Berlin, the capital of Germany, is a city of contrasts. It’s a place where the weight of history coexists with a vibrant, modern culture. From the haunting remnants of the Berlin Wall to the city’s art and night life scene, there’s something to charm every visitor. Over 3.85 million people live here. From Copenhagen we traveled to Warnemunde, a seaside resort community in Germany. There we caught a 2.5-hour train ride to Berlin. Needless to say, it was a very long day of sightseeing. We got back on the ship at 9 pm.
Berlin, A City Divided, United
The Berlin Wall, a stark reminder of the Cold War, has become a symbol of reunification. Today, there are still a few short remaining sections that you can walk along.
A section of brick wall that was in a Gestapo building and a section of cobblestone street next to it. The Gestapo committed extensive brutalities during its time.
The Victory Column was designed and built in the late 1800s. It is meant to commemorate Germany’s victories against Denmark, Austria and France between 1864 and 1871.
The wall of a church that somehow survived all the bombings and bullets of WWII.
The Broken Chain sculpture. It was meant to symbolize the severed connections between East and West Berlin due to the construction of the Berlin Wall.
We saw beautiful Vespas. We’ve never ridden one but they look fun.
We had lunch at a German brewery that served sausage mashed potatoes and sauerkraut. It was delicious and filling after an incredible amount of walking.
The Trabant was a small car produced in East Germany from 1957 to 1990. A very basic 500cc 2 stroke engine that hadn’t changed much. Now they are a collector’s car.
Check point Charlie is the little white structure in the middle of the road.
We enjoyed a cruise on the Spree River in Berlin. It was very scenic and informative.
The Brandenburg Gate was built between 1788-91. During the Cold War it represented a divided Germany, as the Berlin Wall shut off access to the gate for both East and West Germans.
