December Roadtrip: Two Nights in Berlin

Derek and I at the Brandenburg Gate

Our experience in Berlin lived up to our expectations; the city was a thriving mix of international eateries, numerous boutiques and large shopping areas, history that stretched for miles and a culture that is still forming. According to our tour guide, Berlin doesn't have a defined culture but is still developing its true identity. The city has over 100,000 construction sites; the Berlin that we visited last month will be a different Berlin in ten years. With it's grim past in the past, Berlin has transformed into a thriving, hip and welcoming city.

After a three hour drive from Hamburg, we arrived in Berlin to our Meininger Hotel on December 19th around 2:30 pm. We checked into our very cheap and nice hotel - a three person room for two nights in Berlin for 96 Euro. We stayed in what was formerly known as East Berlin on Oranienburger Strasse right across from the New Jewish Synagogue and around the corner from Museums Island along with numerous international restaurants.

We dropped off our bags and set out to explore the city. After picking up some coffee and a snack from the train station's shopping area, we headed down the famous street of Unter den Linden to the Brandenburg Gate in the Pariser Platz. Built in 1791, the Brandenburg Gate has been a symbol of German struggle and freedom throughout it's history and is the last surviving gate from Berlin's old city wall. From here, we walked through the gate and around the corner to the Holocaust Memorial. Our tour guide pointed at (on the following day) that the line running through the road on the other side of the Brandenburg Gate was were the Berlin Wall used to be. The Brandenburg Gate was used as an highly guarded passage from East to West Berlin. 

Bradenburg Gate at Christmas

The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe at dusk stood like shadows eerily inviting a passerby to stroll through the cement blocks. Look at the photo - there is no plaque or sign describing what this monument is portraying. The designer, an American Jewish man, wanted the memorial to leave an impression, but left it up to the viewer to create that impression by using no symbolism. With 2,711 concrete blocks of the same width and differing heights, the memorial left me with the impression of a giant, somber graveyard. When looking at the photo, it is difficult to tell, but the center of the memorial actually dips down and the blocks tower above you as you walk through. Underground the memorial, we found a memorial center that paid tribute to all victims of the Holocaust. We spent about an hour walking through the exhibit. 

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

We continued strolling the busy streets of Berlin, trying to get good feeling of the layout of the city. And then we stumbled upon the store. The Rittersport Chocolate store. The store not only sold every type of Rittersport chocolate in every size but even had a small chocolate museum and Rittersport history overview. We packed a basket full of our favorite chocolates, and left the shop as jolly as could be! 

Rittersport heaven

Derek in front of the Rittersport Store

We walked a bit further and found the Gendarmenmarkt - one of the many hearts of Berlin. The market was filled with many market stalls, all catering to eager Christmas market goers. Since this was the most famous market of Berlin, there was actually an entrance fee! But for one or two Euros, we entered the market, enjoyed a stroll around the enchanting stalls, and sipped some gluhwein. We even stopped to listen to the choir on stage (per my request). This market was quite fancy in many areas, with makeshift, charming restaurants set-up under the tall tents.

Gendarmenmarkt Christmas Market entrance

I loved the ambiance and warm colors of the area.

Market stall

Derek and Adam warming up with a warm drink.

Lovely setting 

Busy market square

After the market, we headed back to our hotel and enjoyed some wine and beer before adventuring out for dinner. We decided on a very lively Indian restaurant just down the road, complete with dim lighting, delicious chicken curry and over-sized Indian decorations. The next morning we awoke around 9:30 and grabbed pastries and coffee before heading to the Brandenburg Gate for the meetup of our tour group. We joined the free Sandeman's New Europe tour, the same tour company that we used in Prague. I immediately liked our tour guide and looked forward to hearing Berlin's history over the next three hours. We started at the Brandenburg Gate and made our way to the Holocaust memorial once again before venturing to the site of Hitler's old bunker where he and his wife died. Now a parking lot, there is no memorial marking the spot besides a basic sign.

Checkpoint Charlie

Our next stop was the headquarters and old air force base of the Third Reich and then onto Checkpoint Charlie. With fake military guards trying to con tourists and a McDonald's across the street, this famous checkpoint that separated East from West Berlin is now just a tourist trap. However, we were told that a memorial or museum is in the works. We also passed part of the Berlin Wall near the Topography of Terror Museum. I never fully understand the history of the wall and East versus West Berlin but after this tour, I had a much better understanding of the conflict. This wall not only represents the barrier between East and West, but also the human struggle of communism and moral rights. When the Soviets decided that too many of their East Germans were migrating into West Berlin so that they could be airlifted to West Germany, the Soviets built this wall around the entire region of Berlin occupied by the United States. If a family member was working or visiting a friend in the other part of town the night the wall went up, they were barred from seeing their trapped family for years and years. On the other side of this wall was a no-go zone, where many people died trying to escape. Our tour guide said that people tried everything - building tunnels, windsurfing and building a hot air balloon to escape, and some did succeed. That's my explanation of the Wall in a tiny, itty-bitty nutshell. I wish we would have had another day in Berlin to dedicate to this history as there are several highly-regarded museums available. 

Berlin Wall

In front of the Berlin cathedral

Looking down from the loft in our hotel.

After the tour ended on Museums Island, we decided to visit the famous Pergamon Museum  home to the Pergamon Alter from second century b.c. The alter comes from the Greek city of Pergamon and was excavated from 1878 to 1886 by a German archaeologist. A 269-foot-long frieze wrapped around the outer wall of the museum. The most impressive thing to me about this alter was how they excavated it in current-day Turkey and transported it to Berlin. After viewing the next attraction, the Market Gate of Miletus - a 95-foot-wide and 55-foot-high gate from an ancient Roman city, we came to the Ishtar Gate of Babylon. Using many original glazed tiles and many reproduced ones, the gate created a feeling of mystery, intrigue and beauty. Used as the entrance to the ancient biblical city (575 b.c.) , the Ishtar gate was beautiful and breathtaking. What would it have been like to ride on horseback through these gates to the wealthiest city of its days?

The Greek Pergamon Alter in the Pergamon Museum

The Ishtar Gate from Babylon

We finished the evening with a quick tram ride to the northeast neighborhood of Prenzlauerberg where we sought out the Saint Lucia Christmas market, a Swedish market, and indulged in some Icelandish gluhwein. For dinner, we found a friendly and tasty Cuban diner. It was a great end to long, history-filled day. The following day Derek had the bright idea of visiting the German Technology Museum before heading home. Out of all of the museums in Berlin, I would not recommend this unless you are a train and wind enthusiast. But I do believe the guys enjoyed it, at least I hope so.

Enjoying a Cuban dinner - notice my handmade scarf!

Empanadas!

Derek and Adam with their fruity beer

Admiring the art of the Victory Monument

Additional thoughts on Berlin:

• Take a tour! I would have liked to take additional tours as well, possibly to Potsdam or the DDR history tour through Berlin. I'd also recommend the tour company we used. You pay the guide what you think he/she deserves and they are working for tips, so they do try very hard to give as much information as possible. 
• For cheap eats, always consider the train station. Many large stations have nice grocery stores, ample bakeries and street food. Our lunches consisted of pastries, sandwiches, coffees and curry wursts. This makes me feel better about spending more money on a nicer dinner.
• Stay in central Berlin. Our hotel was perfectly located - we could walk everywhere in central Berlin. A tram even ran directly in front of our hotel with access to other regions of the city. 
• Take 30 minutes or an hour to go through the Holocaust memorial center at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.