Stone pavements and concrete walls

Getting into some decent distances now. Part of this morning's route took me 1.3km alongside a construction that has come to symbolise both division and reunion. The East Side Gallery is the longest remaining stretch of the wall, and although it is far from its original form (barbed wire and watch towers replaced by wall paintings by 100 artists), it still feels as though the weight of history surrounds you as you run past it. You can see those paintings here.

The wall is marked elsewhere in the city, most famously at Checkpoint Charlie, but also as a cobblestone line understatedly snaking over the streets in the residential district of Treptow and and other areas (I'm sure I'll get a photo of these in a later blog). The gallery was first painted in 1990 and has had to be repainted to cover up the graffiti and erosion. However, some of the original artists did not approve of this 'repair' work and have organised against it.

Early morning runs have also taken me past workmen repairing the pavements (which everyone presumably does approve of), sections of which are made up of lots of small stone squares rather than big pavement slabs. They use large rubber mallets - maybe to keep the noise down for those still sleeping! This looks pretty as it is, but has also formed part of another unassuming but emotive memorial to another chapter in Germany's history (again, will get photos for later).