So...I knew Berlin was a great place for contemporary art culture as well as a city rich in its own fascinating (and sometimes horrible) history...but I never thought I would fall in love! Like Rome, Berlin is massive compared to little Florence, and it embraces the modern and cosmopolitan.
DAY ONE in BERLIN: 20 DECEMBER
Elsa, (an art history major), Nancy (a sculpture/jewelry major), and I arrived at the main train station Hauptbahnhof after about 8 hours traveling. We found our hostel and checked into our 8-bed dorm (it looked like 4 others were already there). Then we went out exploring for a little bit, walked along the Spree River, and had dinner at a little restaurant across from the Pergammon Museum. We all had wurstels with potato salad, apple strudel, and I had sherry juice, which was interesting. After dinner we continued our explorations and happened upon one of the fabulous German Christmas Markets along Unter den Linden street! We immediately regretted our early dinner once we saw the endless stands of hot dogs, pastries, nuts, and the array of strange, foreign, edible treats labled (sometimes) with a jumble of unpronouncable words. But we all decided to at least get a hot chocolate, and promised to return the next night. We kept walking, and found ourselves at yet another Christmas market that lit up the night. This one had a huge ferris wheel and a skating rink, and was even bigger than the first one. "Let's come back to this one tomorrow," we agreed. Still tired from the long trip, we trekked back to the Heart of Gold Hostel in the cold and went to sleep.DAY TWO in BERLIN: 21 DECEMBER
Thanks to the Let's Go: Western Europe book I borrowed from Sara, we knew that there was a so-called "Museum Island" in Berlin, so we headed there the next morning, and went to the Alte Nationalgalerie - filled with works from the mid & late 19th century and the early 20th century (Friedrich, Monet, Renoir, Rodin, and some amazing Neo-Baroque stuff!). It was so inspiring...! We spent about 4 hours there, and then tried to walk to the Hamburger Bahnhoff Museum which had a pop art/Andy Warhol exhibit, but it was all the way across by the train station, so by the time we got there, it was closing in an hour. We did get to see some sights, like the Brandenburger Tor BEFORE ... AFTER. Instead, we headed towards Alexanderplatz, where we saw the Christmas Market the night before. There, I had a bratwurst with the spiciest mustard I'd ever had - I know now why they use mustard gas. Nancy and I shared a fried flat bread with sour cream, cheese, and spices. (Look at my photos, it's like a German version of a pizza?) There was a Schaumkusse - a marshmallow-like thing with a coat of chocolate. Finally, I had a candied apple, which was just weird - all the Germans were eating them though. (I know - a lot of food, but at least we didn't have lunch...?) DAY 3 in BERLIN: 22 DECEMBER
The three of us woke up late and wandered around the city for a bit and took photos of different buildings and sights. We found Checkpoint Charlie, where there was an American soldier standing with a flag, and there it was - the famous "You are now entering the American sector" sign. We saw one of the longest standing stretches of the Berlin Wall, and the "Topography of Terror," which was an exhibition along the Wall with explanations and history. After a bit of walking around, we also made it to the Jewish Memorial, which was very strange to walk around in. It felt like one of those garden mazes, except in concrete. Sounds would get muffled as you walked into the center, and since it was dark it was even spookier. When it got too cold, we went to the Christmas market again. I got an After Eight - hot chocolate with a shot of peppermint liqueor, and a pretzel. We met a jewelry vendor at one of the stands who took us to his shop and gave us cafes and discounts. Then we returned to the market to wander around a little more, and Elsa and I got some candied nuts (delicious!!). DAY 3 in BERLIN: 23 DECEMBER
For once, we managed to wake up early and saw the Reichstag building, with its beautiful glass dome. We'd seen advertisements for a Jeff Koons exhibit, and Nancy and I were determined to see it. So we went to the Neue Nationalgalerie to accomplish our goal! There was Tulips, which I actually also saw at LACMA, Hanging Heart (Violet), Ballon Dog (Red), and Cracked Egg (Blue), among others. It was inspiring, and refreshing. Then our third and final museum in Berlin; the Gemaldegalerie. They had a collection of paintings from across Europe - Rembrandt, Titian, Caravaggio, Rubens, Wattaeu, Gainsborough, Reynolds, Botticelli, Velazquez - it was pretty intense! After that, we went on a quest for the Steinway Haus - Elsa's dad works with pianos, and she plays too. The pianos there were so beautiful! There was one that was made of Indian applewood, I think, which looked like a tigereye stone.--
There is no way to fully experience Berlin in 3 and a half days. I want to go back for sure, and get to know the city, language, history, and people better. Probably during a warmer season.
PHOTO TIME!
Weihnachten markets every night...
...and visits to historical sites and museums.
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