Our last day of the trip was spent in a couple small cities in Germany along the border of Poland. We spent the night in Forst, where I got to room with this pretty lady:

And look out at this country across from my window:

 That would be Poland. Out my window. 

We toured around the city with a man who told us the history of the church in his area. The bridge in the picture above used to lead into a town in Poland that was fairly large due to the open borders between Germany and Poland. 

 Right side: Germany, Left side: Poland

Being on the border of Poland, we couldn't help but jaunt on over there and tour around a little bit. Our tour guide man showed us where members had lived during the war. When the Germans left after the war, the Poles started to use what was left of the houses for building supplies.What was then a sizeable neighbourhood with many families living there, is now just a meadow with a hint of foundations to be seen when one looks closely.

We moved onto Goerlitz afterwards, which was the location of a very significant historical occurrence for our church. It was in this building that President Monson made the prophesy to the East German saints that if they remained faithful they would receive all the blessings that other members of the church had. Everyone interpreted this as a temple.

This is the original pulpit that President Monson spoke at. The building is currently a warehouse and a practice studio for Carnival performers. I think it's kind of amazing that the pulpit is still standing. A member of the church, who was a young boy when this happened, took us through the building and showed us where all the members met for their separate meetings. It was shocking to find out that the condition of the building was not much better when they actually met there. What faith they had.

After our tour of the old and new church buildings in Goerlitz, it was time to turn back to Vienna. But not before a quick little visit to Slovakia...

... where I picked these flowers!

We ended the trip with a visit to Willi's (our bus driver) hometown, where he treated us all to schnitzel mit pommes. A lovely end to an epic, awesome, amazing, humbling, great trip.

Our last day in Berlin started out beneath the city. Being a member of the Berlin Underground Society, Professor Minert, wanted to take us down to some anti-air raid underground bunkers that date back to the second world war. Two underground bunkers in less than six months. Cool man. Literally speaking it is quite cool down there.... tangent...

Now which one did I like better?

Answer:

Both.

Because:

They were different! The bunker in Russia was meant for high ranking politicians to take cover in and was the communication center for many crucial goings-on in Russia during Cold War Era. Very crucial indeed. We also got to play and take photos with period weapons, equipment, and room set-ups (desks, photos, etc.). Pretty neat.

This bunker was meant for the public. There were bunk beds, bathrooms, first aid rooms, mail tubes that stretched for miles underneath the city of Berlin. It was were people really went when bombers flew overhead. Professor Minert had our tour guide turn off all the lights while we were down there and played a recording of the bombing during World War II. Sitting in the dark imagining what it would have been like to hear your world above being destroyed. My life has never been touched by warfare. It is scary to imagine it any other way.

After the bunker we had free time to spend in the city before we left it behind. First stop: 

 

Alexanderplatz!

Recognize it anyone?

Why yes! It is where part of the Bourne Supremacy was filmed!

I couldn't help it. I HAD to. Jason Bourne was there! On that tram behind me! You have no idea how ecstatic I was to be where that glorious film came into existence. I'm happy just thinking about the fact that I was there!

We spend the rest of our free time walking around the city and eventually stumbled upon a treasure of a playground. Oh yes, we spent quite a while there. I swung higher than Bri. I now have something that I am better than her at. COMPLETE AND TOTAL SELF-JUSTIFICATION. We played on the strange tilted wheel thing. Trying to walk counterclockwise made me realize how Chloe must feel when we tell her to walk with her feet straight. Impossible, in case you were wondering what that felt like.

Sadly we had to leave Berlin. I could have stayed there for another week.

Berlin! Berlin! Berlin! Ich liebe Berlin!

Upon arriving in this fabulous city we were dropped off at a portion of the wall that has been left standing. You can walk along the wall and look at the photos and documents pertaining to Hitler's regime and the mistreatment of minorities that he allowed. There was also a museum on the same lot that covered a lot of the same material that is shown next to the wall. This whole memorial was erected and stands on what used to be the Gestapo headquarters during the years of the Third Reich.

Chris sneakin' in on my photo.

The Siegessäule

Art is a collaboration between God and the artist, and the less the artist does the better.

- Andre Gide

After Prague, we jaunted on up to Dresden and stayed there overnight and the next day. First things first, we went to the Frauenkirche in the downtown area. This church was destroyed during the Dresden bombing in World War II. It stood for about a day after the actual bombing, but because of the exceedingly high temperatures the limestone blocks that the church was made from were so dried up and damaged that the following day the dome collapsed, taking the rest of the building with it.

It remained this way until 1993, after several movements and organizations gathered enough support to rebuild the church. Reconstruction finally ended in 2005 after a twenty year effort.

Dresden was one of the strangest European cities I've been in. When most people think of Europe their first thought is old buildings crammed together with tiny streets and alleyways in between. History, culture, etc. Dresden was nothing like that. Modern buildings had hundreds of feet of green space between them. Roads were wide. Everything was new. It's impossible to imagine this city used to be just as old and ancient looking as its European siblings. The city lay in ruins until 20 and 30 years ago.

It was amazing the efforts they put into reconstructing the downtown. I love working on puzzles, but this would be like working on fifty three dimensional 10,000 piece puzzles at the same time. Way. Over. My. Head.

A group of us also found this old bombed out church that had been left and protected they way it was left after the bombing. Imagine seeing your entire city reduced to this... without the grass and the trees to bring life back in. Just charred rubble piled everywhere. I can't imagine it.

Sometimes history just blows my mind.

Have more than thou showest; Speak less than thou knowest.- William Shakespeare