I don't think you can really make it out, but this crossing light is a throwback to the old Communist days of East Berlin. The Commies wanted even the stick figure meaning "Go" to identify with the proletariat, so they gave the common man a hat -- legend has it, the only crossing light man in the world to wear one.


In the early days following the fall of the Wall, people instinctively tried to purge East Berlin of anything and everything Communist. So of course, that meant bye-bye to their beloved Green Man-Red Man figures. The problem was, this was about the only exciting and sexy thing the Communist world ever thought up. Look at these guys, then go outside and look at one of ours. Ours suck. Theirs are awesome. So by popular demand, scattered throughout Berlin at random intersections are the Communist crossing signals, hats on, ready to guide you across the street. There is apparently even a store in Berlin that sells nothing but stuff with these guys' images plastered on it -- I never saw it.


Even though the Danes are better at sarcasm than ANY other European country (it really is not even close, and I think it's because all of their channels are in English with Danish subtitles, rather than going with the dub), Marie, a Dane on my bike tour, wasn't quick enough to understand why I had to take a picture of this place.

Me: "Hey, Marie. Wanna go get some Balzac coffee?"
Marie: "Why?"
Me: (sheepish giggling)


You have to love American soldiers and their potty humor during war. This magnificent statue in the heart of the Tiergarten, erected in triumph after a defeat of the French in the 19th century, was affectionately titled "Chick on a Stick" by our G.I.s.