Spring 2009 European Tour:  Berlin, Part II
May 7th
By: John B. Holbrook, II
 

Thursday was a long and busy day, but certainly among the most interesting on the trip.  After breakfast, myself and other journalists in the watch industry were transported to the banks of the Spree river for a boat tour through Berlin:  

 

 

As we set out on our tour, we were told the Berlin actually has more water bridges than does Venice Italy:

 

The Victory Column:

 

Here's the intrepid group of journalist explorers:  To my right is WATCHTIME magazine Editor In Chief, Joe Thompson.  To his right and facing you in the photo is Elizabeth Doerr, covering the event for INTERNATIONAL WATCH magazine.  To her right is none other than Walter Lange who joined us on the tour.  To his right is his assistant, and to her right is our tour guide.

 

A shot of yours truly enjoying the tour:

 

The Berlin Cathedral (also known as the Berlin Dom) - a protestant church:

 

 

 

  

The tour of Berlin on the river Spree was most relaxing and enjoyable - it's a great way to see and learn about Berlin.

 

We stopped for a nice lunch then headed back to the hotel for transport to the afternoon tour - Berlin by air:

 

This is a classic DC-3 "Candy Bomber" (the Germans often called them Rosinenbombers or Raisin Bombers) - one of the actual plans used by the US Allies during the Berlin Airlifts during the late 1940's.  American pilots (most famously Colonel Gail Halvorsen) would fly these planes to drop much needed food and medical supplies into Germany during the Soviet Berlin Blockade.  The pilots would also attach fruit and candy with little parachutes and drop them for the waiting children below - thus was coined the name "Candy Bombers" or "Raisin Bombers." 

  

  

  

As someone who works for a US Air Force Support contractor, it was a real thrill to get up close with and fly in this important piece of US Air Force history.  Fortunately, I had my GMT Master II on - a pilots watch worn by many professional pilots and military aviators.

  

We boarded the DC-3 - great pains were taken to restore the plane to original condition and the crew even wore period correct uniforms:

  

No autopilot on this baby - the controls are entirely manual.

  

Preparing for take off:

  

My new buddy Joe was enjoying this opportunity as much as I was:

  

And we're off!

  

  

This was a fantastic way to see Berlin!

  

After the thrilling ride aboard the DC-3, we headed back to the Hotel De Rome and changed for the dinner party where A. Lange & Söhne would unveil the new Zeitwerk. Here we are entering the party:

  

Lange gathered jounalists from around the world to attend the unveiling of the Zeitwerk.

  

There really weren't that many women in attendance (watches being primarily a "guy" thing)...how's come they always end up around me in the pictures??  Karen's gonna kill me...  :D  :D

  

A representative from Lange welcomed us, then introduced A. Lange & Söhne CEO Fabian Krone

  

Fabian thanked us all for coming and set the tone for the event:

  

  

  

After the opening remarks, we were taken in the next room for dinner.  Since I haven't shown many photos of the fabulous food I ate during my week in Europe, I'll take the opportunity now to show you a photo of the fabulous meal I enjoyed this evening, exactly as I saw it:

  

No need to adjust your monitor with the above photo.  :)  The meal we enjoyed to place in complete and utter darkness and was served to us by a wait staff comprised entirely of blind people.  The "dinner in darkness" concept is a relative new one that's making its way through Europe and the US.  The idea is that in the absence of our primary sense of sight, our other senses become heightened in awareness.  The experience was....interesting....and certainly valuable to help one appreciate what it is like to operate as a blind person.  However, it's not something I'd seek out again.  Here's a photo of us being lead into the dinning room:

  

After dinner we at last had the opportunity to see and experience the Lange Zeitwerk

  

Here's a group of journalist handling the new Zeitwerk and getting the opportunity to speak with one of Lange's watchmakers about the technical challenges of creating the watch:

  

Fabian Krone and Walter Lange pose in front of a photo of the new Zeitwerk:

  

If you're interested, you can read the press release about the new Zeitwerk in the German Watch Forum of WATCH TALK FORUMS by clicking here.  I snuck away from the party a tad early to post the press kit information on WATCH TALK FORUMS....but I was also pretty tired from all the day's activities.  And tomorrow would bring another facinating day of exporing Berlin.