The last stop of our trip: Berlin.
In 2006 we spent a week here and visited most of the sights, attractions and museums, so there was less pressure this time to squeeze it all in. We booked 2 days, and I wondered if 3 might have been better, but since it was all repeats, it turns out that 2 was just fine.
Thankfully, no problems with the train from Leipzig, seems that run of bad luck was over! We arrived at the hotel around 9:15AM and were told check in was only at 3PM so we could not have the room right away. We could get it at noon for an extra 15€, or wait until 3. We stowed our bags in their luggage room and set off on our day. It was a little drizzly at times and VERY windy, but thankfully it was not cold.
We took in all the main sights West of Brandenburg Gate:
World Clock
TV Tower
Town Hall
Neptune Fountain
Marx and Engels
Berlin Cathedral
Neue Wache (War Memorial)
Brandenburg Gate. Lots of tourists and crowd barriers, so it was tricky to get clear straight shots.
Time to stop for a drink! Frank had the sniffles for a few days, nothing major, but I was starting to feel a little something in my throat so I was getting worried that I caught his cold... perhaps alcohol was not the best idea - but hey baby, it's vacation!
Reichstag
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
I liked this one with the dome of the Reichstag in the distance
We had lunch in Potsdamer Square, I was happy to find weißwurst on the menu again! Normally they are sold in pairs, but here they were sold by the unit so I ordered 3. They brought me 5 of some other kind... no way José! I am not missing my last chance to have my favourite sausages! They fixed their mistake, but then only brought me 2. I decided that was ok - I was only charged for 2 so it all worked out.
Sections of the Berlin Wall and Floor markers. What always hits me about this row of double bricks to mark where the wall was, is how it doesn't follow any modern outline for buildings or streets. Berlin must have changed a lot since it unification!
Topography of Terror. A really sobering exhibit along a remaining section of the Wall
Check Point Charlie. There was a Disney Feel to it all. Did people really understand what they were seeing? Or were they just all lined up to ham it up in a picture "at a famous place" I dunno, it left a bad taste in my mouth. (I did however appreciate that there WAS a line up to get a clear picture).
It was almost 2:30PM by then, so we decided to go back to the hotel to check in (at no extra charge) and unpack. Once that was done, we walked to the East Side Gallery. It was really impressive to see such a long stretch of the Wall still standing 1.3 km. The art was interesting, but a big section of it that's not facing the street was just all graffiti.
Oberbaum Bridge
By now we were beyond burnt! Frank's feet were ready to fall off, and I felt the cold I was hoping I didn't catch start to cling. We took the train back to the area near the hotel and looked for a place to have a drink. The only non-fast-foody place we found was the lounge of the Park Inn Hotel! I had a Radler that tasted too much like beer and barely drank a quarter of it. What a waste.
We wanted something simple for supper, but it seems that's synonymous with fast food which is what I DON'T want. Italian is always easy, so we went to a nice place that was on the way back to the hotel.
Why are colds worse in the evenings and mornings? I was feeling awful by the time we went to bed. One more day to go, I was not going to let it slow me down!
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