Europe Trip 2009: Day 2 – Berlin
After a good night of getting to know some of the other travelers over some pints and singing some karaoke we called it a night for the bus trip to the “Murdered Jews of Europe Memorial” and museum. After a vague introduction by the guide, we were then instructed to just walk through this memorial. When you first looked out into the blocks they you could see the top of them all, but once you started walking into it, you got much deeper and could only look in 4 direction in the perfectly aligned columns. The cement colums weren’t perfectly vertical, as they were designed that way. This was a very humbling experience. Once the time was up we went back to the guide to discuss what we each thought that this was meant to represent. To our surprise, the creator wanted it to be left up to expression, and not by his design. The one piece it was based off of was the view from the top looked like a lab camp with all the barracks. Once done, we went below this area to the museum were it told stories of a prisoner and their family through Nazi paperwork, and prisoner letters.
After we have scratched some of the surface of these stories, we then went to Stauffenberg Museum at the Bendlerblock to have a guided tour of the German Resistance Movement of WWII. I have not seen the movie Valkyrie yet, but I was told parts of the movie were filmed here, since this is where some of the events actually took place. I am ashamed of my history knowledge, but I didn’t know the extent of the German resistance to Hitler, and it was very interesting. There were so many attempts at Hilter’s life that were spoiled due to what seems to be chance. The guide kept saying he was “saved by the devil”.
After the museum we all split up and started to talk around Berlin. Many of us went to the goverment building with a large dome on top. After a very short elevator ride, you arrived to the dome, and then could spiral up to the top for a great view of the city.
After a long day of being a tourist – it was then time to try out the Berlin night life. We got a tip about a special bar in Berlin that we shouldn’t miss. After over an hour of map reading and discussing which is the right way – we found the it. I am not sure exactly what the bar name actually was – but we liked to called it the “Toilet Bar”.
After the very long plane rides, and alot of people watching at the airport – I am finally in Berlin. As soon as I got my lugage Lew our travel agent was right there to meet me to get me to the hotel. The hotel is definitely no hostel. Glass shower and sink?! I think I can do this. =) There is also a free breakfast with our rooms – and it was a full buffet of usual & German local favorites. 