OMG! They all speak German here!

We arrived in Berlin late Monday afternoon, Oct. 3, and checked into our hotel before meeting with our Rick Steves' Travel Guide and our 26 new friends who would be part of our group for the next 12 days. While we were very short on sleep and pretty stiff from sitting on the plane for our flight over the Atlantic we powered on with the group for a walking tour of our Berlin neighborhood and a tour-sponsored dinner.
The next morning we were up at 6:30 am to have breakfast and board the city bus for our first destination. The scene this morning reminded me of my youth in Chicago with workers and students dashing for the city bus or subway to get to work and school. I was reminded of what it means to live in the big city where little kids with back packs and moms carrying something baked from home for their kid's classroom were riding the bus with the businessman and day laborer.

Our first destination at this early hour was the Reichstag Building - the parliament building serving Germany's democracy. Workers were taking down the temporary stands and exhibit area in front of this building from the prior night's celebration of Germany's 20th Anniversary! Following the destruction of the "Wall" between East and West Germany in 1989, the reunited Germany can know celebrate 20 years as a country.









We were required to go through airport-like security to gain access to the building and ascend the elevator to the glass cupola on top of the roof. The views of the city from this beautiful structure were breathtaking.









The Reichstag Building has historical significance for Germany's long history and was set afire by a communist anarchist in 1933 by a Dutch Communist anarchist. It was just the opportunity for Hitler to seek emergency powers from the government to "protect" the government from the Communists. From then on Hitler was able to use this toe-hold to exert his influence as the new Fuhrer of Germany and begin his of everyone unwilling to support his bold new leadership. Many opposition politicians were removed and executed. The event is seen as pivotal in the establishment of Nazi Germany.
Our next stop was the Brandenburg Gate (1791). This scene was where the media covered the joyous destruction of the "Wall" that divided East and West Germany following WWII.









Our next stop was the "death field" or "no man's land" where citizens of East Berlin tried unsuccessfully to scale the " inner wall" and cross the "death field" to the outer Wall bordering West Berlin to gain freedom from Communism. There are memorials everywhere honoring those who died trying to gain their freedom. There are crosses on fences along the Spree river memorializing those that unsuccessfully tried to swim their way to freedom.

The next stop was an emotional touring of the recently completed Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.






This stark unpleasant memory in German history was constructed to remind politicians, citizens and visitors of this horrific series of events under the Nazis and Adolph Hitler. While an unpleasant memory for Germans we witnessed many school groups visiting the Memorial and being reminded by their teachers of the damage that Hate can inflict on others.



Today the least, our day was Super-full!! By the time we stopped for lunch before proceeding to Berlin's Jewish Museum for the afternoon. We took city buses and subways back to our hotel where we had 30 minutes to rest before joining our group in a local beer garden for dinner and . . . Beer!

It is late and time to rest!!! Tomorrow is Day 2 in Berlin.


The WALL!