Berlin,
Germany
With a last
minute check on flights, the man and I head off on a Wednesday
morning for Berlin to visit Kid #1.
We land at
8am Thursday in a light rain, and quickly pass through immigration.
The kid is there to meet us with his "company car". Our
hotel room is ready and we regroup. Kid back in an hour to walk us
to the train station and show us how to get tickets. Being Germany,
the trains are efficient and on time. Off we go to the city.
We walk
towards the Brandenburg Gate. On our way we pass a Holocaust Memorial
to the Murdered Jews of Europe...huge stone blocks. 2,711 concrete
pillars -called steles- of varying heights. Some tall, some short.
Lines and lines of them. The ground is smooth but unevenly inclined
with small dips and hills. You can can enter the maze from all four
sides, and the view is different from every angle. The paths criss
cross and meander up and down. There is no color, no symbols. Very
surreal. I search for meaning but can find no defining information.
Underground is a small information center.
Across the
street, tucked away in the woods, is a stark concrete box that is the
‘Memorial to
Homosexuals Persecuted Under Nazism’. Through a viewing window are
short videos of same sex couples kissing in public. Nowadays
uneventful, but at one time, forbidden and punishable. No fancy
signage. I find it sad.
Back on the
main street, we head to the Brandenburg Gate
for some rest time and people watching. We sit outside the American
Embassy. Then off to Check Point Charlie. We glance up at buildings
trying to decide which was East and what was West. Part of the wall
still stands here. It is 4pm and we are drained. We happen upon the
Check Point Charlie Beach. Yup, complete with sand and beach chairs.
Since we have been awake and going for many hours now, a frosty cold
beer (as everyone was drinking) would have had me snoring. So we
opted for coffees. The day had turned out lovely, sunny and warm.
After a nice long rest we headed back to our hotel and dinner with
the kid.
We chose
the hotel to be near the U.S. Consulate. It is half a block away in
a quiet residential area. The only problem with this was no
restaurants near by. We started out walking, getting hungrier by the
minute. The Kid said "Two blocks more." so was walked on,
passing more homes. "Two blocks more." he said again. I
do believe we heard this about eight times. LOL Finally the Block
House Steak house was in sight. English menus provided, and beer on
tap. Goulash soup and cucumber salad. And beer. Finally a beer.
Back to our
room and crash time. Friday morning is again drizzly and cool.
Perfect walking weather as we head off to F.U. or Freie
Universität Berlin
in search of T shirts. An hour wandering about. Then the S Bahn to
CheckPoint Charlie Museum. Small and cramped, here you can see
objects
used to escape over, under, and through the Berlin Wall.
Next
stop the Stasi Museum in
the former headquarters of the Stasi.
“STASI” is the acronym for East Germany’s “Ministerium fuer
Staatsicherheit,” or Ministry for State Security. Wander through
and see the many techniques the communist dictatorship used to keep
track of their people. Onward and upward to the Topography of Terror
Museum. Not at all what we expected. Nothing really gory for the
tourists. Just facts on the history of the institutions of terror in
the vicinity. Lots of reading. Lots to think about.
Lunch
is CurryWurst for the man and Bratwurst for me. Snackily delicious.
We wander back to our hotel. Dinner with the kid at Gasthaus
Kronprinz Biergarten. Another long walk but the food is
delicious and the beer cold. We enjoyed every mouthful.
Saturday:
Train to Friedrichstraße and the DDR Museum. Pass through the
turnstyle into another place and era as the door at the end “unlocks”
to let you pass. A leisurely walk along the river to
the Reichstag Building. We decline to enter, and stop for a pretzel
and people watching. Then a long walk to the Tiergarten
area flea market. Another train to Alexanderplatz shopping
area. And Döner Kebab for lunch. There are street
performers and roof divers t keep us amused. Tonight dinner is at
the Marine House Halloween party. The kid is bartender in his
Nigerian wedding suit. The haunted house is excellent and I am
sufficiently creeped out. Hot dogs and beer, and mulled wine to end
the evening. We fall into bed, glad it is only a short walk away.
Sunday
morning we jump out of bed at 0915 as breakfast ends at 1000.
Wait... phone says 0815. Breakfast room clock says 0815. It is Fall
Time Change one week earlier here. We enjoy our leisurely meal. We
then head to kid's room and wait while the cook makes him his full
breakfast. Must be nice to be so spoiled. :-)
Off
to the Deutsches Technikmuseum where we wander for the
better part of the day. Dinner at Augustiner
We then part with the kid setting up an 0700 taxi run to the airport.
Man and I walk to McD for coffee, served in large glass mugs, and a
chocolate fix.
All
too soon we are headed home in cramped middle seats. But glad we
could visit.
P.S. Berlin has the best walk/don't walk traffic lights. I started putting MY arms straight out when waiting for cars to pass on any street. I also needed to get a pair of earrings of these lil guys. Good .
P.S. Berlin has the best walk/don't walk traffic lights. I started putting MY arms straight out when waiting for cars to pass on any street. I also needed to get a pair of earrings of these lil guys. Good .
