Berlin Germany

In January we took a trip to the capital of Germany, Berlin.   Neither of us had a big desire to go, but how can you leave Germany & say you haven't been to Berlin? And we were so glad we did.  We had a fabulous time!  It was nice to switch gears & focus on more recent history of World War II & we also experienced the amount of culture there is in that city.  It has such a young energy about it.  It was a cold weekend but the skies were clear & we couldn't have asked for better weather in Germany.  As usual we did our 'power sight seeing' & only just scratched the surface....

We stayed on the former East side of Berlin near Alexanderplatz.  One of the cool things to see were the street crossing signs from back in that era where still be used.  This is WALK...

STOP

The German paper the day they found out the walls would come down.

Kirk scheduled a tour of the Cupola at the German Reichstag/government building

Inside the Cupola

Memorial to the murdered Jews of Europe.  A very powerful & moving memorial.

Inside the memorial

This was the room of Dimensions on the floor were diary entries, letters & last notes that were written during the Holocaust. They were written on postcards, paper, in the margins of books & even toilet paper for lack of anything to write on. I really can't accurately express how powerful it was to read every one of those & take it in.

Check point Charlie

Family in front of Check Point Charlie in the American Sector

Check Point Charlie Museum.  Very fascinating.  Lots of history.  This is a car that was used to smuggle people into the west side.

Where the wall used to stand.  Only about a 3/4 mile section still remains & is an outdoor museum.  Here is Kirk & the kids standing in West & East Germany at the same time.

The Berlin Wall was amazing.  Very neat to see the paintings on the wall that depict the government & the people of that time. 

TV Tower at Alexanderplatz

The Berliner Dom. One of the older buildings we saw in Berlin.

We took a trip to the DDR Museum that showed what life was like on the East Side.  Again, very fascinating & a good way to learn what it was like for the Germans living in the oppressive East Germany. Alex is sitting in a Trabant.  One of the only cars they could have that would take up to 6 years to get?!

Working our way towards Museum Island which has multiple museums to see

We chose the Pergamon Museum & so glad we did.  We got to see the Pergamon Altar & Ishtar Gate.  Very neat to see things that were taken apart & put back together in Berlin.  

Pergamon Altar

Ishtar Gate