Berlin

Our last full day in Germany was spent touring Berlin.  We took a Hop on -- Hop off bus tour which took us around to see all the major sights -- the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag,  Victory Column, Tiergarden, Museum Island, and the Berlin Cathedral.  Because Good Friday is a holiday in Germany, there were more people out and about on the street and most of the stores were closed.  However, all of the sights were still open.

Brandenburg Gate

Berlin is currently one big construction zone.  The City had to totally rebuild after World War II, and that rebuilding continues today.  There are construction cranes and detours all up and down the historic city center.  A lot of the construction is being done so buildings have the same historic architecture they’ve always had.    Other buildings have a more modern, contemporary design.  There’s even a Frank Gehry building right on Pariser Platz next to the Brandenburg Gate, although you’d never know it.  From the outside, its form is classic design to blend in with the other buildings.  However, all the action is on the inside where the wavy forms resemble a fish.

The view of the TV tower from our hotel room.
This is the tallest structure in Germany

The fall of the Berlin Wall 25 years ago has also helped fuel a building boom as East and West are reunified.  In some ways, Berlin feels like a very young, newer metropolis.  In a single generation, the City has been transformed, both physically and with a younger, hipper vibrancy that belies the fact that Berlin is over 700 years old.

We were fortunate the weather cooperated, as the original forecast was to rain all day.  Although we didn’t get to experience all Berlin has to offer in such a short visit, we were able to get a flavor for what a great City it is and is becoming.  Now we’ll have to just come back in about 10 years and see how all the current construction turned out.