Dozens of cars, hundreds of tons of copper Buddha statues pulled down the steel mill back to the furnace, this will Xiang Weirong just feel a little pity, it can be seen that the Chinese society does not pay attention to antiques, do not agree. Pen % fun % Pavilion www.biquge.info

Zhang Nan didn't want to tell him how valuable the dozens of cars of bronze Buddhas were 20 years later: it was almost the same wealth as the more than 1,500 famous paintings, so as not to regret it when his brother-in-law snored.

People don't have a back eye, they can't help it.

But that would have been the case in the 70s, if it weren't for the loss of so many old antiques, the antiques wouldn't be so valuable in 20 years.

Without looking for any antique markets, the three of them wandered around the Old Town of Hamburg for a while, tasting German food and a variety of beers, and returned to the hotel after 9 p.m.

The next morning, I rushed to Hamburg's central train station and boarded a wagon that looked like an armored train - the green car, which was very high, and the common green car was not large compared to the window, and it still could not be opened.

However, because none of the three had any experience of taking trains in Germany, they arrived at the station an hour early and waited on the platform for a long time.

Fortunately, it's only early autumn, and if it's winter, you'll have to freeze enough!

The train station in Germany is open, there is no waiting room at all, you can reach the platform directly from the gate, there is no security check in the middle, no one checks the ticket, and you can take the train in Germany as long as you arrive at the train station ten minutes in advance.

If you don't understand, you can only waste time. However, the conditions in the carriage are very good, the first-class seats are very spacious, the leather backrest seats are arranged on the right and left, and there are not many passengers in the carriage, and there are only about 20 people.

Before leaving the hotel, I asked the staff, and there was no need to sit on the train, because under normal circumstances, German trains were not satisfied at all, so I only had the first class mark on the train ticket in my hand, but there was no seat number.

I don't check the ticket when I get on the bus, which is strange.

It was not until a while after the train left on time at 9 a.m. that the conductor came to check the tickets, but not everyone looked at it, and one or two were randomly checked in the first-class carriage.

Seeing Zhang Nan, the three Asians, the conductor passed without asking.

Chinese people are good comrades, and we don't have the habit of evading tickets abroad.

Probably the conductors in West Germany are also embarrassed to check the tickets of foreign guests: you are not a native to check, if you want to see the tickets of foreigners, it is estimated that few foreign passengers will be happy!

It didn't take long for Guan Xingquan, who was sitting alone, to say to Zhang Nan and Xiang Weirong: "It's East Germany ahead!"

Through the window of the car, you can clearly see the border defense line in front of you, which stretches to both sides without end, and there are various defense facilities. However, the train did not slow down, but continued at a speed of almost 100 kilometers per hour.

"It doesn't seem like there is a need for inspection at the crossing. Xiang Weirong said.

"Maybe. ”

At this time, a conductor happened to pass by, and Guan Xingquan stopped the man and asked a few words.

When the conductor left, Guan Xingquan said: "This is a direct train to West Berlin, and it will never stop unless there are special circumstances in between." ”

As he spoke, he knocked on the sealed window, "This is also to prevent the East Germans from fleeing to the west, because the train was temporarily stopped, and the East Germans who wanted to go to the west came up, which will be completely closed according to the agreement." ”

Zhang Nan shook his head, hey!

After entering East Germany, you can see the scenery on both sides, and the countryside here is not much different from the West German countryside, except that there are slightly fewer cars.

However, when passing through several small towns, the train needs to slow down, and Zhang Nan saw many huge East German emblems, red stars and sickles and hammers on the buildings in the distance.

It's a strange feeling, this is in the place of the Germanic peoples. But it's nice to see those signs, and it feels good.

The cities of East Germany also have modern tall houses, but the architectural style is different from that of the west, typical Eastern European style, which is quite pleasing to the eye, and not those "glass houses" are much more stable.

Because of the slow speed of passing through the station, you can still see the situation on the platform when passing through the small station: the red hat of the female staff is quite distinctive, and her hair is obviously permed.

The East Germans waiting for the train also looked optimistic, and it seemed that not everyone wanted to go west.

......

Two and a half hours later, the train passed through the famous Berlin Wall and entered the West Berlin area and entered the train station.

There's no need to bother looking for a hotel, the Four Seasons Hotel Hamburg has already booked it for them, and it's relatively close to the airport where tomorrow's flight will be (there are three airports in West Berlin).

Before half past one in the afternoon, Zhang Nan and the three of them had already checked in at the hotel.

I had a casual bite to eat at the on-site restaurant, and I got into a taxi called by the front desk, "Go to the Berlin Wall!"

Taxi drivers don't even have to ask which section of the Berlin Wall they are going to, even though West Berlin is completely surrounded by that wall, and you can see it no matter which way you drive!

Of course, the section of the Berlin Wall that foreigners go to is the section near the Brandenburg Gate, where not only can you take a photo with the Brandenburg Gate, but there is also a high platform built with a steel frame, and visitors can go up to the top to see East Berlin and clearly see the whole picture of the heavily defended Berlin Wall.

As soon as the three of them arrived near the Berlin Wall, they saw that the West Germans had painted a lot of caricatures on the wall on their side, which were colorful and messy, and it was obvious that it was okay to walk to the wall.

Stepping up to the high platform, the three of them had a clear view of East Berlin - a wide strip of loose soil between the two Berlin Walls, and a tall watchtower behind it.

There's a mine in the middle.

The houses in East Berlin are a little grey, but they are not ugly or dilapidated, and the capital of East Germany is not far behind.

After taking a few group photos, the three of them got off the high platform, only to see people queuing up to pass through the bayonets on both sides of the Brandenburg Gate not far away -- the people going to the east were basically empty-handed, and those coming from that side were more or less holding things in their hands.

"What's the situation?"

All three of them had doubts in their hearts.

There were West German police at the checkpoint, and Guan Xingquan went up and asked.

I came back in a few minutes, and the policeman just now was quite enthusiastic and answered all questions.

"West Berliners can go to East Berlin with a pass, but there is a time limit and they go shopping. ”

Zhang Nan thought for a while and said: "There are a lot of subsidies for daily necessities in East Germany, and the price of pork on the market alone is more than half of the cost, which is cheaper than here. ”

As soon as Zhang Nan finished speaking, Guan Xingquan's next words made the two of them almost startled!

"Shall we go over and have a look?"

"To the other side?" Xiang Weirong asked.

"Yes, I asked if I could get a permit for foreign tourists, and the policeman said that unless you have a visa to go to East Germany, or a Soviet passport, or a visa to go to the Soviet Union, you need two one-inch photos.

We don't have it, and the man said that the temporary pass is 5 marks, and there is no need to stamp the passport, but it is only valid until 6 o'clock in the evening every day, and you can't stay overnight in East Berlin, otherwise you will be detained and fined if you find it on the other side. ”

Nima, it's really a satellite of the Soviet Union, that's all right?

As soon as the three of them are combined, it will be less than 200 meters, so let's go!

I first took a few photos in front of the Brandenburg Gate on the west side, and asked the tourists to help, and came to take two group photos.

When they arrived at an office next to the bayonet to go through the formalities, each person took out a one-inch photo from his pocket and checked the required documents.

The pass is just a piece of cardboard, with a photo and a nationality, name, passport number and visa number, etc., and it can be done in 20 minutes for three people. Even the camera can be brought over, saying that it is because Zhang Nan and they have a visa to go to the Soviet Union, and it is not forbidden to take pictures there.

Through the bayonet on this side, after passing through the 150-meter-wide passage, there are not only East German policemen on the east side, but also assault rifles on their backs!

The pass was shown here, and although the East German customs officers were a little curious about the combination of two Chinese and one Chinese-American, they were not embarrassed and were ready to be released in three minutes.

I kindly asked if I wanted to exchange some East German marks, and I could issue a certificate here, and I could return it to them when I came back in the afternoon.

"For 300 marks. ”

As a result, the two customs officers really came up with a proof: the money was scooped out of their own pockets, and it was not at all a procedure that went through the temporary office of some bank.

The proof is even funnier, just a sticky note with the signatures and dates of the two on it.

Zhang Nan smiled, and the customs officers also smiled, and everyone knew it.

"We leave work at half past five, please try to come back before then. ”

"No problem, understood. ”

Through Guan Xingquan's translation, the two customs officers smiled even more happily, and enthusiastically reminded them where there are famous places and where to buy East German handicrafts as souvenirs, and they are also good and cheap.

After successfully passing through the checkpoint, the three of them stood on the soil of East Germany in a grand manner.

"This country is almost finished!" Zhang Nan looked at the street in front of him and sighed.

"Huh?"

"The official exchange rate of the mark on the east and west sides is 1 to 1, but the black market price is 1 to 7!

The two of them can earn 1800 for 300 West German marks, and as long as we go back to them before they leave work and return the slips, no matter how much we spend, they can make 6 times the windfall profit.

Even the customs officers do this, and it is estimated that there are benefits from above, and you say that this country is not about to finish?"

Listening to Zhang Nan's explanation, Xiang Weirong and the two immediately understood.

In the banks of the West Germany, the West German mark can be exchanged for the East German mark, but not the other way around, and in the East German bank, the West German mark can also be exchanged for the currency of the East Germany, and the reverse is not possible, the difference in the black market is too large!

Of course Zhang Nan and the others won't go to the black market, so as not to make trouble for themselves, and they don't care about this money anyway.

Those customs officers just recognized that foreigners would not cause trouble for themselves for safety, so they dared to do this blatantly.

Zhang Nan also knew that the most rogue method of those people was that foreigners with permits honestly exchanged East German marks in West German banks, as well as certificates issued by banks. When you enter the GDR, the prosecutors here deliberately do not ask if the crossers have brought the GDR with them, and when you are about to return to the west, they will ask you if you have any GDRMAK.

If you have a certificate issued by the East German Bank, then there is no problem, if it is issued by the West German Bank, it will say that you have not registered and do not count!

At this time, you will be charged with reselling East German currency: confiscate the East German mark or enter the class, you can choose the same!

Twenty years later, Zhang Nan's personal experience of a friend who had been to East and West Germany in the late 80s, who had visas on both sides at that time, said that he almost didn't get angry and bleed!

Xiang Weirong shook his head, "-!"

"That's the, even the public servants have already resold foreign exchange, so there's much to count on. And I heard that the secret police in the GDR, plus informants, were one sixty-fifth of the population. And the Gestapo in World War II was 2,000 to 1, and the KGB was more than 5,000 to one, and I don't know if it's true or not. ”

As he spoke, he looked at the citizens of East Berlin who came and went, "East Germany is still very strong, and after less than 0.4 percent of the world's people, it has created 2.5 percent of the world's industrial products, strong!" )