Three places

I’ve been to three very different places in the last three days. Let’s start with today. I have just got back from an appointment at Vivantes Klinikum im Friedrichshain on Landsberger Alle. I got there at 2.30 pm, which gave me time to do all the form filling, relaxing and then meeting a new doctor. I was in the Dermatologie department.

The problem is an outbreak of red skin/spots/hard skin on my face.It started when my allergies began so my Doc thought it may be connected. The Dr today said it was not connected. It is inherited and gets worse as you get older. I have new medicine and an appointment in mid-July for a full body check to see if I have skin cancer!

Yesterday I met Kerstin and the Oldie Fitness Gang. We did some extra exercises before setting off to an Italian restaurant in Köpenick near to the River Spree. The staff worked hard to serve so many people sitting around extended tables and all talking across each other. I sat in a corner, watched and listened. They really are an interesting gang of people to meet each week. The food was very good. I had salmon with different ‘Veggie’ side dishes.

On Tuesday afternoon I met my SPD Oldies and off we went to The Stasi (DDR State Security) Prison in Berlin – Hohenschönhausen. This is an area in the north-east of the city. We went on a tour that had been prepared for us. Many in the group had lived through life in the DDR and knew all about this terrible prison. I was impressed by the presentations in different languages. Also to see how many young people from different countries visit the prison complex as part of learning about German history.

More than 450,000 people including about 200,000 young people visit the former Stasi prison each year. The next time you come to Berlin you really must add it to your list of places to see. You can get full information about how to get there, guided tours, exhibitions, bookshop, in/on the internet.