Thoughts of a Nomadic One

"Your girlfriend is lost", said the old man with a heavy German accent. Andrew and I had been drinking together awaiting Dana (Andrew's girlfriend and my friend from Queen's) to get back from the washroom. We were engrossed in a discussion when the man mentioned above approached Andrew and spoke to him in German.

"Oh, I'm sorry I don't speak any German", Andrew said.

The old man then said, "My English is bad", pause, "Your girlfriend is lost", as he pointed to Dana who was confusedly talking to some people diagonally across the Augustiner beer garden from us.

Like a dutyful boyfriend, Andrew went over to collect her and we moved the party back to the hostel.

After spending 2 days in Berlin, I was anxious to meet up with Martin & Dandrew (which according to Dana sounds like 'Dandruff' and they prefer 'Andna'). Berlin was a great city; diverse, metropolitan, warm and in possession of cheap donairs. Some of my favourite places included the Olympiastadion and the Brandenburg gate.

A very moving and sobering experience was my visit to the Holocaust Victim Memorial. Berlin is the 3rd most constructed city in the world. After those projects are completed, it really could be the capital of Europe. However, upon some observation, I felt a certain level of doubt and hesitancy. Even 62 years after the end of the war, there is a "wall in the head". You could see it painfully in their eyes when I was at the Holocaust museum. Some Brits who I met in Prague told me when they shared a bottle of alcoholic eggnog with a German boy and his father, the father started apologizing profusely for their actions during the war. Some people may remember that it was only last summer during the World Cup when waving German flag stopped being a taboo due to nationalism's association with the Nazi in their historical context. I hope it won't take another 62 years for the Germans to step up and take a lead in the EU which it so desperately needs.

Back to my time in Munich, Andna and I visited the wonderful Augustiner Beer garden and the Neuschwanstein Castle which is what Walt Disney's is based on. I then got to stay with Martin and have an authentic Bavarian breakfast composed of white veal sausages, bretz'l with mustard, hams and cheeses. I've got to say, I'm a big fan of German and Bavarian cuisines.

Unfortunately, Martin and I couldn't meet up with Andrew and Dana on their last day and we visited Bayern Munich's stadium; one that was used during the World Cup last summer.

It was definitely special to have spent time with friends like Martin, Andrew and Dana. The best thing about beer gardens aren't the food, beer or leiderhosen, it's the camaderie. Thanks a lot to Martin for letting me stay with him and his awesome housemates Nicolas and Romy.

Prost and Auf Wiedersehen!