Görlitz -- Center of the Universe

Time: 6:19 PM CEST
Location: Still way the hell off the map!

Okay not at all but this small city a stone’s throw from Poland actually has a great deal of history. After a quick stop at a store selling Birkenstocks (cliffnote: actually more expensive than in the U.S.) Anna, the student, drove us to Görlitz. There’s a lot of clean renovated buildings but often we saw some that had been abandoned for years if not decades.

First we stopped at small zoo. In short, zoos suck. Monkeys, goats, cows, yaks, donkeys, pigs (Chinese variety), camels, swans, mountain deer, storks, owls and birds, birds, birds. All in okay condition, but still not anywhere near their natural environment. What pointed this out to me the most was the pair of macaws in a cage really too small for them. One of them clung in one top corner and occasional said, “Hello.” Those guys live for years. What was his story? How did he end up there?
We saw a church, well actually it was two churches one on top of the other and a metaphorical reconstruction of the Christ’s tomb. (Old church. Ding!) We walked back through the city and ended up in a cafe run by the student’s uncle. Mom had two pieces of cake and a couple of cups of coffee. I had two cups of coffee, an omelette with tomatoes with a salad(!!) and glass of tomato juice. (Yes, I was tempted by the cakes, but I wanted Lunch lunch).

Then came the interesting bit. We had arranged to meet a tour guide. Now don’t think of a Disney-fied sing-song recitation. This guy, dressed in black, long, brown, wavy hair combed back and with a long beard, was born and raised in the city. In short, he knew a shitload and knew how to tell it. Architecture, regional politics, 12th century history and so on. We walked around a city block and on to a cathedral. (Old church. Ding!) An incredibly impressive presentation. 90 minutes for 25 euros and two numb feet.