Team USA at Checkpoint Charlie Beach

One of the highlights of this trip has been watching the World Cup at Checkpoint Charlie beach, with makeshift sand and beach chairs in front of a giant HD screen in the heart of the former East Berlin. Below is radio reporter Matthew Katz relaxing with mad hatter Faryl Ury of APTV and Anna Rhett Miller from CNN.Thanks to Michael Lipin, a reporter for Voice of America, we had plenty of USA swag for the crucial match between USA and Slovenia. I confess to divided loyalties here, as the Anzur family is from a small town near the Slovenian capital of Lublijana. A weird referee call robbed the USA of its winning goal and the Yanks had to settle for a tie. My son Andrew is joining me in Berlin for a few days on a break from his summer internship with the US Commercial service at the Embassy in Bucharest Romania. He made things interesting by cheering loudly in various slavic languages for Slovenia, along with NPR reporter Jack Zahora, who speaks Czech, Polish and German.
We've enjoyed several matches and a lot of beverages at this venue. Of course, they show Germany's number-one news program, the Tageshau, at 8 pm.
Even when the USA isn't playing, we enjoy watching others cheer for their favorites. We felt sorry for the lone South African fan who tooted his vuvzela in vain as his team was defeated. I've enjoyed getting to know Jo Dondis, a freelance TV producer from LA, as well as all of the other RIAS fellows, as we relax together and watch the games.

Culture and Confrontation

Berlin was a divided city after World War II but in 1961 the building of the Berlin Wall came to symbolize the Cold War. The famous Checkpoint Charlie is just a few blocks from my hotel. Along with its nearby museum, the site is a window into the past history of daring escapes and heartbreaking attempts that failed. What remains of the actual checkpoint is a sanitized replica where street performers pose for photos with tourists hoping to feel what is was like to pass between East and West Berlin.
I had a free day before the official start of the RIAS program, so I went in search of a free ballet performance that was advertised on a German language brochure in the hotel. Although the brochure appeared to be for the state opera house in East Berlin, I found it closed for renovations and was directed to the other opera house in West Berlin, also closed. Turns out the ballet was in a third location that was too far away. But I ended up at the ruined Kaiser Wilhelm memorial church in West Berlin. Destroyed by a WWII bombing raid, its ruined tower stands as a monument to the futility of war. It draws various kinds of protestors, including this demonstration in support of Israel. Around the corner was a much smaller alternative demonstration in support of Palestinian relief efforts.
On a lighter note, Berlin's official symbol is the bear and statues like this one are all over the city, sporting creative decorations. This one shows the chariot statue on top of the Brandenburg Gate.