Our morning started off by making the trek back to see the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag during the daylight. Although not nearly as impressive, as they were lit up at night, they still were magnificent structures.
We then took our picture with a bear mascot, who is a symbol of Berlin. He was a very nice individual and made taking the picture a lot of fun!
Then we proceeded to the Holocaust Memorial. When we got to the memorial many people were standing atop the various blocks of stones, Max and I agreed that this was very disrespectful to do. The memorial itself was very powerful. As you walked deeper into the memorial, slates of stone gradually get higher until they were above your head. Once you get further in the sound of the city becomes drained out, until all you can hear is your own footsteps and the voices of those around you echoing in your ears. If you are ever in Berlin, I highly recommend visiting this memorial, you will not be disappointed.
Next we walked by Checkpoint Charlie, nothing special to be honest. It was far too glossy and artificial. There is a museum however, that you can check out, although we did not stop in.
Our final stop of the day was East Side Gallery. This was our longest walk of the day and took us several hours to get there. Along the way was when I started to notice the differences between Berlin and other places that I have been:
Graffiti is everywhere, but for the most part is not offensive. Instead it is used as a communication medium; a way to spread awareness of different societal issues. It is also used as a forum of artistic expression.
Berlin is a very clean place, it is cleaner than London.
Public drinking is a normal part of this culture. It is not uncommon to see people walking down the street with various beers or other liquors.
Some restaurants and pubs have smoking and nonsmoking sections. However, unlike in comparison to London where you see lots of smokers, smoking wasn't as prevalent in Berlin.
We then spent about an hour or so walking around the East Side Gallery. This is a section of the Berlin Wall that divided the city during the Cold War. On one side there is various graffiti art, and then on the other side there were various famous paintings such as the "Kissing Men". Underneath this is written "God help me save this death bringing friendship." These two men, one from the GDR and Soviet Union represent a controversial relationship between the two sovereignties.
There was also one of a Trabi, a traditional car found in the GDR. They are unique for their time as they only ran on two cylinders as opposed to four. As a result, they have a very instinctive smell to them. You can still see them all around Berlin, and can drive one around for a fee, if you so desire.
When the day was all set and done we had walked 20 miles! It was unfortunate that we did not have more time in Berlin, but none the less it was a really fun experience. I definitely plan to go back and see more of Berlin some day!
We then took our picture with a bear mascot, who is a symbol of Berlin. He was a very nice individual and made taking the picture a lot of fun!
Then we proceeded to the Holocaust Memorial. When we got to the memorial many people were standing atop the various blocks of stones, Max and I agreed that this was very disrespectful to do. The memorial itself was very powerful. As you walked deeper into the memorial, slates of stone gradually get higher until they were above your head. Once you get further in the sound of the city becomes drained out, until all you can hear is your own footsteps and the voices of those around you echoing in your ears. If you are ever in Berlin, I highly recommend visiting this memorial, you will not be disappointed.
Next we walked by Checkpoint Charlie, nothing special to be honest. It was far too glossy and artificial. There is a museum however, that you can check out, although we did not stop in.
Our final stop of the day was East Side Gallery. This was our longest walk of the day and took us several hours to get there. Along the way was when I started to notice the differences between Berlin and other places that I have been:
Graffiti is everywhere, but for the most part is not offensive. Instead it is used as a communication medium; a way to spread awareness of different societal issues. It is also used as a forum of artistic expression.
Berlin is a very clean place, it is cleaner than London.
Public drinking is a normal part of this culture. It is not uncommon to see people walking down the street with various beers or other liquors.
Some restaurants and pubs have smoking and nonsmoking sections. However, unlike in comparison to London where you see lots of smokers, smoking wasn't as prevalent in Berlin.
We then spent about an hour or so walking around the East Side Gallery. This is a section of the Berlin Wall that divided the city during the Cold War. On one side there is various graffiti art, and then on the other side there were various famous paintings such as the "Kissing Men". Underneath this is written "God help me save this death bringing friendship." These two men, one from the GDR and Soviet Union represent a controversial relationship between the two sovereignties.
There was also one of a Trabi, a traditional car found in the GDR. They are unique for their time as they only ran on two cylinders as opposed to four. As a result, they have a very instinctive smell to them. You can still see them all around Berlin, and can drive one around for a fee, if you so desire.
When the day was all set and done we had walked 20 miles! It was unfortunate that we did not have more time in Berlin, but none the less it was a really fun experience. I definitely plan to go back and see more of Berlin some day!
No comments:
Post a Comment