Everyone knows something about Berlin. It is a city wrapped in mystery to many in the United States. To Americans, Berlin is the city of Hitler and the Nazis, the Berlin Wall and a symbol of the Soviet Union and the Cold War. Beyond that, many know little about this amazing metropolis. Rather than turn its back on the horrible history, Berlin and Germany have decided to shine a spotlight on it, highlighting the good, the bad and, yes, the ugly.
Are you a fan of history? Perhaps a cultural aficionado? Maybe an aspiring club-kid? Perchance all of the above? No matter your particular predilection, Berlin is a phenomenal place to visit.
The public transportation system runs with stereotypical German precision and is extensive. This makes getting around this Teutonic metropolis headache and hassle free.
In addition to popular destinations such as the Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate, the remaining stretches of the Berlin Wall and the Wall Victims Memorial, take in the city's contemporary skyscrapers, large zoo and many art and history museums. And do not forget, Berlin is one of the cheapest cities in all of Europe.
So, with all that being said, please enjoy our journey to Berlin. I will endeavor to include descriptions and links when appropriate. As always, if you have questions about a photo PLEASE leave a comment.
Cheers,
B & J
The Pfefferbett Hostel, our home for the next 5 days:
Our adventure began, as all our adventures do, with a trip to the Hard Rock Cafe for some good (albeit unhealthy) American junk food:
Alexanderplatz has been subject to redevelopment several times in its history, most recently during the 1960s, when it was turned into a pedestrian zone and enlarged as part of the German Democratic Republic's redevelopment of the city center. It is surrounded by several notable structures including the Fernsehturm (TV Tower), the second tallest structure in Europe. Because of its high profile, many newcomers to Berlin mistake the nickname Alex and apply it to the Fernsehturm instead. Alex also accommodates the Park Inn Berlin and the World Time Clock, a continually rotating installation that shows the time throughout the globe, and Hermann Henselmann's Haus des Lehrers. During the Peaceful Revolution of 1989, the Alexanderplatz demonstration on 4 November was the largest demonstration in the history of East Germany.
As you can see from the above flag, the bear is the symbol of Berlin, and it is ubiquitous throughout the city. I'm sure there were hundreds of these bears we didn't capture, but here is a handful:
Berlin Cathedral (German: Berliner Dom) is the colloquial name for the Evangelical Oberpfarr- und Domkirche (English analogously: Supreme Parish and Collegiate Church, literally Supreme Parish and Cathedral Church) in Berlin, Germany. It is the parish church of the Evangelical congregation Gemeinde der Oberpfarr- und Domkirche zu Berlin, a member of the umbrella organisation Evangelical Church of Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia. Its present building is located on Museum Island in the Mitte borough.
The Berlin Cathedral had never been a cathedral in the actual sense of that term since it has never been the seat of a bishop. The bishop of the Evangelical Church in Berlin-Brandenburg (under this name 1945-2003) is based in St. Mary's Church, Berlin, and Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. St. Hedwig's Cathedral serves as seat of Berlin's Roman Catholic Metropolitan bishop. [Source: Wikipedia]
