Day 3: Ich Bin Ein Berliner!
That's a quote from JFK's famous speech in Berlin where everyone joked that he said "I am a jelly-filled donut." Ok, so I'm not enough of a historian to make history or language jokes but I heard about this little quip today when I read in on the Kennedyhaus construction billboard and thought it was funny.
Anyway....we spent the day in Berlin. We got up early and took the train from Hamburg Hbf (Hauptbahnhof = Main train station) to Berlin Hbf at 8am this morning. It took about 2 hours so we arrived in Berlin around 10am and headed for the Brandenburg Tor (gate). We weren't sure the best way to tackle this huge city in 10 hours so we ended up starting with the hop on/hop off bus tour. After Brandenburg, we walked past the Reichstag. We walked through the Tiergarten (kind of like Central park in New York... a huge forrest in the middle of Berlin. It was originally the King's hunting grounds. It was a walled forrest where he would hunt wild game. Later it was opened up for the public to enjoy.) We walked to the Victory Column and Jason left his backpack on the bus and had to sprint up a pretty good distance and caught it at the stoplight so he jumped on and was able to get it. That would have been really bad!
Next we headed to "Checkpoint Charlie" where we had some bratwurst and doner from some street vendors. They were seriously delicious but very spicy. I tired a "mezzo mix" coke where it's half coca cola and half fanta orange. It was okay. I guess they love it here, so I wanted to try it. They had some exhibits where we learned about the different sectors of Berlin and the security, walls and checkpoints used by East Germany. We read about attempted and successful escapes. It was pretty fascinating and sad. It just blows me away that that was going on until 1989! That is just not very long ago!
We kept getting harassed by these young girls who never spoke but would push a clipboard with a paper saying something about creating a deaf center in Berlin and asking for money. I gave them a little and found out later that it is just a scam and not only do they ask for money but they will try to distract you and their friends will pick pocket you. I hate it when people are dishonest! It makes it hard to want to help others. Another woman pushed a little notecard into my hand that said she was a single mother of 3 from Bosnia and needed money for the train. I had to say no. I'd already been asked by so many others and I felt like they weren't sincere.
We headed over to the only remaining section of the Berlin wall. They have a memorial for the Warsaw Rising and a Museum called the Topography of Terror. I have to say, German history isn't easy to swallow. They did a lot of bad stuff.
We headed over to the German Historical Museum (Deutsches Historisches Museum) where we spent nearly two hours in their WWI exhibit. I really didn't know much about WWI but it was very well done and I learned a ton.
Jason had arranged an appointment at the Reichstag Building (or Bundestag building), the capital building. We had to go through security and show our passports and smash into an elevator with hordes of other people to go to the dome at the top. They had a great audio tour that we were able to follow and see tons of city landmarks from the top of the dome.
We headed back to the Hauptbahnhof to catch our train back to Hamburg via Ditsch's for some pretzels and coke zero for dinner. I threw in some Haribo gummy bears (the German original) to round out the meal! Yikes!
We accidentally came out of the S-bahn a different way when trying to head back to our hotel tonight after 10pm. Aside from the extra walking for poor Mom, it was a happy accident! We stumbled upon the Rathaus and St. Michael's church and a lively Biergarten with accordian music, hanging lights, loads of people having a great time and lots of beer and smoke. Besides the beer and smoke, it was a fun environment and very authentic-feeling. No, we did not partake! ;)
Anyway....we spent the day in Berlin. We got up early and took the train from Hamburg Hbf (Hauptbahnhof = Main train station) to Berlin Hbf at 8am this morning. It took about 2 hours so we arrived in Berlin around 10am and headed for the Brandenburg Tor (gate). We weren't sure the best way to tackle this huge city in 10 hours so we ended up starting with the hop on/hop off bus tour. After Brandenburg, we walked past the Reichstag. We walked through the Tiergarten (kind of like Central park in New York... a huge forrest in the middle of Berlin. It was originally the King's hunting grounds. It was a walled forrest where he would hunt wild game. Later it was opened up for the public to enjoy.) We walked to the Victory Column and Jason left his backpack on the bus and had to sprint up a pretty good distance and caught it at the stoplight so he jumped on and was able to get it. That would have been really bad!
Next we headed to "Checkpoint Charlie" where we had some bratwurst and doner from some street vendors. They were seriously delicious but very spicy. I tired a "mezzo mix" coke where it's half coca cola and half fanta orange. It was okay. I guess they love it here, so I wanted to try it. They had some exhibits where we learned about the different sectors of Berlin and the security, walls and checkpoints used by East Germany. We read about attempted and successful escapes. It was pretty fascinating and sad. It just blows me away that that was going on until 1989! That is just not very long ago!
We kept getting harassed by these young girls who never spoke but would push a clipboard with a paper saying something about creating a deaf center in Berlin and asking for money. I gave them a little and found out later that it is just a scam and not only do they ask for money but they will try to distract you and their friends will pick pocket you. I hate it when people are dishonest! It makes it hard to want to help others. Another woman pushed a little notecard into my hand that said she was a single mother of 3 from Bosnia and needed money for the train. I had to say no. I'd already been asked by so many others and I felt like they weren't sincere.
We headed over to the only remaining section of the Berlin wall. They have a memorial for the Warsaw Rising and a Museum called the Topography of Terror. I have to say, German history isn't easy to swallow. They did a lot of bad stuff.
We headed over to the German Historical Museum (Deutsches Historisches Museum) where we spent nearly two hours in their WWI exhibit. I really didn't know much about WWI but it was very well done and I learned a ton.
Jason had arranged an appointment at the Reichstag Building (or Bundestag building), the capital building. We had to go through security and show our passports and smash into an elevator with hordes of other people to go to the dome at the top. They had a great audio tour that we were able to follow and see tons of city landmarks from the top of the dome.
We headed back to the Hauptbahnhof to catch our train back to Hamburg via Ditsch's for some pretzels and coke zero for dinner. I threw in some Haribo gummy bears (the German original) to round out the meal! Yikes!
We accidentally came out of the S-bahn a different way when trying to head back to our hotel tonight after 10pm. Aside from the extra walking for poor Mom, it was a happy accident! We stumbled upon the Rathaus and St. Michael's church and a lively Biergarten with accordian music, hanging lights, loads of people having a great time and lots of beer and smoke. Besides the beer and smoke, it was a fun environment and very authentic-feeling. No, we did not partake! ;)
For the boys...Bundisliga magazines in the Hauptbahhof.
On the double decker bus open top bus tour.
Enjoying a doner on a shady step across from Checkpoint Charlie.
Berlin Wall.
Delicious cherry ice cream on the street in Berlin. My whole scoop fell off but I caught it and put it back on and ate it! :)
At the Reichstag dome.
Reichstag dome. That's Jason and I in the mirrors.
One of the corner pillars at the top of the Reichstag building.
The top of the Reichstag with the dome in the background. You can walk a spiral staircase to a observation deck at the top. Great views of Berlin!
My U-bahn ticket.
Getting breakfast at the bakery before heading down to catch our train to Berlin.
Hamburg Hauptbahnhof.
Countryside from the high speed train.
Brandenburg Tor (gate)
The youngest of the girls that kept asking for money for the deaf.
The statue on top of Brandenburg gate.
A part of the wall displayed at the Checkpoint Charlie exhibit.
The Berlin Wall.
Jason and Mom in front of the Berlin wall.
Loved their walking signs.
We stopped and talked to this chalk artist. I wish I could speak some German. It sure is handy having Jason around!
A quick stop at the Mercedez Benz Musuem.
A relief on the front of the Reichstag.
The crammed elevator up to the dome.
Reichstag building.
Hamburg at night.
Beirgarten in Hamburg.
The Hamburg Rathaus at night.
Hamburg - Rathaus and Biergarten at night.
The Reichstag building.
Got his backpack! Phew!
The Victory Column
The bricks representing the Berlin wall in the sidewalk throughout the city.
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