101 Uses for the Berlin Wall |
More Wall Art |
All too soon it was time for our train ride to Berlin. We were happy. Trains came with comfy seats, power outlets and included wifi…brilliant! It didn’t take too long to realize though, that photos taken from a train travelling at the speed of light, are never going to be wonderful. Still, it was a good time to take stock of our journey so far, give GS’s mouse an opportunity to escape (our technology woes continue!) and to work on our post-tour tour of Germany.
East Side Gallery on a stretch of Inner Wall |
Our hotel was located in Friedrichshain, close enough to trains and trams to get us round the many top sights of Berlin. Although considered a trendy boho area, the walk to the station required a dash past some locals who neither knew nor cared about this designation. One young couple begged pleadingly for coins with a cup curiously marked (in bold letters) “F*** You”; another meowed for attention. The area is also home to other contrasts. The East Side Gallery, a stretch of the Berlin wall, is covered in memorable (some more than others!) artwork and the Oberbaumbrucke (1896), a stunning bridge with a confection of towers, turrets, archways and crenulated walls, typifies romantic Germany.
Obviously a tourist hot-spot despite the rain |
Before & After photos of the Brandenburg Gate |
Getting lost in the Holocaust Memorial |
Signs of crass tourism....and curry badly mistreated |
Reflective Pool at the former Ministry of Aviation Building |
Well, the rain did clear for a wee bit so we continued on to look for Hitler's infamous bunker, once part of the massive & complex Reich Chancellery, now a simple car park. Across Leipziger Strasse, the former Ministry of Aviation (in German, Reichsluftfahrtministerium or Luftwaffe Headquarters) reminds us how imposing the Chancellery must have been. Grand architecture as a statement of power – we’d seen similar last year in Bucharest, Romania (The grandiose Palace of the Parliament)! Not far behind is Potsdamer Platz, formerly a gate into fortified Berlin and from medieval times, part of a trading route across Europe (Paris to St Petersburg). In 1930, its reputation as a brassy entertainment district (thinking “Cabaret”) was bolstered. Now it’s the destination for viewing incredible modern architecture (and eating sublime apple tart with lashings of cream – energy boosting of course!).
Waiting near Checkpoint Charlie. It's decision time. |
We stopped briefly at the Topography of Terror with its standing segment of outer wall. Built on the site of former SS and Gestapo Headquarters, it is indeed an imposing memorial. Not far away is a further reminder of divided Germany - Checkpoint Charlie. At this point the rain really settled in so we decided to finish our tour, on paper, back at the hotel.
TV Tower, the Fernsehturm (partially hidden by a pink pipe??) |
After all this activity, our thoughts were otherwise on food, so off we went to explore the student quarter, settling on a pub packed with students well into a cocktail frenzy. The food served was appalling (mmm, shocked?) so backtracked to a Thai hole-in-the-wall serving aromatic curries with life-reviving properties!
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