Thankfully Kim & I flew into Berlin & not Frankfurt, where sadly two US Servicemen were shot dead and another two were wounded the day before we flew into the country. Berlin was a pleasant 45 min flight from Copenhagen. A German university colleague of Kim’s was also on our flight, and he gave us some tips of what to do & see during our stay, which was handy. When we got off the plane he took us directly to the ticket vending machine where we purchased Berlin Welcome Cards which gave us unlimited access to trains, trams & buses for our stay. A great hassle-free way to get around the city. Kim had booked us into the tallest hotel right in the popular Alexanderplatz. The metro (U-Bahn) and the suburban train (S-Bahn) stations were right at our door, as was a huge department store which had the most fabulous fresh food market on the lower level. I loved wandering around selecting fresh cheese, salami, paté, fruit, and other delicacies for our nightly platter. Each food had a different counter with several servers who cut you off the amount of camembert or pate etc that you wanted.
We had heard about the amazing Ka De We (Kaufhaus des Westens) department store (most famous in Berlin & second only (to Harrods of London)) in all of Europe, and were told not to miss it. We were told that even if we didn’t (couldn't afford) buy a thing in the store, we should go to the food court on the 6th floor and have something to eat. We could not believe our eyes. It was the most amazing selection of foods I have ever seen – and I have been to Harrods! You may recall my description of the food market in the other store, well this is the very, very, upmarket version. Most counters had their own bar and served Moet as the everyday champagne. There was a lobster counter, a fish counter, an oyster counter, a bakery counter, a dessert counter, a sandwich counter, a stir fry chinese counter, a red meat counter, a chicken counter, a fruit counter, a chocolate counter, a cheese counter – you name it – it was here. It was a once in a lifetime experience, so Kim bought us each a lobster tail that was served with a salad and as much fresh baguette as we could eat. We celebrated our experience with a glass of Moet. I thought I had died & gone to heaven. No photos could ever capture the aura of this place. In the rest of the store you could buy Hermes accessories, Tiffany jewellery, Swarovski crystals, Louis Vuitton luggage - I am sure you get my drift. It was a very high-class store. Needless to say, we didn’t buy a single thing apart from splurging on the meal. I think that emptied the bank account right at the start!
The next day we started fresh on our Berlin sightseeing. We walked under the Brandenburg Gate (main symbol of Berlin/Germany) which was in the heart of the dead zone for the 28 years the Berlin Wall divided East & West Berlin from 1961 to 1989 (November 9th). When the wall came down, it was a place where East met West and a lot of tears were shed as family members were reunited. We sombrely walked among the cement blocks of the Holocaust Memorial – a memorial to the several millions of European Jews murdered in Nazi Germany during WW11. We can’t begin to imagine the suffering endured. After walking a few more blocks we came to where Hitler’s Bunker was located then found Checkpoint Charlie (named by Western Allies). It was the only crossing point for foreigners & Allied Forces moving from East to West during the Cold War, and where American & Soviet tanks faced one another during the Berlin Crisis of 1961. We walked along one of the remaining portions of the Berlin Wall, and thought about the deprivations and pain its presence must have caused. At the end of the day, I was very thankful to have been given the fortunate life that I have had.
On our last full day in Berlin we planned to take a train at about 10am for Potsdam, a quaint area 24 km/15 miles SW of Berlin. We heard something on the TV about the S-Bahn train & Potsdam, but as it was all in German, we couldn’t understand what was being said. We rocked up at the station only to discover there was a strike, and the trains wouldn’t resume until 11.30am. Making the most of the situation, we hopped on a local bus and took a ride around Berlin & surrounds. It was a great way to see the city and the magnificent buildings. I have been amazed at how much renovation and building is taking place. It is like someone said to the local government, here is a Trillion dollars, use it all up now. Everywhere you look there are buildings & roads being renovated, grounds cleared for new buildings, and cranes everywhere. There is a lot of money being spent in the stores too – every area whether food, fashion or sporting goods, the cash registers are constantly ringing up purchases. Getting back to Potsdam – it was the residence of Prussian Kings until 1918, and can be compared to Windsor in London. Kim and I visited the palace grounds of Sansouci there, as it is the largest World Heritage Site in Germany. It was designed in 1745 as the summer palace of the Prussian King, Frederick the Great. For the 3 days we were in Berlin, the weather was a cool 8 C (with minus temperatures overnight), and fine & sunny. The public transport is very efficient and all the hotel & store personnel were very welcoming. A great city to visit. Auf Wiedersehen.
You have just had the most amAzing trip--how nice! You are going to need a week to recover!
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