A Chance Encounter with.. The Top of Berlin
From Finland, we went to Berlin, Germany.
We landed at midday and quickly hit the ground running. We only had a day and a half in the city, so we had to make the most of it. After settling into the AirBnB, we hopped over to the Charlottenburg Palace. It was a beautiful piece of architecture, but it really stood out from the much newer industrial buildings around the city as it seems to be one of the few buildings that survived both World Wars.
There was a great playground across the street, so despite being 20 years old, we popped over to play for a bit. It was a cold day, so we had the swings and slides all to ourselves! After letting our inner children out, we went over to see the River Spree. There was a lovely park just behind the palace, so we walked through it to follow along the river.
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After a nice walk, we headed over to the Topography of Terrors. This was a highlight of the trip for me. We were able to walk through the history of World War II through the eyes of the Germans. It was so interesting to see the circumstances that allowed the horrible events to take place. It was about a three hour walk through, but if you happen to be in Berlin, this is a stop you should make.
In a country known for their sausages, it would have been inconceivable to not eat them while we were there! So, for a late dinner, we went to Das Meisterstuck. We all tried different bratwurst (mine had cheese inside,) and they were delicious. We topped the iconic meal off with Apple Strudel before calling it a night.
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The next day, we hopped from site to site all day. First we went to the Berlin Wall Memorial. We read stories of families who risked their lives crossing the wall to be together and stories of parents who watched their children get married from the wall. It really helped me have a better understanding of why it mattered that they "tear down that wall." We were still able to see pieces of the wall that have been kept up for the sake of history as well as traces where it once stood throughout the city.
Standing with one foot on either side of where the wall once stood
From there, we tried to see the Museum Island, but much of it was under construction, so we skipped on to our next stop. Walking through the city was great because we were able to see everything. On the way, we saw a cute little restaurant so we stopped for lunch.
I had Brats.. again!
From lunch, we went to the East Side Gallery. This is a portion of the wall that has been kept up for various street artists to display their work. Many of them document the history of the wall, current public issues, or even simpler, iconic pop culture references.
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This was another highlight of the trip as well. My only suggestion is to wear lots and lots of layers. It might not be in the arctic circle, but it is COLD. We stopped for tea at the end of the gallery, warmed up, and went to Checkpoint Charlie.This was such a funny part of our day. The guard station is still standing, but since the wall has fallen, it is simply a piece of history. There were German men dressed as American soldiers to complete the experience. It was comical to watch their impression to say the least. In view of what was the American sector, there is a McDonalds, Starbucks, and Kentucky Fried Chicken. It truly felt like home!
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From there, we walked on to the Brandenburg gate. We took our touristy pictures around the landmark before heading onto dinner.
Here, we ate schnitzel, pretzels, and of course more bratwurst! I could not get enough of the classic dish before we were to leave the next day. The meal wouldn’t have been complete without apple strudel.
After dinner, we made our way to the Reichstag building. The home of Germany’s parliament is in a glass dome that offers a great view of the city. We had made the spur of the moment attempt to get tickets just two days before, and we were glad that we did. This completed our tour of the city, and it was the perfect way to do so. The views were fantastic.
While we weren’t in Berlin for long, it seemed like just the right amount of time to spend there. It was really cool to see all of the history that the city had to offer, and the food alone is reason to visit!
Prayers for continued safety as we trot around the world are always appreciated. Spring Break has been a great adventure so far!
Lots of Love,
Shelly
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