During my college years, my friend JF and I decided to go to Italy by way of Germany. Actually, the plan was to go to Copenhagen and similar cold places like back before doing a U-turn and heading South to much nicer climes. I boycotted part of the plan, as I had no intention of going to Scandinavia during their winter season - September to May. We went to Brussels, Amsterdam, and then South to Napoli. Amsterdam to Napoli can be interesting, especially when you miss the first in a series of trains that’d bring you closer to your destination. So instead we go back to Brussels, hop on another train to Köln, and are finally on our way. It took us 24 hours to reach Napoli, most of it spent in Italy, of course, over three more trains: one all the way down to Switzerland, one to cross Switzerland, and finally an Italian train to complete the trip. I have never really visited Switzerland, although I have criss-crossed it many times, on my way to and from Italy, mostly. It’s apparently a beautiful country. Or at least, the landscapes are beautiful…

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“dda, what are you doing next week?”
“Nothing, really, except a Korean culture exam, why?”
“I’ve been summoned by a Berlin judge to testify in a court of law. They’re paying for the air fare. Wanna come?”
“Er, yeah, but I am not flying. Too expensive! And a train to Berlin will take forever…”
“Well, yeah, but since the first day I’ll be in court, you can travel while I testify, and then we can party in Berlin.”

Spring 1989, Germany still spells either as DDR or BRD, depending on which side of the Iron Curtain you stood. And Berlin is still two cities, West Berlin, a fragile member of the Free World, carved out of the western part of the original Berlin and its western suburbs; and East Berlin, covering most of the original Berlin - sans most of the historical buildings, which had been flattened out by Allies and the Commies alike. I’ve been a lot to Germany, since I have an auntie who lived many years in Köln, but never to Berlin. Never one to pass up on an opportunity to visit a new city, I head home to my collection of timetables.

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