Same Same but Different

On the surface I think there are big differences between Berliner and Parisian culture.  This past weekend I was able to experience these differences firsthand while visiting my friend Carolyn (www.franglaisblog.com and you can follow her on twitter @ cenglar and franglaisblog) in Paris.  Beer, electronica, and currywurst is Berlin; wine, french music (maybe an accordian is involved, I don't really know), and croissants is Paris.  At first glance these things seem different but I found that they have similar functions.  

Alcohol is prevelent in every western culture and it almost always brings people together (one of the reasons why I love it so much).  In Paris we visited Le Baron Rouge, a friendly, neighborhood wine bar.  I immediately noticed it was very similar to the scene  I have grown accustomed to here in Berlin.  People were lively and generally happy to discuss life together.   I felt right at home speaking broken French to the barkeep while trying different varieties of Pinot Noir (all were delicious).  

Croissants and Currywurst have different forms but fulfill the same purpose, a need for a quick snack.  Both aren't necessarily healthy but are quite delicious and can be consumed while on the run.  So whether you are wearing lederhosen or a beret you can still get some substanence while rushing around.  

Also both cities have huge towers (so they got that going on).  Its great being able to figure out where you are in a huge city just by looking up.  We all can get lost in this big, big world.

Berlin and Paris both have extensive metro systems, which makes it convenient to see the whole city without being bothered with traffic.  The only difference is how you pay for your fare.  In Berlin we are governed by the honor system and in Paris you either by a ticket or hop a gate to access the metro. Cars aren't necessary in either city.

Each city is filled with inordinate amount of culture. You can spend days inside (that might explain all the pale skin).  In both cities I have been able to visit churches and museums, which seems to be pretty standard in every European city.  I have been able to learn about Germany's radical, ever changing history and see exquisite neo-modern French art from the same time period.  Both reflect periods of change and unrest.

I wasn't able to experience much of the Parisian music scene during my visit but I did notice there were a decent amount of "punks" dressed in leather vests carrying huge chain wallets.  My favorite tee-shirt read, "Pull the trigger bitch" (so eloquent).  Berlin is also full of angry young teens who cover themselves with anarchy symbols and fill their face with metal.  It is was definitely apparent that teenagers in both France and Germany were dealing with some growing pains (I believe I bleached my hair to cope with that).  

Even though I was only able to spend a couple of days in Paris I didn't really feel too much of a culture shock.  I actually seemed to notice more similarities than differences.  The language may be different and the French may prefer different street snacks but I feel that if we get to the core of these issues (and this can apply to all humans) I think we would find we are more alike than different (everybody needs to eat and drink booze).  We would just need to get past superficial culture gaps.

Super Bowl Monday

Being the great patriot I am, I stayed up irresponsibly late on a school night in order to watch real football.  Here in Berlin the Super Bowl didn't start until 12:29 am on Monday February 7th.

I arrived at Belushi's at 11:30 and the place was already packed (this is one of the few sports bars in Mitte that stayed open for this American sporting event).  I knew exactly which part of the bar to attack, I got my beverage promptly, and was able to take a seat on the stairs (the only floor space left at that point).  I made friends with the Americans sitting next to me and gave high fives to the German's across the way who were also rooting for the Packers.

The hairs rose on the back of my neck with the start of the national anthem, but were then abruptly calmed with Christina Aguilera's fail.  Then the first commercial break started...it was about soccer.  Immediately I knew this wasn't what Americans were watching (I had almost forgot I was in Europe).  But the Super Bowl isn't all about capitalism (wishful thinking), it's about putting the ball in the end-zone.

The next thing I know the Black Eyed Peas are making me hate music.  The half-time show was like a K-Mart version of the opening ceremony in Bejing.  I ended up staying for the entire game and didn't get back into my bed until 6 am.  It was worth it.  I really enjoyed the Berlin enthusiasm and a slice of life back home.  I hope everyone was able to enjoy this great day of football as much I did.

Lange Nacht der Museen

Last Saturday (I am a little behind on my posts, I know) was die Lange Nacht der Museen (the long night of museums) here in Berlin.  This event happens twice a year, once in both summer and winter, where almost every museum in Berlin stays open until 2 am.  For 10 Euros you can have access to almost every museum for 8 hours, such a great deal.  We started our night off at the DDR Museum.  This museum features all the "great"/"different" aspects of life in East Berlin during the Cold War.  This museum was very interactive, with tons of little artifacts hiding in drawers and even a interrogation room.  The first thing I noticed was how crowded everything was.  People were everywhere despite the below freezing temperatures.

Next we hit the up the Deutsches Historisches Museum (German Historical Museum) to see the Hitler und die Deutschen Volksgemeinschaft und Verbrechen (Hitler and the German People's Community and Crime).  This was a well designed, powerful exhibit.  It provided information on how it was possible for Hitler and the Nazi's to rise to power after the First World War.  It was frightening to see all the propaganda and pictures of violence that occurred during this time.

After seeing so many images of Hitler I needed something a little lighter to finish the night off.  We decided to go the Deutsche Kinemathek Museum Fur Film und Fernsehen.  Everywhere in this museum there are artifacts from when motion pictures started until after WWII.  Also there are short movies playing in every room, it was really nice to stop in each room and watch these old relics.  All the information was presented in chronological order, which made it cool to see how films developed over the ages.

Even with 8 hours to work with we barely scratched the surface of Berlin's museums.  The major disappoint of the night was the Pergamon, for it was closed for this long night.  When we started out I never thought we would stay in museums until 2 am but these exhibits were so engaging it was easy to lose track of time. I thought this was a really cool way to encourage people to actually expand their minds on a Saturday night, without heading to the bar.  It would be nice to see something like this in America.