You Go Nate!

From Winter in Berlin

WINTER IN BERLIN - Part 2

One of the interesting things about Berlin is all of the graffiti. Most of it is trashy, but occasionally you find some that is funny, quirky, or downright artistic.


This whole wall is just weird, but typical Berlin. Look closely at the marquee sign...

This one made me chuckle...

Here is an interesting example from the rear walls of an apartment building...

I woke up on Tuesday to a nice new cold day in Berlin. First thing I did was head over to the Reichstag building. This is where the German parliament convenes and is akin to the US Capitol.

Admission is free, but you have to go through metal-detectors and security and so there is usually a long line out the front of the building. I heeded Rick Steve's advice and went early in the day. I only had to wait about 20 minutes and then I was inside and on the elevator taking me to the top of the Reichstag.

The Reichstag has a troubled history. It opened in 1894 and housed the German parliament until 1933 when it was set fire by arson. The Nazis blamed it on the communists and it gave them reason to begin purging "traitors" and ban the Communist party.

The structure was heavily damaged in WWII and then partially rebuilt during the post-war years. Because it was in West Berlin it did not serve a major function as a government building because the capital of West Germany was in Bonn.

When Germany was reunited in 1990, the decision was made to restore the structure completely and prepare it to house the parliament. The Reichstag was gutted and a new and modern cupola was built on top. In 1999 renovation was completed and the parliament finally moved in after nearly 70 years of absence.

I entered the cupola and read the photo history exhibited around the center. I then climbed the ramps to the top...

The glass windows in the center here look right down onto the floor of the parliament. When it is in session and the lights are on, everyone can look down to see what the politicians are up to. The symbolism is great!

I got to the top, though there wasn't much to see because the windows were still frosted over...

From further down, however, there is a great view of Berlin in each direction. I could see the Chancellory where the German Chancelor, Angela Merkel, sits...

A view across the Tiergarten park revealed the Victory Column (where Obama gave his speech last July)...

And of course, a hazy view of East Berlin where cranes dotted the horizon...

I descended the ramp...

...and headed back out into the cold.

The line to get in was now considerably longer, and I was glad I went when I did. Outside the Reichstag is a memorial to the 96 Reichstag members who were killed by the Nazi party...

From the Reichstag I headed towards the Brandenburg Gate. On the way I saw this memorial to individuals killed while trying to get across the Berlin Wall...

I stopped briefly at the Brandenburg Gate for a look...

I had to laugh at the Christmas decorations of the US Embassy; there was a very short Christmas Tree outside and and a plain wreath hanging on the window. You can hardly see either in the photo...

Right behind the US Embasy is a Holocaust memorial. It was free and so I went underground to see the exhibit and then I walked through the memorial above ground...

It is made up of a multitude of plain rectangular boxes with narrow pathways between them...

Next I headed to Potsdamer Platz, deeper into West Berlin. I passed the Museum of Modern Art and peeked through the windows...

I went into a church to get warm and then went up the spire to get a good view of the skyscrapers on Postdamer Platz and the Philharmonie.

The Philharmonie is the home of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the world's best and most prestigious symphony orchestras....

There was also a nice view of the Reichstag over the Philharmonie...

While atop the church, the bells started to ring so I thought I would make a video of it and dedicate it to the individual who has watched my other bell video over 1,000 times.

Bell Dude, this one's for you...





Next I went inside the Philharmonie to see if there was any way I could get a ticket for that night's performance. Unfortunately it was sold out and the tickets were prohibitively expensive. While I was there, however, I noticed that a bunch of people were gathering around a piano in one of the foyers. People were sitting on the floor, staircases, and leaning over balconies. I found myself a spot and decided to wait to see what would happen. Eventually a pianist came out and performed some Brahms intermezzi followed by a prickly Schoenberg suite and then a Brahms sonata. It was an excellent performance and it was a nice break in the middle of the day...

Next I headed to the heart of West Berlin. I got off at an U-bahn station that still looked like the way it did 80 years ago.

Outside was the Kaufhaus des Westens ("Department Store of the West"... or "KaDeWe" for short). This is the largest department store in continental Europe. I went inside to try and find a bathroom... it was a bad idea-way too crowded (and expensive!)

I headed further up the street to find the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Memorial Church. This large church was almost completely destroyed in WWII and then left as a memorial in its ruined state.

There was a happy throng of Christmas market stalls around its base...

And inside the decorative ceiling was still intact...

Eventually I made it to another department store some distance away which housed a nice little food court with some fun eateries. The store itself was quite fancy...

After a pleasant dinner I went outside to find the evening well underway. I was near the Gendarmenmarkt so I hung around to get a few night photos....

I passed a Volkswagen store with a fancy Bugatti sportscar in the window...

...and then I made it back over to Potsdamer Platz for some more night views...

One of the main buildings on Potsdamer Platz is the Sony Center. This is the European headquarters for Sony and here in the middle of the towering office buildings is a nice area with a fountain, music, restaurants, a movie theater, and Christmas market stalls. The movie theaters here are where many Hollywood movies have their European premieres with the red carpet and movie stars.

While there I grabbed a warm crêpe to eat and bought a nice little painting print that had caught my eye.

I then headed back to my hotel to relax after a busy day and get ready for the next one. It had been fun to visit Berlin again and see so much.

From Winter in Berlin

The next day would be the last of 2008 and I would be leaving Germany. Where did I go? Just wait until next time.

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