Still lots of emotion around the Cold War and the division of Germany, and particularly Berlin.
I personally did not realise that West Berlin was like a pimple bulging into East Germany (maybe a balloon would be a better analogy, but both can be easily popped). I know realise why the Berlin Airlift was so necessary.
Obviously the remnants of the Berlin wall will be a big part of the day.
The day starts with a drive to the Berlin TV Tower.As usual Andy has organised an entry to avoid the crowds. Despite the foggy early morning eyes, there are the usual buildings and intriguing sites on the way.
The tower itself was erected to show the power of the Eastern Bloc, and was used to broadcast propoganda.
Today it is used to highlight the strength of the unification, and to provide a 360° view of Berlin. It is intruiging to see the difference between the housing architecture of the Eastern and Western blocs from this birds eye view.
The Bears of Berlin
For a reason that few can fathom, the bear is the symbol of Berlin. It has been on the coat of arms since 1280, but all documentation was lost in a fire in 1380. Nowadays the standing bear is everywhere in Berlin. even at the TV Tower
There are many colourful examples across the city.
We actually found one bear giving shelter to a very pretty little princess.
On the way back from the TV Tower, we paused at the definitive symbol of the new Berlin – the Berlin Wall. While much of it has been knocked dowm, the remainder has been converted to an image gallery and a graffiti wall.
An interesting phenomonen in Berlin is pedestrians crossing the road – even at lights, cars get a much better run than people. For some of us the bottle provided incentive for a quick crossing (shame they found it to be empty)
Next stop was the Od Museum – or more properly, the museum of the Ancient World – feel that given a chance, I could spend a month exploring this. Built round 1825, the main frontage is in a neo-classical style, but round the side the new entrance is totally New Age glass.
Just across from the museuam was the Berlin Cathedral (or Berlin Dom). Dating from 1854 as a Roman Catholic chapel, it has been demolished and rebuilt, based on the religious or political flavour of the day, and the current incarnation was finished in 1905.
One of the most enduring historical symbols of Berlin is the Brandenburg gate, built round 1790. On top of the gate is the Quadriga, a chariot drawn by four horses, sculpted by Johann Gottfried Schadow.
Meanwhile the gang settled on the Pariser Platz
If there was one item that signified the difference between east and west in Berlin it was the much loved/reviled Trabant. The car had a reputation for being uncomfortable, slow, noisy, and dirty. Dubbed a “spark plug with a roof”, 3,096,999 examples of various models of the Trabant were produced over nearly 30 years with few significant changes to its basic design
As a response to the Holocaust, in the heart of Berlin is the Jewish Memorial, built to signify the lives lost.
If one was asked to desribe the boundary between East and West, then surely Checkpoint Charlie would spring to mind. While not the original, still the touristy version suggests the history…
Finally, on the way back to the hotel, we passed a remarkable building – is it a church? is it a museum? is it a bird in the sky?
No, it is a giant shopping centre!
Now don’t jump to conclusions, the biggest shopper here on all the multiple levels, wasn’t Annie – It was me!
My tablet has died, and on death’s door with man flu (or at least with a cold and chest infection) I bought a replacement web book. Obviously my cognitive powers were suppressed, becuse I did not realise that it had a German OS, a German keyboard, and to top it all, a German power supply.
I will always be reminded of Berlin!!!
Then to top it all, I had a German doctor visit me in the hotel. Not quite up to costs in USA, but certainly above bulk billing in OZ.
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