Irony near the old Iron Curtain

OK, time for a little laugh, at my expense... If you read my blog post yesterday about Twetches (click here), then this is the inside story about why I was laughing at myself so hard...

So.... I am here in Berlin, coincidentally here very close to the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.... aka the Iron Curtain when referred to in it's broader context... hence, the theme for this post on a little irony on my trip...

BTW, the pic above is one I took myself, of a preservered segment pf the wall - to see where I took it, look for the red box near the item marked 3 on this map

So.... here's how it goes:

• I originally planned to be in Berlin October 1-31
• I have other accomodation booked in Rhodes, Greece starting November 1 for a month
• Not long after I plan my trip, I learn that anniversary of the day the wall fell was happening a week after I left on November 9th, oh well
• Then I learn that this is a special year, marking 20 years since the wall fell!, oh well well, live and learn
• While I am IN Berlin, I keep reading about the fall of the wall, the 20th anniversary, and what will be happening to celebrate, darn, if only I was here
• I toy briefly on modifying my stay, but discard it as a whim
• My friend Kelly visits for 10 days and we frequently laugh at the fact that I won't be here for the anniversary
• Then I hear that U2 is playing a special free concert for the people of Berlin - at the Brandenburg Gate - on November 5th!
• I think this is so cool.... I begin to ponder if it is worth changing my travel plans
• I get it in my head somehow that this concert is being held the night the wall fell (it fell during the wee hours), before the 20th anniversary the next day
• 2 days before I am supposed to leave, I decide, what the hell, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, I'll do it! (and I have a whole month in Rhodes, not a huge place, 3 weeks is fine!)
• I decide to leave on November 9th, giving me time for the concert on Nov 5, the anniversary on Nov 6 and a few days afterwards to take in any extended exhibitions
• I change my travel plans (extending my time in my flat here, telling the Rhodes folks I'll be late [though I still have paid for the days not used, it's a flat for the month], changing my flights) and chalk up the cost to the 'once in a lifetime opportunity' ledger (as if I had one)
• With me so far? Read on...

The irony comes in here:
IRONY #1

• I hear via a friend in Vancouver that the U2 tickets have gone "on sale" (yes, even though they are free, there are limited amount available), geeze, how did I miss that? I jump online and.... oh, they are "sold out"! IRONY #1 - NO U2 TIX
• I think, oh well, I'll just go see if I can get a tix at the entrance, if not, I'll stand a block away and listen (see the note at the end of a previous post here about the rather poignant relevance of this and the famous 1987 concert incident)...
• IRONY #1 - NO U2 TIX!

IRONY #2

• At least I am here for the fall of the wall anniversary...
• I begin to read about some of the celebration plans for the anniversary when something doesn't feel right... a main one doesn't until the 9th? WTF? another one runs Nov 7-9? WTF?
• Then it hits me... I check the dates, and, yes, did you catch it? The anniversary is on November 9 (they day I am leaving!), not November 6
• What happened? a dyslexic moment? I made up the U2 night before story? the full moon? I was really blonde at birth? LOL
• IRONY #2 - Despite the extra cost, I still won't be here for the anniversary!

Irony #3

• It starts to snow in Berlin today... geez, I should have planned my trip to be somewhere warmer at this point.... oh, wait! I did that! I even have a furnished, paid-for flat waiting for me in Greece!
• IRONY #3 - Berlin cold, Greece warm, where is Roberta? and why?

So, here I am in Berlin, as the snow falls, with no tickets to tomorrow's U2 concert and I fly out on the day the wall fell. Nice work Roberta!
In case you are wondering, I did consider changing the tix again, but realized it was really the concert that motivated me, and to duplicate those costs was really more than I wanted to do...

But, ah, the irony....

NOV. 5 UPDATE: the snow has stopped, the sun is shining and I just scored a FREE ticket to the U2 concert!!!!! All is right with the world!

Doors open at 4:00, the concert starts at 6:30. Here are the other important details from my ticket (!): Veranstaltungsdauer: 20 Minuten (TV-Aufzeichung); Bitte nutzen sie zur Anreise den OPNV; Mitbringen von Getranken bis max. 0,5 l Gefassgross PRO PERSON im Tetra-Pak und PET erlaubt. Einbringen von Glas, Dosen, sperrignen Gegenstanden aller Art, Waffen, pyrotechnischen Artiklen, Video, Foto- und Tonaufzeichnungsgeraten ist untersagt