A bit about where Obama spoke today...

[ColbertWatcher]

...and other people he met.

Everyone knows he originally wanted to speak at the Brandenberg Gate.

Everyone knows that was rejected and the Victory Column (Siegessaeule) was used instead.

For the full history about those two very important memorials, go check 'em out at Wikip*dia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandenberg_Gate">Brandenberg Gate and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Victory_Column">Victory Column)

What the news is barely talking about is that he also met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel...



...and Berlin's Mayor, Klaus Wowereit...



I haven't found any pictures of him meeting with any U.S. military personnel yet, there are lots of pictures to go through.

But, the real reason I started this thread is because the GOP-controlled media seem to be missing a little something about where Obama held his speech.

For Germans, that road, that one kilometer street connecting the Gate with the Column was dubbed "Fan Mile" the year Germany hosted the World Cup two years ago to the month in July of 2006. (EDITED TO ADD: month)

Italy won the whole shebang, but Germany placed third and every German was caught up in the whole celebration.

The official slogan for the World Cup that year was http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_time_to_make_friends">"A time to make friends"



Der Spiegel's English language coverage here

For Der Spiegel's pictures, go here. Picture #9 (www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/fotostrecke-33614-9.html) gives you a look at part of the "Fan Mile".