Berlin

Berlin was not a city that was "on my list" of places that I must see, however, I was happy to have the chance to go and visit in conjunction with a training held for work (isn't that the best??). I found this city to be very interesting. The history of this city and the role it played in WW2 (with it being central to Hilter's operations) is longstanding. However, with the Berlin Wall and the destruction of the wall in 1989 (which I vaguely remember seeing on TV), the history seems much more recent to me so I was excited about seeing the city and learning more about it. I was not disappointed, it is an exciting city that is in the middle of trying to rebuild itself and develop into a great city who can leave it's painful history behind. The east side of the city (former Soviet side) is a series of completed or soon to be completed construction zones. Everything is fresh and new and laid out in a wonderfully planned developed manner. (That is what you are able to do as a current city planner when 93% of the city is destroyed in WW2 and very little on the east side was rebuilt under the Soviets after the war). So, that was very nice. The west side which was developed by the Americans after the war, now looks old and dingy compared to the east - what a change from the 1980's. The wall and German history is present in the city, but you have to seek it out and find it. It is not put on display by the Germans - they say they are trying to move on from their painful past. The bunker where Hitler lived his last days and ended his life is now in the middle of a parking lot surrounded by luxury apartments. You would have never been able to find it without an experienced tour guide. But once she pointed it out (on our bike tour), you could see the doors to get into the bunker (which was bombed after the war was ended). Checkpoint Charlie still exists and there is a history museum which tells of the wall being put up in the middle of the night and heroic escapes that people made from the east to the west. I cannot believe what these people did to get to the other side of the wall. Regardless of where you lived or worked, the night the wall was put up (which started as barbed wire and which no-one knew was going to happen), whatever side you were on, that was your side. People tried jumping from buildings to get across, tunneling, hiding in cars. The efforts were amazing. I can understand the excitement of the German people when the wall came down based on what it meant to them. So, the trip to Berlin was very interesting and alot of fun. Where to next? Barcelona!