Berlin

From Paris we hopped a train and headed to our next destination, and I owe this leg of our trip all to my son. When we were discussing our next destination my son wanted to go to Berlin. He’s at the age in school where they are learning about World War II, and he wanted to see the area first hand. I was never keen on going to Germany for no other reason, than it just wasn’t high on my list. I will admit that I was wrong, it turned out to be a great choice.

Travelling between Paris and Berlin by train was awesome. You pass through French and German cities, countrysides, and small towns. It’s a great way to take in a lot with the convenience of a bar car, and it freed up some valuable time for us to plan the next leg of the trip. When you arrive, you’ll likely find that Berlin does not feel like an old city. By the end of World War II seventy percent of the cities structures had been destroyed, and as a result, the architecture is now very modern in comparison to other European cities.

We booked into a hostel on the former East German side of Berlin, called the Generator. It was our first time staying at a hostel, and it won’t be our last. Overlooking the fact that our family wrecked the bell curve with being both the youngest and oldest residents during our stay, it was a really cool apartment block style building, encircling a courtyard that was always buzzing with the comings and goings of backpackers. The room was a double bunkbed dorm room, with nothing more than the beds and a private washroom. It was perfect, nothing more required. We also noted at reception there was a free daily walking tour, so no planning required for the next morning. We had nothing more to do other than hit the street and enjoy the rest of the day.

As we headed out to get our bearings we just started wandering and stumbled on the Bode Museum. A beautiful museum located on a small island, with it’s walls descending below the water line. When we arrived there were lots of people milling about, socializing and enjoying an evening drink or two. It seemed really odd that there were so many people with video cameras conducting interviews, but we didn’t really pay it much attention. It wasn’t until we settled in for the night and checked the news, that it turned out the Bode Museum had suffered a theft that day. Someone stole a one hundred kilogram gold Loonie that had been on loan to the museum. First of all, what an odd coincidence, and second, I can assure you I didn’t lug a giant gold loonie around Europe with me. That’s my alibi and I’m sticking to it.

This also turned out to be the first night we stopped for a family meal. We found a restaurant near the hostel that specialized in German cuisine. I’m not big of food photography, so you’ll have to take my word for it, have the Veal Schnitzel with the Spatzel. It’s definitely not a heart healthy meal, but its good for your soul.

The next morning we got up and joined the free walking tour. Now, I’ve been around the track a few times, and knew very well that free never means free, but we figured why not, it checked all the boxes of things we wanted to see in Berlin. After picking up guests at a few hotels on the walking route we were escorted to the Brandenburg Gate. Once there we were handed off to an English speaking tour guide who gave us the run down of how the tour worked. The company is called New Europe Tours, and the guides work by freelance. They make their money through tips, not a set tour price. I strongly recommend going on this type of tour. The guide was very informative and engaged, while the group of people on the tour was far more diverse than I’ve experienced in the past. I don’t think we saved any money going this way because the guide deserved what we paid, but I think this type of tour opens the door for a more inclusive and enjoyable experience.

We walked with the tour group from the Brandenburg Gates, to the nondescript parking lot that rests above Hitlers bunker. From there we visited the former Nazi Reichs Air Ministry headquarters building that survived the war and became the allied command headquarters after the fall of Berlin; ironically, it’s now a tax building. We also toured the remaining portions of the Berlin Wall and took a swing by Check Point Charlie finally ending the tour at Cathedral Square, which hosts a large concert hall, bordered on either side of the square by a French and German church respectively.

One of the stops we made was at the Berlin Holocaust Memorial. This memorial deserves special attention given the horrific events that occurred. It covers an entire city block and consists of 2711 concrete slabs called stelae laid out in a grid pattern. As you walk through the maze of rows you descend from street level to the centre of the exhibit and find yourself engulfed by the towering blocks. The exhibit is entirely open to interpretation, but if you take the time to reflect on the horrors of the Holocaust, I think it is a powerful and thought provoking piece of art. I can’t help but notice the stelae’s have an eerie and abstract resemblance to headstones.

One of the quirkiest things in Berlin were the walk signals. In Canada we’re used to the walking stick man signally us to go, or the big red hand telling us to stop; which is no different in West Berlin, but in East Berlin they use a little guy in a hat called “Ampelmann”, which has way more character and charm. It’s also a great way to know what side of the city you’re on as you’re strolling around Berlin. Even though I’m sure communism really sucked, I’m glad they kept this cool icon.