These photos are not allowed ...

A shameful prohibition of photos in the "restored" Tränenpalast, the infamous border-crossing at Friedrichstraße Station in Berlin, where the control procedures were everything from intimidating to demeaning and inhuman and "no photos" allowed, was something I would never have thought possible. So before the guard told me "photos forbidden", I had already photographed the old GDR sign "photos forbidden", the row of control cabins, one of which you were closed off in alone to be able to enter or depart the GDR, and the interior of one of them.

The explanation given, upon my complaint up front, was "copyright issues". Now, I'm asking who claims a copyright to GDR signs and control cabins? The personal mementos in showcases elsewhere were of no interest to me anyway, neither to look at nor to photograph; I only wanted to see that horror site without the horror guards who were once there. They have unfortunately been reincarnated under other auspices.

Shame on the organizers!

Strolling through the neighborhood

F.ully D.um P.arty † Sept. 18, 2011

Without sorrow and with much relief I am pleased to announce the death yesterday of the F.ully D.um P.arty in Berlin. With election results at a level between the "animal protection party" and the neo-nazi proto-party (which also fortunately sank since the last election here), these neo-liberal worshippers of deregulated markets and lower taxes for the wealthy have disappeared from ALL parliaments in Berlin, i.e. from the city-state parliament (Abgeordnetenhaus) and from ALL twelve of the district assemblies (Bezirksverordnetenversammlungen). They garnered a mere 1.8% of the votes in the state and district elections here yesterday.
An added benefit to the city and its districts is that all of those self-serving free-marketeers will now have to find a job on the free market themselves. Until now they have been able to play well-to-do yuppies with party jobs, parliamentarian assistants, party work-groups etc. And jobs in the party organization will also be greatly reduced, as the F.ull D.ummies P.rotectorate will have very little money in the coming years; party financing here depends largely on the number of votes in the last election, so they will be nearly bankrupt. I look forward to those yuppies veering into Arbeitslosengeld II (unemployment welfare), being tossed from one unpaid trial job to another, and having to accept wages far below anything reasonable because THEY so long opposed any minimum wage in this country. Yes, the organization's and the individuals' bankrupcies are looming near. And, to borrow one of their latest populist slogans and apply it to them:

KEIN RETTUNGSSCHIRM FÜR DIE FDP!

NO EMERGENCY PARACHUTE FOR THE FDP!

Now, with one of the two components of the Tigerente rotting, Angie Buttons should finally call for a mercy killing of her ill-fated and embarrassing coalition and have the Federal Parliament (Bundestag) vote no confidence and call for new elections.

I hope soon here to be able to write the obituary of the Tigerentenkoalition.

I'm coming home soon!

(Thanks to my dear friend Nancy for the reminder of this title from the Broadway musical "The Wiz")

And this one I remembered myself: 

50th Anniversary of an Infamous Structure

The Berlin Wall was begun 50 years ago today, dividing families, friends, lovers, for "economic" reasons. This cynical action, which quickly became deadly brutal as many died trying to cross the Wall, was finally overcome on November 9, 1989. Without the fall of the Wall, I could not lead my life where I do today, with my husband in Weißensee.

Never forget! The Berlin Wall was an example of man's inhumanity to man.

Wherever I May Be, You May Be, Anyone May Be ....

... August 13, 2011, is a date none of us should ever forget. Fifty years ago this horror was erected; its destruction was necessary for me to find the love of my life and for millions to enjoy release from repression and acquisition of basic human rights.
Take a moment to look at this incredible collection of images of the Wall, 99+1, horrifying. Never forget that day of infamy, that Wall of cruelty, the privilege of living free!

Mini-Golf in the Big City

The mobile phone pix may not be so great, but Petra's idea of taking us to play mini-golf Saturday a week ago was a super great idea.
Who cares if I came in last, cause I don't think I've ever won at putt-putt, not even as a kid back at White Lake.
The idea was to spend time while home from treatment with friends doing something enjoyable together.
And afterwards we went out to eat dinner, pigged out completely, and were then driven back home after a perfect outing.

Spaceship Orion Has Landed ...

... or something like that, though it is called The Humboldt Box, whatever reference to a shoe box or packing crate that may call to mind being quite adequate. It's raison d'être was to provide an elevated platform from which to view reconstruction of the Berliner Schloß where there is now a grassy area after demolition of the Palast der Republik and archeological excavations where the remainder of the original Palace stood.
The only problem: Construction will not begin until 2013, so now we are "privileged" to have this strange "temporary landmark" object obscuring all perspectives from and down Unter den Linden and marring the view across to other real buildings temporarily possible after the clearing of the site. Also, there are inside very few spots from which one will later be able to view the construction work, as, of the upper floor terraces, only one looks in that direction, and both are full of tables and chairs for the "exclusive café" with overpriced items on the menu. Pay for a coffee to sit there and hope others don't just try to see the view between you and the rail, which is their perfect right, as you must also pay admission to enter the whole curious object.
The exhibition pieces to "introduce" the museal usage of the reconstructed palace are arbitrary and lost in the cold steel and concrete atmosphere. The "Humboldt Lounge" on the northern end of the third floor provides one escape from the obvious commercial aim of the entire structure, as there it is possible to sit on an upholstered bench at a huge window overlooking the Lustgarten with the museums and cathedral flanking it. There are even books from a library you can browse in. That, at least, is good for a refuge from unpleasant weather, as was the case today.
One can only hope the Berlin Palace will be more quickly completed than planned so that this bizarre spaceship can liftoff from its launching pad and never be seen again.
The operators tout it as a new "event location", the 4th floor barren for that purpose (and you can also have the café and terraces for your private pleasures as well), but evidently only for German speaking "events" (aber kein Ereignis!), as their website knows no other language whatsoever.
At least I made a few photos there and could spend some time where it's warm to write a while on such a chilly rainy day at the end of June during my time out of the hospital between chemo and marrow transplant.
And by the way, as an "Opening Special" (Neudeutsch) Eintritt (Altdeutsch, translation: admission) is only 2 euros through August 15.
Here is the webcam image of the spaceship on its scarred-earth site, though it doesn't seem to update on its own...

... and here are some photos I took from there this early afternoon:

Great to have a niece drop in...

We had a really nice visit with Jenn, who managed to fly over from London for my first weekend back home after the last hospital stay. It's so much better to really be face to face, smile to smile with our wonderful niece and to enjoy Hard Rock, the Gay Pride Festival, and a museum visit with her here in our great hometown of Berlin! Detlef and I both are so grateful for the love our families bring to us in our great love!

Home from the Second Round

Life is so wonderful when you can weather the storm of a heavy duty consolidation chemo against AML and get back home again with counts sufficient to provide you protection against infection.
I feel well, my counts are continuing to climb, and I am grateful...
... grateful to the nurses and staff of Station 51A (and B and 52) of Charité's Virchow Klinikum for their tireless support,
... grateful to the doctors of the oncology/hematology team there, Dr. Flörcken, Dr. Kuhnitz, Dr. Kreher, Dr. Westermann, Dr. Müller, et al. for their unceasing efforts to carry me through it all,
... to all my friends and family here who visited and called, to all my friends and family in the states who face-booked me words of encouragement,
... to Claudia & Alma for hosting Koko while I'm at home, so I can see him even if I can't be around him,
... to my dear sister, Terri, who stands ready to provide me with the stem cells that are a genetic match and which I need for the marrow transplant next month,
... to Detlef for always being there for me with his limitless love.

And, yes, I am even grateful to myself for mustering the strength that is rewarded by my home right here so full of love!

A Weekend to Enjoy

Before the bulldozer of treatment plows back into our lives beginning Monday, we are just going to enjoy every second of this wonderful weekend together! It was ushered in, so to say, by a fine visit from my sister and bone marrow donor, who flew back out yesterday. How great to spend time together while I'm out of the hospital and feeling good!
The same applies to this weekend with my cherished husband Detlef. Hard Rock is on the agenda, maybe with a couple of friends joining us there if they get their act together, while another two are coming with breakfast tomorrow morning.
Otherwise, we want to be just with ourselves, loving and calm, strong and determined, with the greatest of will for me to move another step towards ultimate victory over this AML.

VE Day / Liberation of Europe, May 8, 1945

With the capitulation of the German Reich to the Soviet Army in Karlshorst in Berlin, Victory in Europe over the Axis was finally secured on May 8, 1945, 66 years ago today.

Easter Sunday on the Way to Recovery

What a gift this weather is, in addition to the absolute joy of having these few weeks out between chemo treatments, transplant, etc., to be able to walk around the most beautiful parts of our wonderful city of Berlin! Detlef & I together, just relishing every second we have, basking in love and life, determined to go on and on and on and on and on and on and .....

A Lunchtime Stroll

The 200 bus from our house to Museum Island, and then follow the river/canal bank right along to Am Köllnischen Park, where we had lunch, and then back again.... All that you can do when you're on the path to complete cure!
This is OUR city!

From 2011-04--05

Home is Glorious!

With counts that allow it, we're building up for the next rounds in the battle to full victory over leukemia!

Just so you don't believe there's not any more ...

... SNOW in Berlin, here's a slide show beginning December 1 with the last mobile shot taken this morning on the way to an appointment.

This Snowman is living and working in Berlin these days!

not only in the mountains, my friends, but also in the city of Berlin

The World Has Become Snow

A week ago today it started snowing, and now it shows no sign of stopping ever again!

Here we go again ...

It snowed a lot last night, the tram was already late and slow, and the S-Bahn, the by now nearly eternal problem child of Berlin mass transit managed to do a great DISSERVICE to all commuters. Only because I go the other way around on the ring than recommended could I get in the train at all, and that was the last station that everyone waiting managed to board. Two stations later, no one else could fit into the train and there must have been a 5-6 person deep mob lining the entire edge of the platform - a wonder no one fell in the gap. It took me 65 minutes in the S-Bahn for a stretch that normally takes 20-25 minutes. But then I'm an early bird and still managed to arrive on time. (Normally I'm a good thirty minutes early.) On the way home I could also shoot some cell phone pics of nicer scenery, as well as out our window only a few minutes ago.
And it's only December 2 !

**** UPDATE, Saturday, December 4: It's now official. The S-Bahn only managed to have HALF (52%) of its operating stock on the rails yesterday, which was an "improvement" from Thursday! Only 32% were "on time", which doesn't make clear that those that were late were sometimes more than one hour late! And before it got cold and snowed, the S-Bahn management promised they had everything under control and prepared so that what happened last winter wouldn't happen this winter. Well, they've broken their promise again!

In Berlin it's WHITE Friday...

Temperatures hovering around 0°C (32°F) and dropping as the first dusting of snow of the season has transformed the fir trees at our balcony.