December 10, 2008

• 
  Berlin Trip

  Friday 28th November 2008

  Berlin was cold. Bitterly cold. But not cold enough to snow. Damnit. The capital of Germany has long been on my to-visit list and taking advantage of a late deal, my wish was granted.

  
  

  The River Spree en route to the Reichstag

  
  

  River heading east with the Fernsehturm in the background

  
  

  Memorial of the victims of the Wall at the River Spree

  
  

  The Bundestag

  
  

  The Bundestag

  
  

  The Reichstag

  
  

  Monument of remembrance outside the Reichstag

  

  
  

  The length of duration for queuing for admission into the Reichstag Dome, including security checks, was around 45 minutes. By then it had gone dark. And it was just after 4pm. The stark illumination of the Dome at night was bewitching.  

  
  

  People trudging up and down the aisles of the Dome

  
  

  Looking down from the terrace

  
  

  The Sony Center at Potsdamer Platz are in view

  
  

  Also in view is the Brandenburger Tor

  
  

  Inside the Dome

  
  

  

  The history of the Reichstag is exhibited around the glass ceiling of the Parliament hall

  
  

  The German Parliament in session

  
  

  The Bundestag at night

  
  

  The River Spree at night

  
  

  Lights inside a nearby cafe

  
  

  Building beside the Sony Center

  
  

  Inside the main forum of the Sony Center shielded by the canopy

  
  

  Opposite side

  
  

  Dinner at the Renger-Patzsch restaurant, outside of the usual tourist haunts. It was formerly the popular Storch restaurant. The Renger-Patzch serves German cuisine of the fine dining variety.

  
  

  Continuing the gastroporn for J, pumpkin soup

  
  

  Pan-fried blood sausages

  
  

  When the main course arrived, the size of the portions were the same as in the US. The menu had changed slightly when I’d checked on the restaurant’s website so unfortunately cannot recall what this dish was.

  
  

  Pink-seared leg of lamb with red wine shallots, green beans and potatoes au gratin
  

  ---

  The Credit Crunch

  A rich, dying man, laid on his deathbed, requested to be joined at his bedside by his vicar, his bank manager and his lawyer.

  He instructed them that he wished to be buried, when he finally passed away, along with all his money. He gave each of them fifty thousand dollars and asked them to throw the money on top of his coffin, in the burial plot, when he died.

  A couple of days later the old man passed away and was buried within the week. At the wake, the three men were chatting and the vicar was suddenly overcome with guilt. He confessed to the other two that he had only thrown only half of the money onto the coffin, as the church needed urgent repairs to the roof. The bank manager thought, ‘What the heck if we are having a confession,’ and told the other two men that he had also only thrown half the money in, as the ‘Credit Crunch’ was hitting hard and he needed some money for the bank to stop it going bust. The lawyer jumped up and said to the other two, “I think that is a shameful act on both of you. I threw a check in for the full amount!”

  
  Quote from a trader: “This is worse than a divorce. I’ve lost half my net worth and I still have a wife.”

  
  You know it’s a credit crunch when…
  1. The cashpoint asks if you can spare any change.
  2. There’s a ‘buy one, get one free’ offer – on banks.
  3. The IRS is offering a 25 per cent discount for cash-payers.
  

  George W. Bush was asked today, “What do you think of the credit crunch?”
  He replied, “It’s my favorite candy bar.”

  ---

  Brave Chicken

   

   

  • 8:34 pm
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