Joseph Rosendo's Travelscope

Berlin And Western Poland - Over The Borderline

In a show that begins in Berlin and ends in Poznan, where the Polish state began, Joseph travels in the German-Polish border region and is captivated by the beautiful structures, historic traditions and respected customs. He is also aware of what time and events have stolen. In Berlin the story unfolds as Joseph takes a Trabi car tour of the city and pauses at Checkpoint Charlie. At the East Side Gallery, where the Wall still stands, he stops to honor the Wall's victims at the Wall Memorial. For a ride on the natural side he bikes to the nearby royal town of Potsdam, site of the famous conference, where in the Dutch Quarter he slows down to enjoy Gemutlichkeit, the good life. His journey across the borderline in Poland brings him to town after town, where the ever shifting Polish/German nationalities spotlight Polish national pride and epic perseverance. He enjoys the rural countryside in a mosaic of activities from river boating in Wroclaw, riding in a steam locomotive in Wolsztyn and celebrating ceramic making in Boleslawiec. As he tours through this resurrected and revitalized region, he is reminded of the resilience of human beings and their ability to, Phoenix-like, rise from their ashes again and again.