Berlin

Berlin was one of the more sobering stops on our tour not only because over 60 percent of the city was destroyed in WWII, but because of the legacy of the Berlin Wall. It's not too difficult to notice when you are in the former East Berlin - just look at all the 1960's - 1970's Soviet era architecture (namely, if it can be made uglier and with concrete - all the better).

We had only 2 nights and 1 full day in Berlin. Again, with the folks' mobility issues, DH and I took them on a hop-on, hop off bus tour, then on a river cruise while my brother and his family explored the city on foot. Berlin has great public transportation and is easy to navigate if you've read any good travel book on the city.

The Berliner Dom.



Fernseturm (TV tower)



Brandenburger Tor





and how it looked after WWII. See all the marks from the bullets - although now patched, you can still see them on the gate.



The Reichstag.



A bridge with beautiful scrollwork.



DH and I made it back to Checkpoint Charlie later in the evening. The two blocks surrounding Checkpoint Charlie have this fence of panels that tells the story of the Berlin Wall. We really needed a couple of hours to read it all and take in all the photos and the stories of escapes and attempted escapes.




Mstislav Rostropovich, who spoke out in favour of regime critics and was stripped of his citizenship and expelled from the Soviet Union, celebrates the fall of the wall by playing Bach at the Friedrichstraße border crossing. 11 November 1989.





I'm torn at to what societal/historical/economical statement it makes that there is McDonald's right by Checkpoint Charlie.