This is Der Fernsehturm (the TV Tower), the tallest building in Germany. The Communists erected this priapic concrete spire in East Berlin to laud the perfection of their Socialist worker’s utopia (or somesuch nonsense). However, when the sun shines, the ball reflects the light as a glaring cross; Berliners apparently call it, ‘The Pope’s Revenge’.
Just returned from a week in Eastern Europe with a couple of dozen of my Sixth Form students. Dragging them around snowy Berlin and rainy Krakow by public transport, not to mention journeying between the two cities on a rickety Communist-era sleeper train, whilst on duty 24 hours a day, takes its toll. At this precise moment, I’m enjoying the first relaxing ’me’ time I’ve had in a while. I’m going to sit here and do bog all for the whole afternoon, and no one can stop me.
Some day soon, I’m even going to have a day free and go ‘paddling’.
