Safari crashes when I try to open bookmarks on iPad 2, why?

Have you tried a complete power off of the iPad or a hard reset? Let us know if you are not familiar with these task.

Not sure. The next suggestion would be to clear your cache, cookies and othe temp files. Does it crash after you select a bookmark or do you not get that far. Do some of your bookmarks work? You might also try an alternate browser to see how it reacts but you need to get Safari fixed as it is your default browser.

Try this. Go to Settings>Safari>Clear History, Clear Cookies, Clear Cache - clear all three - restart - hold down on the sleep button until the red slider appears and slide to shut down. Restart by holding down on the sleep button until the Apple logo appears. Let go of the button and let the iPad fully restart. Try Safari again.

If you have a corrupt bookmark that could be causing the problem as well. You can delete the bookmarks by opening the bookmarks and tapping the edit button at the top and then select the bookmark that you want to delete by tapping the red minus sign and then tap delete.

I'm trying to think of a way to force your iPad bookmarks to be overwritten. In the computer version of iTunes you have sync settings for safari bookmarks. If you check Sync Safari Bookmarks under Other and check Bookmarks under Advanced and do an Apply, I am wondering if that will at least rewrite the bookmarks on the iPad. It seemed to have reset them on my iPad but that was the first time I set those checkboxes. If you have not tried this, maybe give it a shot. At least maybe you will get the Bookamarks drop down menu back.

"Yes, I can't even open the bookmarks icon."

If that is true how can you possibly know that the bookmarks are OK and usable? Roosevelt has provided a good suggestion. If his advice doesn't help you may want to restore your iPad

You are talking about the numbered rectangle-on-rectangle symbol directly to the left of the bookmark open book symbol, correct?

If that is what he is referring to those are just the open web pages in the current Safari session. I think he means that he can tap a bookmark in the bar under the URL field. That area is the bookmarks bar.

Just because the bookmarks work in the bookmarks bar doesn't mean that there is not a bad one in the open book icon. The open book icon is the bookmarks menu.

I think you have a good idea about cleaning out the bookmarks on the Mac and then resyncing the bookmarks from iTunes.

Totally confused now ... the only way you can add to the bookmarks bar is by tapping on the open book icon. That is the bookmarks menu that contains the bookmarks bar folder is it not???

Okay. I have the Bookmarks Bar in my interface now. Actually you add bookmarks through symbol to the right of the open book symbol, correct? So he can add bookmarks all day but not be able to access them through the bookmarks menu. He can probably even navigate the folders a bit. So on his machine, Apple has implemented the first "crackhouse" menu under iOS!!! I think I am going to post a question regarding the proper names of those symbols.

I'm not even sure it is possible but did you initially pull your bookmarks down to the iPad from either your desktop Safari or from MobileMe or did you create all of the bookmarks just on the iPad?