the on-board restroom in a mess and asked who was responsible. Otherwise, a smooth trip so far!
Sunday May 25, 2008
Sczeczin used to be part of Germany but is now in Poland. It is funny that there was no evidence of a border crossing and no customs to go through - all with the countries being part of the European Union now. Talk about culture shock - arriving at the station and everything is in Polish! Impossible to understand!
There are lots of kinds of cars here - from Japan and Russia and all over. There seem to be a lot of Fords. A lot of the words just seem to add a "y" to the end, like laptopy and computery. This country is definitely poorer and less well cared for than anything I've seen in Germany. Much more run-down and less commercialized. I know Poland is a much poorer country. You can sure see it. My hotel, though, is the fanciest by far I have stayed at - a real hotel - but on the edge of town for car travelers. I looked and looked on the internet for one but there are almost no hotels here, other than a couple of fancy ones. It's not a big tourist or business place so I had to take whatever hotel I could find. It's a half-hour bus ride from town plus a 15-minute walk, but is in a green area and has a nice view over the Oder River valley.
But, I have to tell you about my new friend Andre Niewada who took me in his car from the train station to my hotel! When I arrived, I had no idea what to do or where to go. And no ones seems to speak German. That probably died out with newer generations. So I asked a lady at a magazine counter if she spoke German. She just shook her head, but a guy - about 60-something - standing there said he knew a little. He spoke it quite well and we were able to communicate pretty well - me with my American accent and him with his Polish one! He actually thought I was German at first, after I told him I had just come from Rostock and lived in Berlin years ago. Anyway, we had a great conversation about the town, how a big car factory that had been around for nearly 100 years had recently closed down, putting a lot of people out of work, etc. He said I was lucky and actually took me in his car to the bus stop I needed to get to my hotel. I agreed!!! When he realized just where it was, he said, "You are double lucky" and drove me there, since it was an area where he took his family now and then to get out of the city. We kept talking about a lot of things and I was surprised how good a conversation I could carry on in German. We got there and I wanted to pay him for the gas and he said no, but that I was triple lucky and handed me a little bag with good Polish pastries in it. That was my dinner. We exchanged addresses and I'm for sure going to write him.
Well, I didn't go to church today - I didn't even try because I didn't think I'd get much out of a meeting in Polish. But, I did go into a church (in fact, two). Does that count? There is a nice big park and cathedral here, too. Like I say, it is getting pretty lonely. I can't even understand the TV, since it is in Polish. But there are a couple of channels in German and even CNN, European version, in English. But meeting people like Andre and seeing things that seem to be out of time, make it a tremendous experience. Especially interesting are the cathedrals, some of which were built 1,000 years ago!
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