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| Berliner Dom |
We begin our 2 ½ hr drive east to Berlin. Unfortunately it
becomes 4 hrs. with traffic accidents and tie-ups on the Autobahn. One you can’t lane split so the trip takes
longer, and traffic inside Berlin on a Friday afternoon at 3:30 pm. At 31C is
nuts!
We finally arrive at our hotel, which is excellent and right
in the centre core. They provide 2 beer (Berliner) and 2 water each day, and we
freshen up and head out for a great supper at the Georgebreau pub just a few
blocks away. After a goulash and a dark beer we are ready to walk it off on
museum island and Alexanderplatz.
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| Alexanderplatz at Night |
We
head in the direction of Berliner Dom, a beautiful cathedral on museum island.
As we get closer we can hear symphony music in the square out front. Indeed as
we arrive the grass of the central park has near 100 small parties of 4-6
people all listening to the music and conversing in the evening warmth. Near us
a late teen, early 20’s girl gets up and attracts the attention of a small 4-5
yr old girl with her parents. She strikes a ballet pose, offers her hand to the
child, and they begin to dance. The little girl is enchanted, and the young
woman is smiling herself from ear to ear. Needless to say this chance encounter
is seared into our memory. We continue our walk to Alexanderplatz where the
place is a swarm of teens and tourists enjoying the evening. We were so
fortunate to be there.
Saturday we wake up late to some rain which retreats as we
begin our walk to the Bundestag, the home of the German parliament and our date
with Angela…. Or at least a tour of her house. We have booked our 10:30 tour 2
months ago and our guide is knowledgeable, funny, and very bright. It was well
worth taking the time to see it, and the double helix staircase to the dome.
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| Double Helix Staircase |
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| Bundestag Chamber itself |
But wait there’s more. Sandra has a smorgasbord of sights to
see and we weave the streets to see them all. The Westin Grand, where some of
the Bourne Supremacy was shot, Brandenburg gate,
the most identifiable monument
and 2nd only to the Berlin wall.
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| Us at the Brandenburg Gate |
On the former east German side
there are crosses in memorial to some of the people who were killed attempting
to escape over the Berlin Wall. Close by, is the Memorial to the Murdered Jews
of Europe. We walk through this in early afternoon and later make our way back
for the English guided tour at 3:00pm. on Saturdays.
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| Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe |
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| Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe |
Symbolically and with
irony, Hitlers bunker, nothing more than a sign next to a parking lot, is all
that is left about 2 blocks away, and ........
finally we walk to Checkpoint Charlie,
now a tourist trap with actors portraying soldiers on the original site.
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| Checkpoint Charlie |
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| Checkpoint Charlie |
It’s
amusing. By the end of the day we are wiped, but satisfied that we got to see
so many interesting sites. One of the funniest encounters was when we were
waiting for the guide at the Holocaust site, 2 late teen early 20 girls, were
sitting with us on a block when I asked them since they were virtually
identical down to their clothing, hair length etc. if they were twins. Imagine
my surprise, and Sandra’s when they remarked "No!". For a split second I am
looking at them in disbelief, then they clarify by stating they are
quadruplets, from Manchester England. Sandra tells them they are her first
quads she’s seen, and I comment and likely our last.
Next Part 2, The Berlin Wall and Wannsee
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