How Country Girls Become Tourists PART TWO

Kathlyn and I admiring our robust reflections.  

By the end of the previous day, Kathlyn and I had walked 34,000 steps. We were soaked and exhausted, and considered eating out—we actually found a lovely place called KartoffelLand (Potatoe Country), but it was full. We didn't want fast food, so we bought some bread, cheese, and fruit from a grocery, then ate it on her bed.

Someone else had the bed I was sleeping in the night before, so I claimed another empty bunk, though I think this time it actually was number five (and if not five, it was six, and whoever should have had six was sleeping in my bed). Later some other girls came into the room and had a bit of trouble sorting out whose bunk was whose. It was fun being the observer this time around.

Kathlyn and I talked to the girl a bit more, whose bed I'd slept in for an hour the night before, and had fun getting to know her.

We'd originally planned to walk three hours to Bonhoeffer's house, but we were exhausted from the day before. So we slept until seven or eight, then walked to a small book and bagel store. I had to wear soggy shoes for most of the morning, so I was glad we decided to not walk, too. Overall it was an enjoyable morning. 

We bought tickets and boarded a train a little after ten, and but because of the previous day's rain and it being cold, by phones were acting up, and we ended up being ten minutes late for the tour. Which didn't end up mattering, as everyone else had just arrived, too, and were in the middle of introductions and tea. 

Also, people seemed really excited to see two young girls there to see an old theologian's house. There were two middle-aged couples there from Missouri and Tennesse, an older guy from Switzerland, three guys from South Korea, and the German guy who gave the tour. 

For me, the tour was just enjoyable as I've been obsessed with Bonhoeffer for a long time. 

For Kathlyn, I think it was also enjoyable, but because she found the man fascinating as she learned more about him. 

We saw the backyard and several rooms of the house including the living room and Dietrich's study/ bedroom. In the backyard the Korean guys offered to take our pictures (and also had us get in a picture with them). Instead of saying "say cheese!" they told us "say kimchee!" when taking our picture. They said it in such a funny, elated way that both Kathlyn and I laughed so hard. 

 It seems so weird to take a bathroom selfie in Dietrich Bonhoeffer's bedroom ... I mean, to think he once lived and wrote here, back when cell phones didn't exist. It makes you marvel at how time so quickly changes.

I really loved Bonhoeffer's room. It was full of all the books he'd had, though the books were remakes as his originals are in a locked room in the Berlin library that one can only get into if they are a theologian. Most of the furniture was a remake, too, but his piano (which actually has a different name) and bookshelves were all original. 

The piano was terribly out of tune, but still fun to touch and play (I couldn't believe they let us touch things! We could even look at the books) and it was very quiet ... because Bonhoeffer wanted to be able to play whenever without wanting to wake the entire house up. The piano is especially fun knowing that Bonhoeffer loved music so much he nearly chose to become a pianist instead of a theologian. 

I think the bookshelves had an interesting history, too, as they were made by a socialist, and then used to hold works of theology and philosophy that many socialists would not like. And also, just knowing the sort of life Bohoeffer lead, it's interesting to compare it with his bookshelves. 

The Bonhoeffer tour was free, but one could give a donation (and why wouldn't one? It's the sort of thing I love to support). They also had postcards above the donation box. They ended up being the only postcards I got in Berlin ;D

After the Bonhoeffer house, we walked around a bit. We'd stopped on a bridge and was looking around and possibly taking pictures when a crazy German lady on a bike started yelling at us.

"Did you just take my picture?" She demanded.
"I don't think so?" We said.

But we had to prove it to her by showing her our last few photos, none of which had her face in them.

"I know you all don't care about having your faces all over facebook, but I don't want to be there," she said as if we'd taken her picture and handed it over to some evil organization, probably for lots of money, too. Because that's the sort of thing girls, like us, do.

We watched her ride away, laughing at her. Kathlyn joked, "Is she running from the law?"

Speaking of pictures, I didn't take as many on the last day. Maybe that's because my phone wasn't working properly, or maybe it's because I was having way too much fun.

After that, we took the train back toward where we'd come from. There was a guy playing hymns on a trumpet and a boy going around with a cup. The music was amazing ... I've tried playing the trumpet, so I appreciate those who do it well. So I thought that was another good thing to support with my money.

About halfway back I looked out the window and saw this huge flee market. "Want to stop?" I asked Kathlyn. We had an all-day ticket so it didn't matter where we got off. We grabbed our backpacks and jumped off the train and spent a couple hours walking through so many booths of fun junk. I mostly just enjoyed jewing around in German.

Kathlyn was interested in some steins and the older guy in charge of the table was very intent on selling them to her. He pointed at the animals on the stein and loudly made all their sounds, and enacted that it was a hunting scene. Then said since there were seven figures it was a good price. We laughed but bartered his price lower.

Back on the train, we passed this pair of guys. The one played the piano and the other did some sort of weird robot dance. They weren't especially talented, but I loved their smiles and energy. 

We then went to a large thrift store called Humana and spent the rest of the day there. 

We joked, "What did you come to Berlin for?"

"Thrift store shopping!"

Kathlyn shopped barefoot (she was even barefoot a good portion of the time we were touring Berlin the day before), and since my shoes had been soggy and were uncomfortable, and blisters were forming on the back of my feet, I wore only socks as we shopped. 

Yes, we were obviously country girls and the eldest of large families. We found some authentic German dresses for ourselves, and some neat gifts for family and friends. And we talked and laughed the entire time. I don't remember having so much fun shopping since I was nine. There was a guy there who worked behind the counter and helped us get a few dresses that were too high for our reach, and he seemed to think our thrift store shopping hilarious and kept making funny comments (not flirting, just friendly). 

When we thought we were done he said, "You know there are more dresses downstairs?" 

So we went downstairs and spent another hour or so trying on dresses and laughing over things only we could have laughed at. 

When we were ready to pay, I asked him, "Do you take debit cards."

Very seriously, he said, "No."

He wanted to know where we were from then said, "Ah, you are Montana sisters!" 

Kathlyn and I had only known each other for two days in person, but it did kinda feel like we were sisters. 

On our way home, she and I decided to invest in a pocket knife each. I know I've felt kinda naked in Germany without one. You know, for cheese and bad guys and such ;p So when we saw a small store selling, we had to each have one. 

But when I came home and washed my knife (from cheese, not blood), the family told me it was illegal to carry around ;0 So back to being naked, I guess. 

That night there was more confusion between the other girls between beds and who slept where. One girl ended up leaving in a huff, and coming back shortly later to move to another bed. 

The entire time we pretty much lived on bread, cheese, and fruit. We bought some chocolate, and once I found a small place selling Turkish Delight—you know, that candy that Edmund Pevensie betrayed his siblings for? Well I bought a bunch of that for Kathlyn and I to try, along with some Basil seed drinks. 

I ended up dropping my drink and having to buy another ;p But the drinks were amazing. 

The candy, though ... was different. I won't say that it was bad, but I certainly wouldn't betray my siblings over it. 

On our last night, Kathlyn and I stayed up late eating, sorting our money and purchases, and figuring out the next day's plans. 

Neither of my phones was working ... one was water damaged from the rain and the other was "locked" because of needing some sim pin number I didn't have. So, Kathlyn said she'd walk with me to my train which I thought was super nice of her, as it was an hour and a half walk and we had to leave at five am. 

Also, because she walked me to my train, it only gave her about half an hour to get to her bus, and she made it just in time. 

And so I took the train six hours back home, with neither of my phones working and blood blisters on the back of my feet. And who wants to focus on the negative things in life when the positive outweighs a billion to two? I sure don't. My time in Berlin was the best time I've had in Germany as of yet to date.

Have you ever just clicked with someone? If you went to Berlin how would you spend your time there? Does thrift store shopping even sound remotely fun? Would you stay in a hostel?

Most importantly, have you heard of Bonhoeffer? Wouldn't you love to become a theologian just for access to his books?