From the western-most city border to the eastern end of Berlin, my third week in Berlin was all about discovering more museums and Berlin's history. More than half my time in the city has passed, and yet there are so much more that I wanted to see. My checklist was still a mile long, and I had to be quick in checking them off.
Wannsee
A popular spot for Berliners for lounging by the water in the summer, Berlin Wannsee is comprised of two parts - the
Großer and
Kleiner Wannsee, lakes on the River Havel on the southern-west part of Berlin.
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| Berlin Wannsee |
There are many boat tours that tourists can take; not just around the Wannsee, but also around the neighbouring lakes and rivers around Berlin and Postdam as well. Otherwise, sitting on the grass around the lake and enjoying the view is also a popular option. However, if you're more of the sporty type, sailing around the lake is the apparent choice of recreation.
Gleis 17
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| Platform 17 |
The disused track on the
Grunewald Station was used for transporting Jews in the National Socialist era out of Berlin to various concentration camps. Metal plates commemorating each of the transport, which included the number of transported people, their destination, and date of departure are installed along the platform, up onto the day the track was last used.
Checkpoint Charlie
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| The Checkpoint Box |
The famous border check point between the West and East Germany during the Cold War Era was a point of entry to the American sector in Berlin. The original white box post location still stands, with men dressed as US Army "guarding" the post, and are available for tourist photo-ops.
Deutsches Currywurst Museum
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| The interior of the Deutsches Currywurst Museum with large french fries and sauce droplets decor. |
Berlin's and arguably Germany's most famous dish, the
Currywurst, has a special home of its own in Berlin, honouring its history and evolution across the city.
A modern and uniquely decorated museum, the Deutsches Currywurst Museum delves into each of the dish's element, including the packaging. A sample of the dish is also included in the ticket price, which, at €11, is admittedly pretty steep for such a small museum.
Berlin Marathon
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| The Berlin Marathon runners near the Stadtmitte U-Bahn Station |
The Berlin Marathon is amongst the six biggest marathon in the world, and its route is a scenic one. I will be the first to admit that I am neither sporty or a runner, so running a marathon myself is out of the question. However, I have never watched a marathon either.
I was just on my way back from the Currywurst Museum when I realised a part of the marathon is just a block away. I was actually quite an interesting watch, I truly admire every single person who finished or even attempt to run the marathon. Although, a packed subway filled with sweaty runners wasn't exactly a high point of my Berlin stay :)
Reichstag
The German parliamentary building looks majestic and old from the outside, but it is as modern and technologically up to date from the inside. It surprised me how much it looked like an office building, albeit one with historic graffiti from the Red Army and art installations.
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| Reichstagsgebäude |
I took a tour around the building itself, and a separate visit to the glass dome that offers a 360 degree view of Berlin. The building, which has been the corner stone and symbol of Germany even since the German Empire era, holds much history and also plays a major role for the future of Germany.
East Side Gallery
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| A section of the Berlin Wall on the East Side Gallery |
On the east side of Berlin, past Alexanderplatz and just off the Berlin Ostbahnhof Station, a section of the Berlin Wall has been turned into an exhibit, with the wall sections turned into canvases for street art. Various artists painted on the wall over the years, each with a striking style of their own; using different colours to portray different moods and messages.
The East Side Gallery is a popular spot for taking photographs, as the art and the wall lent the perfect backdrop. It stretches for over a kilometre, though admittedly I didn't walk along the whole stretch, the sections I did look at was impressive.
I learned a lot in my third week, plenty on the history of Berlin and Germany in general, especially on the World War II. A lot of it were serious and heavy, but there were also some relief that allows me to experience the more playful side of Berlin. I didn't have a lot of time left in Berlin, and there are much more that I wanted to see, but on the other hand, I did feel a little homesick for my own bedroom, my normalcy, and living with more than what fits into a carry-on.
xo,
Maria
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