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On the Road with Fast Eddie
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On the Road with Fast Eddie |
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March 24, 2001 I left you last time with the promise to tell you about my return to another of my favorites... Berlin, an under-rated city. I spent a weekend there last August and once again I took advantage of an invitation from my friend Heide for her to show off this interesting metropolis. I know of no other urban citizen more fiercely loyal to and proud of his or her city than Berliners. Not New Yorkers, not Parisians, not even those from Sydney (Sydneyites?)... and those are all places to be proud of. But Berliners defend and promote their beloved hometown like no others. This time I was in Berlin during their International Film Festival, which attracts not only films, but also actors, producers, directors, etc. from all over the world to Potzdamer Platz, a modern and glitzy downtown area. It's a festive affair, very exciting, and it was great fun to attend even though the film we saw, "Love Come Down" (Canadian) was a less than memorable experience. What was interesting was the interview in the theatre afterwards of the director and producer by some media guy trying to convince us viewers than we had just witnessed a cinematic epic...and trying to convince the guys he was interviewing that we had all been totally enthralled with what we had just seen. Nice try. We spent one day visiting Potsdam, a city southwest of Berlin that was part of the former GDR. There was a saying during those days that, "Whether you go east, west, south or north you are going East." since Berlin was surrounded by "Eastern" Germany. On our way we drove across the bridge where the two combatants of the Cold War used to exchange captured spies. Near Potsdam is Sanssouci Park, home of Frederick the Great (I wonder... did he call himself that?!) during the 17th century, where marble fountains, exotic pavilions, castles, vast lawns and lush wooden areas fill 600 acres of sprawling opulence. My favorite was the Chinelsches Teehaus, a Chinese teahouse gold-plated and topped with a parasol toting Buddha. One place of particular interest to me on this visit was where Rosa Luxemburg was murdered. Who was she, you ask? She was a communist who led an unsuccessful uprising in 1919 in the aftermath of WW1, and who was summarily executed and thrown into the canal near Tiergarten city park. During my days as a leftist activist in the 70's (anyone remember the Vietnam War?) she was a bit of a folk hero to me, and to see the memorial erected there in her memory, and in defense of the expression of democracy, was surprisingly emotional for me. My latest visit was to Venice... where dilapidation is an art form. What an extraordinary city it is! It was my first visit to Italy and I was not disappointed - my descriptions cannot measure up to how unique and amazing Venice is. As you probably know, it's a city built on wood, laced with canals and narrow winding streets. And trying to navigate with a map is a test of both skill and patience... good luck. The worst job in Venice: a pizza deliveryman. Venice is a walker's dream and just strolling around is pure delight. I must've had my mouth open the whole three days I was there, gawking at this and that. I spent my time there with Heide and her two friends from Berlin, Nici and Franjo, and there weren't too many streets we missed - and we were never bored. One time we found ourselves standing transfixed watching city workers load garbage onto a boat. Nici's comment, "Even the garbage is interesting here!" The water taxi also offers fantastic views along the Canal Grande and is a very practical way to get back and forth as well. We stayed near the train station in a charming hotel overlooking the street and the ride to and from Piazza San Marcos, the main plaza on the other end of the city, was a joy each time we went. At the Piazza, make sure you take the ride to the top of Salita al Campanile where you're treated to a splendid view. It's definitely worth the $5 and wait in line. You may be aware that Venice is in a state of decay, literally falling apart. Although this decay seems to add to its charm, it is sad to anticipate its demise. Walking with Franjo, I noticed his close observation of the buildings since he's a structural engineer in Berlin. At one point I asked him if he thought Venice would still exist in another 1000 years. He looked at me wistfully and shook his head, "Not a chance!" There are churches and cathedrals everywhere, but one I will single out that surprised me was the church of St. John the Evangelist, founded in 970. Like most of the churches, it's an art gallery in itself and I think worth seeing. Travel tip from fast eddie: if you forget how to say hello to the Italians, just remember the band Bon Jovi. Everywhere I went, that's what it sounded like people were saying, "Bon jovi!" Venice is packed with tourists/travelers. I cannot imagine how congested it must be in peak season... summer, and in fact you might want to avoid it then. (There might be a higher percentage of people speaking English here than in London!) But unless you are a purist traveler who vows to avoid all that is not pristine, unspoiled and unvisited, then I suggest Venice... even the swarms cannot spoil it! Besides that, how many Bhutans are there left in the world to go to? |
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