Baltic Cruise 2019, Part 11: Take My Breath Away, Berlin

Okay, this title is really a stretch. But there is a song, and if you grew up in the 80s with me, you know it. Anyway.

When we first booked the cruise, I just assumed Berlin must be near the coast. I know where Germany is on a map, but don't as me to find cities in it. Then I actually looked, and...Berlin is not near the coast. Turns out, to get there from the ship, there would be a train involved.

I was excited to see Berlin. The wall fell when I was in sixth grade, and while I don't remember paying attention to it all (I had bigger problems to contend with, like puberty), as an adult now, I appreciate that this is an important piece of history that happened in my lifetime.

We woke up in Germany, in the port of Rostock, to cloudy weather. We knew to expect rain that day, and I had my umbrella on this trip, so I was ready. Besides, I'd be spending three hours--yes, three hours--on the train to Berlin.

The ride was largely uneventful. Dad did not go to Berlin with me, because he wanted some time to rest his feet, and he's been before. So I sat in a train compartment with an English couple and two ladies from Australia. We past time pleasantly enough, chatting, drinking the complimentary tea and coffee, and some of us dozing here and there.

We arrived in Berlin and met our bus guides. One of the first sites we saw in East Berlin was the East Side Gallery, a section of the wall that was not torn down, but rather decorated by different artists. We didn't stop, so all of my pictures were taken from the bus.

This image is on a lot of post cards.

One particularly famous part.

We continued driving around, and while our guide was telling us what everything was, I've forgotten most of the names.

This is a ride people can take to get an aerial view of Berlin.

Heavily graffiti'd vacant building. I like the message.

Next, we stopped at Checkpoint Charlie. On the Russian side, an American soldier stares down, while on the American side, a Russian soldier does the same.

Souvenir stand

Near the checkpoint, there was a bit in the sidewalk that showed where part of the wall ran.

After this, we visited another remnant of the wall. For a time, people were chiseling off souvenir pieces, so it's fenced off now. Near it are the remains of the headquarters for the SS and Gestapo. There's not much left, but what remains is a solemn reminder of what unchecked power can do.

(Timely.)

Our next stop (this was a bit of a whirlwind) was the famous Brandenburg gate, once blocked on one side by the wall. Now, however, it stands proudly by itself. It was drizzling by now, but I got some nice pictures.

Sadly, we didn't stop at the Holocaust Memorial--it's a famous one with giant boxes--and I couldn't get pictures of it from the bus, as I was on the opposite side. I do wish they'd included it.

We stopped for a picture opportunity at the Parliament building, however.

I had been really excited to get some free time in Berlin, until they told us we wouldn't be in the section where all the museums and history are. No, they dropped us off in a shopping district. A shopping district with stores I've seen in the US, in England, everywhere. 

So my free time in Berlin was spent in a modern area, with one interesting historical place to see. Sigh.

I asked our guides where I might get good German food for lunch. "I'm in Germany, I want German food." He nodded his approval and gave me the name of a place that he himself eats at often nearby. Sadly, it isn't open for lunch, so I made do with a hotel restaurant across the street, where I had a curried German sausage with fries--served with mayo, a popular European thing I hadn't tried before. Mayo on fries wasn't terrible, but I still prefer ketchup, or ranch dressing. 

I wandered through the shops, including a book store. I love visiting book stores in countries where English is not the official language, and seeing books I know in the country's language. 

The souvenir shops were full of things like suspenders. And ducks. Yes, I bought a duck. He is Hans von Swimmy, and he is not pictured here.

One very cool thing I did find in the shopping area was this old, bombed-out church. It took a huge beating in World War II, and it remains as it was left today. You can go inside, though, which is largely untouched by damage.

Near the church was a fun fountain. 

It was nearing the time to head back to the meeting place for the bus, so after a visit to a Swiss chocolatier, I headed back and sat in a quiet little park off a side street for a few minutes. Before long, the Australian ladies from the morning train ride found me there and we all chatted for a few minutes.

I was amused by this little sign in the park. Spanish? German?
Spanman? Germish? 

The sun was coming out a little as we rode back to the train station, so I took some pictures.

With the three hour train ride in, and the three hour train ride back, it did rather limit our time in Berlin. I do wish we'd been given free time in a more exciting part of the city (there was no way I could get to the museums I wanted to see in the time I had), instead of what basically amounted to a large mall. And the first part of the tour was so rushed, trying to see everything.

I liked Berlin, and I'd love to go back and explore it further (and other parts of Germany, as well). I just felt like my time might have been better served if I'd had more time exploring and less time sitting on an old train where I couldn't really see much.

That said, I got to see a lot of great historical points, like the remnants of the wall, Checkpoint Charlie, and Brandenburg Gate. The history nerd in me was delighted. Someday, I'll go back, and be able to see the other things I missed this time.

I arrived back at the ship around 8:00 that evening, exhausted from my long day, but mostly satisfied. The next day would be our last sea day, and I was looking forward to a rest before Oslo.