reminds me of our visit to Berlin in May or June of 1990. About 6 or 7 months after the momentous occasion, Gladys and I went to Berlin to see "what's happenin'"... and, of course, we visited the Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charley and a most interesting Subway Station, where the trains never stopped, since this loop, servicing what was then East Berlin, cut through West Berlin. The entrances where bricked up and the trains just rushed through, not even slowing down.
The guide we had hired to show us the former Eastern Part took us down there and it produced in me, and Gladys later confirmed it, an eerie, almost frightening experience.
While walking around above ground again, with our guide, from one street to another, we noted the absolutely delapidated look of the buildings lining each street. On many facades one could still see the bullet marks dating back to 1945. While West Berlin proudly showed new buildings as well as beautifully restored old properties, the eastern part looked as if it were locked in a time capsule.
Back in front of the Brandenburg Gate many vendors were offering "genuine" concrete pieces of "the Wall". Colourfully painted as was the entire wall along many stretches, by graffiti artists.
Gladys examined several pieces and finally decided on one. I suggested that she was falling for a fraud, since I believed this young lady had probably painted pieces of concrete last night in her kitchen. Much to my embarrassement, she spoke English quite well and assured me with some probably justified anger, that she was not a "bad person" who would cheat other people, but that the pieces sold by her were "absolutely genuine". In fact, she offered us a "Certificate" attesting to this and signed by her. It felt a little as if the fox was giving a Certificate of his good intentions to a chicken, the Certificate signed by him. Personally!
In any event, Gladys bought the piece, overpaying by a considerable margin, to make up for, what she termed, my "unfounded suspicions"...
Unfortunately I do not remember what ever happened to this treasure.
Large, blank pieces ( Unpainted ) are now selling for something like 7,000.00 Euros
Go figure.
That and much more is what I remember of this time, 24 years ago.
Bertstravels.
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