Author Topic: Berlin (Read 3559 times)

Beardy · « **on:** 21 February, 2018, 08:39:43 am »

What an amazing city. Poignant reminders of why Europeans in general thing that a wider European community is a good idea, and some stunning architecture filling in the gaps that the RAF helped to create.

And the people. In spite of having nothing but English (to my eternal shame) to rely on everyone we met was helpful and friendly without being overly intrusive.

The underground system caused me some confusion one hungover morning although this was exacerbated further by my dyslexia and the place names being in foreign.

One of the things that I did note with curiosity, and this is a bit on topic, where the number of bike rental schemes in operation. I counted 5 I think, with only one of them being tethered. I didn't look into how easy it might be to sign up as we already had a busy three days.

I think I might have to go back some time.

Pingu · « **Reply #1 on:** 21 February, 2018, 08:50:13 am »

Yes, we liked Berlin and we're going back in June. Watch out for bears, though!

Redlight · « **Reply #2 on:** 21 February, 2018, 09:13:12 am »

I've only been on business but it's definitely a place I'd like to visit for a long weekend when mini-redlight is old enough to appreciate it.

On one occasion I had a 9am meeting on the other side of the city to my hotel. It was a beautiful spring morning so a colleague and I decided to leave the hotel at 7 and walk to the meeting (much to the bewilderment of our colleagues). I loved the fact that you could tell when you had crossed from the former western zone to the former eastern zone by the way that the green and red man symbols on the pedestrian crossings were drawn.

I also remember that at the finance ministry they still had one of those lifts that comprises a series of platforms on a chain that never stops moving, a bit like a ferris wheel. There were no doors - you had to be ready to hop on when it arrived and very ready to hop off quickly when it got to the floor you wanted. I always wondered what would happen if you missed the top floor...

Ham · « **Reply #3 on:** 21 February, 2018, 09:26:33 am »

Obv vid:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0rZ2CPCYBQ

(Better than the original if only for Stevie Ray Vaughn's solo - actually, was it the original?)

Redlight · « **Reply #4 on:** 21 February, 2018, 09:34:39 am »

Quote from: Ham on 21 February, 2018, 09:26:33 am

Obv vid:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0rZ2CPCYBQ

(Better than the original if only for Stevie Ray Vaughn's solo - actually, was it the original?)

I think it Famous Blue Raincoat did come out before I'm Your Man, so I guess you could say that. Cracking album.

Canardly · « **Reply #5 on:** 21 February, 2018, 09:58:15 am »

I seem to remember reading that a Uk university recently closed down one of the last remaining paternosters in the UK. Ah found it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-42363360/paternoster-the-rare-lift-that-went-over-the-top

ScumOfTheRoad · « **Reply #6 on:** 21 February, 2018, 10:04:02 am »

Ive been to Berlin on business and for a long weekend. Great city.

Re paternoster lifts, if I am not wrong the Genetics buimding at Glasgow Uni had one. I guess it is long gone now!

Beardy · « **Reply #7 on:** 21 February, 2018, 11:13:12 am »

Essex Uni Library building had a Paternoster until the recent 'improvements' (actually a massive extension) which is a shame.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #8 on:** 21 February, 2018, 12:21:19 pm »

The chemistry building at Imperial had one when I was a Penniless Student Oaf.

ian · « **Reply #9 on:** 21 February, 2018, 12:30:57 pm »

Sheffield had a couple of paternosters (one in the library, one in the Royal Hallamshire, if I recall from my wife). Probably been H&Sed by now, but I think they emergency stop if you don't get off at the top, as per automatically revolving doors.

clarion · « **Reply #10 on:** 21 February, 2018, 12:41:10 pm »

Arts Tower, Sheffield. It used to be possible to ride over the top, if you kept very still*

* allegedly

ElyDave · « **Reply #11 on:** 21 February, 2018, 01:05:14 pm »

I went to Berlin in the mid 80's aged about 10 when my dad was stationed in Germany in the airforce. We drove there along a controlled road, start and end time logged, and had to be completed within a certain timeframe to be clear of suspicion of deviating from the route to pick up defectors.

Berlin itself was a great city, and I'd love to go back there again now that the wall is down, just to see the changes.

pcolbeck · « **Reply #12 on:** 21 February, 2018, 01:11:52 pm »

Newcastle Uni had one in Claremont Tower when I was there in the early 80s.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #13 on:** 21 February, 2018, 01:17:02 pm »

In a thread about Berlin, shouldn't they be called Unservateraufzüge?

Pingu · « **Reply #14 on:** 21 February, 2018, 01:20:32 pm »

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #15 on:** 21 February, 2018, 01:24:11 pm »

Jon P · « **Reply #16 on:** 21 February, 2018, 01:52:13 pm »

Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 21 February, 2018, 01:17:02 pm

In a thread about Berlin, shouldn't they be called Unservateraufzüge?

No.

Just think of the most literal, infantile description imaginable of the object in question and voila! a new German compound noun is born.

How about Raufundrunterrollkabine? "Up-and-down-rolling cabins"?

hellymedic · « **Reply #17 on:** 21 February, 2018, 02:39:56 pm »

Quote from: ian on 21 February, 2018, 12:30:57 pm

Sheffield had a couple of paternosters (one in the library, one in the Royal Hallamshire, if I recall from my wife). Probably been H&Sed by now, but I think they emergency stop if you don't get off at the top, as per automatically revolving doors.

I don't think the Hallamshire had a paternoster for people. Might have had an unmanned lift for lab samples.

Northwick Park did have a paternoster but I think that's been decommissioned.

I'm sure yacf has had previous paternoster threads.

Some things just keep coming round and round...

hellymedic · « **Reply #18 on:** 21 February, 2018, 02:43:34 pm »

Quote from: clarion on 21 February, 2018, 12:41:10 pm

Arts Tower, Sheffield. It used to be possible to ride over the top, if you kept very still*

* allegedly

When I was a PSO¹ we could go round both the top and the bottom and enjoy an active cuddle in transit.

I am OLD!

1) Not actually penniless, by any stretch of the imagination...

andrewc · « **Reply #19 on:** 21 February, 2018, 02:51:38 pm »

Friends were at Salford uni, which also had them.

ian · « **Reply #20 on:** 21 February, 2018, 02:57:29 pm »

Quote from: Johnny Thin on 21 February, 2018, 01:52:13 pm

Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 21 February, 2018, 01:17:02 pm
In a thread about Berlin, shouldn't they be called Unservateraufzüge?
No.

Just think of the most literal, infantile description imaginable of the object in question and voila! a new German compound noun is born.

How about Raufundrunterrollkabine? "Up-and-down-rolling cabins"?

I fear you have effectively summarized the entire German language.

andytheflyer · « **Reply #21 on:** 21 February, 2018, 03:28:19 pm »

Quote from: Redlight on 21 February, 2018, 09:13:12 am

I also remember that at the finance ministry they still had one of those lifts that comprises a series of platforms on a chain that never stops moving, a bit like a ferris wheel. There were no doors - you had to be ready to hop on when it arrived and very ready to hop off quickly when it got to the floor you wanted. I always wondered what would happen if you missed the top floor...

There were several at Leeds Uni in the early '70s. You could go around the top or the bottom (but not supposed to...). That was a ploy used to get on the lift when there were large queues to go up or down from a given floor - get on the one going the other way and go the long way around. AIUI they've all been HnS'd out of existence now. Pity - they were really quick and efficient. I don't recall anyone having an incident, although I'm not sure now that in my increasing dodderiness I'd have the coordination to get on or off one without dramas.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #22 on:** 21 February, 2018, 07:41:13 pm »

Quote from: ElyDave on 21 February, 2018, 01:05:14 pm

I went to Berlin in the mid 80's aged about 10 when my dad was stationed in Germany in the airforce. We drove there along a controlled road, start and end time logged, and had to be completed within a certain timeframe to be clear of suspicion of deviating from the route to pick up defectors.

When I was a tiny Mr Larrington in the late 1960s, had we wanted to visit West Berlin from the Federal Republic we'd have had to fly.

αdαmsκι · « **Reply #23 on:** 21 February, 2018, 07:48:40 pm »

When I was at secondary school I did a German exchange to the east of Hamburg and my host family took me for a day trip to Berlin, which involve a 2+ hour train journey on the way there, some time to see a few things in Berlin before a 2+ hour train trip back. I don't remember much.

I've got a weekend in Berlin in September. Despite it only being a weekend I should get to see a decent amount because I'll be doing a 26.2 mile run around the city on the Sunday morning.

mark · « **Reply #24 on:** 22 February, 2018, 12:32:23 am »

I remember a paternoster in my father's office building (or at least one that he frequented) in Berlin in around 1962. I'd forgotten all about it until I saw Redlight's post. Other than that, my only real memories of Berlin consist of being taken to see the wall, which was still pretty new at the time. And yes, we were required to fly from the Federal Republic to Berlin, the US government didn't want my father or his family travelling behind the Iron Curtain.