GAPP 2010

We have arrived at the end of our GAPP 2010 experience!  All of the students involved had an AMAZING immersion experience with their host families in Germany.  We would like to thank them again for sharing their lives, culture and country with us!

Thanks to Herr Goodall-Heising and Jeff Dolye for your help and time.  I would like to thank the students for being so easy to travel with and open to new ideas and culture.

Thanks for reading and I hope that we were able to share some of our Germany experience with you!

Berlin Day 3

Today began with our exploration of the Gemaldegalerie.

Attached to the Gemaldegaleri is the Kunstgewerbemuseum, a design museum.

After the museums we found lunch in town and then headed over the Checkpoint Charlie.  Checkpoint Charlie was the best known Berlin Wall crossing Point during the Cold War.  

Since this was our final day in Berlin and Germany we had a special dinner at the KOS House, Greek restaurant, with our friend Dirk.  Thanks Dirk for sharing your favorite restaurant with us!

Berlin Day 2

The day started with a visit the incredible Berlin Zoo and Aquarium.

Erin, Caroline and Chris had the opportunity to join Jeff when he visited a local artist who was a friend of a friend.  Be sure to check our Erin's blog as I am sure she will be providing more details about this visit.

For the rest of the group there was shopping at Kadewe.

Later in the day a few of us rolled down to the local longboard store...Lassrollen.

Tom was the man!  He is the store owner who took the time to chat with us and encouraged us to show up for the weekly ride that was happening this evening.  He also hooked the group up with stickers and schwag!  If in Berlin on a Wed evening be sure to bring your board and enjoy the good vibe and ride a LassRollen!

We finished the evening with the public viewing of the Germany vs. Spain World Cup game.  Tough loss for Germany.  Notice we are all sporting our German soccer attire and accessories.

Berlin Day 1

Our first full day in Berlin began on Museum Island.

The first museum that we visited was Neues Museum ("New Museum").  This museum includes the Egyptian, Prehistory and Early History collections.  The artifacts it houses include the iconic bust of the Egyptian queen Nefertiti.

The next museum we visited was the Pergamon Museum, constructed in 1930.  It houses the Pergamon Altar from Turkey.

After these two museums we walk and ate lunch.  Next was the Holocaust memorial and museum.

The experiences here were very personal and moving...such that I am not going to try to capture it with words.   Just reflective silence.

We finished the day with a tour of the German Bundestag, the national Parliament of the Federal Republic of Germany.

The building's most recent renovation were meant to make the building more transparent and inviting.  One of the many features is that it is capped by a glass dome that you can walk through.  Since the renovations the building is visited by 15,000 people daily and 25,000 people during the summer months, 365 days a year from 8am to midnight!

The dome is located above the meeting hall and when seated in the meeting room one can see the people walking above.  This is meant to serve as a reminder of the people that you are representing.

The walk through the dome provides incredible views of the city.

The very center of the dome acts as a rain water collector.  

The water collected is used to wash the glass of the building.  Additionally, the center "spike" is covered in mirrors...reflecting the sunlight and illuminate the meeting room, reducing the amount of electricity consumed.

One final feature of the dome is that the top is open acting as a venturi...expelling "old" air and bringing in fresh air.

This pic is for Aaron and Jonah...

Today we are off to the Zoo and Aquarium!

Berlin

With heartfelt good-byes we boarded the ICE train and started the final part of our german experience.  Berlin!

We are staying at the Pegasus hostel in East Berlin.

After a long train ride we walked around town to stretch our legs and paid a visit one of the remaining sections of the Berlin Wall.

The art on the wall is amazing!  These picks are for all of you and especially for my friend Carl who is starting his own art journey.