MrSweet's blog

After my journey through the hot Indian plainlands and the cold mountains of the Himalaya I´m happy to be in Berlin. The influence of mostly more than two different cultures in Indian towns had left a strong impression and sensiticed my feeling for tolerance. 

Although travelling alone there was never the feeling for being alone because most of the time you meet other travellers who follow your way or you get easily in contact with the Indians.

I was surprised that almost every big temple offers free food for poor people and could not understand why there were so many people and children begging for food.

Maybe the Indian economy would become much more stronger if there wouldn´t be so much religious holidays but without old religious ceremonies and places would be forgotten.

Bus driving with public busses is hard to stand together with a crowd of 100-150 people and temperatures of 45°C. Otherwise the infrastructure and the fares are reasonable although traffic seems to be chaotic and destructive.

I wish you have a nice time and many greetings back from Berlin,

Sebastian

I´m going to India for 4 weeks from april 1st to april 30th. My arrival is in Delhi and I will go to the himalayan area of Himachal Pradesh up to Dharamsala and Chamba. Visiting the exil home of the Dalai Lama to get an impression of the political influence of China and the present conflicts. On my way I hope I will pass a lot of contradictory impressions and colorful experiences. So I will leave with a shining and a crying eye looking forward either to learn about India and either to know where my home is.

My dearest regard to the light may it always shine on us and please us. Hope you all have a great time and enjoy yourself while hunting for our great shot.

Best of luck to all of you!

Greetings,

Sebastian

Quite surprised by the variety of countries the Ip members came from I arrived at Alexanderplatz. After a short time of smiling at eachother we became curious and got to now each other. It was easy to find a topic to discuss in this contrasting city which is quickly developing new urban concepts in modern architecture. On of the most impressive buildings which is being removed since 2006 was the Palast der Republik (palace of the republic) that only consist of a few concrete walls and t-bars.

When we arrived at Gendarmenmarkt which is typical for its classical architecture I spent too much time for taking photos that I didn´t see where the group was going. So I lost the contact to the group and couldn´t follow them. On this way I have to say thanks to all who visited Berlin together with me so far on that beautiful saturday . Best of luck to all of you. May there be more precious moments to share ideas and pleasure.

Greetings from Berlin!

Sebastian

I´m looking forward to have the 2000th visit in my photo gallery. Thanks to all the visitors and their commentaries. Hope you enjoyed my pictures and best of luck to you. greetings from berlin.

Especially to all those friends I met at the ipernity meeting in berlin don´t worry got lost yesterday at gendarmenmarkt while I forgot the time. So I couldn´t find back to the group. Hope you enjoyed berlin as much as I did it and I´m very glad to meet you.

My pictures of the Spreepark on 02/ 20/ 2008 should give a short impression of the beauty and paradox appearance of a place which became in the years 1969-1989 a famous place for fun and activity for the people of the former GDR. Up to 1,7 mio. visitors came here each year.

The attractions of the park contain a ferris wheel with 45 meters of heights that was unique in the GDR and offers its passangers a great view over the tops of berlin. You even could see the Alexanderplatz which is in the middle of the town. In Spreepark you could use scooters, roundabouts, a ferris wheel or visit a restaurant until 1989 when the GDR government was overthrown.

In 1990 a huge amusement company from hamburg rented the area and built modern attractions like a roller coaster, a wild-water channel, a swing boat and a haunted house. For some years the amount of visitors reached the mark of 1,5 mio. visitors a year but the lack of parking space and the expensive entrance fee led to the fact that the management had to close it in 2001.

Nowadays the most attractive fun rides have been sold but some of the older ones still can be seen here. A security service was engaged to take care of this area. But don´t be afraid I didn´t see anybody on the compound except an couple that took some photos.

Greetings from Berlin and take a visit to Spreepark,

enjoy yourself!

Here´s the link to my album of the Spreepark:

http://www.ipernity.com/doc/34677/album/53028

Jeder der in Berlin die Gelegenheit zu einem ausgiebigem Spaziergang Richtung Treptow entlang der Spree nutzt, kommt unweigerlich an einer noch existierenden Grenze vorbei, die sich durch einen 2,4 m hohen Zaun bemerkbar macht. Hierbei handelt es sich um das Gelände des ehemaligen Spreeparks (1969-2001), der als einziger und größster Vergnügungspark der DDR (1,7 Mio. Besucher/ Jahr) nach der Wende privatisiert wurde.

Anfangs nach Neueröffnung 1990 zu Einheitszeiten erzielte der Park einen Besucherzulauf von 1,5 Mio. Gästen, wobei der Höhenflug aufgrund schlechter Parkmöglichkeiten und steigender Eintrittsgelder stetig sank. Zudem verschuldete sich der ehemalige Pächter zunehmens und mußte letztendlich im Jahre 2001 Insolvenz anmelden.

Seither steht das 21 Hektar große Gelände brach, auf dem noch einige Fahrgeschäfte, die aus DDR-Zeiten stammen, herumrosten. Ein Sicherheitsdienst kümmert sich nun um die Beaufsichtigung des Geländes, da es dort häufiger zu Verletzungen von abenteuerlustigen Kletterern kam.

Allerdings lohnt sich ein Besuch des Parks selbst heute noch, da er eine ganz besonders melancholische Ausstrahlung bereit hält, die durch den einstigen Aspekt der Vergnügung, den bunten schrillen Farben und dem Zerfall der Materie begünstigt wird. An vielen Stellen ergeben sich dort besonders ambivalente Kontraste zwischen der belebten Natur und der verlassenen Architektur, die erfolglos versucht dem Zahn der Zeit zu entkommen.

Der Eintrittspreis liegt heutzutage nicht mehr bei 29 DM für Erwachsene und 27 DM für Kinder, sondern orientiert sich am Risikobewußtsein des Besuchers, da er sich auf eingefriedetes Gelände begibt und damit rechnen muß, eventuell ertappt zu werden.

Genug der vielen Worte, für alle die keine Möglichkeit haben sich diesen skurrilen Ort aus der Nähe anzuschauen, hab ich ein paar Fotos hochgeladen, die diesen Ort nicht dem psychischen Abwehrmechanismus Verdrängung zum Opfer fallen lassen sollen.

Viele Grüße und viel Spaß im Spreepark,

MrSweet

http://www.ipernity.com/doc/34677/album/53028