Berlin, the greatest cultural extravaganza that one could imagine.

... and Matt has done his damndest to eat currywurst for every meal and sometimes between meals.

We stayed three nights at Limehome in Prenzlaur Allee which is a very vibey area and super easy to get to and from by public transport. Modern hotel with electronic everything. The only issue was we couldn't turn the heating low enough for comfort, I think I need to start wearing the clothes I was wearing in Singapore indoors! Nice welcome gift but Matt is sad only ONE because I got the keep-cup.

Our first day started with a pleasant but cold walk to the flea markets in Mauerpark. They weren't as busy or big as expected due to it being "the Sunday of the dead", a religious holiday. It was quite a moment when we realised the Berlin Wall ran between where we were staying and the park - a moving multimedia memorial shared vingnettes from both daily life and escape attempts.

We then continued our walk to Hackescher Markt. Shops don't open on Sunday (other than the little family run sort) but luckily this doesn't seem to apply to restaurants where Matt had the first of many Berlin Currywurst. We were seated next to an interesting Finnish couple and had an interesting conversation on pedagogy and the importance of preserving language and culture in the face of colonisation and Americanisation.

Next up was Museum Island where we sadly only had time for one museum. Four hourse at Neus Museaum was not enough and we are already planning to return in four years when the Pergamon reopens. It was already dark when we emerged for our walk to Alexanderplatz and a tram back for a picnic dinner in our room. Just a few photos of things that caught my eye.

A dramatic exit.

On our second full day in Berlin we had planned to join a food and history walking tour but unfortunately it was cancelled. We still had our booking to visit the dome at the Reichstag (we saw a FOX running across the lawn in the middle of the city while waiting to clear security) where there was an interesting exhibit on modern German politics and history before the double helix walkway. It was cold and got colder as we went up - it was also snowing!

We decided to make our own walking tour for the remaining daylight hours and Brandenburger Tor was next on the "The Best of European Scaffolds" tour.

Before walking on to the Holocaust Memorial we stopped to thaw out with kaffe und kuchen (or kaffe und currywurst for some).

Unfortunately the information centre was closed because it was Monday but the memoiral was moving, disturbing, and disorientating. Not being at all artistic usually artists statements pass me by but this installation did affect me, you feel disorientated, confused, and even scared as you walk between the stelae. Most certainly "a place of contemplation, a place of  rememberance, a place of warning". 

Human nature being what it is, next up was a lighter moment. A stop at the Berlin Mall for lunch and to spend a pfennig before visiting the first of our Christmas Markets, the first gluhwein, and another piece of the wall at Potsdamerplatz.

  

More sombre moments and reflection on man's inhumanity as we walked through the Topographie des Terrors on the way to Checkpoint Charlie (where Matt kept telling me I was going the wrong way before he realised last time he was there was pre 1989 and he was approaching from the other side. It looked bigger then, he told me).

Final stop for the day was the second gluhwein and market at Alexanderplatz.

We awoke to more snow. Despite the chilly start we are quite sure, Berlin, we will be back.

‘Berlin, the greatest cultural extravaganza that one could imagine.’
(David Bowie)