Berlin

On Tuesday Maree, Christian, and Amy headed to Berlin. Taking the ICE train (the fast train) suited our needs perfectly. We got to Berlin at 12:30 PM....and we hit the ground running.

Our first adventure was to the East Side Gallery. Not much of The Wall remains, but in this part of the city you can find a one mile stretch. Since the fall of The Wall, this one mile section has become a gallery that emphasizes peace and freedom.

In this painting you can see the East Berliners rushing through the Brandenburg Gate as The Wall fell.

Maree and Christian in front of the interpretive paintings along The Wall

Maree, Christian, and Amy in front of an older section of The Wall

As you walk along The Wall and you can't see a beginning or an ending, you start to realize how trapped the people who lived in East Berlin must have felt.

Our next adventure was to Checkpoint Charlie. This was the border crossing point for Allied Forces who would travel from West Berlin into East Berlin on a special visa.

You're last chance warning that you aren't on free land once you cross the border. Or in Oz terms..."Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore!"

Poor Christian was worn out after our first day in Berlin.

On our second day in Berlin we headed out for more excursions. Our first stop was the Berlin Dom.

Christian is all smiles in this beautiful church!

Next stop...the Brandenburg Gate. We enjoyed sitting outside of the Starbucks looking at the amazing gate and watching the people pass by.

Christian is kicked back and enjoying the sites.

On the left side of this picture you can see the newly opened American Embassy. When Jason and I went to Berlin in 2004, the Embassy was still being built. It has only been open for a few months. The Embassy caused lots of uproar in Berlin b/c it was built on a prime sight...and closed off a good portion of the Brandenburg Gate during construction.

The Wall may be gone, but throughout the city you can still find the spot it once stood. This marker above stating "Berliner Mauer 1961-1989" and the bricks below it can be found all along the route the wall used to follow.

You can see the double line of bricks running across this main street in current day Berlin. The bricks remind the city of the past.

We've worn Christian out again!

Then we headed to the Reichstag. It is the German equivalent of our capital building in D.C. The Reichstag was destroyed by a fire (which is believed to have been started by Hitler) and remained unused until after the Cold War. It's now been restored and is in full use by both the government and visitors.

Visitors take an elevator up to the dome on top of the Reichstag. As you walk up the dome you are dazzled by the beautiful panorama of the entire city.

Not only is this an enjoyable tourist site, it is also very environmentally friendly. The purpose of the mirrors is to reflect light into the congressional chamber in a room below. Also the dome creates a sort of vaccum where hot air is pulled out of the congressional chamber in order to keep the temperature moderated.

On the way to the top

We made it to the top!

During the Cold War, parts of the underground were used to transport people into West Berlin. However the stations were in the East. Therefore, the trains were never allowed to stop and people were not allowed to get off in these areas. In order to ensure that police stood guard with weapons. These stations became known as "ghost stations." Unter den Linden was one of the ghost stations.

Although the previous "ghost stations" are again in use, at some times during the day you find the station nearly empty. In those times it seems eerily like the old days.

On our third and final day, we hit the museums. The Pergamon Museum boasts of having the greatest find of the antiquity period. Above is the Pergamon Altar. It is like walking in to an excavation site.

But most impressive is the Ishtar Gate from Babylon. It was the main gate into Babylon and was built in the year 575 BC by King Nebuchadnezzar. Babylon and King Nebuchadnezzar are referenced in the Old Testament.

Part of the city wall

The detail is beautiful...and it is astonishing at how they created this SO long ago!

Next, I went into the Egyptian Museum. It is known for its 3000 year old bust of Nefertiti. It wasn't my favorite museum. But the old queen was worth a visit.

While I visited the Egyptian Museum, Christian had a picnic in the park.

I think this grass was much more entertaining to Christian than Nefertiti would have been.

On the go...and NOT in a stroller! WhooHoo!

Our last venture out was down Unter den Linden. It is a grand boulevard with historic buildings (including the University where Einstein once taught), charming cafes, and lots of shops.

Unter den Linden got it's name from the Linden trees that line the boulevard.