Sitting on the Border

As I sit here watching the funeral of Pope John Paul II, I'm thinking about the city of Slubice across the Oder river and further into the country of Poland. Last night Torsten and I went to Poland for dinner. The two of us ate full meals with drink for about Zl 30 which is about €7,50 or US$9, what ever currency it was, it couldn't be done in Germany. On my way here, while i was still in England, I looked up Frankfurt (Oder) in the latest Lonely Planet Germany. Now according to them, Slubice and Frankfurt (Oder) were one city until about 60 years ago. Then the German border was rolled right up to the river which is less than 500 metres from me right now. Millions of Germans literally had their country pulled out from under them. Even now 60 years after the forcible "Polnification" some of the elderly in Western Poland speak Polish with a thick German accent. Last night at dinner, our waitress couldn't speak a word of German (English was out of the question) and neither of us could speak a word of Polish. Yet somehow we understood each other. I know it wasn't that hard because ordering a Pizza is a pretty universal thing the world over. However, it still was an unbelievable experience. Today, Torsten is taking an exam at University and I had planned to go for Breakfast in Poland, good food and cheap as well-but i noticed that Poland is in National mourning for the Pope. NOTHING is open. Yet over here on the German side of the river the day goes onwards. What I'm trying to get at is that the physical borders are there but we are still human beings on both sides of it. Besides this border is only 60 years old.

A total aside. When Germans go to Poland they only have to show their ID cards (used to the same degree as an American Drivers License) but because I'm not European, I have to show my passport. Now I came into Berlin yesterday morning, and got a visa stamped into my passport. Then I left Germany at Frankfurt, and got another Visa stamped into my passport. Poland gave me and entrance Visa, no exit but Germany gave me another entrance visa. So in 12 hours I left Germany once and entered twice... now I have only 4 pages left in my Passport (45 stamps are there) Where to next?