The Berlin Bears

It all started as we admired the moss covered walls and trails of browning ivy on the walls of a typically spectacular church near the Rathaus in Berlin. Near the entrance to the church we noticed a statue of a snarling bear and elected to take a photo with said bear.

Common themes in German stone-craft encountered thus far consist of “animal clawing at viewer,” the ever popular “man on horse kicking the shit out of lion” and not forgetting the equally likeable, “man with sword stabbing the shit out of lion.” Small variations on the above theme also exist and, while they may or may not involve spears, largely end with the lion getting fucked.

Anyway, two elderly German women indicated with much vigour that they would take our photo with the bear. After much shouted instruction that we were to far to the left, or the right, they apparently neglected to hit the button at all. Bearless, we were forced to improvise. From then on, a rapidly devised game ensured the non-observant traveller was obliged to pose with any bear spotted along the way.

I present the Berlin Bears, part of a rapidly growing collection of retarded travel snaps:

Posted in Shutterbug on Monday January 28, 2008.