Ich Bin Ein Berliner

NATO had a four-day holiday this past weekend in honor of Corpus Christi, so we knew we had to take advantage of it. It's the last holiday weekend until the fall, and this American excitedly decided to travel along with every European on the continent, it seemed.

Before I tell you all about our lovely time in Berlin, I need to air some grievances to you about traveling, in general. I realize that what I am about to say will make me sound as curmudgeonly as the people with whom I used to share Metro space in D.C. You know, the ones who used to tap their feet impatiently at unsuspecting individuals who dared to stand on the lefthand side of the escalator instead of the right?

Anyways, here's a tip for travelers out there: If you do not have a stroller, suitcases, bicycles (clearly I'm in Europe on this one), or are in no way handicapped, the elevators are not for you. I know, you're really tired, or your child thinks it would be really fun. But, the escalators are just right over there, and they do the same thing!

Our other travel-related complaint is a result of complete confusion on my part. Apparently, sometimes when you buy tickets online (even first class tickets), you might not get a seat assignment. This is because they oversell the train at times (like holiday weekends when every European on the continent is traveling). If you realize this too late, and go to the ticket counter to clear up the issue, they actually don't care (even for first class tickets), and might actually say to you, "Gee, I hope that it all works out for you." This, even after you say that even one actual seat assignment might be helpful, as you are traveling with an infant. "I recommend that you try to get to the dining car really fast so that you can get a seat." Helpful.

Thankfully, we did get a seat in the dining car for the return trip home. Otherwise, I would have planted myself on the floor in the aisle, and I would have had to sit there the entire trip - even though I paid for first class tickets!

But, we had a wonderful time in Berlin! We saw the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, the KaDeWe department store, the Reichstag, the Brandenburg Gate, parts of the Berlin Wall, the Pergamon Museum, Checkpoint Charlie, the Berlin Zoo, and much more. We should have tried to go when we had longer than two or so days to see the city, but it was great to see all that we did.

Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, ravaged by World War II bombs, and left destroyed as a reminder:



We had an enjoyable meal at an Eastern Berlin beer garden, the oldest in Berlin. We also really enjoyed going to the new Sony Center and having some excellent Berliner Weisse beer (in my case with cherry flavoring, like the locals do).

The Reichstag visit was really interesting. First of all, we had a stroller so we got to skip the super long line! Once you get to the dome, you get an audio guide tour as you walk up the ramp, so you can get an overview of the entire city. It is a really fantastic starting point for your trip.

As we were taking this tour, I started contemplating just how fascinating Berlin really is. Everyone flocks there because of the World War II and Cold War histories, but the fallout from those conflicts and the resulting makeup of the city is absolutely fascinating to see. When you're taking the Reichstag tour, and looking out over the Chancellory and various embassies, you realize that they have only been there in their present forms for a few years. Previously, they had fled to Bonn, after having initially been in Berlin before that. So, if you had come to Berlin in, say, 1995, you would not even be taking this same tour.

When we passed the Brandenburg Gate, and saw the new American Embassy building, it was interesting to think about all the earth-shattering events that had taken place in Pariser Platz (JFK's "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech for one), and the fact that our embassy had been relocated so many times because of so many critical moments in history. And, it had all taken place right before us (including, might I add, the Michael Jackson baby-dangling incident at the Adlon Hotel in the same square).

Brandenburg Gate:



It's an interesting thing to stand in a location and try to remember whether you're standing on what used to be one side of the Wall or the other - and how that distinction at one time could have meant life or death, but no longer meant a thing.

Checkpoint Charlie sign:



Memorial crosses for those who died trying to cross the Wall:



Berlin has always been an elusive city for me, so I was happy to finally get there. My family lived in Germany when the Wall came down, and I will always remember the bells tolling and the fireworks going off. But, we never went to Berlin!

My favorite book of all time is Vienna Prelude by Bodie Theone. It's a book that is an emotional attachment at this point, as I started reading it when I was 12, and for years read it at least once a year. It takes place during pre-World War II years, and the book's main character is from Berlin. So, I felt like I was visiting with a friend seeing a lot of the same places Elisa frequents in the book. Finally, I got to see those places in person!

There was an incredible amount to see and do, and I'm impressed by the amount we accomplished. But, I know there's more to get to, so we'll have to go again.