Although we're spending 2 nights in Berlin, we are leaving early and arrived late, so we are really only spending one full day here, making it the shortest visit of our trip. The train to Berlin from Amsterdam was plagued with problems; due to the recent flooding (supposedly) and various other problems that the train operator didn't bother announcing in English, we had to leave the route and wait in the middle of nowhere for another train to come "help us" (I guess the battery was dead?) Then we had to layover in Hanover for 45 minutes before changing trains on what was originally going to be a one-way trip. In total, we were in transit for over 8 hours. Luckily, I had my kindle and finished the majority of Slaughterhouse Five (a surprisingly appropriate read considering our destination).
Once we got to Berlin it was too late to see any sights, but we settled into our hostel and greatly enjoyed the downstairs bar, which seems to be popular among hostel-goers and locals alike. Rodrigo met some Brazilians, I met some Israelis (and some Swedes), and we all had a great time. Eventually, Rodrigo and his new Brazilian buddies went out to experience the legendary Berlin club scene, but I was onset by a sudden stroke of exhaustion and decided to be lame and not go. I did have a great sleep though.
The next day we got up early and tried to cram as many sights as we could into one day (out only day) in the city. Both of us had packed schedules that didn't necessarily line up, so we split up right from the get-go. Here is what I was able to see (sorry for no Wikipedia links, I'm writing on my phone):
The Fernsehturm TV Tower - this tall spire has become a landmark of the Berlin skyline. Although I did not go up, the tower is impressive enough seen from the base, where there are nice gardens and fountains.
Museum Island - as the name suggests, this is a small Island in the middle of the city where 4 of Berlin's greatest museums are situated right on top of each other. The only one I entered was the Pergamon Museum, where I was able to see its namesake exhibit, the ancient Pergamon altar (or what's left of it anyway). The museum had other similarly impressive exhibits as well, such as an enormous Roman market gate and large remains of Nebuchadnezzar's temple. It seems to be the museum of large, impressive restorations of ancient structures.
Berliner Dom - also known as the Berlin Cathedral, its largest feature is the large dome at the top. I was swayed by the cheap Student entry fee, but honestly the inside was relatively unimpressive compared to other cathedrals we've seen on this trip. The view from the top of the dome is disappointing as well, especially after all the stairs you have to climb. But for those who haven't been ruined for life by the Sagrada Familia, I would still recommend a visit.
Brandenburg Gate - unfortunately my approach to the famous Brandenburg Gate that welcomes citizens into the city of Berlin was hindered by large construction crews and numerous TV reporters preparing for US president Obama's arrival to Berlin that same night. He would speak in front of the gate the following morning. However I was still able to find a way around and walk through the gate, which honestly was a bit smaller than I expected. But still an impressive landmark.
The Reichstag - as the seat of the German parliament, this awesome building has an open hole in its roof to symbolize the openness of German government. A large glass cone on the inside catches any weather that may sneak in through the open roof. I really wanted to take a tour but was disappointed to find that reservations are required. Maybe next time!
Victory Column - this tall spire was original built to celebrate Prussia's 19th-century victories over France (I think) but was moved to its current location by the Nazis (whom are referred to as "The National Socialists") to fit their city planning. Today it represents German national pride and progressiveness, and is the location of many yearly festivals and events. The column appears very majestic in the center of a large square surrounded by greenery, and the golden angel on top is remarkably eye-catching. I climbed the surprisingly tall tower to obtain a surprisingly awesome view of Berlin (much better than the Dom). Definitely worth a visit.
Holocaust Memorial - this is actually a very interesting and unique memorial, comprising of an entire city block filled with nothing but ~2,700 suspiciously tomb-shaped concrete blocks laid out in a perfect grid. The blocks are of varying heights, and the ground itself gets deeper as you walk further in, so that near the center some blocks are twice your height while on the outside they reach your knees. Unfortunately the memorial is not a good spot for reflection, with tourists and locals alike siting and standing on the blocks, posing for "artsy" pictures, and loudly running up and down the aisles. If you get lost deep enough in the memorial you will achieve a few minutes of silence, but they will inevitably be broken by a group of teenagers laughing as they run by.
Other memorials - there are many memorials and monuments in the city respecting those who suffered at the hands of the "National Socialists." The homosexual memorial is almost an offshoot of the holocaust one; a tall concrete block with a hole where you can peer in to see an endlessly looping video of homosexual couples kissing. The gypsy memorial is a large reflection pool with German text around its perimeter which I couldn't read. And the Soviet memorial is a marble gate flanked by two tanks, which seemed a bit out of place but to each his own.
Part of my tour of course was just walking through the city streets and gardens, which I deliberately chose over taking the Metro. Along the way I ate some great Schnitzels, drank some great beer, and even wandered into a flagship VW dealer and saw a Bugatti Veyron on display. And the gardens were absolutely beautiful and a pleasure to walk through as well.
I got back around the same time as Rodrigo, and both of us were so pooped we could barely feel our legs. We immediately decided there was no chance we would go out that night. I showered and passed out pretty early, ready for the train to Prague the next morning.
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