We had a very good time. We were staying between Alexander Platz and Hackescher Markt station, with a roof top terrace, which was ideal in the weather.
Things we did included, lots of walking, about 45 miles, I think,
the Reichstag, - loved the dome. We were up there at sundown. Knowing that’s where the power grab was kicked off was sobering
Olympic stadium, monumental imperialism - very strange to be in this stage show for National Socialism
Sachenhausen, not a lot to say really. Spent most of the visit in silence
breakfast up the TV Tower, well worth it
Checkpoint Charlie and museum - tourist nonsense, and the museum had some fascinating bits and pieces, but it wasn’t curated as much as chaotic.
A Berlin Street art tour - really interesting tour with someone who occasionally paints. And who decries the gentrification of the edgy areas around Revaler Straße
The East Side gallery - glad we did it, but walking around that area was more instructive
The baumhaus, which I’d read about on a few weeks before.
Book burning location
The topographyof terror - repetitive in places, but devastatingly blunt overall.
Brandenburg gate and Tiergarten
The Holocaust Memorial
Berlin Cathedral
That square with two cathedrals in it
Museum Island - a walk round rather than visiting the museums. My comment was that I tend to go t museums that I know what is inside*, and it wasn’t easy to find out what was in these museums. *e.g. The Picasso Museum in Barcelona, Edward Hopper in Boston, Van Goch in Amsterdam, Tutankhamen, Cairo. You get the picture.
Having said that we went to the Käthe Kollwitz Museum - we knew what was inside it...
The Neue Wache
Quite a few cafes and other interesting street places. We managed to use every type of public transport, and marvelled at the honest quick ticketing method. No barriers, walk on walk off, €60 fine if you are caught without a ticket by a plainclothes inspector. Really simple.
In all a fantastic six days.
So there are a few suggested places we didn’t see, so we will have to go back!
