The first of my travel update posts will be about Berlin. I sent a large email out to some of my family explaining these travels already, but I am going to include more photos here. Enjoy! Or skip the next several posts if seeing people's travel photos is torture for you. If it is, I understand, especially since I am not a good photographer.
This is a picture of us in front of the Brandenburg Tor in central Germany. The gate in the background is an important monument in Berlin because it is both the gate that Napoleon and Hitler marched through on separate occasions as a symbolic gesture for who is in control. Also right behind it (you can't see in the picture) is where the Berlin Wall ran separating East from West Germany for about 30 years. Berlin is the biggest city I have spent time in in Europe. It has everything from traditional folk-style beer Gardens, to high culture museums. The most interesting parts of Berlin for me have been related to the history here. The Nazis were based here and it was the center for East Berlin. I have learned a lot of the history of Europe from 1938-present just by living here and that has been really neat.
Now that I have discussed some history and valid reasons for liking Berlin. Here is what I really like about it. Here we are drinking beer and eating large, soft pretzels on the U-bahn. You can drink legally pretty much anytime and anywhere you wish. Lovely. No more community service for us if we get caught drinking in public.
 |
| Schloss Charlottenburg, the seat of several Kings and Queens of Prussia |
 |
| Posing in front of the American Embassy. He hated me for insiting on this picture. I was like an embarassing mom, sorry Honey. |
 |
| On a boat tour on the Spree (the river that runs through Berlin). Not pictured here are his mom and aunt who were my best friends in Germany for the two weeks that they visted. Now I am alone again (hence the commencement of this blog). |
 |
| The Bode Museum on Museum Insel (Museum Island) |
 |
| The most disgusting beer I will ever drink. It was Berliner Kindl (a pilsner that is noramlly non-offsensive) with some sort of fruit syrup in it. It is ridiculously popular in Berlin and tastes like Jolly Rancher urine mixed with vomit. |
 |
| I told you. Even his mom hated it! |
 |
| Another picture of the Brandenberg Tor |
 |
| The Reichstag (the Capitol building of Germany). The glass dome on top is exposed and opens to the sky. There is a ramp that winds up and around the dome from the inside. It offers a panoramic view of all of Berlin. You can go in a look down on the parliment, even when they are in session. So cool! |
That was just a small taste of Berlin. It is a huge city and I enjoyed living there. However, I have a feeling that Southern Germany won't let me down. Cross your fingers for us that we get to experience the following in Stuttgart.
 |
| This is the main beer hall at the Cannstatter Volksfest (the Stuttgart area's very own Oktober Fest) |
No comments:
Post a Comment