Scoutmaster Europe Journal 2002
Report # 1
7/12/2002
Hi Everyone,
Here I am in Europe again. Got to Munich on Wednesday, after an uneventful flight across the Atlantic. Flew on a DC-10, sitting on an aisle seat in the center section. The plane had 2-5-2 seating, but only one other person sat in the center range of seats, and she had the other aisle seat. So I could actually stretch out and sleep a little. Even so, jet lag took its toll the first day.
I plan to spend a couple of days in Munich before heading east to Hungary. Despite having been here before, there are still things I have not seen. For example, yesterday, I found the Jewish Museum which had been closed three years ago. It's a tiny place, almost hidden in the city. Walking down a nondescript street, there are only two indications that the place is there. The more obvious, but offering no clue, is the fact that there are a couple of police across the street armed with sub-machine guns! On the opposite side of the street there's a small sign posted on the building next to an alley that proclaims the Jewish Museum's presence. Getting into the place means walking into the ally via a guardhouse. The doors lock on both sides forming a little cell where a plainclothes security guard asks to see a copy of your passport. He's behind a bulletproof window, like a drive-in bank teller. Not only does he look at the passport he also asks questions: "Why are you here? How long? Where are you going?" It reminds me of El Al security. Needless to say, he let me in.
The museum is underwhelming. It's very small, perhaps five or six rooms at most. During my visit, there was a display of 60 photographs by a man who had been born in Munich before the war, but lived most of his life in New York City. So most of the photographs were scenes of life in the Big Apple, like people on subway cars, and in the streets. Isn't it wonderful how the city of my youth follows me around. Another thing, the museum is in a small building deep in the alley, but you have to walk along the wall of the main synagogue to get there. Obviously, the synagogue is also in the alley. No one would ever know that there was a synagogue here. There are no signs at all on the main street, and even in the alley, if the windows were not open, I would not have known that I was walking along the outer wall of a synagogue. Peeking through windows reveals an extremely plain sanctuary; there are hardly any decorations at all. The plainest American synagogue would put this place to shame, but perhaps it's enough that it exists! It must be incredibly difficult to be a practicing Jew in Munich.
Actually, I only spent a little time visiting the Jewish Museum, but I spent a lot of time visiting the Deutsches Museum, the world's largest Science and Technology museum. Almost all of the written descriptions for the exhibits are both in German and English so it was not hard to make my way around the place.
Before entering the building, you must go into a large square courtyard. The most amazing kind of carnival ride was in the courtyard. I am sure it's not a permanent attraction, but during the summer, a lot of kids ride this thing. The ride is called the "space shot." There is a platform with two immense poles reaching up into the sky like two fingers making the "V" for victory sign. From the tops of the poles, say five stories up in the air, there are cables going down the center of the "V." Attached to cables is an open air spherical container that has two seats for riders. The other end of the cables goes on the outside of the "V" to two huge multispring mechanisms. When the operator releases the springs, riders hurtle into the air like something shot out of a sling shot pointing straight up. I am sure the G forces are substantial. It costs 6 Euros for a kid to take the ride, and 15 for an adult. I did not take the ride.
The Air and Space exhibit in the Deutches Museum interested me a lot. There were many planes, helicopters, gliders, and rockets on display like in the Air and Space museum back home. However, the ones here include a lot of German and European aircraft. For example, this was the first time I saw the world's first operational jet, the Messerschmitt 136. We almost lost WW-II because the Germans had this plane. It could out fly every other plane in the sky, and it took incredible skill and luck for an Allied fighter pilot to shoot it down. I think only one kill was confirmed.
The museum is very hands-on. I got to operate the controls of a model helicopter. I am now convinced that helicopter pilots need four hands to fly one of those things. The mathematics exhibit was also extremely interesting. There are all kinds of puzzles and objects that have mathematical/geometrical explanations. For example, there is a cart with square wheels that rolls very smoothly on a surface of rounded logs. In fact, there are too many things to see in one visit, like all the world's great museums. Never the less, it was worth the visit.
Before ending this first electronic journal entry for this trip, I would be remiss if I didn't say what a great time I had with the troop at Raven Knob last week. Special thanks to Mike Tiffany, Gary Klinger and Ed Passarelli who really took a load of work off my shoulders. Don't tell any of the scouts, but I got to take an afternoon nap twice! That's a first for me. Usually, I am running on fumes by the time I get to bed. I know the scouts had a great time because a few of them got into trouble. In hindsight it was nothing serious, but we learned a few lessons. The new Patrol Leaders' Council did a fine job too. I think the troop elected an especially good PLC this year. The scouts and I really enjoyed having Nathan Sherrard, one of our Duke University – Assistant Scoutmaster - Eagle Scouts, join us for a couple of days over the Fourth of July. Lastly, I want to thank all those who drove to camp and back from camp.
By the way, if you don't want me to send you future journal entries, please let me know by email. Also, if you prefer my using a different email address, let me know.
Yours,
Philip Sternberg