Berlin, Ich Liebe Diche

Berlin was as cold as København (probably even colder), but it didn't stop us from having an amazing four day adventure spent exploring Germany's biggest city.  

I left for Berlin with my warmest clothes, my trusty camera, four good friends, and an open mind.
I came back with a backpack of dirty travel clothes, 146 pictures, and the BEST memories.

The city is so alive, even in the middle of winter. Just by looking at Berlin, you really get the sense that it's been through so much. It's in the state of constant reconstruction and change. The old buildings that have survived the wars are juxtaposed by the new modern architecture.

On the first day that we TRIED to explore the city, but everything was blocked off by policemen because it just so happened that the President of Israel also decided to visit Berlin that day. Checkout the security... it was like a movie or something:

 Anyway...
They've tried really hard to erase all traces of Hitler and the third Reich. We walked by the place where Hitler's chancellery use to stand. Today, a regular looking apartment complex is there instead.

But certain things stayed:

This was the Reich's Ministry of Transport. You can see the bullet holes on the left. 

The East Berlin Wall. There is actually 2 walls that are parallel. The space in between the walls is known as the Death Strip. That's pretty self explanatory. There was a shoot to kill policy for anyone who attempted to escape.

The Holocaust Memorial

The Berlin Wall East Side Gallery: 106 paintings on the wall by artists around the world in celebration of freedom.

We also visited the Reichstag. This is the Berlin parliament. It is an old building, but a giant glass dome was constructed on the top as a monument. It is open to the public. 

The glass represents the transparency of the government. The fact that it sits on TOP of the parliament symbolizes the fact that the government serves the people and not the opposite way around. It serves as a reminder to those in power to ensure that history doesn't repeat itself. 

I tried to do a panorama thing... but the pieces didn't line up.

History is such a heavy subject. We visited all the important monuments and the touristy locations. Then we dedicated ourselves to exploring the culture. I absolutely positively ADORED the street art and the graffiti found EVERYWHERE. Some people think it dirties up the place, but I think it's good eye candy.

 

 

It adds color and life to an otherwise gray city. We also visited a huge abandoned building that is now occupied by artists and squatters. I wouldn't say no to such a life style: to live freely, to dream and to make art.

I loved traveling with friends and staying in hostels. It's an awesome way to meet cool people from all around the world... sharing a drink, having a laugh, telling stories, going on adventures, getting lost, doing crazy things together. This is how memories and friends are made.

We also saw a show. It was called Soap and it literally rained on stage. Yeah, the audience definitely got wet.

This has been a long post.

Four days for Berlin was definitely NOT enough. There was so much more that I wanted to do!

However, I'm so glad to be home. Copenhagen is home now... at least for the next five months.