You are going on vacation?

You are going on a forced vacation because you were arrested?

Your vacation destination is so secret, you would have to kill yourself if you told us?

Aha...well, have a good holiday(?) in Berlin(?)

Yes, Berlin again, as last year. 4 days at the "Venus" (Google=NSFW), the other days are spent wandering around along the former Wall and in East-Berlin. 

I'll be armed with 2 camera's, the latest Japanese technology (able to shoot in twilight without a flash) and a vintage 1980s East-German Praktica.

I hope to break my record of last year when I took 9000 pictures.

Transmitting from West-Berlin.

Last year I started a thread about Berlin in the main Poser forum though it didn't take long before some troll wandered in and messed it up. So I'll post a few things about this year's trip here where only the more intelligent gather.

In this hotel I've only got 24 hours free on the internet, after that it's a whopping 11 Euros/day or the free but slow public computer in the lobby.

One of the more notorious locations of the Berlin Wall. On site is shown how far the East-German government went to construct  their wall : people were driven out of their houses and relocated. These houses were later demolished. A graveyard was partly cleared, though it is suspected 2 mass graves (from WWII bombings) were left intact. Finally, in 1985 a church was blown up  because it hindered the guards line of sight.

Picture : part of the Todesstreifen (see also my freebie) was reconstructed on its former location.

Visiting the former East-German Secret Service (STAats SIcherheit) headquarters.

Some of the interior is being preserved as it was in 1990.

Picture :

Barkas B1000 GTW (GefangenenTransportWagen), prisoner transporter. Disguised as ordinary delivery van or "camper", notice the curtains.

Allright, I know what you are really interested in : a new freebie.

Let's see ... excuse me while I check my luggage.

Ah, there it is, a WIP.

Though being evil I will hide any information about this freebie in some more posts about things to see (and not) in Berlin.

Stay tuned !

Picture : miniature camera's were very popular in East-Germany ... with the Stasi (State Security). Though this particular "Beirette" was sold by Boots in the UK.

Let's first mention a place to avoid :

Madame Tussaud's Berlin

Let's first mention a place to avoid :

Madame Tussaud's Berlin

Let's first mention a place to avoid :

Madame Tussaud's Berlin

I don't know what's up with the forum but it doesn't post fully my replies, see above.

Even copy+paste doesn't work.

One more try and I give up : no story, no freebie.

Nope, something is killing my larger messages. That's it .

One more try taking a detour ...

A place to avoid :

Madame Tussaud's Berlin.

Expensive entrance, 20.95 Euro. Hordes of school children on an "educational" school trip. Overly friendly (not normal for Germany) and somewhat pushy staff trying to sell you tickets for their other exhibitions and ushering you to a Trabant car for a picture (sold at 10 Euro).

Yes, you have walked into a Tourist Trap.

The exhibition is more "sensation" than "education" and meant to be "interactive", which means the figures are placed so that you can pose and take your picture with them. Not much scenery. There is one exception : Adolf Hitler. You are not even allowed to take a picture of him and to this purpose they have placed him in a "bunker", only visible through 2 small windows. It's the usual clash between reality and German denial policy.

There are about 95 wax figures in politics, scientific, sports and artist departments, sometimes they seem somewhat lost between the crowd. My freebie is usually crowded too, unless you use the alternative version which is quite the opposite : empty, eerie ...

I bought the guide (5 Euro) which amazingly is rather educational showing among other things the hard work that goes into constructing these figures. It's really a shame that they end up in a sideshow like this.

It's obvious I didn't find anything useful for a freebie here.

Hmmm.... I had no ebots for this thread lately :huh:

I will remember the Madame Tusaud's tip. He he.

As to guessing the freebie... not a clue off the bat. I will have to employ the Google-fu... which will be a little later this evening

Where's the sword?  ;)

quote : Hmmm.... I had no ebots for this thread lately

Funny that your E-bot only reacted on my first post with a nudity tag ...

quote : I will have to employ the Google-fu

The freebie is fictituous though inspired by several existing buildings. Not difficult as there are many such buildings.

I visited the Edinburgh Wax Museum once which was quite different and where I learnt that Scottish history was mainly written with 3 "M"'s : Mayhem, Murder, Massacre. And that was before the "Chamber of Horrors". Much more entertaining than the Berlin one.

My ebots are back! Must have been that nudity indeed that woke them from their slumber 

The NSFW NVIATWAS (...that's Without A Sword) meant I couldn't look at the render for long. He he. Now I am somewhat wedged on a bus. Will have to scrutinise later...

a) it's not a temple.

b) it's not a Vicky but a Miki.

So there isn't a sword either, I can only offer you a bayonet (see above) that is loosely connected with the alternative version of my freebie.

He he :laugh:

Is the freebie the "Neue Wache" memorial?

Google-fu whilst still on the bus... now that it is a little emptier

Awww... I knew it was a longshot though.

Hmmm.... not a clue then. More Google trawling may be required later... unless anyone beats me to it...

Above : an old render that has nothing to do with my freebie.

            Maybe.

He he... yeah, I'm even more stumped after that "clue"...

Nice render though

Let's take another look at my freebie in a more appropriate colour, Reseda Green (RAL 6011).

The Nikolaiviertel (The Nikolai Quarter).

Although it's almost totally "fake".

The old city centre of Berlin was bombed to rubble in WWII. Afterwards the rubble was cleared but all that was left was a wasteland with a few houses and a church ruin. Since the space was too small for the large housing projects of East-Germany this situation remained until the early 1980s.

Then the government decided - with the upcoming 750th anniversary of Berlin (1987) in view - that an "authentic" looking city centre would look nice. The church was reconstructed as about the only really authentic building, some long-since demolished buildings were also reconstructed not minding some architectural liberties such as exact location and finally the gaps were filled with "custom-build" 1980's Plattenbau. The result doesn't look bad at all.

Surrounded by large lanes and the Spree river the quarter is rather like a peaceful island in a busy city. and with no real attractions relatively few tourists wander about. Just the place sit on a bench, eat my lunch and think about a new freebie to releash upon you.

Render : Miki working at a sign for my freebie. If you can read it, you should be able to guess what this freebie is about ...

He he. That worked a treat!

For the ebots anyway.

Unfortunately I am still drawing a blank on guessing the freebie... and my Google-fu has deserted me! :huh:

Okay, I got the B and H, then a 1.

Postcode?

Hmmm.... still drawing a blank. I'm going to have to walk around the BH1 area in Berlin in Google Earth to figure this out I think :laugh:

That would be a rather long walk since you are on the wrong track and would end up in Bournemouth, UK !

(that's another clue).

BHF Bank? Or Bauhaus Forum?

I'm stumped! 

Oh dear, your Google-Fu really packed its suitcases and left. A German would immediately guess what that abbreviation stands for. 

Another clue : Waverley.

Aha! Berlin’s Hauptbahnhof train station???

Ah, close but no cigar then... so... what is it???

See clues in my previous posts such as "track" and "derailed" ...

The building is fictituous, inspired by several buildings in Berlin though it could be used anywhere.

Ah, my poor German, language and general knowledge, derailed my Google-fu...

Good freebie... I look forward to that one... ;-)

Well, you did remember the name of your own main Station (Waverley) ...

BTW the render above is a WIP, needs finishing on the lower floor.

The S-Bahn station is on hold. There are a few real-life things bothering me and it's keeping away the inspiration to finish this freebie.

I've got another freebie that doesn't need more inspiration, maybe I'll release that first, see render above. 

Anyone wants to take one of my lesser worries away ? I need a UK-based person with a Paypal and Ebay account to buy on Ebay-UK a 9.95£ item for me. The seller suffers from the widespread fear for foreign postal services. All expenses paid by me of course. PM for details.

The wood grain texture comes straight from furniture in STASI headquarters, Berlin.

The lettering consists of 3 separate objects and can be removed.

Awesome ;-)

I see your E-bots were awakened *without * using a nudity tag. Maybe then I should stop posting renders requiring such a nudity tag ?

** cue innocent whistle **

Don't you wanna play the "middle man" between me and an English Ebay vendor ? You know, the guy that always gets killed in the movies aka the "sacrificial lamb" or "Red Shirt".

He he... well might depend what it is I guess?

Dont use eBay really myself... but my wife does.

PM me a link to the item and I'll take a look...

PM sent.

Now I know why the "middle man" always gets killed : he Knows Too Much. Such as names and addresses.

Cave in? CEO Jet, to tell the workers how the company isn't making any money? Johny on the spot? Bus on fire? Am I close?